SrI:
SrImathE Srinivasa Mahadesikaya namah:
SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:
Dearest all,
Today is the Thirunakshathram of Srimad
ViNNaaRRankarai Andavan of Srimad Poundarikapuram
Andavan Ashramam.
After Srimad Andavan Sri Ranganatha Mahadesikan (Sri
Mannaargudi Andavan), Sri VeNNaaRRankarai Andavan took
over (Panguni - Anusham) (19-3-1882 - 9-4-1980)
(extracts from Sri Anbil Ramaswamy Swamin?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 Parayanam 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 1st class, by which he won
the acclaim of the Raja and other Sanskrit pundits. He
married Janaki, (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 TirukKandiyur. 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 Dasavataara 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
Namo Narayana
Acharya paadhaangri rENu:
__________________________________________________
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