Srimath Thirukkudanthai Desikan (1700 - 1781) Vaibhavam - Part I

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Today (Purattasi-Pooradam) Oct 13, 2002 is the 303rd Thirunakshatram of

Srimath Thirukkudanthai Desikan also known as Gopalarya Mahadesikan who

is an important Acharya in the Munithraya sampradayam. This is a

translation based on an article that appeared in Srimath Andavan Asramam

publication "Srimath Thirukudanthai Gopalarya MahaDesikan's 301st birth

Anniversary Mahothsava Malar" in Nov. 2000. This is part of the

Guruparampara prabhavam written in Manipravalam by Veda Sasthra

Kalpatharu, Ammasamudhram U.Ve Sri. Seshadri Acharya Swami over 100

years back. Ammasamudhram swami was a sishya to Sri Valayapatti Swamy

known as Sri. Vedanta Ramanuja Maha DEsikan who was a disciple to

Annarya Maha DEsikan. (One of the 4 disciples of Vazhuthur Andavan).

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Sri:

 

[image]

 

 

 

Srimath

Thirukkudanthai

Desikan Sri Gopalarya

Maha Desikan (1700 -

1781)

 

Thirunakshatram:

Purattasi Pooradam

 

 

Thanian

Sri Krishna Desika

Padambuja Brunga rAjam

 

VEdAntha lakshmana

muneeindra kripatha

bOtham

Thraiantha dEesika

yatheendra satari

moorthim

Gopala dEsika

sikAmanim Aasrayamaha

 

Meaning of Thanian: Like a bee which goes after the lotus for nectar, He

went after the feet of Sri Krishna Desikan (who was his Father) and had

his Pancha Samskaram and Veda Adyanam under him. He absorbed Vedhantha

gnanam from Vedhantha Lakshmana Muni (Sakshath Swamy). He is an

embodiment of three great acharyas Swami Desikan, Sri Ramanuja and Swami

Nammazhwar. We seek refuge and prostrate such a great acharya Srimath

Gopalarya Maha Desikan.

 

Acharya Lineage:

The foremost and first Acharyan of our sidhantham is Sriman Narayana.

The Acharya lineage flows down to Sri Mahalakshmi. Sri Lakshmi Piratti

gave upadesam to Vishvaksenar who chose Nammazhwar to continue the

lineage at the start of Kaliyuga. Nammazhwar, by his yogic powers, gave

upadesam to Sriman Nathamuni. From there our Acharya lineage continued

through Uyyakkondar, Mannakkal Nambi, Alavandar, Perianambi, and on to

Sri Ramanuja muni. Since the sampradayam was passed down by 3 muniswaras

namely Sriman Nathamuni, Sri Yamunamuni & Sri Ramanujamuni, the

sampradaya came to be known and respected as Munithraya Sampradhaya. It

came down to Vedantha Desikan (1268-1369 AD) who through his literary

works and compositions did a great service to Srivaishnava sampradayam.

Through various Sadacharyas, the acharya lineage came down to Sri

Thirukkudanthai Desikan (Vikrama Purattasi 1700 AD -Plava Karthigai 1781

AD) who was in many aspects reflecting the life of Vedantha Desikan and

is regarded as Apaara Desikan.

 

Sri Gopala Desikan's early years:

Sri Gopala Desikan was born in Aathreya gothram in Sri Appullar's Vamsam

(Swami Desikan's maternal uncle). The kootasthar of this Vamsam Sri

Kidambi Aachaan (also known as madaippalli Aachaan) was doing the

Madaippalli kainkaryam to Sri Ramanuja. Thirukkudanthai Gopala Desikan

was the direct and fifteenth descendant of Appullar. Swami's Avatharam

took place in Vikrama Varusham (1700) purattasi madham, pooradam star,

sukla paksham, navami thithi in dhanur lagnam. His Father Sri Krishna

Suri performed Jatha karmam to the child, offered Thiruvilachinai

prasadham, and named him as Gopala Desikan. Anna Praasanam took place in

his 6th month, Akshara Aarambam was performed in his 5th year and

Upanayanam and BrahmaUpadesam took place in his 7th year as prescribed

in Sastras. Swami received his pancha samaskaram and veda adhyanam from

his father Sri Krishna Suri. From his father, he also learnt tharkam,

vyakaranam, meemamsam, Divya Prabhandham, Desika Prabhandham & Sthothra

paadams of Sri NigamAntha MahA dEsikan and became an erudite scholar.

Sri Krishna Suri instructed his son Gopala Desikan that he must learn

sath sampradhya granthas from the great acharya, gnana vairakya

anushtana sevathi, Srimath Vedantha Ramanuja Maha Desikan, also known as

Saakshaath swami. Saakshaath swami was performing grantha pravachanam at

Srirangam.

 

Sishya of Saakshaath Swami:

As instructed by his father, Sri Gopala Desikan left for Srirangam.

After offering mangalasasanam to Srinivasa perumal at Thiruvinnagar he

went to Thirukkudanthai and offered mangalasasanam to Komala Valli

thaayaar and Lord Sri Aparyaabhdha Amudhan (Aara Amudhan). Then he left

for Srirangam. At Srirangam, Sri Gopala Desikan took his bath at North

Kaveri, performed his nithya karmAnushtAnams and then went to Sakshath

Swami's Ashram at the banks of North Kaveri. Reciting Saakshaath Swami's

tanian "Sri Ranganatha Gurupadha Saroja Hamsam..." he offered his

pranams at the holy feet of Saakshaath swami who glowed just like Sri

Ramanuja as described by Swami Desikan in Yathirajasapthathi.

