Elders reveal that LORD Rama incarnated HIMSELF as Dasarathi, nephew of Swamy Ramanujar at Purusha mangalam (presently known as Nazrath Pettai in Chennai).
The foremost disciple. of JagathAcharyar Swamy Ramanuja was MUDALIANDAN.
It is believed that Lord Rama was very impressed by Thiruvananthazvan’s kainkaryam as Lakshmana to him (Lord Rama) in Sree Ramavatharam and thus wanted to serve him in future Avatharas.
Thus, when he was born as Krishna in Krishnavataram he performed kainkaryam to Balarama
(Who in turn is Thiruvananthazvan’s amsam).
Not fully satisfied with this, when Thiruvananthazvan appeared as Swami Ramanuja in Kaliyuga, Lord incarnated as Mudaliandan and did kainkaryam to Swamy Ramanuja as the foremost disciple
Thus Mudaliandan is an amsam of Lord Rama himself
Vaadhoola Kula Thilaka Sri Anantha Naarayana Dikshithar and Nachiyarammal (Swami Ramanuja’s sister) didn’t have child for a long time and in order to get blessed with a child they prepare to go to Tirumala to pray and seek blessings with perumal for a devoted child.
In the pilgrimage, when they were resting one night, Lord Rama who was their Thiruvaradhana Perumal appeared in their dream and said “You don’t have to go to Tirumala.
I will myself be born as your son. Name him as “Daasarathi””. Daasarathi refers to the sons of King Dasaratha like how Lord Rama was also called.
Later Swamy Ramanujar appointed a 74 simhadipatis (disciples) to propagate Srivaishnavam and our Dasarathi was their leader.
Hence Dasarathi came to be known as
- “Mudali “”Andan”. ( The foremost)
- Sri Mudaliandan Swamy was entrusted with the job of managing Srirangam temple affairs.
- Swami Mudaliandan is also glorified as the “paaduka” and “Tridandi” of Swamy Ramanujar. When Swamy Ramanujar embraced Sanyasasramam, he did not leave Mudaliandan and Kooratazhwan whom he considered as his Tridandam and Pavitram respectively.
- When Thirugoshtiyur nambi instructed Swamy Ramanujar to come alone to learn about Tirumantra rahasyam, Swamy Ramanujar took Mudaliandan along with him. When questioned, Swamy replied that a Sanyasi should always carry Tridandam with him .Such was the intimacy between Swamy Ramanujar and Mudaliandan.
- Kooratazhwan expresses his thoughts that he has only “Atma sambandham”with Swamy Ramanujar whereas Mudaliandan has both “deha sambandham” and “atma sambandham”.
-
Swami Mudaliandan was born in Prabhava Year, Chithirai Month, Punarpoosam Natchathiram (1027) at Pachai Varana Puram (referred to as “NazarethPettai” which happens to be today) in Thondai mandalam, in the state of Tamil Nadu in South India.
Daasarathi, as he was named, was Ramanuja’s Priya Bhagineya in the parlance of the age.
Born to his service, and known as “Yathiraaja Paaduka”, he enjoyed a special relationship with Swami Ramanujar all his life.
Mudaliandan’s. impeccable service to his mentor secured for him the status of being Ramanuja’s Padukas (lotus feet), Tridandam & also the position of the administrator of the Srirangam Temple.
Nachiyarammal was the eldest of Swami Ramanuja’s two sisters.
Hence Mudaliandan is called as Sri Ramanuja’s Bhagineyar (sister’s son). Anantha Narayana Dheekshidar named the child as Daasarathi appeared in Vadamal Kulam, Vadhoola Gothram, Yajus sakhaai, Apasthamba Soothram in Prabava varusham, Chithira masam, Punarvasu natchathiram, an amsam of Lord Sri Rama.
Having begun his learning with his father, Daasarathi became a pillar of support to Swami Ramanujar,
Dasarathi acclaimed by him as being identical to his Tridandam – his staff office as a sanyasi. However, Swami Ramanujar kept him busy in many ways, as he was a capable executive and administrator.
Sri Ramanuja, later started to depend on Daasarathi a lot. While going to kaveri for his daily bath, he used to lean on Daasarathi for support.
One day, when Ramanuja sacrificed everything at the time of taking Sannyaasam (ascetic) he did not give up Daasarathi, as that order demanded that all kith and kin should be renounced.
