First Day of the Brand New Year , 1999 !( Some Musings )

[Guest guest]

BahudhAnya Samvathsaram , Dhanur Maasam

Sukla Paksha Chathurdhasi , PourNami Thithi

Mrugaseersha nakshathram ,AmbaramE TaNNeerE

Thiruppaavai Dinam , Siddha Yogam ( Jan 1 ,1999)

 

Dear BhakthAs :

 

There are two PourNamis this month( Jan 99 ) ,

which is a rare phenomenon . The second PourNami

of this month is known as the Blue Moon in

the Western parlance . Once in a Blue Moon is

the adage that goes with this rare occurence .

Until now , upanyAsams of our AchAryAs were

like this blue Moon for us.That is why , I am

thinking about the blue Moon in this context .

 

In ThiruppAvai , reference is made to the Full

Moon thrice ( the first , twenty second and

the last paasurams )because of the symbolic richness ,

saantham and sowmyam and auspiciousnes

of the full Moon referred to in the Vedams .

Atharva Veda manthram ( XXII.1) refers to Moon

as the gladdener of the Universe.Moon is indeed

the holder of the SomA juice vital for the great

Soma Yaagams that are seven in number :

AgnishtOmam, AthyagnishtOmam , Ukthyam ,

ShOdasI , VaajabhEyam , AthirAthram and

AbhdhOryAmam .

 

Similar to the case of the three times reference to

the ThingaL ( Moon ) in the ThiruppAvai , we are

indeed blessed to have three upanyAsams

of our two revered AchAryAs during this

sacred month of Marghazhi ( Jan 2,9 and 16 ).

Let us digress briefly on the significance

of the Moon in our Vedic tradition .

 

The Moon's connection to the Supreme Lord and

its role in the cosmic order and purpose can

be understood this way :

 

The Svayambhu is the self-born Lord with

no beginning , middle or end ; the Parameshtin

( the supreme ruler ) is this Svayambhu; He yokes

the Sun ( the firey principle ) and the Moon

( the abode of SomA , the sacrificial elixir ) .

Together , they become part of the Cosmic Sacrifice

( YaJ~nam ). In this Cosmic sacrifice , the Moon ,

which is the essence of life (Somaa) is identified with

life-giving water (rayi ), while Sun is recognized as

the breath of Life ( PrANA ). Both the Sun and Moon are also

considered as two of the three eyes of Sri Lakshmi

Nrusimhan according to Nrusimha Taapaneeya Upanishad .

Our AchAryAs are the most important ones to present

us to the Lord with Moon and Sun as His eyes

through the acts of Pancha samskAram and

SaraNAgathi .

 

Our AchAryA's voices were rare like the Blue Moon until now.

With the SaraNya Dampathi's kAruNyam , we are now blessed

to hear their sanctifying voices and receive their

Svasthi Vachanams and anugraha bhAshaNams right

in to our living rooms .Srimans Dileepan ,MuraLi

Rangaswamy , Anbil Ramaswamy Sri V.n.Venaktanathan

and others have been instruments in the Divya Dampathi's

hands to bring us closer to our SadAchAryAs .

Let us offer our sincre thanks to them and look

forward to hearing our AchAryAs more frequently

from here on .

 

The role of Modern technology

******************************

 

Modern technology has erased the physical distance that

separates us and thus our homes have been blessed with the

anugrahams of our forever caring AchAryAs .

 

In this year 1999, let us seek the blessings of AchAryAs

and through them our Divya Dampathis for success in

the utilization of the power of the Computer and

Communication technologies to capture , prserve and disseminate

our Kula Dhanams and bring them within the reach of all

Sri vaishNava Families , wherever they are . The extraordinary

array of Computer/Communication talents amidst this

assemblage of BhakthAs amidst us is awe inspiring and

surely , we can channel this energy and enthusiasm

to address the concerns of our AchAryAs regarding

preservation and growth of our ancient sampradhAyam .

 

In his upanyAsam today , H.H. the ANDavan of Poundarikapuram

Aasramam referred to the need for protecting many

source granthams that are at the risk of becoming extinct

( Luptham ). Our AcharyAs are a vital link to these granthams

and are prepared to help transform them from palm leaves

manuscripts to electronic content or to printed format .

Their scholarship , guidance and blessings are

vital to these projects .

 

The Importance of BahudhAnya year in the cycle of 60 years

***********************************************************

 

H.H. Sri Azhagiya Singhar pointed out to us

in his inimitable way the sacredness and singularity

of this year (BahudhAnyam ). He split the word BhaudhAnya

as BahudhA + anya(m)( different in many ways to other years .

Some of the reasons for this uniqueness are :

 

1. Celebration of the 600th anniversary

of the establishment of Ahobila Matam

and the initation of its First AchArya ,

ThirunArAtaNapuram SatakOpa Jeeyar by the Lord

Himself at His divya desam of AhObilam

 

2. The recovery of the ArchA mUrthy of

NammAzhwAr from a deep sunai by the fist Jeeyar

and the conferral of the prefixes in his title

as Adhi VaNN by Adhi Naathan of Thirukkurunkudi

and NammAzhwAr respectively .

