asmadhAchAryan Thirunakshathram special- Part 2- concluding part

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SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika Mahadesikaya namah:

Dearest Srivaishnavas,

 

Here is the second and final part of Swami's life history...

 

IN THE SANYAASA ORDER:

He lives a simple life; he eats a very simple meal. More fasting days will

intersperse in his agenda than in the case of ordinary sanyaasis. But it is

not surprising because he has a manner of speaking; he lived strict

disciplined style of living as Brahmachari or Grihasta too. When he used to

visit places he has never waived the abstention-from-Paraannam. Such a life

style might be even incomprehensible to many modern readers unfamiliar with

old discipline.

 

The asrama atmosphere is precisely befitting the denotation ‘Asrama’. It

is very much like the hermitage of the ancient sages we have heard of. This,

not withstanding the fact that basic amenities like electricity, fan etc.

have been introduced out of necessity; yes, we disciples and visitors cannot

afford to go without them! A small pond, with non-metal supports at the

steps to help the Acharya to cling to for the exclusive use of the Acharya

for total immersion bath that is a must for that (sanyasa) order.

 

Ever since he took over Sanyasa order, he depends only on walking, to

reach any place. Therefore, he has denied himself the Archaanubava which he

cherishes most. Without any fear of contradiction or an impression that the

statement is an exaggeration, his love for Archa, his attachment to our

shrines, his love for Azhvars’ works are all so very deep that he has had

complete satisfaction in terms of Kshetratana even in the Poorvasrama having

fulfilled Badrikasrama pilgrimage too. He loves the traditional festivals,

the captivating charm that the Lord sports etc. but then on that score, he

can simply not be walking to various shrines in these days of fall in

standards of orthodoxy. Readers would appreciate, in this context, that our

acharya revels-rightly so-in the opportunity for Acharya seva and acceptance

of Divyadesa-honour when Sri Malola camps at the Dasavataram shrine.

Especially at the present day he has suffered in health and finds it

difficult to walk. He feels crippled and denied the pleasure of attendance

at the festivities at the Sri Desikan Sannidhi, in East Uttara Street, which

shrine that ashrama maintains. in the recent October festivity of the

Tercentenary of Thirukkudanthai Desikan, he preferred camp for four days in

the Ahobila Mutt a few yards off, so that the walking strain could be

minimized. But the all this has been the order prescribed by pristine

precedent of his revered predecessors.

 

Disciples staying locally cherish the participation in the morning

Abhigamana, Saathumurai Teertha-prasada, then a daily kalakshepam for almost

an hour and a half. From noon Madhyanhika bath,etc. till about 4.30p.m he

has private existence. Thereafter till about 6p.m. and later, if possible

from 8 to 10 p.m. he is available for the public to pay homage to

respectfully consult etc. Pancha samskara and Bharanyasa are not mere

rituals in his mind; they are perfecting reforms on the soul and body. They

are therefore, administered only after elaborate preliminary purifications,

long instructions and very simple explanations that he takes pains to

deliver. It is all one-to-one communication. Disciples, if they really

cherish to have these self-purification practices, have to rise to and live

upto certain standards. The Andavan insists on our sticking to Sikha (tuft);

regular performance of Sandhyavandana and observance of elementary

principles of orthodoxy.

 

One cannot lightly retort:” How can we live upto such demanding

expectations these days?” Because, discerning disciples living even in

foreign coumtries come, get away to live as he advises. It is faith that is

needed. And that faith he himself inspires.

 

Readers would appreciate his approach if a particular incident is touched

upon. An Andhra IAS officer who had once come to Srirangam on an official

assignment heard of our Acharya living like a beacon-light; the officer

wanted to pay homage to the Andavan and have prapatti performed, he having

heard of it. He indeed did not have a clear perceptions but he had an urge.

I will briefly construct the dialogue as one having been a witness to it and

having functioned as an interpreter. Purely accidentally though.

 

Seeker : “I am fed up with life. I have not married. Family problems

are torturing me. I will prefer to have Prapatti. I have got that faith.

 

Andavan : It is all right. But you cannot simply have Prapatti like that.

For performing Prapatti on your behalf, I should ensure that your life style

is to some extent God-abiding; you should have Sikha.

 

Seeker: I shall.

 

Andavan : Do you perform Sandhyavandana?

 

Seeker; Sorry, but I worship Gayatri Devi…

 

Andavan : Sandhyavandana is the only way of worship of Gayatri. Perhaps you

have not done all these years.

