Tirunakshatram of H.H. Poundarikapuram Andavan Swami

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Sri:

 

Dear Bhaktas,

 

On this blessed day, Srimans Madhavakannan Swamin and Anbil Swamin

have paid eloquent tributes to Acharya Sarvabhouman Sri Paravakottai

Andavan Swami, the present pontiff of Srimad Poundarikapuram Ashramam.

Adiyen's greatest blessing is to have this great Yativara as his

Acharya. Adiyen wishes to share the following write up from the

Veda Malar and Saptati Malar

 

(THE PRESENT PONTIFF)

 

PARAVAKKOTTAI SRI GOPALA DESIKA MAHA DESIKAN (Panguni- Rohini)

 

" Born in the year Roudri on the 2nd day of Panguni under the star of

Rohini, corresponding to 17th March 1921 in the

Mazhaiyur village as the son of Sri Venkatachar Swami and Janaki Ammaal,

the daughter of Puraanam Vidwan Sri

Kuppuswami Iyengar Swami. The village was gifted to the forefathers of

this family about 6 generations earlier. From that time

onwards the further generations of the family had been living there.

 

Srimad Andavan was named Rajagopalan after the presiding deity of

Mannargudi temple which at the time of his birth was

celebrating the Tiru Ther (car) festival. Paravakkottai Sri

Venkatachariar Swami was a pious scholar belonging to Vadhula

Gotram Kandaadaiyar family who fashioned his life strictly according to

the prescribed rules for a Sri Vaishnava. He had

received instruction in Rahasya Traya Sara at the feet of Poundarika

Puram Srimad Andavan. His elder brother, Sri

Chakravarthi Aachariar, also had been performing Biksha services to

Srimad Andavan.

 

When child Rajagopalan was 2 ½ years old, his mother died and two aunts

from Thillaiambur came to look after the child.

After the Upanayana Samskara, Sri Rajagopalan was placed under

Mannargudi Sri Srinivasa Gopalachariar for Vedic

instruction.

 

Later, he joined K.R.M. Estate Paatasaala and studied Sanskrit poetry

under a distinguished Vidwan Peruga Vaazhndaan Sri

Krishnamachariar Swami. Owing to the hard discipline of the teacher, the

pupil was able to acquire proficiency in Sanskrit.

 

Subsequently, the boy was admitted into the Sanskrit college at Sholinga

Puram by Sri A.R.Krishnamachariar Swami who also

instructed him in Champu literature. Because of the boy’s proficiency in

Sanskrit, in 1936, he was admitted into the 3rd Year

class in the Sanskrit College, Tirupathi, in which he studied hard for 6

years. When he returned to Thillaiambur, during the

summer holidays, he did not waste a single moment; he used the occasion

to study Granthas under Vidwan Sri Venkatachariar

Swami.

 

During his stay at the Sanskrit college, he had as class mates or

College mates some of the distinguished scholars of the present

time, such as PURISAI KRISHNAMA CHARIAR Swami, the Editor of

Nrisimhapriya, VILLIVALAM SRI NARAYANA

CHARIAR SWAMI a great scholar and brother of the present 45th Pontiff of

Ahobila Mutt and Mylapore Sri

Srinivasachariar who later set up a Publishing house ‘Sarasa Kala

Nilayam’ solely for the purpose of printing and publishing the

works of our great Acharyas like Melpakkam Narasimhachariar, Marudur

A.R. Krishnama chariar. Sri Rajagopalan moved

with these persons intimately, true to the saying " Birds of the same

feather flock together".

 

When he was just 12 years old, he had his Samasrayanam and Bharanyasam

done by the Great Poundarikapuram Andavan

himself. Having lost the mother at a tender age, child Rajagopalan had

to perform the mother’s annual Sraddha. He lived such

a pure and disciplined life in strict conformity with Sri Vaishnava

tradition as to win the awe and regard of the learned

Srivaishnavas of Thillaiambur. They regarded him as another VASISHTA and

would not do or say anything unorthodox during

the Sraddha. He would never take Paraannam (food outside) even from his

childhood.

 

Two days before Rajagopalan’s father attained the lotus feet of the

Lord, he had advised his son to do Vedaanta

Kalakshepam under the feet of the Jeeyar of Parakaala Mutt. An obedient

son that he was, Sri Rajagopalan went to Mysore

and studied under Srimad Abhinava Ranganatha Parakaala Swami such

branches of knowledge as Grantha Chatushtayam.

