Srimath Andavan Ashramam's Guru Parampara
Chapter 1
The 'Achaarya Vamsa Vruksha' or the lineage of Srimath Andavan Periashramam starting from Emperumaan Sriman Naaraayanan is given below:
Emperumaan Sriman Naaraayanan and Thaayaar Sri Mahaalakshmi
Sri Vishwaksenar
Nammazhwar (Sri Satagopan) -------- Nathamunigal------ ---------Uyyakkondar------| Manakkal Nambi Yamunacharya ---------------------- Peria Nambi ------- -----------Srimath Raamaanujar (Udaiyavar) Pranathaarthiharar(Kidambi Acchaan)-- Raamaanujappillaan ---------Rangaraajappillaan------------------ Vaathi Hamsaachaaryar(Kidaambi Appullaar Raamaanujar)-----------Sri NigamAntha mahA DEsikan ----- Sri Brahmathanthra Swathantra Jeeyar ------------------------- Ghatikasathammaal(Vaathsya Varada desikar) VaradaVishnavaachaaryar --------- Mahadayaadheesar ------------- Ahobila desikan(sirangattur) | Paraankusa Swaami(Vankipuram)--------------| Panchamatha bhanjanam Thaatha Desikan-----------| Vaathsya Ananthaachaaryar(Keezhnarkkunnam)----- Raamaanujaachaaryar(Ranga Raamaanujaachaaryar) | VEnkatAchAryar(ParAvasthu AnnA) | VeerarAghavAchAryar(ChittaNNA) | Sri Rangapathi dEsikan(VElamur) | KalyAnA vaha Sri RanganAtha dEsikan | GnAnAthi sEvathisAkshAth swAmi(vEdAntha rAmAnuja mahA dEsikan) | GOpAlArya mahA dEsikan (Thirukkudanthi dEsikan) | Sri vEdAntha rAmAnuja mahA dEsikan (Srirangam Andavan -Vazhuthur) | Srinivasa rAmAnuja mahA dEsikan (Thirutthuraippoondi Andavan - ViLakudi) | Srinivasa mahA dEsikan Srinivasa mahA dEsikan (PeriAndavan) | PAdukA sEvaka rAmAnuja mahA dEsikan(Chinnaandavan) | Srinivasa rAmAnuja mahA dEsikan (KAdanthEthi Andavan) | Sri VEdhantha rAmAnuja mahA dEsikan (NammAndavan - ThErezhundur) | Srinivasa mahA dEsikan (EngALAndavan - Akkur) | Sri RanganAtha mahA dEsikan(Thenbarai Andavan) | Sri VEdhantha rAmAnuja mahA dEsikan (Thirukkudanthai Andavan) | Srinivasa rAmAnuja mahA dEsikan (Mysore Andavan) | Sri Ranga RAmAnuja mahA dEsikan (Srimushnam Andavan) –Prakrutham Andavan
1: Sriman Naaraayanan
The foremost and first AchArya of our siddhAnta is Sriman NArAyanA. He gave the upadEsam to our ThAyAr Goddess Sri MahA Lakshmi who is the second AchArya in the lineage. Sri Lakshmi pirAtti gave upadEsam to vishwaksEnar who chose NammAzhwAr to continue the lineage at the start of kaliyugA.
2. Vishvaksenar Also known as Senapathy Azhvan; He is a Nithya suri. He has dharshan to Nammazhvar in Yogha dasai and performed pancha samskaram and sarva vedantha Upadesam to Nammazhvar. He has authored a grantham known as VishvaksEna samhithai.
3. Nammazhvar He was VishvaksEnar's amsaavadhaaram. Avatharasthalam - Thirukkurugoor. He was born on the 43rd day of the birth of kaliyuga Pramadhi varusham in the month of vaikasi and Visaka nakshathram . His fathers name was Kari. He lived for 35 years. Right from the day of birth he ate no food and he observed Yoganishtai. He taught thiruvaimozhi to Madurakavi Azhwar when he was alive. After attaining moksham, he taught Nathamunigal sarva upadesam and performed pancha samskaram in yoga dasai. He has written the following 4 granthams – Thiruvaasiriyam Thiruviruttham Periya Thiruvandhadhi Thiruvoimozhi
4. Nathamuni (824 – 920 CE) Avathara sthalam – Kaattu mannar koil alias Veera narayana puram Year of Birth – Kali 3985 in the year of Sobhakruth in the month of Aani and Anusham nakshatram. He belonged to Sadamarshana gothram. His father'name is Easwara munigal. He visited thirukkurugoor and paid his obeisance to Nammalwar. Had pancha samskaram peformed by nammalwar. He learnt veda sastras through yoga dasai. He was giving siddhantha pravachanam in his gruhastasramam and blessed his sishyas with nyaya tatvam, yoga rahasyas and many more granthas.
