Events in the life of Sri Ramanuja (Continued...):

• Sri Ramanuja nominated 74 Acharyas (known as Simhaasana Adhipahis) to succeed him. It is he who instituted the 13-day ‘Iyal Ghoshti’ in Srirangam.
• Ramanuja ascended to Paramapadam with his head on the lap of Embar and his feet on the lap of Vaduga Nambi. Ramanuja breathed his last in 1137 AD listening to the recitation of the Divya Prabandham.
• Born in Pingala year, he left for his heavenly abode also in Pingala year that followed 120 years from the year of his Avathara. Thus, he lived two full cycles of Tamil years.
• His physical body is preserved even today in a sitting posture in the Sannidhi (Sanctum Sanctorum) dedicated to him on the southwest corner on the fifth round within the Srirangam temple as ordered by Lord Ranganatha Himself.
• Thus, in the holiest place on earth hailed as ‘Bhooloka Vaikuntam’ (Vaikuntam on Earth) lies preserved the body of Sri Ramanuja in all its pristine state unostentatiously, without any fanfare or publicity and without using any of the chemical preservatives. Swami Desika in Sloka 10 of his Yathiraja Sapthathi pays obeisance to Bhagavath Ramanuja thus before proceeding with his eulogy.

  ப்ரணாமம் லக்ஷ்மண முநி: ப்ரதிக்ருஹ்ணாது மாமகம் !

  ப்ரஸாதயதி யத்ஸூக்தி: ஸ்வாதீந பதிகாம் ச்ருதிம் !!

  “I beseech Sri Ramanuja whose great works claimed the acclaim of the Lord and adorned the Upanishads, to kindly accept my salutations.”

  There is another famous Sloka which says:

  தஸ்மை ரமாநுஜார்யாய நம: பரம யோகிநே !

  ய: ச்ருதி ஸ்ம்ருதி ஸூத்ராணாம் அந்தர்ஜ்வரமஸோ ஸமதா !!

  “I bow to that Sri Ramanuja, the great Yogi who became the very soul of Vedas, Upanishads and other Suthras.”

Sri Ramanuja’s Acharyas:

Sri Ramanuja studied under the following five Acharyas:

• Periya Nambi: Had his Samasrayanam under him, learned Suthram, the Gita and Rahasyaartha.
• Tirukkottiyur Nambi: Was initiated into Ashtaakshara and Charama Sloka by him.
• Thirumaalai Aandaan: Studied Bhagavath Vishayam.
• Aalavandhaar Azhwan (s/o. Yaamuna Muni): Thiruvoymozhi, Sthothras and Nal Vaarthai.
• Thirumalai Nambi (his own uncle): Listened to Ramayanam discourses.

The 74 Simhaasana Adhipathis:

Bhagavath Ramanuja nominated the following 74 of his disciples as Simhaasana Adhipathis: