abhinava dESika- Sri UttamUr Swamy Divya Charitham- 14

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SrI:

Sri Padmavathi Sametha Srinivasa Parabrahmane Namaha.

Sri Perundhevi Sametha Devadhiraja Parabrahmane Namaha.

SrimathE Bhagavad Ramanujaya Namaha:

SrimathE Nigamantha Mahadesikaya namaha:

Srimate Rangaramanuja Maha Desikaya Namaha.

Srimate Abhinava Desika Vatsya Satchakravarti Uttamur SRI

VIRARAGHAVARYA MAHA DESIKAYA NAMAHA

 

SrImAn venkatanAthAryaH kavitArkika kesarI |

vedAntAcArya-varyome sannidhattAm sadA hRdi ||

 

Thanian (Invocatory verse on Sri UttamUr swamy written by

Swamy's AchAryan Sri Kozhiyalam Swamy himself)

 

adbhutam yasya vikrAntam vEda vIthI ViSOdhanE |

aparam nigamAntAryam prapadyE vIrarAghavam ||

 

Let us continue with the divya charitham of Sri UttamUr Swamy.

 

[Article in Tamil by SrI PayyampADi VEnkatavaradAchArya SwAmi; English write

up (based on Tamil) by SrI R.VenkatAchAri (SohattUr- Vankipuram -Oppiliappan

Sannidhi), a disciple of SrI UtthamUr SwAmi. Appeared in the souvenir

released during the SatAbhishEkam (80th birth anniversary) of SrI UtthamUr

swAmi on 10th Feb, 1977]

 

THE BIRTH OF UBHAYA VEDANTA GRANTHAMALA” as a publishing

organization:-

 

In the year PARTIBHA, in Kanchipuram Kshetram, an important meeting of

Astikas was arranged at the SIDHASRAMAM under the Presidentship of Sri

Paramahamsetyadi Koliyalam Swami, to find out ways and means to

provide facilities for the printing and publishing of Our Swami’s granthas

and to extend to him all the facilities for further publications. Every one

present at the meeting felt that the

capacity of Our Swami was really unique in Grantha Nirmana, and if

proper facilities are not provided for him to concentrate on the

Nirmana only, without burdening him with finding finance for the

printing and publishing, the Astikas of Sri Desika Sampradaya will be

denying themselves of the great opportunity provided to them for the

spread of Sri Desika Sampradaya which could be done only by

publishing, the Astikas of Sri Desika Sampradaya will be denying

themselves of the great opportunity provided to them for the spread of Sri

Desika Sampradaya which could be done only by publishing Our

Swami’s granthas.

 

Sri U.Ve.Kootandakuppam Sidhanta Prachara Chakravarti, immediately announced

a donation of Rupees One Thousand to be treaded as the first installment,

and insisted that from the books of Kaavya, Tarka, Mimamsa and Vedanta of

Our Swami, already published, it is very clearly seen that the provision of

a permanent fund for further publications, is very important and necessary

for our Sidhanta. Sri Rao Bahadur, Gudalore, G.Rangaswami Iyengar, Retired

Police commissioner, volunteered to be in charge of collecting enough funds

for the above purpose, and also the canvas as much support as possible for

this move from the Astikas of Madras city. Sri Koliyalam Swami, as the

President of the meeting, then asked Our Swami to give the assembled Astikas

an idea of the granthas, he proposed to take up for publication.

 

Our Swami replied as follows: “The publications programme is being started

in the name UBHAYA VEDANTA GRANTHAMALA. So, first, all the Upanishads have

to be published and side by side the publication of Nalariya Divya

Prabandams with suitable and novel commentary based on our Srivaishnava

Sampradayam in strict sense should be taken up. Then, granthas of Sri

Bhashyakara and all the Sri Suktis of Sri Desika will be taken up. The

basic motive behind these publications will be to give to the Sri Vaishnava

community a true and authentic version of all the important granthas with

suitable commentaries, mainly in Sanskrit, so that scholars in other states

and languages can understand our Sampradaya easily. The lack of such

granthas was felt very much during his visit to North India. In addition,

vernacular commentaries also have to be provided, wherever necessary, in

Tamil and in other languages also. The list of books to be published will

include, of course, books and commentaries of other ancient Acharyas also.

Like my Revered Acharya, I also feel that the publication of SRUTAPRAKASIKA

with Sri Bhasya should get top priority, but in view of the enormous cost

involved, this could not be taken up immediately.

 

Moreover, there are many variations in quoting Upanishad Vakyas

between the available publications of Sri Bhashyas Srutaprakasika and

Upanishads. So that publications of a fully authentic version of

Upanishads, after thorough scrutiny of all available books manuscripts and

palm leaf originals, will get top priority since Upanishads are the `Basic

Grantha’ for all Sri Suktis. Coming to the Nalariya Divya Prapandam, the

commentaries of the Ancient Acharyas are not easily understandable by the

present generation of Astikas. Also in many places, we have to give

meanings for Pasurams in agreement with the intentions of Swamy Sri Vedantha

Desika. In addition, there are so many commentaries of the Prabandams which

are varied and different in nature. So, a new approach, in line with Sri

vaishnava Sampradaya, especially for Nammalwar’s Tiruvaimozhi have to be

attempted. I pray for the blessings of my Revered Acharya to give me

strength and courage to undertake this mammoth task.”