5. Uyyakkondar (Pundarikakshar) ( 826 – 931 CE) Avathara sthalam – Thiruvellarai near Srirangam Year of Birth – Kali 3987 in the year of Prabhava, in the month of Chitthra and Krutthika nakshatram. He was doing siddhanta pravachanam in Srirangam in his gruhastasramam. He was the prime disciple of Nathamuni. His foremost sishyas were Manakkal Nambi, pundareeka dasar and ulaga perumal nangai.
6.Manakkaal Nambi (Sri Rama Misrar) (832 – 941 CE) Avathara Sthalam – Manakkal agraharam in Chola desam Year of Birth – Kali 4052 in the year of Virodhikruthu in the month of Masi and Magam nakshatram. He was giving siddhanta pravachanam in his gruhasthasramam to his disciples – Alavadhar, arasu nimbi, Gomadam thiruvinnagarappan.
7. Alavandhar (Yamuna Muni) ( 916 – 1041 CE) He was the grandson of Sri Nathamuni. Avathara Sthalam – Veera narayana puram Year of Birth – Kali 4077 in the year of Dhathu in the month of Aadi and Uttarashada nakshatram. He belonged to Shadamarshana gothram. He was born to Easwara battazhwar. After taking sanyasam in Srirangam, he was doing sampradaya pravachanam in Srirangam. He has authored the following granthams – Sthothra Rathnam Siddhi thrayam Geethartha Sangraham Agama Pramanam Chatusloki Maha purusha Nirnayam.
8. Periya Nambi (Mahapurnar) He was the prime disciple of Alavandhar. Year of Birth – kali 4098 in the year of Hevilambi in the month of Margazhi and Kettai nakshatram. He belonged to Bharadwaja gothram. He lived for 105 years. He was doing siddhantha pravachanam to his disciples in Srirangam. His foremost disciples were Udaiyavar(Sri Ramanuja), Ani Arangathamudhanar, Thiru kachi nimbi, Satakopa dasar.
9. Udaiyavar (Sri Ramanujar) ( 1017 – 1137 CE) He is the darsana sthapakar of Srivaishnava sampradayam and is one of the most important acharyas of our sampradaya. He was considered the amsam of Thiru Ananthalwar. Year of Birth – Kali 4117 in the year of Pingala in the month of Chitthra and Arudhra nakshatram- sukla panchami thithi. He belonged to Haritha gothram. His father was Asuri kesava somayaji swami. He took sanyasramam at a very early age and was doing siddhantha pravachanam in Srirangam and many other places. He nominated 74 simhasanadhipathis and ordained them to do pancha samskaram to sishyas at their places. From the 74 simhasanadhipathis, he selected four namely, Nadathur Azhwan, Kidambi Acchaan, Thirukkurugaippiran Pillan and Mudali Andan, gave them the Sri Bhashya kosam and instructed them to do Sri Bhashya pravachanam thereby making them Sri bhashya simhasanadhipathis. He has authored nine granthams in total namely, Sri Bhashyam Vedantha Saram Saranathi Gadyam Sri ranga Gadyam Vaikunta Gadyam Sri Gita Bhashyam Nithyam Vedartha Sangraham Vedantha Deepam Sri Ramanuja became an exponent in all the granthas he learnt from his acharyas and spread Sri Vishishtadvaitha philosophy and Srivaishnavam through the 9 granthas He wrote in Sanskrit. After having conquered those who opposed his philosophic exposition of Vishistadvaitha, tradition has it that Sri Ramanuja received the benediction of Lord Sri Hayagreeva through the medium of Saraswathi Devi. Having embraced the life of an ascetic, Sri Ramanuja travelled far and wide through out India. (to be continued.-- Part 2 onwards..)
This series of articles is contributed by:
Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi, Perungadamanur Sreenivasan Parthasarathy (Besant Nagar, Chennai.)