To this Sri Ramanuja replied that Daasarathi was an exception as he was his triplestaff (tridandam) (the same reason he gave to Tirukkottiyur Nambi) and added “If it is possible for me an ascetic to give up my staff only then can Daasarathi leave me. He, though a bodily relation, is yet a kin to my soul.
Because Swami Ramanuja knows he is Lord Rama’s avatar or amsam.”
“muthaliyaandaanum kurattilirunthu koyil kariyaththaiyum uLLe karuvulaka vaasalileyirunthu thirumeni upachaaraththayum, sannathiyile irunthu thiruppavaLa upchaarangaLayum udayavar niyamanappadi aaraaynthu kondu anaiththazhagum kaNdarula paNNIk-kondirunthaar”.
(Roughly translated as: Mudaliandan administered the following, according to Swami Ramanuja’s orders, the many works of the temple, the services to the Lord, and the works of the Shrine.)
Swami Desikan on Mudaliandan’s sayings: Mudaliandaan is most well known for his lapidary saying, here given in transliterated maNipraavaaLam:
“oru malaiyil ninru, oru malaiyil thaavum simha shareeraththil janthukkaL pole bhaashyakaarar samsaaralanganam paNNa avarOdundaana kudalthudakkaale naam udhdheerdaraavuthomenru muthaliyaandaruLi-ch-cheytha paasuram”.
This is roughly translatable as follows: When a lion leaps from one mountain to another, all the creatures that live on his body go with him. Even so, when Udayavar transcended this world, all of us who are associated with him benefit from this as well.
On udayavar’s instructions Swami Mudaliandan went to Belur and converted all peoples toSrivaishnavism and installed Pancha Narayana temples at various locations.
Sloka on Swami Mudaliandan’s Installation of Pancha Narayanan Temples:
Sri Ramancha samavistam pancha janyamcha sambhavam |
Pancha Narayana sthana sthapakam gurum asraye ||
Meaning: I take the solace under Acharya Mudaliandan, in whom Lord Rama’s partial influence and a part of panchajanya’s influenece exists is the one who installed the Pancha Narayana temples.
The final moments of Swamy Mudaliandan shine not as a departure, but as a flood of grace-filled instruction—a last gift to his disciples, soaked in ananya-bhakti to Swami Ramanuja.
As his body grew weak, his voice remained steady with compassion. Gathering his disciples close, with eyes filled not with fear but with karuṇā and firmness, he delivered his final upadeśa
Swamy Mudaliandan’s Upadeśa
“Bhagavad Rāmānujan thiruvadigaḷai vidaadheergal.”
👉 Never, even for a moment, leave the sacred feet of our Acharya Ramanuja.
That alone is your refuge, protection, and liberation.
“Bhāgavata sevaiyai uyirāga ninaithu nadungal.”
👉 Consider service to devotees as your very life-breath.
Do not measure, judge, or discriminate serve with melting humility.
“Bhāgavata doṣa darśanam seyyadheergal.”
👉 Never see faults in Bhagavatas.
Even if something appears as a fault, treat it as your own limitation in understanding.
“Ahankāramai vida, dāsatvathil nirkavum.”
👉 Give up ego completely; stand firm in dāsya bhāvam (servitude).
Pride will distance you from grace faster than any sin.
“Kainkaryam thaan vazhi, kainkaryam thaan phalan.”
👉 Service itself is the path, and service itself is the fruit.
Do not seek anything beyond kainkaryam.
“Oruvaraiyum thalladheergal; elloraiyum anugraha drishti-yil paarungal.”
👉 Reject none. Embrace all with compassion.
See every soul as belonging to our Acharya.
“Nammudaiya rakṣaṇam Acharyan pakkal thaan.”
👉 Your protection is not in your effort, but in your Acharya’s grace alone.
Having thus instructed, Swamy Mudaliandan slowly closed his eyes, meditating upon the divine feet of Ramanuja, as if returning to the very source from which his life drew meaning.
There was no agitation, no fear—only a deep stillness of fulfilled kainkaryam.
Pādhukē Yatirājasya kathayanti yad ākhyayā |
tadeva sarva-lokānāṁ śreyasē naḥ prasādayēt ||
पादुके यतिराजस्य कथयन्ति यदाख्यया ।
तदेव सर्वलोकानां श्रेयसे नः प्रसादयेत्
The sacred pādhukās (sandals/feet) of Yatirāja (Ramanuja), whose very name proclaims his glory,
May they bestow auspiciousness and ultimate good upon all the worlds, including us.
Srimathey Ramanujaya namah
kazhiyur varadan's blog 