Fw: Proceedings of the 9th Bay Area NAMA Sri Vaishnava Satsangham

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Mani Varadarajan <mani

<bhakti-list >

Cc: <Sudarsan.Parthasarathy

Tuesday, July 18, 2000 11:58 AM

Re: Proceedings of the 9th Bay Area NAMA Sri Vaishnava

Satsangham

 

 

Dear Bhagavatas,

 

I would like to add a few words about our experience with

Sri Sri Tridandi Jeeyar Swami during Swami's visit to the

Bay Area. Sri Swami commands a very unique and very appealing

presence, and all of us that day felt it. There is something

mysteriously charming about him, in a way that completely

removes all of one's reservations and makes him very

approachable. Several people remarked to me that they felt

unusually comfortable speaking to him and listening to him,

much unlike the feeling they get when they visit religious

institutions in India.

 

By far the highlight for us was Swami's leadership of our

goshti in recitation of nityAnusandhAnam and kOyil tiruvAymozhi

on the occasion of periyAzhvAr's tirunakshatram. Swami would

recite the first half of each pAsuram, and we

would recite the second half. Most of you probably

haven't heard Swami's voice, so I would like to describe

it briefly. It is very sweet and musical-sounding, so much so

that each word he recites seems to float out of his mouth.

Such a voice is ideally suited for solo recitation of

slokas and pAsurams. Furthermore, his intonation is extremely

clear and succinct, and as we saw him, it was clear that he was

saying each line with each line with great understanding and

anubhavam.

 

Needless to say, it was a treat to the ears and eyes. His

recitation of 'muniyE, nAnmukane' (last padikam of

ThiruvAymozhi)

as well as the sARRu pAsurams (iruppiDam, etc.) of irAmAnusa

nURRandAdi were particularly memorable. Due to Swami's

aTAksham,

our goshti recited the pAsurams remarkably well that day, with

Sri Gunaseelan, Sri Sudarsan, Sri T.K. Rengarajan and others

leading our goshti. Our only wish was that Swami could have

led our goshti in more such prabandha anusandhAnam.

 

At the conclusion, after vaazhi tirunAmam for Sri MaamunigaL,

Sri Swami glanced at the goshti and asked us to recite

Sri Desika's vaazhi tirunAmam as well, to the pleasant

surprise of our goshti. But perhaps we should not have been

surprised, as Sri Swami is well-known for his large-heartedness

and catholicity of outlook, which far transcend small

differences in traditions.

 

Sri Raghu Mudumbai personally introduced aDiyEn (me) to Swami

and mentioned our Bhakti List. Swami said that he had heard of

our

group from several people and encouraged all of us to continue

our

discussions.

 

All in all, we were blessed to have Swami's mangaLASasanams and

we are eagerly anticipating his next visit to our area.

 

aDiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan

Mani

[Guest guest]

<bhakti-list >

Monday, July 17, 2000 12:02 PM

Proceedings of the 9th Bay Area NAMA Sri Vaishnava

Satsangham

 

 

Sri Raamajayam

 

Dear Bhagavathas,

AdiyEn have great pleasure in sharing the joy

of celebrating our recent 9th Sri Vaishnava

Satsangham in the Bay Area on 9th July 2000. The Satsangham

this month was planned to celebrate the TN of Swamy

Periazhvaar(10th) and

Swamy Nathamunigal(12th) and since we had HH Tridandhi

Jeer(Swami.Chinna Narayana Jeer) visiting the Bay Area, we

decided on the date

as late as last Friday(7th July 2000). Please pardon AdiyEn

for the inconvenience caused.

 

The Jeer's visit here, was met with great enthusiasm here,

since the whole week was packed with programmes graced and being

led by the Jeer(Wednesday-Gita Bhashya Upanyaasam at Sunnyvale

Temple, Thursday- Lecture on Selfishness at Stanford, Friday -

Lakshmi Pooja & discourse on Thayaar, Saturday - Sahasra

Kalasaabhishekam, Kalyaana Utsavam, Discourse at Livermore

Temple, Sunday - Samasrayanam for aspiring Sri Vaishnavites,

Satsangham/Ghosti lead by HH).