Guru Parampara--Chapter 2
10. Pranatharthiharan
Avathara Sthalam - Kanchipuram
Aatreya Gotra Sambhootham AasrayE sritha Vatsalam |
Yateendram AahAnAsikam PranathArthiharam Gurum ||
He is also known as KidAmbi AchAn. He was born in the month of chithirai with Hastham as his birth star in AthrEya gothram at Perumal koil. He was a very devout and close sishya at the holy feet of Sri Ramanujar and earned the titles "VedAntha Udhayana Acharyar" and "Madapalli AchAn".
The sincerity, perfect discipline, implicit obedience, ardent love and respect that he had towards his Acharya earned him the opportunity of offering Biksha and Madukaram to Sri Ramanuja, his master. Sri Ramanuja blessed Kidambi AchAn with and all the rahasya meanings of Vishistadvaida granthas and Hayagreeva upasanA. Kidambi AchAn strictly adhering to Sri Hayagreeva Aradhana, became the rahasyArtha Pravarthakar to his disciples.
11. AthrEya rAmAnujar
Aatreya Gotraambudhi Poorna Chandram
Aachaara YukthaAatma Gunopapannaam |
Nathaarthi Hridh Desika Ratna Soonum
Raamanujaarya Gurum Aasrayaamah ||
He was born to PranarthArthiharan in the month of chithirai with Arudra as his birth star. He had studied sampradhaya granthas at the holy feet of his father and imparted the sacred meanings to his son AthrEya Rangaraja Pillan.
12. AthrEya Rangaraja Pillan
RAmAnujArya Thanayam ramaniya vEsham
Aatreyam Atma Guna Poornam anarga seelam |
Sri RangarAjamiva Tad DayayAvatheernam
Sri RangarAja Guru varyam Aham Prapadhye ||
He was born to AthrEya rAmAnujar in the month of Panguni with Rohini as his birth star. He had his vidyAbyasam under the tutelage of his illustrious father AthrEya rAmAnujar and imparted the religious teachings to his son, AppuLLar who was also called vAdhi hamsAmbhuvAhAchariAr.
13. Kidambi AppullAr (Kidambi Ramanujachar) (1221 to 1295 CE)
YasmAd asmAbhirEthadh yathipathi kathitha prAkthana prakri yOdyath
Karma brahmAvamarsa prabhava bahupalam sArthamagrAhi shAstram
Tham vishwakbhEda vidyA sthithipada vishaya sthEya bhootham
Prabhootham vandE Aathreya rAmAnuja gurumanagam vAdhi hamsAmbhuvAham
He was the prime disciple of NadAdur ammAl, and born in the year vikrama , in the month of chithirai with arudhra as his birth star to Rangaraja pillan in AthrEya gothram.
He studied Sri Bashyam, Geetha bashyam and Bhagavath vishyam from his guru Nadadur Ammal. He studied Rahasya thraya saram from his father Rangaraja Pillan. He was adorned with the title "VAdhi hamsambuvAhar" meaning one who wins over his vadhis in establishing sampradhaya siddhantham. He had a sister by name Thothathamba, who was later married to Anatha suri (Swami Desikan’s father). He was the maternal uncle and AchArya of our illustrious Swami Desikan.
14. Sri Vedantha Desikar (1268 to 1369 CE)
AvathAra sthalam: Thoopul, Kanchipuram
SrimAn vEnkata nAthAryaha kavitharkika kEsari |
VEdanthacharya varyOme sannidhaththAm sadA hrudhi ||
Swami Desikan was born in the month of Purattasi, in the vibhava year according to Tamil Almanac in the nakshathra was Shravanam, the sacred nakshatram of ThiruvenkatamudayAn. The infant was given the name Venkatanathan by his parents, Anathasuri and Thotharamba. Samskaras or ceremonies like Jatakarma, Namakarana, anna prAsana and shauLa were all conducted to the boy, by their parents at appropriate years. Venkatanatha grew up in the atmosphere of devotion to Bhagavan and his bhakthas.
It was a memorable day in the life of Venkatanatha at the age of five. His uncle Appullar took him to the temple of Varadaraja where his Acharya Nadadur Ammal was expounding Sri Bhashya to his disciples. The disciples, who were so much absorbed in the appearance of the boy, forgot the trend of the lesson. When asked by NadAdur Ammal to his disciples where he left the kAlakshebham, the young boy, with the permission of the teacher Kidambi AppuLLAr lisped out the words to the surprise of all. Nadadur Ammal was so much pleased by the boy’s intelligence that he blessed him with long life, great knowledge, and worldwide reputation.
