Annamacharya

[Guest guest]

Dear Prapatti Group Members:

 

Recently in the Buffalo temple, Shri Kamisetty Founder-Director of

TTD-Annamacharya Foundation gave a series of lectures on Annamacharya and

his Kritis. I thought I will briefly share some of the interesting things

I learned from the lecture.

 

Annamacharya belonged to the 15th-16th century. He was the direct disciple

of Adivan Sadagopa Yatindra Maha Desikan. He has composed in Sanskrit and

Telugu about 32,000 songs out of which about 12,000 are presently

available.

 

Annamacharya who was born in a smarta family was greatly influenced by the

hymns of Alwars. He became an ardent devotee of Ramanujacharya and Vedanta

Desika. He decided to have his Pancha Samskaram and from then on he

devoted his entire life in the service of Thiruvenkatamudaiyan in singing

his glories. It seems some of his songs are verbatim translations of

Alwar's pasurams. Some of his songs also echo, Swami Desikan's Daya

Satakam.

 

The Dakshina Sampradaya Bhajan Paddhathi has greatly borrowed from

Annamacharaya Kirtans. The "Thodayamangalam" section is completly filled

with Annamacharya Kirtans. Eventhough I am a great fan of Dakshina

Sampradaya Bhajans, one thought always use to irk me viz. How come

Sri-Vaishnavas have missed contributing to this wonderful sampradayam. How

sadly I was mistaken! After these lectures, the local organizer of the

sampradaya bhajan has decided to include the recitation of "Thaniyans" of

Ramanujacharya, Vedanta Desika and Manavala MAmunigal. Once again I am of

the firm belief that there is no aspect of life that is not touched by

Ramanujacharya's philosophy. It is complete by itself because central to

his philosophy is the identification of the Parama Purushan (Purna) as

Sriman Narayana. In his own words the key to his philosophy is: "Sarvam

Samagnyasam iti".

 

Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan