Video Cassette of the Sanskrit Drama SwAmi DESika Vijayam

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrI Lakshminrusimha ParabrahmaNE namaha

SrImatE bhagavad rAmAnujAya namaha

SrImatE nigamAnta mahAdESikAya namaha

SrImatE nArAyaNa yateendra mahAdESiKAya namaha

 

namO nArAyaNa!

 

Dear devotees,

 

Note: Please take time to read this quite lengthy posting,

which carries an important announcement.

 

On 11th June,2000 the Sanskrit Drama " SwAmi DESika Vijayam "

was staged at KrishNa GAna Sabha, T.Nagar,Chennai. You must

have already read about the grand success of this very good

play, through the article which appeared in the daily " Indian

Express " , posted to the e-group by SrI Achutha RAman,Singapore.

But, aDiyEn is appending it in this posting for the sake of

completion.

 

The year 1999 was declared as the " Year for Sanskrit " by the

Indian government, for promoting Sanskrit. Popularisation of

this very important language is an essential kainkaryam to be

taken up. Also, one (esp. Children) should have a feel of our

rich culture, not only in terms of reading some books, but

also by seeing a drama, that too in the ancient sanskrit

language. One has to remove the mental block that, one can't

understand sanskrit. Everyone knows that vast amount of

scriptures are only in Sanskrit. Moreover, if the focus of

the drama be on our SrI VaishNava sampradAyam, it would be

a great treat to watch and enjoy the acts. Hence, this Sanskrit

drama was staged by the talented young SrI U.Ve. Mukundagiri V. -

Ananthapadmanaban, who belongs to a good lineage following

SrI Ahobila Muth sampradAyam. He has learnt Sanskrit from

SrI U.Ve. OzhappAkkam R. RAjagOpAlAchArya, an eminent scholar

of Sanskrit and son-in-law of the late SrI U.Ve.MadhurAntakam

VeerarAghavAchArya of great fame. SrI RAjagOpAlachArya has been

teaching Sanskrit all through his life from his young age. He

is still teaching it to many, inspite of his health problems

due to old age.

 

SrI Ananthapadmanaban has underwent traditional kAlakshEpam of

SrI BhAshyam etc sampradAya granthas under the well known

" SrI BhAshya SimhAsanAdipati " SrI U.Ve.Purisai NadAdUr -

KrishNamAchArya, the aasthAna vidvAn of SrI Ahobila Muth and

editor of the magazine " SrI Nrusimha Priya " . It has to be very

specially mentioned that, he has been intimately serving SrI -

Purisai swAmi right from his childhood days. Most of the

time, he would be found performing some kainkaryam at his

AchArya's thirumALigai (house). Though only in his late twenties,

he is editing the magazine " SrI SrIranga SaThajit kripA " and has

lot more goals in his mind for serving our sampradAyam in its

various spheres.

 

SwAmi VEdAnta DESika is an AchArya-SArvabhouma unparalleled in

many a ways. No amount of glorification can justify the greatness

of this " VEdAntAchArya " , one of the greatest SrI VaishNava AchAryas

highly loved and admired for his supremacy in jn~yAna, bhakti,

vairAgya, anushThAna, aatma-guNas, grantha-nirmAnam etc. SwAmi

DESikan, a " Kavi-tArkika Simha " (Lion of Poetry and Logic) has a

very high place in the history of Indian Philosophers and Poets.

It is well known that SwAmi DESikan's service to Ubhaya-VEdAnta

is unparalleled through his immortal divine works exceeding

hundred in number. The world of Sanskrit knows the immense

contribution made by SwAmi DESikan and SrI Ananthapadmanaban

found quite fitting to stage a Sanskrit drama on this

" Sarva-Tantra-Svatantra " .

 

Just before the commencement of the play, a quite big-sized

photo of Lord VeerarAghava alongwith Kanakavalli thAyAr and

ubhaya-nAcchimAr, sponsored by SrI K.G.KrishNan (aDiyEn's father)

was presented to SrI Ananthapadmanaban in recognition of his

service to the SrI VaishNava community, by a noted scholar

SrI U.Ve. MannArgudi RAjagOpAlAchArya, who has underwent

kAlakshEpam under the current Azhagiyasingar (HH Jeeyar of SrI

Ahobila Muth) in his pUrvAshramam. SrI MannArdudi swAmi is

atpresent very actively delivering kAlakshEpams on SrI BhAshyam,

Bhagavad Vishayam etc sampradAya granthas at various parts of

Chennai. He lauded the efforts of SrI Ananthapadmanaban and

remarked that the Divya Dampati, who are the cause for the

success of his activities, have themselves appeared to bless

him for the successful staging of the drama.

 

aDiyEn extremly enjoyed watching the live play and it is a very

memorable experience. The play took us back to the times of SwAmi

DESikan, with its appropriate settings and make-ups. Apart from

excellent performance by many actors, the outstanding rendition of

the sanskrit slokas into very sweet music (vocal) by SrI RangarAjan

(advocate; kAlakshEpam under SrI PuriSai swAmi) really stirred

aDiyEn's emotions. The title song on SrI VEdAnta DESika, a gadyam

written by SrI Ananthapadmanaban was very well sung by the

All-India-Radio artiste Smt Janaki RAmAnujam, who is already

known for singing selected pAsurams of AzhwArs set to carnatic

music. She has also given a cassette on the SuprabhAtam to Lord

SrI VeerarAghava of ThiruvalUr (Thiru-yevvuL).

 

The dialogues are in simple sanskrit and esp. those who know the

biography of SwAmi DESikan can easily follow the dialogues.

Important messages from SwAmi DESikan, while exhibiting his

aatma-guNAs are very well brought out. Some dharma sUkshmams and

anushThAnams are also nicely incorporated. Ofcourse, its

impossible to cover all aspects of SwAmi DESikan's life and

achievements. The main focus of the play is on various important

life-events of SwAmi DESikan. The reviews that follow will tell

you more about the play.

 

One of the important aspect to be noted was the sincere and

dedicated efforts from the school students (Mostly 12th std

pass-outs) of SrI Ahobila Muth school at West Mambalam,Chennai.

Many of them are non-SrI VaishNavas, including the student who

acted as SwAmi DESikan. But, they got totally involved in this

play, right from the day they started to practise their

dialogues. SrI Ananthapadmanaban was previously their Sanskrit

teacher and now their " Director " . He made the students work

day and night for the play and the students responded equally

well with full enthusiasm. The student-team alongwith SrI

AnanthapadmanAban did all the jobs for the play, to the extent

of pasting wall posters around the city by themselves during

the nights.

 

 

aDiyEn is very happy to announce that the video cassette of this

excellent drama is now ready for distribution. The details are

given at the end of this mail.

 

SrI U.Ve.VELukkudi KrishNan graced the occassion on 11th June and

spoke on the importance of staging these dramas. By recalling

the scene from the drama, in which SrI Sudarsana SUri entrusts

" SrutaprakASika " to SwAmi DESikan, SrI V.KrishNan quoted a verse

by the illustrious Sudarsana SUri and stressed the importance of

protecting PramAna (VEdas and Upabrahmanas), PramEya (SrIman

nArAyaNa) and PramAtas (SrI VaishNava AchAryas). SrI KrishNan

pointed out from the Drama as to how the pramAtAs viz.SrI VaishNava

(and SrI VaishNavas) gave their life and soul in protecting the

pramEya viz. Lord SrI RanganAyaki SamEta RanganAtha, and the

PramAna " SrutaprakASika " , during the Muslim invasion. He added

that, the same situation is still prevailing to this day and that

we have a very big task ahead to protect PramEya, PramAna and the

PramAtAs ie. SrI SUktIs of our AchAryas etc. He praised this

Sanskrit Drama to be one such very good effort fulfilling the above

objective. He appreciated SrI U.Ve. M.V.Ananthapadmanaban, the

script writer and director of this drama, to be a skillful person

who can even propagate the sampradAyam through modern medias like

Computer and the " omnipresent " Web. He wished the drama on this

great AchArya to be spread all over the world and get good response

from all the people, and thereby carryout the objective of

propagating our sampradAyam.

 

SrI K.ParAsaran, ex-Attorney General and son of the illustrious

late SrI U.Ve.KESava Iyengar, was full of appreciation. He shared

his feelings to the audience that he has never seen such an

excellent full length Sanskrit drama filled with very good

dialogues, settings and trick-shots. He recalled his father's

words " Just like there are two eyes and one sight, two ears and

one simultaneous hearing, two hands and one anjali, Sanskrit and

Tamil together constitute our Ubhaya VEdAnta SampradAyam " . He

congragulated SrI Ananthapadmanaban and his team for having

produced a great play, quite comparable to the likes of Nawab

RAjamAnikkam and Manohar.

