Sri RanganAtha Temple , Priest Quarters consruction Support series : Posting XIII: AzhwAr/AchAryan Sannidhis

[Guest guest]

Sri:

 

Dear BhakthAs :

 

After our SEvai of Lord Lakshmi Hayagrivan

and Lord SrinivAsan , let us perform the MangaLAsAsanams

of the Murthys adorning the next sannidhis as we do

the PradakshiNam in the temple PrAkAram .

 

Aadhi VaNN SathakOpa Jeeyar Sannidhi

*********************************************

We now arrive at the Sannidhi of Sri AdhivaNN

SaThakOpa Jeeyar , the founding Jeeyar of

Ahobila Matam in the fourteenth Century ( 1398 C.E) .

 

As a BrahmachAri of twenty years age , this

MahAthmA accepted SanyAsam directly from

the hands of Sri Lakshmi Narasimhan at the Ahobila

Dhivya dEsam . He was instrcuted by the Lord to go from

village to village and perform SamAsrayaNam and Prapatthi

to the BhakthAs of the Lord and spread the doctrines

of Bhagavath RaamAnuja SiddhAntham . This was done by

the revered Founding Jeeyar of the Sri Matam for sixty

years before He was called back by Lakshmi Nrusimhan

to His Supreme abode . That Sri Matam concieved and

executed by Sri Lakshmi Nrusimhan ( Malolan) thrives today

and the Peetam is currently blessed by asmath achAryan ,

Sri NaarAyaNa Yahtindhra MahA Desikan as the illustrious

45th occupant of this divine throne .

 

The vaibhavam of Adhi Vann SathakOpa Jeeyar is covered in

the Ahobila Matam home pages in great detail :

 

http://www.ahobilamutt.org

 

http://www.ahobilamutt.org/bio/jeeyars.html

 

The consecrated archA Vigraham that You have

the blessings of enjoying at the Pomona Temple is

a replica of the original vigraham at Ahobilam Temple ;

On that auspicous day in 1398 C.E , BhagavAn Narasimhan

jumped into the cupped palms of Sri Adhi VaNN SaThakOpan

to start His sanchaaram with the founding Jeeyar of

Sri Matam and His successors across the four corners of India .

 

Azhwaar Veethi next to Sri Adhi Vann SaThakOpan Sannidhi

**************************************************************

After the Founding AchAryan Sannidhi , we are blessed with

the darsanam of the Eleven AzhwArs , who are immersed in

the ocean of bliss of Bhagavath anubhavam . The twelfth AzhwAr,

ANDAL is at Her special Sannidhi , which we will visit after stopping at

Swamy Desikan's and Sri RanganAyaki Sannidhis .

 

The archaa Vigrahams of the AzhwArs , whose monthly

Thirunakshathram stars are celebrated with Thirumanjanams

to them and MaryAdhais from Lord RanganAthA and

Sri RanganAyaki , are beautiful to behold and contemplate on .

 

Talented Srirangam sthapathis have created these vigrahams

for consecration at this temple. The new CD ROM on

the temple will contain photo images of the AzhwArs

in addition to other aspects about this Unique temple

at Pomona that follows strictly the traditions of worship

as practised at Sri Matam and Sri RanganAtha Temple

at Srirangam .This CD ROM will be made avialable soon

to all the devotees of the temple in general and to the supporters

of the Priest Living Quarters Kaimakryam in particular .

 

The Vaibhavams of the 12 AzhwArs , their 24 Prabhandhams

are archived at :

 

http://venkateswara.freeservers.com/alvar.html

 

The audios of the 24 Prabhandhams are at Sri Venkat's

rich site:

 

http://www.srivaishnavam.com

 

The central message of the AzhwArs is that the Supreme

Being saluted by the VedAs and Upanishads is a Personal

God with the dhivya Naamam of Sriman NaarAyaNa , who is

defined by two lakshaNams : (1) having infinite auspicious

attributes ( anantha KalyANa guNams) with a ThirumEni

bedecked with aabharaNams and aayudhams (2) Having no

blemishes whatsoever ( Free from all defects/hEyams) .

 

The AzhwArs out of their compassion for us as AchAryAs

have instrcuted us on the Tathtva-Hitha-PurushArTams :

 

(1) The Supreme Tatthvam is Brahman , the Supreme Lord

in five forms . He is the Supreme Master of all the sentients

and insentients , all of which are His prAkArAs ( aspects of

His splendour). The Sentients ( Jeevans) and the insentients

( achethanams) are not independent of the Lord. He is

their niyantha ( ordainer).

 

2) The Supreme Hitham is the path of Prapatthi

since Bhakthi yOgam is difficult to practise as

a means for Moksham .

 

3) The Supreme PurushArTam (goal) for the Jeevans

is to secure the blessings of nithya kaimkaryam to the dhivya

dampathis at their Supreme abode in Sri Vaikuntam .

The liberated souls never return to this karma BhUmi

after reaching the Lord's abode ( MeetchiyinRi Vaikuntha

Maanagar-- ThiruvAimozhi/Na Punaraavrutthi: no return ever

from Sri Vaikuntam ).

 

The central message of the AzhwArs is : " A visishtAdhvathin's

actions (practises) are informed by a single under-current of

devotion , God-dependence and absolute (unqualified)

surrender to Sriman NaarAyaNan , who is the soul

(indweller ) of all ".

 

One of the Saama Veda Saamans summarizes the single minded

devotion ( ananya bhakthi) and the grand faith ( MahA ViswAsam)

in the Lord as their wealth and protection ( Iswaryam and

Rakshakan ):

 

mahE cha na ThvAdhtiva: parA SULKAAYA dheeyasE

na sahasrAya naayuthAya vajrivO na sathAya sathAmaga

 

-- 291st Saaman , Saama Vedam , Rg Vedam VIII.1.5 )

 

(meaning): Oh Splenderous and Opulent Lord , Oh mighty

thunder and the wielder of unfailing justice ! Oh impartial

One ! I shall not sell, barter or bargain my Bhakthi for You

for all the riches of the world , not for a hundred , not for

a thousand , nor for a million , for Thou art the Supreme

Lord of limitless wealth .

 

Daasan , Oppiliappan KOil VaradAchAri Sadagopan

 

Srimate Sri Laksminrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka

Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama: