From the entrance of Sri Parthasarathy Sanctum, proceed straight and take left.
The above picture shows exactly how the place would be when you take the left turn. When you enter the Ramanujar Sanctum, main mandapam, proceed straight.
You can find various paintings of Swami Ramanujar Charitra in the ceiling. Proceed straight and on your left you can find the main entrance to the Sanctum. Proceed inside the sanctum, you can also find, a big hundi ahead of you. On your diagonal left, you can find Sri Varadaraja Perumal Sanctum, along with swami Alavandhar’s archa moorty. Next, to this sanctum, you can have the darshan of Thaanaana Thirumeni Ramanujar.
At the age of 120 (C.E. 1137), in the same Pingala year, in which swami had incarnated on this Earth, Masi month, Shukla Paksha (Waxing Phase of the moon), Dasami titi (10th day of the Paksha), Saturday during mid-noon, Swami Ramanujar had attained the lotus feet of Lord Periya Perumal at Jeeyar Mutt.
Swami Ramanujar's disciples like, Kandaadai Andaan (கந்தாடை ஆண்டான்) , Arulaala Perumal Emperumanar (அருளால பெருமாள் எம்பெருமானார் ), Embaar
(எம்பார் ), Vaduganambi (வடுகநம்பி ), fell down and cried like a tree without roots.
On Seeing emperumanar in this condition, A heavenly voice said - Dharmo Nashta ( A huge loss for the Dharma). It is said that miracles had happened during that time.
Sri Namperumal gave his yellow vestments , the thuzhaai garland (tulasi garland), an oil bowl, in a golden bowl (பொற்கிண்ணம்) to Uttama Nambi, for performing final rights (Charama Kayinkaryam) for Swami Ramanujar's Thirumeni.
Uttama Nambi convinced all the disciples in the Mutt, and then applied the oil in Swami Ramanujar's Thirumudi, after which they bathed him, wrapped Swami's Thirumeni with the yellow vestments given by Sri Namperumal and decorated Swami Ramanujar's Thirumeni with the Thuzhaai Garland ( Tulasi Garland), which was also given by Sri Namperumal.
Then that oil and Srichoornam as a prasadam to all the disciples, which is known as Brahmameta Samskaaram in Sri Vaishnava Terms.
Later, Swami's Thirumeni was taken as procession, and important disciples and jeeyars had sung mantras like Brahmavalli, Narayananuvaagam, Brighuvalli from the Vedas. Lakhs and Lakhs of Vaishnava Disciples, workers belonging to Sri Vaishnava Sect, and all the devotees followed Swami's Ramanujar's Thirumeni, during the final round of procession.
ThiruvarangaPerumal Arayar (திருவரங்க பெருமாள் அரையர் ), who was the head of 700 Arayar's who sang Thiruvaimozhi , including Thiruvaimozhi Arayar (திருவாய்மொழி அரையர் ), Appaan (ஆப்பான் ), Thiruvazhundhoor Arayar (திருவழுந்தூர் அரையர்), Thirunaraiyoor Arayar (திருநறையூர் அரையர் ), and Thiruvaranga Perumal Arayar (திருவரங்க பெருமாள் அரையர் ). Ramanuja Nootrandaadi (ராமானுஜர் நூற்றந்தாதி) was sung continouously by great disciples of Swami Ramanujar like Thiruvarangatthu Amudanaar (திருவரங்கத்து அமுதனார் ), one who composed Ramanuja Nootrandaadi (ராமானுஜர் நூற்றந்தாதி ) which consists of 108 Paasurams (Tamil Verses) in Andaadi (நூற்றந்தாதி) Style, along with Periya Koil Vallalaar (பெரிய கோயில் வள்ளலார் ) and others who followed Swami Ramanujar's Thirumeni.
The procession started from the Jeeyar Mutt, then proceeded with four streets of Chithirai Veedhi and Utthirai Veedhi. People living in and around Srirangam gathered to witness the final procession of Swami Ramanujar and to get the blessings of Swami Ramanujar and other Bhaagavathaas and Achaaryaas.
Ladies started drawing various colorful Rangolis outside their home. People gathered there had showered a mixture of flowers and fries (பூவும் பொரியும் கலந்து தூவினார்களாம்).
Lord Arangan shut his temple gates and bore Cane and Golden Pot in his hands, disciples were fanning Swami Ramanujar, while Lord Garuda flew in a circular path in the sky.
Lord Arangan kept saying Ramanujar is my greatest wealth (இராமானுஜன் என்தன் மாநிதி)
and Sri Ramanujar is my invaluable saved wealth for protection (இராமனுஜன் என்தன் சேமவைப்பு).
Lord Arangan also spoke as follows : "Since, Swami Ramanujar's Thirumeni, is the Nidhi, shouldn't go out anywhere. Clear my Vasanta Mandapam, and place his Thirumeni there.
Just as a King would keep his Wealth within his courtyard, similarly, My wealth has to preserved within my premises( சந்நிதி )."
As said my Lord Arangan, Lord's Vasanta Mandapam was cleared and Swami Ramanujar's Thirumeni was buried under the Vansanta Mandapam (As per Yati Samskaaram). Swami's Thirumeni is still preserved with Saffron, and Camphor. Twice in a year, these Saffron and Camphor will be applied to Swami's Thirumeni.