 

SrI O.R.RajagOpAlAchArya lauded the efforts of his student. He

was extremly happy about the many new improvements esp. music,

in comparison with the drama's earlier version staged during

1996 at VAni MahAl,Chennai. During 1996, SrI AnanthapadmanAban,

the script writer and another youngster SrI O.R.Devanathan,

son of SrI RAjagOpAlAchArya, were the main architects of the

play. Sri Ananthapadmanaban has incorporated improved stage

settings and display, in his new version.

 

The play was made possible to be staged, mainly because of

the contributions from the following bhaktas :

 

1. SrI M.S.Hari, Singapore.

2. SrI Madhavakannan, Singapore.

3. SrI Achutha RAman, Singapore.

4. SrI Vijayakumar, Singapore.

5. SrI Kasturi Varadarajan, USA.

6. SrI Murali Kadambi, USA.

7. SrI Deepak Rajasekar, USA.

8. SrI Vijayaraghavan SrInivasan, USA.

9. SrI Vasudevan of VAS Chemicals, Chennai.

10. SrI RAmabadran, Chennai.

---

 

Lets have a look at couple of reviews/reports.

 

Report from the Daily " The Hindu " :

 

ESSENTIALLY SPIRITUAL

***********************

 

Those who take delight in scoffing at Sanskrit as a " dead

language " and that it cannot be understood by all, the

presentation of a play on some of the important incidents

in the life of Vedanta Desika (13th Century) who strengthened

the edifice of 'Visishtadwaita " , the foundation of which was

laid by the Alwars and spread by Ramanuja, totally belied

their aspersions. Enacted mostly by young students who are

learning Vedas and supported by a few elders, the dialogues

for the characters were simple. The sequences were dovetailed

well and the scenes changed quickly. A Vedantin, prolific

writer in Sanskrit,Tamil and Manipravala, Desika, who it is

believed was conferred the titles " Vedantacharya " and " Sarva-

Tantra Svatantra " by the Lord and the Divine Mother and

" Kavitarkika Simham " by scholars, chose to lead a simple life.

He was chiefly responsible for saving the " Sruta Prakasika " ,

a commentary on " Sri Bhashyam " .

 

 

The script for the play, enacted at the Krishna Gana Sabha on

sunday was by <a student> of the noted scholar

O.R.Rajagopalachariar. The music rendering of the slokas was

pleasing.

 

The play commenced with the boy, Desika, revealing his precocity

among scholars. The procession of Lord Varadaraja with all

paraphernalia on the stage had a tremendous impact. The downpour

of gold coins to help a poor bridegroom on appeal to the Divine

Mother, the defeat of scholars of other religious schools, the

composing of the poem " Paduka Sahasram " during one night, the

lesson taught to a sorcerer who with his powers tried to cause

damage to his physical system, the saving of the valuables when

marauders plundered Srirangam Temple, his expertise in various

fields like sculpture and his reverence shown to co-religionists

who mistook him, were some of the scenes depicted.

 

The play only reveals parts of Desika's life, such as the way in

which some people tried to mix gold with the alms collected by

him daily only to help him tide over his chosen lifestyle and

his polite refusal to accept Vidyaranya's request by saying that

his grand father (Brahma) has left him a great legacy (Lord

Varadaraja).

 

Sri K.Parasaran commending the actors' dedication said that the

drama was neither purely religious nor social, but essentially

spiritual. By staging it frequently, the drama can reach the

standards set by troupes like that of Nawab Rajamanickam.

 

Sri Velukkudi Krishnan explained that through such plays, we

could propagate the message of our illustrious spiritual

leaders. M.V.Anantha Padmanaban, editor of the magazine

" Sri Sriranga Satajit Kripa " and director of the play " Desika

Vijayam " , referred to his ambition to present the glory of

the 108 Divya Kshetras on stage.

 

---

Report from the daily " Indian Express " :

 

 

SRI VEDANTA DESIKA VIJAYAM - A SANSKRIT PLAY

**********************************************

 

The great Srivaishnava polymath, Acharya Nigamantha Mahadesika

(1268-1379 AD), author of more than 100 works in three languages,

Sanskrit, Tamil and Prakritham, led a glorious life spread over

a century and consolidated further the Visishtadvaita philosophy

of Sri Ramanuja. Sri Vedanta Desika Vijayam, a two-hour play in

Sanskrit, staged at Sri Krishna Gana sabha, Chennai, last Sunday

(11th June) brought into sharp focus all the essential features

of Desika's life and achievements. Staged by Sri Ranga Shatajith

Krupa, an organisation devoted to philosophies through the medium

of Tamil and Sanskrit, the play was most impressive and

spectacular. The piece-de-resistance of the play were true to

life festival processions of the Lords of Kanchi and Sri Rangam,

the swarna vrishti (shower of gold coins) caused by the hymn

Sri Sthuthi and the cascading of water from a pillar that quelled

mayaavi(a sorcerer) into abject submission.