At the age of 7, Upanayanam was conducted for venkatanathan. From that time Appullar took charge of the education of the boy Venkatanathan. Venkatanathan was initiated with Sri Vainateya manthra by his uncle, who began teaching sasthras and the vedas. He also studied Tarka and Mimamsa and acquired mastery over other systems of philosophies. Due to the constant meditation on Lord Hayagreeva, Lord Hayagreeva was pleased and bestowed Venkatanathan the great virtue of nectar of knowledge..
When he was residing at Kanchi, His unique gifts of poetics and dialectics earned him the name of Kavitharkika simham. His sovereignty in the field Vedantha earned him the title of Vedanthacharya. His sishyas called him Swami Desikan. He channeled all his varied powers, to establish Sri Ramanujas systems on firm and secure foundations, rendering it ever impregnable to adverse attacks.
Swamy Desikan has authored over a hundred works in number both Sanskrit and Tamil. Sthothra granthas (28), Kavya granthas (4), Natakam(1), Vedhantha Granthas (14), VyAkyA granthas (8), Anushtana granthas (2), Rahasya Granthas(32) and Tamil Prabhandams (32). He composed one work in PrAkrutham (Achuya Sayayam) on Lord Devanathan of Tiruvaheendrapuram. His magnum opus in Manipravala is RahasyathrayasAra. Brahmathanthra Swathanthrar and Kumara Varadharya were prominent among his disciples.
In the next posting (chapter-3) we wll continue from Sri Brahmathanthra Swathanthra Swami.
This article contributed by - Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi Perungadambanur Parthasarathy Sreenivasan (Besant Nagar, Chennai)
Srirangam Srimath andavan Ashramam Guru Parampara--Chapter-3
Acharya parampara (rahasya parampara) of Srimath Andavan Ashramam continues in this posting starting with Sri Brahma tantra swatantra parakala swAmi.
15. Sri Brahma thanthra swathanthra swamigal (Bramha thanthra parakAla mata Prathama Yatheeswara)
ParyAya bhAshyakarAya praNathArthi vidhoonvathE
Brahma thanthra swathanthrAya dwitheeya brahmanE namaha.
He was the foremost disciple of Swamy Desikan. He was born in the month of Purattasi with sravanam as his birth star. He was performing siddhantha pravachanam to his disciples in srirangam, kanchi and other places. He established Parakala Matam at Mysore through his disciple Vedhantha Ramanuja swamy known as Dwitheeya brahmathanthra swathanthra swamy. He was performing siddhantha pravachanam to many sishyas namely, Gatika sathakam Ammal, Kidambi Nayinaar, GomAndur Achan,KandhAdai AndAn, Veeravalli pillai and a few others.
16. VAthsya varadha guru (Gatika Sathakam Ammal)
NamO varadha vishnvArya nayanAnandhadhAyinE
vAthsyAya varadhAryAya vAdhini vAdhineeharabhasvathE
He was the foremost disciple of Brahma thanthra swathanthra swamy..He was born in NadAdur ammal vamsam as the son of Devarajan. He belonged to Srivathsa Gothram..He was performing siddhantha pravachanam at kanchi and has authored a grantha by name Yathiraja Vijayam. His pradhAna Sishya was Srimadh Adhi vann satakopa yatheenthra Maha Desikan.
17. Varadha vishnuvAcharya
Avathara Sthalam: Kanchipuram (Perumal Koil)
MahAdayAdeesa gurOs thanayam thathva vidhvaram
vandhE varadha vishnvAryam vAthsalyAdhi gunArNavam
He was born at Perumal koil – srivatsa gothram to vAthsya varadhAchariar (Gatika sathakam ammAl). He studied rahasya thraya saram at the holy feet of his father and other Sri Bhashya granthas at the holy feet of his satheerthar, Adhi vann satakopa yatheendra maha Desikan. He was doing sampradhaya pravachanam at perumal Koil.
18. MahAdayAdeesar
Avathara Sthalam: Kanchipuram (Perumal Koil)
MahA dhayAdheeshuthur ambhujAksha nidhyAna nithyAbhi nivishtabhuddhe
AgnAna nigrAha kamanchasAham asmadh gurOr angriyugham prapadhyE
He was born at perumal koil as son of Varadha vishnuvAchar in srivathsa gothram and doing sampradhAya pravacham at Perumal koil.