 

I am sure many would have enjoyed the whole of last week, and

would have established/replenished their faith in Sriman

Narayana, as HH lectures explained concepts like where we are,

the nature of the Divya Dhampathis, eliminating Selfishness and

undertaking Satvika Tyaagam. Towards a

great starting point in many a Bhagavathaas Spiritual life, was

the Samasrayanam conducted by HH.

 

On 9th July(our 9th Sri Vaishnava Satsangham) Bhagavathaas

assembled in 100s at the home of a disciple of the Jeer,

Sri.Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, very early in the morning. The Seva

Kaalam was conducted with great vigour and the echoing of

Thaniyangal, Thiruppalliezhuchi, Thiruppaavai echoed from the

start. After Thiruppaavai Satthumurai, the Jeer offered us

Theertham, amidst recital of Swamy Desikan's Hayagriva Sthothram,

started by his HH.

 

Then HH offered Anugraha Bhaashanam, and spoke about the

greatness of Periazhvaar and his service to our Sri Vaishnava

Sampradayam, AdiyEn could not control my emotions, when Swami

mentioned about Kothai, being called "Andaal" when our Sri.Vishnu

Chittar came to realize that his adopted daughter was no ordinary

girl, and she is "Paathram"(target or vessel) to the Supreme's

love and affection. HH simple words yet deep in Sampradaya

meaning, witty yet pleasant words is truly a great experience for

all aspiring Sri Vaishnavites.

 

After this event, HH lead us in reciting Periazhvaar

Pasuram(Neeratam, Poochootal, Kaapidal, Senniyongu, Maanikkam

Katti) with instructions for us to follow suit later on with

Kanninun Siruthaampu and

Kovil Thiruvaimozhi(tribute to Sri.Naathamunigal). In

parallel, Swamy performed Samasrayanam to aspiring devotees.

 

Just when we were about to start "Muniyae Naan Muganae

Mukkannappa", HH took lead of us again, and we had a

reverberating Ghosti completing Thiruvaimozhi, followed by

Thaligai Samarpanam and Saatumurai(both Sampradayams as wished by

the Jeer).

 

HH continued to give us Sandalwood paste, blessings with

Akshathai and warmly enquired about our Satsangham. Sri Vishnu

Vardhan, presented the Ghosti with Sambavanai, and Swami

expressed his great happiness with the host and the Ghosti of the

Bay Area offering his Divya Mangalaasasanam to us, 'The Land &

its People'.

 

At this juncture Sri.Parthasarathy, presented HH with an

Acharya Ramanuja CD(Created by Sanskrit Research Center, Melkote

by our own Swamy Azhvaar

and Swamy V.Sadagopan), and we mentioned that we were

collecting funds for Kaimkaryam with the proceeds.

 

 

To our surprise one of HH disciples promptly gave AdiyEn cash

of $25 towards the CD, which we gave back to Swami with a remark

"we do not collect Kaimkaryam funds from Yathivaraas". Swami

laughed(it is a part of our Sri Vaishnava policy to put on a

smile internal and external, and AdiyEn could not resist Swami

being spared), and continued to bless us.

Swami also mentioned, the same day last year(Periazhvaar TN), a

miracle happened in Hyderabad, that incessant rain gave way only

at the

Parade grounds during the Lakshmi Narasimha Pooja in prayers

for Global peace & Kargil, and such a lovely day was our

Satsangham celebrating Swamy Periazhvaar's TN.

 

Soon we were treated to some delightful Bhagavad Praasadham,

cooked by the accompanying Sishyaas of HH, and left home in

delight of 'A DAY WELL SPENT'.

 

AdiyEn Sri Raamanuja Daasan,

 

Sudarsana Dasosmi

Thanks to Sri.Vamsi Mudumbai and other disciples of HH, for

giving us an opportunity to reminisce India.