Birth and Vedic Education of Ramanujacharya

Jai Sri Manarayana. Sri Ramanujacharya Swami was born at Sri Perumbodur in Tamil Nadu in 1780. As per Indian calendar, he was born in the 4118th year of Kali Yuga or 939th year of Salivahana Saga in the year Pingala in the month Mesha, Tidi Panchami on Thursday. when the star Ardhara was with the waxing moon. His parents were Asuri Kesava Swamyaji and Kanthimati who came from the traditional Vedic family. He had two sisters, Bhudevi and Kamladevi. He got married with Tanjamamba at an early age since his father was bedridden and wanted to see him as Gruhastha. After performing his marriage, his father reached Paramapadam, God's abode. Ramanujacharya was just 16 when his father breathed his last and he took the responsibility of his mother, sisters and his wife. As far as his education is concerned, Ramanujacharya had taken his basic education from his father. But after his father's death, he moved to Tirupatkhaji, a small town near Kanchi. This is the home of the Lord Vijayaraghava Swami and is considered as one of the 108 Divya Desams. It is believed that Lord Rama in Dhritayuga performed cremation to Jatayu at this place. There he had been a student of Yadoprakasha who was a scholar of Advaita for 8 years. But Ramanujacharya was not convinced with the teaching. Of course, he was an extraordinarily brilliant student. We find many instances from his biography where he was found correcting his guru. On one occasion, while Yadav Prakasha was explaining a class Kapyasam Pundarikam Eva Akshini from Chandogya Upanishad, he gave wrong interpretation to that clause in the following way. Kapi means monkey, asam means the rare part of the monkey, Eva Akshini means the eyes of the Lord. Therefore, he explained that the eyes of the Lord are like that of a monkey's rare part. Ramanujacharya was applying oil to his guru when he gave such an explanation and he could not control his tears while other disciples of his were simply noting down his guru's preachings. Yadav Prakasha asked the reason for his tears. Ramanujacharya with great difficulty contradicted but politely. Guruji, how can you compare the Lord's eyes with the red part of a monkey? Then his guru said sarcastically, Oh, I think you can give better interpretation of it. Then what's your interpretation of it? Ramanujacharya gave two similes while explaining clause in the following way. The letter Kā in Sanskrit means the stock. P means pibati, means something that drinks water. Asa here means the base of the stalk. Pundarikam also means beautiful, large, reddish petals of a lotus flower. Akshini, the eyes of the Lord. As such, the eyes of the Lord are as beautiful as the petals of the lotus, which is not separated from the stalk that drinks water continuously. Kapi also refers to the sun who continuously drinks water and makes the lotus flourish and appear beautifully. When Ramanujacharya was giving his own interpretation, all the disciples including Yadav Prakasha were spellbound. He found no words to contradict his disciple Ramanuja. In fact, Ramanuja was not an ordinary human being. In another similar instance, he was found contradicting Yadav Prakasha while explaining Sachyam Anantam Brahma. Jai Sriman Narayana. Thank you.