Guest guest Posted May 31, 2001 Report Share Posted May 31, 2001 Sri: Sri Ranganatha Divyamani Padukabhyam Namaha Srimathe Ramanujaaya Namaha Srimathe Nigamantha Maha Deshikaaya Namaha Srimathe Rangaramanuja Maha Deshikaaya Namaha Thirunakshatram celebrations of Srirangam Srimad Andavan Sri Rangaramanuja Maha Deshikan Vaikaasi Thiruvaadirai Srirangam Srimad Andavan Ashramam, one of the premier institutions of Sri Bhagavad Ramanuja / Swamy Deshika sampradayam. The ashramam has been having an illustrious acharya paramparai known for their vairaagyam and anushtanams. The presiding deity at the ashramam is Sri Rukmini Satyabhama Sametha Sri Venugopalan, worshipped by the great Thirukkudanthai Deshikan, Srimad Gopalaarya Maha Deshikan. Having come in the same illustrious acharya paramparai is our dear acharya, prakrutam Srirangam Srimad Andavan Sri Rangaramanuja Maha Deshikan, also known as Srimushnam Andavan. Swamy Deshikan is celebrated as " sarvatantra swatantra " (master of all arts). For all of us who have not seen Swamy Deshikan in vibhavam, it is a great opportunity to see our beloved acharya Srimad Andavan in vibhavam who, like Swamy Deshikan, is a master in every field - veda, vedanta, tarka, shastras, agamas, poorvacharya krithis, jyotisham, ayurvedam, shilpa shastram, shastriya sangeetham and an unmatched mastery over languages like tamil, sanskri, telugu and english. It is a great bhagyam to celebrate the thirunakshatram of this great acharya. The city of Bangalore having been blessed with the privilege of celebrating the Thirunakshatram of H.H Paramahamsetyaadi Srirangam Srimad Andavan Sri Rangaramanuja Maha Deshikan started the celebrations on Monday with Parayanams, Music concerts, Sadas etc. Monday 21-05-01 --------------- Thirunakshatram celebrations of H.H paramahamsetyaadi Srirangam Srimad Andavan Sri Rangaramanuja Maha Deshikan began on Monday. Srimad Andavan was presented with a malar maalai (garland) adorned by Devanaayakan and Hemambhuja valli of Thiruvahindrapuram, along with the anugraham of our dear acharya Swamy Deshikan. The celebrations started with the paaraayanams of Rig Vedam, Shukla Yajurvedam, Krishna Yajurvedam, Sama Vedam, Srimad Ramayanam, Sri Bhashyam, Sri RanganAtha Paduka Sahasram etc. A galaxy of veda-vedantha vidwans blessed Bangalore with their paadasparsham. Tuesday and Wednesday - 22-05-01 and 23-05-01 ------------ The entire place seemed like bhuvaikuntam, filled with Veda ghOsham. Srimad paramahamsEtyAdi Sri Parakala Swamy H.H Srimad Abhinava Vageesha Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Yatindra Maha Deshikar arrived in Bangalore to participate in the Thirunakshatram. Thursday 24-05-01 ----------------- Rigveda, Krishna Yajurveda, Shukla Yajurveda, Sama Veda, Grantha (Ramayana, Bhagavad vishaya, SribhAshya...), Paduka Sahasra parayanam continued well into the fourth day. After the thiruvaradhanam, Srimad paramahamsetyaadi Parakala Swamy arrived at the ashramam. H.H was received with full honors. H.H presented Sri Lakshmi Hayagrivar's anugraham to Srimad Andavan. Srimad Parakala Matham Swamy was presented with Sri Venugopalan's anugraham. It was a divine experience to see both the acharyas blessing the bhagavatha goshti at the ashramam. Friday 25-05-01 - Thirunakshatram day - Vaikaasi Thiruvaadirai ----------------------------- At 6.00 a.m. Srimad Andavan started Sri Perumal and Paduka Thiruvaradhanam. The thiruppavai and pallandu shatthumurai got completed by 7.10 a.m. The teertha goshti, which then started, saw a gathering of over 1500 bhagavathas and lasted for over 2 hours. All the bhagavathas felt blessed and received Perumal teertham from Srimad Andavan, while the other ten paduka sri-pada-teerthams followed in due course. All the assembled bhagavathas recited