SEVA SWAMI

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SEVA SWAMI

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I am forwarding an article which appeared in "The Hindu" on April

10.1998 on Seva Swami's 50 years of service to Desika Sampradaya

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

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The concept of the Absolute as the saririn (all-self) of all beings, who

is also immanent in His creation, thereby spiritualizing them, is the

most inspiring and enduring element of Visishtadvaita philosophy which

finds application in the spirit of service (Kainkarya). With its innate

genius in seeing God in all beings including the subhuman species,

spiritual kinship according to Vaishnavism encompasses all.

 

It is indeed remarkable that Sri N. Srinivasa Raghavachariar imbibed the

very essence of this tradition in which he hails, from even in his youth

and made it the guiding principle of his life, which earned him the

sobriquet "Seva Swami".

 

Born in April 1923, at Nallur (Tiruvannamalai District) in the lineage

of Appullar, the maternal uncle of Vedanta Desika, he had his formal

education in Sri Venkateswara College, Tirupati and traditional

scriptural training under scholars like Uttamur Veeraraghavachariar,

D.T.Thathachariar and Navalpakkam Narasimha Thathayarya Mahadesikan. By

virtue of their orthodoxy and performance of yagnas, Seva Swami's

immediate predecessors earned the prefix"Asthogadhwari" to their names.

 

He started his career as a Sanskrit teacher in 1946 but his heart was

set on what eventually became his life's mission- selfless service to

the cause of Srivaishnava Sampradaya especially that of Vedanta Desika.

The same year with the encouragement given by a scholar, he founded the

"Vaadhi Hamasambuda Maha Desika Sabha" and launched the monthly

religious journal "Sri Desika Seva" in 1948, devoted to popularizing

Srivaishnava philosophy and religion, of which he continues to be the

Editor.

 

Seva Swami's stint in the literary field started around the same time

and proficient as he is in five languages- Tamil, Sanskrit, English,

Telugu and Hindi- he took to writing seriously and has several works to

his credit, both original Kavyas, Stotras and commentaries on Desika's

compositions.

 

Another important work he undertook was the translation of the

Sampradaya literature into other languages.

 

Notable among his original works, which happen to be his masterpieces,

are his Sanskrit works "Vendetta Natheeyam" on Lord Venkateswara and

"Varadabidana Sahasram" on Lord Varadaraja in 1008 and 1000 verses

respectively. Among the commentaries that on Desika's

"Yadhavaabhyudayam" is a marathon project running into several volumes.

 

His social commitment expressed itself in several activities of which

the more important are his publication of the yearly almanac "Sri Desika

Darsana Diary", personal maintenance of the temple "Mani Mantapam" at

Villivakkam, Chennai, the nerve center of his various social and

religious activities which had been blessed by the visit of many Jeeyars

and eminent people and the founding of ""Sri Vedanta Desika Research

Center" for fostering spiritual values in the younger generation.

Besides, he had been conducting classes in Sampradaya texts and Stotras

and also giving traditional discourses for the past 50 years under the

auspices of several institutions.

 

Honors an awards have come to him over the years from many institutions

all over the country notable among them being the conferment of the

titles of Sahitya Ratna, Vidya Vinotha, Desika Rakshamamni, Daya

Sevaka, Desika Bhakta Ratnam, Samskrita Prachara Chatura, Tiruppavai

Thoomani etc., and the President's award for contribution to Sanskrit

literature in 1992.

 

Mention must be made about his singular contribution of publishing a

different Stotra of Desika with meaning everyday during Desika's

seventh centenary celebrations and the commemoration volume brought out

on that occasion remains a testimony to his erudition and versatility.

 

Age has not withered Seva Swami's indomitable spirit to accomplish as

much as possible to further his cherished goal.

 

He is now engaged in translating Nammazhwar's "Tiruvoimozhi" in SANSKRIT

in 1000 VERSES and has promoted a unique campaign "Tirumaaligai Thorum

Desikan" to enable devotees to have the privilege of hosting the idol of

Desika in their residences to offer ceremonial worship, during the

course of this year.

 

His admirers have planned to celebrate his 76th Tirunakshatram, which

falls on April 12,1998. This happens to coincide with the completion of

50 years of his service to Desika Sampradaya.

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