Page 12 - Ramanuja and Equality Book.pmd

Lord and Swami Ramanuja showed us that birth is not a factor to
be a guide, a student, or a devotee.

Inspiration from Men and women in, all sections of society:
Ramanuja derived inspiration from great people, irrespective of
their caste or creed. The Alwars who have composed the four
thousand divine verses, were from all classes of society. Only
three of the 12 Alwars are known to have been bornin the
brahmin community. These verses are known as the Tamil Veda.
They are held in equal regard to the Sanskrit Veda and contain
the core essence of spirituality and equality. Ramanuja instituted
the practice of reciting these divine verses in every home, and in
every temple.

Gender equality is talked about so much these days, but
Ramanuja truly practiced it. Once, Ramanuja was going towards
a temple in a place called Thirukkolur. He encountered a young
woman leaving the great town as he was entering. He asked her
“Why are you leaving this place?.” The lady, known as Thirukkolur
ammal gave him examples of eighty-one people and told him “I
do not possess their devotion, compassion, kindness, sacrifice,
dedication and other values. So how can I stay here, in this divine
place?” Ramanuja admired her deep knowledge of scriptures
and the essence of what she understood from the examples of all
the eighty-one people she quoted. He then convinced her to stay
in Thirukkolur as he thought that no one better than her could
be in that divine temple town. As a rare gesture he accepted the
prasadam offered by her and blessed her.

Kongil Piratti was a woman who was eager to follow the path
of Sri Vaishnavism and surrender to the Lord. She was from a
mountainous, forested region known as Kongu region. She went
to Sri Rangam to learn from Ramanuja. Swami Ramanuja, seeing
her devotion, initiated her into the tradition. She requested
for and took his sandals, so that she could pay respects to the
Acharya’s padukas every day, as is the practice. A long time passed
after this incident. Swami Ramanuja, owing to persecution of
the local king, left Sri Rangam. During his travel to the western
part of the peninsula, his party was passing through the forested

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