आमुक्तमाल्यदा (विजयनगर सम्राट् श्रीकृष्णदेवराय - गोदा देवी आण्डाल भक्ति एवं साम्राज्य-नीति)

30 Goda's Garland of Devotion
It is sad that men from all walks of life have lost their earlier
strength. Why talk only about powerless kings? There were days
when Agasthya drank up the ocean waters, a Viswamitra created
a new world, a Vasishta turned back the Brahmastra with his staff!
Where now are the Brahmins capable of such tapas?
"Hence try to do your best and leave the rest to Narayana
who guards the helpless. If you give up egoism, all your efforts
will come to fruition. Follow dharma under all circumstances.
By doing so you would fulfil the duties towards the sages,
the gods and your ancestors. Praise will come to you from all
people".
So ends the story of Yamunacharya as imagined by Krishna-
deva Raya who concludes the fourth Aswasa with a benediction to
Narayana.
Tradition tells us that, after learning about the identity of
Manakkal Nambi who brought him alarka greens, Yamunacharya
listened to the exposition of the Gita by Nambi. After several days,
they came to the charama sloka: "Abandoning all dharmas, surrender
to me alone. I shall free you from all sins. Fear not".
Nambi said that the Lord to whom one should surrender was
in Srirangam. Yamunacharya came, saw, and was conquered by
Ranganatha. He took up his residence in the holy city. Renowned
widely as a yogi and scholar, he became a much respected teacher.
Among his several students who made a mark in the history of
Vaishnavism were Tirumalai Andan, Maraner Nambi, Tirukkosh-
tiyur Nambi and Tiruvaranga Perumal Arayar. He also blessed
Ramanuja and requested him to strengthen the base of Vaishavism
by writing a commentary on the Brahma Sutras and by dissemi-
nating the prabandhas of Nammalwar.
Among the writings of Yamunacharya are Jnana Siddhi, Atma
Siddhi and Iswara Siddhi, Gitartha Sangraha, Agama Pramana, Maha-
purusha Nirnuya, Chatuh-sloki and Stotra Ratna. The seven hundred
verses of the Gita are summarised as eighteen slokas in the Gitartha
Sangraha, which has a preface of four slokas and a postscript of ten
slokas. According to Yamunacharya, Karma yoga is doing one's
job with sincerity: Jnana yoga is cogitating upon one's atman: and
Bhakti yoga is meditating upon the Divine Lord (para bhakti). In