" The choice is yours" book by Sriman K.SadagopanIyengar of ThiruvallikkENi /Coimbatore : Part III( Concluding Note)

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs :

 

Let me share with you what I enjoy about this First Monograph

in the series of "The Choice is Yours " . Yes , there are plans to

release over time additional essays of SrimAn SadakOpan IyengAr

by Sri Sukti PrachariNi Sabha with the support of Aasthika Community

around the world in the future .

 

Sri Sadagopan IyengAr has penned as I remember almost 300 esaays (so far)

of high caliber and authenticity . It is all his AchArya Bhakthi and

Lord Hayagreevan's anugraham that propels him to perform this kaimkaryam

of sharing the vast amount of knowledge he has acquired over the years

on the fine points about Sri VaishNava SampradhAyam from a Ubhaya

VedAnthic perspective .

 

This first release , " The Choice is Yours " has 55 Essays that appeared over

the past few months in Sri RanganAtha PaadhukA , Internet Lists like

Oppiliappan , Malolan , Sri Ranga Sri et al .

 

At the outset , I wish to state that I am proud of Sri Sadagopan IyengAr's

command of style and content in tackling this difficult task of

handling classic material ;

He has facile use of the modern idiom to help youngsters and new comers to gain

the appreciation of our ancient sampradhAyam . I am equally proud of the Sri Sukthi

PracharaNi Sabha for taking this " massive " initiative , finding the fund and

the invaluable Editorial help of Oppiliappan Koil the gifted

Dr.V.N.VedAntha Desikan Swamy ,

a doyen of our SampradhAyam .

 

You may have a question as to why myself or anyone would like to invite

your attention to acquire this book , which may be considered as a packaging of

essays released earlier . I would like this opportunity to bring to your and

Your family's as well as your friend's attention why I believe that

the book has unusual aspects of its own to warrant the acquisition of

this book for your archival reading on our ancient SampradhAyam

starting with Sriman Narayana and extending to present day AchAryAs ,

who strive hard to reach out to aasthikAs . Here are my reasons :

 

1) The author's Admirable skill in " presenting our glorious tradition in the modern idiom,

while adhering faithfully to the spirit of the original works of ancient seers ".

These original and " timeless works " that Sri Sadagopan IyengAr ihandled

by the author are the VedAs , Upanishads , VishNu PurANam , Dhivya Prabhandham

and a host of other sacred literature . There is a central thread that runs through all

the 55 essays chosen for the just released volume . That is the mighty doctrine of

SaraNAgathi for Mukthi ( Prapatthi Yogam ) after thorough analysis of

the various choices .

 

2)He has clear scholarship and command over his material ;

He has amazing proficiency both in English , Tamil and Sanskrit

and most importantly in the SampradhAya . His vocabulary is rich

and noteworthy . His power in phrase making is indeed a rare gift .

 

3) Sri Sadagopan IyengAr is a Master Story teller with a serious purpose .

In olden times , he would have been a beloved PourANikar and KaalkshEpa

AdhikAri .

 

4) His devotion to his AchAryAs is exemplary .

 

5) The proceeds from the sale of this book is going towards Saathvic

Charities that would please the ThiruvuLLam of AchAryAs . The Sri Sookthi

PrachariNi Sabha of Singapore has a clear road map on diverting

the funds from the sale of the books to nourish the roots of our

divine sampradhAyam . They have completed one fourth of their

planned work and adiyEn prays for their continued success in

such Kaimkaryams .

 

6) The internet postings did not have any images to go with the Text .

The book has some of the most beautiful choice of images to go

with the 55 essays housed in this monograph . Examples are those of

AchAryAs , superb color plates of archAvathAra Moorthys , special

graphics . The images chosen have been beautifully integrated with

the text . This is truly a Multimedia Book of trend setting quality .

The border of each page contains the lovely image of Dharbham

( ThUppul ) , which appears to protect the sacred content . ChakratthAzhwAn

provides additional raksha at the beginning of each essay . The beautiful

picture of ParthasArathy PerumAL and His family in the front inside cover and

Lord Oppiliappan and His family in the backside of the cover are very beautiful .

The picture of VeNNai Thirudum KaNNan ( The Butter Thief ) alone on Page 47

will steal any one's heart .

 

7) Each essay has an intriguing and teasing title and the essay develops

the theme of the title into SiddhAntham . Some illustrative examples among

the 55 essays are :

 

(a) " Insure and Be Secure " , where with adroitness , Sri Sadagopan IyengAr

compares the offerings of the mundane , modern Insurance industry

with that of the ancient fail-proof Insurance policy of SaraNAgathy .

This is a Master Piece that must be read by every Sri VaishNava ..

 

(b) " Hari Potter or Complexities of Creation " is such a profoundly

informative essay about " the nuts and bolts of Creation " as the Master

Creator goes about His work of creation .

 

© " How to see the Lord " is a moving essay on how to visualize ,

absorb and enjoy the Archaa Moorthys as revealed by the AchAryAs

and the AzhwArs .

 

d)" Diamonds in the Sky " is another of the essays, where it is

a celebration of the 27 Nakshathrams - -"the distance deciders of our

destinies " starting from Krittikaa Nakshathram .

 

e) The essay in defense of AchArya RaamAnujaa's use of prose

instead of poetry as the medium of communication in His Sri Sookthis

is a memorable one .Using His three Gadhyams as examples , Sri Sadagopan

IyengAr convinces us that " All his (RaamAnujA's) works are standing

and eloquent testimony to the fact that prose can portray as well as ,

if not better than poetry , the kaleidoscopic of moods and feelings

running the entire range from exhuberance , joy , fulfilment and bliss ,

to gratitude , humility and servitude , to disappointment , intense

longing --- ".

 

f) The essay entitled with the innocuous & polite title of " Good Evening "

goes on to make a case with appropriate dhivya prabhandham passages

that " the evenings belong to the Lord " .

 

g) The essay on " Divine Dishes " brings us back to the section of BhOjyAsanam

in NithyArAdhanam in general and the 18 BhakshaNam offerings to the Lord

on Sri Jayanthi , His avathAra dinam .

 

h) For narrational excellence , "An Englishman's Prapatthi " about the happenings

at MadhurAntham easily contends for the top spot with a convincing message

about the power of SaraNAgathy as experienced by the English Collector

at MadhurAnthakam .

 

i) The three connected essays with the title of " The Last words " is

a treasure house of information .

 

adiyEn can go on and on but hopefully you have been persuaded

by now about the richness, relevance and tastiness of the offerings

in the Monograph : " The Choice is Yours " and hope you will acquire

a copy of this book for serious reading and reference to your friends(Suhrudhs)

and relatives . Please remember that the fnds raised from the distribution of

this Book series will go only to support other Sri VaishNava Kaimkaryams

dear to the hearts of our AchAryAs .

 

NamO NaarAyaNAya ,

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan

 

P.S : Those in USA can purchase this book in two to three weeks time

online from Ahobila Matam North America web pages ( http://www.ahobilamutt.org )

"or by sending e-mail to Sriman R.Rajaji at Rrajaji (AT) aol (DOT) com /

Please refer to my earlier mail for information on other distribution

centers in India , Asia and elsewhere or write to Sri Mukundan of

Sri Sookthi PracharaNi SabhA at Singapore .