Guest guest Posted November 17, 2001 Report Share Posted November 17, 2001 Gowri Nandakumar wrote: > The Jeeyar of Ahobila Math, Sri Adi Van Satagopan, offering prayers to the > Lord Laksminarasimha. > NARASIMHAM PARAM Deivam... Ahobilam, Ahobalam. The Devas gasped on > witnessing the awesome Narasimha avatar. > > Thus, the place of this incident, that is situated to the north of Tirupati > and now in the district of Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh, attained name and fame > as Ahobilam. However, there are other etymological variations to the same > word. > > The Ahobilam Kafiyat, a digest containing varied information on the place, > states that Garuda did penance in this bilam (cave) and realised the Lord. > History and folklore apart, this Nava Narasimha Kshetra (abode of nine > Narasimhas) was recognised as one of the 108 Divya Desams when Tirumangai > Alwar sang 10 pasurams (songs) in praise of this Lord. > > The greatness of Ahobilam has also been delineated in great detail in the > various puranas as also in the Mahabharata and the Bhagavatam. > > It is noteworthy that the great Advaitic saint Sri Adi Sankara, when Lord > Narasimha saved him from a distressful situation, composed two hymns in > praise of this non-pareil avatar. But yet another significant event in the > hallowed story of Ahobilam took place in the 14th century. > > Kidambi Kesavacharya, a renowned Vaishnava scholar, lived in > Tirunarayanapuram (Melkote) in Karnataka. In August 1379 A.D., a son was > born to him. The parents named him Srinivasacharya. Noticing his son's > precocity and mental acumen, Kesavacharya decided to send him to Kanchipuram > to learn from Ghatikasatam Ammal, the grandson of the famous Nadadur Ammal > and of the sishya parampara of the legendary Ramanuja. (story goes that the > Lord, moved by the motherly affection showered on him by these acharyas, > conferred the title of Ammal on them). > > When Srinivasacharya was 20 years old, he had a dream wherein Lord Lakshmi > Narasimha adjured that he come to Ahobilam immediately. There, a series of > incidents took place that left an indelible mark in the history of > Vaishnavism. > > Lord Narasimha, Azhagiya Singar (beautiful lion), emerged from the > swayamvakta moorthy (idol not sculpted by human hands) as a sanyasi and > initiated Srinivasacharya into the ascetic order. The Ahobila Math was thus > established in 1398 A.D. Sri Srinivasacharya became its first Jeeyar and was > conferred the appellate of `Adivan' Satagopan. > > It is said that the title `Adivan' (first and powerful) was given by the > great saint Nammalvar. The Azhwar also gave the Jeeyar a gold ring with the > hamsa mudra on it. This ring to this day adorns the fingers of all Ahobila > Math Jeeyars. The formalities of initiation having been completed, the Lord > instructed that the Jeeyar move from village to village to propagate the > tenets of Vaishnavism. > > It is interesting that the subsequent acharyas began to be addressed as > `Azhagiya Singar' after their Lord and preceptor. It is even more > fascinating that at Ahobilam, one can see the sculpture of Lord Narasimha in > the role of an acharya, along with a disciple on his left. Another > significant feature is that the utsava murti of Malola Narasimhan wears > Padukas (slippers) on his feet revealing that he is ready for travel. > > Various inscriptions and other evidences testify not only to the antiquity > of the Ahobila Math but also to its glory. > > Over the years this Holy Order and its pontiffs attracted as its disciples > not only the masses and feudatories and chieftains of several regions but > also the Orissa, Pandya and Vijayanagar kings. > > With increasing patronage the Ahobila Math grew to be an influential > institution active in the spread of Vaishnavism. The succession of 45 > dedicated acharyas to this date, has made this great Math itself a sacred > place of pilgrimage to the Vaishnavites and is referred to with veneration > as a `Divya Desa Emberuman's Temple on the move'. > > The acharyas of the Ahobila Math, apart from being spiritual leaders have > also been scholars of great repute. Many of them have authored several books > on various branches of