Note : In Sri Vaishnava Sampradaaya, the word Swami denotes only Swami Ramanujar in general.
After, a few months, Swami Ramanujar who was buried as per Yati Samskaaram below the Vasanta Mandapam, out of Mercy on all of us, came up along with the Peetham(पीठम्).
And, Ramanujar out of compassion spoke the following words as Heavenly Voice (asariri) -
"Don't worry. I've not disappeared yet. I've come back. Do not bury me back under the mandapam. I've come again, just to bless and protect my devotees, and will remain here till the end of Kali Yuga."
We can still get the darshan of Swami Ramanujar's Thirumeni as Thanaana Thirumeni in Srirangam. Swami Ramanujar till date is found sitting on the peetham(पीठम्), in padmaasanaa posture, with Gnyaana Mudra in his right hand, his left hand placed on his lap, would have four fingers open and thumb finger folded inward, along with the Tridandam. Swami's nails and hair are still growing. This Thaanaana Thirumeni is the Moolavar in this Sanctum. The Thirumanjanam (Abhishekam) is being performed to the Utsava Moorty of Swami.
Such was mercy of Swami Ramanujar on us.
Swami Ramanujar's Mercy is endless just as the ocean is endless.
Swami Embaar (எம்பார் ) has sung a Paasuram on Swami Ramanujar describing him :
"Parpamena Thigazh Payinkazhal Undhan Pallavame Viralum,
Paavanam aagiya Payinthuvar aadai padintha marunkazhagum,
Muppuri Noolodu Munkayil yendhiya mookol thanazhagum,
Munnavar Thanthida Mozhigal Nirainthida muruval Nilavazhagum,
Karpagame vizhi karunai pozhindhidum kamala kanazhagum,
Kaari Sudan kazhal Soodiyamudiyum Kananarchigai azhagum,
Eppozhudum Ethirasan Vadivazhagu Enidhayathulladhaal,
Illai ennakkethir Illai Ennakethir Illai ennakethire."
Koorathaazhwaan's Thaniyan for Ramanujar-
यो नित्यम् अच्युतपदाम्बुजयुग्मरुक्म-
व्यामोहतस्तदितराणि तृणाय मेने ।
अस्मद् गुरोर्भगवतोऽस्य दयैकसिन्धोः
रामानुजस्य चरणौ शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥
yo nityam acyuta-padāmbuja-yugma-rukma-
vyāmōhatas taditarāṇi tṛṇāya mēnē |
asmad gurōr bhagavatō’sya dayaikasindhōḥ
rāmānujasya caraṇau śaraṇaṁ prapadye ||
Meaning - I seek the Holy Feet of Sri Ramanujacharya who considered all the worldly things and pleasures as mere nothing, because of his love towards the Divine Feet of Achyuta. He is our guru since he possesses all the auspicious qualities and therefore the ocean of mercy.
Three Thirumeni's of Swami -
Thamaruganda Thirumeni : When he was leaving Thirunarayanpuram to be back in Srirangam, all his Disciples also wanted to accompany him. But, he told that he will be always be there in the midst of them and they should not leave along with him. He made a statue of himself and then he hugged the Idol to transfer his power tothat Idol. Even today it is there at Thirunarayanpuram and It is known as THAMARUGUNDA THIRUMENI.
Than Uganda Thirumeni:People of Sriperumpudur his Avathara Sthalam wanted to make an Idol and install it in the temple. Then on an auspicious day they were installing the idol and doing Prana Prathistai to the idol. At that time in Srirangam Ramanuja was giving discourse to his disciples. Suddenly Ramanuja maintained stone like Silence, more or less he was looking like statue. After some time he became normal and then his Shishya's asked what happened , for that he replied that -Just few minutes back in Sriperumpudur they have installed his Idol and they did Prana Prathistai and they were conducting eye opening ceremony for the Idol. Hence, he went there and returned. The Thirumeni at Sriperumpudur is known as THAN UGANDA THIRUMENI.
Thanaana Thirumeni - Installed at Srirangam and it has been discussed earlier in this post.
Bhavishyad Aachaaryan - Mathurakavi Azhvar took Nammazhvar as his "Achaarya". After hearing Thiruvaimozhi from Nammazhvar, Mathurakavi Azhvar sung "Kanninunn Siruthambhu" in praise of Nammazhvar. He requested his Acharya for his "vigraha" to worship for himself and for the benefit of future generations. On his Acharya's direction, he boiled the holy water of river Thamirabarani, where an idol with "Anjali Hastham" emerged first. They realized the idol as "BhavishyadAchaarian" (FutureAcharya). BhavishyadAchaarian was later called as "the Emperumanar (Ramanujar)". Nammazhvar had made mangalasasanam in his Thiruvaimozhi "Poliga, Poliga, Poliga (5 ch, 2) in favour of BhavishyadAchaariyan. The same "BhavishyathAchaarya" vigraha is in this Emperumanar.
Sannidhi in Azhvarthirunagari.
Jai Sri Ramanuja!
Srimate Ramanujaya Namaha.