Sri Vazhutthoor ANdavan (Sri Vedantha Raamaanuja Mahaadesikan) Thirunakshathram- AvaNi PoorattAdhi- today

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dearest all,

 

Today (Avani PuratthAdhi) is Sri Vazhutthoor Andavan Swamy’s (Sri Vedantha

Ramanuja Mahadesikan) Thirunakshathram. Let us pay our obeisance to this Great

Acharya by reciting the thaniyan (dedicatory verse) and contemplate its meaning:

 

Gopala Desika Padaabja Madhu Vratasya Pragnaa Virakti

Karunaa Mukha Sad Gunaabde/

Vedaanta Lakshmana Muneh Srita Bhagadeyam

Paadaaravinda Yugalam Saranam Prapadhye //

 

(Meaning)

 

He who is like bee residing in the (and sucking the honey from) the lotus feet

of Sri Thirukkudanthai Desikan, who was endowed with a sea of auspicious

qualities, knowledge, detachment and mercy, who showers His grace to those who

resort to him. adiyEn takes refuge at his feet with no other recourse.

 

Let us enjoy our unparalleled Acharya Paramparai.

 

Our Greatest AchArya parampara starts with Sriman Narayanan.

 

Sriman Narayanan.

Sri Mahalakshmi

Sri VishvaksEnar (sEnai nAthan- commander in chief)

Sri SaTakOpar (nammAzhwAr)

Sri nAthamuni

Sri puNdarIkAkshar (uyyakkoNdAr)

Sri rAmamisrar (maNakkAl nambhi)

Sri yAmunAchAryar (ALavandhAr)

Sri mahApUrNar (Periya nambhi)

Sri rAmAnujar (udayavar- EmperumAnAr- yathirAjar)

 

In between Ramanuja and Vedanta Desika, the most important disciples

(descendents) of Ramanuja are:

 

1. PiLLAn, VishNuchitthar, NadAdhUr ammAL, AppuLLAr and Vedanta Desika.

2. EmbAr, Parasara bhattar, Numjeeyar, NampiLLai, Vadakku thiruveedhipiLLai,

PeriyavAcchAnPillai, PillailOkAryar, followed by SrIsailar

(ThiruvAymozhipiLLai), Sri Manavala mamunigaL. (one can trace upto his present

AchArya from the above.)

 

From Swamy Desikan on Rahasyagrantha paramparai (which is also SamAsrayaNa

paramparai) the tree upto Tirukkudanthai Desikan is as given below:

 

SRI VEDANTA DESIKAN

Sri Brahmathanthra swathanthrar

GatikAsatham ammAL

VaradavishNvAchAryar

MahAdayAdheesar

Vaathsya AhobilAchAryar

Vaathsya VaradAchAryar

Shashta parAnkusa SwAmy

Sri Panchamatha bhanchanam thAtha Desikan

Vaathsya AnathAchAryar

RamanujAchAryar

VenkatAchAryar

VeerarAghavAchAryar

Sri Rangapathi Desikar

Ranganatha Swamy

Sri Saakshaath Swamy (reported to be an avtaar of Sri Ramanuja,- as Swamy

Desikan had longed to have direct AchArya sambandham with Emperumaanaar Sri

Ramanujacharya. (as Swamy Desikan lived from 1268 CE to 1369 CE, he naturally

could not have the bhAgyam of enjoying the darshan of studying directly under

Sri Ramanuja (1017 to 1137 CE)

 

TIRUKKUDANTHAI DESIKAN (1700 CE to 1782 CE) (an avtaar of Swamy Desikan,

fulfilling his desire to study at the feet of Ramanujacharya)- Sri

Munithraya sampradAya Pravartthakar.

 

This Swamy, who was also Sri Gopaalaarya Mahadesikan, completed the whole course

of his studies at the feet of Sri Saakshaath Swamy. Sri Saakshaath Swamy blessed

the disciple to settle down at Kumbakonam (Tirukkudanthai) and spread the

sampradayam. Sri Gopaladesika mahadesikan was in his 30 years of age when many

disciples flocked to him. There were three sanyaasis (namely Sri Srinivasamuni,

VazhutthUr Sri Vedantharamanujamuni and Sri Ranganatha muni, who were considered

to be amsam – avtaar of Sri Yamunamuni- sri Alavandhar, Sri Ramanujamuni and

Sri Nathamuni respectively..) in their

saffron attire, were attending on Sri Tirukkudanthai Desikan (a gruhastha

AchAryan).

 

Thus, since there were three munis (sanyaasis) at the feet of Sri

Tirukkudnathai desikan, He is called Munithraya sampradaya pravartthakar.

