Srimath Kadandethi Andavan (1829 - 1909) Life history - III

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Sri

Srimathe Rangaramanuja Mahadesikaya Namaha

Srimathe Srinivasa Ramanuja Mahadesikaya Namaha

 

 

Sri Srinivasa Ramanuja Mahadesikan (Srimath Kadanthethi Andavan)

Thirunakshatram: Aavani-Moolam

 

Thanian

Srimath srivAsa yOgi pravarasa karuNa pAnghasanghAdha BHangAth

vEdaanta dvandva vidhya maDHu rasa lahari sanchari kAyamAnaha

tEnAchAryENa ranga praBHu charaNa yugE dhaththa rakshA BHaraSri:

Srimath SrivAsa rAmAvaraja muNimaNis santhatham srEyasEsyAth

 

Srimath KAdandhEthi Andavan's Life history and PrabhAvam - Part -3

 

(contd. from Part 2)

 

Sri Varada Vedanthachariar and Andavan Ashramam

Sri Varada Vedanthachariar received his Bharanyasam from the great mahan

acharya Sri Srinivasa Mahadesikan also called fondly as Srimath

Periandavan. Srimath Periandavan was in Sanyasashramam for 55

Chaturmasyams (years) and attained thirunadu in early 1884. Just 4

months before attaining Thirunadu, Srimath Periandavan gave Sanyasam to

Sri Veliyanallur Srinivasaghavachariar to become the succeeding Andavan

in Nov 1883. He was given the name 'Paduka Sevaka Ramanuja Mahadesikan'

and was also called as Srimath Chinnandavan. Srimath Chinnandavan

undertook sancharam to Kanchipuram and returned back to Srirangam and

was perfroming sampradaya pravachanam. When Srimath Chinnandavan's

health was affected in early 1890s, he longed for a successor for this

sampradhayam. Sri Therezhundur Varadachar Swami at a very young age,

readily offered himself for the ascetic order. But sishyas in the close

circle conveyed to Srimath Chinnandavan that if sanyasam is given to

Varadachar swami, there will be nobody to take care of his family

consisting of his aged parents and his very young wife. Sri Varadachar

swami also did not beget any issues at the time. Having heard these,

ChinnAndavan was upset and did not proceed further with that thought

though he was convinced that Therezhundur Varadachar swami will one day

become an Acharya for this Ashramam. Srimath Chinnandavan's health

suddenly detiorated and He attained Thirunadu in January 1894 at the age

of 65 after decorating the Aacharya peetam for 10 Chaturmasyams. Since

the end came so sudden, Chinnandavan could not appoint any successor for

the sampradayam.

 

For 11 long years due to many difficulties faced by the Ashramam, no

acharya was in the Acharya sthaanam of Srimath Andavan Ashramam. But

after the kainkaryam was performed for Srimath Chinnandavan, Sri

Therezhundur Varadachariar sold his family property at Therezhundur and

settled down in Srirangam with his family and performed Paduka

Aradhanam, Thirumanjanam for Archa moorthys of acharyas and other

ashrama kainkaryam at the Ashramam everyday during this long period. In

1905 after 11 years without acharya, Andavan sishyas identified one.

Having known the greatness and gnana, anushtana and vairagyam of Sri

Varada Vedanthachariar, Andavan Ashramam sishyas went to Thirukkudanthai

and requested him to accept sanyasam and become their Acharya and

continue the Andavan Ashramam sampradayam. Sri Varada Vedanthachariar

was already 76 years old then. But he knew Theruzundur swamy was an able

swami to become an Andavan and that he could not take up sanyasam at

that time due to other reasons. He decided to accept the sanyasa

ashramam with the intent of satisying the longing of Andavan sishyas for

an Acharya and also with the intent of appointing Therezundur

Varadachariar as the next Andavan at an appropriate time.

 

38th pattam Thirukkudanthai Azagiyasingar

He approached 38th pattam Azhagiyasingar Srimath Srinivasa Sadagopa

yatheendra Mahadesikan (Thirukkudanthai Azagiyasingar) with other

Andavan sishyas and requested him to give sanyasa ashramam to him. 38th

pattam Srimath Azagiyasingar was similarly given sanyasam by Srimath

Poundarikapuram Andavan just a month earlier (July 1905) after a gap of

5 1/2 years in Ahobila Mutt Acharya succession. He was immediately

delighted in doing the same upahaaram done to Ahobila Matam by

Poundarikapuram Andavan, to another great acharya vamsam of Periandavan

and agreed to give sanyasa ashramam to Sri Varada Vedanthachariar. Sri

Varada Vedanthachariar accepted the Preksha manthram and sanyasa

ashramam from Srimath Azhagiyasingar and became the 6th Andavan of

Andavan Ashramam in Avani month of 1905 (Tamil year Visvavasu) at

Nrusimhapuram in front of hundreds of sishyas of Andavan Ashramam,

Ahobila Matam and srivaishnavas of Tirukkudanthai. He was given the name

"Srinivasa Ramanuja Mahadesikan" and was called as Thirukkudanthai

Andavan and also as Kadandethi Andavan. An Andavan thiruvadi,

Tiruvaheendrapuram Ashtavadani Sri Anathachariar composed and offered

the tanian "Srimath SrivAsa yOgi.." for Kadandethi Andavan at the

sannidhi of Sri Ranganatha Perumal in the village of Adanur.

 

Next day, Srimath Kadandethi Andavan prostrated Srimath Azhagiyasingar

and took leave of him and surrounded by the delighted Andavan Ashramam

sishyas, left on sanchaaram to divya kshetrams Kapisthalam, Aduthurai

Perumal Koil, Rayampettai, Thirukkandiyur, Koneri Rajapuram,

Appakudathaan and Uthamarkovil and reached the ashramam in Srirangam.

Srimath Andavan being a great upasaka of Hayagreeva manthra used to keep

hot kollu sundal on his head and medidate on Hayagriiva mantharam. On

each occasion, Lord Hayagriiva came in the form of a horse and put His

front legs on Andavan's shoulders and eat the sundal (depicted in the

picture above). At the ashramam Srimath Andavan perfromed samasrayanam,

bharanyasam and sath sampradaya pravachanam to the sishyas for over 3

years. But due to his old age, Srimath Andavan used to faint and lose

conciousness during pravachanam.

 

Srimath Nammandavan

In 1908, as Srimath Andavan was getting older and weaker by day, he

decided it was time to hand over the Acharya peetam to Therezhundur

swami and communicated this to him through his sishyas. On hearing this,

Therezhundur swami rushed to Srirangam leaving his family and

properties. He gave all the manthra powers of saptha koti (7 crores)

Thiruvastaakshara manthram he had earned to Therezhundur swami and said

it will help in his winning over everyone to our sath-sampradayam. He

gave preksha manthram and sanyasa ashramam to Theruzhundur swami in Aug

1908 (tamil year Keelakam) and made him the 7th Andavan with title

Srimath Vedantha Ramanuja Mahadesikan who was also called as Nammandavan

and Therezundur Andavan. After having restored the Andavan Ashramam

sampradayam to its glory and after appointing a great avathara pursha

like Nammandavan as the succeeding Acharya, Srimath Kadandethi Andavan

graced His sishyas in leela vibuti for 6 more months and in early 1909

attained Thirunadu (Tamil year Keelaka, Masi month, Krishna paksham,

Dwadasi thithi) after 3 chaturmasyams at the age of 79 years.

 

Srimathe Srinivasa Ramanuja Mahadesikaya Namaha:

 

Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi,

Shyamsundar Sreenivasan