SrI:
Message from Sri Sudharsan Parthasarathy-
Chennai
*******************************************
SrI:
Sri
RAmajayam
SrimathE GopAla DEsika MahA DEsikAya Namaha
Dear
all,
AdiyEn strongly believe that our birth, faith we
develop and
ultimately enjoying the grace of the Lord
is due to our Karma, as AdiyEn
verily witnessed the
same in the life of AdiyEn.
Sat Karma
Though
AdiyEn have remained traditional (vegetarian,
enjoying festivals, avoiding
the 3Ms -
Madhu/MAdhu/Maamisam) Adiyen never had any aspiration
on
Vaidhikam or our glorious SampradAyam until....
A personal tragedy
happened against great human
efforts, that fostered AdiyEn to think "Is
there
really God", "Who are we", and this led AdiyEn seeking
to understand
the different religions and their
sub-sects......Reading through word
for word
translations from the Koran, learning from
the
Catholics/Protestants/Rosecrucacians and rummaging
through
the internet. Did try sometime on Raja Yoga.
Nothing worked, but the grief
from the personal
tragedy had healed by then. Then got married, and it
was
the auspicious Sri Krishna Jayanthi. Being in
Germany then (1995), AdiyOm
took to visiting ISKCON
temple in Passau. The pristine devotion, simple
way
of life, Bhakthi in every aspect of their life,
humility inspired
AdiyEn to VedAntha, and AdiyEn
requested them for a word for word translation
of
Srimad Bhagavatham. Since it was something not less
than 10 Cantos,
AdiyEn simply took "Sri PrabhupAdas
Autobiography". Though AdiyEn
was
inspired/impressed by ISKCON, AdiyEn continued regular
life and after
a couple of months landed in Singapore.
While in Singapore, AdiyEn got
hold of "Sri Bhagavad
Geetha As-It-Is", once again through ISKCON,
that
transformed the inspiration in Vedantha zoom-in on Sri
Vaishnavam.
Reading through Bhagavad Geetha, AdiyEn
became inclined towards
VisishtAdvaita, than Dwaita or
Advaita. At this point of time, AdiyEn was
looking
through the several postings posted on Bhakhi list
(thanks to
Sri.Sudarshan Iyengar, Sri.Mani Varadarajan
and others for pioneering the
Bhakthi List, and
Sri.V.Sadagopan Maama, Sri.Anbil Maama for
their
delectable postings). AdiyEn started looking out for
a Satsangham
for chanting Sri Vishnu SahasranAmam, and
checked for one in Singapore .
Sri.Madhavakkannan,
wrote a mail, requesting AdiyEn to meet at his place.
Thats the beginning of a glorious chapter in AdiyEn's
life and am sure
for many other aspiring Sri
Vaishnavites in
Simhapuri......
AdiyEn strongly believes in developing
discerning
knowledge, faith & practice by associating with
good
actions of people at large and more importantly with
BhAgavathAs in
a group and develop some kind of
Self-Realization (what makes me happy, is
happiness
permanent, how to be always happy and making others
happy,
purpose of life etc...)
Sat Sangham
adiyeN was invited to
Sri.Madhavakkannan Swami's home for Sri
Vishnu SahasranAma PArayanam. When
AdiyEn stepped
into Swami's home, we were just three or four
families
(Sri.Madhavakkannan Swami, Sri.Sridhar, Smt.Malini*,
AdiyEn).
*Smt.Hemamalini Sridhar is the sister of Smt.Nagu
Satyan who was instrumental
in starting NAMA.
Here AdiyEn have to write about Sri.Madhavakkannan
Swami's ThirumAligai. Though Swami and Smt.Brinda
are practicing
professionals, they live a very
simple life in Singapore and are
always
the first to invite BhAgavathAs to their home.
The first gathering was
joyous that we simply agreed
to be a part of NAMA-Simhapuri, and from 3 or
4
families the Satsangham grew in leaps and bounds to 30
to 40 families
enrolled. From then on we met every
month over a weekend celebrating AzhvAr
TN at homes as
well as Sri Srinivasa PerumAl temple on Serangoon road
and
went on with Thaniyan-Prabandham-SAthumurai,
without any kalai bEdham.
