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Once, during the time of Sri Ramanuja, the Vaishnavites faced threat from the Chozha King. Due to pressure from His devotees, Sri Ramanuja was compelled to make his way from Srirangam to another country Melkotte. It was a time when the Chozha King had banned entry of Sri Ramanuja Bhaktãs (devotees of Sri Ramanuja) into Srirangam Temple. Under such circumstances, Koorathãzhwãr, a beloved disciple of Sri Ramanuja, made his way into the Temple.

Koorathãzhwãr a victim of the Chozha King's cruelty had lost his eyes. In order to overcome his deep grief born of separation from Sri Ramanuja, Koorathãzhwãr decided to visit the Temple. The King’s guards stopped him, as he was a disciple of Sri Ramanuja. However, one of the guards permitted entry, saying, “Sir! You have no enemies. You look at everyone with ‘sama drishti’ (treat all alike). Even if you be a disciple of Sri Ramanuja you may go into the Temple.”

The words of the guards pierced the heart of Koorathãzhwãr. “Is my ‘Guna’ (virtue) helping me earn an entry into the Temple surpassing the Glory of my Guru? No! I do not desire an entry that overlooks Sri Ramanuja’s greatness. I do not need that Perumal (Lord Ranganatha) who is not available to the bhaktas of my Gurunatha.” Thinking thus, Koorathãzhwãr turned his back without going in to ‘see’ Lord Ranganatha.

This great disciple of Sri Ramanuja thus held the Lotus Feet of his Guru Sri Ramanuja in higher esteem than even the Lord (Ranganatha)!

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