SRI RANGA SRI VOL. I / 015 d/ 01/08/01

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SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anubadravam anudhinam samvardhaya/

SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anubadravam anudhinam samvardhaya//

KAvEri VardhathAm kAlE, kAlE varshathu vAsava:/

SrI RanganAthO jayathu SrI Ranga SrIs cha VardhathAm//

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SRI RANGA SRI VOL. I / 015 DATED 8th January 2001

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EDITORIAL:

Dear Bhagavatas:

In this issue, in addition to our regular features in

Section I viz., "Sriranga Vijayam", "AchArya Vamsa Vriksham"

and "SampradAya lessons" We present the following in

Section II: Gitamrutham – The summary of the last Shadgam

Chapter 13 to 18 of Srimad Bhagavad Gita by sAra sArajna Tirukallam

Swami

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

Editor & Publisher

"Sri Ranga Sri"

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Section I: Regular features:

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1. "Sri Ranga Vijayam"

13. "The Ganga- Kaveri dispute goes to the Supreme Court"

Translated by Anbil Ramaswamy, based on the booklet of

Purisai Sri Krishnamachariar Swami, Editor, Nrisimhapriya

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Once, rivers like Ganga, KAveri, Saraswati, GOdAvari, Narmada,

KrishNa, SonA etc took the form of damsels and were playing on the

top of the VindhyA mountains. At that time, a Gandharva by name

ViswAvasu was travelling from the north to the south to have the

darsan of Lord AnantapadmanAbha SwAmi in Truvananthapuram. When he

saw them, he offered his obeisance with his folded palms.

 

After he left, a doubt arose as to whom he "elected" to offer his

courtesy. First, everyone claimed that she was the object of his

worship but when Ganga bragged that since she was the greatest of all

rivers, the Gandharva worshipped her only, all other

rivers "conceded" to her victory.

But, KAveri objected.

 

When the Gandharva was on his way back, he again paid his respects.

Ganga and KAveri stopped him and demanded to know to whom he was

offering his obeisance. He answered " To the best of you!" and left

without elucidating, leaving open the dispute unresolved!

 

The dispute dragged on (like our Florida recount case?) and both

entered their pleas in the court of Brahma. Brahma heard the

arguments of both sides and handed his verdict that since Ganga

flowed from the feet of Lord VishNu, she was the best.

 

Beside with disappointment, Kaveri did a severe penance. Pleased with

her penance, Brahma appeared before her and declared that from then

onwards KAveri would be EQUAL to Ganga in greatness. KAveri demanded

a re-consideration (a manual recount?) which she said would convince

Brahma to accept her as more sacred than Ganga. Brahma tried to

pacify her saying that since Ganga flowed from the feet of the

Lord, "technically", he had no "jurisdiction" to reverse his decision

to disallow a reconsideration. All that he was prepared to do was to

declare a 50:50 decision in favor of both (i.e.) KAveri as "more

equal" to Ganga!

 

And, the dispute remained as unsettled as ever before!

 

Having failed in the lower court, KAveri appealed to the Supreme

Court of Lord VishNu at TiruchErai Pancha sAra Kshetram where she

commenced a "battle royal" through a still harder penance. When the

Lord appeared before her, she recounted her predicament and begged for a boon on

the lines she had pleaded earlier with Brahma.

 

Agreeing that Ganga's flowing from his feet was a valid point

for "selecting" her as the holiest "for now", the Lord concurred with

the verdict of Brahma But, He said that a time would come when He

would concede to her request on a "later occasion".

 

He assuaged KAveri saying that since this "flowing" happened eons ago

and that He would be taking His permanent abode between the two

branches of KAveri, on a future date, when she would be forever in

His close proximity and be considered "holier than Ganga".

 

And, that is how, TODAY, Kaveri is deemed holier than Ganga in spite

of all the "kumbh mELas" - "Gangaiyilum punithamAya KAvEri"

=========================

And, citing this, the Lord bade VibheeshaNa to go back to Lanka and

live happily there and said " Though I may not physically come with

you to Lanka, I will recline here facing your kingdom and blessing

you from here".

 

VibheeshaNa replied that he loathed returning to Lanka without the

Lord and offered to stay in SriRangam to continue his worship.

