Srirangam Srimath Andavan Ashramam-Guru Parampara--Chapter 12
Srimathe
Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikaya Namaha
Sri
Ranganatha Divya Mani Padhukabhyam Namaha
Srimath Srimushnam Andavan: Thirunakshatram: Vaikasi - Thiruvadhirai
Thanian:
VEdhAntha
lakshmana muneendra krupAtthabOdham
ThadpAdha yugmasaraseeruha brungha rAjam
Thraiyantha yugma kruthaboori parisramamtham
Sriranga lakshmana munim saranam prapadhyE
(Meaning
of the Tanian)
We
prostrate at the holy feet
of Sri Ranga Ramanauja Maha
Desikan who had his Bhara
samarpanam at the holy feet of Vedhantha
Ramanuja Maha Desikan. Having gained
the wealth of Sri sampradayic
knowledge/Ubhaya Vedhanthams from
his Acharya, he whirrs as a honeybee at His lotus feet. Salutations to
Srimath Ranga Ramanuja maha
Desikan
Prakrutham
Srimad Andavan was born in Srimushnam, a swayam vyaktha Kshethra, in south
arcot district, on a Vaikasi –ArudrA day in Yuva varusham
His
father was a disciple of Sangeetha kalanidhi late Tiger Varadhachar swamy.
Young Varahan used to sit by the side of his father during those music lessons
and assimilated the nuances of Carnatic music to an astonishing degree which
enabled Him to sing ragas with mellifluous voice.
Sri
Varahan swamy became well qualified in vEda and divya prabhanda adhyayanams at
an young age. His periappa Sri U.Ve. Srimushnam puranam Narayanachariar taught
him kAvya and nAtaka alankarA granthAs. Swamy went to kAkumAni charity
pAtasAlA(
In
a quest to learn more about sAmAnya sAstrAs swAmy came to sriperumbudur and
learnt fully the nyAya and tharka sAstrAs. The yong Varaha swamy
qualified himself as Tharka sironmani, trained under great teachers in
Sriperumbudur Sanskrit patasala like Sri Krishna Desika Thathachariar (father
of great N.S.R. swamy) and others. Seeing swamy’s remarkable knowledge and
extreme brilliance learned wise men who had interacted with swamy at that
time, predicted that swamy would become a maHa vidwAn and a sampradhAya
pravarthakaA.
For
some time, swami went to Andhra Pradesh and taught in Sanskrit colleges
located in Jeetical and AlwAl, close to Hydrabad. His lucid and brilliant
teaching earned a lot of accolades and he learnt to speak and read Telugu very
fluently. Swamy came back to Sriperumbudur and passed in Tamil VidwAn
exam and served as Such in Tamilnadu Government educational service for 27
years. He lived in malayangulam for many years and settled down at Velamur,
the Birth place of Upanishad Bhashyakkarar H.H. Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikan.
Sri Varahachar swamy renovated and maintained the temple and performed nithya
Aradhanam all by himself for the Divya Dampathies.
His
Holiness 44th Jeer of Sri Ahobila Mutt once conferred a special
sambavanai appreciating his extra ordinary knowledge, Vidvath and lucid
presentation. Sri srimushanam Varahachar, a tamil pandit in Govt Secondary
Education service for 27 years had
His Prapatti under His holiness Thirukkudanthai Andavan and Grantha
chathushtya Kalakshepams under His Holiness during the same time.
The
divine message from Padukas to revered Acharya Thirukkudanthai Andavan was
that “Srimushnam Varahachariar will be your successor , Rest assured that
this Padukasramam so beautifully nurtured by you, will be safe in his hands
and will reach much greater heights.”
The Acharya directed sri Varahachariar swamy
that when the time comes he should come forward to protect and preserve
the Andavan Asrama Paramparai meaning , that he should become his successor
probably knowing in advance that His successor H.H. Mysore Andavan may not
live long.
Two
Great Acharyas attaining Paramapadam in quick succession in April & May
1989,
H.H.Srimadh
Thirukkudanthai Andavan adorned ThirunAdu
on 10.04.1989
His
successor H.H.Srimad Mysore
Andavan also adorned
Thirunadu (within 42
days) on 22.05.1989. Lakhs of
disciples were worried, over the continuation of Andavan Asrama Acharya
parampara When the Disciples of the Ashramam approached Sri Varahachar
swamy, He had whole heartedly accepted the
call to the religious order
though he had a large family to support.
Exactly
on the 10th day, i.e.
Srimad Andavan once beautifully sculpted a sAlagrAma perumal (which was a little broken) to Lakshmi Hayagreeva Perumal. So many people have wondered about His Holiness’s amazing knowledge in a wide variety of subjects. Srimadh Andavan is well versed in Telugu also and gives anugraha bhAshanams in that language to sishyas and abhimanis whenever an opportunity arises. His holiness is a scholar of unfathomable depth in many subjects under the sky.
(to be continued....)Srirangam Srimath Andavan Ashramam
P. Sreenivasan (of Besant Nagar
,Chennai)