asmadhAchAryan Thirunakshathram special- SRS Vol 08 Issue # 19 dated 24th March 2007

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SrI:

SrimatE Raamaanujaaya Namaha //

SrimatE Nigamaanta Mahaa Desikaaya Namaha //

SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam

Samvardhaya/

SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam

Samvardhaya//

KAvEri VardhathAm kAlE, kAlE varshathu vAsava: /

SrI RanganAthO jayathu Sri Ranga Sri cha VardhathAm//

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SRI RANGA SRI VOL.08 / ISSUE # 19 (Special Issue)

dated 24th March 2007

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EDITORIAL

We are glad to release this special issue on the exact

Thirunakshathram day of asmadhAchAryan His Holiness

Srimad Paravakkottai Andavan Swami of Srimad

Poundarikapuram Andavan Ashramam Sri Gopaladesika

Mahadesikan Swami – Panguni RohiNi…

 

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ISSUES RELEASED

With this issue, about 241 Regular issues of SRS have

been released

so far, apart from numerous " Special Issues " as

indicated below:

27 Issues of Vol. 1

15 Issues of Vol. 2

42 Issues of Vol. 3

35 Issues of Vol. 4

28 Issues of Vol. 5

30 Issues of Vol. 6

50 Issues of Vol. 7 and

19 Issues of Vol. 8 (including this)

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IN THIS ISSUE

1. A TRIBUTE TO ASMAD ACHARYAN

(Sri Anbil Ramaswamy Swami, USA)

2. The HOLIEST of THE HOLY (from the humblest of the

humble)

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A TRIBUTE TO ASMAD ACHARYAN

It used to be said that unable to enumerate the

auspicious qualities

of Bhagavaan, the Vedas returned crestfallen.

" Yatho vaachaa nivartantE apraapya manasaa saha "

 

The same can be said of the qualities of head and

heart of Asmad

Acharyan. However much we may extol his `GuNas " , they

fit him like

a " T " and yet fall far short of describing him fully.

I was

therefore, scared to write about him lest it should

give an

impression that this was all that could be said about

him. However,

his very qualities compel me to venture to say a few

words of

obeisance to him.

 

As LakshmaNa put it, I became a slave to his GuNas.

" guNair daasyam upaagata: "

 

As Swami Desika puts it in his " GOdha Sthuti " , his

guNas embolden

even a dumb person like me to venture to write a few

lines about him.

" mounaan mukharayanti guNaas tvadeeyaa:

 

As all of you know, he is hailed by all other Acharyas

of our

Sampradayam as verily the " VasishTa " among them and as

" NaDamaaDum

Deivam " (God walking on earth)

 

WHAT MAKES HIM QUALIFIED FOR THESE EPITHETS?

Asmad Acharyan belongs to a long line of " Munis " who

are

absolute " Viraktas " to name fame and material gains

but remain silent

to the point of being almost incognito shunning

publicity and pomp,

doing their duties with incredible rigor and intense

self discipline.

 

MUNI IN ALL TANIANS

If you look at the Tanians (Stand alone dedicatory

verses) of

successive Achaaryas of Poundarikapuram Swami Asramam,

you will find

the word " MUNI " repeated in each one of them (For

example)

Paravakkottai Andavan: " gOpaala Desika MUNIM gurum

assrayaama: "

Vinnatrankarai Andavan: " Sri Srinivasa MUNIVARYAM aham

prapadhyE "

Mannargudi Andavan: " Jnaabdim suguNaakaram MUNIVARAM

Sriranganaatham

bhajE "

Poundarikapuram Andavan: " rangEsa paada vinatam

Srinivaasa MUNIM

bhajE "

Narayana Maha Desikan: " naaraayanaakhyam MUNIM

aasrayaama: "

PeriyaaNdavan: " Sri Srivaasa MUNEENDRA dEsika maNim

sreyOnidhim

samsrayE "

TirutturaipooNDi Andavan: " Srimad Srivaasa Ramaanuja

MUNIM anagham

tam bhajE DesikEndram "

Vazhuttur Andavan: " vEdaanta LakshmaNa MUNEH srita

bhaagadEyam

paadaara vinda yugaLam saraNam prapadhyE "

Tirukkudantai Desikan: " vEdaanta LakshmaNa MUNEENDRA

krupaata bOdam… "

Sri Saakshaat Swami: vEdaanta LakshmaNa MUNIM saraNam

prapadhyE "

 

This repetition of the term " Muni " is not by any

accident nor because

the composers could not find alternative expressions!

