Why I love Ramanuja: A homage to the saint on his 1004th birthday

A verse from ‘Ramanuja Nootrandaadi’ by Tiruvarangaththamudanaar

கருத்தில் புகுந்து
உள்ளில் கள்ளம் கழற்றி
கருதரிய வருத்தத்தினால் மிக வஞ்சித்து
நீ இந்த மண்ணகத்தே
திருத்தி திருமகள் கேள்வனுக்கு ஆக்கியப்பின்
என் நெஞ்சில் பொறுத்தப்படாது இராமானுசா
மற்றோர் பொய் பொருளே.

He has made me submit to tirumagaL kELvan.

tirumagaL is the softest and most gentle being ever. Isn’t she seated on a pink lotus flower?

tirumagaL kELvan is he who always heeds the voice of his consort. And she who is softness and gentleness personified stays put in his heart, never leaving even for a nanosecond.

Ramanuja has entered my heart and made me submit to this entity who ever heeds the voice of this gentlest of beings who doesn’t have it in her to be harsh even to those who are harsh to her.

And, what a struggle it has been for Ramanuja!

First he had to make himself known to me. Then he had to weed away all the wicked and wrong notions squatting in my consciousness. But weeds have a tendency to grow back. He had to stealthily and with great effort constantly keep removing them.

Ultimately, he has succeeded in refining me, in this earthly existence itself, to make me submit to tirumagaL kELvan.

Having experienced the bliss of this beautiful state of being, there is no risk of my being diverted by any other mistaken notions of the purpose of my existence (Which is to live as kaduvuLukku udalAi irukkum paDiyaana poruL – un porul, unakku porul – I am yours, I exist for you).