“Secret Revealed by Ranganathan” an English translation of the tamil series – Arangan Uraitha Anthrangam – அரங்கன் உரைத்த அந்தரங்கம் . To read the original Tamil article அரங்கன் உரைத்த அந்தரங்கம் written by Sri #APNSwami, please click https://apnswami.wordpress.com/2018/12/13/aranganuraithaantharangampart1/
Secret Revealed by Ranganathan – Part -1
The pagal paththu (10 days of chanting of 4000 Divya Prabhandha during day time) began in Srirangam with great pomp and festivity, and this day is celebrated as “Thirunedunthaandakam day.” People from all parts of the world had gathered here in large numbers to witness this beautiful event. The entire area including the mandapams, outer gopurams and other surrounding places are decorated grandly with lamps and flowers.
Nammazhwar, Kaliyan, other azhwars and Bhagavad Ramanujar were also eagerly waiting for the procession of Ranganthar. All around them was great gaiety and high enthusiasm.
As soon as the doors of the sanctum sanctorum opened, Ranganathar strode out majestically, walking like an elephant and thereafter like a lion. Perumal’s procession shone like a gathering of radiant light amidst the flooding devotees.. Everyone there wondered if the Lord’s stride was beautiful or the stride got beautiful because of its association with Perumal. Such was His splendour that day.
For all those gathered there that day, He is the sole refuge. But for Him, His padhukai are the beautiful stride. Yes, it is padukas that give beauty to the majestic stride of our Perumal right? This is why Swami Vedanta Desikan says that the padhukas give Him gathi (beautiful stride) and the same Padhukas give us gathi (Refuge).
Seeing Him, Azhwars and Ramanujar immersed themselves in this mesmerizing beauty, cried in happiness and chanted “Ranga, ranga.” After all, they are the flowers that glow with dew and fragrance. And Ramanujar is one who will get into trance when he hears about the golden Sri Rangam.
Like this, everyone had their own experience and excitement as they stood in front of Him and prayed. Just like how a majestic Lion emerges out of its cave in the hills, Lord Rangan majestically emerged from the sanctum sanctorum.
Devotees swirled around Him and rejoiced because all their sins will vanish when His glance falls on them.
Starting from Nammazhwar, Kaliyan, Ramanujar and followed by all other azhwars, everyone lined up. Rangan saw all of them with His dark, glittering and wide open eyes. His charming smile mesmerized everyone. Though He saw everyone with wide eyes, He still searched for something. His eyes darted among azhwars, the gathering of scholars and kainkaryaparas (those who served Him). His eyes moved in search of something just like how a black bee hovers around a fully-blossomed bright lotus.
After searching everywhere, His eyes finally got tired and disappointed, and it closed slowly. Being the object of the Vedas, His face also looked dejected and it resembled a fully bloomed lotus that would close its petals during sunset.
When the entire world was so excited, the Creator was disappointed, and this alarmed Nammazhwar. All azhwars looked at one another and seeing the reaction of Nammazhwar, Kaliyan ordered Ramanujar.
Getting the signal, Ramanujar went near Ranga and spoke, “Hey Ranga! Your face looks dejected. Why?”
Arangan, who spoke to Ramanujar during the recitation of Gadya trayam, spoke again. He broke his silence and started expressing His anguish and that’s how His secret wish came to light.
Secret Revealed by Ranganathan
Part – 2
All the twelve azhwars are taken on a procession during the pagalpathu utsavam. Azhwars, who are none other than divyasuris, have sung hymns in pure Tamil and Rangan always waits eagerly to hear them again. Devotees in great numbers had gathered in the foyer of the temple. The Adyayana Utsavam is the magnum opus of all celebrations at Sri Rangam.
But today, seeing His disappointed face, all His followers world over who are always focused on Lord Ranganatha, got confused.. So everyone wondered, ” why was He sad? What is the cause for His yearning?” The glance that eliminates the sins of devotees is sad today, and everyone wanted to know why.
As a collective thought of all devotees, Ramanujar asked Him again, “What is it Ranga? What is bothering You? We are alarmed by the worry on Your face, which is usually an embodiment of compassion. That charming Lotus like face that we’ve always known looks different today.”
Such continuous questions from Ramanujar didn’t seem to have any impact on Rangan.
Though Rangan plays and teases ardent devotees like Ramanujar, the situation today had no element of fun to it at all. Rangan’s eyes only gave a blank stare as if there was going to be an untoward event.
Relentlessly, Ramanujar called out, “O Ranga, the One surrounded by Kaveri.”
To this calling, Ranga responded as if He got back from a deep thought.
“What did you ask Ramanuja?”