 

Upaveethinam Oordhwa pundravantham

Thrijagath punya phalam thridhanda hastham

Saranagatha sArtha vAha meedE

Shikaya sekarinam pathim yatheenam "

 

Meaning:- I meditate and pray the chief of yatheeswaras who is adorned

with yagnyopaveetham (the sacred thread), oordhvapundram (the sacred

marks on his body), Thridhandam in his hand (the sacred 3 sticks), the

shika which beautifies his head, the one who pursues, the highest grade

of sanyasa Acharam, who administers saranagathy to the seekers and make

them lead a satraic way of life.

 

Sri Gopala Desikan requested Saakshaath swami to bless him and take him

as a sishya. Saakshath swami, after testing his gnanam, anushtanam and

bhakthi was immencely pleased and blessed him and accepted him as his

sishya. Sri Gopala Desikan studied Srimath Rahasyathraya Saaram, Sri

Bhaashyam, Geethaa Bhaashyam, Sri Paancharaathra Prabruthi, Anushtaana

Granthas, Sruthaprakaasikaa, Thaathparya Chandrikaa, Sathadooshani,

Thathva mukthaa kalaabaa, Nyasavidyaa Darpana and Sri Thathva

Sidhanjanam under the holy feet of Saakshaath swami. Saakshath swami

instructed Sri Gopala Desikan to learn Bhagavath Vishayam from his

Satheerthar and disciple Sri Paduka Sevaka Ramanuja muni, who had learnt

24 Ayirappaddi earlier from Sri Saakshath swami. As instructed, Sri

Gopala dEsikan studied Bhagavath Vishayam from Padhuka Sevaka Ramanuja

muni and became a scholar in that too, and requested Sri Saakshaath

swami for Bharasamarpanam. Saakshaath swami was very much pleased at

his request and perfromed Prapatti for Sri Gopala Desikan at the sacred

feet of Lord Sri Ranganatha through Acharya nishtai.

 

Receiving the title "Thirukkudanthai Desikan":

Under the orders of Lord Aravamudhan in his swapnam, Sri Gopala Desikan,

with the permission of his Acharya, left for Thirukkudanthai for

performing sath sampradhaya pravachanam . He travelled all the way to

Thirukkudanthai via Thirupernagar, Thirukkandi, Thanjaimaamanikkoil,

Thirukoodalur and Kapisthalam. After offering mangalasasanam to Thaayar,

reciting AaviyE, AmudhE, and Aaraa Amudhe, Bhagavadhyana sOpAnam,

Amalan Adipiran etc, he offered prayers with AparyabdhAmritha Dhyana

slokam to Lord at Thirukkudanthai. Lord Aravamudhan appeared thru

archakar and granted the name Thirukkudanthai Desikan and ordered him

to do sath sampradhaya pravachanam from Thulasi-vanam of the temple at

Thirukudanthai. He was performimg oonchavruthi everyday like Swami

Desikan. At that time Sri Desika sampradhaya sishyas were all attracted

by swami's tejas, and performed prostrations with niradhisaya

prathibhakthi at his holy feet with the feeling as if they doing

prostrations for Swami Desikan himself. One morning, when he was

reciting Desika Sahasranamam at Swami Desikan sannadhi, He was

instructed by Swami Desikan himself thru Archamukam to chant Lakshmi

Hayavadhana Manthram every day at the Amudhan sannadhi From then on, he

started chanting Lakshmi Hayavadhana Manthram, everyday at Amudhan

sannadhi strictly abiding by the highest level of sincerity and

devotion. On the 45th day, Lord Hayagreeva appeared thru Archamukam,

blessed him and ordered to do His (Hayagreeva) vigraha pratishtai and

perform nithya aradhana for the vigraha. Swami replied "Anugruhithosmi".

When Thirukkudanthai swami performed vigraha prathishtai as per the

niyamanam, there appeared a divya tejas, the mere sight of which made

every Brammavith present there wondering and prostrating. It mixed with

the divya mangala vigraha of Lord Hayagreeva and disappeared.

 

Thirukkudanthai Desikan's Compositions:

Saakshaath swami had earlier completed vyakyanam for Srimath

Rahasyathrayam for 12 Adhikarams called as Poorva Saaraswaadhini. He was

not able to complete the remaining 20 adhikarams due to his old age.

Thirukkudanthai Desikan was instructed by his Acharya to complete

Vyakyanam for the remaining 20 adhikarams. Sri Gopala Desikan was modest

and was afraid that he might not be able to do it since he felt he did

not have enough knowledge to take up the kainkaryam. But Saakshaath

swami blessed him and said "Swami Hayagreeva will enter into you and

will complete the task through you". Sri Gopala Desikan implicitly

obeyed the orders of his acharya and started working on completing the

vyakyanam started by His Acharyan. By the grace of his Acharya, Sri

Gopala Desikan completed the vyakyanam for the remaining 20 adhikarams

strictly following what Lord Hayagreeva made him write as per Swami

Desikan's vaakyam in Adikara Sangraham "Vellai Parimugar Desikarai

Viragal AdiyOm, Ullathu Ezhuthiyadhu olayil ittanam yaam". The second

part consisting of 20 adhikarams was called as Uthara Saaraswaadhini.

Other works of swami are Ahniga Grantham, Sri Desika sahasranamam,

Nikshepa Chinthamani also known as Saranaagathi Saasthra Vivaranam,

Sangraha Vyaakyaanams for Kanninun Siruththambu, Thiruppallandu, Sri

Jayanthi Nirnayam, Aparyabdhamritha Dhyana sopanam on Araavamudhan

(similar to Bhagavath Dhyana sopanam of Swami Desikan on Lord

Ranganatha)

 

(To be continued)

 

dAsan,

 

Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi.

Shyamsundar Sreenivasan