19.Sirangattur AhobilAchAr
Avathara Sthalam: Kanchipuram (Perumal Koil)
Sreemad varada vishnvArya padhapankaja shadpadham
Ahobhila gurum vandhe vathsavamshIka mouththikam
He was born to Ananthachar and had pancha samaskaram at the holy feet of his grand father Varadha vishnuvachar, and studied Granthas at the holy feet of MahAdayAdeesar. He was a grihastha and did sampradhAya pravachanam in kanchipuram.
20. Vangipuram Shashta parAnkusa swamy
Avathara Sthalam: Kanchipuram (Perumal Koil)
Sreemath chatAri munipAdha sarOjahamsam
Sreemath parAnkusha tapOdhana labdhabhOdham
Sreeman nrusimha varadhArya dhayAvalambham
Sreemath parankusha munim pranathOsmi nithyam
He was the disciple of AhobilAchar. He was born at Perumal Koil. He belonged to vangipuram Bharadwaja Gothram. He studied Sri Bhashyam and Geetha Bashyam at the holy feet of Ahobilachar, Rahasyathraya sAram at the holy feet of Varadhacharyar (AhobilAchar’s brother), Bhagavath vishayam at the holy feet Dweethiya Parankusa swamy. He adorned Ahobila Mata peetam as the 6th jeer and was performing Nrusimha Aradhanam
21. Panchamatha Bhanjanam ThAthAchAriAr
Sreeshaila poornakulavAridhi poorna chandram
Sree sreenivAsa guruvarya padhAbja brungham
SrEyOgunAmbhunidhim Asritha pArijAtham
Sree thAthayAryam anagam sharanam prapadhyE
He was the nephew and disciple of Shashta parankusa swamy(6th Peetadhipathi of Ahobila matam) also known as Parankusa muni. He was born in the month of karthigai with anusham as birth star, in shadamarshana gothram. His father was SrinivAsa thAthAchAriAr. He was a grihasthA, performing sampradhaya pravacham at Perumal koil and thirukudanthai. He was sreekaryam of the 6th jeer of ahobila matam and prime minister to Vijayanagara rulers. His son was the famous Lakshmikumara thAthAchAr (who was instrumental in the renovation of many temples in and around kanchipuram. He made arrangements for performing the marriage of many kannika sthrees and became to be called as Koti kannika dhanam Lakshmikumara thAthAchAr)
22. Keezh Neerkunnam AnanthAchAriAr
Sree thAtha gurusEvApththa vEdhantha yughalasayaha
vathsyAnantha guru:sreemAn srEyasE mEsthu bhooyasE
He was born in srivathsa gothram at Perumal koil. He studied Sri Bhashyam Bhagavath vishayam and Rahasyathraya sAram at the holy feet of his guru, Panchamadha Banjanam Thathachariar.
23. RamAnuja swAmy
Avathara Sthalam: Kanchipuram (Perumal Koil)
SreemathO ranganAthasya guNairdhasyam upagatham
rAmAnujam dhweetheeyam tham adhwitheeyam upasmahE
He was born at Perumal koil to AnanthAchAriAr in Sreevathsa gothram and had studied Kalakshepa granthas at the holy feet of his illustrious father Ananthachariar.
24. Paravasthu VenkatEsachAriar
Avathara Sthalam: Kanchipuram (Perumal Koil)
vathsa vamsha payodheendhO: kalyANa gunavAridhE
Sreematho vEnkatEshasya charanou sharanam bhajE
He was born at Perumal koil. He belonged to sreevathsa gothram . He learnt the sampradhaya granthas from Ramanuja swamy and imparted rahasya granthas and bhagavath vishayam to Veeraraghavachar swamy.
25. ChithannA VeerarAghavAchAr swamy
Avathara Sthalam: Srirangam
Sree vEnkatEsha gurunA karunA karENa
Sreeshe samarpitha baram sritha pArijAtham
Sree ranganatha guveekshana labdha bOdham
Sree veera Raghava gurum sharanam prapadhyE
He was born in Srirangam in the month of Chitthra with swAthi as his birthstar. He belonged to Bharadwaja gothram. He studied Sri Bhashyam and Geetha Bhashyam under Sri Ranganathaswamy (of sreebahshya parampara of munithraya sampradhayam) and rahasyathra saram and bhagavath vishyam under Sri VEnkatEsAchAriAr. He imparted religious teachings to his son Rangapathi DEsikar. He observed gruhasthAsramam throughout his life.