I feel it was

by way of conscious recognition of the " Virakti " of

these Acharyas in

not indulging in vain talk but keeping " mum " in silent

contemplation

and meditation on the Lord. This does not mean that

they never speak

out at all. Speak they will, but only while expounding

the nuances

of our Siddhantam in KaalakshEpamas or while advising

on AnushTaanams

to their Sishyas in private.

 

TIRUTHIP PANI KOLLAL

H.H. is strict on himself and strict on others who

come to him. He

would never spare anyone committing any indiscretions

like coming

into the Asramam without washing their feet, without

wearing Oordva

puNdram and the traditional Pancha Katcham (grihastas)

and MaDisaar

(for Sumangalis). But, his advice would always be

polite " hitam " so

that we would be made to feel ashamed of ourselves for

the

indiscretions.

 

SANDHYAVANDANAM - A JUSTIFIED HARSHNESS

In the matter of doing Nitya karmas like

Sandhyaavandanam, he is

uncompromising. Sometimes, he may look a bit harsh but

it would

always be for our good.

 

DID YOU WASH YOUR HAND?

Once, I was attending the " Abhigamanam " and Pongal

prasaadam was

offered and we had to take it with a leaf in our

cupped up palms. I

had unwittingly kept it on the floor because I was

called for some

urgent call. This had not escaped the watchful eye of

H.H. When I

returned and was about to take the prasaadam back, he

asked me

whether I had washed my hands.

 

ACCEPTING SISHYAS AND ADMINISTERING RAHASYA MANTRAS

H.H. follows the traditional method of testing the

would-be- Sishyas

before accepting. He is not the one to consider

" Anything is fish

that comes to the net " . This is because his only

concern is the

spiritual welfare of the would-be-Sishya and he is

never motivated by

monetary considerations that might come with accepting

Sishyas

indiscriminately.

 

In my case, when I went to him for BharaNyaasam some

23 years ago, he

asked me to go back and listen to KaalakshEpams of the

then

Villivalam Swami (Present Jeeyar of AhObila Mutt)

before coming back

to him for the purpose. He asked me to have a bath in

the sea at

TiruppullaaNi for receiving the mantras. He insists on

what Swami

Desikan says as " Ashad-karNam " method in administering

Rahasya

mantras and does not initiate Sishyas en masse.

 

MOSQUITOES NOT DRIVEN

There were several occasions when we were given to

realize that the

Sareeram of Achaarya like that of the Lord is made of

Suddha Sattvam

and not like us.

 

While describing Rama to Sita in the AshOka vana,

Hanumaan says:

 

" naiva damsaan na masakaan na keeataan na saree

srupaan/

raaghavO apanayEt gaatraat tvad

gatEnaanantaraatmanaa// " (VR-6-36-42)

 

I could see this once when I visited the Asramam in

the evening.

Swarms of mosquitoes were invading everywhere. One

cannot open one's

mouth lest a bunch of mosquitoes should get into the

mouth. We were

fidgety all the time. H.H also went through the same

torture. But,

not once did he venture to chase away the tormentors,

not because he

was not bothered but because his concentration was on

Bhagavaan.

 

Is it not said " Paramaatmani yO raktah viraktah

aparamaatmani "

 

Another occasion we were reminded of this was when he

had a fall and

fractured his leg. The Sishyas offered a wheel chair

for him to sit

but he refused saying that he was not supposed to

touch metal. With

excruciating pain, he slowly got up and moved to the

Asramam. Anyone

of us in similar circumstances would have raised a

hell of noise

renting cries of suffering.

 

Here is an Achaarya who proved his mettle in the face

of grave pain.

 

Yet another occasion arose at the time of his

SathaabhishEkam in

2001. H.H. used to get up early in the morning before

dawn and climb

down the steps of the tank that had dried up but with

some water in a

deep well dug at the center of the tank. Seeing how he

was struggling

to climb up and down, we suggested that we would put

up railings on

the side walls of the tank and well so that he could

hold them for

steadying himself, especially as there was lot of moss

and algae all

over making the surface slippery. He declined the

offer saying again

that he cannot touch an iron railing.

