Meeting with Tirukkotiyur Nambigal

After reforming his former teacher, Yādava Prakashar, to Vaishṇavism and giving him the name of Govinda Yati, Swami Rāmānujar remembered his cousin Govindan, who had saved his life years ago. Govinda Yati informs Swami Rāmānujar that his cousin, now known as Ulangai Kulindha Naayanaar, is serving Lord Shiva as an Advaiti at Kalahasti. Ulangai Kulindha Naayanaar used to serve Lord Shiva, who was in the form of Bana Lingam. He used to apply sandalwood paste to the lingam, perform pushpa kainkaryam, and offer aaradhanam to Lord Shiva.

At Swami Rāmānujar's request, Sri Saila Purna, Swami Rāmānujar's uncle, reformed Ulangai Kulindha Naayanaar and introduced him to Vaishṇavism, giving him the name Embaar. Embaar took his formal leave from Lord Shiva and went to Sri Rangam to stay by the side of Swami Rāmānujar.

Soon, a time came when Swami Rāmānujar wished to learn the three rahasyams or secrets of Sri Vaishṇava Philosophy, which are:

Tirumantram or the Asthaaksharam.

The Dwaya Mantram.

The Charama Shlokam.

Swami Rāmānujar traveled to Tirukkoṭiyūr to meet Tirukkoṭiyūr Nambigaḷ to learn the rahasyams. When Swami Rāmānujar arrived in Tirukkoṭiyūr, he first met Tirukkoṭiyūr Nambigaḷ, who asked Swami Rāmānujar to return the following day. Swami Rāmānujar went back to Sri Rangam and returned the next day. When Swami Rāmānujar met Tirukkoṭiyūr Nambigaḷ the next morning, he again requested Swami Rāmānujar to return the next day. Tirukkoṭiyūr Nambigaḷ repeated the same exercise seventeen times.

Each of the seventeen times Swami Rāmānujar was sent back was an indication of a real student to return after he had gained or overcome the following to gain knowledge of the rahasyams:

1. Samsara Bijam Tholaindha Pin Varum: A student must be free from worldly desires.

2. Ahaṅkāram, Mamakaram Tholaindha pin Varum: A student must not possess any arrogance, ego, or self-centered attitude.

3. Ātma Jñānam Kidaitha pin Varum: A student must possess the knowledge of the behavior and nature of the aathma.

4. Dehaathmabhimanan Tholaindha pin Varum: Lose the impression that the body and asthma are the same.

5. Aishwarya, Aamushmiga, Kaivalyathigalil Moham Vittu Varum: Lose the attitude of wanting to cheat anyone for money.

6. Vishayantaratil Patru vitta pin Varum: Lose the attitude of seeking a second opinion concerning the Lord and His Bhagvath Vishayam.

7. Bhagavadh Vishayatil ruchi pirantha pin Varum: Find a sense of love in the Lord and His Bhagavth Vishayam.

8. Raga-Dveshathikal Tholaindha pin Varum: Realize the actions committed in anger and desire have repercussions and act accordingly.

9. Para thantriya unarva pirandha pin Varum: Realize that we are dependent on the Lord to live.

10. Sri Vaishnavatvam kai kudiya pin Varum: Realize the meaning of compassion( Sri Vaishnavathvam).

11. Sathvika parikgraham kidaitha pin Varum: Learn to realize and enjoy the nature of Sattva Gunam.

12. Bhagavatha parikgraham kidaitha pin Varum: Learn to converse with a Bhagavatha at the first meeting.

13. Bhagavath parikgraham kidaitha pin Varum: Learn upon seeing the Lord that our thoughts must not waver, and our thoughts must solely be focused on Him through immense bhakti.

14. Ananya-Seshatvam-Upayatvam kidaitha pin Varum: Learn that we as human beings are all equals, and if there is anyone that we cannot equate ourselves to, that is the Lord.

15. Ananya Prayojanatvam kidaitha pin Varum: Learn that the most tremendous boon that the Lord offers us is moksham, and we must accept it with open arms without the desire for anything else.

16. Ananya Bhogyatvam kidaitha pin Varum: Learn that performing sharanagathi beyond all the difficulties of our life will see us through to safety and ensure the Lord's grace upon us.

17. Āchāryan Kidaitha Pin Varum: A student must find a capable Āchārya who can guide and teach him all of the above.

