Page:Life and Teachings of Sri Ramanujacharya.djvu/26

CHAP. I] 8Ri Sathakopa. 5

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Long before this, another Great Soul had taken human shape to form one of the Stones in the great Living Wall of the “Guardians of Humanity.” One of the highest of the Divine Hierarchies in Vaikuntha, Kumuda*^ by name, had incarnated at Tirukkovaloor, in a Brahman family. The world knows him as Mathura Kavi (the Sweet Singer) and he was the bright Aruna to the radiant Sun Sathakopa. His fleshly encasement could but thinly veil the Divine capabilities of the advanced soul that inhabited it; and Supreme Wisdom and Dispassion manifested themselves very early in his life.

{c) The Lord favonred him above other Alvftrs and called him ‘ Our Alv^lr. * — Hence the name Namm&IvAr

{d) The Lord AdinAtha presented him with a garland of Vakula flowers from his own neck. Hence the name Vakul 4 bharana.

{€) The sectarians of all ages fear him, as an elephant the sharp iron goad. Hence the name Par&nku§a. —(L. A.)

^ §athak6pa’s pupils were Mathura Kavi and N&thamnni.

The date of Mathura Kavi’s birth : —

Era — 883, 878 years from the beginning of DwAparaynga. Year— Iswara.

Month — Chaitra.

Fortnight — Fifteen.

Week — Friday.

Constellation — Chitra, — (Prap,)

Era— 863,879. I Year — ^Vikrama.

Fortnight~-i4. | Fortnight— 10. Date— 5.

(V,G,) {Per,)

^ He was the am^ of Knmuda, one of the angels around the Throne.— [T: G, (1880).]

Of Knmuda and Garmja.— (/to/.)

His father’s name was NAr&yana, and he was a Pdrva^ikha BrAhmana.— /y«/.

The following passage bears upon his birth : —

On the banks of the sacred TAmrapaini, these will be hoxn of BrAhmana parents, one, Mathura Kavi by name; of the am«a of Garu4a, an ardent devotee of Satiu&kdpa. (PUdma /toftkia— /to/.)