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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00085 Oct 2003

 
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SrI:
SrImathE Nigamantha Mahadesikaya namah:
SrImAn venkatanAthAryaH kavitArkika kesarI |
vedAntAcArya-varyo me sannidhattAm sadA hRdi ||

May the glorious Venkatanatha, the greatest of teachers of Vedanta, and the 
lion among poets and debaters, reside forever in my heart.

Dearest Srivaishnavas,

Sri Krishna declares in the Bhagavad Gita:- whatever beling in endowed with 
power, splendour and firmness of mind, know that it was sprung from a tiny 
part of my irresistible power?

yadh yadh vibhUthimadh sattvam srImad UrjithamEva vA |
tat tadEvAvagaccha tvam mama tEjOmSa sambhavam || [10-41]

But with reference to these great and learned men- acharya purushas, who 
inpart right spiritual knowledge to others for their redemption the 
saasthras state that they are Bhagawaan Narayanan Himself. ? Bhagawaan who 
comes into this world taking the body of a human being as an acharya, and 
with synmpathy lifts up the beings in this world, sunk in ignorance, with 
saasthras as his hand.

saasthrAnnArAyaNO dEva: kruthvA martyamayIm tanum |
magnAn uddharathE lOkAn kAruNyAth SaasthrapANinA || [Jayaakhya samhitha]

So a preceptor, especially in the field of philosophy and religion, is 
really an incarnation of God. A study of the life of Acharya Sri Vedantha 
Desika will reveal that he was really one such. This manifestation of 
Divinity in him can be seen even from before the time of his birth.

There was a great renaissance of the Philosophy of the Upanishads and the 
religion of the Alwars during the time of Acharya Sri Ramanuja. He sought 
several acharyas [preceptors] who belonged to the school of Sri Nathamuni- 
Sri Yamunamuni- [as explained in earlier posts in the series] and acquired a 
knowledge of every branch of philosophy. First he was a student of 
Yadavaprakasa at Kanchi. Then he became a disciple of Mahapoornar (Periya 
Nambhi). Under his advice Sri Ramanuja approached Thirukkottoyoor Nambi from 
whom he learnt the essence and inner meanings of esoteric mantras. He learnt 
the Divya prabandham of alwars from Thirumalai Andaaan; He studied SRimad 
Ramanyana from Thirumalai Nambhi- all of these acharyas were sishyas of Sri 
Yamunacharya. He had a strong a desire to spread knowledge [he had acquired] 
for the benefit of all and he set a band of religious minded and well 
trained scholars and advised them to go from place to place and enlighten 
people coming to them. Some were enthroned in the under the name as 
Simhasanaadhipathis. He wrote elaborate commentaries on the Brahma sUthras 
and Gita Bhashya. He also asked one of his main disciples ? Sri Kurukesa- to 
write a detailed commentary on Thiruvaymozhi of Nammalwar.

Srirangam and Kanchi became centres of learning and there was an unbroken 
chain of Acharyas in both the cities from that time. Kidaambi Acchaan (also 
known as MadappaLLi Acchaan) stayed at Srirangam and taught his students; 
who in their own turn carried on the torch of learning. His garndon was Sri 
Rangaraja who had a son by name Athreya Ramanuja and a daughter TotthAramba. 
Athreya Ramanuja was very intelligent and was called AppuLLAr (the 
incarnation of GarudA). He was given the title of Vadhihamsaambhuvaahar when 
he defeated those who belonged to other schools of thoughts- in disputation 
at Kanchi.

NadAdhUr AzhwAn was a nephew of Sri Ramanuja. He chose Kanchi as the place 
for his teaching. After him, his grandson Vaathsya Varadaachaarya became the 
preceptor. His exposition was clear, lively and interesting. So many 
students and disciples came to learn from him. Sudarsana Bhattar, grandon of 
Parasara Bhattar (great grand son of KooratthAzhwAn) of Srirangam and 
appuLLAr (great grand son of Kidaambhi Acchaan) were the two of the 
intelligent and promising disciples of Vaatsya Varadacharya who was most 
popularly known as Nadadhoor AmmAL because of his devotion to Lord 
Varadaraja with maternal ? motherly love like Yasodha had on Kutti KaNNan. 
He used to teach Sri Bhashya to his disciples in the maNdapam which is 
within the precincts of the temple just behind of the sanctum sanctorum of 
the Lord.

Anantha Somayaji was one of the 74 simhaasanaadhipathis chosen by Sri 
Ramanuja. He lived in Kanchi with his son PuNdareekaaksha, who had a son ? 
AnanthasUri by name and who studied all saasthras. When he was of 
marriageable age, Pundarikaksha approached AppuLLAr with a request that the 
latter?s sister Tottarambha might be given as Kanya dhanam to his son. 
AppuLLAr prayed to the Lord Varada for guidance in this matter. That night 
Lord appeared in his dream sand said, ?Give your consent. By this marriage, 
a great acharya will be born who will work for the good of the world by his 
precept and practice?. Next morning, Appullar met Pundarikaksha and said 
that the Lord himself had approved the wedding. On an auspicious day, the 
marriage was held. Ananthasuri and Tottarambha began to lead an ideal 
householder?s life in their house at Thuppul opposite to the shrine of Lord 
Deepaprakasa. Years passed by and their desire to beget a son grew. They 
praysed to the Lord for a son. They started on a pilgrimage and visited 
several divya desams, bathing in several holy rivers and sacred pushkarnis. 
At last they came to Thirumala. They bathed in Swami pushkarini and paid 
obeisance to Lord Varaha first on its bank and then went into the temple of 
Lord Srinivasa and worshipped Him with great devotion. They also prayed to 
the Lord for a son.

After the evening worship, the devoted and pure minded couple went to sleep. 
In the later part of the night Lord Srinivasa appeared in their dream and 
said, ?AnanthasUri, here is a son of wonderful powers for you. ?Having said, 
he gave him the hand bell (ganTAmaNi) of the sannidhi. Tottaramba had 
swallowed it. She also had such a dream of having swallowed the Divine Bell. 
At dawn they both woke up and shared their dream and were feeling extremely 
happy.

In the morning, the Bhattar (priest) of the sannidhi came in to conduct the 
morning Aradhana. When he opened the door, he found the gaNTAmaNi missing 
and reported the matter to authorities. Suspecting the servants, they were 
making enquiries. Just at that time, the Thirumalai jeeyer the religious 
head appeared on the scene and said that he had a wonderful dream in which 
he saw the Lord Himself giving the Bell to the devoted pilgrim couple and so 
nobody need be punished. When the authorities sent for AnantasUri and hios 
wife they also mentioned about the dream and confirmed. Still there was an 
air of suspicion. Suddenly the Jeer fell into a trance and the Lord through 
the Jeer spoke: Do not suspect anyone. We ourselves gave the bell to 
AnanthasUri. We will take birth as his son by means of this gaNTAmaNi, who 
will establish the Vaidika dharma as propounded by ancient sages and the 
Holy AzhwArs. From this day on, our worship will be conducted without the 
gaNTAmaNi. ? Even today, this command is strictly followed and no maNi is 
rung at sannidhi. There is only a huge bell in the front hall outside that 
is rung.

Next day Anantasuri and Tottarambha took leave of the Lord after worhsipping 
him and returned to Kanchi with great joy.

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam
Regards
Namo narayana
dAsan
kavi-tArkika-simhAya kalyANa-guNa-SAline |
Srimate venkateSAya vedAntagurave namaH ||

Salutations to Sri Venkatesa, in whom all perfections reside, who is the 
teacher of Vedanta and the lion among poets and debaters

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