“You understand everything. Also, You’re the One who knows what’s inside everyone’s mind.”
He is the One who controls the entire universe and the One who knows everything so easily. Today, He seemed to be lost in His senses here. How strange!
Hearing this question, Rangan let out a deep sigh. Azhwars and Acharyas have sung about His breath, and how it is filled with the smell of camphor, has the feel of Vedas and the smell of butter. But today, that breath felt quite hot.
Scared that bad eyes have fallen on Him, Periyazhwar came forward and sang “Pallandu” to remove them. Usually Rangan gets excited when His father-in-law sings Pallandu, but today that didn’t move Him either.
Rangan let out a long sigh again, and this further exacerbated His already dwindled Lotus face.
Then, Perumal gently called out, “Ramanuja.”
The thundering voice that gave sermons witnessed by the world on the sea shore and chariot base was hardly heard today.
Once Ramanujar had requested Perumal to give out His orders in a thundering and melodious voice, but today, that voice simply wafted in the air like the smell of camphor.
Everyone panicked with the thought that their Kannan was upset with something.
After calling out for Ramanujar, Perumal closed His Abhaya Hastham (Hands) and gestured through His hands to ask, “Where are they?”
Those hands that tell us not to be afraid of anything and those hands that grant us liberation from this endless cycle of birth and death, looked different with the thumb and little finger closed. Only three fingers were seen on the Abhaya Hastham.
The three fingers that were once closed in the final moments of the Thirumeni (body) of Alavandhar, were open today in the Hands of Rangan.
Is it gunatrayam? Or thathvatrayam? Rahasyatrayam or divyatrayam?
Ramanujar started wondering again.
Secret Revealed by Ranganathan
Part – 3
Ranganathan is the One who enhances all good things. In the Vibhava form, that is in the form of Matsya, Kurma and other avatarams, He enacted many strange Leelais. They eventually enchanted the life and minds of His devotees and followers.
In His dasavataram (10 incarnations), He has used all the navarasams (nine emotional expressions) to enact some wonderful Leelais for this world. Azhwars and Acharyas have lost themselves in these Leelais and have even taken the imaginary forms of a spouse, friend and mother to cherish and enjoy these dramas.
He, while being the presiding deity, has also done many fascinating actions. In panguni uthiram, for example, He blessed Ramanujar. He also gave the “Vedanthacharyan” title to Venkatanathan . Above all this, He further glorified Nammazhwar’s sacred Tamil Veda songs, to accede to the request of Kaliyan. In fact, the Adyayana utsavam is a celebration of this, isn’t it ?
Today, people gathered there were confounded seeing the strange actions of Rangan. Everyone wondered the significance of showing the three fingers.
On one side, it looked like the symbol of Acharyas when they give important messages. All were wondering what is the significance of the un-folded three fingers.. While it appeared like the upadesa-mudra of Acharyas, from another angle, they were not getting the meaning of the remaining fingers folded.
Though He had taken the incarnations of a fish and tortoise, the incarnation as an Acharyan is superior. Despite taking incarnations of a celestial swan, fish, Hayagreevan, Nara and Narayana, it is His teachings as Gitacharyan that truly are the blessings to this world.
Giving up all weapons and handling the Sasthras (tenets of Vedas) is the incarnation as an Acharyan. By showing His three fingers, did He further wanted to reiterate that Sastrams are more powerful than weapons?
All Acharyas were incarnated as per His wish only. Is he wishing to don the garbs of an Acharyan in this Archa form? No one could perceive..
Ramanujar asked, “Aranga! What a predicament! You’re always ready to help Your followers, but today you’re putting us through this anxiety and inability to understand.”
Hearing these words from Ramanujar, Rangan spoke with possessed vigour. “Ramanuja!, you’re talking about your anxiety . That is Mine also, right? Has anyone here given a thought to My pangs? All of you have devotion in Me, there is no doubt about it. But have you ever thought of doing a kainkaryam (service) that will be pleasing to me?”
What a flutter ! What a thrust! Usually, all of us get energy only when Emperumaan enters into our body and mind. But today, who entered the body of Emperumaan? Where did He have so much vigour and energy?
Such an aggression was not witnessed by the world even when Narasimha tore the body of an evil rakshasa.
“My Lord! Protector of the Universe! What is it that You desire? Aranga please don’t test us anymore”, said Ramanujar.
Arangan decided not to test His devotees any more. He opened His enchanting mouth and started pronouncing..
Secret Revealed by Ranganathan
Part – 4
All were restless and anguished, not able to understand the secret of His Mind. The Lord who spoke with aggression finally calmed down and saw everyone. There was pin drop silence everywhere. After the outpouring of His Heart, Perumal’s Lips became dry. When devotees wanted to offer Panagam, He stopped them with His gestures.