 

The Lord reminded him how Sri RAma performed the coronation for him

as "King of Lanka", not once but twice both before the war on the

Seashore and after the conquest and that he should not transgress the

command of Chakravarthi Thirumagan. The Lord also assured him that no

harm will befall him or Lanka so long as He was blessing him with His

benign glance and that he need not have any fear from anyone "so long

as the Sun and the moon existed"

 

VibheeshaNa submitted that he had no use for the lordship of Lanka or

any other benefits when he could not worship the priceless gift

of "IkshvAghu kuladhanam" which Sri RAma gifted to him with so much

affection and begged Sri RanganAtha to accept his TiruvArAdhana at

Srirangam itself.

 

The Lord replied that since He had already promised to the Rishis,

yOgis and other devotees who did penance for long to stay at

Srirangam, He was bound to grant their wish as promised much, much

earlier, and He cannot go back on that under any circumstances.

 

He asked VibheeshaNa to constantly meditate on Him staying in his

kingdom - which would honor both the gift of Sri RAma and His own

order to asking him to go back to Lanka to carry on his royal

duties. VibheeshaNa took leave of all and returned to Lanka.

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Dharmavarma who happened to hear the conversation of the Lord with

VibheeshaNa was overwhelmed with joy. He constructed the huge temple

complex with 7 ramparts (prAkArams), mantaps, vimAnams, gOPurams etc.

and built hermitages (Aashramams) to accommodate the Rishis, houses

for bhaktas and choultries for commonfolk and many gardens,

waterfronts etc.

 

He also arranged for the daily poojas in accordance with PAncharAtra

Aagama and also scheduled the various daily, fortnightly, monthly and

annual festivals (Utsavams) to be celebrated. After worshipping the

Lord thus for a very long time, he attained Paramapadam.

To Continue: 14."The Lord rediscovered by KiLiChOzhan"

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2. ACHARYA VAMSA VRIKSHAM - Part 41

THE LINE OF MUNI TRAYA PARAMPARA CONTINUES - 9

SRIMAD POUNDARIKAPURAM ASHRAMA ANDAVANS

M. 37. SRIMAD ANDAVAN (SRI VENNATRANKARAI ANDAVAN)

(Anbil Ramaswamy)

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M. 37. SRIMAD ANDAVAN (SRI VENNATRANKARAI ANDAVAN)

(Panguni - Anusham) (19-3-1882 - 9-4-1980)

(VED): "Sri VelAmur Varada KrishnamAchAriar Swami belonged to Kalyana

Puram near Tiruvaiyaaru. He married one Alarmel Mangai. Both the

families were steeped in Vedic tradition. The family enjoyed the

patronage of Serfoji RAja of ThanjAvur on account of their deep

dedication to Vedic tradition. They lived in a house adjacent to

SingaperumAL Koil at VeNNAtranKarai whose praise has been sung by

Tirumangai AzhwAr.

 

The couple was blessed with a son in the cyclic year "Kara" in the

month of Panguni when the star Anuradha was in the ascendant.(19th

March 1882). At his birth, he was named SEshAdri. He received Pancha

SamskAram from his father as well as the first lessons in SAma VEda

from his father.

 

He was sent to TiruvaiyAru Vembu SAstrigal and (*NagarAja SAstrigal

*SMM), noted Sanskrit Pundits to specialize in SAma VEda, KAvya, and

NATaka. Later, he studied and became proficient both in Yajur VEda

and Divya Prabhandam. Qualified to perform yagnas, he was an

authority in Dharma SAstras and in the practical application of the

Sutras in daily life. He excelled in Goshti PArAyaNam as he was

endowed with a rich mellifluous voice.

 

At the SAma VEda examination conducted by PudukkOTTai SamasthAnam, he

was declared to have passed in "second class" owing to the partiality

of the examiner but when the SwAmi refused to accept the award

contending the verdict, the Raja ordered a re-examination and found

him to have passed in "First class", by which he won the acclaim of

the RAja and other Sanskrit pundits.

