Yamunacharya
Encyclopedia
Yamunacharya or Alavandar was a vishistadvaita philosopher in Srirangam
. Ramanuja
, one of the leaders of the srivaishnava school sought to be his disciple. He was born in early 10th century CE and was the grandson of a brahmin, Nathamuni. Nathamuni
was a famed yogi
who collected to the works of Tamil alvars
. He grew up learning Vedic texts
from Rama Misra also known as Manakkal Nambi and was skilled in mimansa. Sirvaishnavite legend relates this story—As a teenager he challenged the royal priest Akkiyalvan of the Pandya king (the name of the king is disputed). Akkiyalvan, when he saw the age of the youth, asked sarcastically "alavandara?" meaning "has he come to rule me?". He defeated Akkiyalvan by proving through the accepted rules of logic that Akkiyalvan's mother was barren, the king was not righteous and the queen unchaste. The king and queen, impressed that the boy has understood the shortcomings of logic, adopted him. In other versions of the legend, he is given half the kingdom. There is no historical record to show his reign so it is possible that this happened in a smaller village rather than the kingdom of Pandya.
After years of rule, Mannakal Nambi tricked him into visiting the temple of Ranganatha
. There, he had an epiphany and gave up the material duties of a king and became a sanyasin embracing saranagati
. He composed the chatushloki and Strotra Ratna at that spot. Mannakal Nambi handed over the reins of Natha Muni's school including the collected Divya Prabandha and renamed him Yamuna Muni or Yamunacharya.
As he grew older, he was perturbed that he could not finish the tasks he had set for himself and asked Ramanuja to visit him. Unfortunately, he died before he could talk with Ramanuja. Srivaishnavite devotees say that his corpse had curled three fingers and when Ramanuja saw these, he understood the tasks and promised to finish them whereupon the fingers straightened.
vs. advaita and bhakti
prayers and the works attributed to him are in sanskrit
although he codified the heritage of the Tamil
alvars
. Works attributed to him are
Srirangam
Srirangam , Old name is Vellithirumutha gramam and Tamil name is Thiruvarangam , is an island and a part of the city of Tiruchirapalli , in South India....
. Ramanuja
Ramanuja
Ramanuja ; traditionally 1017–1137, also known as Ramanujacharya, Ethirajar , Emperumannar, Lakshmana Muni, was a theologian, philosopher, and scriptural exegete...
, one of the leaders of the srivaishnava school sought to be his disciple. He was born in early 10th century CE and was the grandson of a brahmin, Nathamuni. Nathamuni
Nathamuni
Nathamuni was a Tamil Vaishnava scholar who founded the Sri Vaishnava tradition.According to Sri Vaishnava history, Acharya Shriman Nathamunigal was born at Veera Narayana Puram near Kattumannarkoil...
was a famed yogi
Yogi
A Yogi is a practitioner of Yoga. The word is also used to refer to ascetic practitioners of meditation in a number of South Asian Religions including Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.-Etymology:...
who collected to the works of Tamil alvars
Alvars
The alwar or azhwars were Tamil poet saints of south India who lived between the sixth and ninth centuries A.D. and espoused ‘emotional devotion’ or bhakti to Visnu-Krishna in their songs of longing, ecstasy and service. Sri Vaishnava orthodoxy posits the number of alvars as ten, though there are...
. He grew up learning Vedic texts
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
from Rama Misra also known as Manakkal Nambi and was skilled in mimansa. Sirvaishnavite legend relates this story—As a teenager he challenged the royal priest Akkiyalvan of the Pandya king (the name of the king is disputed). Akkiyalvan, when he saw the age of the youth, asked sarcastically "alavandara?" meaning "has he come to rule me?". He defeated Akkiyalvan by proving through the accepted rules of logic that Akkiyalvan's mother was barren, the king was not righteous and the queen unchaste. The king and queen, impressed that the boy has understood the shortcomings of logic, adopted him. In other versions of the legend, he is given half the kingdom. There is no historical record to show his reign so it is possible that this happened in a smaller village rather than the kingdom of Pandya.
