This is the article written by Sri.Parthasarathi, who is shyshya of H H Srimath
andavan and he writes lot of article on Sri Vaishnavism under name of Poigai
Adiyan, Chandra Parthasarathy etc. He is also the Editor of Internet magazine Sri
Vaishnavism in Hotmail e-group. He contributes lot of article in internet groups of
Sri Vaishnavism.

I have tried my hand in translating the above Article “ Meendum Ananthan” Tamil
Article in English for the readers who don’t know Tamil. It is difficult translate
word by word. If any mistakes pray excuse. Please do not rake up any
Controversies on thise article Please get in touch with Sri.Parthasarathi Mama and
get whatever clarification you want.

 
 Srihi

Meendum Ananthan
It was a time when Vaishnavism was dwindling, with blessings of Sriman
Narayana , Bhagavath Ramanuja who was the amsam of Adhi Seshan was born
and he established the Vasishtaadwaita.

Vasishtaadwaita means Brahmam, That is Eshwaran is one and that is permanent.

That Eshwaran has Chith and Achith as his body. So Eshwaran Chith and Achith
together in one form. So he has together means Vasishta in Sanskrit. Since
Vasishtaa eshwaranuku Adwaithmanuthu Agiyal Vasishtaadwaita name came,
Eshwaran is none but Sriyaspathi Sriman Narayana.

All creation should reach him only, there are many ways to reach him but
Saranagathi is the simplest one. If Jeeva does Saranagathi to Paramathma then
definitely our Lord Sriman Narayana will definitely give Moksham, this is the
principle of our Beloved Lord Ramanuja.

Then to propagate the Vasishtaadwaitam Our Bhagavath Ramanuja established

two kalasalai (university) One at Srirangam and one at Kanchi out of four prime
disciples he sent two to Srirangam and two to Kanchi to propagate
Vasishtaadwaitam. Since Kanchi is in north of Srirangam it became Vadakalasalai.
Since Srirangam is in North of Kanchi it became Thenkalasalai. Now a days
different school have different type of uniform for easy identification of particular
school .So Our Udayavar asked Thenkalasalai people to put thiruman kapu and
extend it to Nose say Y and for Vadakalasalai it is in the form of U .

See now a days there is difference of lessons is there between one University and
another university in lessons even though they may be offering same degree
course , hence the difference between Then and Vada kalasalai.

Over the period of time this Kalasalai became Kalai, Difference of opinion was
there but now it is slowly disappearing, it gives immense satisfaction The famous
among Vadakalasalia Acharyas was Vedanta Desikan and in Then Kalasalai They
say Meendum Ananthan amsam and rebirth of Lord Ramanuja was born as
MANAVALA MA MUNIGAL.

Sikkil Kidaram is a small village located near Azhwar Thirunagari.In this village
lived a prominent disciple of Pillai Lokacharya named Kolli Kavaladasa. Kolli
Kavaladasa had a disciple by name, Thigazhakkidanthan who later became his son
in law. One day the wife of Thikazhakkidanthan became pregnant .The village
people observed a divine glow on the face of the pregnant lady and predicted that
the child growing in her womb would some day become a mahatma by whose
grace the world will be liberated from the cycle of births and deaths.
 In the Tamil
month of
Iyppasi, CE
1370, under the
moola
nakshatra, a
beautiful child
was born to the
couple.
Thikazhakkidan
than was
extremely
happy.

The child
resembled a
fully bloomed
white lotus and
the crown of
hair upon the
child’s head
resembled a
cluster of dark
rain clouds. He
had long and
wide eyes. The
parents saw in
the child his
divine nature
and named him
after their
aradhana
moorthy
“Azhagiya
Manavalan”.

Thikazhakkidanthan performed the various samksaras for the child and at the
appropriate time upanayana was also performed and the child’s education began.
Thikazhakkidanthan himself assumed the position of Acharya and imparted to the
young Azhagiya Manavalan the truths enshrined in the ancient scriptures- Vedas &
Upanishads. He also taught the works of the azhwar saints to young Azhagiya
Manavalan.

Once Azhahiya Manavalan was of marriageable age, Thikazhakkidanthan

conducted his marriage ceremony. As a result of the knowledge gained from his
study, Azhagiya Manavalan became the very personification of “Satva Guna”.
Azhagiya Manavalan was totally detached from worldly matters and constantly
meditated on the feet of his
Acharya (and father) .He felt that
the divine feet of
thikazhakkidanthan was his only
refuge. Not long after, Azhagiya
Manavalan lost his father and
Acharya , Thikazhakkidanthan. As
a result of Thikazhakkidanthan’s
death, Azhagiya Manavalan
became a person without
direction and his mind was at
unrest.

