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From: Madhavakkannan V (srivaishnavan_at_hotmail.com)
Date: Fri Mar 16 2001 - 03:59:00 PST
SrI:
SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:
Dearest Sisters and Brothers,
Please accept adiyEn’s dhaNdavath praNAmams at your feet.
Let us continue to enjoy AchArya series. After Srimad Andavan Sri Ranganatha
Mahadesikan (Sri Mannaargudi Andavan), Sri VeNNaaRRankarai Andavan took over
(Panguni - Anusham) (19-3-1882 - 9-4-1980)
Let us first enjoy the life of this great AchArya (extracts from Sri Anbil
mama’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 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)
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 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)
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 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 .
AchAryan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam
Regards
Narayana Narayana
adiyEn AchAryan Thiruvadi Narayana dAsan madhavakkannan
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