SRI RANGA SRI VOL. I / 016 d/01/11/01

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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 / 016 DATED 11th January 2001

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EDITORIAL

Dear Bhagavatas:

On this "KooDArai vellum Seer" day, we are happy to dedicate this

16th Issue of "Sri Ranga Sri" at the holy feet of "SooDIk koDutha

SuDarkkkoDI", ANDAL and Yathi SArvabhouma H.H. Srimad Andavan,

Prakritam Pontiff of Poundarikapuram Swami Ashramam, ParavakkoTTai

Srimad GoOpAladesika mahA Desikan Swami. In this issue, we conclude

the present series on "AchArya Vamsa Vriksham" with a homage to this

great mahAn (in addition to the usual feature of "Sri Ranga Vijayam")

 

May the NachiyAR who gave us this gem of message in "KooDArai vellum

Seer" help us win over by our sheer love and affection, even those

who may not be well disposed of towards us and bless us with perfect

amity, mutual understanding and friendly cooperation in the days

ahead!

 

May this great Maharishi of PounDarikapuram Ashramam whose

SathAbhishEkam celebrations (81st Birthday) are slated for

March 24-31, 2001 bless us to realize his twin themes of

 AnushTAnam at the personal level and

 unity of SrivishNavas at the community level!

 

All the Prakritam Yathis of Swami Desika SampradAyam, notably H.H.

Azhagiyasinghar of AhObila Mutt, H.H. Srirangam Srimad Andavan of

PeriyAsramam, H.H. Abhinava VAgheesa Brahma Tantra Swatantra Swami of

ParakAla Mutt, Mysore, Sri Rangapriya Yathi of AshTAnga YOga VigjnAna

Mandiram, Bangalore - act as Patrons and will grace the occasion by

their presence.

 

This is the time for all of us to join them by closing our ranks and

rallying behind this messiah of unity - a message which he is never

tired of emphasizing - a message delivered to us also by H.H. Srimad

Andavan of PeriyAsramam and Sri Rangapriya Yathi in their recent Tele-

Upanyasams.

 

This is the time for all Sishyas and AbhimAnis of all monastic

institutions to demonstrate their unity by unanimously coming

together and contributing their best both monetarily and by

physically attending the celebrations

 

May I humbly request you to contribute generously for this unique

Jayanthi celebrations of the Senior most Yathi srEshTa both in point

of age and date of SannyAsa sweekaraNam and who is affectionately

hailed by all other yathivaras in superlative terms?

 

Contributions from the USA are tax exempt. Please mail your checks

to: SMSA Inc, c/o Smt. Nagu Satyan, 7821 W Alder Drive Littleton, CO

80128 Please indicate on the memo of your check that your

contribution is for Srimad Poundarikapuram Ashramam.

 

For those who like to remit in Indian Rupees: Please draw the checks

or drafts in favor of "S.P.A.V Trust, 81st Jayanthi a/c and send to

SrikAryam, Srimad Poundarikapuram Andavan Ashramam, 43- A/13, Asramam

Road, Srirangam, TRICHY. PIN 620006, India.

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

Editor & Publisher

"Sri Ranga Sri"

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ACHARYA VAMSA VRIKSHAM - Part 42

THE LINE OF MUNI TRAYA PARAMPARA CONTINUES - 10

SRIMAD POUNDARIKAPURAM ASHRAMA ANDAVANS

(Anbil Ramaswamy)

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M. 38 . SRIMAD ANDAVAN - PRAKRITAM ACHARYA

(THE PRESENT PONTIFF)

(PARAVAKKOTTAI SRI GOPALA DESIKA MAHA DESIKAN) (Panguni- Rohini)

(VED) " Swami was born in the year Roudri on the 2nd day of Panguni

under the star of Rohini, corresponding to 17th March 1921 in the

Mazhaiyur village as the son of Sri VenkatAchAr Swami and JAnaki

AmmAl, the daughter of PurANam VidwAn Sri KuppuswAmi Iyengar Swami.