 

Playwright MV. Ananthapadmanabhan, a very young noted Sanskrit

scholar has produced this play with missionary zeal which deserves

warm approbation. His dream is to take this play both around the

country and the world. He plans to stage a spectacular play in

Tamil that will take you to a tour of the 108 Vaishnavaite Divya

Desams for a continuos 52 hours - hoping for a Guinness record

(in the process). Rangarajan and AIR artiste Janaki Ramanujam

provided supportive mellifluous music, consistent with the

thematic content of the play. More than 800 witnessed the play,

which by itself is a valid certificate of commendation.

 

-------------------------------

 

The reports/reviews on this play appeared also in the Tamil

Daily " Dinamani " , Magazines like " SrI RanganAtha PAdukA " ,

" SrI Hayagriva PriyA " and Newsweek. The NEWS of Chennai

Doordarshan, showed a clipping from this drama and reported

the unique achievement of a full length Sanskrit drama with

very good settings and acting, and able direction and script

writing by SrI Ananthapadmanaban, who made the play easily

understandable for everyone. He has also been interviewed by

the Internet Radio viz. " Num-Radio " .

 

These reports and sample Photos of this play will soon be made

available at the Web-site http://www.garuda.com. SrI Achutha -

RAman of Singapore will update us about it.

 

The Master-Copy of the video cassette of this play is ready.

Depending upon your orders, copies will be made.

 

*******************************************************************

* It is priced at US$10 for those at US, (Singapore)$15 for those *

* at Singapore and Rs.300 for those at India and elsewhere. *

*******************************************************************

 

The summary of each act of the play was announced in Tamil during

the live show. It has been well recorded in the Video-Cassette as

well and it will help a lot in understanding each act. Pamphlet

summarizing each act in English will also be given alongwith the

cassette.

 

Kindly come forward to get the video cassettes. aDiyEn need not

elaborate on the impact of visual media, since you all know much

more about it. In this generation, its very important to support

and encourage these ventures, which makes the sampradAyam reach

the people at large. Apart from oneself getting benifited out of

watching the play, it will be a big encouragement for

SrI MV Ananthapadmanaban also to produce more such plays. He is a

real " trend-setter " for this age, in making the sampradAyam reach

the people through dramas.

 

He remarked that he is only following the footsteps of our

pUrvAchAryas like SwAmi DESikan, who presented the tenets of

ViSishtAdvaita through the outstanding drama " Sankalpa -

SUryOdayam " . Even NammAzhwAr's ThiruvAimozhi is like a play

with many characters viz. PerumAL, PirAtti, parAnkusa nAyaki,

thAyAr, thOzhi and others.

 

aDiyEn sincerely wishes that each and every SrI VaishNava should

have a copy of this video cassette. Please do convey your pledges

to me. Kindly mention the type of format you need : Indian (PAL),

US format etc. Please issue the cheques in favour of

" M.V.Ananthapadmanaban " and mail to my address 11 Hasthigri St,

Chennai 600-033,India.

 

aDiyEn's Tel # : 483-4676. You can reach SrI Ananthapadmanaban

at 471-2284.

 

aDiyEn humbly requests the co-ordinators of various organizations

like NAMA to pass on the information to their members and actively

participate in distributing these cassettes. If possible, one can

locally get the orders for the cassettes and finally inform me.

The cassettes will be kept ready here and arrangements can be

made to deliver them at appropriate destinations within Chennai.

We shall also discuss about the way in which the cassettes can

be made available to those who want them at US,Singapore, Bahrain

and other such places.

 

The script for the next " Mega Play " in manipravALam (Judicious

mixture of Tamil and Sanskrit), on Lord VaradarAja of KAnchi,

viz. " VAraNa veRpu " (Elephant Hill ie.Hasthigiri), has already

been written by SrI Ananthapadmanaban. More on this very

exciting play later ....

 

For now, please come forward with enthusiasm to order these

cassettes, specifying the format you need. Thanks a lot in

advance.

 

Eagerly awaiting for your pledges,

 

aDiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan,

K.K. AnantapadmanAbhan (alias K.K.Anand).

krishNArpaNam.