Sri Mannaargudi Andavan Thirunakshathram Vaikaasi Mrigaseersham

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SrI:

 

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:

 

Dearest all,

Please accept adiyEn’s dhaNdavath praNAmams at your

feet.

 

After Srimad Poundarikapuram Andavan Sri Srinivasa

desika Mahadesikan, Sri Ranganthadesika Mahadesikan

(RAJAMANNAR KOIL ANDAVAN) took over.

In 1934, in the month of Vaikasi on Pornami day, the

AchArya’s look finally fell kindly on the great

scholar disciple from Mannaargudi as hed had

decided that he should succeed him and carry forward

the intellectual and spiritual service that he had so

deftly given a new dimension to. Thus Sri Mannargudi

Anadavan, (followed then by sri ViNNaaRRankarai

Andavan) succeeded Sri Srinivasa Mahadesikan

(Poundarikapuram Anadavan). And Prakritham Andavan is

Srimad Andavan ParavaakkOttai Gopaladesika

Mahadesikan, whose 81st Thirunakshathram is being

celebrated.

 

Today, let us be blessed to enjoy reading the life

history of Sri Mannargudi Andavan. (This is from Sri

Anbil mama’s article- thanks to Sri Anbil mama

for his permission))

 

Sri Mannargudi Andavan

(Vikrama- Vaikasi- Mrigaseersham)

(8-6-1880 - 17-11-1954)

 

There was in Mannargudi one Ramanujacharya

Swami, one of the descendants in the lineage of

Nadadur Ammaal, one of the immediate disciples of Sri

Bhashyakara. He belonged to Srivatsa Gotram and

was a well known Vedic scholar. His forefathers

were famed for their proficiency in Vedic recitation

which would charm the ears of the

listeners. Sri Ramanujachar Swami organized and led

the Veda Parayana Goshti during the festivals of Sri

Rajagopala Swami. He was married to one

Senkamalathammaal. To them was born on 28th

mrigasirsha, Vikrama, Vaikasi (8th June 1880) a

male child who was given the name of

Srinivasagopalan.

 

After Upanayana Samskara, he started his early studies

at the feet of his father who also administered the

Pancha Samskara. Later, he learnt

Vyakarana Sastras under the famous Vyakarana Pandit

Uruppattur Sri Rangachariar Swami (who later became

the 39th Pontiff of Sri Ahobila Mutt).

 

In the beginning he served as Adhyaapaka in the Sastra

Patasala at Orattanad. Sri Srinivasa Gopalan married

at the early age of 10 to one Nachiyar Ammaal who

belonged to a very orthodox Sri Vaishnava family. He

arrived at Srirangam with his wife and fell at the

feet of Srimad PoundarikaPuram Andavan and was given a

room in the rear of the

Asramam. He studied under the Acharya the Grantha

Chatushtayam. At the end of his studies, he

received Bharanyasa from his Acharya. On hearing

about his proficiency in Vyakarana Sastras, the

authorities in Kerala Sanskrit College invited him

to serve as Professor of Vyakarana. Sri Srinivasa

Gopalan served in the Sanskrit College at Pattambi for

20 years.

 

Then, when he completed his assignment at Pattambi, he

visited Srirangam. Srimad Poundarika Puram Andavan,

considering the Vairaghya and

scholarship of Sri Srinivasa Gopala Swami desired that

he should succeed him and accordingly he was given

Preksha Mantropadesa and admitted into the

holy order of ascetics and was given the new name of

Sri Ranganatha Maha Desikan. He was just 54. When

Srimad Poundarika Puram Andavan attained the lotus

feet of his Acharya on 20th October 1934 (*Bhava-

Vaikasi- Pournami day* ), Sri Ranganatha Maha

Desikan took charge of the Ashramam with all sincerity

and seriousness.

 

Many scholars who had intimately known and

moved with the Swami in his Purvasrama came to

study at his feet, notable among them are Sri

Tatachariar Swami of Cuddalore, and Sri Ramaswamy

Iyengar of Thanjavur. Srimad Andavan spent his leisure

hours in meditation and Ashtakshara Japa.

At the conclusion of every 10 million japam, a

_Thadeeya Aaraadhana_ used to be held. He advised

the disciples to celebrate the Tirunakshatra

day of Srimad Poundarika Puram Andavan

in their own homes so that more and more

Srivaishnavas could come to know of Swami's greatness.

Srimad Andavan was averse to receiving gifts in cash

or kind. Once, when he was presented an amount of

Rs.4,000, he handed over the amount to Sri V.R.

Ramaswamy Iyengar, Advocate, Thanjavur with a

request that the money should be utilized to bring

out a new edition of Rahasya Traya Sara in

Devanagari script. The instruction was

complied with and today we have this beautiful edition

in our hands with the superb commentary of Vangeepuram

Navaneetham Sri Rama Desikachariar

Swami. It remains a monument to Swami’s vision and

generosity and devotion to Swami Desikan.

 

Srimad Andavan Ranganatha Maha Desikan attained the

lotus feet of his Acharya on 17th November 1954 (

Jaya/ Kartigai/ Krishna Saptami) when he was

75.

 

His Tanian reads as follows:-

 

Aadhya Srinidhi Yogi Labda Manuraat Sri Vaatsya

Raamaanujaath

Sampraaptanguna Mantra Jaatham /

Apara Sri Vaasa Yogi Swaraat Gnaanaabdim Suguna Karam

Munivaram Sri Ranganatham Bhaje //

 

(meaning)

I take refuge at the sacred feet of Sri Ranganatha

MahA Desikan, the ocean of Jn~Anam and the treasure

house of all auspicious attributes, who received his

manthrOpadesam from the first SrinivAsa MahA

Desikan, his samAsrayaNam from Sri RaamAnuja MahA

desikan of Srivathsa gOthram and his Bhara

SamarpaNam, thuriyAsramam and Ubhaya VedAntha

Isvaryam from the other Srinivasa MahA Desikan .

 

AchAryan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Regards

namo Narayana

AdiyEn AchAryan thiruvadi Narayana dAsan

madhavakkannan

 

 

 

 

 

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