Exploring interest in Sponsoring Ubhaya Vedanta Lecture Tour

[Guest guest]

sri:

srimate ramanujaya namah

 

Dear Bhaktas,

 

A couple of weeks back, Smt. Sheela Belur broached the idea of

having Sri U.Ve. Vidwan Elayavalli Bhuvarahachariar Swami come

here for a lecture tour. It is our great fortune that

Sri E.S. Bhuvarahachariar Swami has indicated a willingness to

come and share his wealth of knowledge of our tradition with us,

provided that there are interested people here who are willing

to sponsor and host such a lecture tour.

 

The ball is now in our court to make this project a reality.

Sri Bhuvarahachariar Swami is a renowned exponent of Ubhaya Vedanta,

and in particular of Tiruvaymozhi and Bhagavad Vishayam. His

moving upanyAsams on these topics regularly bring his audience

to tears. His name is known in nearly all Divya Desams as a

vidvAn of the highest order. In fact, if you mention you are from

Bangalore in many places, particularly in southern Tamil Nadu,

people are likely to ask, "Do you know our Bhuvarahachariar Swami?"

 

Several members of the Bhakti List know Sri Swami personally and can

attest to his erudition and saulabhyam. Many of Sri Krishna Kalale's

family, for example, have learnt the entire "Eedu" commentary on

Tiruvaymozhi from him, and Krishna has often told me of Sri ESB Swami's

fantastic ability to plumb the depths of the Alvar paasurams and explain

subtle ideas in very easy-to-understand language. I have two tapes

of Sri ESB Swami's lectures (which I will share with anyone

interested in helping sponsor this tour) and can only say that I thirst

for more of Sri ESB's lucid explanations of the Alvar arulicceyal.

 

And, as Smt. Sheela, mentioned, his knowledge of all of our

poorvacharyas' works is phenomenal. Apparently, not a lecture goes

by without his reverent citations of Swami Sri Desika, Sri Parasara

Bhattar, Periyavaaccaan Pillai, etc.

 

We need sponsors and hosts

--------------------------

Smt. Sheela Belur is keenly intent on making this idea a success.

We already have willing hosts and sponsors from two or three

cities. We would like Sri Vaishnavas from each corner of the

U.S. to come forward and help us in this effort. Perhaps we could

have the various Sri Vaishnava organizations co-sponsor this effort,

at least in name, so we can all work together to get such a senior

vidvAn here.

 

We need sponsors and/or hosts from New York, Boston, Buffalo,

Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, Texas, Detroit, etc., to come forward

and send Smt. Sheela email so we can begin coordinating this

tour. We are shooting for Summer 2000.

 

Ideally, my idea is that we could arrange a moderate to large

thiruvaaraadhanam in every place, performed by Sri ESB Swami, and have

Sri Swami speak afterward. This would be for a general (perhaps not just

Sri Vaishnava) audience. There would also be separate sessions on

specifically sAmpradAyika topics, such as Bhagavad Vishayam, Sribhashyam, etc.

Of course, each location can tailor it to their choosing.

 

Please remember, this is a very rare opportunity that we must

capitalize on. A visit of an orthodox, senior vidvAn of Sri ESB Swami's

calibre should not be missed.

 

Those interested in any manner should send email to

bvsheela. PLEASE do so soon so we can gauge interest.

 

thanking you,

raamaanuja daasan,

Mani