 

To this day, he has been adhering to this difficult

exercise!

 

ONLY WALKS – NO PALLAKKU

He is the only Achaarya who does not travel by car or

palanquin till

this day. He normally does not go out of Srirangam but

when he does

on Sanchaaram, he always goes by foot as ordained by

the Saastras.

This is not a reflection on others who may use

vehicles. H.H. used to

say that he would not comment on them but this is the

norm that he

had been following ever since he took up the ascetic

order 25 years

ago and there was no reason for him to change it now.

 

Indeed, he is literally and allegorically a

" NaDamaaDum Deivam " !

 

NO TELEPHONE

When we suggested that he should have a Telephone in

the Asramam, he

resisted the idea saying that it would be a nuisance

interfering with

his AnushTaanams. We had to convince him that it was

in the interests

of his Sishyas who were like his children that there

should be a

phone installed in the Asramam for our sake. I even

suggested that we

would install an Answering machine with caller id so

that he need not

have to answer the calls right away but could choose

to call back if

he felt later that it was necessary for him to

respond. Only after

much persuasion did he agree to our request to install

a telephone...

And, this has been a boon to us because we are now

blessed to hear

his voice through Tele-discourses.

 

SAPTADI, SATABHISHEKAM AND RAJAT JAYANTI OF HIS

SANNYAASA SWEEKARANAM

H.H. would have none of the " Celebrations part " on the

occasions of

his Saptadi, Sathaabhishekam and Rajat Jayanti of his

Sannyaasa

Sweekaranam and wanted to keep them at a low key

without pomp and

paraphernalia. It was almost impossible task for us to

make him agree

to it. It was because these functions gave

opportunities to be in the

midst of Veda Vidwaans whose company was dear to his

heart, that he

accepted our requests.

 

SAMARPANAI

H.H. never asks for any assistance especially

financial assistance

from anyone, whether it is for any function or for any

Kainkaryams or

for even running of the day-to-day administration of

the Asramam. He

is not the one to accept any Samarpanai unless he made

sure that it

was tendered without any ulterior motives. Once, he

contributed an

article to one of the Souvenirs. The publishers

published it in the

name of another author. H.H. had noticed this but did

not object.

When the publishers came to offer some honorarium for

the article, he

politely declined.

 

COMPASSION INCARNATE

His extraordinary compassion to Sishyas and Abhimaanis

should be seen

to be believed.

 

During my last visit in 2006, I could do the

" SaashTaanga

namaskaaram " only with great difficulty, due to knee

pain. H.H.

noticed this and immediately motioned to me saying

that I did not

need to prostrate and that an Anjali was enough. He

suggested that I

should apply some Ayurvedic Thailams to the knee and

even took pains

to explain how to apply and how long too apply to get

full relief.

 

TIRU ANBIL DWAJASTHAMBA KAINKARYAM

I will be failing in my duty if I do not mention the

immense help and

guidance he gave in completing the Dwajasthamba

Kainkaryam last year.

From the inception to the conclusion, H.H. took

personal interest in

obtaining estimates from various Sthapatis, arranging

for the

approval by Temple and HR & CE authorities and

instructing on even the minutest

details in executing the project.

 

READY ANSWERS

Every time I go to India, I used to collect a long

list of doubts

bearing on our Siddhaantam and AnushTaanams for

securing

clarifications from the H.H. He himself would ask me

" Have you

brought any list this time? " For every question, he

would give a

ready and convincing reply and for every doubt he

would give

startling clarifications with appropriate PramaaNams.

 

GUEST HOUSE

Noticing that Sishyas and Abhimanis coming from

outstations and

overseas were experiencing difficulty in getting

suitable lodging

facilities, he had constructed a beautiful guest house

very near the

Asramam. Anyone who goes to pay respects to H.H. can

book a room at

moderate rent (just enough for maintaining it). This

is a great boon

for people like me.

 

ACHCHIDRA ASWAMEDA PAARAAYANAM

During my SathabhishEkam in 2005, H.H. suggested that

the

famous " Achchidra- AswamEdaha PaaraayaNam " may be

arranged. I could

not find anyone to do it in U.S.A. H.H kindly arranged

to have it

performed on my behalf at the Asramam itself under his

immediate

supervision and the Veda Vidwaans were sumptuously

rewarded and a

grand Tadeeya Aaraadanai was also done at the Asramam.

