Page 16 - Bhakthinivedana-English-January-2022-Magazine.pmd

A:rthi

Prabandham

Sri:mathe: Ra:ma:nuja:ya namaha!
Introduction

anava:la Ma:muni, also greatly revered
as Sri:mad Yathi:ndrapravana and
MVaravaramuni was a great disciple of
Sri:saile:sa (Thiruva:ymozhippillai / Thirumalai
A:zhva:n). Manava:la Ma:muni was an ardent devotee
of Ra:ma:nuja Swa:mi and composed Yathira:ja
Vimsathi a moving tribute to him as advised by his
guru. This forms his first work.

He spent most of his time in Sri:rangam mastering
Thiruva:ymozhi
Rathnamala,
Upade:sa
many rahasya grantthams of Pu:rva:cha:rya:s and Nutthanda:di and A:rthi Prabandham.
conducting classes with discourses. He became widely
known for his excellent knowledgeable discourses Yathira:ja Vimsathi was his first work and A:rthi
and was awarded the titles - Visada Va:k Sikha:mani Prabandham was his last.
and Sarvajna Sa:rvabhouma by the scholars for his
profound knowledge and lucidity of expression. He Manava:la Ma:muni was highly devoted to
embraced sanya:sa:sramam and spent his life in Lord Ra:ma:nuja Swa:mi and during the last part of his
Rangana:ttha’s service. life longed to leave this mundane world and be in
the eternal service at the lotus feet of his a:cha:rya.
Sri:rangana:ttha listened to his eloquent A:rthi Prabandham was an outpouring in the form of
explanations on Thiruva:ymozhi for one whole year, verses of His intense passionate desire (a:rthi) to serve
cancelling all the temple festivals, was astounded at at the lotus feet of Ra:ma:nuja Swa:mi in the divine
the profound lucid explanations and presented him abode of Lord. These verses composed one a day were
with the thaniyan, accepting him as his a:cha:rya, ardent prayers laden with quintessence of Ve:da:rttha:s
expressing the Vaishnava philosophy of regarding
‘sri:saile:sa daya:pa:thram dhi:bhakthya:di
guna:rnavam | a:cha:rya as the foremost resort – as expressed in
Sri:vachanabhu:shanam of Pillai Lo:ka:cha:rya Swa:mi
yathi:ndra pravanam vande: ramyaja:ma:tharam – “charama parva nishtta’.
munim’ ||
This prabandham is a torch bearer to all of us

Varavaramuni composed 19 works in that explicitly. It shows the importance of eternal
Tamil, Sanskrit and Maniprava:lam consisting of service to A:cha:rya.

many commentaries, including three on Pillai In these columns we are presenting a
Lo:ka:cha:rya’s great works, Amudana:r’s Ra:ma:nuja few select verses of A:rthiprabandham with
Nutthanda:di and three of his own- highly revered by the purport to get a glimpse of this great work.
the Thenna:cha:rya samprada:yam vaishnavites –
- Continued in page 2 1

16 Bhakthi Nivedana Jan 2022