FACE TO FACE WITH ACHARYAS - I

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FACE TO FACE WITH ACHARYAS -I

 

Dear Bhagavatas,

 

Note: I had the opportunity of having intimate discussions with almost all

Yathivarass as well as several Acharyas, Scholars and Friends belonging to

our Siddhantam during my sojourn in India.

 

The very list of the names of the galaxy of luminaries will make this write

up unwieldy. For now, I will briefly mention only a few of these mahans who

without any hesitation shared their knowledge and expertise with me and

offered several works with permission to edit them suitably for flashing

on our internet journal.

 

The subjects discussed and the range of breadth and depth of the insights

gained are too staggering to be included in a short write- up like this. I

will present them in due course and in the appropriate contexts.

 

THIS WRITE UP IS ON SOME OF THE ACHARYAS WHOM I MET. Many of them have been

very intimate with me for long, some rather close, some not-so-close and a

very few just acquaintences.

 

(1) SRI PURISAI NADADUR KRISHNAMACHAR SWAMI

(26/3/97, 06/4/97 and 16/4/97)

BEFORE COMING TO USA, I HAD THE PRIVELEGE OF ATTENDING HIS KALAKSHEPAMS ON

SRIBASHYAM.

He is the Editor and Publisher of the official journal of Ahobila Mutt viz.,

NRISIMHAPRIYA. He was extremely happy about our activities here and had

presented a detailed report in the PANGUNI issue and a brief write up again

in the VAIKASI issue. (Incidentally, I belong to the Nadadur lineage).

 

HE HAS ASSIGNED ME THE TASK OF TRANSLATING HIS MONUMENTAL WORK ON SRIBASHYAM

AND HAVE IT PUBLISHED THROUGH OUR INTERNET JOURNAL.

 

(2) SRI PAYYAMPADI SETLUR SRIVATSANKACHAR SWAMI :

(former Principal, Sanskrit College, Madras)

Before coming to USA, I have attended his Kalakshepams on Sandhya vandanam

and other Anushtana Granthas. In an inimitable style and diction and

illustrations that are matter- of-- fact and down- to- earth, he could bring

lofty esoteric ideas within the understanding of even layfolk like me!. As

described by Oliver Goldsmith,

"the more we listened, the more our wonder grew

how his small head could contain all he knew".

(Incidentally, as a School student of Mct Muthaiah Chetty High School, I

used to attend with my parents, the Kalakshepams of the great SRI SETLUR

NARASIMHA CHARIAR SWAMI at Purasawalkam where we lived)

 

(i) 31/3/97: During the farewell given to him on his retirement as Principal

of the Madras Sanskrit College, his admiring students revealed through

several examples how he was an "AASU KAVI"- one who could compose instant

poetry in Sanskrit. THIS IS ONE OF THE LESS KNOWN FACTS ABOUT THIS WELL KNOWN

ACHARYA. He was kind enough to offer me several publications of the SVPS for

the propogation of our Siddhanta through our internet journal.

 

(ii) 30/4/97: I represented our members on the occasion of his

SASHTIABDAPOORTHI celebrations.

 

(iii) 31/5/97: I was priveleged to speak on the occasion of the send off

accorded to him in the Sri Visishtadvaita Pracharini Sabha, on his new

assignment as the head of a Research project at the French Institute,

Pondicherry.

 

(3) SRI V.N. GOPALADESIKAN : (16/3/97)

I met this doyen of our Siddhanta at Kumbakonam who has given us his book

"Hinduism - A Doalogue"- when I went there for Kal Garuda Sevai at Nachiyar

Koil. He presented me some of his booklets like Srivaishnavan' and

'Tanians'. He expressed his happiness over our efforts here. HE PAID GLOWING

TRIBUTES TO THE QUALITIES AND ERUDITION OF OUR V. SADAGOPAN. (BOTH HAIL FROM

THE SAME OPPILIAPPANKOIL.)

 

(4) SRI TIRUPPUTKUZHI NARASIMHA TATACHAR SWAMI: (8/6/97) An Octogenarian,.

he is the head of "HAYAGRIVA VIDYA PEETAM" and Editor of "KANCHI PERARULALAN"

monthly journal in which the Andavan of PP Asramam writes a series entitled "

Ramanai Karpoam". A write up about our activities has appeared in the MASI

issue of the journal. As I went to take leave of him on the day of my

departure to USA, he blessed our efforts and promised to send the numerous

books he has published for translating in English for flashing on our

internet journal.

 

(5) SRI T.N. ARAVAMUDHAN: (7/6/97):

A Ph D Scholar in Sanskrit, he is the son of the above Tatachar. He has

written a brilliant thesis for his doctorate in the University of Madras on

"Rahasya Trayaartha Samgraha' of Kemuara varadachar, Son of Swami Vedanta

Desika. A book that is a MUST for every Srivaishnava.