 

(*The village was gifted to the forefathers of this family about 6

generations earlier. From that time onwards the further generations

of the family had been living there *SMM)

 

Srimad AaNDavan was named RAjagOpAlan after the presiding deity of

MannArgudi temple which at the time of his birth was celebrating the

Thiru Ther (car) festival. Paravakkottai Sri VenkatAchAriAr Swami was

a pious scholar (belonging to Vadhula GOtram KandhADaiyAr family) who

fashioned his life strictly according to the prescribed rules for a

Sri VaishNava. He had received instruction in Rahasya Traya SAra at

the feet of PouNDarika Puram Srimad AaNDavan. His elder brother,

(*Sri Chakravarthi AachAriAr* SMM), also had been performing Biksha

services to Srimad AaNDavan.

 

When child RAjagOpAlan was 2 ½ years old, his mother died and two

aunts from Thillaiambur came to look after the child. After the

Upanayanam SamskAram, Sri RAjagOpAlan was placed under MannArgudi Sri

SrinivAsa GOpAlachAriar for Vedic instruction.

 

Later, he joined K.R.M. Estate PATasAla and studied Sanskrit poetry

under a distinguished VidwAn Peruga VAzhndAn Sri Krishnamachariar

Swami. Owing to the hard discipline of the teacher, the pupil was

able to acquire proficiency in Sanskrit.

 

Later, the boy was admitted into the Sanskrit college at ShOlinga

Puram by Sri A.R.KrishnamAchAriAr Swami who also instructed him in

Champu literature. Because of the boy's proficiency in Sanskrit (* in

1936*SMM), he was admitted into the 3rd Year class in the Sanskrit

College, Tirupathi, in which he studied hard for 6 years. When he

returned to Thillaiambur, during the summer holidays, he did not

waste a single moment; he used the occasion to study Granthas under

Vidwan Sri VenkatAchAriAr Swami.

 

During his stay at the Sanskrit college, he had as class mates or

College mates some of the distinguished scholars of the present time,

such as –

 PURISAI KRISHNAMA CHARIAR Swami, the Editor of Nrisimhapriya,

 VILLIVALAM SRI NARAYANA CHARIAR SWAMI a great scholar and

PoorvASrama brother of the present 45th Pontiff of Ahobila Mutt and

 Mylapore Sri SrinivAsAchAriar, who later set up a Publishing

house `*Sarasa Kala Nilayam' *SMM) solely for the purpose of printing

and publishing the works of our great AchAryas like (*MelpAkkam

NarasimhAchAriar, Marudur A.R. KrishnamAchAriAr *SMM). Sri

Rajagopalan moved with these persons intimately, true to the saying

" Birds of the same feather flock together".

 

(*When he was just 12 years old, he had his SamAsrayaNam and

BharaNyAsam done by the Great PouNDarikapuram AaNDavan himself *SMM).

 

Having lost the mother at a tender age, child RAjagOpAlan had to

perform the mother's annual SrAddham. He lived such a pure and

disciplined life in strict conformity with Sri VaishNava tradition as

to win the awe and regard of the learned SrivaishNavas of

Thillaiambur. They regarded him as another VASISHTA and would not

dare to do or say anything unorthodox during the SrAddham.

 

(*.He would never take ParAnnam(food outside) even from his childhood

*SMM)

 

Two days before RAjagOpAlan's father attained the lotus feet of the

Lord, he had advised his son to do VedAnta KAlakshEpam under the feet

of the Jeeyar of ParakAla Mutt. An obedient son that he was, Sri

RAjagOpAlan went to Mysore and studied under Srimad Abhinava

RanganAtha ParakAla Swami such branches of knowledge as Grantha

ChatushTayam. Later, he learnt under DeekshAchAr Swami, NyAya

SiddhAnjanam, Tattva MuktA KalApam and NyAya Parisuddhi and returned

to Thillaiambur in 1947.