 

BOOKS GALORE

H.H. has brought out several publications like Srimad

Rahasya Traya

Saaram, Chillarai RahasyangaL, Raampiraanai KarpOm etc

and almost all

Desika StOtras with commentaries of Poorva Achaaryas.

This is a

yeoman service to the SrivaishNava world that will be

eternally

indebted to him.

 

We have the sacred duty of praying to Divya Dhampatis

to grant

him " PoorNaayus " with pink of health.

 

dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

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THE HOLIEST OF THE HOLY

A salutation from the humblest of the humble

 

INTRODUCTION

Thirukkundanthai Desikan was a very bright star in the

Desika Sampradaya

Acharya genealogy. From him we trace the Parampara as

below

SRI GOPALARYA MAHADESIKA

(Thirukkudanthai Desikan)

 

SRI VEDANTA RAMANUJA MAHADESIKAN

(Vazhuthoor Andavan)

 

SRI SRINIVASA RAMANUJA MAHADESIKAN

(Thiruthuraipoondi Andavan)

 

SRI SRINIVASA MAHADESIKAN

(Periya Andavan)

 

SRI NARAYANA MAHADESIKAN

(Veliyanallur Andavan)

 

SRI SRINIVASA MAHADESIKAN

(Poundarikapuram Andavan0

 

SRI RANGANATHA MAHADESIKAN

(Mannarkoil Andavan)

 

SRI SRINIVASA MAHADESIKAN

(Vinnatrangarai Andavan)

 

SRI GOPALA DESIKA MAHADESIKAN

(Paravakkottai Andavan)

 

Down from Periya Andavan, the Acharyas in this

parampara sport the simple

nomenclature as a Mahadesikan-contrast with an

intermediate name as Ramanuja

Yateendra,etc. generally adopted in other paramparas.

Sri Paravakkottai

Andavan had happily chosen Gopaladesika as his

distinctive forth asrama

name, because of his special adoration for

Thirukkudanthai Desikan

(Gopaldesika being his name), because his birth star

was Rohini, the same as

that of Krishna or Gopala, and because the star of the

day on which he took

over Sanyasa Asram was Pooradam, the same star at the

birth of

Thirukkudanthai Desikan.

 

Poorvasrama

 

Born on 17-3-1921(corresponding to Rowdri, Panguni

Rohini) he was actually

christened as Rajagopala, that being the name of the

Mannargudi deity whose

annual Jayanti Day fell on that day. His grandfather

(Rajagopalacharya) and

father (Sri Venkatacharya) were also connected to the

Ashram in many ways.

 

Child Rajagopala sustained his mother death at the age

of 2. When he was

initiated into Bramhopadesam (Upanayanam) at the age

of 8, the

responsibility of Sraddha rites of his mother fell on

his shoulders. One can

imagine his respectability even at that small age,

from the fact that great

highly orthodox Vidwans like Thillayambur Swami

(Asthana Vidwan of Ahobila

Mutt) and Mannargudi Desikacharya Swami would gladly

participate as

Brahmanas for these Sraddhas!

 

He learnt Sanskrit, Kavyas, etc. from Sri

Prugavazhudan Krishnamacharya;

then studied at Sholingur and at Thirupati(

Venkateswara College) in the

period 1936-1942 approximately. At Tirupati he had

known, as his juniors

particularly, gentlemen who later became became

vidwans of great reputation;

e.g. Sri Purisai Swami, Sri N.S. Ramanuja Tatacharya;

he had also the

companionship of Sri Villivalam Narayanacharya , Sri

Melpakkam Swami, Sri

Marudur A.R. Krishnamacharya and others. We are

touched to recall one or two

episodes of that time. Our hero at the age of 20 was

admired for great

lustre-radiation from his face because of virtues like

austerity, personal

discipline, supreme vairagya and godliness. The result

was that whenever he

walked into a company, friends- who were themselves

great personages even

then-would alert one another with a comment: “Oh there

he comes; He is like

Vaisishta and Vamadeva. Better we are cautious in our

talk and

behaviour”.Even at that time he was so prepossesive in

his personal virtues

that Sri Goshtipuram Swami ( Sri Sowmya

Narayanacharya) would respond to his

prostration by a return prostration! This, in spite of

an age difference of

40 years. It does credit to the senior Swami’s

guna-poorti as well; but it

speaks volumes about the stature of our hero even at

age 20.