Swamy Deshikan's Abhitistavam, Sristhuti and Godasthuti during the teertha goshti with the same devotional fervor that Swamy Deshikan once sang with. It was around 9.15 a.m. and Srimad Andavan started Gadya trayam and Paduka Sahasram paaraayanam. The gadyams recited were 'Sharanagati gadyam', which Ramanuja sung on panguni uttharam in front of Sri Ranga divya dampathigal and performed sharanagati and 'Sriranga gadyam', wherein Sri Ramanuja glorifies the holiest of abodes of Lord Sriman Narayana - Sri Rangam. The paduka sahasra paddhati for the day was 'marakatha paddhati', which also had a special significance. It is well known that Garudan's job is to take perumal wherever He feels to go. Whenever Perumal is flying on Garudan high in the skies, it becomes impossible for bhaktas on the earth to have perumal's darshanam. It becomes only possible when padukais carry perumal on the ground during His (Perumal's) sancharam. It is for this reason that Swamy Deshikan extols Padukai as " gaaruthmathi " in this paddhati. It is the same padukai that has carried Sri Venugopala from one place to the other and thereby blessing thousands of people with the rare bhagyam of participating in this acharya thirunakshatram celebrations and to obtain perumal anugraham. Parayanam of Swamy Deshikan's Sri Sudarshanaashtakam and Sri Shodashaayudha Stotram followed this. From 9.45 a.m. till 10.45 a.m. all the assembled bhagavathas obtained Srimad Andavan's anugraham and blessings. At 10.45 a.m. Srimad Parakala Matam Swamy, H.H paramahamsetyaadi Srimad Abhinava Vageesha Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Yatindra Maha Deshikan presided at the Ashramam. H.H was received with full honors. Very soon H.H Paramahamsetyaadi Srimad Rangapriya Maha Deshikan also presided at the ashramam and was received with full honors. Both, the acharyas obtained Perumal and Paduka teerthams from Srimad Andavan. It was around 10.50 a.m. when periya shatthumurai started. The paduka mantapam saw an assemblage of over 200 bhagavathas (only parayanam) while over 1500 bhagavathas stood outside and watched the shatthumurai being conducted in great style. Shatthumurai was conducted for the following parayanams, which were held weeklong. 1. Rig Vedam 2. Krishna Yajurvedam and Shukla Yajurvedam 3. Sama Vedam 4. Sri Ranganatha Paduka Sahasram 5. Srimad Ramayanam etc The shatthumurai was completed by about 11.20 a.m. and then started acharya sambhavanai. Sambhavanai kramams were conducted for the entire paramparai starting from Periya Perumal Sri Ranganathan - Sriranga Nacchiyaar till the present day Andavan Srimad Rangaramanuja Maha Deshikan. Detailed shatthumurai kramams were conducted for Sri Nammazhwar, Sri Nathamunigal, BhagavadRamanujar, Swamy Deshikan, Thirukkudanthai Deshikan, Vazhutthur Andavan, Periyaandavan and Thirukkudanthai Andavan. At this moment the goshti paused a little. Srimad Andavan went into the paduka sannidhi and paid his respects to His acharya Srimad Thirukkudanthai Andavan's paadukai. The goshti then resumed with sambhavanais for Srimad Mysore Andavan and the prakrutham Srimad Andavan. Srimad Andavan was then honored with a malar malai adorned by Sri Rukmini Satyabhama sametha Sri Venugopalan of Srimad Andavan ashramam sannidhi. The session then concluded with the periya shaatthumurai teertha goshti. At around 11.40 a.m. all the three acharyas presided on a stage that was very beautifully decorated for the day. Srimad Parakala Matam Swamy then honored Srimad Andavan and Srimad Rangapriya Maha Deshikan with the anugraham of Sri Lakshmi Hayagrivar. Srimad Andavan honoring Srimad Parakala Matam Swamy and Srimad Rangapriya Swamy and finally Srimad Rangapriya Swamy honoring Srimad Andavan and Srimad Parakala Matam Swamy followed this. Anugrahams