The Snake who attended kaalakshepam and performed SaraNAgathy!

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika Mahadesikaya namah:

 

We are all aware of Thirukkudanthai Desikan Sri Gopaalaarya Mahadesikan

Swamy (from 1700 CE to 1782 CE). There were three ascetics in saffron attire

(as Great Sishyas) serving this GrahasthA Acharya, attending on him with

implicit reverence, doing all personal chores- a very unusual phenomenon.

They had been drawn from far and near; one was from wartrap, who later

proved to be on the model of Sri Nathamuni; the second from Seyyanam

(Thirunelveli) a prototype of Sri Yamunamuni; and the third from VazhutthUr

near Ayyampettai Sri Vedantha Ramanuja muni, whose prolific progation

service had brought the school to a preeminent status. At His feet, there

were three sanyaasis (munis) and hence is called “munithraya sampradayam”

since then.

 

Sri VazhutthUr Swamy, Sri Vedantha Ramanuja muni- He received the robes

of a Sannyasi from the hands of Paduka Sevaka Sri Ramanuja Maha Desika-

came to Sri Gopalarya Mahadesikan (Thirukkudanthai Desikan) along with other

two sanyaasis as mentioned above and fell at his feet, quoting from

NammazhwAr Thiruvaymozhi:

 

Theeraa vinaigaL theera ennai Andaay! THIRUKKUDANTHAI OORAA!

Unakku Atpattum adiyEn innam uzahlvEnO?

 

You have ruled me dispelling all my sins accrued so far! Oh Lord of

Thirukkudanthai! (Thirukkudanthai DesikanE!) After being protected by You,

will I ever suffer here (on this earth?) No… never! (pl forgive me for my

free translation).

 

Thirukkdanthai Desikan was overwhelmed with joy and blessed our Sri Vedantha

Ramanuja Swamy “Here after it is You who is going to rule the world being a

glorious Acharya! Here after you will be the ruler (andavan) of Srivaishnava

sishya kOtis! Thenceforth, that Acharya came to be known as Andavan.

Prefixing the name of his village, he came to be known as Vazhuthur

Andavan.

 

Sri VazhutthUr Andavan was born in the star of Poorattadi in the month

of AvaNi in 1743 CE..

 

He was also known as Srirangam Srimad Andavan, as he stayed in Srirangam

almost permanently. As the Sampradaya was continued by the successive

Acharyas, and Swamy had Sri Navalpakkam Annayaarya Mahadesikan, Sri

Andikkattu Swamy and Sri ThirutthuRaippooNdi Andavan as sishyas. Each of

them had many sishyas and Samparadyam grew to a great extent and hence this

Swamy is known as one of huge family (big kudumbam), also called “Kudumbi

Swami”

 

The term “Andavan”- meaning one who came to rule the hearts

of his followers was coined and applied reverentially not only to him but

also to all Acharyas who came after him. Thereafter, the Parampara itself

came to be called “Srimad Andavan Paramparai, propagating the

munithraya sampradayam. Other than Sri Pakalamutt and Sri Ahobila Mutt, all

other AchAryas of Vadakalai sect today trace back to Sri Vedantha Ramanuja

Muni (Sri VazhutthUr Andavan) . Today is Swamy’s Thirunakshathram. Let us

pay our obeisance to this Great Acharya by reciting the thaniyan

(dedicatory verse) and contemplate its meaning:

 

Gopala Desika Padaabja Madhu Vratasya Pragnaa Virakti

Karunaa Mukha Sad Gunaabde/

Vedaanta Lakshmana Muneh Srita Bhagadeyam

Paadaaravinda Yugalam Saranam Prapadhye //

 

(Meaning)

 

He who is like bee residing in the (and sucking the honey from) the lotus

feet of Sri Thirukkudanthai Desikan, who was endowed with a sea of

auspicious qualities, knowledge, detachment and mercy, who showers His grace

to those who resort to him. adiyEn takes refuge at his feet with no other

recourse.

 

Large number of disciples used to attend his kaalakshepams due to his

greatness. Once when a new series of kaalakshepam was about to start,

disciples recited the thaniyan and were about to start. There was a king

cobra which came out of its hole and had its hood raised. Immediately one of

the sishyas took a stick to beat and kill. Swamy the most compassionate as

usual took pity of this being and asked the sishya not to disturb or hurt

the snake. They proceeded with the kaalakshepam (in a tense situation

perhaps for sishyas). The Cobra stood still till the end and disappeared

after kaalakshepam was over.

 

This extraordinary event was happening repeated everyday. The snake became

one of the regular attendees too. After the grantham was completed, Swamy

was descending the steps of the tank for his Anushtanam, the Cobra went

around him and struck its hood on the ground three times and appeared

to beg something.

 

The Acharya understood that it was a Mahapurusha in the previous birth and

had become a Cobra by some curse and that it was seeking relief from

Samsara. Plucking a fruit from a tree nearby, he offered it to his

Aradhana murthi and performed Aartha Prapatti for the Cobra. Vazhuthur

Andavan sprinkled some holy waters on the Cobra which was waiting for him

to come. Instantly, it passed away. (from Sri Anbil Ramaswamy Swamy’s

article and Sri Thirukudanthai Desikan 300 the Anniversary malar)

 

Sri Vazhutthur Andavan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

 

Regards

Narayana Narayana

aDiyEn Narayana dAsan madhavakkannan

 

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