26. VELAMOOR Rangapathi dEsikar
Avathara Sthalam: Srirangam
Sree veerarAghava gurOs thanayam thathascha
Shareera kAdhi samadheethya samastha shAsthram
vidhyO thamAnam anavadhya guNaikathanam
Sree RanganAtha guruvaryam Aham prapadhyE
He was born in Srirangam in the month of Vaikasi with visakam as his birthstar. He belonged to bharadwaja gothram (and sAma sAkhA). He studied grantha chathushtyam under the holy feet of his father and AchArya – Sri VeeraraghavAchAriar. He observed gruhasthAsramam throughout his life.
27. Ranganatha swAmy ( KalyAnAvaham swamy)
Avathara Sthalam: ThirunArAyanapuram
KalyAnAvaham asmAkam karuNya kalashambudhE:
PrapadhyE ranganAthasya padhapankaja thallajam
He was born in ThirunArAyanapuram(MElkOte) in the month of panguni with rEvathi as his birthstar. He studied Sri Bhashyam, Geetha Bhashyam and rahasya thrayam under the holy feet of Sri Rangapathi dEsikar. He studied bhagavath vishayam under the holy feet of chandragiri vEnkatAchAriar. He took up thureeyAsramam with the blessings of MannAr swAmy. His foremost disciples were sAkshAth swami and pAduka sEvaka rAmAnuja swAmy.
28. sAkshAth swAmy (Srimath vEdAntha rAmAnuja swAmy)
Avathara Sthalam: Kondal (near MolkOte)
Sree Ranganatha gurupAdha sarojahamsam
VEdhAntha dEsikapadhAmbhuja brunga rAjam
Sreemadh yatheendra shatakopa dhaya valambham
Vedhantha lakshmana munim sharaNam prapadhyE
He was born in a hamlet called kondal near mElkOte in the month of Chitthra with ArudrA as his birthstar (Sree Bhashyakarar was also born in chithrai srar in thr month of chithrai). He studied grantha chathushtyam under the holy feet of Ranganatha swAmy and took up sanyasam from him. He was also known as “gnAna vairAgya anushtAna shEvadhi”. He was also considered as a reincarnation of Sri Ramanuja and hence was called “sAkshAth swAmy”. As ordained by periya perumal and his AchArya, he authored “Irupatthi nAlAyirappadi” (24000) grantham which is a vyAkyAnam for bhagavath vishayam – AarAyirappadi. He has also authored other works such as
vyAkyAnam for “PoorvasArAswAdhini”,
nyAsa vidhyA darpanam
Sri tatva siddhanchana prabrutthi grantha
His prime disciple was Thihrukkudanthai dEsikan also called as “gOpAlArya maha dEsikan” – who is the sthApakar of munithraya sampradAya.
In the next posting, adiyEn will cover the history of achAryAs starting with gOpAlArya mahA dEsikan
This article contributed by
Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi - Perungadambanur Parthasarathy Sreenivasan (of Besant Nagar,Chennai)
Srimath Andavan Ashramam--Guru Parampara--Chapter 4
Acharya parampara (rahasya parampara) of Srimath Andavan periAshramam continues in this posting starting with GOpAlArya mahA dEsikan.
29. GOPALARYA MAHA DESIKAN—MUNITHRAYA SAMPRADHAYA PRAVARTHAKAR
Purattasi-Pooradam is the thirunakshatram of Srimath Thirukkudanthai Desikan (1700 - 1781) also known as GopAlArya MahAdEsikan. He is an important Acharya in the Munithraya sampradayam. His thanian reads as
Sri Krishna dEsika PadAmbuja Brunga rAjam
VEdAntha lakshmana muneeindra kripatha bOtham
Thraiantha dEesika yatheendra satAri moorthim
Gopala dEsika sikAmanim Aasrayamaha
Srimathe Gopalarya Mahadesikaya Namaha
Sri Gopala Desikan was born in Aathreya gothram in Sri Appullar's Vamsam (Swami Desikan's maternal uncle). The kootasthar of this Vamsam Sri Kidambi Aachaan (also known as madaippalli Aachaan) was doing the Madaippalli kainkaryam to Sri Ramanuja. Thirukkudanthai Gopala Desikan was the direct and fifteenth descendant of Appullar. Swami's Avatharam took place in Vikrama Varusham (1700) purattasi madham, pooradam star, sukla paksham, navami thithi in dhanur lagnam. Swami received his pancha samaskaram and veda adhyanam from his father Sri Krishna Suri. From his father, he also learnt tharkam, vyakaranam, meemamsam, Divya Prabhandham, Desika Prabhandham & Sthothra paatams of Sri NigamAntha MahA dEsikan and became an erudite scholar.
