R20. His Last Days Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

SRI RAMANUJA

According to some historians,
Ramanuja lived for 120 years.
And he spent more of his time
In the temple at Srirangam.

Teaching all his disciples,
And the visiting devotees,
In between he had written,
Books on Vaishnava religion..

One day it so happened
That he suddenly stopped
In the midst of his discourse,
To the surprise of devotees.

From the corner of his eyes
Blood trickled down in drops
As the eyes of his stone image
Were being carved at that stage.

After hearing the prayers
Of the assembled devotees,
He transferred his powers then
To his statue made of stone.

He told them, "Leaving my old body,
I shall now reside in this new body."
So saying he breathed his last
And joined the Lord's lotus feet.

Yes, as all his devotees believed,
He's still living in this stone world.
To remind his devotees everyday
For them to go in the spiritual way.

During February,1137, his end came
When he was at the height of fame
But he's worshiped as a great leader
Of the Vaishnava's religious culture.

His liberal views on religion,
Attracted even a common man,
Who blindly believed him as one
Born to lead everyone to Heaven.

It is a pleasure for me to write,
On Ramanuja's life story, in fact,
Though it is like a deep ocean,
To take it up and venture on.

Note: Ramanuja's mummified body
Is kept inside the Srirangam Temple
Even after 1000 years of his departure
From this world


The End