18. Tirumantra Artham kai koodum: When one satisfies all of the above, the Tirumantram, Dwayam, and Charama Shlokams come into effect in one's life.

When Swami Rāmānujar returned to Tirukkoṭiyūr Nambigaḷ for the eighteenth time, he shared the eighteen reasons with Swami Rāmānujar. He said to him that he did not doubt in his mind that Swami Rāmānujar possessed the above qualities. Still, he conducted this exercise because it was how Swami Rāmānujar was to test his disciples before imparting to them the knowledge of the three great secrets. Tirukkoṭiyūr Nambigaḷ agrees to give Swami Rāmānujar the insight of the rahasyams and calls him to enter a room.

As Swami Rāmānujar arrived, Tirukkoṭiyūr Nambigaḷ noticed that Swami Rāmānujar was accompanied by Nadathoor Azhvān, Embaar, and Modhali Aandaan, who were Swami Rāmānujar's foremost disciples. Tirukkoṭiyūr Nambigaḷ questions Swami Rāmānujar about how his disciples entered the room with him. Swami Rāmānujar then tells Tirukkoṭiyūr Nambigaḷ that the three of them are like the tridandam he holds and the pavithram he wears. They are inseparable for a sanyasi.

Similarly, his three disciples are inseparable from him. They had made the same journey as Swami Rāmānujar had made over the past seventeen days, and they were worthy of receiving the rahasyams. Tirukkoṭiyūr Nambigaḷ agreed with Swami Rāmānujar and provided them with the three rahasyams and their meanings. The meanings of the three rahasyams are as follows:

Ashtaaksharam: This mantram consists of the Pranavam, followed by Namo Narayanaya. The mantra and meaning for which can be found in the Vedas and interpreted in the following way:

The meaning of the mantram can be understood in the following way. Pranavam is split into a-u-m. Where a-kaaram represents Bhagavān Mahā Vishṇu, m-kaaram represents the jeevaathma, and u-kaaram represents Mahālakshmī. Thus, after uttering the Pranavam, when Namaha is said, one must have the feeling of no self-centeredness and a sense of total unconditional surrender. Finally, when speaking the Lord's name, Nārāyaṇa, the person must wholeheartedly think of the path to reach Him. Thus, the Tirumantram can be understood as the way to Sharaṇāgati.

Dwaya Mantram: This mantram consists of two halves—the first half acts as a means to ask the Lord and Mahālakshmī to accept our Sharaṇāgati. The second half serves as a means to ask the Lord and Mahālakshmī to shower their grace upon us constantly.

Charama Shlokam: This shloka is the means to Prapatti as given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna, wherein Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that He is the Ultimate Truth. He tells Arjuna to surrender and put all of his faith solely in Him, and he would relieve him from the cycle of birth and death and offer moksham.

Tirukkoṭiyūr Nambigaḷ explains the rahasyams and their meanings to Swami Rāmānujar, informing him that he is to propagate this knowledge only to disciples who possess the eighteen qualities that he had previously mentioned to Swami Rāmānujar. Swami Rāmānujar steps out of the closed quarters of Tirukkoṭiyūr Nambigaḷ and briefly thinks for a while, and decides that he must do something before leaving Tirukkoṭiyūr. Swami Rāmānujar races up to the top of the Ashtanga Vimanam of the Sowmya Nārāyaṇa Perumāl Temple.

He tells everyone who wishes to listen that if they want to be relieved from the cycle of life and death, they must perform Sharaṇāgati under the guidance of an Āchārya. A few people who heard Swami Rāmānujar asked him what the means of obtaining this divine gift was. Swami Rāmānujar instructed them to seek his refuge, and he would perform the panchasamskaaram and reveal the heavenly secrets to achieve moksha. After saying this, he started to descend from the Vimanam.

In this brief moment, as Swami Rāmānujar descended from the Vimanam, word reached Tirukkoṭiyūr Nambigaḷ of what Swami Rāmānujar had done in revealing the divine secrets to the general public. Tirukkoṭiyūr Nambigaḷ, in a fury, rushed to the temple and confronted Swami Rāmānujar, saying he had betrayed his guru by revealing the divine secrets. As punishment, he would undoubtedly go to hell for treason.

Swami Rāmānujar prostrated himself before his guru and told Tirukkoṭiyūr Nambigaḷ that he was more than ready to go to hell if he could provide the means for so many people to go to Vaikuṇṭham.