 

Seeker; I shall now start.

 

Andavan: you can read Sanskrit? Here is the book. Today itself I will ask my

helper to instruct you. You start it now. Sport a Sikha(tuft).

 

Seeker: I shall do so.

 

Andavan: you will first hace Pancha samskara. You should then do Gayatri

Japam amd Ashtakshara Japam. A few days later we can have Prapatti but then,

there is one more hitch. You are going to surrender to Lord Sriman

Narayanan. Thereafter you ought to live a life of a chaste wife (to Him).

That is, you have only one God. You should abjure the erstwhile habit of

praying and worshipping scores of deities. The essence of Saranagathi would

be lost if you do not change your life in this respect. Would your relatives

– brothers etc., co-exist with you? Could you order your life away from

them? These are easy and essential; but you should also feel so.

 

Seeker: Already I am having great devotion for Lord Vishnu. I shall behave

well. I am greatly dejected and frustrated. Can you not kindly perform it in

a day or two?

 

Andavan: No great urgency. Turn a new leaf. I will surely help you. But you

ought to satisfy me.

 

Whether the seeker had his way or not is a different matter. The dialogue

had already continued for over two hours. I could not really satisfy myself

with regard to the purpose of my own visit! Andavan did not budge an inch;

at the same time he did not dismiss the seeker away.

 

My purpose in narrating the episode in some detail is to indicate that

Srimad Andavan was really earnest in helping a soul; only he could not

compromise, his demands were also not impossible of fulfillment. It was not

a real Apat (danger imminence); there was no question of a real emergency.

It could not be designated as seeking Arta Prapatti. At the same time, Sri

Andavan’s condescension to spare so much of his precious time pained me.

Hence I ventured to intervene in Tamil: Should Srimad Andavan endeavour so

much in the case of starter (beginner)? Perhaps he would prove a

non-starter. Somehow he has got the feeling that Prapatti will solve his

family problems. And he has heard of the kindliness of the Acharya; he has

to be taught the elements of our Sampradayam, sicne he is not a

Srivaishnava”?

 

Do you know what the reply was?

 

“He has come with a confidence. I have tried to help him. If he turns a new

leaf I will have the satisfaction of having a soul from the Samsara cycle.

Who knows? He may agree to fulfill my requirements.”

 

I really felt thrilled to witness this kind of approach. It is not as though

he is cold to real piety; nor even that he would help only established

disciples, performing Prapatti in absentia to their grand children and great

grand children even. He is all kindness; he will perform Prapatti to the

deserving and yearning souls, whoever they may be; only they ought to earn

for it!

 

This recalls to me another phenomenon. Everyday visitors come; they take so

much of his time, it is not that they are all his disciples. In fact a large

majority are NOT. Yet he makes no discrimination. He makes kind enquiries;

grants suitable advice; offers consolation; even enquires as to how they are

going to please Antharyami (i.e. where they are going to eat). If the reply

is not re-assuring, he unhesitatingly treats the visitor to lunch in the

Asramam. In the manner of courteous dialogue, he not only equals, but even

excels his own hero, Sri Ramabhadra! It is perhaps only in this that he

simulates the courtesies of a householder!

 

Readers are aware of the circumstances under which the Asramam is making

headway. May be the financial strength is enormously better now than when he

took over 20 years ago. Even today he sometimes recalls how his predecessors

used to keep one or two currency notes in some wall crèche or in a Sri

Bhashya text. Another would have even hesitated to take over. He himself

knew it. In the manner of Sri Devanavilagam Azhagiyasingar, once counseling

caution to Sri Kannan Swami in regard to the ascent to the Asrama seat, the

latter (Thirukkudanthai Andavan) being well aware of financial straits in

which this Asramam was, lightly suggested it appears to Swami to ponder. As

an alternative and as a good encouragement, he told our Swami: In fact you

have a good reputation, and rightly so, as a occupant, your services in this

regard would not be available to the public at large. In that way I have

regrets. “ Of course, our Swami had no two thoughts, thankfully so!

