Ramanuja Vaibhavam Chapter - 016

AAam Muthalvan Evan
(AalavandAr praises ElaiAzhwar)

In those days, Kanchi YAdavaprakAsA enjoyed a great reputation nationwide. Thus RAmAnujA’s differences with his famous teacher also came to be known to the world at large.

When AlavandAr came to know of rAmAnujA’s philosophical exploits, he immediately recognized that the latter was none other than the BhavishyathAchAryA who would resuscitate the BhAgavatha dharma which had suffered much in the wake of SankarA’s philosophical rampage through India. It must be noted here that the image of the BhavishyathAchAryA gifted to SriNAthamuni by SriSathakopAzhvAr corresponds to the appearance of rAmAnujA. SriyAmunamuni decided to meet hastened to Kanchipuram.

A group of Vaishnavites and TirukkacchiNambi welcomed Sri AalavandAr at KAnchi. ALavandAr discussed the routines of AalaVatta Kainkaryam with Tirukkacchi Nambi. Nambi after explaining his Kainkaryam, waxed eloquent on the character, knowledge and wisdom of ElaiAzhwar to Sri AalavandAr. Sri AalavandAr became anxious to meet ElaiAzhwar.

TiruKachi Nambi took Sri AalavandAr to Perarulalan Temple and the latter had a glorious DarSan of all the deities. While circumambulating the sanctum, AalavandAr observed YAdavaprakAsA coming in with his disciples. Sri AalavandAr was eager to spot rAmAnujA and asked Nambi to help him identify the young lad.

Nambi did the honours as asked, saying,”Swami, the young lad who is tall, fair, slim, with a toned physique and who is as luminous as the noonday sun is our ElaiAzhwar”. ElaiAzhwar didn’t look at them.

Sri ALavandAr was overcome with admiration and love and expressed his appreciation to Nambi saying, ‘AAam Muthalvan Ivan’, which can be taken to mean that rAmAnujA was the one earmarked by NammAzhwAr himself.

Then he went to Perarulalan Sannathi and entreated the Lord to bring ElaiAzhwar into the nourishing fold of SriVaishnavism. He returned to Srirangam without being noticed by ElaiAzhwar. The Lord works in mysterious ways indeed.