After years of rule, Mannakal Nambi tricked him into visiting the temple of Ranganatha
Ranganatha
Ranganātha , also known as Sri Ranganatha, Ranganathar, or Ranga, is a Hindu deity, more well known in South India. The deity is a resting form of Lord Vishnu, one of the foremost of Hindu Gods. His consort is Goddess Lakshmi, also known as Ranganayaki, Thayar...
. There, he had an epiphany and gave up the material duties of a king and became a sanyasin embracing saranagati
Saranagati
Saranagati or Prapatti , in the devotional school of Hindu denominations known as Vaishnavism, is the process of total surrender to God...
. He composed the chatushloki and Strotra Ratna at that spot. Mannakal Nambi handed over the reins of Natha Muni's school including the collected Divya Prabandha and renamed him Yamuna Muni or Yamunacharya.
As he grew older, he was perturbed that he could not finish the tasks he had set for himself and asked Ramanuja to visit him. Unfortunately, he died before he could talk with Ramanuja. Srivaishnavite devotees say that his corpse had curled three fingers and when Ramanuja saw these, he understood the tasks and promised to finish them whereupon the fingers straightened.
- The name of Parasara, should be commemorated on the earth by giving it to a person worthy to bear it.
- Compose a commentary on Tiruvaymozhi of NammalvarNammalvarNammalvar also Nammazhwar,Nammaazhvaar, Nammazhvar, Nammaalvaar, Nammalwar;Tamil: நம்மாழ்வார்) was one of the twelve Alvars, well known for his many hymns on devotion to Vishnu. Legend gives him the date 3102 B.C....
the most prolific of AlvarsAlvarsThe alwar or azhwars were Tamil poet saints of south India who lived between the sixth and ninth centuries A.D. and espoused ‘emotional devotion’ or bhakti to Visnu-Krishna in their songs of longing, ecstasy and service. Sri Vaishnava orthodoxy posits the number of alvars as ten, though there are... - Compose a commentary on Upanishads, Vedanta Sutras and Bhagavad Gita
Works
Alavandar, like Ramanuja, focused both on philosophical debates like dvaitaDvaita
Dvaita is a school of Vedanta founded by Shri Madhvacharya....
vs. advaita and bhakti
Bhakti
In Hinduism Bhakti is religious devotion in the form of active involvement of a devotee in worship of the divine.Within monotheistic Hinduism, it is the love felt by the worshipper towards the personal God, a concept expressed in Hindu theology as Svayam Bhagavan.Bhakti can be used of either...
prayers and the works attributed to him are in sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
although he codified the heritage of the Tamil
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
alvars
Alvars
The alwar or azhwars were Tamil poet saints of south India who lived between the sixth and ninth centuries A.D. and espoused ‘emotional devotion’ or bhakti to Visnu-Krishna in their songs of longing, ecstasy and service. Sri Vaishnava orthodoxy posits the number of alvars as ten, though there are...
. Works attributed to him are
- chathuslOki a popular prayer in praise of LakshmiLakshmiLakshmi or Lakumi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity , light, wisdom, fortune, fertility, generosity and courage; and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm. Representations of Lakshmi are also found in Jain monuments...
- StOtra Ratnam a prayer in praise of narayanaNarayanaNarayana or Narayan or Naraina is an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu, and in many contemporary vernaculars a common Indian name. Narayana is also identified as the original man, Purusha. The Puranas present divergent views on Narayana...
- Siddhitrayam consisting of (i) AtmaSiddhi. (ii) Samvitsiddhi and (iii)Iswara Siddhi which describe the vishistadvaita school of thought, describing a relation between the soul, god and the universe
- Agama Pramanya stating the authority of PancharatraPancharatraPancharātra is a Sanskrit drama written by Bhasa. The plot is based on the Hindu epic Mahabharata....
agama - Maha Purusha Nirnayam describing that the ultimate reality is the god-goddess pair Sri and narayanaNarayanaNarayana or Narayan or Naraina is an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu, and in many contemporary vernaculars a common Indian name. Narayana is also identified as the original man, Purusha. The Puranas present divergent views on Narayana...
- Gitartha Sangraha a commentary on the Bhagvad Gita
- Nityam
- Maayaa Vaadha Khandanam