The Colas c34.38

c34.38

There is, however, one poem which deserves mention if only because it is one of the few exceptions to the general rule followed by the Vaiṣṇava authors of the age. It is the *Rāmānuja-nūṟṟandādi*, a century of verses in the *kalittuṟai* metre in praise of Rāmānuja by his disciple Tiruvarangattu Amudanār. This poem in a simple devotional style is held in great esteem and is even called *prapannagāyatrī* as it is often repeated as a daily prayer. The central idea of the poem is that without the grace of the *guru* there is no way to salvation. The author avows that he has no faith in *tapas*,⁴⁹ and pronounces a sweeping condemnation on every creed other than Rāmānuja's.⁵⁰ Rāmānuja's deep and abiding *bhakti*, *śorāda kādal peruñjuḻi*,⁵¹ and his profound attachment to the *Rāmāyaṇa*⁵² are specially stressed in the poem. It is not improbable that our author is identical with the Tiruvarangattamudanār of Mūṅgiṟkuḍi mentioned in an inscription from Tirukkōyilūr of the third year of Kulōttunga II.⁵³