Thirunakshathram of Sri Veliyanalloor Andavan Sri Narayana Mahadesikan [sishya of PeriyANdavan and Acharya of Srimad Poundarikapuram ANdavan

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrImathE Gopalaarya Mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dearest all

 

Today- Purattaasi Thiruvadhirai is the

Thirunakshathram of Sri Veliyanalloor Andavan Swami.

Let us mediate on the lotus feet of this great acharya

[who comes in Munithraya sampradayam]. He is the

Acharya of Srimad Poundarikapuram Andavan Sri

Srinivasa Mahadesikan. He is the sishya of Srimad

PeriyANdavcan Sri Vatthal Swami Sri Srinivasa

Mahadesikan Swami.

 

Reproduced below is his brief life history: [written

by SRi U Ve Anbil Ramaswamy Swami]

 

SRI VELIYANALLUR ANDAVAN

(Purattasi / Tiruvaadirai)(1825 - 1900 CE)

 

Among the distinguished disciples of Periya Andavan

was one Vedaanta Tatachariar of Sankarapuram. The

Tatachariars who belong to Shadamarshana Gotram are

descendants of Sri Nathamuni. Down their lineage we

find such celebrated Savants as Periya Tirumalai

Nambi, grandson of Sri Yaamunaachaarya. The

Tatachariars distinguished themselves by devoted

service to the temple notably the Tirumalai temple.

They settled in five different places viz.,

Sankarapuram, Bukkapattinam, Satyamangalam and

Surapuram. It was from the Sankarapuram branch that

Sri Vedaanta Tatachariar Swami came and sought the

feet of Periya Andavan and studied the Vedanta Sastras

under him. Sri Krishna Tatachar Swami alias Tirup

Putkuzhi Swami expressed his inability to assume

Sannyasa Asrama on account of his hereditary

trusteeship of Lord Varadaraja temple at Kanchi.

Vedaantachariar Swami was considered. He was a

Naishtika Brahmachari (Confirmed bachelor), who knew

no other God than his Acharya.

 

He prayed for admission to the ascetic order, so that

the remaining part of his life could be fully placed

at the service of his Acharya. Periya Andavan acceded

to his prayer and took him into the holy order. He was

named _Sri Narayana Maha Desikan_. Soon afterwards,

Sri Narayana Maha Desikan left on a tour of Divyadesas

and reached Attiyur where he remained discoursing on

Ubhaya Vedanta Sastras and administering Pancha

Samskara, Bharanyasa to those who sought his feet.

 

On hearing that Periya Andavan had attained the lotus

feet of his Acharya, he returned to Srirangam and

prayed in his Brindavanam. He learnt that his cousin

and co-disciple under Periya Andavan succeeded him as

Acharya as _Chinna Andavan_ in Periyasramam but had

also passed away. He was greatly upset at the passing

away of two yathis and desired to stay at Periyasramam

to continue the work of Periya Andavan.

 

But, as he faced many obstacles, he moved to Singar

Koil where he stayed for a few days. Then, he

proceeded to Vennar bank, Thanjavur where he stayed

till the end of his life. Here he organized the annual

festivals to Swami Desika whose image had been

installed in Thanjai Neelameghap Perumal Koil by

Nainar Acharya. He passed away in his Asrama on the

bank of Vennar and lies interred there. Since

Velianallur Andavan was a cousin of Chinna Andavan

(1825-1895 CE) and slightly his elder and outlived him

by a few years, we may place him between 1825- 1900

CE.

 

His Tanian reads as follows:

Sri Vaasa Yogeendra Kripaathabotham Sri Saila Ramanuja

Labda Sinham /

Vairaaghya Bhaktyaadhi Gunaikadhaanaam

Naaraayanaakhyam Munim Aasrayaamah //

 

Meaning: _Let us take refuge in Narayana Muni who was

a great Yogi full of mercy, a hall mark acquired at

the feet of Sri Srisaila Ramanuja and who was full of

auspicious qualities like detachment and dedication_

 

Acharyan ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo narayana

dAsan