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Shloka 3
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Based on Sri P.B. Annangaracharyar Swami's Commentary

Shloka 3:

	chAritroddhAradaNDam chaturanayapathAla~NkriyAketudaNDam
		sadvidyA dIpadaNDam sakalakalikathA samhR^ite: kAladaNDam |
	trayyanthAlambadaNDam tribhuvana vijayachChatra sauvarNadaNDam
		dhatte rAmAnujArya: pratikathaka shiro vajradaNDam tridaNDam ||

Meaning:

chAritra uddhAra daNDam		- The stick that lifts up good acts,
chaturanayapatha ala~NkriyA 
ketu daNDam			- the bright stick that adorns the path of dharma,
sadvidyA dIpa daNDam		- the lighted stick that shows the Vedantic knowledge,
sakala kalikathA samhR^ite: 
kAla daNDam			- the stick that destroys the activities of Kali yuga,
trayyantha Alamba daNDam	- the stick that supports the tired Vedas,
tribhuvana vijayachChatra 
sauvarNa daNDam			- the golden stick that supports the royal umbrella
				  that won the three worlds,
pratikathaka shiro 
vajra daNDam			- the thunder stick that falls on the heads of those 
				  who oppose it;
tridaNDam dhatte rAmAnujArya:	- such a Tridandam is held by Swami Ramanuja in his 
				  divine hands.

Commentary:
This shloka too shows the greatness of Swami Ramanuja through the act of praising the tridandam in his hands. Here the tridandam is praised in many ways by using the idea of ullekhAlankAram - that is, looking at something from many angles and expressing many opinions on it.

Ramanuja holds in his hands the tridandam that is praised by everyone in this world. In describing the beauty of Ramanuja, Embar has included the beauty of the tridandam - "mun kaiyilE thigazh mukkOl than azhagum". In Iyalsaththu, he is praised as "vAzhiyarO thakkOr paravum thadamsUzh perumbUdhUr mukkOl pidiththa muni".

chAritra uddhAra daNDam:
Such a tridandam in Ramanuja's hands will direct the devotees to good acts and practices - similar to the stick held in a teacher's hands to train a student. Have we not seen that a monkey is controlled by the stick in the trainer's hands - our minds which are like monkeys in that they jump from one thing to another will come under control by the stick in Ramanuja's hands.

chaturanayapatha ala~NkriyA ketu daNDam:
There are many nyAyas in the shastras. These were destroyed through misinterpretations by other sampradhayins. Swami Ramanuja restored them by establishing their true meanings. Hence his stick is an ornament that adorns the shastras and he was called "nyAya mArga pratishtApaka".

sadvidyA dIpa daNDam:
In the Vedanta, there are many vidyAs such as sadvidyA, akshividhyA, upakosala vidyA, etc. Ramanuja's stick is like a torch that shows these vidyas clearly. Also, the Vedantas (Upanishads) are the true knowledge and this is lighted by his stick. Finally, the most important knowledge is that of complete surrender and this prapatti mArga is lighted by his stick.

sakala kalikathA samhR^ite: kAla daNDam:
The Kali yuga causes many acts and activities that are forbidden in the shastras. Ramanuja's tridandam destroys these activities. It was by foreseeing this that Nammazhvar had sung his "poliga poliga" pasuram where he mentions "kaliyum kedum kaNdu koNmin".

Thiruvarangaththamudhanar also sang about this as "kadal aLavAya thisai ettinuLLum kali iruLE midai tharu kAlaththu irAmAnusan mikka nAnmaRaiyin poruLAl avviruLaith thurandhu".

trayyantha Alamba daNDam:
Due to the many pAshaNDas who reject the Vedas and the veda kudrushtis who misinterpret the Vedas, the Veda purusha was tired and in need of support. Ramanuja's tridandam acted like the stick that a tired or old man would use for standing or walking support.

tribhuvana vijayachChatra sauvarNa daNDam:
When a king conquers the three worlds, he would bring it under his white victory umbrella. Such an umbrella would have a golden stick that supports it and keeps it standing. Ramanuja's tridandam is like this golden stick as it helped him conquer the philosophies of the three worlds and show everyone the true path.

pratikathaka shira: vajra daNDam:
His tridandam is again like a thunder stick when it falls on those who come opposing.

tridaNDam dhatte rAmAnujArya::
Ramanuja holds this tridandam in his hands and shows us his beauty - not just in those times, but even today. And as long as this world exists, Ramanuja's archa thirumEni would hold the tridandam and lead everyone in the right path.

Azhvar Emperumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Sharanam

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