SriMathe Ramanujaya Namaha
Marriage and Schooling of Ilaya Perumal
At the age of just sixteen, Rāmānuja’s father, Asuri Kesavacarya, endeavored to arrange his son’s marriage. With utmost care, he selected a young and enchanting girl named Rakshakambal to be the bride, meticulously organizing all the necessary arrangements for the wedding festivities. The sacred union of Ramanuja and Rakshakambal took place approximately in the year 1033.
The distribution of substantial quantities of prasādam brought contentment to the impoverished residents of the neighborhood throughout the entire week of festivities.
However, the family was struck by tragedy merely a month into their marriage, as Kesavacarya departed from this world. Kantimati was deeply saddened by this unfortunate incident, which left her in a state of profound sorrow, and Rāmānuja also experienced great sorrow during this time.
With Kesavacarya’s absence, the family found that Bhutapuri no longer provided them with happiness, leading them to make the decision to relocate to the city of Kānchī. Rāmānuja took the responsibility of constructing a new residence for them, and once it was completed, they all moved there.
Residing in Kānchī at that time was a highly learned scholar named Yadavaprakasa, whose scholarly prowess had attracted a significant number of disciples, including Rāmānuja. Rāmānuja was eager to comprehend the Vedic literatures. Rāmānuja’s amiable disposition and sharp intellect quickly endeared him to the esteemed pandita.
Regrettably, this association did not endure for long. Despite Yadavaprakasa’s erudition and familiarity with the scriptures, he staunchly adhered to the mayavada philosophy, which advocated the concept of absolute oneness. According to his teachings, the all-pervading Brahman represented the ultimate truth, while the personal deity Lord Vishnu was merely an illusion.
As a sincere devotee of the Lord, Rāmānuja was deeply distressed upon hearing Yadavaprakasa’s assertions that undermined the supremacy of his beloved Lord. Out of reverence and humility towards his guru, Rāmānuja refrained from pointing out the flaws in these impersonalistic doctrines. However, as time passed, the situation gradually became unbearable for him.
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