Srimath Vazhuthur Andavan Thirunakshatram today

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Sri:

Srimathe Rangaramanuja Mahadesikaya Namaha:

Srimathe Vedhantha Ramanuja Mahadesikaya Namaha:

Thirunakshatram: Aavani PoorattAdhi

Thanian:

GOpaala dEsika pathaabhja madhuvrathasya

Pragnyaa virakhthi karuNaa muKHa sath guNaabhDHe:

VEdaantha lakshmana munE sritha BHaagha DHEyam

Paadhaara vindha yugaLam sharanam prapadhyE

Today (Aug 31st 2004) is the thirunakshatram of Srimath Vazhuthur Andavan Sri

Vedhantha Ramanuja Mahadesikan who adorned Acharya peetam as the first Andavan

in the Munithraya Sampradayam Aacharya Lineage.

Sri Vazhuthur Swamy was born in the year Rudrokkari (1743-1744) Avani madham

Poorattadhi nakshathram in Naithruva Kasyapa Gothram to Srimathi and Sri

Srinivasa Raghavachariar at Vazhuthur, a small hamlet near Tanjavoor in

Tamilnadu.

 

Vazhuthur swamy was initiated into thureeyasramam (Sanyasam) by Sri Paduka

Sevaka Ramanuja Swami who was a satheerthar and a sishya to the famous Sakshadh

swamy. Sri Saakshath Swamu was also the acharya for Thirukkduanthai Desikan Sri

Gopalarya Mahadesikan. Vazhuthur swamy, after taking sanyasam, was known to be

called by the name Sri Vedhantha Ramanuja Maha Desikan. Sri Vazhuthur Swamy had

a dream in which Lord Aravamudhan appeared and told him that after entering into

sanyasa ashramam, he must join as a sishya to Sri Gopalara Mahadesikan, also

known as Thirukkudanthai Desikan.

 

Two other yatheeswaras namely Vathirayiruppu Srinivasa MahaDEsikan (An amsam of

Nathamuni) and Cheeyalam Ranganatha Maha Desikan (An amsam of Yamuna muni) who

were contemporaries of Vazhuthur swamy (an amsam of Ramanuja Muni) had also

similar dreams in which they were ordered by Lord Aravamudhan that they should

become sihsyas of Gopalarya mahadesikan to spread Sri Vaishnava

sathsampradhayam.

 

Accordingly all 3 Yatheeswaras after doing mangalasasanam to the Thirukkudanthai

Amudhan, expressing their dreams to each other, approached the holy feet of

Gopalarya Mahadesikan and became sishyas of Sri Gopalarya Mahadesikan and

learnt Grantha chathushtyam and other sath sampradhaya granthas. They had their

Bharasamarpanam performed by Sri Gopalarya maha Desikan through acharya nishtai

at the holy feet of Lord Amudhan at Thirukkudanthai.

 

Later they were instructed by the Acharya to do sampradhaya Pravachanams to

their disciples from their respective places. Many bhagavathas becames sishyas

of Srimath Vazhuthur Vedhantha Ramanuja Maha Desikan during these pravachanams.

It is told that Sri Gopalarya Maha Desikan blessed Vazhuthur swamy that "Neeray

num sampradhaayathai Aala vandha Andavan" meaning " you alone are going to

guard, rule and spread our sampradhaayam". From that day he was known to be

called as Vazhuthur Andavan and sampradhaayam was called as Srimath Aandavan

Asramam Sampradhaayam.

 

Vazhuthur swamy was living in Srirangam in a small hut teaching kaalakshepa

granthams to devoted and deserving sishyas. From Him sampradhaayam spreaded into

many branches. Prominent among them are as follows:

Srinivasa Ramanuja Maha Desikan - Thiruthuraipoondi Andavan also known as

Vilakkudi andavan (Andavan asramam)

Annarya Maha Desikan - also known as Navalpakkam Swamy who was in

gruhasthasramam spreading sampradhayam at Thirukkudanthai, Thiruvaheendapuram

and Navalpakkam.

Vangipuram Vedhantha Ramanuja Maha desikan (Aandikadu Swamy in Srirangam)

 

 

Through these 3 acharyas who were sishyas of Srimath Vazhuthur Andavan, the

sampradhaayam has spread to a very great extent like a big banyan tree.

 

 

The history of Vazhuthur Andavan is based on earlier publications of Srirangam

Srimath Andavan PeriAsramam and Asram Devotees and as well as from the

publication of Srimad Poundarikapuram Aashram .

 

Vazhuthur swamy after taking Sanyasam from Paduka Sevaka Ramanuja Maha Desikan,

approached Thirukkudanthai Desikan as ordained by the Almighty in dream . At the

time of prostrating before Thirukudanthai Desikan swamy, Vazhuthur swamy recited

Pasurams from Nammazhvars Thiruvoimozhi 5-8-10 . ie

 

Vara Varuvaay varumen maayaa maayaa moorthyaai

 

Aravamudhaai adiyen Aavi agamey thithippaai

 

Theera vinaigal theera ennai Aandaai thirukudanthai Oora!

 

Unakkaatpattum adiyen innam uzhalveno?

 

( Free translation: Aandaai refers to the yeenai aala vandha andavare)

("Thirukkudanthai oora- here , refers to Thirukkudanthai Desikan Unakkaatpattum

Adiyen innam uzhalveno?- Will I ever suffer , even after becoming your

disciple?)

 

Hearing this ,Thirukkudanthai Andavan blessed him " neeray pradhana pravachakar

, num sampradhyathai bhashyakarar pol pravachanathinal Vishesha Abhiviruthy

pannum " It is to be noted that srimad vazhuthur swamy was a sanyasin at that

time and sri gopalarya Mahadesikan was a grahastha. With this conferment on

vazhuthur swamy by Thirukudanthai Desikan, this sampradhyam is known to be

called as Aandavan Sampradhaayam and yatheeswarars of this sampradayams are

known as Andavan.

 

In this connection the following references enunciate the events.

 

Ref No 1. Page No 33- Munithraya Sidhanthamum Adhan Sthaapanaachaarya

Charithramum by V. Srinivasa Dasan published in 1952-

 

Ref No 2. Page No 20. Srimad Andavan Asrama Varalaru - published in 1967

 

Ref No 3 Page No 50-Munithraya Sampradhayaa Guru Parambaraa Praabhavaha- in -

300th birth anniversary of Sri Gopalarya Mahadesikan Souvenir- Published by

Srirangam Srimad Aandavan Ashram -Nov.2000

 

Ref no 4 Page No 85 -300th birth anniversary of Sri Gopalarya Mahadesikan

Souvenir- Published by Srimad Aandavan Poundarikapuram Ashram- Oct 2000 dasan,

 

 

dasan

 

Venkat Sreenivasan

 

Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi