Sri Vaduga Nambigal

Sri Vaduga Nambigal

Image Credit: https://guruparamparai.wordpress.com

This brief series of Shathrughna Padi will surely be incomplete if one doesn't immerse in the great anubhavam of the Shathrughna Padi of Sri Vaduga Nambi also known as Sri Andhra Purna.

Sri Vaduga Nambi is honoured as THE Shishya of Swami Ramanujacharya when it comes to adherence to Shathrughna Padi. Why? Let us see.

---

One day, Sri Vaduga Nambi was boiling milk for Swami Ramanujacharya. Swami Ramanujacharya called saying, "Vaduga! Come out quickly! Sri Ranganatha is out on a procession!"

An unperturbed Sri Vaduga Nambi plainly said, "O Acharya, if I come to honour Your God [Sri Ranganatha] then the milk I need to boil for my God will spill over. So, I must not come out!"

Swami Ramanujacharya was surprised.

---

Another day, Swami Ramanujacharya had to leave His Mutt on a short Yathra and Sri Vaduga Nambi, who was to accompany the Acharya, was packing everything for the journey.

When Swami Ramanujacharya saw the packing, He cried, "Vaduga! Alas! What have you done!" for Sri Vaduga Nambi had packed Swami Ramanujacharya's Thiruvaradhana Deity [Sri Varadharaja Perumal] and His own Thiruvaradhana Deity [which was nothing but the Holy Sandals of Swami Ramanujacharya]!!!

Pat came the polite yet firm reply: "How is my God inferior to Your God, O Acharya?"

Swami Ramanujacharya was speechless.

---

And, on another day, when Swami Ramanujacharya was offering affectionate worship to Sri Ranganatha, He noticed that Sri Vaduga Nambi was offering affectionate worship to Swami Ramanujacharya! "Do worship the beautiful eyes of Sri Ranganatha, Vaduga!" said Swami Ramanujacharya.

However, Sri Vaduga Nambi coolly said, "After drinking this nectar of mine [i.e. Swami Ramanujacharya], why would I relish something else [Sri Ranganatha]?" This was actually a line of the verse Sri Thiruppanazhwar had sung for Sri Ranganatha!!

Swami Ramanujacharya was pleasantly amazed by His Shishya's affection for Him.

---

One day, another Shishya of Swami Ramanujacharya was reciting "Narayana" Nama.

Sri Periyazhwar had composed a pasuram that said it is useless to have a tongue that doesn't chant Bhagavan's Namas. Sri Vaduga Nambi quoted that very same phrase but said, "Why are you wasting the purpose of having a tongue by reciting this? Chant "Ramanuja", O Sire!"

---

It is customary not to wash our hands after partaking Prasadam. One must eat the Prasadam with respect [as per the customary tradition of not touching our palm / fingers with the tongue / teeth] and just wipe our palms on our head. This is a mark of respect.

One day, Swami Ramanujacharya noticed that Sri Vaduga Nambi was following this norm for Him, when Sri Vaduga Nambi ate the remnants from the plaintain leaf in which Swami Ramanujacharya had eaten.

"Vaduga! What are you doing now? Wash your hands hereafter!" He rebuked mildly. Swami Ramanujacharya meant that the norm must be followed only for the Prasadam distributed after Thiruvaradhanam. Sri Vaduga Nambi said nothing and did as instructed.

The next day, at Srirangam Temple, when Sri Ranganatha's Prasadam was distributed to everyone assembled, Sri Vaduga Nambi ate the Prasadam that Swami Ramanujacharya offered to Him. And then, He washed His hands.

Swami Ramanujacharya noticed this and demanded, "Vaduga! Why did you wash your hands now?" An unfazed Sri Vaduga Nambi bowed and replied, "O Acharya, am carrying out the orders Your Majesty had given yesterday!"

This time, Swami Ramanujacharya was quite moved and said, "I concede, Vaduga. I have lost to you!" An honour no other Shishya has won from Swami Ramanujacharya!

---

Sri Vaduga Nambi also questioned Sri Kooratthazhwan and Sri Mudhaliyandan, the 2 prime Shishyas of Swami Ramanujacharya, who uttered both "Sri Ranganatha Padharavindha Sharanam" and "Swami Ramanuja Padharavindha Sharanam" - "How can one hold on to two banks of a river at the same time?" He asked Them politely [making Them both smile at Him in reverence and admiration, of course!].

---

Sri Vaduga Nambi never took the Sripadha Theertham of anyone but His most beloved Acharya. When Swami Ramanujacharya left for Paramapadham, it was on Sri Vaduga Nambi's lap the Acharya had placed His Divine Feet [while He had placed His Head on Sri Embaar's lap].

---

Sri Vaduga Nambi also shared His wealth with us all by blessing us with the Charithram [Sri Yathiraja Vaibhavam] and Ashtotthara Shatha Nama Sthothram of His beloved Acharya!

---

At the time of leaving this world, Sri Vaduga Nambi's only instruction to His Shishyas was this: "Here, take care of my Deity - Swami Ramanujacharya Sri Padhukas - even if it means you will have to toil hard for it. My Swami Ramanujacharya Sri Padhukas are the greatest treasures in this universe" and then He left.

At that time, when some people exclaimed, "Sri Vaduga Nambi left for Paramapadham," another Shishya of Swami Ramanujacharya, named Sri Devaraja Muni, said, "Nay. In case of Sri Vaduga Nambi, we must only say 'He attained the Lotus Feet of Swami Ramanujacharya!'".

That sums it up perfectly, doesn't it?

---