 

The Swami Participated in six examinations in vEdAntha SAstras

conducted by "VedaAnta Desika VichAra Sadas" under the direction of

the Jeeyar of ParakAla Mutt. He also passed the Purva and Uttara

parts of our Vedanta in the examination conducted by "Mysore MahArAja

Vidwat Pariksha".

 

Later, he entered GrihastAsramam marrying Lakshmi, the eldest

daughter of Tiruk Kudanthai AarupAthi SEtlur Sri SrinivAsAchAriar

Swami, who was a strict follower of VaishNava Aachaarams and had done

VEdAntha KAlakshEpam. The couple was blessed with five sons and a

daughter.

 

After getting employed as a Sanskrit Pundit at Musiri, Sri Raja

gOpAlA chariar Swami used to visit Srirangam in connection with the

affairs of the Asramam, which was always uppermost in his mind.. On

such occasions he would call on Sri MadhurAntakam Vira RAghavAchariar

Swami and cultivate his acquaintance.

 

(* Whenever he prostrated at the feet of MadhurAntakam Swami, the

latter would do ` Prathivandanam'. Our Swami felt embarrassed and hit

up on a plan to stop the `Prathivandanam'. So, he submitted that he

had not been initiated into Vaisvadevam and requested MadhurAntakam

Swami to initiate him. This done, the MadhurAntakam Swami had become

his AchAryan also and there was no way for him to do `Prathivandanam'

anymore! *SMM) From the distinguished scholar and Vidwan, he received

Vaisva deva UpadEsam, for which he fell prostrate at the feet of the

MadhurAntakam scholar. The latter did not relish such respect offered

to him and felt extremely uncomfortable.

 

At the age 59, Sri RAjagOpAlAchariar Swami accompanied by his family

proceeded to KshetrADanam bathing in the Narmada, Ganga, Triveni

Confluence and afterwards offered worship at Gaya, HaridwAr and

BhadarikAsramam. Then, he went to Ahobilam where he participated in

the 10 days Utsavam of Lord Nrisimha and returned to Musiri.

 

TAKING HOLY ORDER

Srimad VeNNAtranKarai Andavan was keen and anxious to nominate a

successor so that the Muni Traya Munirupa tradition could be

continued without break in the Acharya line. He used to sound the

SrikAryam Sri RAjagOpAla Iyengar about this and persuaded him to

assume the SannyAsa Aasrama. One day, on the spur of the moment, he

called the SrikAryam and administered PrEsha Mantra, Prapatti YOgam,

SannyAsa anushTAna Kramam and Aashrama Sweekaara-Kramam. The day

before he merged with JyOti, he called Sri RAjagOpAla Swami and gave

him the ochre robes, (* Avakundanam, Jala Pavitram, Sikhyam, Kavacha

Vastrams etc. *SMM) and staff as well as the keys of the Aasramam and

commanded that he should assume the role of the Acharya in a year or

two. But, for more than a year and a half the Ashramam remained

without an Acharya.

 

Owing to the appeal and entreaties of many eminent persons such as

the late lamented 44th Jeeyar of Ahobila Mutt, Ubhaya VedaAnta

NAVANEETHAM RAMA DESIKA CHARIAR SWAMI, MADURANTAKAM SRI VEERA

RAGHAVACHARIAR SWAMI, (*MannArgudi M.S. RangAchAriar Swami,

VeNNAtranKarai VelAmur SowrirAja Iyengar *SMM) and a host of others,

the SrikAryam Sri RAjagOpAla Swami occupied the PeeTam of the Acharya

in a picturesque ceremony held at VenNNAr Bank, ThanjAvur. The place

appropriately chosen for this solemn purpose is twice-blessed. Three

of the 108 Divya Desas lie here close to each other; it is the native

place of VeNNAtranKarai Srimad AaNDavan and the resting place of

VeLiyanallur Srimad AaNDavan; it is further sanctified by its

association with three of our PurvAchAryas- Sri Nainar Acharya,

Brahma Tantra Swatantra Swami and Saakshaat Swami. The Asrama

Sweekaranam took place on 20th February 1982, DwAdasi day of MAsi

month in the cyclic year Dunmathi, when he assumed the new name "

SRIMAD GOPALA DESIKA MAHA DESIKAN".