 

Vazhutthoor Andavan (Sri Vedantha ramanuja muni) had more followers than the

other two. His propagation brought the Acharya vamsa vruksham to a very

prominent status. One thing needs to be mentioned here. When this Swamy

approached Sri Tirukkudanthai Desikan, he prostrated at his feet

saying..â€theera vinaigaL theera ennai Andaay! Thirukkudanthai ooraa! “ (from

sri NammAzhwAr’s ThiruvAymozhi 5.8- Oh Resident of Tirukkudanthai! You have

ruled me, dispelling all my karmic diseasesâ€. Sri Tirukkudanthai desikan said

to him..â€Since you mentioned this line.. hereafter you will be the one who

will rule and propagate – blessed the Acharyan. . (Andaan- and hence he was

called as Andavan- THUS came Sri Andavan Ashramam)

 

Sri VazhutthUr Andavan- Sri Vedantha Ramanujamuni became the real

torchbearer of Sri Tirukkudanthai Desikan- Sri Gopalarya Mahadesikan.

 

Sri Vedantha Ramanuja Mahadesikan (Sri VazhutthUr Andavan) had the following

main disciples

 

1. Sri Annayarya Mahadesikan and thus came in Sri Valayapettai Swamy

Paramparai.

2. Sri Vedantha Ramanuja mahadesikan (Sri Andikkaadu Swamy- Sri Vangheepuram

Swamy) – Sri Rangaramanuja mahadesikan- Sri Kedhaandipatti Swamy Paramparai

(from which we were blessed with Sri KozhiyAlam Swamy- Sri Utthamoor Swamy

paramparai; Sri Ramadesikacharyar; Sri Madhuranthakam Swamy et al)

3. SRI SRINIVASA RAMANUJA MAHADESIKAN- Sri TirutthuRaippooNdi Andavan

 

Sri Srinivasa Mahadesikan- Sri Thirutthurai Poondi Andavan, had the disciple Sri

Srinivasa Mahadesikan (PERIYANDAVAN) also called Sri Vatthal Swamy…

 

Please read and enjoy this article on Sri Tirukkudanthai Desikan

http://www.the-hindu.com/2000/09/29/stories/13291364.htm

 

from The Hindu written by Sri U Ve Dr VN Vedantha Desikan, an ardent sishya of

Srimad Poundarikapuram Andavan His Holiness Sri ParavakkOTtai Andavan Sri

Gopaladesika Mahadesikan.

 

 

Sri VazhutthUr Andavan was born in the star of Poorattadi in the month of

AvaNi in 1743 CE..

 

He was also known as Srirangam Srimad Andavan, as he stayed in Srirangam

almost permanently. Each of his sishyas (as listed above)

had many sishyas and Samparadyam grew to a great extent and hence this Swamy is

known as one of huge family (big kudumbam), also called “Kudumbi Swamiâ€

 

The term “Andavanâ€- meaning one who came to rule the hearts

of his followers was coined and applied reverentially not only to him but also

to all Acharyas who came after him. Thereafter, the Parampara itself came to

be called “Srimad Andavan Paramparai, propagating the munithraya

sampradayam. Other than Sri Pakalamutt and Sri Ahobila Mutt, all other AchAryas

of Vadakalai sect today trace back to Sri Vedantha Ramanuja Muni (Sri VazhutthUr

Andavan).

 

Large number of disciples used to attend his kaalakshepams due to his

greatness. Once when a new series of kaalakshepam was about to start,

disciples recited the thaniyan and were about to start. There was a king cobra

which came out of its hole and had its hood raised. Immediately one of the

sishyas took a stick to beat and kill. Swamy the most compassionate as usual

took pity of this being and asked the sishya not to disturb or hurt the snake.

They proceeded with the kaalakshepam (in a tense situation perhaps for sishyas).

The Cobra stood still till the end and disappeared after kaalakshepam was over.

 

This extraordinary event was happening repeated everyday. The snake became one

of the regular attendees too. After the grantham was completed, Swamy was

descending the steps of the tank for his Anushtanam, the Cobra went around him

and struck its hood on the ground three times and appeared to beg

something.

 

The Acharya understood that it was a Mahapurusha in the previous birth and had

become a Cobra by some curse and that it was seeking relief from Samsara.

Plucking a fruit from a tree nearby, he offered it to his Aradhana murthi

and performed Aartha Prapatti for the Cobra. Vazhuthur Andavan sprinkled

some holy waters on the Cobra which was waiting for him to come. Instantly, it

passed away. (from Sri Anbil Ramaswamy Swamy’s article and Sri Thirukudanthai

Desikan 300 the Anniversary malar)

 

GuruparamparA smaraNam is the most important and essential one. It is the most

necessary deed, which is nithya karma; naimittika karma, as well as kAmyam too.

This can also be for prAyaschittham for one’s pApam. It grants everything that

we wish for.

 

Sri Vazhutthur Andavan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

 

Regards

asmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE GuruparamparAm…