Ramanujacharya â Biography - ebooks - ISKCON desire tree

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heard Lord Varadaraja speak to him once more, saying, "Mydear devotee, what is your <strong>desire</strong>? Tell Me and I shallfulfill your prayer.""0 most merciful Lord," Kuresa answered, "some timeago I lost two valuable possessions belonging to my master.By your grace I would like to recover them this day""Certainly two new eyes will now adorn your body,"the Lord said, "and may they bring unlimited pleasure toyour master. Just as My devotees <strong>desire</strong> only to serve Me, soI take great pleasure in supplying everything to Mydevotees. In this way our exchanges of love become sweeterand sweeter."On hearing these words, Kuresa was overwhelmed byecstasy and fell to the ground unconscious. On awakening herealized that his vision was restored and that he was ableto see as before. Bowing down before the Deity, he prayed,"0 Lord, it was You who gave me sight in the beginning of mylife, it was You who took it away and now it is You alonewho have restored it to me. Who can understand Yourinconceivable pastimes? Your nature is pure transcendentalbliss, and anybody who comes in contact with You willexperience this bliss. I used to think of this world as aplace of misery, but, now that You have revealed Yourself, Isee only happiness in all directions. How great is my goodfortune. How great is Your mercy."When people came to learn of this miraculous cure bywhich Kuresa had regained his sight, they were allastonished. Wherever the news spread, it led to an increasein the reverence that was shown for Lord Visnu and theVaisnava devotees. All the people of south India thus cameto have great faith in the teachings of Ramanujacarya andhis followers.CHAPTER EIGHTFINAL DAYS IN SRI RANGAMNot long after Kuresa regained his sight, Ramanujadecided to leave Yadavadri and return to his previousresidence at Sri Rangam. On the way, he stopped for sometime at Vrsabhacala, near Madurai, to worship Lord Sundarabahuin the temple there. In previous times the great femaledevotee, Andal, had composed a prayer which said, "0 LordHari, if you will accept me, I wilt offer you a hundred potsof sweet rice and a hundred pots of butter."Shortly after composing this prayer, Andal left thisworld and returned to the abode of the Lord. Now, Ramanujafulfilled her prayer by offering Lord Sundara-bahu the103
hundred pots of sweet rice and the hundred pots of buttershe had promised Him. For this act Yatiraja became known asthe elder brother of Andal.From Vrsabhacala Ramanuja and his disciples went onto Sri Villiputur, the birthplace of Andal.There he saw the Deity of Sesasayi Narayana andoffered prayers to Andal in the temple dedicated to her.Continuing on their journey, the Vaisnavas passed throughAlvar Tirunagiri, Sri Vaikuntha, and other holy places,before finally arriving back at Sri Rangam. Immediately, allthe devotees ran to see Lord Ranganatha, their Lord andmaster. When the people of the town heard that Yatiraja andhis followers had returned, they felt as if they hadregained their lives. At that time Kuresa was also reunitedwith his spiritual master, falling at Yatiraja's feet withtears of ecstasy in his eyes.DISAPPEARANCE OF KURESAFor the next two years all the Vaisnavas passed theirdays in Sri Rangam just as they had done previously, singingbhajans in praise of Lord Hari and hearing Ramanuja'swonderful discourses on the revealed scriptures. By thistime Kuresa was a very old man and was unable to rise fromhis bed. Therefore Yatiraja and the other devotees wouldcome to him every day to chant the holy name and discuss thepastimes of the Lord. One day, while all the Vaisnavas wereholding joyful kirtana, Kuresa began to shed tears ofecstasy. Taking hold of his gurus lotus feet, he pressedthem to his heart. In this position he gave up his life.On witnessing the departure of this exalted Vaisnavafrom their midst, all the devotees were grief-stricken, andRamanuja himself was seen to shed tears. After a short whilethe acarya controlled his intense feelings of separation andspoke to the others, comforting them and reminding them thatKuresa was now undoubtedly in the direct association of theLord. Then he said, "Parasara, Kuresa's son, is just likethe son of Lord Ranganatha Himself. From today you shouldaccept him as your leader. His devotion is like that of hisfather, and his wisdom is incomparable. Therefore, he isfully qualified to take the position of acarya."Then he seated Parasara on the vyasasana and put aflower garland around his neck. He embraced the son ofKuresa and bestowed all his blessings on him, empowering himto spread the glories of the Supreme Lord.Kuresa's body was burned on the banks of the Kaveri,and the devotees passed the rest of the day performing thecongregational chanting of the holy names of Lord Hari. Inthis way all grief was removed from the hearts of thedevotees. Every day for the next month a great festival washeld in Sri Rangam to celebrate Kuresa's return to the abodeof the Lord, and Vaisnavas from all over south India came to104
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The Life ofRamanujacaryaTABLE OF CO
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egan to learn the wonderfully instr
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Ramanuja. Despite some minor philos
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For the devotees, Hi manifests His
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YAMUNACARYAIn the south of India ma
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furious rage to inform his teacher
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and faithful to her husband as was
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that there was little chance of his
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all the pleasures of my worldly lif
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with his wife to the temple of Sri
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THE FIRSTCONFRONTATIONOne day when
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"Sir, surely you could just forbid
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quickly dispelled all the misgiving
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shrine of the Saivites and dedicate
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was on everyone's lips. Yadavapraka
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Having given this advice to the you
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ahmanas were from Kancipuram, he im
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"My master wishes to see you, and i
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long periods he would remain alone,
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KANCIPURNA'S VISIT TO TIRUPATIMeanw
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‘All of you may recall how, just
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departed for Sri Rangam. While Maha
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RAMANUJA BEGINS HIS TEACHINGAll the
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Seeing the devotional sentiments in
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When the discourse was completed an
Page 51 and 52: To this the priest replied, "You do
Page 53 and 54: to your words, so many people are n
Page 55 and 56: DASARATHI'S HUMILITYDasarathi then
Page 57 and 58: great attention. When he heard Rama
Page 59 and 60: ADOPTING THE WAYS OF ROBBERSBeing a
Page 61 and 62: of the huge boat as it moved slowly
Page 63 and 64: THE PRIEST'S REPENTENCEHowever, in
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Page 67 and 68: make a flower garden and serve Lord
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Page 71 and 72: offense, they all submitted a petit
Page 73 and 74: RETURNING TO KANCIAfter thus passin
Page 75 and 76: "That woman was singing the tales o
Page 77 and 78: However, that night as he was lying
Page 79 and 80: challenged by some of the local sch
Page 81 and 82: the birthplace of Nathamuni, Yamuna
Page 83 and 84: and so he and his wife were fasting
Page 85 and 86: from His temple, the throng of peop
Page 87: enclosed by walls on all sides, as
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Page 92 and 93: and the other devotees also left th
Page 94 and 95: However, the atrocities that Kulott
Page 96 and 97: just by looking at the girl's face.
Page 98 and 99: festival days. This form of the Lor
Page 100 and 101: up her body. Being immersed in cont
Page 104 and 105: take part in the festivities. Many
Page 106 and 107: At about the same time the devotees
Page 108: When Ramanuja had finished speaking
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