Ramanujacharya’s   deep spiritual connect with Kashmir

(Kashmir Rechords Report)

Renowned 11^th Century Hindu philosopher and  a social reformer from Tamil Nadu, Guru Ramanujacharya had a  deep spiritual connect with Kashmir. While composing `Sri Bhasya’, he had travelled to Kashmir to refer to Bodhayana Vritti Grantha on Brahma Sutras. When his most famous work was complete, he had again visited Kashmir to dedicate ‘Sri Bhasya’ to Maa Sharda, the goddess of Learning.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha  while inaugurating  a branch of the Sri Yadugiri Yathiraja Mutt in Srinagar on October 4, 2023, also talked about  Ramanujacharya’s Kashmir connection  while referring to  latters philosophy of ‘Vishishtadvaita’  which preached love, peace, compassion, universal brotherhood and social equality.

Kashmir pilgrimage for Brahma Sutras

In the 11th Century, Guru Ramanujacharya  is believed to have visited Kashmir to write “Sri Bhashya” based on Brahma Sutras which was available only in Kashmir.

It is recoded in Tamil literature and religious texts that Guru Ramanujacharya   while once going up the Tirupati Hills to offer worship to Lord Srinivasa, remembered he had not fulfilled one of the promises he had made to his departed guru Yamuna, who had instructed him  to write a commentary on the Brahma Sutras.

For this work, Ramanujacharya  needed to consult the learned commentary on Brahma Sutras written by Bodhayana, the immediate disciple of Vedavyasa. But that great work was available only in Kashmir!

Ramanujacharya and his disciple Kooresha went on foot to Kashmir.  Upon receiving them ,the King of Kashmir and his court-scholars were astounded by Ramanuja’s profound knowledge but had expressed their reservations to even permit Ramanujacharya to make a copy of the text.

It was after a long persuasion that Kashmir scholars, who possessed the only copy of this book in their library  had   allowed Ramanujacharya to merely thumb through the pages of the book.  Kooresha is believed to have read it aloud from cover to cover and Ramanujacharya listened in silence. Kooresha understood his master’s predicament. He had a prodigious memory as  he was able to make a copy of the whole book by a mere cursory glance at it. The happy guru and his disciple returned to Srirangam, Tamil Nadu.

 And then began the composition of Sri Bhashya, the commentary on Bramha Sutras. The guru dictated and the disciple wrote it down.  Ramanujacharya later came to be called ‘Sribhashyakara.’

Ramanujacharya’s   Second Kashmir visit

After the completion of the work, students of Ramanujacharya wanted to fulfill their teacher’s mission to visit pilgrim centers. They visited distant holy places like Dwaraka and Badari and even reached Kashmir, wherefrom he had got inspiration for the composition of Sri Bhashya.

Here in Kashmir,  Mata Sharda– the Goddess of learning is believed to have blessed him by presenting an icon of Hayagreeva.

Hayagreeva is praised as the Lord of Wisdom and deep knowledge. He is believed to be the one who won ignorance and foolishness with his pure knowledge.

Revival of spiritual activities in Kashmir

The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a revival of its cultural identity and spiritual traditions which have always promoted the ideals of co-existence of almost all major religions, spiritual streams known to the humankind and gave the ideals of humanism, communal harmony and peace to the world.

The Governor also Inaugurated Jagadguru Sri Ramanujacharya Saraswathi Bhandaram Digital Library and Sri Yadugiri Yathiraja Mutt Branch, Kashmir. On the occasion, Sri Sri Yadugiri Yathiraja Narayana Ramanuja Jeeyar Swami of Sri Yadugiri Yathiraja Mutt said the establishment of the branch and library was an important milestone in Kashmir’s history.