HH Srimad Andavan Thirunakshatram Celebrations

[Guest guest]

Sri:

Sri Rangaramanuja Mahadesikaya Namaha

 

The spiritual wealth of our sacred land lies in the spread of pure

renunciation. Our great Acharyas have preserved the traditions unbroken

through the ages and aglow with ever fresh revelance to changing

circumstances of contemporary times. As Swami Vedanta Desika says in

NyAsa Vimsati (slokam 2),

 

AgNyana DwAntha RoDhAth aga pariharanAdh Atma sAmyAvahatvAth

Janma pradhvamsi janma pratha garimathayA divya drushti prabhAvAth

NishprathyuhA nrusamsyAth niyatharasathayA nithya sEshitva yOgAth

AchAryA: sadbhir aprathyupakaranadhiyA dEvavath sYAdhupAsya:

 

The sloka says that "The spiritual preceptor should be worshipped like

God by the virtuous, by doing devoted service, which will still never be

able to re-pay him. This is because an acharya dispels the darkness of

ignorance, wipes out one's sins, confers equality of himself, gives a

spiritual birth that prevents rebirth, bestows divine knowledge and has

a permanent masterhood over his disciple."

 

As an acharyan of Srimad Andavan Periaashramam guru paramparai, His

Holiness Sri Ranga Ramanuja MahaDesikan has uplifted many a soul to the

holy feet of Lord Narayana through Samasrayanam and Prapatti to bring

deliverance to thousands of disciples from ever revolving samsAra. The

only little things we can do for all help we receive are : Sing His

praise, remember His deeds in mind and spread his greatness.

 

Our Ashramam sishyas who are the members of Sri Ramanuja Mission of

Srirangam Andavan Ashramam (established by prakrutam Andavan for the

sishyas of Andavan Ashramam outside India), celebrated the 66th

thirunakshatram of His Holiness Srimad Rangaramanuja Maha Desikan on

June 4, 2000 at Sri Kesavan Kannan's residence and Sri Ramanuja

Mission's headquarters in Maryland, USA. The event was well attended by

more than 50 Bhagavathas from Srimad Andavan's sampradayam and other

Sampradayams. Sri Kesavan Kannan & Sri Nadadur Madavan hosted the

Sishyas of various sampradayams at their residences.

 

Sri P. Sreenivasa Iyangar (Retd Dy.M. Ashok Leyland), along with

office-bearers of the Mission, received the padukais of all the the

poorvacharyas of our Andavan sampradayam for this occasion from Sri

Poondi Vijayaraghavan. Sri P. Sreenivasa Iyangar performed the Perumal

Thiruvaradhanam and Paduka Aradhanam for all the padhukas. Sri V.

Desikan Iyangar ( retd. Madras Telephones ) and Sri Kesavan Kannan led

the Veda Parayana Ghoshti, chanting the Upanishads, Seeksha Valli,

Ananda Valli and Brighu Valli. Grandhaparayanam namely, Sri

Sundarakandam Of Srimad Valmiki Ramayanam and Sriramapattabhishekam were

also recited. After Satrumarai, Perumal Sambhavanai and Acharya

sambavanai for all acharyas were performed. During and after the perumal

and paduka theertha viniyogam, Sri Shyam Sreenivasan along with his

brother Sri Venkat Sreenivasan led the parayanam of Gadhya Thrayam,

Paduka Sahasram (Maragadha paddathi, Indraneela paddhathi) and many

Sthothras from Sri Desika Sthothra Mala of Sri Nigamantha Maha Desikan,

including Hayagreeva Sthotram, Dasavathara Sthothram, Raguveera

Ghathyam, Sudarshnashtakam, Shodasaayudha Sthothram, Garuda Dhantakam,

Yathiraja Sapthathi, etc. was recited. It was a pleasure to listen to

Raghuveera Ghadhyam, recited in the same tune as in Srimad Andavan

Ashramam.

 

It was indeed a bhagyam for the sishyas to get the paduka-darshanam and

paduka theertham of all our acharyas so far away in America. After the

gosthi, Sri Kesavan Kannan, Srimathi Mythili Kannan and Chi. Badri

Narayanan offered thatheyaradhanai for all the bhagavathas assembled for

the occasion at their residence.