 

Later, he learnt under Deekshachar Swami, Nyaya Siddhanjanam, Tattva

Muktaa Kalaapam and Nyaaya Parisuddhi and

returned to Thillaiambur in 1947.

 

The Swami Participated in six examinations in Vedantha Sastras conducted

by "Vedaanta Desika Vichaara Sadas" under the

direction of the Jeeyar of Parakaala Mutt. He also passed the Purva and

Uttara parts of our Vedanta in the examination

conducted by "Mysore Maharaja Vidwat Pariksha".

 

Later, he entered Grihastaasramam marrying Lakshmi, the eldest daughter

of Tiruk Kudanthai Aarupaathi Setlur Sri

Srinivasachariar Swami, who was a strict follower of Vaishnava Aachaaram

and had done Vedantha Kalakshepam. The

couple was blessed with five sons and a daughter.

 

After getting employed as a Sanskrit Pandit at Musiri, Sri

Rajagopalachariar Swami used to visit Srirangam in connection with

the affairs of the Asramam, which was always uppermost in his mind. On

such occasions he would call on Sri Madurantakam

Vira Ragahavachariar Swami and cultivate his acquaintance. Whenever he

prostrated at the feet of Madurantakam Swami, the

latter would do ‘Prathivandanam’. Our Swami felt embarrassed and hit up

on a plan to stop the ‘Prathivandanam’. So, he

submitted that that he had not been initiated into Vaisvadevam and

requested Madurantakam Swami to initiate him. This done,

the Madurantakam Swami had become his Acharyan also and there was no way

for him to do ‘Prathivandanam’ anymore!

 

At the age 59, Sri Rajagopalachariar Swami accompanied by his family

proceeded to Kshetraadanam bathing in the Narmada,

Ganga, Triveni Confluence and afterwards offered worship at Gaya,

Haridwar and Bhadarikasramam. Then he went to

Ahobilam where he participated in the 10 days Utsavam of Lord Nrisimha

and returned to Musiri.

 

TAKING HOLY ORDER

 

Srimad Vennatrankarai Andavan was keen and anxious to nominate a

successor so that the Muni Traya Munirupa tradition

could be continued without break in the Acharya line. He used to sound

the Srikaryam Sri Rajagopala Iyengar about this and

persuaded him to assume the Sannyasa Asrama. One day, on the spur of the

moment, he called the Srikaryam and

administered Presha Mantram, Prapatti Yogam, Sannyasa Anushtaana Kramam

and Ashrama Sweekaara-Kramam. The day

before he merged with Jyoti, he called Sri Rajagopala Swami and gave him

the ochre robes, (Avakundanam, Jala Pavitram,

Sikhyam, Kavacha Vastrams etc.) and staff as well as the keys of the

Asramam and commanded that he should assume the

role of the Acharya in a year or two. And, for more than a year and a

half the Ashramam remained without an Acharya.

 

Owing to the appeal and entreaties of many eminent persons such as the

late lamented 44th Jeeyar of Ahobila Mutt, Ubhaya

Vedaanta NAVANEETHAM RAMA DESIKA CHARIAR SWAMI, MADURANTAKAM SRI VEERA

RAGHAVACHARIAR SWAMI, (Mannargudi M.S. Rangachariar Swami,

Vennatrankarai Velaamur Sowriraja Iyengar) and

a host of others, the Srikaryam Sri Rajagopala Swami occupied the Peetam

of the Acharya in a picturesque ceremony held at

Vennar Bank, Thanjavur. The place appropriately chosen for this solemn

purpose is twice- blessed. Three of the 108 Divya

Desas lie here close to each other; it is the native place of Vennatran

Karai Srimad Andavan and the resting place of

Veliyanallur Srimad Andavan; it is further sanctified by its association

with three of our Purvaacharyas- Sri Nainar Acharya,

Brahma Tantra Swatantra Swami and Saakshaat Swami. The Asrama

Sweekaranam took place on 20th February 1982,

Dwadasi day of Masi month in the cyclic year Dunmathi, when he assumed

the new name " SRIMAD GOPALA DESIKA

MAHA DESIKAN".