Sri Gopala Desikan requested Saakshaath swami to bless him and take him as a sishya. Saakshath swami, after testing his gnanam, anushtanam and bhakthi was immensely pleased and blessed him and accepted him as his sishya. Sri Gopala Desikan studied Srimath Rahasyathraya Saaram, Sri Bhaashyam, Geethaa Bhaashyam, Sri Paancharaathra Prabruthi, Anushtaana Granthas, Sruthaprakaasikaa, Thaathparya Chandrikaa, Sathadooshani, Thathva mukthaa kalaabaa, Nyasavidyaa Darpana and Sri Thathva Sidhanjanam under the holy feet of Saakshaath swami. Saakshath swami instructed Sri Gopala Desikan to learn Bhagavath Vishayam from his Satheerthar and disciple Sri Paduka Sevaka Ramanuja muni, who had learnt 24 Ayirappadi earlier from Sri Saakshath swami. As instructed, Sri Gopala dEsikan studied Bhagavath Vishayam from Padhuka Sevaka Ramanuja muni and became a scholar in that too, and requested Sri Saakshaath swami for Bharasamarpanam. Saakshaath swami was very much pleased at his request and perfromed Prapatti for Sri Gopala Desikan at the sacred feet of Lord Sri Ranganatha through Acharya nishtai.
When he offered prayers with AparyabdhAmritha Dhyana slokam to Lord at Thirukkudanthai. Lord Aravamudhan appeared through archakar and granted the name Thirukkudanthai Desikan
Other works of swami are Ahniga Grantham, Sri Desika sahasranamam, Nikshepa Chinthamani also known as Saranaagathi Saasthra Vivaranam, Sangraha Vyaakyaanams for Kanninun Siruththambu, Thiruppallandu, Sri Jayanthi Nirnayam, Aparyabdhamritha Dhyana sopanam on Araavamudhan (similar to Bhagavath Dhyana sopanam of Swami Desikan on Lord Ranganatha) One day Lord Aparyabdhamudhan appeared in the dream of Thirukudanthai Desikan and told him that three yatheeswas, the Amsa avatharams of Sri Nathamuni, Sri Alavanthar, and Sri Bashyakarar will come and request him to take them as his sishyas and instructed him to accept them as his sishyas and teach them the Munithraya sath-sampradayam, the sampradayam passed down by three munis namely Nathamuni, Yamunamuni and Ramanuja Muni. Similarly Lord appeared in the dream of the three swamis also, and told them to take up Thureeyasramam and become sishyas of Thirukkudanthai Desikan swami. The three swamis were:
Sri Srinivasa Maha Desikan of Cheyyanam on the banks of Tamirabarani river Sri Ranganatha Maha Desikan of Vathiraairuppu, Thirumaliruncholai near Madurai Sri Vedantha Ramanuja Maha Desikan of Vazhuthur, a small village near Thirukkudanthai. Thirukkudanthai Desikan swami took all three of them as his sishyas and taught them all the granthas through upadesams and kalakshebams. One day during Adhyayanothsavam Sarrumurai time when swami, along with the three sishyas did mangalasaasanam at Amudhan sannidhi, Lord Amudhan through Archamukam, awarded the thirunamam "MUNITHRAYA SAMPRADHAYA PRAVARTHAKAR" to Srimath Thirukkudanthai Desikan. Swami accepted it with humility saying, "Naayindhen, DhanyOsmi". Swami instructed the yatheeswaras to do sampradhaya pravachanam from their respective places. The yatheeswaras returned back to their villages. Of these yatheeswaras,
Srimath Thirukkudanthai Desikan led a life of Acharya in gruhasthashrama for almost all of his life like Swami Desikan. He took up sanyasam at the age of 81 years (In Plava year 1781, Karthigai month on Pushya star-Krishna panchami) with the name Aparyabdhaamridha Maha Desikan. The very next day, in Plava varusham Karthigai month- Krishna sashti (1781 Nov/Dec) Srimath Thirukkudanthai Desikan breathed his last at Thirukkudanthai and adorned Thirunadu
30. Vazhuthur Andavan-VEdhantha Ramanuja Maha Desikan
Thirunakshatram: Aavani PoorattAdhi
Thanian:
GOpaala dEsika pathaabhja madhuvrathasya
Pragnyaa virakhthi karuNaa muKHa sath guNaabhDHe:
VEdaantha lakshmana munE sritha BHaagha DHEyam
Paadhaara vindha yugaLam sharanam prapadhyE
Vazhuthur Andavan - was born in the month of Avani with Pooratadhi as his nakshathram in the tamil year Rudrothkari ( 1744-1745 AD) to Srinivasachar in Vazhuthur.