 

The highlight of the day was the presence of HH Sri Sri Sri Thridhandi

Ramanuja Chinna Jeer on the occasion. Sri P.Sreenivasa Iyangar and Sri

Vasudevachariar of Srimad Andavan Ashramam (who was incidentally in

Washington to perform the Koti Archana at Sri Siva Vishnu Temple)

received HH Jeer with Purna Kumbham and Swasthi Vachanam. HH Thridhandi

jeer performed the Satrumurai and delivered an exhilirating lecture on

the signifance of Acharyas in Sri Vaishnavite tradition by quoting from

Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Naalayira Dhivya Prabandam and Sri Swami

Desikan's Thathparya Chandrikai.

 

Quoting from Bhagavad Gita, "Yadha Yadah Hi Dharmasya.. thadhatmanam

srjami aham", HH Jeer expounded that Sriman Naryana manifests Himself

(his atma) as He is, whenever there is danger for Dharma or there is

huge preponderance of Adharma. Though the creation of Athman may imply

an incarnation of Sriman Narayana, HH Jeer, again quoting from the 7th

chapter of Bhagavad Gita, "gnanithu Aathmaiva me matham", explained that

Sri Krishna Himself proclaims "one who is a Gnani becomes my Aathma". To

which Arjuna confronts Krishna - "You are the Aathma for everyone. You

are the Antharyaami. How can there be an aathma for you ?". Krishna

replies

 

- There are four kinds of people who worship me; They are

(1). Aaarthar - people who lose their wealth

(2). Ardharthi - people who seek new wealth (after losing it )

(3). Jihvasu Aathmadarsanam - people who adore themselves

(4). Gnani - One who thinks of me all the time ("Unnum Soru, paruguneer,

thinnum verrilayumellam kannan emperuman yenrae kangal neermalgi"

iruppavargal).

 

Among these people, whoever is gnani becomes my Aathma.

 

HH Jeer tied the words from Sri Krishna to the fact that the entire life

and actions performed by a body is defined by the Soul. Just like the

soul provides the life to the body, Acharya's presence illustrates and

expands the presence of Perumal to others. Just like a Gnaani becomes

the soul of Sri Krishna, Acharyas become the guiding light to their

sishyas and preach to them about the existence of Perumal and His

Gunadhisayams. He highlighted that "one such great acharya is our parama

hamsethyadhi Sri Ranga Ramanuja Mahadesikan Andavan swami".

 

He recalled with fondness his association with Srimad Prakrutham

Andavan's poorvashramam's teacher - Sri Gopalacharya Swami in a place

called Adige Dabbayam, where both the Acharyas learnt Vedanta

scriptures. He recalled vividly the pleasure of visiting Srimad

Andavan's Ashramam of the 60th Thirunakshatram of Srimad Prakrutham

Andavan in Srirangam. He also expressed his profound happiness that his

association (sambhandham) with Srimad Prakrutham Andavan continues even

in Washington area, through his participation at HH Thirunakshatram

event.

 

In conclusion, HH Jeer explained that Sri Nigamantha Maha Desikan's

works served as a moat (aran in tamil) for the Ramanuja Siddhanta, and

that Srimad Andavan, coming in that illustrious lineage of great

Acharyas, is carrying the tradition of preserving and nurturing the

works of Sri Nigamantha Maha Desika and Ramanuja Siddhantha. He

reminded that it is a duty of all the Sishyas to appeal to his wishes

and stay the path of righteousness.

 

In short, it was an exhilirating day of varied experiences - Perumal &

Padhuka Aradhanam, Listening to the chantings of Veda, Swami Desika

Stotras, Acharya Thanians, being in the good company of fellow Sri

Vaishnavas (koodi irundhu kulirnthalor embavai) and being blessed by HH

Thrithandi Jeer. There is no better way than is to spend the day of our

Andavan's Thirunakshatram in this fashion, except being with the Acharya

in India, during the celebrations.