Urdhva pundram (an authorized symbol applied by mixing the clay that is found in holy pilgrimages and that represents the holy feet of Sriman Narayana) – while it talks about forehead specifically, our purvaacharyas always applied 12 urdhva pundrams at various places of the body per sastras, that vaishnava quickly purifies the world (the place where he is present).

Our purvaacharyas have always emphasised the importance of physical appearance and always ensured that they maintained their physical appearance according to the sastraas even at dire situations. After all we are also driven by our senses – so the easiest way we can identify a vaishnava is thru the sense of vision. Only advanced vaishnavas can identify another vaishnava (who may not be physically appearing so). That is why this pramaanam from padma puranam puts emphasis in physical appearance. With this beginning we will go thru pramaanams from various granthangal of our purvaacharya.

The white colour denotes Satwa and Lord Vishnu represents satwa (peace) – personified. The Srichurnam is used to mark the central vertical line which represents Goddess Lakshmi, the reservoir of compassion. By wearing the Namam, that is the Lord’s feet on the forehead, one holds to God’s feet when his heart will be moved and he is sure to confer his grace.

It is sometimes interpreted that the two lines on the outside represent Ida and Pingala (the two passages for the flow of Pranic energy, interwinding the back bone) and the middle line (marked in red or Yellow colour) represents the Sushumna passage (through which the kundalani power flows after awakening). The three together represent the yogic path of spiritual ascent. Clay or white earth is used for marking the outer vertical stripes which represent Lord Vishnu’s feet.

Acharya Divya Tiruvadigale Saranam

The person who holds the Tridandam is called a Tridandi. The Tridandam is made of a specially chosen bamboo taken from a bunch of bamboo, from the same stem grown on a mound of earth.

It should be a single piece with no holes and no broken pieces. It is then sliced. One of the reasons for choosing bamboo is it was used (as a flute) by Lord Krishna to play music. God has taken the Venu or the Flute made of bamboo as the medium for propagating his message to the world. It is believed that the bamboo has a Jiva (is full of life). That is also the reason why it is called Jiva Dandam. The Tridandam carries on its top, a piece of white cloth called the Jalapavitam from which the Swami’s filter the water so that they do not harm the living micro organisms.

In this connection it may be mentioned that in Kritayuga, Dattatreya was a Tridandi, as mentioned in Bhagavatam. There is a mention in the text of ascetics carrying the Tridandam. Dattatreya was an incarnation of Sri Maha Vishnu, child of Aditi protecting the Vedas. There are footsteps of Dattatreya in Melkote. On account of the persecution of the then rulers of Tamilnadu, Ramanuja laid down His Tridandam, removed His Kashaya Vastram (Ochre Robes) in Srirangam and proceeded to Melkote wearing white robes lest he should be identified. To regain His asceticism he is believed to have worshipped the foot prints of Dattatreya, wore a fresh piece of kashayam and took the Tridandam after taking a dip in the Dattatreya Pushkarani.

Here is an article about Sri Ramanuja Sahasrabdi project in Business Standard new paper.

Towering over the statue of liberty comes the world’s tallest sitting metallic statue which is 3 times bigger than the current budda statue in Hyderabad’s Hussain Sagar lake.

http://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/towering-over-the-statue-of-liberty-115072401334_1.html

Please share the information and be part of this historic monument construction.

Acharya Divya tiruvadigale saranam.

Regards

Team JETUK
www.jetuk.org

• Total height of Statue of Equality – 216 ft
• Total height of Statue of Ramanuja – 108 ft
• Total height of Bhadra Vedi – 54 ft
• Total height of Padma Peetam – 27 ft
• Total height of Thridandam from the top of the head – 27 ft
• Number of Lotus petals – 54
• Number of Elephants under Lotus – 36
• Number of Sankhas – 18
• Number of Chakras – 18
• Simhasinadhi pathis – 74
• Educational gallery featuring exhibits about the inspiring life story of Ramanujacharya
• 108 temples built in stone, rich with ornate architectural detailing and accompanied with audio guides explaining the history of the temples
• Gold deity of Ramanujacharya weighing 120 kg in the Dhyana mandiram (meditation hall)
• Omnimax theatre screening educational and culturally important content
• Environmentally friendly features and many more. Full details in below links (Coming soon).

The Vedic Tradition

Ramanuja is regarded as the greatest theologian of the Vedic Lineage. The first of the great acharyas of the Vishistadvaita philosoply , Nathamuni, was from a traditional family of Sanskrit scholarship. His father was Iswarbhatt and his son was Iswaramuni. They lived in Viranarayanapuram. Nathamuni, is said to have taken the first steps towards a collation of Vaishnava philosophy and theology. The names of his two Sanskrit works are remembered and quoted, but neither has survived. Nathamuni also compiled the hymns of the Alvars, into a collection of four thousand verses (Nalayira Divya Prabandham). He also made arrangement for these “poems” to be chanted along with the Vedas during the services at Srirangam temple. He is also renowned as the founding father of Yoga. Yoga is the achievement of liberation from the cycle of bodily existences through a difficult process of mental and physical disciplines. The organization of the Vaishnava community was achieved by Nathamuni’s grandson Yamunacharya who was an accomplished Vedic scholar as well as a Vaishnava savant. Adopted into a royal family he lived a luxurious life in early days, but converted later and took to an ascetic life. He succeeded in consolidating the Vaishnava community and establishing Srirangam temple as their headquarters. It was his great ambition to merge the devotion of the Alvars with the Vedantic methodology. He could not himself achieve this ambition but towards the end of his life he met Ramanuja and recognized in him the competent Vedic scholar who could do it. The mission was entrusted to Ramanuja through his five principle disciples. Today there are over 700 Srivaishnava monasteries in all parts of India.