At that time, lived a great

Vidwan named Sri Sailesa.Sri
Sailesa was once a minister in the
Madurai King’s court but left his
position to devote his time and
effort on the preservation and
study of the Azhwar’s works. He
was instrumental for building a
shrine dedicated to Nammazhwar
in Thirukuruhur. Sri Sailesa’s
devotion to Sri Nammazhwar
earned him the title of
Thiruvaymozhi Pillai.Azhagiya
Manavalan took refuge at the feet
of Thiruvaymozhipillai and
became his
disciple.Thiruvaymozhi Pillai observed the divine glow in Azhagiya Manavalan at
once realized that this Mahatma would spread the siddhanta of Sri Ramanuja after
him. He took a special interest in Azhagiya Manavalan and ensured that he became
well versed with the Azhwars works and their various commentaries.

Witnessing the guru’s affection towards azhagiya manavalan, other disciples

became jealous and confronted Thiruvaymozhi Pillai. Thiruvaymozhi Pillai
explained patiently that none had realized the divinity of the student who was
none other than the reincarnation of Adi Sesha. He stressed that Azhagiya
Manavalan in his true form was capable of mastering all arts and sciences at the
same time as he had a thousand hoods and a thousand tongues. Thiruvaymozhi
Pillai then shared with his disciples that by nurturing Azhagiya Manavalan and
developing his talent, it was only the guru who had all to gain and nothing to lose
as it was Azhagiya Manavalan alone who was capable of granting him the higher
spiritual planes.

Day by Day, Azhagiya Manavalan’s devotion to Saint Ramanuja developed several

fold. He composed a Sanskrit text in Sanskrit “Yatiraja Vimsathi” preaching the
central message of Sri Vaishnavism – that unconditional surrender or sharanagati
at the feet of Sri Ramanuja alone was capable of granting Moksha.

Once he completed his education with Thiruvaymozhi Pillai, at the guru’s behest,
Azhagiya Manavalan moved to the holy city of Sri Rangam with a few
disciples.There Azhagiya manavalan spent his days preaching the message of the
Azhwars. One day Azhagiya Manavalan received news that the Lord had recalled to
pramapadam his Acharya.Thiruvaymozhi Pillai breathed his last in full satisfaction
well knowing that he had put in place a strong pillar that would preserve and
propagate the tradition for years to
come.

Azhagiya Manavalan rushed to

Thirukuruhur to perform the last
rites for his guru.He decided to stay
there for a few years and continue
preaching the message of
Nammazhwar’s Thiruvaymozhi to
the local residents. After sometime
he could not bear the thought of
separation from Thiruvaymozhi Pillai
and left thirukuruhur and returned
to Sri Rangam. In Sri Rangam,
Azhagiya Manavalan engaged
himself in the restoration of old
palm leaf manuscripts and giving
discourses on the Sri Vaishnava
Siddhanta.

After some time, Azhagiya

Manavalan went on a pilgrimage to
the holy land of Thiruvenkatam or
Tirupati. He camped for a few days
at the foothills of Tirumala with his
disciple Vanamamalai Ponnadikaal
Jeeyar Swami after having the
darshan of Lord Govindaraja.

That night The Jeeyar of Tirumala had a dream wherein he saw the reclining form
of a glowing divine being and at the feet of the divine being was a tridandi sanyasi
offering worship. When the disciples of Tirumala Jeeyar heard this, they told their
Acharya that they had seen two people at the foothills of Tirumala who fit the
description given by the jeeyar. Tirumala Jeeyar with his retinue rushed to the
foothills of Tirumala and welcomed Azhagiya Manavalan and his disciple with all
temple honors.
From Tirumala, Azhagiya Manavalan went to Kanchipuram. While at Kanchi, Saint
Ramanuja appeared in his dream. Saint Ramanuja instructed him to study the Sri
Bhashyam under a scholar named Kidambi Nayanar.

