Benediction from H.H. Srimad Andavan Swami of Srimad Poundarikapuram Ashramam

[Guest guest]

Sri:

 

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

 

Dear Bhaktas,

 

At the start of the new millenium, Adiyen wishes to share with all

of you the message of benediction from H.H. Srimad Andavan Swami of Srimad

Poundarikapuram Ashramam. The message,

originally in Tamil has been translated by U.Ve. Dr. V.N. Vedanta

Desikan Swamin.

 

Namo Narayana,

 

SriMuralidhara Dasan

 

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Benediction Message from

Sri Paravakkotti Srimad Andavan

SRI GOPALADESIKAMAHADESIKAN

of

Srirangam Sri Poundarikapuram Swami Asramam

 

 

To the Srivaishnava Community living in the United States of America

 

 

All persons devoted to the Sri Vaishnava Sampradayam would be well familiar

with the name of Mahavidwan Sri Ubhaya Vedanta Acharya Thirumalai Eachambadi

Veeraraghavacharya Swami of Madhurantakam. Rightly was he, famous as 'Sri

Madhurantakam Swami'. He had devoted his whole life to the propagation of

Sri Desika Sampradaya. He had been writing articles on our sampradaya

throughout his life. A collection of those writings would prove to be an

ideal source book for the moderns to understand the nuances of sampradaya.

 

He was one who would never swerve from the codes of conduct mandatory for a

Sri Vaishnavite. There is a maxim that a Vaishnava ought to fall down on

all forms, like a stick (danda) on seeing another Vaishnava.

 

That is, how the usage 'dandam samarpippadu' came into vogue. This

signifies the sesha-seshi relationship, the one who prostrates is the Sesha

and the one to whom prostration is rendered is the Seshi. I have observed

in my life the implicit observance of this great virtue that marks a

Srivaishnav, only in the case of two great Swamis. One was the Goshtipuram

Swami (Sri Sowmya Narayanarya Mahadesikan), when I was a student of the

Tirupathi Sanskrit College, I was a resident of the Ahobila Math there.

There I saw one day, the above Swami returning to the Math, after finishing

his daily rituals in the Pushkarini. Remember he was revered very highly

for his Jnana as well as Anushtana. I felt I should pay obeisance to him.

I went and fell down on all fours in Sashtangapranam and lo! what did he do!

He too, fell down before me even as I was in the process of prostration.

I was shocked. I could not swallow and forbear the thought of my Bhagavata

apachara. I ran away with tearful eyes and avoided the repetition.

Therefore, I used to prostrate only 'behind the screen', somewhere,

unnoticed by him. What a touching quality of these great Swamis!.

 

Later on, some 30 years later, I had occasion to visit Sri Madhurantakam

Swami in his residence at Srirangam. I experienced the same return of

Pranama from him, when I rendered it. Now I had the guts to stop him. I

prayed to him to cease from such an act that hurts me. No, he would not

relent. I then hit a strategy to keep the Swami off from rendering a

Prativandana, I requested him to initiate me in Vaiswadeva, which would

place him at the level of a preceptor in a sense. He kindly obliged me and

smilingly commented: 'This is only a pretext of being a preceptor. Anyhow

you have won me.

 

Both the Swamins were real treasure houses of Jnana. They had such sterling

qualities that they would be respectable to all. For them, to exhibit this

virtue of servility to any Srivaishnava, irrespective of age or other

qualifications, marks them out as unique models for us to follow.

 

We had only recently celebrated the 120th Jayanthi of Sri Goshtipuram Swami.

The centenary of Sri Madhurantakam Swami is to be held on 4.3.2000. It is

in the fitness of things to celebrate these functions as a matter of our

duty towards our sampradaya.

 

Swami Desika has mentioned in his 'sampradaya parisuddhi' (one of Sillarai

Rahasyas), that " there is no conflict of content among the branches,

whatever they may be, in the Ramanuja Sishyas' sampradayas. But whatever

minor difference arises in certain practices, because of place, passage of

time or condition of living, should be treated as permitted by our

scriptures. This emphasises that all belonging to Sri Bhashyakara's

Siddhanta are; one they to the same cardinal Vedantic tenets.

Differences, if any, in some practical aspects, are to be conceded as

permissible. They will themselves not amount to an antagonism or a cause

for conflict. This is what we should learn from the life of this great

swami; Let each Sri Vaishnava adhere to practices transmitted from

generation to generation in a family. Let each adhere to his practice and

respect others' practices also.

 

Sri Vaishnavas in the USA are a minority in that country now. They ought

not to make much fuss about differences that may necessarily exist between

one group belonging to one sub-unit and another similar group, say belonging

to another Acharya-line. After all, all of you inherit the tradition of

Bhagavad, Ramanuja and Swami Desika. Remember what Swami Desika wished:

" May jealousy be abandoned; It is jealousy that generates mutual enmity " .

Live without jealousy, with a feeling of unity, with the right kind of

reverence to the Bhagavatas as other Vaishnavas are to be treated. That

kind of culture is called Bhagavata-nishta. The Lord would not excuse

offence against His devotees, namely, the Bhagavatas. May this sprit

inform you all, in everyday conduct and in assemblies of Sri Vaishnavites.

 

Now comes an occasion for your participation in the Centenary of the great

Vaishnava that Sri Madhurantakam Swami is.

 

I pray to the Divine couple Sri Ranganatha - Sri Ranganayaki and to the

great Poorvacharyas that you may all be blessed with long life to all of you

and your kith and kin, with sound health, with bounteous affluence, and with

all that each one of you may wish for.

 

I take leave with my hearty benedictions and with Sriman Narayana smarana.

 

Narayana Narayana

 

Srimad Andavan

Sri Poundarikapuram Swami Asramam

 

-- oo0oo --

 

 

 

 

 

 

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