asmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE GuruparamaparAm- 12

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:

 

Dearest Sisters and Brothers,

 

Please accept adiyEn’s dhaNdavath praNAmams at your feet.

 

We have been enjoying the unparalleled, avicchinna (uninterrupted) AchArya

vamsa vruksham of Srivaishnava Sampradayam.

 

About one hundred and fifty five years ago, our land witnessed the holy

birth of a mahaan in Poundarikapuram (near Oppiliappan Koil); truly it was

avtaar of Sriman Narayanan Himself who out of bountenous benevolence and

sincere determination, Dhrida Vrata, to save all human beings, comes into

this world. And the Lord chooses this time, the place and the dhampathis to

take His birth from- it is all preordained by Him.

 

In Sowmya Year, Adi Pooradam, 26th August, 1847, a child was born to Sri

SingaperumAL Ayyangar, an effulgent scholar and a man of unswerving

principles of personal practice and conduct and Smt Sengamalam AmmAL, his

wife. They named the child as Srinivasa after Lord Srinivasa.

 

Young Srinivasan was given in adoption to his father’s younger brother.

After his upanayanam at 7, he promptly sought to learn Sanskrit from

illustrious Sri Rangachariar Swami, father of the reputed Tharka scholar Sri

Narasimhachariar. Soon followed his higher eductation from mahavidwans like

Ghattam Varadachariar Swami, Sogathur srinivasachariar Swami, Perumal Koil

Thirupputkuzhi Swami, Kuricchi Rangachariar Swami at Mannargudi and in

matter of time, he becamce an accomplished scholar, a mahavidwan himself,

having mastered tharkkam, VyakaraNam, meemaamasam, besides the Vedas and

Divya prabhandhams.

 

He had pancha samskaram from Ghattam Varadachariar Swami and Vedantha

grantha kaalakshepam and BharasamarpaNam at the feet of srimad Andavan

Veliyanalloor Narayana mahAdEsikan, an act possibly indicating things to

come, as later he succeeded as Srimad Narayana mahadesikan.

 

In spite of belonging to an affluent family, Sri Srinivasan led his

gruhasthasramam at Pundarikapuram in a manner that was remarkable for its

simplicity and austerity. In good time he heard the call, the divine call

for taking up Sanyasa Asramam and to become a “lighthouse” guiding the

parched souls tossed about in the samsaara saagaram. He went and prostrated

repeatedly at the feet of Srimad Andavan Veliyanalloor Narayana Mahadesikan

at VinnaaRRankarai who after thorough scrutiny of the disciple’s

genuineness, offered him upadesam and prapatti prayoga and admitted him to

Sanyasa Ashramam, more fittingly called thurIyAsramam.

 

Thereafter he went to live in the Srimad Andavan Ashramam at Srirangam

hallowed by the foot prints of Srimad Periya Andavan and spent years there

offering Samasrayana, Bharanyasam and daily kaalakshepam Goshtis to the

innumerable disciples thirsting spiritually. But, he felt greatly anguished

when obstacles were put in his path of discharging his duties as an

Acharya. He decided to leave Srirangam and go to another place which would

be congenial to him. When the disciples came to know of this, they

prevailed upon him to continue his stay at Srirangam. Through their

efforts, a separate Asrama was set up and it came to be known as the “Sri

Poundarikapuram Andavan Asramam”

>From here, he continued his mission. The Asramam under Sri Srinivasa Maha

Desikan was a center of religious activities and philosophical

discussions. The Acharya was an erudite scholar in Vedaanta Sastras; he

possessed an extraordinary power of mind

by which he could accurately recall any passage, sloka or Sutra with ease.

Many

learned scholars came to study Adhyatma Sastras under his feet.

 

Thus started a great era, a Saga of monumental service to the Lord. Not a

day passed without a Kaalakshepa Goshti in the Ashramam. It became the

confluence of great minds seeking more and more scholarship in sri Bhashyam,

Bhagavath vishayam, srimad Rahsyathrayasaram and Sri Geetha Bhashyam and all

else with a thirst and enthusiasm as witnessed never before.

