the victorious banner for Sri Ramanuja siddhantha [Srimad Lakshamana yogeendhra siddhantha vijayadwajam]- Kumara Varadarya TN

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Sri:

SrImathE Ramanuja nama:

 

Dearest all

 

Today is also the thirunakshathram of Kumara

Varadacharya- son of Swamy Vedanta Desikan. He was

also born on AvaNi RohiNi. Kumara Varadacharya learnt

all the traditional texts under his father himself and

acquired a remarkable mastery of them within a short

span of time.

 

When Desika was in his forties, a son was born to him

and his wife.

Reflecting his love for his household deity Lord

Varadaraja, Desika

named the boy Varada, and tradition remembers him as

Nainacharya or

Kumara Varadacharya. Kumara Varadacharya also became a

scholar of

some repute, and we are indebted to him for recording

some biographical

details of his father in his Desika Mangalam, Pillai

Antaadi, and

Desika Dinacharyai.

 

After Swamy Desikan’s attainment of Paramadham,

Varadacharya continued the propagation of the

Srivaishnava religion and philosophy. He toured all

over India extending the frontiers of Srivaishnavism

and conquering many opponents belonging to other

schools of Philosophy. Apart from important places in

Tamil Nadu and Kerala, he is said to have visited

Ahobilam,, Sihmachalam, Sri Kaakulam, in Andhra. He

established his sishya paramaparai in these places as

well.

 

Tradition avers that Sri Kumara Varadacharya composed

few rahasyagranthas in Telugu also, so as to cater to

the needs of his followers in the Telugu land. Like

his father Vedantha Desika, he is said to have been

patronized by the Telugu ruler of Raachakona, Sarvagna

Singama Nayaka of the Velama Dynasty.

 

Sri Kumara Varadarya may be called as one of the Chief

architects of the Srivaishnava religion in Andhra Desa

where he was affectionately called Nayanacharya [The

Glorious son and preceptor]. The Srivaishnava temples

as can be seen in Mangalagiri, Simhachalam, Sri

Kurmam, Ontimitta [all in Andhra], Purushotthamam

[Puri in Orissa], and Sholapur [in Maharashtra] still

follow the tradition of worship instituted by Swamy

Kumara Varacharya.

 

A number of accounts about the scholastic pursuits and

prowess of Kumara Varadarya are also popular as in the

case of illustrious father. It is said that one

Saakalyamalla, a staunch Advaitin and the author of an

18-canto poem Uddhaaraaghava was vanquished in debate

by Kumara Varadarya in the court of Singama Nayaka

referred to earlier. It is said that Kumara Varada

also successfully counteracted the black magic

employed by that scholar. However, there is another

opinion that the Saakalyamalla under question was a

court poet of King Prataaparuda of Warangal [1290

-1326 CE] and that he was defeated by Vedantha Desika

whom he met in the court of Singama Nayaka.

 

According to Guru paramapara Prabhaavam, Kumara Varada

breathed his last on the KrishNasapthami day of the

PhalguNa month of the Year Jaya.

 

The wonderful works of Kumara Varadarya:

 

According to tradition Kumara Varadarya is said to

have composed many works but only 36 of them have come

down to us. Even among these, only a few have been

printed and the rest are still in the form of

manuscripts which await the attention of scholars. A

very brief account of these available works is given

below:

 

(a) independent works in Sanskrit.

1. Bhagavadhyana padhhathi: This is a short work

consisting of 12 verses sung in praise of the Lord Sri

Kaakulam a village near Vijayawada in Andha [different

from Srikakulam district]. This text is modeled after

Bhagavadhyana sopanam sung by Vedantha Desika on

Sriranganatha and Amanaladhipiraan of

Thiruppanaazhwaar’s.

2. Harisandesa: This is a lyrical composition similar

to Kokilasandesa enumerated below:

3. Kokilasandesa: This is a small literary work on the

lines of Kuyil paattu [cuckoo song] of Sri AndAL. A

cuckoo is requested to be messenger carrying the

message of the devotee to the Lord.

4. Lakshmisathaka: This is a 100 verses in praise of

Divine mother bringing out her virtues of which Daya

is the most Prominent One.

5. Sankhasathaka: 100 verses on Sankha [Conch Shell]

of the Lord.

6. Sukasandesa: another lyric similar to Kokilsandesa

listed above with the difference here it is the parrot

which is the messenger.

7. Sri Vedantha Desika dinacharya: This is a short

work describing the daily routine of Swamy Vedantha

Desika and the anushtAnam of his during the whole day.

 

8. Sri vedantha Desika mangalam: This comprises verses

on Sri Vedanta Desika’s greatness wishing for his

continued glory.

9. Sri Vedanta Desika praarthana ashtakam: eight

verses invoking the blessings of Swamy Desikan.

10. Sri Vedanta desika dhivya mangla vigraha dhyanam:

Kumara Varadarya composed in praise of the divine

beauty of Swamy Desikan’s ThirumEni; vigraha installed

in Thooppul village, the birth place of Swamy Desika.

11. Sri Vedantha Desika Prapatti: This was composed in

praise of Swamy Desika highlighting his role as the

only refuge of the disciples.

12. Thyaagasabda artha ninrnaya: This work gives the

conclusive epitome of Srivaishnava teaching

[Charamasloka] depicting the soul as taking refuge at

the lotus feet of the Lord. It explains the word

tyaaga as implied in the verse Sarvadharmaan. [GitA

18.66]

13. Virodhibhanjani: This is a philosophical treatise

refuting other systems of though and establishing the

Supremacy of Visistadvaita.

