RAMANUJA & DHANUR DAASA

RAMNUJA REVEALING RANGANATHA

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Neechulanagaram near SRIRANGAM, lived a famous wresteler DHANURDAASA. His wife is HEMAANGI (PONNACCHIYAAR), most beautiful woman of the times. She is a devotee of Lord Ranganatha. Dhanurdaasa loved his wife for her beautiful eyes. Once all people around are going to witness Lord Ranganatha festival at Srirangam. Hemaangi requested Dhanurdaasa to take her along. Soon both left for seeing the festival. On the banks of KAVERI river Sriranganatha Tiru Manganam is going on. The Sun is very hot and it is difficult to walk through the sands of KAVERI for a softw woman like Hemaangi. Dhanurdaasa was unable to see the difficulty of his beloved. He put his ANGEE (cloth over shoulders) on the sands below her feet. He held an unberilla made of palm leaves to cover the face of his wife. All around people started laughing, mocking at him and started joking.

BHAGAVAD RAMANUJA noticed the situation. A strong man in such sincere love. He commented to his disciples "Look at his sincere love. He is attracted anttached to his wife's most beautiful eyes. If he sees the topmost beauty of Lord Ranganatha, he will never leave His lotus feet and will be one of his great devotees". He asked shisyas to bring him, so as o put him on right path. Soon Dhanurdaasa came to BHAGAVAN.

RAMANUJA smiled at him and asked his explination for his strange behaviour. He said straight, " Swamin I love my wife so deeply. I am attached to her most beatiful eyes, which are unique and there is no beaty to beat that. I see them damaged by heat of the sun".

RANGANATHA opened his eyes to look at DHANURDAASA, who is already immerced by the divine presense. There was hismercy (lord's DAYA) all around and every one witnessed Lord Ranganatha. Dhanurdaasa was not able to devert back attetion to wife, who is on the sands of KAVERI. That changed him completely devoted to RANGANATHA.

Dhanurdaasa went to BHAGAVAD RAMANUJA in a greatful gesture did saastangam (Saranaagathi) and requested him to accept aas disciple. Both the couple became disciples of RAMANUJA. As time passed, RAMANUJA was more inclined towards Dhanurdaasa as He recognised the true devotion and spirit of his worship to Ranganatha. Ramanuja used to lean on shoulders of Dhanurdaasa while and after taking bath in KAVERI river. This caused jealousy among some other disciples.

To teach lesson Ramanuja asked one student to tear off few ANGEES (under garments) of the disciples. Soon those disciples started quarelling bitterly and ready for blows. RAMANUJA passified them and asked them to bring all jewlry fromDHANURDASA's house when his wife is a sleep. Unable to understand the intent, they entered Dhanurdaasa's house without making noice and picked the ornaments from her body, while she is asleep. After a while HEMAANGI turned to the right. The shishyas are scared and ran back to RAMANAUJA. Ramanuja asked sishyas to go their house and observe what happens between the couple. To the surprise of SHISYSAS they are very calm. HEMAANGI is explaining to Dhanurdaasa, she pretended sleep and moved only to facilitate the VAISHNAVA men to take ornaments easily. But she is sorry the other side ornaments could not become useful to VAHNAVA swamy s. All the disciples came to knees before RAMANUJA with shy. they realised behavour in morning, who quarelled for torn pieces of cloth, where as HEMAANGI and DHANURDAASA are finding how their ornaments will be useful for VAISHNA DEVOTEES. Thus RAMANUJA is nearer to DHANURDAASA.