Works of Ramanuja – The Opus Magnus of Ramanuja is the Sri-bhashya — a commentary on the Vedanta-sutras of Badarayana which is one of the three basic texts of Vedanta (the others being the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads). Besides this, he produced nine other works. These are:—

1. Vedanta-sangraha, an independent work expounding the philosophy of the Upanisads;
2. Vedanta-sara
3. Vedanta-dipa which are brief synopsises on the Vedanta-sutras;
4. Gita-bhashya, a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita;
5. Nitya-grantha dealing with daily rituals and devotional practices for Vaishnavas.
6. Gadyatraya, three prose works which are of great sectarian importance with a theological base.
7. Saranagati-gadya, an exposition on the greatness of self-surrender (prapatti) and the method thereof.
8. Sriranga-gadya, is a prayer to Lord Sri Ranganatha to grant eternal servitude
9. Vaikuntha Gadya which is a poetic description of Vaikuntha — the Lord’s eternal Transcendental Abode. This work is used as a contemplative device which brings great solace.

Index of the document:

• Birth of Ramanuja
• Early Life
• Discipleship under Yadava Prakasa
• Growing tension with Yadava Prakasa
• Yadava Praka’s attempt to murder Ramanuja
• Yamunacharya
• The dis-affection with Yadava Prakasa
• Under the guidance of Kanchipurna
• Yamunacharya’s demise
• Initiation
• Renunciation
• The coming of the Disciples
• Relocation to Srirangam
• Goshtipurna
• Ramanuja and the street boys
• The High Priest
• Yajnesa and Varada
• The Antics of Govinda
• The meeting with Yajna-murti
• The writing of the Sri Bhashya
• The Conquest
• Parasara Bhattar
• Dhanurdasa
• Kulottunga Chola 1
• King Bhittideva
• Sampat Kumara
• Return to Srirangam
• The last days
• The Final Teaching
• Pari Nirvana

[slogan btn_text=’Project Details’ btn_link=’http://sriramanujasahasrabdi.org/sign-up-donate/’ ]Become part of this Historic Moment……..[/slogan]“Statue of Equality” – Celebrating 1000 years of SRI BHAGAVADH RAMANUJACHARYA (Year of Birth: 1017AD)

In order to celebrate 1000th birth anniversary of Acharya and as a mark of gratitude His Holiness Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji is constructing a statue of Bhagawad Ramanujacharya Swami. The Statue of Equality is being built over 50 acres of land in Samshabad in the outskirts of Hyderabad.

• World’s largest sitting statue at 216 feet in a park spread across 50 acres of land.
• Statue symbolizes Equality that Ramanuja propounded
• Includes 108 Divya Desams (Temples)
• Architectural representations, educational, environmental, and social services
• Guided insights into the cultural heritage, appropriate support for the eco-system

[accordions] [accordion title=’ About RAMANUJA CHARYA’]

• His statue is aptly named as the Statue of Equality as Bhagawad
• Ramanujacharya Swami was the first Acharya to prove that all are equal before Almighty
• Lived for 120 years and inspired all to practice Equality in the society
• Treated the downtrodden at par with the elite
• Made temples as centers of society where all artisans of society took active part
• Initiated several activities with temples as the centers of society offering services to all
• Instructed that only efficient and knowledgeable leaders be appointed to oversee all the activities
• Revived all temples like Srirangam in Tamilnadu, Melkote in Karnataka State, Tirumala Tirupati in Andhra State in India
• Rooted out untouchability and other vices that existed in the society. He gave everyone the same privilege of worshiping God
• He called those branded as so called untouchables as “ThiruKulathaar”. It means “Born Divine” and took them inside temples
• Gave the most divine mantra to all which was a closely guarded secret only available to selected few
• Imbibed into society that women need to be shown utmost respect and empowered them to serve the society as leaders [/accordion]

[accordion title=’Ramanuja Literary Contributions’]

• He gave perfect commentaries to Bramha Sutras and Upanishads and made a perfect bridge between different sections of society
• The word guru aptly suits Ramanuja as he reformed the society inside out and setup Temples as the centers of service
• Lord Venkateshwara of Tirumala accepted Ramanuja as guru and accepted sankha and chakra from him
• Pioneered the Bhakthi Movement and advocated philosophy which formed the basis for several Bhakthi Movements: Madhya, Nimbarka, Gauda, Swami Narayana, Vallabhacharya, Iskon, Eknath, Ramanand, Chaithanya, Kabir, Surdas, Meerabai, Tulasidas, Annamacharya and many others
• The title ‘acharya’ rightly fits to Ramanujacharya only because Lord Venkateswara also was initiated from Ramanujacharya by taking Sankham & Chakram along with human beings
• He tirelessly worked for 120 years proving that Lord Sriman Narayana is the Ultimate redeemer from the karmic bondage of all the souls.
• He expounded Visishtadwaitha school of thought and made the temples as centers of Dharma.
• His 9 scholarly works are the beacon lights for Veda & Vedanta literature.
• He established 74 authoritative acharyas to spread the message of equality across the world.
• His Divine Body is worshipped even today in Srirangam.[/accordion]

[accordion title=’How can you become part of Historic Moment?’]

• Sponsor the construction of Ramanuja Statue, and have your name or the name of someone you want inscribed in stone
• Sponsor the construction of one of the temples, and leave a lasting legacy for future generations
• Sponsor 1 brick, 1 petal, 1 inch of Divya Desam or 1 inch of Ramanuja Statue[/accordion][/accordions]

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