 

(*On the previous day , on EkAdasi day, he performed JEEVA SRAADDHA

as ANNA SRAADDHA. As many as 16 scholars participated in the

NimantraNa like U.V. MadhurAntakam VidwAn VeerarAghavAchAriar Swami,

VidwAn Villupuram MadhavAchAriar Swami, AHOBILA MATAM SRIKARYAM

SWAMI, PERIYAASRAMAM U.V PADUKAA SWAMI, VaDuvoor Salakshana

GaNapADigal who acted as Brihaspathi, Bangalore Veda Vidwan

Swachannam AnanthAchAriar who acted as Brahma *SMM)

 

(*Throughout the night, he kept awake along with others when

MadhurAntakam Swami delivered discourses on SatkathA and VEdAnthas.

 

NEVER BEFORE IN THE ANNALS OF ANY MATAM OR ASRAMAM WAS SUCH A

JEEVASRAADDHAM HAD BEEN PERFORMED. *SMM)

 

(*The ParakAla Mutt Swami presented as Hayagriva PrasAdam a KamaNDalu

and KashAyam *SMM)

 

SRIMAD ANDAVAN'S MANY-SIDED SERVICES TO RELIGION

Shortly after taking charge of the Asramam, Srimad Andavan who had

spent long and laborious years in "collecting" VEDAntic knowledge,

was now called upon by the 44th Jeeyer of Ahobila Mutt, to collect a

big sum of money to meet the expenses for the construction of the

12th tier of the RAja GOpuram of Srirangam temple. Undaunted, Srimad

AaNDavan through the active help and cooperation of his disciples (*

like Tirumalaikattam Villankuppam P.A.RanganAtha ThAthAchAriar Swami

of Shenoynagar Amuda Mukunda KalyAna ManTapam *SMM) was able to

collect a sum of Rs.3,43,000/- which was presented to Srimad Azhagiya

Singhar.

 

Srimad AaNDavan's devotion to his and our PurvAchAryas is too

apparent to need any special mention. He renovated the BrindhAvanam

of VeLiyanallur Sriman Narayana Maha Desikan at VenNNAr Bank,

erecting a four pillared ManTapam and installing the idol of the

Acharya. (*He also raised a compound wall and an iron fence all

around the MaNTapam *SMM)

 

(*In 1989, the Swami visited VeNNAtranKarai, where the local host,

Sri SowrirAja Iyengar honored him with Poornakumbham and a heavy

garland that adorned Neelameghap PerumAL. It was a sight for Gods to

see! *SMM)

 

Under Srimad AaNDavan's direction, Swami DEskan's shrine in East

Uttara Street was completely renovated. The Utsava idol of Lord

Hayagriva, previously worshipped by one Amma Sathram SEshAchAriar

Swami was handed over to the Aasramam by his grandsons on June

13,1990. This idol, as well as idols of AshTabujan and VaikunTanAthan

were installed in the shrine. (*The Asramam building as well as the

PushkaraNi were renovated at a cost of Rs. 1.5 lakhs. *SMM)

 

Under the patronage and Presidentship of the AachArya, the " Sat

sampradAya Samrakshana Sabha"- registered as a Society was founded in

1986 to foster FREE Sanskrit education and offer FREE instruction in

the Vedas, Prabhandam and other Grantha ChatushTayam.

 

The Nitya Aradhana plan to provide uninterrupted Aradhana in the

Aasramam was created with a deposit of Rs.1,000 collected from each

disciple. The amount donated under the head has been deposited in the

Bank and the accruing interest is being utilized for the

administration of the Aasramam.

 

A revised edition of Rahasya Traya SAra was published in 1990.

Chillarai Rahasyangals of Swami Desika have also been published by

the Swami - in three parts.