 

Thus, when Our Swami addressed the audience, the President, Sri Koliyalam

Swami, uttered the following words: “Among many Acharya Paramparas, our

Parampara (Munitrayam), with a view to safeguard and propagate Sri

Bhashyakara Sidhanta and Sri Desika Sampradaya, has been in the forefront,

not only Pravachanas, Kalakshepams etc., but also in Grantha Nirmana on a

wide scale, which fact is very well known to everybody. Even though Ubhaya

Vedanta Granthamala is being started with a view to help Sri UttamUr

Viraraghavachariar for publishing certain books, I am quite confident that

this effort will finally culminate in a big publishing organisation so that

the Astikas and Pandits of the coming generations will be grateful to Sri

Viraraghavacharya for his great Sampradaya-Kainkaryam. No doubt Sri

Viraraghavacharya is my beloved Sishya. The entire pandit community of our

country have also recognised the genius in him in all Shastras. Sri

U.Ve.Navalpakkam Maha Vidwan, Narasimha Tatacharya Swami once told me that

he had occasions to go through many granthas of Sri Viraraghavacharya; that

he had many chances to come into personal contact with him; that he had

occasions to appreciate his genius; that in him, there is a rare combination

of Acharya, Samaanadhikarana, Gnana and a profound knowledge in all the

Shastras; that some of the well-to-do Sishyas of Sri Koliyalam Swami should

be persuaded to adequately remunerate him and thereby enabling him to stay

in a permanent place and concentrate and spend a major portion of his time

in promoting and propagating our Sampradaya by Pravachanams, Kalakshepams

and Grantha Nirmana; that Sri Koliyalam Swami, being a Sanyasi, should not

hesitate to interfere in financial matters, as the ultimate task is a noble

one. Such was the high regard Sri Navalpakkam Swami had for Sri

Viraraghavacharya. (Sri Koliyalam Swami continued) We all know how much

regard and kindness Sri Goshtipuram Swami had for Sri Viraraghavacharya and

needs no repetition. Sri Injimedu Alagiasingar Swami, during his visit to

Tiruchanur tole me that he was very much impressed with my Sishya (Sri

Viraraghavacharya) who attended the Sadas at Perumal koil and admitted that

he is really a genius. The granthas so far published have proved this.

 

In this connection I want to mention to you certain sentences

written by Sri Navalpakkam Swami on “Sadachara Poorti”. All the

qualities required for a Sadachara Poorti are present on Sri

Viraraghavacharya, in full. I know him right from his boyhood. Only

certain people will have the determination to adhere to Achara even in

difficult and trying times. You all praise me for my Achara of my

Revered Acharya, Sri Tirupati Swami, you would say that I am nothing

before him. I have heard many people praise my Revered Acharya, that

even during his visits to North India, to attend the Sadas at

Samathanams like Gaddaval, in Poorvashramam, even though the climate

was very cold, he never failed to observe his Achara, in full.

 

In a similar way, Our Swami Sri Viraraghavacharya, even at a very young age,

had also traveled to North India. I used to ask, in private some of those

who have accompanied him as to how his Achara habits were, in North India.

However much I ask them in so many different and subtle ways, they all

unanimously said that Sri Viraraghavacharya Swami was strict in his Achara.

During his stay in Chittoor, I used to enquire about him, from people coming

from Chittoor and I used to hear about his Achara with all praises. They

not only appreciated him for his soublabhya of a great Acharya, which is

most befitting of a great Acharya. For example, they said that one day when

they went to a nearby well for bathing, even though it was very early in the

morning, they found Sri Viraraghavacharya in the middle of his bath. They

waited and observed him from a distance without their being seen, and saw

him coming out only, after finishing Mrittika Snanam. When there is a

congregation

of people, he used to stand aloof from all of them.

 

Thus, my Antaranga Sishya, Sri Viraraghavacharya, full of such auspicious

qualities, is launching on a noble task. If he succeeds in his task, we can

be rest assured that after all the greatness of our Acharya Parampara is

well established and that the blessings of Acharyas will not be wasted. So

once again, I repeat that it is the duty of all Astikas, who are interested

in Sri Bhasyakara Sidhanta, to do their best and see that Sri

Viraraghavacharya succeeds in his publishing programme.” Thus Sri Koliyalam

Swami blessed Our Swami and the venture of Ubhaya Vedanta Granthamala was

inaugurated.

(Please wait for the next post:-)

AchAryan ThiruvadigaLE saraNam

Regards

Namo Narayana

aDiyEn dAsan

aDiyEn

 

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