 

3. AchArya RaamAnujA arrived at ThirunArAyaNapuram

in another BahudhAnya year ( 1099 A.D ).

He consecrated the divine archA murthy of

ThirunArAyanan on a BahudhAnya Thai Punarvasu day .

On January 30, 1999 ( BahudhAnya Thai month ),

Punarvasu constellation sacred to Sri Raamachandran

is in ascendance .The 900th anniversary of AchArya

RaamAnujA's consecration of Selvap PiLLai is

being celebrated on the grandest scale at

ThirunArAyanapuram .Both Sriman Alwar of our group

and his scholarly father , Sri Lakshmi TatachAr

invites every one of us to particpate in this

extraordinary function .

 

We have started the AchArya RaamAnujA CD ROM

in this context to celebrate his life and Sri Sookthis .

With AchArya RaamAnujA's blessings , we hope to

complete this work by mid Febraury , 1999.

 

4.One Hundred and twenty years ago ,two

great AchAryAs were born in another BahudhAnya

year . They were the revered 42nd Jeeyar

( InjimEdu Azhagiya Singhar ) and Thiruk KOttiyUr

( Goshtipuram ) Swamigal.

 

5. Here in USA , the SaraNAgathi Journal started

in the Isvara year celebrated its first anniversary

in this BahudhAnya Year. MalOlan Net was created

in this sacred BahudhAnya year .The Moola BhErams of

Sri RanganathA temple at Pomona , NY will be arriving

to take residence in their temple BY NEXT WEEK in

this BahudhAnya year . The jala Vaasam, dhAnya

( bahudhAnya ) vaasam of these archAs prior to

prathishtai has to take place soon .Those who are

knowledgable on these ceremonies or know Bhattars ,

who have performed such ceremonies at Buffalo ,Bridge water

and other temples are kindly requested to contact me or

Dr.Venkat Kanumala at your earliest convenience .

 

6. In India , ThiruveLLUr SamprOkshanam took place this

Bhaudhaanya year with the support and participation by many

Bhakthi group members . Major support was given by the Ahobila Mutt

of North America sishyAs for the 600th Funding anniversary projects

of the Sri Matam . MaaNIccka Kondai and Mutthangi abhAraNams

were presented to Sri Bhumi Devi Sametha Sri Oppiliappan

in this BahudhAnya year; Special AbharaNams were presented to

ANDAL of Sri VillipputthUr at the same time . A special

web page was created for ANDAL of SrivillipputthUr .

 

7. Back in USA , Thondar Kulam and RaamAnujA

missions were founded this year through the initiatives

of Sri Varadhan of Denver and Sri NadhAdhUr Maadhavan

of Virginia respectively .NaamA organization grew and spread its

wings further to serve the Sri Vaishnavite youngsters even further .

Professor VenakatachArya , Sri KrishNa kalale ,

Professor M.G.Prasad and adiyEn have been asked to serve

in a new committee known as the publication committee

to create special archives for youngsters eager to

learn more about our sampradhAyam .Any specific suggestions

from you all will be helpful to shape the directions

of work of this new committee.

 

8.Around the world , Singapore and Bahrain resident

Sri VaishNava families excelled in their support of

many fund raising endeavours .The intensity of their

devotion to Sri Vaishnavite kula dhanams is extraordinary .

 

Future kaimkaryams to be initated in BahudhAnya year

*****************************************************

 

The many and BahudhA anya talents of the various Sri VaishNavite groups

could be most valuable to pursue some of the following projects .

Please let me know, which one would be of interest to you

in particular :

 

1. Scanning of the old issues of Nrusimha PriyA ,

Sri RanganAtha PaadhukhA to protect them from

being lost to future generations .Many great AchAryAs

have contributed extremely important articles on

our siddhAntham .The acid paper used to print them

is causing a lot of damage .Scanning and storing them

iin an electronic format will be one of the greates service

to our kula Dhanams .A queryable data base to browse

these treaures would also be most helpful for

Researchers .

 

2. Support of the release of granthams that are

becoming extinct , before they disappear .This is

what H.H . Poundarikapuram Andavan was referring to .

Release of new versions of out of print granthams

also falls under this category .

 

3. Completion of the work on 108 Divya desam CD ROM

initated in December 1995.

 

4. Creation of a Multimedia CD ROM On Swami Desikan's

life and Sri Sookthis .Much of the material ,

particularly , the audio content is already

available , thanks to the special efforts of

Sriman nadadhUr Maadhavan and Sriman Dileepan .

 

That should keep us busy for a while .

It will be a pleasure to receive inputs from

the members on other kaimkaryams related to

the AruLiccheyalkal of our AzhwArs and

AchAryAs .

 

With the very best wishes for another fruitful year of

Kaimkaryam to our AchAryAs and the SaraNya Dampathis ,

DaasAnu Daasan , V.Sadagopan