Alavandhar had heard of the brilliant disputations between Ramanuja and Yadava Prakasa and wanted to meet this youngster. He spots him in Kanchipuram at Lord Varadarajar temple and identifies him by his looks, as ‘Aam Mudhalvan Ivan (TVM 7-9-3).’ But he is unable to meet Ramanuja, who laments later that if he had met Alavandhar, together they could have constructed a bridge to the heavens for the sake of the ordinary mortals.
Alavandhar prays to Lord Varadaraja:
‘Yasya Prasada Kalaya Prathira Srunothi
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Pangu Prathavathi Javena Vakthi Cha Mukha
Antha Prabasyathi Sutham Labathe Cha Vandhya
Tham Devameva Varadam Charanam Gathosmi.’
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‘May Ramanuja hear not what should not be heard, (as he was with Yadava Prakasa), henceforth he should hear details of the Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya (srunothi).’
It is for this purpose that Alavandhar appoints Periya Nambi, Thirukoshtiyur Nambi, Thirumalai Aandan, Thirumalai Nambi and Thiruvaranga Perumal Araiyar — to impart the Vaishnava doctrine to Ramanuja.
Alavandhar also wants Ramanuja to become Darshana Pravartaka and shower his grace in all the four directions of Bharath Desh by his holy travels. He desires that Ramanuja engages scholars to establish the Vaishnava Darshan. He prays to Lord Varadaraja to grant the strength to Ramanuja (‘Javena vakthi cha mukha’) and that Ramanuja should not ignore Bhagavad Vishaya. ‘He should read and have the Sastra Drishti to write the Sri Bashya as Brahma Sutra Vyakyana. Lord Devaraja should grant him this wisdom (Antha Prabasyathi). He should get innumerable disciples to spread the essence of dharma (‘Sutham labathe cha vanthya’).’
God responds to this prayer. Ethiraja Vaibhavam narrates how he got 12,000 Srivaishnavas as his disciples along with 700 sanyasis, countless Bhagavatas and women disciples. Alavandhar’s Saranagati to Lord Varadaraja was fulfilled.
This is the 40th in the series of articles on Sri Ramanuja up to his millennium in May 2017