and maryaadais, which had come from, many divya deshams then made their way to the stage. To mention a few - Thiruvarangam, Thirupathi, Kanchipuram, Thirunarayanapuram, Srimushnam, Thiruthankaa, Oppiliappan Sannidhi, Kumbakonam, Sri Perumbudur, Thuppul Deshikan Sannidhi, Thiruvelliyangudi, Thirukkandiyur, Srirangam Nathamunigal Sannidhi, Srirangam Ashrama Deshikan Sannidhi, Nacchiyaar Kovil, Thiruppullani, Thiruvallur, Thiruvahindrapuram, Andavan ashramam branches all over India, temples in and around Bangalore, Chennai and Mysore and many more. Srimad Andavan acknowledged all the anugrahams and maryaadais with great respect and devotion. Srimad Andavan then honored noted musician Sriman M.A Narasimhachariar and also honored many bhagavathas who have been rendering great service to the ashramam. It was a star-studded stage and many great vidwaans spoke on the occasion glorifying acharya vaibhavam and Srimad Andavan's kalyana gunams. Sriman U. Ve Ramanuja Tatachariar who spoke on the ocassion glorified Srimad Andavan's kalyana gunams and remembered the research level commentary, which Srimad Andavan rendered at Srirangam. The commentary was on the subject as to why Swamy Deshikan in his first slokam on Sri Ranganatha Paduka Sahasram made use of the word " charanam " when referring to Ranganatha paduka and on the other hand made use of the words " Pada pankaja " when referring to acharya-bhagavatha padukai. Srimad U. Ve Srivatsankachariar who spoke on the occasion celebrated Srimad Andavan with many references from " sachcharitra raksha " . Sriman U. Ve Dr. N.S Anantharangachariar, who spoke on the occasion, glorified the day of acharya thirunakshatram as a " sudinam " (very auspicious day), with references from Rig Vedic shruthis. Srimad Andavan also released a book authored especially for the ocassion by Dr. N.S Anantharangachariar with commentary and notes to Swamy Deshikan's " Amrutha Ranjani " . Sriman U. Ve Deshikachariar and Sriman U. Ve Srinivasa Deshikachariar spoke beautifully on acharya vaibhavam. Sriman U. Ve Aravamudachariar spoke beautifully on Srimad Andavan celebrating Him as " emmaandavan " . Ashrama Srikaryam Swamy Sriman U. Ve Narasimha Raghavachariar spoke on the occasion quoting from Sri Ranganatha Paduka Sahasram " nisheshamambaratalam yadi patrika syaat...............padukayo: prabhaava: " and went on to elaborate on acharya vaibhavam. Srimad paramahamsetyadi Rangapriya Maha Deshikan who spoke on the occasion glorified Srimad Andavan's kalyana gunams and shared some of his beautiful experiences with Srimad Andavan. Srimad Andavan then released a special souvenir commemorating the ocassion. It is also of great value to note that Srimad Andavan Ashramam is currently re-printing all the works of Srimad Mysore Andavan. National committee chairman Sriman U. Ve Rajagopal also spoke on the occasion. It was then time for the anugraha bhashanam of our dear acharya Srimad Andavan. It is a well known fact that " sharanagathi " at the lotus feet of Sriman Narayana is the central theme of Sri Ramanuja / Deshika sampradaayam. All the poorvacharyas of Ramanuja / Deshika sampradayam have expounded this philosophy in all their works without exception. Out of the many compositions of Swamy Deshikan - Sharanagathi Deepika, Nyasa Dashakam, Nyasa Vimshathi, Nyasa Tilakam, Nikshepa Raksha and Adaikkalappatthu have special significance. The reason for this is that these works expound the philosophy of sharanagathi to great depths. Srimad Andavan in all his upanyasams makes sure that this message of sharanagathi at the Lord's feet is conveyed. Srimad Andavan's upanyasam on this day was no exception. Srimad Andavan's Upanyasam -------------------------- Srimad Andavan chose the last slokam of Swamy Deshikan's Nyasa