Sri Mani Varadarajan's two postings on guidelines related to Fund raising for Sri VaishNavite causes Here and for Indian Temples

[Guest guest]

Sear Sri Mani Varadarajan :

 

For the record , I want to make it clear that I welcome

your comments , which are fair and timely.

 

As for myself , I have been scrupulously practising

respect for all Sri VaishNavite AchAryAs belonging

to either kalai . The kalai related controversy is

anethma to me , although it raises its ugly head

Often . I happen to belong to the Ahobila matam

sampradhAyam and have the highest reverence for

my AchAryan , Srimath Azhagiya Singar . That does

not automatically translate into irreverence to other

AchAryAs,who have lit our Jn~Ana ViLakku .I try

to studiously avoid the divisive path , since that is

the path that Srimath Azhagiya Singar follows

and recommends for His SishyAs .

 

We as Sri VaishNavAs are a miniscule community

in the Indian Scene fighting all kinds of odds

and negelect ; we are even more miniscule in

the World Scene . We are in USA and abroad a group of

dedicated people wanting to do our utmost to the SampradhAyam

that has sustained and nourished us from AchArya

Naathamuni and Sri RaamAnujA's time onward .We

have problems even within one kalai . It is all

very sad . I agree with you that we should stay away

from such divisive practises and set an example here

in these United States , where we have elected to live,

make a career and seek nourishment form the most

satisfying Sri VaishNava SampradhAyam and

form mutually reinforcing sathsangam .

 

Indeed , We do get carried away with the projects of

particular interest to us be they in India

or here . Your point about enriching the rich

temples and forgetting those in dire need is

a sober and welcome reminder of realities.

The organizations like SVVS energized by

Srimathi Naagu Satyan and Sri RaajAji Raaghavan

and others representing different SampradhAyams

is essentially aimed at addressing these issues .

 

I have a weakness for Sri RanganAthA and Srirangam

on a footing that is equal to my reverence for

Sri Oppiliappan of ThiruviNNagar .The 247 paasurams

addressed to this Lord of Srirangam are testimonial

enough for His VasIkaraNam . ThoNdaradippoDi

reveals appropriately his state of helplessness

in his 19th Paasuram of ThirumAlai :

 

Kadal niRak kadavuL yenthai

aravaNait thyulimAkaNDu

udalenak kuruhu maalO

yenn seykEn ulahatthIrE

 

It is prasiddham that Sri RanganAthA is the first

among ArchAvathaara Moortthis . For Sri VaishNava

SampradhAyam , Sri Bhagavadh RaamAnujA Darsanam

and the nectarine flow of AzhwAr's aruLiccheyalkaL

and their wonderful vyAkyAnams by the revered

AchAryAs that followed Udayavar , there is a sound

reason for the famous hailing :

 

 

" adiyArkaL Vaazha , Aranganahar Vaazha "

 

That is why I suspect the great AchAryAs have resided

at Srirangam and presided over different Sri

VaishNava sadhas .We revere hence Srirangam as

the divya desam where , ANDAL, KulasEkarar ,

ThoNdaradippodi , ThiruppANar and EmperumAnAr

joined the lotus feet of the Lord for performing

nithya Kaimkaryam . Srirangam is indeed the avathAra

sthalam of Periya NampikaL, Bhattar , Vadakku Thiurveethi

PiLLai , PiLLai LOkAcchAr and many other AchArya

PurushAs .Here was born the immensely profound

PaadhukhA Sahasram in less than 2 hour time period.

 

It is in this tradition saluting the sacred feet of

Sri RanganAthA and those Paadhukhais associated with them

that PiLlai LokAcchaar revealed to us in Mumukshup Padi,

Dhvaya PrakaraNa CharaNa SabdhArtha VivaraNam :

 

"PirAttiyum Avanum ( EmperumAnum ) vidilum ,

ThiruvadigaL ( saranaagathanai) vidAthu; thiNN

KazhalAi irukkum ".

 

To these Thiruvadis are linked the matchless

companion , the PaadhukhAs ( NammazhwAr ).

 

The BhAgyAdhisayam of Lord RanganAthA was hence

appropriately celebrated by Sri MaNavALa Maamuni

in his Aarthi Prabhandham (10th paasuram )this way:

 

PoomakaL kOnn Thennarangar PoongkazhaRkku PaadhukamAi

Thaamm Mahizhum Selvacch SatakOpar --thEmalar thAtkku

yEnthiniya PaadhuhamA menthai IrAmAnusanai,

Vaaythenathu NenjamE ! Vaazh

 

Sri MaNavALa Maamuni has brilliantly linked here

the AchArya paramparai in this paasuram and

showed us clearly the reason why his nenjam

is eulogizing Sri RanganAthan . In this context ,

I am delighted to learn about the intense efforts

to celebrate this Utthama AchAryan's Thirunakshathram

this year in the West Coast Temple at Livermore .

 

If I get carried away and plead for support

for the one and only Sri RanganAthA Temple

in USA , my enthusiasm is understnadable

and nay excusable by the members of this group.

 

To me as well as for many members

of this Bhakthi Group , Srirangam is the

AaNI vErr( the prime root) of the MahA vata Vruksham

of 108 Divya Desams . At the center of this tree

is our Srirangam putting far spread VizhuthukaL

all around .I consider the Pomona , NY

temple , inspite of it not being a Divya Desam

in a classical sense , as one more Vizhuthu

of this central tree .That is the sole reason

fro my joining with the appeal !

 

I conclude this note with Sri RaamAnujA's

heart felt prayer :

 

"Satya Kaama! Sathya sankalpa! Aapathsakha !

Kaakuthstha! Srimann ! NaarAyaNa ! PurushOtthama!

SRI RANGANAATHA ! Mama Naatha! NamOsthuthE !

 

May this Lord of Srirangam fulfill His wish

to be near us here and take His resdience here

to bless us all for times to come !

 

 

 

Santha: Sri Ranga pruthvIsa CharaNathrAna sEkarA:

Jayanthi Bhuvana thrANa Padha Pankaja rENava :

--First SlOkam of Sri RanganAtha PaadhukhA Sahasram (RPS)

 

Jayathi YathirAja Sookthi:

Jayathi Mukundhasya PaadhukhA YugaLI

tadhubhayadhanAs thrivEdheem

avanshyayanthO Jayanthi Bhuvi Santha:

The last SlOkam of RPS of Swami Desikan .

 

On this eve of the two day conference to

celebrate the Thirunakshathram of Thooppul

Vedantha Desikan at ther Sri ranganAthA Temple ,

I seek Your understanding of my enthusiasm

for helping to complete the construction

of the Temple for the matchless Sri RanganAthan

and His divine Consort , Sri RanganAyaki in USA.

MahAnthO angruNaanthu !

 

Daasan , V.Sadagopan