 

(6) SRI ANANTHA NARASIMHACHAR , BANGALORE (24/3/97):

He is the Srikaryam of Poundarikapuram Asramam.He gave a brilliant talk in

the Desikar Sannidhi at East Uthra Street, Srirangam.

HE GAVE A VERY NOVEL EXPLANATION TO THE HIGHJACKING OF THE PRANAVAM- (AN

EXCLUSIVE HALLMARK TO SRIMAN NARAYANA) AND PREFIXING IT TO THE NAMES OF

DEVATANTARAS. (More about this later, please)

 

(7) SRI VEDANTACHAR, MELKOTE: (19/3/97):

This Grand Old Man of 90+, a retired Pofessor of Sanskrit College, Melkote,

he is the father-in-law of the above Anantha narasimha char. He hosted guests

without number who thronged Melkote for the Vairamudi Sevai..

 

(8) SRI ANANTHA NARASIMHACHAR, SRIRANGAM :

(17/3/97, 24/3/97 and 10/4/97)

An ex principal of Seshasayee Institute of Technology, Trichy and an

authority on our Siddhanta, he is providing lucid explanations to the various

works of Swami Desika through Audio Cassettes under the auspices of Srimad

Andavan of Poundarikapuram Asramam.His latest release is on "Yathiraja

Saptadi"in a set of 7 Cassettes..I have bought one set. Copies can be

obtained from him for a nominal price. I was his guest during my visits to

Srirangam.

 

(9) SRI C. SESHADRI SWAMI, VADIVELPURAM, MADRAS :(17/3/97)

Totally dedicated to Desika Darsanam, he publishes in the form of leaflets

and small Pamphlets of 4 pages each, point by point, the salient ideas

contained in the various works of Swami Desika and distributes them

ABSOLUTELY FREE to those interested. This capsule style presentation is

ideally suited for the modern youth who have no time for anymore than a

fleeting perusal and the reader in a hurry. Nevertheless, he creates an

yearning in the minds of younger generations to dive deeper into the

originals. He is thus literally taking Desika's works to the doorsteps of the

devotees.

 

Besides, he has brought together about 40 ladies well versed in Desika's

works especially, Paduka Sahasram and arranges to recite them in the

individual Srivaishnava homes and Sannidhis in Tamilnadu and elsewhere (upon

request).Very commendable efforts, indeed.

 

Together, these 2 efforts are akin to the spread of Christianity by Christian

missionaries - but, definitely of a higher quality in intent and content.

 

(10) SRI SEVA SWAMI , VILLIVAKKAM, MADRAS

(28/3/97, 30/3/97 and 13/4/97)

An Octogenarian and Recepient of President's award for outstanding service to

Sanskrit and Religion, he is the Editor and Publisher of "SRI DESIKA SEVA",

monthly journal. An original thinker and a revolutionary exponent of Swami

Desika Darsana, he has built a temple and installed beautiful idols of

Lakshmi Hayageeva, Ananda valli Thayar, Bashyakarar, and Swami Desikan and

does the Nitya Tiruvadana himself. Anyone visiting Madras should not miss a

visit to this shrine called "MANIMANDAPAM". During our discussions on all the

occasions, he shed new light on various aspects of our Sat- Sampradaya with

an eloquance and clarity all his own. With the help of stalwarts like SRI

M.K. SRINIVASAN, (my Classmate and) the President of Desika Research Center,

he is translating all the works of Swami Desika in ALL THE INDIAN LANGUAGES

besides English and DISTRIBUTES THEM ABSOLUTELY FREE. A write up on our

Satsangam has appeared in the CHITRAI issue. He has DONATED all the books

published so far by the Center for being flashed here on our Internet

journal.

 

(11) SRI V.S.KARUNAKARAN: He gave a brilliant talk during the Tirunakshatram

of PP Andavan. He raised the question why Andal prayed to Manmathan and

answered by saying that she was invoking not Cupid but Madana Gopalan who is

really 'Saakshaat Manmatha Manmathaha'.!

 

Again, he raised another question why she appealed to Srinivasa and not

Krishna and answered that while Krishna was fickle minded flirting with other

Gopis, Srinivasa is the one who could be trusted to be determined !

 

He said that as the Lord is the only 'Aann' (Male), and she was at his feet

'Thaall', she is called 'Aanthaal' ! a pun on 'Aandaal' and 'AnnThaal'!

 

(12) SRI LAKSHMI THATHACHAR SWAMI (21/3/97)

I met this multifaceted personality at Melkote when I wnet there for the

Vairamudi Sevai.He is the Director of Academy of Sanskrit Research, Melkote.

which has published several works and Commentaries on our Vedanta Granthas in

Kannada, Sanskrit and English.With a Science cell with an incredible

infrastructure of Computers and other sophisticated equipments, the Academy

is dedicated to an intensive research A library with nearly 20,000 books, and

a garden Called Daivarama completes this pictureque institution.

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FACE TO FACE WITH ACHARYAS will conclude and FACE TO FACE WITH SCHOLARS will

continue

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

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