Everyone waited for Him to talk.
“Shatakopa, what utsavam (festival) is this,” asked Rangan. Azhwar felt happy to hear this thundering voice again.
He replied, “Adiyen, this is Adhyayana utsavam.”
Rangan enquired, “Who started this?”
“It was Kailyan. On the star of Karthigai in the Tamil month of Karthigai, he expressed his desire. The Lord also agreed to this request and gave him His acceptance, and this is how Adhyayana utsavam started“, responded Nammazhwar.
(Note: You can read more about the request made by Thirumangai Azhwar (Kaliyan) on his birthday (Karthigai star of Karthigai Month) and the birthday prize he got for it and the history of the beginning of Adyayana Utsavam and the significance of Non-Chanting period (Anadyayana Time) in this article published some years backin Sri Nrisimha Priya: https://apnswami.wordpress.com/2018/11/23/thirumangaiazhwar_adyayanautsavam_srirangam/)
“Ok, was it conducted continuously thereafter ?”
Now, Kaliyan intervened. “Until Adiyen lived, this utsavam was conducted in a grand manner. Then, over a period of time, divya prabandhams were forgotten. After that, Naathamunigal retrieved divya prabandhams and started this festival again in a grand manner.”
“That means, Nathamunigal had a big role in re-establishing this utsavam, right?”
The stress of the word “right” was a fore-warning to Azhwars that He is going to ask another question in relation to it.
Rangan asked again, ” My question is correct, right?”
Kaliyan responded, “Of course my Lord, there is no doubt in this. Besides obtaining divya prabandhams from Azhwar, Naathamunigal was instrumental in establishing the greatness of Araiyar sevai where these pasurams are sung with the right notes, tunes, postures and expressions.”
Perumal asked again, “Ok, what happened after that?”
“Alavandhar continued it, and after him, Adiyen…..,” dragged Ramanujar.
“Yes, go ahead.. what is the hesitation”, said Perumal.
Ramanujar replied, “Adiyen also continued this utsavam.”
“That is, you took helm of this Tirupathi (holy place) and corrected and established all these in Srirangam. You created the rules and procedures for these events, right,” asked Rangan.
Namamzhwar said, “My Lord! We are unable to understand why You’re asking questions like this continuously.”
“Shatakopa, now that I’ve started talking, you’ll get the answer within a few minutes. So, respond to my questions first. Ramanuja, did the utsavam continue to happen properly after your time?”, asked Rangan.
Kaliyan said, “No Ranga! There was were obstacles in between.”
“What were they?” – Rangan.
Kaliyan said, “This utsavam was not conducted as per Sastrams and without chanting the Vedas, no one should sing Tamil songs in temples. Sanskrit alone was exalted then. But, many Azhwars like us were not born in families that had the right to chant Vedas. For this reason, our idols should not be kept in temples for worship. Many people put forth such arguments and stopped this utsavam from happening.”
“So, how did it start again?” – Perumal.
“My Lord! You know everything. Our Thoopul Venkatanathan came to Srirangam and won many arguments and debates. By putting forth the right philosophies, he stunned everyone so much that nobody could open their mouth against him. Every pillar in this hall will speak volumes about Venkatanathan’s prowess.
Even against thousands of people, Venkatanathan established the glory of Divya prabandhams and asserted that Azhwars are Nithyasuris (divine people who live with the Lord in SriVaikuntam) who incarnated to lead people in the right path. Even You and Your consort were extremely happy with his submissions and this is why You bestowed many titles on him such as “Vedanthachariar” and “Sarvatantra svanthanthrar.” He is the Lion among the poets and his powerful roaring words continue to reverberate in every pillar even today.”
When Ramanujar explained the greatness of his student so eloquently with watery eyes, everyone felt a very pleasing vibration around the place.
“Excellent, so this means, the reason for this adhyayana utsavam to continue to happen without any interruption is….”
Even before Rangan could finish the statement, Kaliyan said, “There is no doubt. it is because of our Thooppul Pillai Venkatanathan.”
“This is enough. Now, I will detail out my doubts and all you enlightened people, please answer it.”
Secret Revealed by Ranganathan
Part -5
Arangan continued, “All of you who are blessed with exalted knowledge and are free of doubts, answer My questions now.”
Hearing these words from Rangan, Azhwars looked at each other. There are two ways to understand the thoughts in His mind. Common people like us can understand it through sastrams while great people will understand directly through the knowledge that He has bestowed on them. But that day, they all were silent, awaiting for the Lord to explain in detail.
Nammazhwar said, “O the Consort of Wealth of the Wealth (Sri Devi), Without mesmerizing us, Give us Your order.”