 

He married JAnaki, then only 7. (*the daughter of KodavAsal Rama

bhadrA chAriar and Ponnu kamalammmal *SMM) at the age of 11

 

Sri VelAmur SrinivAsAchAriar was greatly devoted to Sri Desika. He

was chiefly instrumental in enabling Velliyanur Srimad Aandavan to

celebrate Sri Desika, the annual festival at NeelamEgha PerumAL Koil.

He gave to the temple a palanquin, a number of VAhanas and several

jewels. These festivals were conducted by him with great devotion out

of the family funds. Even after becoming an AchArya, he continued to

evince keen interest in the proper conduct of these festivals. Today,

Srimad Aandavan's relatives in PoorvAsramam still continue to

celebrate Swami Desika Utsava with unabated interest and devotion.

 

(*Once, when participating in a YAga, the Ritvik in charge of

Atharvyu was indisposed and could not attend. Within one night, our

Swami learned the entire Atharvyu mantras and acted in the place of

the absentee Ritvik and completed the YAga successfully. Such was his

capacity to absorb and retain with razor sharp memory and perform the

role with consummate skill.*SMM)

 

Some hostile persons removed the idol of SwAmi DEsika from the small

shrine in Hara SApa VimOchana PerumAL Koil at Tiruk KanDiyur. The

father of Srimad SrinivAsa MahA DEsikan took the lead in making a new

idol and installing it in the empty shrine. Srimad Aandavan in his

PoorvAsrama used to lead the "AdhyApaka GOshti" during the festival

days.

 

Srimad SrinivAsa MahA DEsikan in his PoorvAsrama was quite well known

for his philanthropy. He has helped pious Vaishnavas in times of dire

need.

 

Although born in a wealthy family, Sri SrinivAsAchAriar's mind and

heart turned to renunciation and to severing worldly attachments. He

had already sought the feet of JnAna VairAghya AnushTAna Sampanna

Poundarika Puram Andavan and received from his Grantha KAlakshEpam,

Bhara Samarpanam, Prapatti PrayOga UpadEsam, PrEsha Mantra UpadEsam

and SannyAsa PrayOgam. Considering his PoorvAsrama financial

resources as trash, he came to Poundarika Puram Aandavan Aasramam as

his final retreat.

 

After becoming the AchArya, he devoted his full attention to the

administration of the Aasramam and to the celebration, in a grand

manner the Tirunakshatram of the past Srimad Aandavans.

 

(* He helped ChaturvEda Satakratu NAvalpAkkam Narasimha TAtAchAriar,

KozhiyAlam Sri Ranga RAmAnuja MahA DEsikan and several others and

earned their gratitude and blessings *SMM)

 

The daily Aaradhanas were performed with great piety and devotion.

The "SAthumurai" congregation was indeed an inspiring sight to the

devout. On such occasions, Srimad Aandavan himself led the GoshTi,

giving it both grace and solemnity. He would recite all by himself

the entire Nighamana AdhikAra of Sri Rahasya Traya SAra of Sri

VEdAnta DEsika. His discourses on such occasions were listened to

with rapt attention.

 

Srimad Aandavan seemed to have a premonition of his impending death.

He called to his side the then SrikAryam, ParavAkkoTTai Sri Raja

gOpAlA chAriar Swami(who had come to the Asramam to assist him in the

conduct of Tirunakshatram celebrations) and told him in confidence

that since his earthly life would not go beyond the next SravaNam day

which fell on 5th April 1980, he should be interred by the side of

his AchArya in the BrindAvanam on the bank of Vada Tiruk KAveri.

Strangely enough, Srimad Aandavan entered his JyOti at 2 PM on 9th

April 1980, (* which was SiddhArti Panguni 27th, a KrishNa Paksha

Navami Thithi day *SMM) so close to the last day which Srimad

Andavan had himself fixed.