 

Srimad Andavan has been imparting instruction to the disciples

through Kalakshepams. On such occasions, the disciples have highly

benefited by Srimad AaNDavan's approach, his mastery of the subject,

the clarity of thought and the ease with which he reduces any

complicated concept in philosophy or theology into simple and clear

terms."

 

His Tanian reads as follows:-

Srivaasa Ranga Parakaala Munitrayaabda Lakshmaatma

Rakshana Yathitva Yugaaga Maantham /

Achaarya Bhakthi Pari bhootham Anargha Seelam

Gopaala Desika Munim Gurum Aasrayaamah //

(meaning)

We seek refuge at the sacred feet of our revered AchAryan ,

Sri Gopala MahA Desikan , who received the sacred rites of

SamAsrayaNam , Bhara SamarpaNam , ThurIyAsramam and

the wealth of Ubhaya VedAntham from the three great

AchAryAs , SrinivAsa MahA DEsikan , Sri Ranganatha MahA dEsikan

and ParakAla Matam Swami . He shines with illustrious sadAchAram

and is resplendent with his limitless AchArya Bhakthi .

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"Sri Ranga Vijayam"

14."The Lord rediscovered by kiLi chOzhan"

Translated by Anbil Ramaswamy, based on the booklet of

Purisai Sri Krishnamachariar Swami, Editor, Nrisimhapriya

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Long after the time of Dharmavarma, once kAveri was in great floods.

The entire city was submerged including Sri Ranga VimAnam. The whole

place looked like veritable sand dunes. Much later, one of the

successors of Dharmavarma came to the very place ahunting. Having

become tired, he rested under the shade of a tree. A parrot perched

on top of the tree was repeating the following slOka:

kAvEri virajA sEyam vaikunTam Rangamandiram

sa vAsudEvO RangEsa: prathyaksham paramam padam /

vimAnam praNavAkAram vEda srungham mahAtbhutham

SrI RangasAyee BhagavAn praNavArtha prakAska: //

Meaning

 This kAveri which is the holy Viraja river that flows on the

borders of SrivaikuNTam.

 This Sri Rangam, the abode of Sri RanganAtha is SrivaikuNTam

itself.

 This Sri RanganAtha is none other than ParavAsudEva reclining on

the

serpent bed of AdisEsha.

 This BhoolOka VaikuNTam is the same as the Nityavibhuthi

SrivaikuNTam with the difference that SamsAris on earth can see with

their own eyes and enjoy the experience available only in the

Nityavibhuthi.

 Sri Ranga VimAnam is of the shape of PraNavam.

 The "kalasams' atop the VimAnam are the Upanishads (vEdasrungham),=

 

the crown jewels of the Vedas.

 The Lord who reclines here is constantly brining to light the

meaning of this PraNavam"

 

The King could not figure out what the parrot was saying and why. On

his return to his palace, he consulted his ministers. They told him

what they had heard through hearsay, that the big temple with its

ramparts (prAkArams) was buried under the sand dunes. The King

ordered clearing the trees and the debris. But, having had no luck in

unearthing the temple, he became very depressed.

 

That night, BhagavAn appeared in his dream and asked him to continue

the digging and assured him that He would give Darshan at the very

spot where he was resting. The next morning, the King ordered the

commencement of the digging work with renewed vigor. He was delighted

to find Sri Ranga VimAnam emerging from under the debris.

 

He caused the renovation of the temple, reconstruction of the

mantaps, and the relaying of the roads etc. He constructed strong

embankments on the banks of the rivers to avoid a repetition of

erosion in the future. He performed the "SamprOkshaNam" and

recommenced the various festivals(utsavams) as usual.

 

Since the parrot indicated the location of the Lord's place, he

constructed a mantap and called it the "Parrot mantap" (kiLi

mantapam) brought a number of parrots and reared them in the mantap.

Even to this day, one can see parrots being nurtured in this mantap.

Since he was inspired by the parrot to renovate, he is remembered

as "Parrot ChOzhan" (KiLichOzhan)

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To Continue: 15. The Glory of Sri Rangam

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