vimshathi. The greatest thing about Nyasa Vimshathi is that, Swamy Deshikan himself has furnished a commentary for it. samsaaraavarta vega prashamana shubhadrk deshika: prekshita: aham samtyakta: anyai: upaayai: anuchita chariteshu adya shaantaabhisandhi: | ni: shanka: tatvadrshtyaa niravadhika dayam praapya samrakshakam tvaam nyasya tvath paadapadme varada nijabharam nirbharo nirbhaya: asmi || * Srimad Andavan then went on to elaborate on this slokam and explained many finer details of prapatti anushtaanam, prapatti swaroopam, answers to possible doubts that could arise and other details that should actually be studied at the divine feet of an acharya. H.H also emphasized on the message that prapatti anushtaanam is the easiest and the ultimate means to attain the lotus feet of Lord Sriman Narayana. * In this slokam, Swamy Deshikan performs sharanagathi at the feet of His kula daivam, Lord of Kanchi - Sri Varadaraja Perumal saying, " Oh Varada! Having been blessed by the divine anugraham of an acharya who, with his divine vision is capable of suppressing the whirl due to samsaric afflictions, having completely disowned all other means to attain moksha other than sharanagati at the feet of the Lord Sriman Narayana, having renounced interest in all other activities that are against the swaroopam of a prapanna, having obtained tatva jnaanam as per sampradayam and so being free of any doubts, having adopted you as my savior, whose compassion (daya) knows no bounds, having surrendered myself at your lotus feet, it has rendered me fearless and relieved from all earthly attachments " . After the upanyasam, bhagavatha tadiyaaraadhanai started at around 2.00 p.m. After 3.00 p.m. all the assembled bhagavathas obtained Srimad Andavan's anugraham and blessings. In the evening Thiruveedhi purappaadu was conducted for Lord Srinivasa. Srimad Rangapriya Maha deshikan also graced the occasion. Most melodious and delightful music concerts were held every evening weeklong. Some publications released during the occasion ------------- 1. Sanyaasaashrama Dharmaanushtaana prayoga: - This work in Sanskrit is by H.H paramahamsetyaadi Sri Paduka Sevaka Ramanuja Maha Deshikan (Chinna Andavan). 2. Commentary on Swamy Deshikan's Amrutha Ranjani - This work in Kannada is by Dr. N.S Anantharangachariar, released specially for the thirunakshatram. This will later be integrated with " Deshika Prabandham " which is already in the process of getting printed. 3. Audio CD-ROM-s and Audio Cassettes Audio CD-ROM comprising of - 1. Swamy Deshikan's Sri Ranganatha Paduka Sahasram 2. Swamy Deshika Stotrams Audio CD-ROM and audio cassette comprising of a collection of special upanyaasams by Srimad Andavan - 1. Specially researched commentary on the first slokam of Sri Ranganatha Paduka Sahasram - santha: shriranga prthvisha charana traana shekharaa: jayanthi bhuvana traana padapankaja renava: 2. The second upanyaasam features on Azhwars and Deshikan, under the title - " Sri Thiruppaanaazhwaarum Swamy Deshikarum " . H.H Srirangam Srimad Andavan Sri Rangaramanuja Maha Deshikan has most beautifully rendered all these. Let us all pray in one voice to Sri Ranga Divya Dampathigal, Sriranganatha Padukai and our poorvacharyaas to grant our dear acharya a life of 100 years with good health and may our acharya continue to light our minds with his divine knowledge. Vedantha lakshmana munindra krupaattha bodham Tathpaadayugma saraseeruha bhrungaraajam Traiyantha yugma kruthapoori parishramantham Sriranga lakshmana munim sharanam prapadye Shrimathe Sri Rangaramanuja Maha Deshikaaya Namaha Vaazhi vyakhyamuddirak kai !!! Note - All errors and omissions are solely my responsibility Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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