 

(*IT WAS THIS SWAMI WHO INITIATED INTO SANNYASA ASRAMAM THE MAHAN

CELEBRATED AS "INJIMETTU AZHAGIYASINGHAR"*SMM)

 

The Iyal GOshTi of VeNNAtranKarai Aandavan was a magnificent sight,

the like of which was never seen or heard of before. The grand

procession led by the AhObila Mutt elephant, with the idol of Sri

BhAshyakAra at the head, passed through the streets of Srirangam and

impressed all by their colorful variety - the PoorvAsrama son of

AchArya carrying the worn garlands of several Divya Desas, seven or

eight divisions of Veda PArAyaNam GOshTis, their Vedic chants

piercing the sky above all the surging sea of Srivaishnavas,

devotees and disciples. The procession stood at the DasAvatAra

Sannidhi and after MangaLAsAsanam there reached the Aasramam. Ubhaya

Vedanta VidwAn MadhurAntakam Sri Veera RAghavAchariar Swami paid

glowing tributes to Srimad Aandavan's many sided virtues in verse and

prose.

 

Another glorious chapter in the history of Sri Poundarika Puram

Aasramam came to a close"

 

His Tanian reads as follows:

Naryanaakhya Yathiraja Paadaabja Bringa

Sri Vaasa Yogi Gurunaa Arpitha Bharam Eese/

Bhakthyaadhi Poorna Varadaarya Kripaaththa Chinham

Sri SrinivAsa Munivaram Aham Prapadhye //

(meaning)

I take refuge at the holy feet of SrinivAsa Maha Desikan

who was like a honey bee at the lotus feet of the yathi-srEshtar ,

Sri NaarAyaNa MahA Desikan and performed his Prapatti at the sacred

feet of Poundarikapuram SrinivAsa MahA Desikan after receiving his

pancha SamskAram rites from Sri VaradAchArya Swami known for his

Bhakthi-Jn~Ana –VaiRaghyam.

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The present series will CONCLUDE WITH –

PRAKRITAM SRIMAD ANDAVAN H.H. PARAVAKKOTTAI GOPALA DESIKA MAHA

DESIKAN (Present Pontiff of Poundarikapuram Swami Ashramam)

The other lineages will be discussed in a later serial

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3. Learn our Sampradayam the easy way

(Course for Kids)

Grade 1 for Beginners

(Based on the originals in Tamil "sampradAya pADa thiTTam"

by Sri Seva Swamigal)

Lesson 20: Sri Vedanta Desikan

(Anbil Ramaswamy)

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Of the seven DivyadEsams reputed to secure Moksham, the most

important is KAnchipuram (mukti tharum nagarEzhuL mukkiamAm kachi).

There is a temple of "ViLakkoLi perumAL" (deepa prakAsar, in

Sanskrit) in the nearby hamlet of "TiruthaNkA". Adjacent to this

temple is the famous Thooppul, where our Swami Desika was born in the

year 1268 to one Ananthasoori and ThOthAramba.

 

Of the various AvatArams taken by the Lord so far,

this "DesikAvatAram"stands last but not the least in importance. This

is a complete AvatAram in which both the Vibhava and Archa have

merged; this is also the "AchArya AvatAra"(the Lord appearing as the

preceptor); this is the AvatAram, which established firmly the way of

the Vedas (Veda mArga prathishTapanam)

 

Hailed as "Sarva Tantra Swatantrar" (Independent master of all arts

and crafts), "Kavi ThArkika Simham" (Lion among poets and

dialecticians) and "VedAntAchArya" (Preceptor of the Vedas), Swami

Desika was a prolific writer in establishing SaraNAgathi SAstras and

in redeeming millions of SamsAris entangled in worldly life.

 

 When the way of the Vedas enunciated by the great Rishis

disintegrated

 when VarNAsrama Dharma came to be shattered,

 when the theory of illusion enveloped the religious horizon,

 when due to the degradation of Kaliyuga nihilism was posing a

mortal threat to the Vaideeka matham,

- Lord of Tiruvenkatam deputed his temple bell to don the garb of a

human in the form of Swami Desika - to salvage and protect Dharma.

 

The word "Pankajam" literally means "that which is born out of mud".

Though there are so many others that are so born, the word is

understood to mean only the lotus; Similarly, the word "Desika"

though literally means "a preceptor", it is regarded as referring to

ONLY Swami Desika. Indeed, and without any doubt, he was "preceptor

par excellence" in every sense of the word.

 

He wrote in Sanskrit, Tamizh, MaNipravALam (a mixture of both) as

well as in PrAkrit (a crude colloquial form of Sanskrit used by

ladies and people belonging to the lower strata of society). Such

prolific writing makes him an outstanding author, one of a kind. It

is our good fortune to have been blessed with such an AchArya –

privileges other do not enjoy.