 

 

(b) Works in Tamil:

 

1. Pillai anthAthi: 20 verses in praise of Swamy

Desikan [in the lines of Ramanuja nooRRanthAthi and

Madhurakavi AzhwAr’s KaNNinunchiRuthAmbu] bringing out

the divine qualities of his father, acharya and God

Himself - Swamy Vedanta Desikan.

 

( C) Commentaries on Swamy Desika’s works:

 

1. AdhikaranachinthaamaNi: This is commentary on

Desikan’s Adhikaranasaravali which in turn is an

exposition of Sribhashya in verse form.

2. Asrayaanupapatti: This work is a refulation of

Advaitins’ view that Brahman is the Asraya

[substratum] of avidya. The discussion concerns one of

the seven kinds of anupapatti [untenable nature

explained in the works of Swamy Ramanuja and Sri

Sudharsana suri].

3. Chit Achith Iswara tattva niroopana: an elaborate

commentary of Svetaasvataranamtra, bhokta bhogyam

preritaaram cha matvaa” [1.12] bringing out the

concept of tattvatraya.

4. Tattvathrayaniroopana or Tattvathrayaculakaartha

sangraha: Commetary of Tattvathrayachulakam

5. Nyasathilaka vyaakhya: Exposition of Swamy

desikan’s Nyasa vimsathi. Desikan also had written a

commentary for the same.

6. Mimaamsa paadhuka- parithraaNa: Commenatry of

Desikan’s Mimaamsa padhuka where the correlation

between the Poorvamimaamsa and Uttharamimaamsa is

established in the light of the Visistadvaita Vedanta.

In the original work Desika refuted some of the

arguments of the Bhatta and Prabhakaras.

 

D. Compendiums:

 

1. Rahaysyathraya sangraha: This is Sanskrit rendering

of the work of the same name Rahasyathrayasaram

composed by Vedanta Desika in Manipravala style. This

was composed Kumara varadarya mainly for the benefit

of Andhra Disciples who found it difficult to follow

the manipravala style of the original.

2. Rahasyathraya sara artha sangraha: Another

rendering in Sanskrit of the above. A detailed

exposition of this work is taken up in the folliwng

chapters.

 

E,. Refuting other schools of thought:

 

1. Abheda khandana: This refutes the concept of Abheda

or non-difference on which the Advaita system is

based.

2. Avidya khandana: concepts of Advaita- namely Maaya

Nirguna brahmam are refuted here.

3. Khandanachathushtaya: refutes the veiwsnof Sankara,

Bhaskara, Yadava prakasa, and Saiva siddhantha thereby

establishing the Visishtadvaita unambiguously and in

unparalleled manner.

4. Muktivaichaara: refutes the concept of Moksha

according to Charvaka and such other systems and

establishes the view of Ramanuja sampradaya.

5. Prapanchamityatva [anumaana] khandana: large text

refuting the Advaita concept of the illusory character

of the world, on the basis of scriptural texts.

6. Saguna brahma samarthana: this work criticizes the

Nirguna, nirvisesha Brahman concept of the Advaitins

and establishes the Visistadvaitic view that the

Brahman is qualified by innumerable perfections

[saguna].

7. Sankaasathaka: This is the form of refutation of

other schools of Vedanta and is simlar to

SatadhooshaNi of Desikan.

8. Vyaavahaarika khandana: The advaitins accept three

stages of reality- Vyahavaarika [conventional],

Pratibhasika [phenomenal] and Paaramaartthika

[absolute]. According to this school the world is an

illusion like a dream sequence. Kumara Varadarya

refutes this view and establishes that the world can

not be brushed aside as non-reality.

 

F. Translations form Tamil into Sanskrit:

 

1. Abhayapradhana saaram: This is a Sanskrit rendering

of Swamy Desikan’s Abhayapradhanasaaram in Tamil

explaining the principles of Prapatti quoting from

Srimad Ramayana especially VibheeshaNa Sarabagathi.

2. Ahaaraniyamasloka: Sansirt version of Desikan’s

Tamil version.

3. Prabandha saram: Sanskrit version of Swamy

desikan’s Tamil verses on AzhwArs mentioning their

greatness, their Thirunakshathram and their works,

giving a resume of all AzhwArs.

4. Rahasyatharaya chulakam: Sanskrit version of

Desikan’s work on the same.

 

Kumara Varadaya is said to have inherited some of the

titles of his father such as Nikhila taarkika

choodamaNi [the crest jewel of all the logicians of

the Sampradaya], Sarvathanthra swathanthra [scholar

par excellence in different schools of philosophy];

Manthramahodhadhi [the coean of Sacred formulae];

Srilakshmanayogindhra siddhantha vijayadhvaja [the

victorious banner for Sri Ramanuja system].

 

Some of his prominent disciples are:

 

1. 1st Parakalamutt Jeer Brahmathanthraswathanthrar

[as he attended Bhagavad Vishayam kalakshepam from

this Swami]

2. Swamy Prathivaadhibhayankaram Annan [the title was

conferred on Swamy by Kumara Varadarya himself]

3. Kandhadai Annan

4. Komandoor Acchaan

5. Pillaipaakkam Naayinaar

6. Thirumalai appar

7. Kidaambhi Appar

8. Nadaadhoor ALwaan

9. Anandhappan

10. Kandhaadai Appan

11. Emeprumaanar Appan

[the above article is from Satsampradaya saurabham

published by Sri Hayagreevavidhyapeetam 2003 for the

181st TN celebration of Sri Thirupputkuzhi Swamy]

 

For all Srivaishnavas regardless of Kalai, Swamy

desikan and thereby his son Swami Kumara Varadacharya

come in Sri Bhashya Guruparampara. On his

Thirunakshathram, hence let us all place our heads at

the lotus feet of this glorious acharya kumarar –

peerless one like all our Srivaishnava Acharyas…

 

Swamy Kumara Varadarya ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo Narayana

dAsan