 

Apart from the saamaanya sishyas and countless extraordinary sishyas,

mention many be made of a few outstanding sishyas who distinguished

themselves by their startling mastery of the sampradaya granthas in all

their facets and left an indelible mark in the from of permanent

contributions to the growth and spread of the Munithraya sampradaya. And

thus the two who succeeded Him, Srimad Andavan Mannargudi Ranganatha

Mahadesikan and Srimad Andavan VinnaaRRankarai Srinivasa Mahadesikan, are

manifestation of the Great Acharya himself as they followed his footprints,

offering spiritual succor to the ever-growing disciples.

 

In 1934, in the month of Vaikasi on Pornami day, the AchArya’s look finally

fell kindly on the great scholar disciple from Mannaargudi as hed had

decided that he should succeed him and carry forward the intellectual and

spiritual service that he had so deftly given a new dimension to. Thus Sri

Mannargudi Anadavan, (followed then by sri ViNNaaRRankarai Andavan)

succeeded Sri Srinivasa Mahadesikan (Poundarikapuram Anadavan). And

Prakritham Andavan is Srimad Andavan ParavaakkOttai Gopaladesika

Mahadesikan, whose 81st Thirunakshathram is being celebrated.

 

While this was the Great Acharya Srimad Poundarikapuram Andavan Sri

Srinivasadesika mahadesikan’s work to keep the line of succession

continuous, he did not rest content there; he knew the coming days would

demand more than this, that the future upkeep of our sampradaya would need

not merely “ships” and “light houses”, but also, pillars and foundation

Structures. Among the many hundreds of Ashthikas/Sishyas, mention should be

made of Sri A.V Gopalacharyar of Anbil, of Sri Krishna thathachariar Swamy

of Bangalore, and of Sri C.M Vijayaraghavachariar Swamy also of Bangalore,

not because others were less equal, but because these scholar disciples

carved for themselves a unique position.

 

Sri A.V Gopalacharyar was at the feet of this great Acharya for 42 years of

his life, practically everyday learning the nuances of our sampradayam. A

man of shrewd intellect, a lawyer matchless in his profession at Tiruchi and

affluent, learned in Poorvapaksham forms of Advaita found full enlightenment

from Acharya’s responses and answers to his full load of doubts and

questions. Srimad Anvadav well versed in the intricacies of Advaita

completely and fully satisfied the disciple’s lurking doubts so well that

Sri Anbil Gopalcharyar Swami was enabled to author many books in elucidation

of Advaitha philosophy, - a contribution of very crucial importance for the

very understaiding of Greatness of unparalleled and unambiguous

Visishtadvaita; he also brought out a few other granthas. He perpetuated the

memory of this great mahan thus, in the form of granthas and idealized it by

instituting the “Srinivasa Mahadesikan Vidhwath Sadhas”, munificently

endowing for its conduct. It is an annual feature since then, in this

ashramam that brings in congregation scholars of repute for intellectual and

philosophical discussion, disputation and authoritative assertion of our

sampradaya Gnana.

 

Kozhiyaalam Raghavachariar Swami came to Srirangam and sought Sannyaasa

Sweekaranam at the feet of Srimad Poundarikapuram Andavan who initiated

him

into the Sannyaasa Asrama in 1920 in the year Roudri- Aani- Pournami day.

The

Aasthaana Vidwan of Tirumalai Tirupati Devasthanam, Kapisthalam

Desikaachaarya

submitted to Swami for approval his Grnatha “Adhikarana Ratna Maalai”. The

Swami

accorded his approval.

 

Srimad Anvadavn is the one who blessed with his kataaksham and made child of

five years old utter the JnAnandamayamdevam slokam (first slokam of Sri

Hayagriva SthOthram)…, though he was born mute. Today this divine child,

blessed by this Acharya is ashtangayogi and the greatest Acharya His

Holiness Sri Rangapriya Swamy.