 

Let us take justified pride in this and ask "Who can equal us on this

earth?" (Namakku yaar nigar naanilathE).

 

Just as he has three honorific as mentioned earlier, he has three

Taniyans (Dedicatory verses) composed on him commencing with the

words

"SrimAn VenkaTa nAthArya", "RamAnuja DayA pAtram" and "Seeronru

Thooppul".

 

 Vedanta got resuscitated;

 SiddhAntam sprouted again;

 Lord's supremacy got re established;

 Aagamas got back their due respect;

 AachAra and AnushTAna came to occupy the pride of place;

 Esoteric of Rahasyas got reaffirmed;

 The really learned ones rejoiced;

 The world of poets felt an ecstasy never heard of before;

 SaraNAgathi Dharma took firm roots;

 AruLicheyals of AzhwArs regained due recognition once again.

 Countless StOtras of invaluable potency appeared again;

 The philosophy of Srivaishnavam spread far and wide through

popularization of Prabandhas in Tamizh.

 "Ubhaya VedAntam"- the dual aspect of VedAnta (in Sanskrit and

Tamizh) reappeared.

 The eternal reals (tattvams) acquired a new expression and a novel=

 

experience.

 The way of the Vedas that is `Srimath"- blessed by the divine

couple got firmly established.

 

It is our bounden duty to read the works this greatest Swami Desika.

It is our duty also to teach and propagate "Swami Desika Darsanam"

throughout the World.

 

There can be no greater eulogy than the one by Pillai LokAchariar,

who said "Even one short sentence from his prodigious works is more

than sufficient to lift us up to the High Heavens"

"Seeronru Thooppul TiruvankatamudaiyAn

Paar onra sonna Pazhamohiyul

Oronru thAne amaiyAtho! TharaNiyil vAzhvOrkku

VaanErap pomaLavum Vazhvu"

 

Extolling the greatness of Swami Desika, there is a PAsuram

in "PiLLai AnthAdhi" which reads as follows:

"Anru ivvulaginai aakki arum poruL nool virithu

Ninru than neeL pugazh vEnkatamAmalai mEvip pinnum

Venrip pugazh tiruvEnkaTanAthan enrum guruvAi

Ninru nigazhndhu maNN mEl ninra nOigaL thavirthananE"

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QUESTIONS

1. Whose AvatAram is Swami Desika?

2. What are the 3 honorific bestowed on Swami Desika?

3. What are the 3 Tanians dedicated to Swami Desika?

4. Why do we call him the greatest one?

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GRADE I LESSONS CONCLUDED

GRADE II LESSONS (translated by Sri M.K.Srinivasan SwAmi)

WILL BE FEATURED IN A LATER SERIES

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SECTION II:

GITAMRUTHAM: The Summary of the last Shadgam

Chapters 7to12 of Srimad Bhagavad Gita

>From "GitAsAram" by SAra SArajna Tirukallam Swami

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A-GS:

PradhAna purusha vyaktha sarvEswara vivEchanam /

Karma dheer bhaktir ithyAdhi:poorvasEshO anthi mOdhitah: //

This is the summary of the last shadgam (Chapters 13 to 18). This

explains in greater details what had been stated in the earlier

Chapters in shadgam1 (Chapters 1 to 6) and Shadgam 2 (Chapters 7 t0

12).

 

It also proves (upapAdhana) the necessary adjuncts (amsas) relating

to the subjects dealt with earlier.

 

This last shadgam explains in great detail – (anthimOditha:)

 the nature of Prakriti (pradhAna) with its three qualities (guNas)=

,

 the nature of Individual souls (purusha),

 how the world (vyakthA) is influenced by their coming together

(samsarga),

 the nature of the Supreme soul (sarvEswara) and

 how these three realities stand on different footing. Yet interact=

 

(vivEchanam) with each other

 the means of action (karmayOgam), knowledge (dhee:- jnAnayOgam) an=

d

devotion (bhaktiyOgam) etc (ithyAdhi), which were referred to earlier

(poorvasEsha:)

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"GITAMRUTHAM" WILL RESUME IN A LATER SERIES

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