 

On the previous day, on Ekaadasi day, he performed JEEVA SRAADDHA as

ANNA SRAADDHA. As many as 16

scholars participated in the Nimantrana like U.V. Madurantakam Vidwan

Veeraraghavachariar Swami, Vidwan Villupuram

Madhavachariar Swami, AHOBILA MATAM SRIKARYAM SWAMI, PERIYAASRAMAM U.V

PADUKAA SWAMI,

Vaduvoor Salakshana Ganapaadigal who acted as Brihaspathi, Bangalore

Veda Vidwan Swachannam Anantachariar who

acted as Brahma.

 

Throughout the night, he kept awake along with others when Madurantakam

Swami delivered discourses on Satkatha and

Vedantas.

 

NEVER BEFORE IN THE ANNALS OF ANY MATAM OR ASRAMAM WAS SUCH A

JEEVASRAADDHAM HAD

BEEN PERFORMED. The Parakaala Mutt Swami presented as Hayagriva Prasadam

a Kamandalu and Kaashaayam.

 

SRIMAD ANDAVAN’S MANY-SIDED SERVICES TO RELIGION

 

Shortly after taking charge of the Asramam, Srimad Andavan who had spent

long and laborious years in "collecting" Vedantic

knowledge, was now called upon by the 44th Jeeyer of Ahobila Mutt, to

collect big sum of money to meet the expenses for

the construction of the 12th tier of the Raja gopuram of Srirangam

temple. Undaunted, Srimad Andavan through the active

help and cooperation of his disciples like Tirumalaikattam Villankuppam

P.A.Ranganatha Tatachariar Swami of Shenoynagar

Amuda Mukunda Kalyana Mandapam was able to collect a sum of

Rs.3,43,000/- which was presented to Srimad Azhagiya

Singhar.

 

Srimad Andavan’s devotion to his and our Purvaacharyas is too apparent

to need any special mention. He renovated the

Brindavanam of Velianallur Sriman Narayana Maha Desikan at Vennar Bank,

erecting of four pillared Mantapam and installing

the idol of the Acharya. He also raised a compound wall and an iron

fence all around the Mandapam.

 

In 1989, the Swami visited Vennatrankarai, where the local host, Sri

Sowriraja Iyengar honored him with Poornakumbham

and a heavy garland that adorned Neelameghap Perumal. It was a sight for

Gods to see!

 

Under Srimad Andavan’s direction, Swami Desikar’s shrine in East Uttara

Street was completely renovated. The Utsava idol

of Lord Hayagriva, previously worshipped by one Amma Sathram

Seshachariar Swami was handed over to the Asramam by

his grandsons on June 13,1990. This idol as well as idols of Ashtabujan

and Vaikuntanathan were installed in the shrine. The

Asramam building as well as the Pushkarani were renovated at a cost of

Rs. 1.5 lakhs.

 

Under the patronage and Presidentship of the Acharya, the " Sat

Sampradaaya Samrakshana Sabha"- registered as a Society

was founded in 1986 to foster FREE Sanskrit education and offer FREE

instruction in the Vedas, Prabhandas and other

Grantha Chatushtayams.

 

The Nitya Aradhana plan to provide uninterrupted Aradhana in the Asramam

was created with a deposit of Rs.1,000

collected from each disciple. The amount donated under the head has been

deposited in the Bank and the accruing interest is

being utilized for the administration of the Asramam.

 

A revised edition of Rahasya Traya Sara was published in 1990. Chillarai

Rahasyangals of Swami Desika have also been

published by the Swami - in three parts. Srimad Andavan has been

imparting instruction to the disciples through

Kalakshepams. On such occasions, the disciples have highly benefited by

Srimad Andavan’s approach, his mastery of the

subject, the clarity of thought and the ease with which he reduces any

complicated concept in philosophy or theology into

simple and clear terms." His Tanian reads as follows:

 

Srivaasa Ranga Parakaala Munitrayaapta Lakshmaatma Rakshana Yathitva

Yugaaga Maantham Achaarya Bhakthi Paripootham Anargha Seelam Gopaala

Desika Munim Aasrayaamah

 

Source Material for the write up:

[1] Veda malar issued on the occasion of Centenary Celebrations of

Vennatrankarai Swami :

[2] Saptadi Mahotsava Malar issued on tne occasion of 70th

Tirunakshatram Celebrations of Paravaakkottai Swami.

 

Narayana, Narayana,

 

Muralidhar Rangaswamy

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