“Every time I ask something, you give an example/oath. Further you are beseeching My order here” responded Rangan with a slight shrug.
He continued, “I Myself will explain. Listen now.”
“When Adhyayana utsavam was interrupted by opposing defendants, who brought Venkatanathan from Kanchi?”
Kaliyan said, “Great people who lived in Srirangam like Sudarsana Suri.”
“Why did they do that?” – Rangan
“Due to old age and they were not in a position to argue further, so they brought Venkatanathan” – Ramanujar.
“Ok, after arguments Adhyayana utsavam began again. We also honoured Venkatanathan. But did his association with Srirangam end with that?” – Rangan
“No Ranga. Based on these arguments, he authored a work called Sathadooshini. Also, to commemorate the award you gave, he wrote another work called Adhikaranasaaravali and further he wrote many more works such as Chillarai Rahasyangal, Dharmidopanishad Saram Dramidopanishad Tatparya ratnavali, etc during his stay at Srirangam.” – Ramanujar
“Hmm…then?” – Rangan
“After invasion of foreigners, he brought back the festivities to Srirangam after a gap of forty years through a king called Gopanaraayan.” – Kaliyan
“Yes, yes, excellent. Tell me more.” – Rangan
“During the interim period, all festivities came to a stop, as Rangan was not there. Desikan restarted all of them again with grandeur and festivities.” – Azhwars
“That is, including Adyayana utsavam too.” – Rangan
“Of course, undoubtedly.” – Azhwar
“That was a nice explanation. But you forgot the all-important Paduka Sahasram!” Saying this, Rangan looked at everyone.
“No my Lord…..” – Kaliyan
“All of you spoke about the festivals that give you joy. But you did not talk about the greatness of Paduka Sahasram that I like and long to hear a lot. Why so?” – Rangan
Complete silence prevailed.
Rangan continued. “He is the one who strongly affirmed the path to Saranagathi through Nyasatilakam and Abhithistavam. Better than all of you Azhwars,Venkatanathan is the one who sang a 1000 verses on My paduka alone. Or should I say Vedanthaachariyan?”
Silence again.
“Who will know the greatness of Rangan without Desikan’s commentaries to works such as Gadyatrayam and Stotraratnam. Is there anything comparable to the greatness of Rahasyatrayasaaram?” – Rangan
Rangan turned to other Azhwars and said, “O Azhwars, you know the greatness of the essence of Prabandhasaaram that details out the date and place of birth of each Azhwar. Here is our Paananaathan. The meaning of his pranavam was explained lucidly in MunivaahanaBhogam and Bhagavad Dhyana Sopanam. Who wrote these?”
“Shatakopa, like you moved to Acharya lineage from the line of Azhwars, Desikan alone deserves to move from the Acharya group to the Azhwar group.” – Rangan.
“O Lord…that is because…..” – Ramanujar.
Even before he could complete, Rangan said, “Ramanuja, please wait. Just because I keep silent in this archai (idol) form, all of you have used it to your advantage. So many new practices are being followed here based on the likes and dislikes of each of you. Is this Srirangam or a street corner?”
“For everything, people argue that it is not in the practice. But do you think all that is happening now is according to the rules laid by Ramanujar? Can someone prove it? After Kaliyan, it was Nathaminugal who gave a tune and time to tamil prabandham, but he is not here. Likewise, Desikan was the one who restarted the festivities, but he is also not here. Why? Will you say that this is also because of Me?” – Rangan
Everyone stood astonished at Rangan’s emotional outpour of His inward feelings, just like a rain cloud pouring out all the rain in it like arrows from a bow .
“Though all of you praise Me and call Me with various names, there can be no Adhyayana utsavam without Desikan. Azhwars and Acharyas, listen to me. Atma distinguishes between the right and wrong. My intent is not to point out the mistakes in any of you, but I wanted to tell you the secret longing in my heart. If you like, we can all get together, set aside our anger and ego and debate about the points put forth by Desikan. Let me promise you that all Acharyas in this sampradayam are equal to me. I see no difference between Acharyas. Can there be a lack of space in this large mandapam? When you bring in more Acharyas here, will the path to moksham get damaged? If I stop this utsavam, it is a disgrace to the sacrifice and efforts of Desikan. Let the world understand that this utsavam happens only because of Nathamunigal and Desikan. When I don’t differentiate between any Acharyas, people use my name to create distinctions between Acharyas. Let this mindset change soon.” Saying this, Rangan heaved out a big sigh.
-Translated by Sri #APNSwami Shishyas based on the Original Tamil article “Arangan Uraitha Antharangam” by Sri #APNSwami.
Sri APN Swami 