rangapriyam mamagurum SaraNam prapadye-IV

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SrI SrInivAsa varadArya krupAtta cinham

SrI SrInivAsa yativarya niviShta bhAram |

SrI rangayogi varalabdha parAtma yogam

rangapriyam mamagurum SaraNam prapadye ||

 

Dear bhaktas:

 

Srirangapriya swAmi's vaatsalyam is immense.

Inappropriate as it is for shishyas to ask questions

about the poorvASrama of a yathivarar, adiyEn with

extreme alpabuddhi chose to send such questions in

writing to asmadAchAryan - but swAmi never did rebuke

or turn down the request. In the manner of a parent

whose interest is not in disappointing the child, but

in teaching it discipline while fulfilling its desires

- swAmi patiently answered all questions in writing,

and had my parents transmit those to me via email.

Thus a small amount of alpabuddhi within me has been

dispelled - having learnt the impropriety of seeking

information about a yathi's poorvaSrama, and putting

one's (reluctant) parents in a situation of receiving

answers to such questions on one's behalf.

 

Thus is our samsaara, the realm of "accidental" truths

and occasional stumbles into the path of satsampradayam.

For, adiyEn is rendered wealthier in knowledge not by

the answers to those questions, but in the process of

learning about them. It is now adiyEn's firm belief,

that SrIrangapriya swAmi as an AchAryan of SriRamanuja

sampradayam, represents many swayamAchArya, maTha, and

ASrama paramparais therein - all of which have showered

asheervaadams on this mahAn. Shishyas and abhimaanis

of SrIrangapriya swAmi should take great pride therefore,

in their association with such satsampradayams through

this AchAryan. Where adiyOngaL are concerned, we were

extremely fortunate to have samASrayaNam and prapatti at

the feet of SriRangapriya swAmi... especially me, about

whom the less that is said the better!!

 

Our day began early on July 13, 2001 (aaNi revathi) -

since we had to be present at the AStAngayoga vignyAna

mandira at 8:00 am; early - mindful of the fact that

I had only recently become a little proficient with the

panchakaccham, and because my wife - being over 5 ft

10 inches tall, *had* to wear the whole ombOdhugajam.

This was a small crisis in itself; my mother being

short enough to manage madisaar with a 6 yard saree -

was out of practice on *real* ombOdhugajam procedure.

One Mrs. Ramaswami was contacted in the neighborhood;

maami helped Pavitra with ombOdhugajam and we managed

to reach the mandira on time. We were accompanied by

my father. There were supposedly a total of 6 people

having samASrayaNam from rangapriyaswAmi on that day,

but the other four were unable to make it for various

reasons. Since it was just the two of us, the whole

experience became unique and made for a much deeper

involvement in this great tradition.

 

It is not clear to adiyEn, whether SriRangapriya swAmi

had already completed Anhikam, or whether it was done

after our samASrayaNam that morning (since yaagaH is

one of the panchasamskaras performed by AchAryan on our

behalf); nevertheless we were given panchagavyam and

promptly seated in a small room adjoining the corridor.

Four other shishyas and kainkaryaparars joined us, and

swAmi spoke about the meaning of panchasamskAra, about

Srivaishnava traditions, about guruparamparais, etc.

The meanings of taapaH, puNdram, daasanaama, mantraH,

and yaagaH were explained in detail, and adiyOngaL were

asked to repeat the sequence of words exactly as in the

original samskrit. It was a great learning experience

- coupled with the anticipation of becoming (in the next

few minutes) initiated into SriVaishnavam. Sri Anantha

Rangan, who performed many of the important rites during

the recent prakrtham parakAlaswAmi thirunakshatram, then

arrived and took swAmi's permission to commence homam.

 

It was adiyOngaL's great bhAgyam to have Sri Anantarangan

as the brhaspathi for these panchasamskAra rituals. At

this time, SrIrangapriya swAmi left the hall and entered

the uLsannidhi of perumAL SrikOdhanda raamar. One shishya

asked us to follow, stating that AchAryan would perform

our bharaNyAsam. In the uLsannidhi of perumAL, swAmi

had the doors closed, and we began our SaraNaagati. First

it was AchAryan who uttered a prayer and repeatedly did

sEvippu to perumAL; adiyOngaL followed accordingly. We

were then asked to repeat in chaste Tamil (cannot recall

the exact words and I suspect they shouldn't be either!!)

- that we have mahAvishvaasam in perumAL, that we have no

recourse/ability towards other means of moksham, that we

resolve to please perumAL and have single-minded devotion.

So we promised the anukoolya sankalpam and pratikoolya

varjanam as directed by AchAryan. Having thus resolved

to tread prapatti-maargam, we were told to be still and

meditate for a few moments on the nArAyaNa Sabdam itself.

So it was prapatti, even before samASrayaNam!

 

adiyOngaL then prostrated before perumAL and AchAryan, and

expressed deep gratitude for having had bharaNyAsam through

AchAryaniSTai, at the feet of SriRangapriya swAmi. Outside

the uLsannidhi was a large yagnyakundam, where Sri Anantha

rangan had begun heating the Sankha-chakra mudrais within

its flames. First, we both sat down at the yaagashaala and

did sankalpam; then did sEvippu to AchAryan. We were then

summoned to sit closely in front of swAmi, while the taapa

mudrais steamed on! Sri Anantha Rangan told us how we were

to extend our arms, etc. so that the mudrais would be well

placed. We then faced SriRangapriya swAmi, who instructed

us to continuously chant the name(s) of perumAL during this

important taapasamskaaram. Then swAmi administered the

taapamudrais, first chakram and then Sanku. For once, my

wife was extremely happy to be second in line!! During

these precious few moments adiyEn thought only of swAmi's

words from the upanyAsam earlier, where the significance

of taapasamskaaram was explained in such great detail, that

this taapam ensured samASrayaNam for the body, while it is

bharaNyAsam - which is the samASrayaNam for the aathmA.

