Photo: Debanjon / CC-BY-SA-4.0
Growing up in Sriperumbudur
In the simple town of Sriperumbudur, the house of Keshavacharya and Kantimati was lit up in celebration of their radiant newborn child. Kantimati’s brother Srishaila Purna, the direct disciple of Yamunacharya himself, came to adorn the baby boy with the name Ilayazhvan, who would later be revered as Bhagavad Ramanuja.
Before long, a child named Govinda was born to Kantimati’s sister. Being close in age, Govinda and Kantimati’s Ramanuja grew up together and became close friends.
Studying with Yadavaprakasha
When the time came, the cousins were sent to the nearby city of Kanchipuram to study under the renowned teacher Yadavaprakasha. Ramanuja settled immediately in the new city. The temple of Sriman Narayana’s beautiful Varadaraja form attracted Ramanuja daily. He also became acquainted with the great Kanchi Purna with whom Lord Varadaraja casually conversed daily.
At the school, however, things weren’t as sweet. Yadavaprakasha was an orthodox preacher of dry philosophy, while Ramanuja’s tender heart was filled with devotion and love for Sriman Narayana. Disagreements often erupted between them during classes. In response to the literal meanings Yadavaprakasha provided, Ramanuja would profoundly expound more appropriate figurative explanations.
Vicious plot against Ramanuja
Every time Ramanuja would politely correct him, Yadava would fear for the demise of his precious non-dualistic advaita doctrine. Ramanuja seemed to be a student who would grow up to challenge advaita. The teacher’s fear about his student’s beliefs only intensified with every passing day.
When this tension eventually reached its zenith, Yadava plotted a cruel scheme and secretly summoned all his students except Ramanuja and Govinda for a meeting.
“Listen,” he said, “This Ramanuja has grown too visionary and contradictory. If we don’t stop him, our precious advaita doctrine will come to an end.” He gasped for effect. “But don’t worry. I have hatched a plan to prevent this. In a few weeks, we will travel North to Kashi on an educational trip. In a desolate place, we shall secretly kill Ramanuja. Once we return, we shall all share the tragic news that he passed away in the cold. It is up to each one of you to play your parts,” Yadava instructed. “You must not reveal this to anyone whatsoever. Remember, this is the only way we can preserve our sacred doctrine of advaita.”
Most of the other students, too, were envious of Ramanuja, so no one objected.
The date soon arrived, and the class left for Kashi. As the heartless haters of Ramanuja spoke in hushed tones about his impending murder among themselves, the shrewd Govinda got to know of the nasty conspiracy.
He immediately informed his cousin. “My dear brother,” he instructed, “please escape soon from our group. And stay safe. I’ll be very worried about you.”
Ramanuja’s unexpected companions
When the remainder of the class was distracted, Ramanuja carefully departed from the group and started walking South. But, alas, Kanchipuram was so far away. It had taken them many moons to walk all the way up to Kashi. Nevertheless, the devoted young boy constantly reminded himself that Sriman Narayana was there to take care of him every step of the way.
With confidence instilled in him, Ramanuja began briskly walking. A few hours later, he stumbled upon an elderly hunter couple.
The woman kindly smiled at Ramanuja. “What are you doing in this fearful and desolate forest, dear child? Where are you from?”
“I’m from the city of Kanchipuram far away in the South,” he responded.
“Oh, Kanchipuram?!” The woman’s palm flew to her smiling lips. “My husband and I are traveling just there. You come along with us, okay?”
Ramanuja nodded and the three of them walked together until the sun dropped below the horizon and stars covered the black sky.
Once they woke up, the hunter woman felt absolutely dehydrated. “One of you, please bring me some water,” she requested.
Ramanuja instantly got up and brought handfuls of cool water from the nearby well. He traveled back and forth repeatedly to quench the woman’s seemingly insatiable thirst. When he returned for the fourth time, the couple was nowhere to be found. Ramanuja wondered how they could have disappeared so suddenly.
Ramanuja decided to ask around and figure out where he was. He supposed he was still in some city in the North.
“Oh, you are in the great city of Kanchipuram,” one man told him, though.
Ramanuja was happily shocked. How could they have possibly come all the way down the country within a single day? He realized that the hunter couple must have been none other than Varadaraja and his divine consort Perundevi. Ramanuja fondly smiled thinking about the boundless grace of Sriman Narayana.
