asmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE guruparamparAm- 14

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:

 

Dearest Sisters and Brothers,

 

Please accept adiyEn’s dhaNdavath praNAmams at your feet.

 

Let us continue to enjoy AchArya series. After Srimad Andavan Sri Ranganatha

Mahadesikan (Sri Mannaargudi Andavan), Sri VeNNaaRRankarai Andavan took over

(Panguni - Anusham) (19-3-1882 - 9-4-1980)

 

Let us first enjoy the life of this great AchArya (extracts from Sri Anbil

mama’s write up and Sri Dr VN Vedantha Desikan’s article- Thanks to both of

them for their permission to use their articles)

 

SRIMAD ANDAVAN ( SRI VENNATRANKARAI ANDAVAN )

(Panguni - Anusham) (19-3-1882 - 9-4-1980)

 

Sri Velaamur Varada Krishnamachariar Swami belonged to Kalyana Puram

near Tiruvaiyaaru. He married one Alarmel Mangai. Both the families were

steeped in Vedic tradition. The family enjoyed the patronage of Serfoji

Raja of Thanjavur on account of their deep dedication to Vedic tradition.

They lived in a house adjacent to Singaperumal Koil at Vennatran Karai

whose praise has been sung by Tirumangai Alwar.

 

The couple was blessed with a son in the cyclic year “Kara” in the

month of Panguni when the star Anuradha was in the ascendant.19th March

1882. At his birth, he was named Seshadri. He received Pancha Samskaram

from his father as well as the first lessons in Sama Veda from his father.

 

He was sent to Tiruvaiyaru Vembu Sastrigal and (*Nagaraja Sastrigal), noted

Sanskrit Pandits to specialize in Sama Veda, Kavya, and Nataka.

Later, he studied and became proficient both in Yajur Veda and Divya

Prabhandam. Qualified to perform yagnas, he was an authority in Dharma

Sastras and in the practical application of six Sutras in daily life. He

excelled in Goshti Parayana as he was endowed with a rich mellifluous

voice. At the Sama Veda examination conducted by Pudukkottai

Samasthanam, he was declared to have passed in second

class owing to the partiality of the examiner but when the Swami

refused to accept the award contending the verdict, the Raja ordered a

re-examination and found him to have passed in Ist class, by which he won

the acclaim of the Raja and other Sanskrit pundits. He married Janaki, then

only 7. (the daughter of Kodavasal Ramabadrachariar and Ponnu kamalammmal)

at the age of 11. Sri Velaamur Srinivasachariar was greatly devoted to Sri

Desika He was chiefly instrumental in enabling Velliyanur Srimad Andavan to

celebrate Sri Desika Annual festival at Neelamegha Perumal Koil. He

gave to the temple a palanquin, a number of Vahanas and several

jewels. These festivals were

conducted by him with great devotion out of the family funds.

 

Even after becoming an Acharya, he continued to evince keen interest in the

proper conduct of these festivals. Today, Srimad Andavan's relations

in Purvasramam still continue to celebrate Swami Desika Utsava with unabated

interest and devotion. (Once, when participating in a Yaga, the Ritvik

in charge of Atharvyu was indisposed and could not attend. Within one

night, our Swami learned the entire Atharvyu mantras and acted in the

place of the absentee Ritvik and completed

the Yaga successfully. Such was his capacity to absorb and retain with

razor sharp memory and perform the role with consummate skill.)

 

Some hostile persons removed the idol of Swami Desika from the small

shrine in Hara Saapa Vimochana Perumal Koil at Tiruk Kandiyur. The

father of Srimad Srinivasa Maha Desikan took the lead in making a new

idol and installed it in the empty shrine. Srimad Andavan in his

Purvasrama used to lead the _Adhyapaka Goshti_ during the festival days.

Srimad Srinivasa Maha Desikan in his Purvasrama was quite well known for

his philanthropy. He has helped pious Vaishnavas in times of dire need.

 

Although born in a wealthy family, Sri Srinivasachariar’s mind and heart

turned to renunciation and to severing Worldly attachments. He had already

sought the feet of Gnana Vairaghya Anushtana Sampanna Poundarika

Puram Andavan and received from his Grantha Kalakshepam, Bhara

Samarpanam, Prapatti Prayoga Upadesam, Presha Mantra Upadesam and

Sannyaasa Prayogam. Considering his

Poorvasrama financial resources as trash, he came to Poundarika Puram

Andavan Asramam as his final retreat.

 

After becoming the Acharya, he devoted his full attention to the

administration of the Asramam and to the celebration, in a grand manner

the Tirunakshatra of the past Srimad Andavans.