This Satsangham continues
to this day, providing a joyous platform for
all
aspiring Sri Vaishnavites(which made AdiyEn desperate
to revive
NAMA-Bay, when AdiyEn had a short stay in
US).
Gradually the group
moved on into grander scheme,
inviting guest speakers and children to share
their
Anubhavam and SampradAya vishayam, and we even managed
to celebrate
in grandeur Swamy NammazhvAr Thiru
Nakshathiram offshore (thanks to
Sri.Lakshmi
Narasimhan & Smt.Jayasree's family). At this
point
AdiyEn had gone through Steven Covey's 7 Habits, that
started AdiyEn
to think about a Personal Mission
Statement. This led to clarity on how our
family
should look like in our 20's, 30's, 40's and beyond.
In line with
an action plan for that mission
statement, AdiyEn was looking out for an
AchArya of
JnAna-AnushtAna-VairAghyA and offered AdiyEn's
respects to
Sri Vaishnava AchAryas starting with our
Kula AchArya Agnihothram
Sri.ThathAchariar and
continued paying respects to other Sri
Vaishnava
AchAryas who were on SanchAram in Chennai. Then
AdiyOm returned
to Simhapuri and hearing about Sri
Paravakottai Andavan, AdiyEn wanted to
qualify to be
Swami's sishya, in the event AdiyEn develop Maha
ViswAsam in
that AchArya. AdiyEn started doing
Sandhya Vandanam and additionally started
to skip
coffee, partaking onion/garlic, and then started
avoiding para
annam as well, knowing very well the
Swami insists only Sandhya Vandanam as a
basic
requirement.
During our next visit to India, we were
very
curious to meet with Paravakottai Srimad Andavan,
who until that time was not
known that well in our
family circle. Relatives were questioning the
need
for Bhara Samarpanam when we were in our late 20's as
well as seeking
an AchArya outside our Kula Acharya
Agnihothram Swami. When AdiyEn explained
the
background of both, they came to know more about this
MahAn and were
silently getting inspired as well.
We stayed at the ThirumAligai of Smt.
&
Sri.Vasudevachariar Swami (disciples of Navalpakkam
Swami, and
parents of our very own Sri.Madhavakkannan
Swami) and after a glimpse of Sri
Rangam Divya
Dhampathis, landed at the gate of a rusted tin-shed
entrance
of a large but simple Asramam........
AdiyEn strongly believe in
relearning and develop
knowledge, faith & practice by identifying
and
following an AchArya of JnAna-AnushtAna-VairAghya-Compassion
and
making our thoughts/actions simpler by following our
AcharyA's
thiruvullam.
SadAchArya
Once we entered this large
but simple Asramam, there
were sign-boards everywhere (I promise not to
sit
here, I promise to wash my feet before entering the
Asramam hall, I
promise not to talk after using the
restroom without ablutions etc), that
sent a kind of
fear along with curiosity to see this AchArya. When
AdiyOm
entered we saw a magnifient Tejas in this
ParamAchArya, where our heart and
mouth failed (when
AdiyEn read now"RamapirAnai KarpOm now, AdiyEn
can
comprehend how AnjanEya was captivated by
Sri.Rama/Lakshmana's
Tejas). This Swami was/is as
described in Yathiraja Sapthathi (Urdhva
Pundaram,
Thridhandha hastham....) with an overwhelming
compassion.
This Swami has an equivalent disposition
to SishyAs, non-SishyAs
alike as well as those who
serve him with respect as well as those who serve
him
for the sake of doing it...the compassion comes out
when someone seeks
knowledge/direction.....Its hard to
explain for someone like AdiyEn, and
can simply say
one has to enjoy this kind of Anubhavam. This Swami
would
not readily perform SamAsrayanam, and was asking
AdiyOm's background, and at
the same time providing us
valuable enlightenment on any Samsayam raised,
however
trivial they were.