And all along, adiyEn uttered the thirunaamam of perumAL

while these sacred seals were embossed on our arms.

 

Sri Anantharangan then asked us to stand up; instructed

me on the sequence of dwaadaSa oordhvapuNdram and applied

the thirumaN/srichoornam accordingly. We were then told

to speak out our names as "Sreenaatha daasan", "Pavitraa

daasi", and Sri Anantha Rangan made us recite the sannidhi

and samASrayaNa paramparai thaniyans for rangapriya swami.

After this, AchAryan gave us upadESam of the aStAkSara,

dvaya and charamaSloka mantrams. A small book (in Kannada

script) containing all the sannidhi/samASrayana/bharaNyAsa

thaniyans, and dhyAnaslokas + aStAkSara/dvaya/charamasloka

mantrams was given to us. Since then, adiyEn has begun

learning to read Kannada with reasonable success (to the

extent of being able to recite these thaniyans/mantrams).

SriRangapriya swAmi then reiterated the fact (as explained

in upanyAsam also) that the final samskAra - "yaagaH", is

none other than thiruvAradhanai to perumAL, where a bhakta

actually performs a yagnyam symbolised by the various

rituals of ArAdhanam. This being fairly elaborate (for

initiates such as adiyEn) - would as a first, be performed

by AchAryan on our behalf on this day - swAmi explained.

 

By this time my mother had arrived at AshTAngayoga vignyAna

mandira; pleased to see her second son and daughterinlaw

have samASrayaNam and bharaNyAsam through the auspices of

SrIrangapriya mahAdeSikan, just as my brother and sister-

inlaw did two years ago. We offered our sambhAvanai to

AchAryan and to Sri Anantharangan, and did sEvippu. Some

prasAdam was offered to all devotees present (by this time

the attendance at the mandira had grown, since it was about

10:00 am in the morning). AchAryan reminded me, that I was

supposed to return there whenever possible, during the

remainder of my stay in Bangalore. adiyEn promised, and

said that I would also ensure that I sought Sri Rangapriya

swAmi's blessings just before leaving India. Having thus

crossed an important milestone in our bhooloka existence,

we returned home with HH's permission.

 

To be CONCLUDED...

 

SrIvAsa samyami vareNya niviShta bhAram

SrI rangayogi varadivya krupAtta yogam |

SrI laXmaNAkhya yativarya krupAtta cinham

rangapriyam mamagurum SaraNam prapadye ||

 

adiyEn SrIrangapriya mahAdeSikan thiruvadi,

-Srinath C.

[Guest guest]

At 09:06 PM 8/16/01 -0500, you wrote:

>SrI SrInivAsa varadArya krupAtta cinham

>SrI SrInivAsa yativarya niviShta bhAram |

>SrI rangayogi varalabdha parAtma yogam

>rangapriyam mamagurum SaraNam prapadye ||

>

>Dear bhaktas:

>

>Srirangapriya swAmi's vaatsalyam is immense.

 

Dear Srinatha Daasan:

 

Thanks for a wonderfully moving description of your

crossing the most impotant mile stone in BhUlOka Vaasam :

Your SamAsrayaNam and BharanyAsam at the sacred feet of

the noble AchAryan , HH Sri RangapriyA Swamy.

 

That day was a blessed day. You have to celebrate that day

every year and at the same time think of the greatest blessings

that has come both of your way thru the grace of Your dear AchAryan.

 

There is nothing to fear anymore and nothing to worry either(NyAsa

Dasakam ).

 

You have now performed Desika SaakshikA Prapathti ( The BharanyAsam

that happens by the upadEsam of a SadAchAryan: AchArya Nishtai).

 

We have to reflect on the SlOkam of Swamy Desikan's

Sri SaraNAgathi Deepikai from here on:

 

SwAmi DayA Jalanidhir-Madhura: KshamAvAn

SeelAdhika: Srithavasa: SuchirthyudhAra

yEthAni haathum anaghO na kilArhasi Thvam

VikhyAthimanthi BirudhAni mayA sahaiva

--52nd slOkam , Sri SaraNAgathi Deepikai

 

(Meaning): Oh Deepa PrakAsa ! Oh The Lord of the place of

my birth ! The people of the world and the AchAryAs praise

You as One with many earned titles. Those are: One who is

Sarva Seshi with all the ChEthanams and AchEthanams as His property ,

the Ocean of Mercy , One who is delectable to reflect upon

and enjoy, One who forgives even the lowliest of trespasses,

One who is sarva Sulabhan for even the lowliest one ,

One who is Bhaktha Paaratantryan , One who does nort expect

anything in return and has Kruthaj~nathi for the littelest of

offerings , the most geenrous One , who is never satisfied

with the level of His anugrahams to His devotees, One who

is totally devoid of any blemishes (hEyam). Oh Lord !If You of

such anantha kalyAna GuNams abandon me now , You would

suffer the loss of all these Titles conferred on You

by my AchAryAs! Please have compassion for me and thus

protect all of Your magnificient titles!

 

Sri SaraNAgathi Deepai has such treasures and we

have to reflect on them and seek our own AchAryan's

and other AchAryan's blessings to lead a Satthvic life

filled with Kaimkarya Sri.

 

Namo NaarAyaNAya !

V.Sadagopan