Ramanuja Vaibhavam : 10 : Reforming Periya Kovil Nambi

  Swami Ramanujar continued his stay in Sri Rangam and continued to try and gain access to the Rangantha Perumal temple keys to reform the way the temple was being administered. The temple keys were being held by a person named Periya Kovil Nambi. Periya Kovil Nambi was a man with a harsh temperament and was very stubborn. How much ever Swami Ramanujar tried to get the temple keys Periya Kovil Nambi he would avoid Swami Ramanujar. Before Periya Kovil Nambi became a respectable person who was in-charge of temple administration, he was a gambler. Periya Kovil Nambi's mother came to Swami Ramanujar for help to reform her son's behavior. Swami Ramanujar went to the gambling house to observe Periya Kovil Nambi. After observing Periya Kovil Nambi's behavior, Swami Ramanujar sends Kurathalwan to get Periya Kovil Nambi from the gambling house to perform means of reform. Kurathalwan teaches Periya Kovil Nambi the shastras and various vyakyanams and turned the gambler into a respectable man who earned the right to control the temple administration. With time Periya Kovil Nambi started to gain a superiority complex over everyone as he had the sole right to control the temple and the way it was to run. In his opinion, he was above everyone except Ranganatha Perumal. Swami Ramanujar noticed that there were errors in the way he was conducting the temple rituals and hence deemed it necessary to gain access to the temple keys to change the way the temple was being administered. One day Periya Kovil Nambi was conducting a homam for which he required a learned acharya to be present for a position known as Ekaham. At the time it was customary to go to Swami Ramanujar to grace such occasions. Thus, Periya Kovil Nambi came to Swami Ramanujar to grace the event. Swami Ramanujar said he would send his guru Kurathalwan to grace the occasion. Periya Kovil Nambi was very happy hearing that his guru would grace the event. After the conduction of the homam, it was customary to give daanam to the person taking the position of Ekaham. The custom of giving daanam was to continue to keep giving until the person receiving the daanam would say they were satisfied. Thus, Periya Kovil Nambi started to give daanam to his guru and after daanam, he would ask if he was satisfied. Kurathalwan would reply that he was not satisfied. Soon it came to a point where Periya Kovil Nambi asked his guru what it would take to earn his satisfaction. When this question was asked Kurathalwan asked for the keys of the temple. Periya Kovil Nambi handed over the keys of the temple to Kurathalwan who in-turn handed them to Swami Ramanujar. Swami Ramanujar immediately took charge of all the temple activities. He established all the rituals that are practiced at the temple to date. When Periya Kovil Nambi noticed the changes, he realized that he was at fault. Swami Ramanujar then handed over the keys back to Periya Kovil Nambi. Periya Kovil Nambi promises to withhold the traditions as setup by Swami Ramanujar.