One day Kidambi Nayanar requested Azhagiya Manavalan to participate in a “

vidwat sadas” or “ philosophical debate” with several scholars. The people present
at the debate were all in awe of Azhagiya Manavalan when they heard his
arguments and counter arguments. Kidambi Nayanar knew that this was no
ordinary person and approached him in private. Kidambi Nachiyar prayed to
Azhagiya Manavalan to show His true form.Azhagiya Manavalan obliged and for a
split second appeared before Nayanar in his full glory with a thousand hoods
bearing the conch and discus in both arms.Nayanar was the only one known in
Hisotry to have seen this form of Azhagiya Manavalan.

Azhagiya Manavalan continued his stay in Kanchi and performed various

kaimkaryams. In the course of his activities, Azhagiya Manavalan felt that the only
way for him to engage in God’s service without disruption and distraction from
worldly matters was to
undertake sanyasa. He
approached Satakopa Yati for
initiation into the sanyasa
order. Satakopa Yati was
pleased with Azhagiya
Manavalan and obliged.
Thereafter Azhagiya Manavalan
came to be known as Manavala
Mamuni or Periya Jeeyar.

Periya Jeeyar moved back to Sri

Rangam and stayed at the “
Pallavarayan Mutt”. He then
built a Mantapam called
“Thirumalai Azhwar
Mantapam”. Positioning himself
at the Mantapam, Periya Jeeyar
conducted discourses on the Sri
Bhashyam daily.

Shortly after that, he went to

Thirukuruhur to have darshan
of Swami Nammazhwar. Periya
Jeeyar spent some time at
Thirukuruhur. His fame spread
far and wide. Some people
became jealous of Periya Jeeyar
and wanted to kill him. One
night while he was asleep, a
few bad people set fire to his hut. The people of the town became alarmed. At that
time everyone saw a black snake make its way out of the burning hut. In the
snake, the people saw the form of Periya Jeeyar. His enemies having realized the
yogic powers of Mamunigal hung their heads in shame. The people of Thirukuruhur
rejoiced. Then with help of the king he spruced up the temple and streets of
Thirukuruhur.

Once again our Mamunigal reached Srirangam One person named Appa from
Erumbi village became his disciple and lots about our Mamunigal.

In Kanchi there was person named Anna who was a great scholar and he was
authority in debating and he was not after money. He was also known as
Prathivathi Bhayangaran Annan; he was staying in Thirumalai and doing
Kainkaryam to Thiruvenkatamudayan.
One day a person from Srirangam went
and told about Periya Jeer, because of
conversation he forgot to get the
Theertham in time and also forgot to
add the Vasanai drawiyam , he was very
sad. But what a surprise a sweet
fragrance came from scared water and a
Asriri came and informed that I have
accepted the Theertham. Due to this
incidence Anna recognised the
greatness of Mamunigal., Then he
reached Srirangam to see the Jeer and
became his disciple.

Jeers famous works were Devaraja

mangalam,Sri Kanchi Divya Desa
Sthuthi ,Yathiraja Vimsathi , Upadesa
Ratna Malai, Thiruvaimozi Nooranthadi
,Arathi Prabhantham, Thiruaradhanam
Kramam. Jeers health was getting going
down
When Periya Jeer was doing Pravachanam in front of Sri Ranganatha and Ranga
Nayaki in the Mantapam, when the time came for doing Sambavanai, a small five
year old child got up amidst the goshti
and proclaimed that he is
Aranganathan and told this Slokam

“Sri Saila Daya Patram

Deepakyathi Gunarvam

Yathindra Pravanam Vadeh

RamyaJamantram Munim

That child uttered this slokam

and disappeared, then people
realized this was Sri
Ranganathans himself who
came in the form of child, then
from that day everybody
started rece9iting this slokam
as Acharyas Dhaniyan. Even
today before starting and
finishing the Prabhantham this
slokam is recited by Thenkalai
sect of Sri Vaishnavas.

At the age of 74 Mamunigal

heard the prabandam and left
his eternal body and became
the Nitya Asuri. He attained
Thirunadu on Ruddothkari year
(1444), Masi Month, Krishna
Paksha Dwadeshi on
Thiruvona Nakshtram,
Saturday.

Then his disciples carried the eternal body in Pushpa Pallaku the body was kept in
Padmasana and brought it a place in Cauvery River they did the Addakam on the
banks of river Cauvery and place was known as Dwarasan Porpadukai.
To see pictures of Mamunigal please visit the below mentioned link to see
mamunigal of different kshetram.

http://www.pbase.com/svami/manavalamamunikal

Picture Courtesy : Sri M N Srinivasan