R13. The Tamil Veda Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

SRI RAMANUJA

There was a scholarly devotee
With his name as Nathamuni,
Who collected all the songs
Sung by the various Alvars.

He compiled all those songs,
Neatly into four thousand verses,
As the Tamil Veda they became,
Thus reaching the height of fame.

In most of the Vaishnava temples,
Particularly in Srirangam temple,
These songs were recited by devotees
To perpetuate the memories of Alvars.

His son, Yamunacharya, a scholar
Who was well versed in Vedic Studies,
And who led a royal life of his own,
He took an ascetic life later on.

He made Srirangam as Headquarters,
For all the Vaishnava devotees,
To explore Adi Sankara's Vedic Texts
And the emotional religion of Alvars.

As his last days began to approach,
He couldn't do this kind of research.
So he had to entrust this matter
To Ramanuja to pursue it further.

To hear Ramanuja's lectures
On Nammalvar's thousand verses,
Namely, the Tamil Prabhandam,
Devotees thronged before him.

He subdued several pundits,
Who challenged him in tests,
And they became his disciples,
Having failed in their arguments.

One of them, Yagnamurthi, it was,
Who argued for seventeen days,
But he failed in his theory utterly
On many Mayavada topics finally.

Ramanuja became very popular,
As the chosen Temple Leader,
By Lord Ranganatha, the deity
For his devotion and sincerity.