THIRUKOLUR PEN PILLAI RAGASIYAM-72

“Uyiraya petreno umaiyai polae”

What does it mean by ‘Uyiraya peravathu’ ? For all of us the most needed entity is life .

This story is about a ‘Umai andanan’ who lived doing service to  Ramanujam ‘s feet along with deep bhakti towards him and kept Ramanujam always in thoughts and just because of Ramanujam’s sympathy he was gifted Ramanujam himself  as his life.

In Thiruvarangam,Ramanujam had many students under him in his madam(Ashram),

Everyday they will listen to Ramanujam’s Upadesams ,sang devotional songs of Alwars  which were pleasing to the ears, VAishnava sampradhayam  was at its peak. In the same madam there was a vaishnavan who was deaf and mute  and didn’t have any proper education and used to do all kinds of jobs in the madam.

Doing this service was his way of life  but he was not able to listen to Ramanujam’s upadesams ,students singing  alwar songs and neither he was able to sing any kind of songs.

After finishing all his work ,he will sit in the corner and will enjoy watching Ramanuja giving his lectures .He would appreciate about intellectual lustre on Ramanujam’s face ,shining and bright face wearing a Kaavi(Light brown attire of Sanyasi) ,his hands holding Thirudandam(Three sticks from different trees ), Pure form of punal(JAneyu/sacred thread) on his body ,His Thiruman shining like sun,his soft Thirupadham(feet)

Adoring Ramanujam became his hobby. He will keep thinking about Acharyan Thiruvadi .The relationship between Acharyan(Teacher/guru) and his Shishya(Student) is a surprising beauty ,the feeling which can only be experienced not explain .We all should keep our Acharyan thiruvedi always in our thoughts .

Ramanujam once asked Thirukoshtiyur Nambi

“To attain Nargadhi ,can u teach me something which I will always think about?” Thirukoshtiyur Nambi says

“Thinking about Acharyan form or any body part can make you attain that.

Similarly Ramanujam received lot of knowledge by keep on thinking about Alavanthan.If you meditate upon Acharyan it will lead you to many good things.On seeing Umai Shishyan’s sincereity meleted Ramanujam’s.He felt like teaching Mantra updesams to him but wondered how will he listen being deaf and thought he should help him So He decided to reward ‘Thiruvadi Dheeksha” (His paduka) to him.

After the upadesam was done ,there were only Umai Shishyan,Koorathazhvar and Ramanujam present .Ramanujam signed the Umai Shishyan to come near him .Sishya was extremely happy when Ramanujam himself held his hand and took him to his room.

Expriencing Emperumanar’s touch brought him limitless happiness .After taking sishya to His room he locked the door behind him ,seeing this Koorathazhvan thought that Sishya is going to receive something special and wanted to know what was happening inside at all cost so he went and stood near the door.

What will Acharyan talk to a deaf person? Koorathazhvan couldn’t hear anything so he looked through the gap of the door and was struck  with amazement .Ramanujam asked Umai Shishyan to do Namaskaram and as soon as he was done with Namaskaram RAmanujam lifted his feet and kept on Umai Shishyan’s head .

Umai Shishyan held onto Ramanujam’s feet tightly and felt boundless blessing. Seeing this Koorathazhvan thought even after knowing Sashtra’s,itihas(History),Puranam(lineage) I am of no use .Can I Have that Prasadham which Umai Shishyan just received ? How gifted that Shishyan is ?This is all because of his unshaken bhakti on Ramanujam . Koorathazhvan was very sad that he was not that lucky and when the Umai Sishyan came out of the room and explained via. Sign language  to Koorathazhvan about what happened ,Koorathazhvan hugged him I happiness and pure joy.

“Just like Umay Shishyan I didn’t receive the gift of life from Ramanujam “says thirukolur penn.

Ramanujam says

”Acharyan is a person who acts as a bridge between Perumal and his bhakta’s .Preaching and teaching ignorant about spirituality and bhaktis , awakening maturity in them and make them understand and get the blessings of Perumal is Acharyan’s duty .If there is true bhakthi,affection and belief Acharyan Himself will help attain ultimate fruit .Just like how Ramanujam sympathized Umai shishyan and made him attain ultimate fruit by gifting him his paduka ,So which ever Vaishnava is true,sincere and affectionate will attain ultimate fruit."

Now who are you going to talk about? Asks Ramanujam 

“Udambai verutheno Thirunaraiyurarai polae”