Sri VeNNARRankarai Andavan- Sri Srinivasa Mahadesikan Thirunakshathram today (Panguni Anusham)

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SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:

SrImathE Srinivasa mahadesikaya namah:

 

Dear Srivaishnavas,

 

Please accept adiyEn's dhaNdavath praNAmams.

 

Today (Panguni - Anusham) is the Thirunakshathram of Srimad VeNNARRankarai

Andavan Sri Srinivasa Mahadesikan of Sri Poundarikapuram Andavan Asramam

(19-3-1882 - 9-4-1980).

 

Srimad VeNNARRankarai Andavan was Srimath Andavan before Prakarutham Andavan

Sri Gopaladesika Mahadesikan Swamy (SrI PaRavakkOttai Andavan).

 

Let us offer our obeisance to the Acharyan on His Thirunakshathram.

 

adiyEn's sincere thanks to Sri Madhavakkannan's swami for reminding me to

post this message.

 

Please find below the life history of Srimad Andavan written by

Sri Anbil Ramaswamy Swamy, USA.

 

Acharyan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam.

 

Regards,

ramanuja dasan

 

===========================================================================

 

(written by Sri Anbil Ramaswamy Swamy, USA)

 

(VED): 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*SMM),

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 *SMM) at the age of 11.

 

Sri Velaamur Srinivasachariar was greatly devoted to Sri Desika He was chiefly

instrumental in enabling Velliyanallur 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.*SMM)

 

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*SMM)

 

The daily Aradhanas were performed with great piety and devotion. The

_Sathumurai_ 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.

 

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*SMM) 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_*SMM)

 

The Iyal Goshti of Vennatran 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 .