Srimad viNNaaRRankarai Andavan Swami Thirunakshathram [Panguni anusham]

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SrI:

SrImathE Srinivasa Mahadesikaya namah:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:

 

Dearest all,

 

Today is the Thirunakshathram of Srimad

ViNNaaRRankarai Andavan of Srimad Poundarikapuram

Andavan Ashramam.

 

After Srimad Andavan Sri Ranganatha Mahadesikan (Sri

Mannaargudi Andavan), Sri VeNNaaRRankarai Andavan took

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

 

(extracts from Sri Anbil Ramaswamy Swamin’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 Parayanam 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 1st class, by which he won

the acclaim of the Raja and other Sanskrit pundits. He

married Janaki, (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 TirukKandiyur. 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 Dasavataara 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

Namo Narayana

Acharya paadhaangri rENu: