Pre-Vedanta Desika Period

The century and a half- which passed after Sri Ramanuja produced many
critics of his system, who brought to bear against it all the skill and
learning of which they were capable. Then there descended in to this world,
the great Acharya, Sri Vedantha Desika, [1268 CE] the greatest among the
master intellects ever produced. The gifts of natural talent, memory and
intelligence with which he was endowed with were of such highest order that,
by the age of twenty, he attained mastery of all vidyas and thereby acquired
intellectual equipment covering the entire range of literary, ethical and
religious wisdom handed down from the past. Such was the superhuman
pre-eminence to which he quickly rose among the scholars of his age and
that, in every field of knowledge, poetic, dialectics, religions, logic and
philosophy, that he was acclaimed and accepted as an Avatara purusha by
almost all his contemporaries.

The dizzy eminence he reached in the domain of philosophy and dialectics is
only matched by the brilliance of his intellectual energy exhibited in every
one of his writings. [we will see and enjoy them all briefly] It is no
exaggeration to say that the moral and intellectual forces that radiated
from the long line of great poorvacharyas of the Visishtadvaita School were
all more genuinely and actively embodied in him that in any other religious
teacher known to history. The powerful influence that he exercised, as much
during his life as after, is in no small measure due to the fascination of
his great and attractive personality which was an embodiment of uprightness
and nobility, simplicity and wisdom. No frame work in which we try in words
to enclose this towering personality, can do justice to the varied powers of
his intellect, the wide range of his knowledge, or the burning faith of his
simple life. No wonder than eminent scholars even of divergent faiths and
religious thoughts joined in paying their unstinting homage to his greatness
as a thinker, writer and poet. He built a fortress for Ramanuja drasanam so
that no other non vedic religious scholars can destroy the green fertile
fields of Ramanuja siddhantham.

Among the renowned acharyas who have been born in the Great Bharatha varsha,
the unquestioned and unquestionable pre-eminent place belongs to
Acharyavarya, Swami Nigamantha Mahadesikan, the luminary among Acharyas.. If
all other sthothras (verses) shine forth because of their literary merit,
devotional involvement and mantric qualities, the sthothras by Swami Desika
stand apart and distinct on a much higher pedestal. Swami Desika whose
erudition, ease of flow of language, command in diction and inherent power
to mix the Bheejaaksharams in them are unexcelled. In such circumstances, it
is no wonder that the best religious literature in Sanakrit and Tamil
pertaining to Vishsitdavita are those bestowed on us by Swami Desika. Let us
glean the various incidents of Swami?s life in detail before looking at the
sthothras.


Sri Krishna declares in the Bhagavad Gita:- whatever beling in endowed with
power, splendour and firmness of mind, know that it was sprung from a tiny
part of my irresistible power?

yadh yadh vibhUthimadh sattvam srImad UrjithamEva vA |
tat tadEvAvagaccha tvam mama tEjOmSa sambhavam || [10-41]

But with reference to these great and learned men- acharya purushas, who
inpart right spiritual knowledge to others for their redemption the
saasthras state that they are Bhagawaan Narayanan Himself. ? Bhagawaan who
comes into this world taking the body of a human being as an acharya, and
with synmpathy lifts up the beings in this world, sunk in ignorance, with
saasthras as his hand.

saasthrAnnArAyaNO dEva: kruthvA martyamayIm tanum |
magnAn uddharathE lOkAn kAruNyAth SaasthrapANinA || [Jayaakhya samhitha]

So a preceptor, especially in the field of philosophy and religion, is
really an incarnation of God. A study of the life of Acharya Sri Vedantha
Desika will reveal that he was really one such. This manifestation of
Divinity in him can be seen even from before the time of his birth.

There was a great renaissance of the Philosophy of the Upanishads and the
religion of the Alwars during the time of Acharya Sri Ramanuja. He sought
several acharyas [preceptors] who belonged to the school of Sri Nathamuni-
Sri Yamunamuni- [as explained in earlier posts in the series] and acquired a
knowledge of every branch of philosophy. First he was a student of
Yadavaprakasa at Kanchi. Then he became a disciple of Mahapoornar (Periya
Nambhi). Under his advice Sri Ramanuja approached Thirukkottoyoor Nambi from
whom he learnt the essence and inner meanings of esoteric mantras. He learnt
the Divya prabandham of alwars from Thirumalai Andaaan; He studied SRimad
Ramanyana from Thirumalai Nambhi- all of these acharyas were sishyas of Sri
Yamunacharya. He had a strong a desire to spread knowledge [he had acquired]
for the benefit of all and he set a band of religious minded and well
trained scholars and advised them to go from place to place and enlighten
people coming to them. Some were enthroned in the under the name as
Simhasanaadhipathis. He wrote elaborate commentaries on the Brahma sUthras
and Gita Bhashya. He also asked one of his main disciples ? Sri Kurukesa- to
write a detailed commentary on Thiruvaymozhi of Nammalwar.

Srirangam and Kanchi became centres of learning and there was an unbroken
chain of Acharyas in both the cities from that time. Kidaambi Acchaan (also
known as MadappaLLi Acchaan) stayed at Srirangam and taught his students;
who in their own turn carried on the torch of learning. His garndon was Sri
Rangaraja who had a son by name Athreya Ramanuja and a daughter TotthAramba.
Athreya Ramanuja was very intelligent and was called AppuLLAr (the
incarnation of GarudA). He was given the title of Vadhihamsaambhuvaahar when
he defeated those who belonged to other schools of thoughts- in disputation
at Kanchi.

NadAdhUr AzhwAn was a nephew of Sri Ramanuja. He chose Kanchi as the place
for his teaching. After him, his grandson Vaathsya Varadaachaarya became the
preceptor. His exposition was clear, lively and interesting. So many
students and disciples came to learn from him. Sudarsana Bhattar, grandon of
Parasara Bhattar (great grand son of KooratthAzhwAn) of Srirangam and
appuLLAr (great grand son of Kidaambhi Acchaan) were the two of the
intelligent and promising disciples of Vaatsya Varadacharya who was most
popularly known as Nadadhoor AmmAL because of his devotion to Lord
Varadaraja with maternal ? motherly love like Yasodha had on Kutti KaNNan.
He used to teach Sri Bhashya to his disciples in the maNdapam which is
within the precincts of the temple just behind of the sanctum sanctorum of
the Lord.