the integer ''two''

          When we think of the number 2, (which is also means a couple, or a pair) what does it remind us of ? Well it may differ from person to person.  But for a Sri Vaishnava, it obviously reminds us of Dhivya Paadas/ Thiruvadi or the Divine feet  of Sriman Narayana.  The divine feet, constitute the ultimate solace of all sorrows, which is glorified by all the alwars. and of course, it is the lord's divine feet which have incarnated as Nammalwar. & the vertical  white lines (thiruman kappu)which adores the forehead of a Sri Vaishnava also represents the same.  In this article, let us what is so special about the number 2.

1) The 1st integer 2 stands for the Dvaya maha mantra,with its two sentences "Sreeman Narayana Sharanow sharanam praptthye"
"Sreemathey Narayana Namha" with which sharanagathi is performed, and is also very special when compared to other 2 rahasyas.that is charma slokam & thirumantram.

2) Divya Dhampathis  that is the Lord Narayana and his Piratti Sri Devi nacchiyar are  called "mithunam" (a pair), it is unique to Sri Vaishnava Sampradhayam that we take refuge in the divine pair.and our sampradhya always calls for worship  of perumal, along with piratti.  In Srimadh Ramayanam. Surpanaka longed for the lord but she disliked piratti, and for the same she was severely punished by Laxmana. and similarly Ravana was attracted towards piratti, but he detested the Lord,  thus met his end.
Perialwar in his Thirumozhi  praises Lord Rama as "Thangayai mookum thamayanai thalaiyum thadittha em dasarathee"
 Thus Sri Vaishnavas take refugee in Emperumaan along with Thayar. 

3) The greatest  epics Srimadh Ramayanam & Mahabaratham are  2 in number.

4) Of all the avataras of the Lord, the 2 vibhava avatars as Sri Rama & Sri Krishna are considered to be poorna avtaras

5)The Vibuthis are also 2 in number namely the Leela Vibuthi & the Nitya Vibuthi

Leela Vibuthi (Material world):- The area  which has no lower boundary is subject to transformation and mixture of three gunas. These are subject to leela's of EmpeurmAn namely His creation, sustenance and destruction. in this process He also takes incarnations, gives sasthrams  and also deputes Azwars & Acharyas.  However, this vibhuthi, since, it is mixture of the guaAs is under control of sensory organs and also the knowledge is limited. Therefore, the desires and lust override knowledge and aim to attain salvation.

Nithya Vibuthi (Sri Vaikuntam):-

In sharp contrast, the area  which has no upper boundary is the NIthya vibHuthi which is permanent and the Lord rests in the Supreme Divya kshetram over there. It is only of sattvam or the purest of attributes and therefore the aim there is to serve the Lord and there is no negative qualities over there.
6) 2 alwars were given to us by Sri Villiputtur divya desam that is Perialwar and Andal, similarly 2 acharyas namely Sri Naatha munigal and Aalavandhar were blessed to us from Kattumannar koil

 

7) Among many sishyas (that is 700 sanyasis (yathis) &  12,000 Bhagavathas) of Swamy Ramanuja, Only 2were considered as Thandam and Pavithram, that is Mudalyandan was his thandam &  koorthalwan  was Pavithram.

8) Many incidents in the Life of Swamy Ramanuja were held when his age was being  in the multiples of 2  examples

2 x   8 = 16th year -
Swami got married & entered gruhasta ashram in (1033 AD)
   
2 x   9 = 18th year -  Swamy accompanied by his guru Yadhava    Praksha went to  Kasi yatra in (1035 AD)
                                      
2 x 16 = 32nd year -  Swamy  under took Sanyasa ashramam at    Kanchi & became "Yathiraja" in (1049 AD)
                 
2 x 32 = 64th year - Swamy won over Yagna moorthy after 18 days debate in (1081 AD),and gave him the title "Arulala perumal Emperumanaar who  gave us Gyana saaram & Prameya saram

2 x 35 = 70th year -  Swamy along with Koorthalwan in(1087 A D)      and others travelled to  Kashmir to get the "Bodhayana Vritti" to author  Sri Bashyam

2 x 36 = 72nd year -  Swamy Ramanuja blessed us with "Sri
 Bashyam", "Geetha bashyam","Vedantha saram", "Vedantha  
Deepam"and "Vedanthasangraham".& also started his divya desam Yatra in (1089 AD) 
2 x 37 = 74th year -  Swamy became acharya to "Thirukurungudi
 Nambi" and named the  lord as "Vaishnava  Nambi" & established "Ramanuja Matam"  there in (1091 AD)

2 x 38 = 76th year - Swamy got his titile as "Bhashyakarar" from
 Sri Saraswathi Devi (1093 AD )
2 x 40 = 80th year - Swamy Ramanuja leaves Sri Rangam,(1097 A D) due to Kirumi Kanda Chozan  and travels to Karnataka
 (Mel Naadu)

2 x 41 = 82nd year - Swamy Ramanuja with the help of the King
 Vishnu Vardhan located  the moolavar lord  Thirunarayanan in the year Bagudhanya (1099 AD)  & performed consecration at
 Melkote. 

2 x 50 = 100th year - Swami  Ramanuja with Mudaliandan in the year Helavilambi (1117 A D ) did Pancha Narayana Pratishtai which constitue Keerthi Naryanan, Sriman Narayanan, Veera
 Narayanan, Vijaya Narayanan & Kesava Naryanan

2x 60 = 120th year - Swamy Ramanuja completed his  task in this Bhooloka,  and entered the  eternal abode Sri Vaikuntam, on the Pingala Year (1137 AD)

9)Time factor has been divided into various divisions or classifications.  A year is divided into 2 halves, that is  aayanam
the first 6 months beginning with the month "Thai" constitute "Uttharayanam" and the second 6 months beginning with "Aadi" month constitute "Dakshinayanam"

10) Similarly, 2 months constitute a rithu, totally a year  consists of 6 rithus and a day is divided into 2 x 12 hours.
11)A pair of sandals/Padhukas of Lord Rama ruled,the country, it took the place of the lord for 14 years, as the symbolic king, under whose banner Bharatha served & discharged the kingly duties. The Padhukas represented the Lord himself,  In fact it was  Bharatha who was the 1st great soul, who wore the divya padhukas on his head and did paduka pattabishekam and ruled until the return of the lord from the exile. Thus, Bharatha became the 1st blessed great soul, who showed  the glory of the padhukas  and spread their message to the world. Thus the number 2 is very special.

 Let us all take refuge in the pair of divine padhukas of the lord, which bears the the lord one who bears all the world, and who is the supreme resort to all the worlds.  The greatness of the Padhukas are not graspable & perceivable even to Bramha ,Siva & other devatas also