Kongu piratti
Kongu piratti
Kongupiraati is one of the prominent disciples of Sri Ramanuja Acharya, like Ekalavya. Her story is found in 6000padi Guru Parampara Prabhavam. Her original name is Sumathi, and she belonged to a town called Kollaikkalam in Kongu desam Kongu Nadu. One time, there was a great famine in the land. So, she and her husband left their town and moved to Srirangam. She was astonished by the divine tejas (glimpse) of Swamy Ramanuja. She walked near the banks and asked the villagers who the revered swami was and those followers. The group replied that Swamy Ramanuja was the king of ascetics and that he moved along with 700 ascetics, 74 Acharya Purushas, 1200 Ekangees, and 300 kotti ammai. Several kings and sattadars are his disciples. "You are blessed to have his darshan," remarked an old man. One day, as she waited, she saw Swamy entering her house. She offered obeisance with all humility and spoke to him. "Oh Revered Swamin… please listen to my prayer…. You are a sanyasi who has given up everything in life, and there is no possibility for having wealth, gold, jewels, mansions, or any other worldly prosperity. You just have a saffron cloth, a Tridanda, and Bikshu. When that is the case, how is it that so many people are following you all the time? And landlords, kings fall at your lotus feet, and whereas you are living on biksha only. What is it that you can give to so many followers who are with you? What is the secret behind all these disciples, as I don’t find any difference between a King and you. You are truly YathiRaja (Emperor of saints)."
Swamy Ramanuja, with abundant compassion, told her, "Mother! I do not have any wealth to share, but I give them bits of information about Lordships and have a mantra that will cut the bonds of samsara, which is full of worldly cares, and that as a result of this they would get the grace of the Lord, which would confer eternal bliss in the form of their attaining to the presence of Lord Vaikuntanatha (Lord Vishnu's abode).
The lady was quick to request Acharyar for the mantra for her upliftment as she was in a pitiable condition. She fell at Swamy’s feet and shed copious tears, in great distress crying all the while that Swamy must grace her. Swamy Ramanuja, looking at her extraordinary devotion, informed the disciples to help her in her endeavor. They guided her to be at the ashram for the initiation ceremony and she succeeded in becoming Swamy Ramanuja’s disciple. With great mercy, he asked her to repeat the Guruparampara verses and later initiated her with the sacred ashtakshari mantra. Swamy Ramanuja performed Panchasanksaram, did Mantra Upadesam, and the lady got a Dasya Name as “Kongil Periya Piraattiyaar”. At that time, she received the name Kongu Piratti (or Kongil Piratti) from Ramanuja. She was overjoyed and offered her obeisances to the revered saint with all humility.
After some time, the famine lifted from the land, and she desired to return to her hometown. At that time, she approached Ramanuja, sought his blessings and also obtained his divine padukas for performing thiruvaradhanam.
Several years later, due to the disturbance of the Chola king, Ramanuja had to leave Srirangam and move to Thirunarayanapuram. On the way, he went through the town where Kongu Piratti was living. She proved to Ramanuja and his disciples that she had a connection to Ramanuja's divine feet by showing them his divine padukas and how she got them; then she hosted them at her place and made them happy. Finding Ramanuja in white robes, instead of saffron, she was a little confused. She took out the Padukas and found them matching Ramanuja’s holy feet. Her joy knew no bounds. Ramanuja and his entourage partook of the hospitality of Kongu Piratti and her husband.
List of Devotees who did paduka pooja of their Master (Acharya)
- Vishnupriya Devotee of Chaitanya mahaprabhu who did pooja of the padukas of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu(https://padmanabhdas.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/vishnupriya-devi.jpg?w=334)
- Bharata (Ramayana) Devotee of Lord sri rama who adored and worshipped sri rama padukas https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Rama-Bharata-Paduka.jpg
- Swami Vedanta Desika has celebrated the glories of the two padhukas (sandals) adorning and supporting the lotus feet of the Lord of Srirangam http://www.sadagopan.org/SundaraSimham/SS025%20-%20Paduka%20sahasram.pdf
Reason
This article is created because Kongu pirati is most prominent in Vaishnavism, but still, few people need awareness about her as she was one of the most great prominent sishyas like Ekalavya in Guru Bhakthi & staunch devotion like meera.
Sources
https://kmkvaradhan.wordpress.com/2015/05/08/kongil-piratti-worships-swamy-ramanuja-padukas/ http://www.acharya.org/v/ThirukkolurammalVarththaigal/ThirukkolurammalVarththaigal-40.html http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/his-respect-for-women/article8976358.ece
References
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