Encounter with Tirukacchi Nambigal

We have seen the three vows taken by Swami Rāmānujar at the mortal remains of Āḷavandār at Sri Rangam. After returning to Kanchipuram, Swami Rāmānujar got married to a woman named Rakshambal. At the age of 28, Swami Rāmānujar's mother attained Paramapadam. After his mother attained Paramapadam, Swami Rāmānujar continued his education under the disciples of Āḷavandār and continued performing kainkaryam to Sri Varadaraja Perumāl at Kanchipuram.

At Kanchipuram, Swami Rāmānujar first met Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ, who was another disciple of Āḷavandār. Although Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ was not a brahmin, he was treated with immense respect because of his simple-minded and broad-minded approach. Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ was allowed to perform chamara seva to Sri Varadaraja Perumāl. It is said that Varadaraja Perumāl used to converse with Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ during the time in which he used to perform chamara seva. Swami Rāmānujar was anxious to meet Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ.

When Swami Rāmānujar first met Tirukacchi Nambi, he invited Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ to come over to his house for a meal. Swami Rāmānujar's house was situated in the periphery of the Varadaraja Perumāl Temple, which is humongous. Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ accepted the invite and told Swami Rāmānujar that he would love to come to his place for a meal. He said he would enter the following day for lunch. The next day, near lunchtime, Swami Rāmānujar was anxiously awaiting the arrival of Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ.

As he was very anxious, he told his wife Rakshambal that he would go and check on where their guest was situated and left the house. Soon Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ arrived at Swami Rāmānujar's house. Rakashambal was a very narrow-minded woman. She knew that Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ was not a brahmin. Hence, she asked him to sit outside the house's central courtyard. She then asked him if he had anything to eat. He replied that he had come to their home as Swami Rāmānujar had invited him for lunch.

She then spread out a banana leaf in the outer courtyard and served his meal very scantily.

Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ thanked her for the meal and left. As soon as Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ had left the house, Rakshambal pushed the banana leaf with a stick, cleaned the area with cow dung, broke the earthen vessels in which she had prepared meals for Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ, and took a bath to cleanse herself. When Swami Rāmānujar returned, he noticed that Rakshambal's hair was untied and was wet. He asked if Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ had come to the house.

Rakshambal, with a disgusted face, tells Swami Rāmānujar that the vaishya had come and she had served him food. She was disgusted by the fact that her husband wanted to engage himself with the likes of a lower caste man.

Swami Rāmānujar felt insulted by her behavior but did not speak up as he did not wish to incite violence inside the household. A few days passed by, and Swami Rāmānujar ran into Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ inside the temple, and with folded hands, he pleaded for forgiveness for his wife's actions. He told Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ that he had some questions about his dharmam that he would like to talk about with him.

Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ said he was on his way to perform chamara seva to Varadaraja Perumāl and told Swami Rāmānujar he would ask the Lord, as He is all-knowing.

As Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ waved the chamaram to the Lord, the Lord sensed a longing emanating from Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ and asked him if he had any questions to ask Him. Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ told the Lord that the questions were not his but those of Swami Rāmānujar. Varadaraja Perumāl is then supposed to have said Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ's six statements as follows:

Ahameva Paramtatvam

Darshanam bedameva cha

Upayeshu Prapatti syaath

Anthima Smrithi Varjanam

Dehaa Vasaane Mukti Syaath

Purnacharya Samashrayaha

These six statements can be interpreted in the following way:

Ahameva Paratattvam: The Lord is the ultimate truth, and He is all-knowing.

Darshanam Bedameva cha: This statement is interpreted by the statement of " Tat Tvam Asi. " The jeevaathma is always independent of the Paramātma but longs to reach the Paramātma.

Upayeshu Prapatti Syaath: To be truly free from the cycle of life and death, one must perform Prapatti to the Lord at the hands of an Āchārya.

Anthima Smrithi Varjanam: According to shastras, one will genuinely attain moksham when they remember the Lord at the time before the jeevaathma leaves the mortal body. As it is difficult for everyone to remember the Lord during Kaliyugam, the Lord tells Tirukacchi Nambi that He would remember those on their deathbed if they had performed Prapatti during their lifetime.

Dehaa Vasaane Mukti Syaath: After death, the soul is weighed to see if it is fit to attain moksham. If the jeevaathma in its lifetime had performed Prapatti, it would gain direct access into Vaikuṇṭham to thrive in the presence of the Lord eternally.

Purnacharya Samashrayaha: Taking refuge at the feet of an Āchārya and getting panchasamskaaram done by his hands is the means to Prapatti.

After his conversation with Varadaraja Perumāl, Tirukacchi Nambigaḷ informs Swami Rāmānujar about his conversation with the Lord, sharing the six statements the Lord made. Swami Rāmānujar immediately rushes to meet Periya Nambi at Sri Rangam. At the same time, Ranganatha Perumāl instructs Periya Nambi to perform panchasamskaaram to Swami Rāmānujar. The two meet at Maduranthankam's Yeri Kaatha Raamar Perumāl temple, where Periya Nambi performed panchasamskaaram to Swami Rāmānujar and initiated him into Sri Vaishṇava Paramparā.