The compassion of such an
AchArya made
us very determined to seek his feet and
not leave it for eternity. As said by
Arjuna
"Karpanya Dosham Bahada Swabavaha...Tvam Prapannam",
AdiyEn
pleaded for Bhara Samarpanam as well. After
Sethu SnAnam, Sarvanga Kshavaram,
SnAnam, Bhoodha
Sudhi Kramam (Pancha Kavya Sweeharam, YajnO
PaveethAranam)
Samasrayanam & UpadEsam was performed.
Thus we came a Sri Vaishnavite
after a long journey in
this and previous lives.
Then a short
introduction into Grantha Chathushyam,
Srimad Rahasya Traya SAram, Bhagavad
Vishayam was
performed exclusively for us (1 hr session, no bar on
Sri
Vaishnavites in Swaroopam) was done by AchArya,
followed by a Bhara
Samarpanam with complete faith.
AdiyEn have to write about Swami's
compassion: AdiyEn
could not reach from SEthu to Srirangam on time,
and
hence had to return a day later. When AdiyEn reported
a day later at
the Asramam, Swami was joyous and
exclaimed with compassion that AdiyEn have
reached
safely, as there were too many accidents on the road.
SanyAsi are
devoid of emotions, but full of
compassion, even for someone like AdiyEn.
This made
our whole family think of Swami as our closest Bandhu,
even
dearer than the Divya Dhampathis, to this day.
AdiyEn am confident in saying
that anyone who hears
with devotion about this Swami's life in
Swami's
Poorvasramam & ThuriyAsram, is verily cleansed of all
sins,
and anyone who has this AchArya KatAksham,
immaterial of their
Samasrayana/BharanyAsa AchArya
lineage, would always aspire towards
Vaidhka Dharmam.
At this juncture AdiyEn would plead to all
BhAgavathAs
to not just stop at celebrating Thirunakshathrams alone of
our
AchAryas (Srimad Azhagiya Singhar's SathAbhishEka
MahOtsvam is the
most memorable event anyone can
witness in recent times), but celebrate every
day of
our life thanking the Divya Dhampathis for bestowing
us with him in
the form of our AchAryas. These
AchAryas are like Vibhava AvatArs like Sri
Krishna and
Sri Rama, let us enjoy every one of them.
In thatcontext
AdiyEn would say Parama AchArya Sarva Bhouma
Srimad ParavakOttai Srimad
Andavan SRI GOPALA DESIKA
MAHADESIKAN is the 4th Rama AvatAr and the best
in
Kaliyuga (previous RAma's include Sri Rama s/o Sri.
Dasaratha, Sri
Balaramar, Sri Rama misrar) known for
his Satyavratham and DharmAnushtAnam,
verily our
NadamAdum Deivam. It is a great priveledge to be
born when this
Swami has made AvatAr, and to be
associated with the PAdhukAs of this
Swami.
adiyEn was immensely benefitted also by Sri Hari Swami's
association
in Singapore and the swaroopa jnAnam of Swami's is seen to be
believed.
asmadhAchAryan His Holiness Sri ParavakkOttai Swami's 25th
PeetarOhana MahOtsvam (10th to 14th Feb'06) was not Swami's
Thiruvullam
originally, but SishyAs of his wanted to celebrate this
milestone for
oursake in the same manner we celebrate Swami's TN
(Panguni Rohini) every
year. Lets join as Sri
Vaishnavites and get this AchAryas grace on
the
PeetarOhana MahOtsvam.
Nin ArulAm Gadhi Indri
MatrOnrillEn
Nedum KAlam Pizhai Seidha Nilai KazhithEn
Nin Arulukku
Nilayana Nilai UgandEn
Nin CharanenE Charanendru Thunivu PundEn
MannirulAi
Ninra Nilai Ennaku Theerthu
Vanavartham Vazhchi thara VarithEn
Ummai
InnarulAl ini enakOr ParamErAmal "En ThirumAl"
Adaikalam KollEmmai
NiyE!
AdiyEn Sri RAmAnuja DAsan,
Sudarsana
DAsOsmi