 

This takes me incidentally to another aspect: Sri Andavan would be acclaimed

as a Ramayana expositor par excellence. When he delivers lectures on Puranic

themes, especially his familiarity with highly intricate issues, recondite

literary sources, subtle matters of dharmic impact and eminently enjoyable

interpretations and highly impressive and impactful delivery are all

evident. For particular example, his discourses on Yathiraja Sapthathi,

Gopala Vimsathi and Padhukasahasram could be cited. As evidence of material

available in print, please refer to his recent book on Ramayana (Ramapiranai

karpOm) released on the occasion of the SathAbhishekam function (the second

issue upto Padhuka Pattabhishekam is released on this year Panguni Rohini-

on 7th April) It is a treasure for Ramayana lovers. It is therefore no

exaggeration to state that what we gained for the Ashramam and for our

Sampradayam did really entail a loss to the larger public world of Purana

listening.

 

True the disciples are, in recent times, witnessing the monetary

improvement of the Ashramam. Sri Andavan is not very happy; he feels all

that would cast a strain on the management and might create problems. The

disciples well-meaningly take the importance of finance in these days, the

Acharya prefers to depend on Bhagavth Sankaplam! “SaraNyan will take care.

He knows what is best. Things will turn out well. I have faith.” This is

his usual refrain.

 

This does not make him miserly. When it comes to honoring Vedic pandits and

Vedantha Vidwans,. He becomes lavishingly generous. The impact of His

Holiness Sri Mukkoor Azhagiya Singar in this respect of courteousness is

palpable.

 

The world knows that Sri Desika probably designated Sri Poundarikapuram

Andavan Ashramam for carrying on the torch of the Rahasya works, their

propagation, their publication in print as the right heir, so to say. From

the 1950s, till date, four volumes have come out all of them encompass the

magum opus Srimad Rahasyathrayasaram and the assorted Rahasyas called

SillaRai Rahasyas with a few other Manipraval works. Some have seen second

and third editions. What a lot of interest Sri Andavan has shown in every

minutest aspect of the editions is to be learnt to be believed! When the

work is taken up, he somehow will provide fund. When it is out he rejoices;

to discerning seekers he liberally gifts copies. Some of these phenomena may

rightly or wrongly give a rosy picture of the financial stability of the

establishment! Be it so!

 

Acharya Bhakti is rightly very much emphasized by Sri Desika. We have, by

dint of our good deeds over many births, so to say, an Acharya of

incomparable stature. Some particular great personage truly described our

Acharya as “God walking in our midst.”. A reference to this phrase is

unpalatable to Srimad Andavan, because he spurns hyperboles. But fact is a

fact. Think of Him; repeat his Thaniyan sloka or vakya; do so before you

begin any Sankalpa; before any auspicious deed; before you begin to rise and

walk from bed; before you start an act; before you begin a deal; before you

begin ThiruArAdhanam. Now I shall conclude with the invocation verse

(Thaniyan) and explain the content:

 

Srivaasa Ranga Parakaala Munitrayaapta Lakshmaatma

Rakshana Yathitva Yugaagamaantham /

Achaarya Bhakthi Pari pootham Anargha Seelam

Gopaala Desika Munim Gurum Aasrayaamaha //

 

MEANING:

 

Srivaasa Lakshmana aatmaraksha: From one Srinivasa Mahadesikan namely

Poundarikapuram Andavan, both Samasryana that is the symbol of Vaishnavism

and soul’s protection (Bharanyasa) were received.

 

Srivasa taitiva- From another Srinivasa Mahadesikan, namely Sri

Vinnarrankari Andavan Sanyaas initiation, emblems etc.. were received.

 

Rangaparakala Yugagamaantham- From Abhinava Rangantha Parakala Swami, Ubhaya

Vedantha knowledge was secured.

 

Munitrayaapta- Thus all were received from a triad of Sanyaasis- yet another

munitraya.

 

Acharya bhakti paripootham- Sanctified he is already; he is further

sanctified so to say by the deep devotion he cherishes for his Acharyas.

 

Anarghaseelam- His character, his life style, his approach, all are

exemplary. They are free from any stigma.

 

Gopaladesikamunim GurumAsrayaamaha: - We have resorted to such a GREAT

Acharya namely, SRI GOPALADESIKA MAHDESIKAN- Sanyasi Saarvabhouma. We have

clung to Him. May we ever be His! That way is assured of our salvation!

 

Srimathe Gopaladesika Mahadesikaya namah:

Acharyan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

[we have merely reproduced the article.. anything good is due to the great

article written by the author. Any mistake or errors – is due to our wrong

typing or lack of understanding. ]

namo narayana

Srimad Andavan Thiruvadi

 

 

 

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