| Ramanuja Nutrantati | |
|---|---|
 Statue of Ramanuja. | |
| Information | |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Author | Periya Koil Nambi |
| Language | Tamil |
| Period | 9th–10th century CE |
| Verses | 108 |
TheRamanuja Nutrantati (Tamil:இராமானுச நூற்றந்தாதி,romanized: Rāmānuca Nūṛṛantāti,lit. 'Ramanuja's hundred hymns')[1] is a work ofTamilHindu literature written by Periya Koil Nambi, consisting of 108pasurams (hymns).[2] It was composed in the poetic style of theantati, in which the last word of each verse is also structured as the first word of the following verse.[3]
According toSri Vaishnava tradition, the composition of these hymns is regarded to have impressedRamanuja so much that he conferred the epithetTiruvarangatu Amudhanar upon the author.[4] The saintManavala Mamuni is regarded to have added it to the compendium of theAlvars's hymns, theNalayira Divya Prabandham. The work is also referred to asPrapanna Gayatri inSanskrit.[5]
According to tradition, Periya Koil Nambi was initially an opponent of Ramanuja, whose activities as the chief priest of theSrirangam temple are said to have interfered with the latter's work. The deityRanganatha himself is said to have appeared in a dream of Nambi, pleading the case of Ramanuja. While Ramanuja started to discuss the prospect of leaving Srirangam with his disciple named Kurathalvar, Nambi appeared and sought to become ashishya (disciple) of the former, having realised his greatness. Ramanuja, however, askedKurathalvar to accept him as his own shishya instead. With this, the animosity between the two men came to an end, and Nambi handed over the keys to the temple to Ramanuja. In time, he composed theRamanuja Nutrantati.[6]
The second hymn of this work extols the deeds of Ramanuja:[7]
I cannot understand this good fortune. My heart does not think of anything other than the extreme benevolence of Ramanuja. He gave up the company of men who do not contemplate the lotus feet of the nectar-groves-surrounded-Arangam lord, and only sought the feet of the Kuraiyalur king, Tirumangai Alvar.
— Ramanuja Nutrantati, Hymn 2