 

This was Srimad Andavan Poundarikapuram Srinivasa Mahadesikan, a creative

genius, a perennial spring who made himself an institution and a legend with

his many sided qualities. He was a great servant, a teacher unsurpassed, an

organizer with an eye for protection, a missionary with a vision and a

visionary with a mission. No wonder that he was known as Gnana Vairagya

Anusntana Sampanna.

 

"Whenever there were doubts on sri Bhashyam Grantham and its

interpretations, Srimad Andavan was always the Judge to pass his final

judgement as to who is right. - " was the statement of Srimad Azhagiyasingar

(41st Pattam).

 

In 1928, when the affluent devotees of Poundarikapuram village –

nevertheless not his disciples – had arranged for renovation and

consecration, It was H H Sri Poundarikapuram Andavan who was invited to

lend the ‘holy hand’ for karasparsam (by a great man). With what results!

All can see today how the small shrine of Oppiliappn has grown as Southern

Thiruppathi, with gala and festivity, fund-flow and pomp and fame and

attraction, all after 1928! The event has a precedent in Thirukkudanthai

Desikan lending his ‘kara-sparsam’ to Aravamuthan some 200 years back- says

Sri Dn VN Vedantha Desikan Swami in his article.

 

This mahaan made it a daily practice to chant praNavam even during brief

leisure hours following the precepts of Upanishads, thereby experiencing the

thrill of the union of JivAthmA with the ParamAthmA. That he was practicing

this was not known to anybody. It was not necessary to inform anyone, it

being the individual communion of Jivan with Sriman Narayanan. How did then

others come to know of? It was the custom to invite four Srivaishnavas and

feed them in the Ashramam on the completion of every one crore (ten

millions) of PraNava japam. Such was his accuracy in keeping count of a

small GREAT mantra. Sri VennaaRRankarai Andavan Swami chanced to notice this

and humbly enquired and got to know the truth.

 

Does this not testify to the unassuming nature and greatness of the AchArya,

his gnAna, anushtAnam and VairAgyam?

 

What a wonder – He attained the everlasting Bliss of AchAryan Thiruvadi on

20th October 1934, a day after completion of one of the many Sri Bhashya

Grantha saaRRumuRais, signifying Sri Bhashya Bhakti.

 

The above article is from the article written in 151st Jayanthi malar.

 

His Tanian reads as follows:

Sri Narayana Yogindra Varadaarya Kripaasrayam /

Rangesa Paada Vinatham Srinivaasa Munim Bhaje //

(meaning)

_ I hail Srinivasa Muni who obtained the full grace of Sri Narayana

Yogindra

Varadaarya, who always bowed at the feet of Lord Ranganatha.

 

asmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE GuruparamparAm…

 

adiyEn humbly requests with folded hands to each Bhagawatha of this list, to

contribute your mite for the 81st Jayanthi celebration. Please pay your

obeisance by contributing your mite and donate generously to the cause of

the 81st Tirunakshatram celebrations planned for March 24-31, 2001.

Contributions from the USA are tax exempt. Please mail your checks to:

 

SMSA Inc,

c/o Smt. Nagu Satyan,

7821 W Alder Drive

Littleton, CO 80128

 

Please indicate on the memo of your check that your contribution is for

Srimad Poundarikapuram Ashramam.

 

For those in India, please send the cheque or drafts in favour of "S.P.A.V

Trust a/c- 81st Jayanthi and send to Srikaryam, Srimad Poundarikapuram

Andavan Ashramam, 43- A/13, Asramam Road, Srirangam, TRICHY. PIN 620006,

India.

 

PLEASE PLEDGE BEFORE this month end so that we can arrange to send by Mar

10th to organizers. Thank you.

 

AchAryan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

 

Narayana Narayana

 

adiyEn Acharyan Thiruvadi Narayana dAsan madhavakkannan

 

 

 

_______________________

Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.