Vaishnavite literature. The 42nd Azhagiya Singar > started a Sanskrit College at Madhurantakam and commenced the publication of > the now widely read journal, Sri Nrisimha Priya. Amongst many other > significant achievements by the Jeeyars of the Ahobila Math, the completion > of the 13-tier Rajagopuram in 1985, by the 44th Jeeyar — Mukkur Azhagiya > Singar, is now legendary. However, by 1991, this aged savant decided that > the time had come to look for a successor. > > Ubhaya Vedanta Narasimhachariar and Ranganayaki Ammal had six sons. Their > second son was Villivalam Narayanacharya Swami who grew up to be an > outstanding scholar in the sastras. On December 12, 1926, their sixth son > was born. They named him Krishnamacharya. > > Learning came very easily to these young lads but it was not surprising for > their father was himself a Ubhaya Vedantin (mastery in both the > Divyaprabandham and the Vedas). Krishnamacharya was a student of the Madras > University. > > He passed the Nyaya Siromani in 1949 and received the first prize for > general proficiency. While Krishnamacharya did receive sound education from > his very scholarly elder brother he had the unique privilege of learning > Nyaya and Mimamsa Sastras at the feet of the 42nd and 43rd Jeeyars. > > He also served as a Tamil Pandit in the Ramakrishna Vidyalaya, Chinglepet, > for four years from 1956. In his eighteenth year he was married. In > recognition of his scholarship, the 44th Jeeyar appointed him as the Asthana > Vidwan of the math in 1966. Sri Krishnamacharya authored commentaries on > several ancient works and took over as joint editor of the Nrisimha Priya in > 1982. > > Above all Sri Krishnamacharya stood out because of his unflinching devotion > and surrender to Lord Lakshmi Narasimha. > > Thus it was not surprising that the aging savant — Mukkur Azhagiya Singar, > decided that he could not find a more appropriate person to carry on the > work of this glorious math. > > On Oct. 21st 1991, Sri Krishnamacharya was initiated into the ascetic order. > (A distinctive feature of the Vaishnava acharyas, who come in the tradition > of Ramanuja, is that generally only `grihasthas' (family men) are allowed to > embrace the `sanyasa ashram'. > > The mantle had indeed fallen on the right person. On November 24, 1992, > after the 44th Jeeyar attained Vaikuntha, Villivalam Sri Krishnamacharya > took over the reins of the Ahobila Math as Sri Adivan Satakopa Sri Narayana > Yatindra Maha Desikan — the 45th Jeeyar of the Ahobila Math. > > In the past ten years, this 75-year-old Acharya, has strived ceaselessly to > fulfil his numerous responsibilities. Strictly following the commandments of > Lord Narasimha, he has travelled the length and breadth of the country > propagating Vaishnavism and the glory of the Lord. > > In addition, his Holiness's genial demeanour and easy accessibility endears > himself to his legionary devotees. In keeping with the tradition of his > predecessors the acharya has taken up a number of social and religious > causes. > > This benevolent seer also combines in himself the skills of a capable > administrator. > > At Selaiyur, near Tambaram, in Chennai, a new centre for the math is being > established in a five-acre complex, which will include amongst a host of > other things a home for the aged. > > The various educational institutions under the math afford free education > without any compromise on quality. > > The activities of the math notwithstanding, the acharya devotes himself > steadfastly to the worship of the Lord. His day begins at 3 a.m. and ends > close to midnight. The three Sevais performed at the Math, to the chorus > rendering of the Vedas and the Divya Prabandham, is a veritable treat in > itself. This septuagenarian sage stands at the holy feet of the Lord and > performs the puja rituals that take up all of four hours. > > This month, the 75th birthday of this seer coincides with the tenth year of > his stewardship. In commemoration of this occasion, several pujas are being > planned at the Selaiyur Math (near Tambaram, Chennai), in the holy presence > of the Jeeyar, between November 21 and 26. > > LAKSHMI DEVNATH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.