 

(He helped Chaturveda Satakratu Navalpakkam Narasimha Tatachariar,

Kozhiyalam Sri Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikan and several others and earned

their gratitude and blessings)

 

The daily Aradhanas were performed with great piety and devotion.

The ”SaaRRumuRai” congregation was indeed an inspiring sight to the

devout. On such occasions, Srimad Andavan himself led the Goshti

giving it both grace and solemnity. He would recite all by himself the

Nighamana Adhikara of Sri Rahasya Traya Sara of Sri Vedanta Desika. His

discourses on such occasions were listened to with rapt attention.

 

It is relevant to mention that Sri Vinnatrangarai Swami was accepted as same

teacher by Sri Thenbarai Andavan (of Peria asramam), since the latter had a

feeling of regret that he had not mastered his own Sakha, same veda! Very

interestingly, in the Sannyasa life too, Sri Vinnatrangarai Andavan

exhibited great concern for the health (that was rapidly declining) of Sri

Thenbarai Andavan (1960's). Everyday he would walk to and fro. What it

means is that he should take bath every time on return! Once indeed, a

moving event occurred, Sri Vinnatrangarai Andavan walks to Peria Asramam,

meets Sri Kannan Swami on the way, learnt that the latter was going to

Madras on some urgent work since the Thenbarai Andavan's health would

sustain life for some three days, but Sri Vinnatrangarai Andavan warns the

latter that it was not so, takes him back to the Asramam and almost

influences him to take to the saffron order. Yes, it was urgently

necessary. Readers would realize the risk, the confusion, etc. That often

results on the successor not taking over immediately without a gap in time.

 

Indeed on later occasions, Sri Vinnatrangarai Andavan used to congratulate

Sri Thirukkudanthai Andavan on the growth, expansion, increasing affluence,

etc. of his Asramam, with a legitimate satisfaction that He himself had

worked for it by forcing Sri Kannan Swami to accept Sannyasa at the right

moment

 

Srimad Andavan seemed to have a premonition of his impending death. He

called to his side the then Srikaryam, Paravakkottai Sri Rajagopalachariar

Swami( who had come to the Asramam to assist him in the conduct of

Tirunakshatra celebrations) and told him in confidence that since his

earthly life would not go beyond the next Sravanam day which fell on 5th

April 1980, he should be interred by the side of his Acharya in the

Brindavanam on the bank of Vada Kaveri. Strangely

enough, Srimad Andavan entered his Jyoti at 2 pm on 9th April 1980,(* which

was Siddharti Panguni 27th, a Krishna Paksha Navami Tithi day) so close to

the last day which Srimad Andavan had himself fixed.

 

(IT WAS THIS SWAMI WHO INITIATED INTO SANNYASA ASRAMAM THE MAHAN CELEBRATED

AS “INJIMETTU AZHAGIYASINGHAR”)

 

The Iyal Goshti of Venntran Karai Andavan was a magnificent sight, the

like of which was never seen or heard of before. The grand procession led by

the Ahobila Mutt elephant, with the idol of Sri Bhashyakaara at the head,

passed through the streets of Srirangam and impressed all by their

colorful variety- the Poorvaasrama son of Acharya carrying the worn

garlands of several Divya Desas, seven or eight divisions of Veda

Parayana Goshtis, their Vedic chant piercing

the sky above all the surging sea of Srivaishnavas, devotees and disciples.

The procession stood at the Dasavataaran Sannidhi and after

Mangalaasaasana there reached the Asramam. Ubhaya Vedaanta Vidwan

Madhurantakam Sri Veera Ragahavachariar Swami paid glowing tributes

to Srimad Andavan's many sided virtues in verse and prose. Another

glorious chapter in the history of Sri Poundarika Puram Asramam came to a

close.

 

His Tanian reads as follows:

 

Naryanaakhya Yathiraja Paadaabja Bringa

Sri Vaasa Yogi Gurunaa Arpitha Bharam Eese/

Bhakthyaaddhi Poorna Varadaarya Kripaatha Sinham

Sri Srinivasa Munivaram Aham Prapadhye //

(meaning)

 

I take refuge at the holy feet of Srinivasa Maha Desikan who was like a

honey bee at the lotus feet of the yathi- srEshtar , Sri NaarAyaNa MahA

Desikan and performed his prapatthi at the sacred feet of

Poundarikapuram SrinivAsa MahA Desikan after receiving his pancha

samskAram rites from Sri VaradAchArya Swami known for his

Bhakthi-Jn~Ana -VairAghyam .

 

AchAryan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Narayana Narayana

adiyEn AchAryan Thiruvadi Narayana dAsan madhavakkannan

 

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