 

Returning to the village, he studied many advanced

works from the

Thillaiyambur Brothers, who were great masters in

Sanskrit, Vedanta and

Jyothisha. This is continued for many years during

vacations.

 

Our hero had the privilege of Panchasamskara and

Bharanyasa sri

Poundarikapuram Andavan. His father, discerningly,

advised him to go to

Mysore to receive complete initiation in all our major

four granthas, from

the then very famous Abhinava Ranganatha Brahmathantra

Parakala Swami.

Batches of kalakshepam at graded levels, with dozens

of students drawn from

all parts of South India were receiving instruction.

It was a very fruitful

period in his life.

 

Our hero married the daughter of Sri ARu paathi

Sinivasacharya, who was

mostly at Kumbakonam. The family was equal to our

hero’s in every respect.

ARupaathi Swami was rightly famous for his achara,

anushtana, and

scholarship. He was, incidentally related to the

Devanarvilagam Swami. His

Udaya Upastana Anushtana was admired by all at

Kumbakonam, including

Matadhipathi, who wished to meet him and felicitate

him but who was

disappointed in not being able to-for obvious reasons!

 

Our hero was serving as Sanskrit pundit in schools in

Tiruchi District.

Fortunately, the Kaveri fertility kept his lifestyle

in pristine purity. He

had five sons and one daughter. One son named Desikan,

devoted himself to

organizations swearing by the Hindu Dharma and had to

face death in a bomb

blast in Madras. The daughter had been given marriage

to Swami’s

brother-in-law, Sri Venkatacharya. Her son, Sri

Srirama Desikan is learned

in Sanskrit and Vedanta and promises to tow the

traditional lines of his

grandfather.

 

While being in service, our hero visited the Asramam

regularly. Even in

those times he had greatly impressed Sri Madhurantakam

Swami, who respected

him almost as a compeer, though some twenty years

younger. True to his

sincerity to our religious discipline, he had once

stayed with his devigal

to serve in Madhookara kainkarya at the Asramam. When

Sri Vinnatrangarai

Andavan foresaw his end, with accurate prophetic

vision, he had engaged Sri

Paravakkottai Swami to take interest in the Asrama

parampara, initiated him

esoterics, and conferred him the Tridanda and saffron

garment and everything

else smoothly. As desired by his predecessor, our

Swami took to the fourth

order at Vinnatrankarai at the Brindavanam of Sri

Narayana Mahadesikan(Sri

Veliyanallur Andavan). Note that Veliyanallur Andavan

enjoys a special

honour in the hierarchy. He was a Naishtika

Bramachary, when he switched

over to the ochre robe. He was the final word in

self-denying austerity. He

was called viraktinetram of Sri periya Andavan. What

is finally more

interesting is that he could not- and did not- choose

any successor, accept

anyone easily as a disciple, and was not interested

in popular propagation of the ochre species just in a

light hearted vein.

His exacting demands on Sri Poundarikapuram Swami,

whom he had indeed known

long and well enough before conferring the forth

Asrama on him would be

reminiscent of Thirukkotiyur Nambi trying to the

extreme, Ramanuja and

Azhvan, before revealing the esoteric significance of

Charma sloka mantra.

 

Whether Mantra transmission or transfer of Acharyaka,

it is not a trifle

to be easily light-heartedly treated to be passed on

to a seeker just like

that!

 

From day 1, Sri Gopaladesika Mahadesikan stuck to

drastic discipline. It

is there in this Asrama all along. Partaking of

Madhookara only from

Vaiswadeva remnant (that is, from dampati-grihasthas)

pursuing the highest

grade of sanyasa achara, engaging disciples in Sri

Bhashya Kalakshepa, never

conferring Samasrayana – benefit or Bharanyasa

indiscriminately, eschewing

the proselytization fervour influencing every visitor

to whatever Sampradaya

persuasion he/she belonged; reforming them in a manner

that they will order

their lives in a reasonably orthodox fashion, sticking

to our ancient

scriptures as much as can be even in this advanced

Kali age- these are

worthy of mention.

 

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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