Manavala Mamunigal
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Ramanuja spread Vaishnavism through 74 of his disciples called Simhasamadhipathis. Likewise Mamunigal spread it through eight of his disciples called Ashta Diggajas. The first and foremost amongst them is Vanamamalai Jeer who established innumerable Mutts, throughout India. Other disciples like Koil Annan and Prathivathi Bhayangaram (PB) Annan have acquired innumerable disciples throughout India . This process is continuing even today.
According to Thirumangai Azhvar, visit and worship at Dhivyadesams ( Holy shrines glorified by Azhwars) is a must for Sri Vaishnavites. His famous pronouncement in this regard is kachchi pEr mallaiyenRu maNdinaar uyyalallaal maRRaiyarkkuyyalaamE' meaning thereby there is no salvation for people who do not visit holy places like Kanchipuram.
Accordingly Mamunigal undertook pilgrimage to holy shrines and made several innovations and reforms in the rituals at Temples. Mamunigal asked his disciple P.B.Annan to compose Suprabhatham for Lord Srinivasa at Tirumalai (Sacred Hills at Tirupati). It is sung even today at 3 AM daily when the Temple doors open for the day. His visit to the Birth place of Azhwars and Acharyas and his pronouncements in these places in an exhilarating manner leave an everlasting impression on the devotees and aid in the total dedication in these holy places.
While approaching Sriperumbudur the Birth place of Ramanuja, Mamunigal melted in ecstasy at the mere sight of the place and exclaimed "ithuvO perumpUthoor........") meaning thereby oh! Is this Sriperumbudur where Yatiraja (King among ascetics) was born to rid us of all our miseries. Indeed the place is as famous as Thirunagari where saint Nammalwar was born and where the limpid waters of Porunai (TamiraparaniRiver) flows. This reveals 'Mamunigal's abundant devotion to Ramanuja. Similar pronouncements were made by Mamunigal at the birth place of Thirumangai Azhwar, while worshipping Lord Dhevaraja at Kanchipuram Mamunigal was very much absorbed in the Divine beauty of the Lord. He composed Dhevaraja Mangalam praising the Lord as Kasturi Varadahan similar to Ranganatha being Kasturi Rangan. All such anecdotes and sayings of Mamunigal help Vaishnava devotees worshipping at the Temples to identify themselves totally with the exhilarating experience the Acharya felt.
During Mamunigal's stay at Srirangam he used to visit daily the residence of Pillai Lokacharya (Author of 18 monumental works on Vaishnavism called Rahasya Grandhams) prostrate at the doorstep reverentially touching the very earth as a gesture of respect to the hallowed spot. Such is the depth of devotion of Mamunigal towards Purvacharyas (preceptors in the past). Mamunigal wrote commentaries on three most important works amongst the 18 viz. SriVachanaBhusanam TatvaThrayam and Mumukshuppadi. Among the three, Srivachana Bhusanam was composed at the divine command of Lord Varadaraja . It is a masterpiece containing quotation of Azhwars and Acharyas. Codifying the true tenets of Vaishnavism, Mamunigal who wrote a brilliant commentary for SrivachanaBhushanam praises this work in his UpadesaRatina Malai. The following stanza
aarvasanabooshaNaththinaazh poruLellamaRivaar aarathusonnRilanuttippaar?-Ororuvar uNdaagil aththanaikaaNuLLamE!ellaarkkum aNdaathathanROvathu. ( Verse 55)
glorifies this work in particular. In this Mamunigal wonders whether the tenets of Vaishnavism prescribed there in awfully grasped and practiced at least by one individual. Perhaps humility prevented him from telling. He was practicing it. Another commentary of Mamunigal worth mentioning is the one on Acharya Hridayam a gem among Rahasya Grandams authored by Azhagia Manavalapperumal Nayanar, the illustrious brother of Pillai LokaAcharya. Mamunigal's goal was to propagate the works and teachings of earlier preceptors and it was never his intention to bring out original works as these were enough about Vaishnavisam already available. Mamunigal expresses this sentiment beautifully in Arthi Prabhandham in the stanza beginning "paNdu palavaariyarum.....kaalaththai kazhiththEn! (Verse 28) meaning -'whatever preceptors before me wrote, I learnt this meanings at the feet of my Acharya, and then preached them. This way I spent my time It was in this spirit Mamunigal wrote commentaries of 421 stanzas of Periazhwar's Thirumozhi which were lost and would not agree to write further as literature for them already existed. Such was the discipline which Mamunigal practiced.
Humility and Devotion to Acharya are the Vaishnavite cult and Mamunigal gave good expression to it in his works of Yatiraja Vimsathi and Arthi Prabhandam. In the commentaries of Mamunigal while emphasizing his view point of vaishanaite doctrine refuting other schools of thought with authoritative quotations great care has been taken not to cause slightest injury to the feelings of others. Mamunigal will not indulge in cheap jibes ridiculing others. His illuminating preamble to the various works of Acharyas are a class by themselves. Another feature with Mamunigal is the mention and appreciation of scholars together with their quotations wherever relevant in his writings limiting unlike others who will make only cursory references. This is a unique quality with Mamunigal. So truthful was he in this aspect so much so we have famous quotation as 'poyyillaatha maNavaaL maamuni punNdhi vaazhi pughazh vaazhi vazhiyE'
It will be seen from the short summary presented above Mamunigal spent all his time in the service of Srivaishnavisam through his works as well as his lectures and above all practicing than scrupulously to enable others to emulate him.
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