Andavan Ashramam Acharya Guru Parampara - 13

[Guest guest]

Srimathe Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikaya Namaha

Sri Ranganatha Divya Mani Padhukabhyam Namaha

 

 

 

Acharya parampara of Srimath Andavan Ashramam continues in this posting with the

second part of Life History of Srimath Srimushnam Andavan - Sri Ranga Ramanuja

Mahadesikan.

 

Srirangam Srimath Andavan Ashramam has been the center for spreading ”The

philosophy of VisistAdvaitA “ which is a very ancient one having come down to

us through ages as an unbroken tradition. It has the authority of eternal vEdas,

Upanishads, in Sanskrit and Divya Prabhandams in Tamil, as well as the Lord’s

own words “PancharAthra”. It is the true Philosophy of religion unassailable ,

dear to Divya dampathis , dear to seers , dear to Alwars and Acharyas.

 

 

 

His holiness initiated efforts to spread this message of Srivaishnavism and

Prapathi margam founded and propagated by Sri Bhagavath Ramanuja and nurtured by

Sri Nigamantha Mahadesika several centuries ago and performed samasrayanam and

saranagathi to thousands of sishyas. His Holiness Offered Mangalasasanams to the

Divya Dampathis of most of the 108 Divya Desams, imparted Grantha Chathustya

Kalakshepams and Anugraha Bhashanams to countless audiences.

 

 

 

In Bhagavath Geetha ,

 

Chapter7-16 Lord Krishna says to ArjunA

 

“ChathurvidhA bhajanthE mAm janA: sukruthinOrjunA

 

ArthO jignAsurarthArthi GnAni cha bharatharshabha;”

 

 

 

(Four types of devotees of noble deeds worship me

 

 

 

1. The seeker after worldly possession,

 

2. afflicted,

 

3. the seeker of knowledge, and

 

4.man of wisdom, Gnani, oh, best of Bharathas)

 

 

 

Chap 7-17

 

ThEsham Gnani nithyayuktha Eka bhakthir vishishyathE

 

PriyO hi GnaninOthyartham aham cha mama priya:

 

 

 

(Of these, the best is man of wisdom (Gnani) ever established in identity with

me and possessed exclusive devotion for me , I am extremely dear to Gnani, and

gnani is extremely dear to me)

 

 

 

Acharyas are Gnanis , who are dearer to God. Acharyas dispel the darkness of

mind and enlighten with knowledge for which even God himself cannot find

substitute as repayment,for the matchless upakaram the Acharya has done, as

quoted by Swamt Desikan in “Yetri manathezhil” in 38th pasuram of Adhikara

Sangraham.Praising Acharya’s glory retaining Acharyas teachings in mind, and

spreading AcharyAs greatness etc. are only very very small and insignificant,

when compared to the greatest help, the Acharya has done to the sishya

earlier.

 

 

 

It is our purva janma punyam that we have our Acharya to guide us in the

righteous path to spread the fragrance of Arulicheyals and Divya sukthis of

Alwars and purvacharyas and philosophy of Visihtadvaita, tarvelling far and wide

throughout the country.Sishyas and Abhimanis living abroad in USA UK, Middle

east, Singapore and Australia are blessed by His Tele –Upanyaasams every month

for the last 6 years. His holiness is a Charismatic mentor, and his soulabyam,

souselyam and His impartiality etc. won the appreciation of several thousands of

his sishyas.

 

 

 

The following are some of the many Hymns authored by His Holiness Srimushnam

Andavan which were composed more than 30 years ago in His purvasramam.

 

 

 

1. VeerAchala Sri RAmachandra SuprabhAtham (This work is sung in praise of Sri

Ramar At Veerachalam. Veerachalam is a place in present day Andhra pradesh where

Srimath Andavan Swamy served as a Sanskrit professor for many years.)

 

 

 

2. Prapanna Navaneetham (In this sthothram, the first letter of each slokam is

highlighted. All the highlighted letters if read in a sequence gives a very

special meaning pertaining to the sthothram)

 

 

 

3. PanchAnana PanchAmrutham

 

 

 

4. Krishna ThArakam (In this sthothram, the first letter of each slokam is

highlighted. All the highlighted letters if read in a sequence gives a very

special meaning, “Pranava kAra” in this case.)

 

 

 

5. VAkyAnvayAdhikarana vishayaha

 

 

 

6. PAdukavihAra sabhA prabhAvaha (This was composed by our Swamy on the

greatness of PadukA vihAra sabhaconducted regularly. It was the 29th sabha on

which he wrote this work and some mathematics in the slokams enshrined in this

sthothram yield the number 29. In the last slokam, Swamy uses a special variant

of rhythm known as "PadachaturUrdhvAbhidam vruttam".)

 

 

 

His Holiness is not only continuing what had commenced during the time of

Poorvacharyas but also adding to the same and expanding the activities which are

mentioned below.

 

 

 

His Holiness took up the project of building Brindavanams for HH Srimath

Thirukkudanthai Andavan and HH srimath Mysore Andavan and renovated Brindavanams

of other poorvacharyas for which samprokshanam took place in 1990.

 

 

 

H.H. also built Ashramams at aurangabad, Azhvar Thirunagari, KR koil st (west

Mambalam Chennai), Secunderabad , Oppiliappan Koil, Royampettai, srimishnam,

Sripuram, (Bangalore)Thirumalai, Thiruchanur, Thiruvahindrapuram, Thiruppullani,

Vaduvoor, (1&2). HH named the the vaduvoor Ashramam as “Sri sakshath swamy

Mandapam” which accommodates Veda patasala for 30 students as of now. Renovation

of Ashram Structures at CHENNAI, Jayanagar, Kanchipuram, Kumbakonam, Melkote,

Rishikesh, and Secondrabad, (maarappalli) were also done by HH Srimath

srimushnam Andavan.

 

 

 

Construction of Sannidhi for Gopalarya Maha Desikan,(1700-1783)-Munitraya

Siddhantha Sthapanacharyar, on his 301st birthday at his birth place

Royampettai. Construction of Kalyana Mandapamat Ashramam premises in Kanchipuram

for the convenience of devotees.

 

 

 

Constructions /Renovation of of temples, at

 

Dombiville, Jayanagar, Kadal-mangalam,Kurugaikavalappan koil, New Delhi,

Perumpetrapuliur, Sripuram, Thirukkandiyur, Uthiramerrur also took place during

the past 15 years.

 

 

 

Starting of Veda Patasalas, at Vaduvoor, Kanchipuram, Thiruchanur,

thiruvahindapuram and SriMushnam. Starting of Aghama sAstra training, for the

students at Srirangam patasala , nominating Koothapakkam Kannamachariar to train

and award dheekshas, to deserving students.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Srimad Andavan arts and science college: H.H. being a learned scholar and a

teacher by profession before adorning the peetam, has a strong faith that

Education, should reach the downtrodden irrespective of cast ,creed or sex,

paved way for funding this temple of education,declared open by The President of

India Dr. Sankar Dayal sarma on 26th Oct 1996 which has 1250 students and 80

faculty members now that will upgrade as Deemed to be University with in 8

years.

 

 

 

Kalyanapuram R. Aravamudhachariar, Asthana Vidvan,Srimad Andavan Ashram under

the advice of HH set up Harikatha training for students as optional in 2002

and 21 students were undergoing training.

 

 

 

HH has offered a Vajra kavacham for Perumal at sripuram temple in Bangalore

 

 

 

HH under His direct supervision made the utsava moorthies of sri Bhashyakarar

and sri Rukmani sathyabhama sametha sri Venugopalan and sent them to USA for

performing Thirumanjanam and Dolothsavam respectively for the grahams of

Sevarthees.

 

 

 

A silver lined wooden simhasanam costing 3.5 lakhs, was offered by His Holiness

to Thooppul Desikan during Purattasi Thiruvonam in 2001.

 

 

 

Installation of new utsava Moorthy costing about 1 lakh at Vaikundanathji

Mandir in New Delhi.

 

 

 

Starting of a fund for offering Nithya Thatheeyaradhanam to the devotees

visiting the Andavan Ashram at Thirumalai and Kanjipuram during Brahmothsavam

and so on.

 

 

 

Starting of a corpus fund for the maintenance of Ashram establishment that

includes emoluments for the kainkarya paras, Life Insurance for them and their

family etc.

 

 

 

As perazhvar syas “Pallandu Pallandu” to perumal , let us pray to the Divya

Dampathis for blessing our Acharya, Srimadh Srimushnam Andavan –Sri Ranga

Ramanuja Maha Desikan for longevity with good health to guide us all in years to

come.

 

In the next posting adiyen will continue with notes on our purvacharyas' sri

bhashya, rahasya and bhagavath vishaya parampara

 

Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi

 

P. Sreenivasan (of Besant Nagar)

 

 

 

 

 

Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.