He took sanyAsam from the then Paduka Sevaka Ramanuja Maha Desikan, and became a fitting successor to Sri Thirukkudanthai Desikan with the name Srimad VEdhantha Ramanuja Maha Desikan also called as Vazhuthur Andavan and lived in a small hut on the southern bank of coleroon doing sidhantha pravachanam at srirangam.
Many bhagavathas became sishyas of Srimath Vazhuthur Vedhantha Ramanuja Maha Desikan during these pravachanams. It is told that Sri Gopalarya Maha Desikan blessed Vazhuthur swamy that "Neeray num sampradhaayathai Aala vandha Andavan" meaning you alone are going to guard, rule and spread our sampradhaayam". From that day he was known to be called as Vazhuthur Andavan and sampradhaayam was called as Srimath Aandavan Asramam Sampradhaayam.
From Him, sampradhaayam spreaded through his disciples to many branches. Prominent among them are as follows:
1. Srinivasa Ramanuja Maha Desikan - Thiruthuraipoondi Andavan also known as Vilakkudi andavan (Andavan asramam)
2. Annarya Maha Desikan - also known as Navalpakkam Swamy who was in gruhasthasramam spreading sampradhayam at Thirukkudanthai, Thiruvaheendapuram and Navalpakkam.
3. Vangipuram Vedhantha Ramanuja Maha desikan (Aandikadu Swamy in Srirangam)
Through these 3 acharyas who were sishyas of Srimath Vazhuthur Andavan, the sampradhaayam has spread to a very great extent like a big banyan tree.
In the next Chapter, adiyEn will continue with the history of achAryAs starting with Srimath Thirutthuraippoondi Andavan.
Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi - Perungadambanur Parthasarathy Sreenivasan (of Besant Nagar,Chennai)
Srimath Andavan Ashramam-Guru Parampara-Chap.5
Acharya parampara (rahasya parampara) of Srimath Andavan Ashramam
continues in this posting starting with Srimath Thiruthuraippondi
Andavan.
Thiruthuraipoondy Andavan (vilakkudi Andavan)
Birth Star- Aippasi Uthirattadhi
Thanian
Srimath gOpAla soorEr niravadhi karuNAvAptha sathsampradAyam
Srimath vEdhAntha rAmAnuja yathinrupathis sarvatha: sTHApayithvA
Yasmin sathsampradAyam sakalamupadhishan amsathO nupravishTa:
Srimath sreevasa raamAnuja munimanagham tham BHajE dEsikEndhram
He was born in the month of Aippasi with Uthirattadhi as his birth
star and was named srinivasachar..He belonged to Eyunni vamsam and
Bharadwaja gothram. He learnt sampradhaya granthas fromVazhuthur
Andavan and . became an erudite scholar and authentic exponent of
Srivaishnava philosophy. ,, .He had prapatti done at the feet of
almighty and was initiated into Dureeyasraman by Vazhuthur Andavan
and was named ", Srinivasa ramanuja Maha Desikan, one of the
illustrious Acharyas of Srirangam Srimath Andavan PeriAsramam. .
Thirutthuraippoondi Andavan was also known as vilakkudi andavan as
he hailed from vilakkudi, a small hamlet near Rajamannargudi .
Srimath Periandavan (Srimath Srinivasa Mahadesikan)
Thirunakshatram: Masi – Pushyam
Thanian
Sri rangesha padhe samarpitha Bharam sruthyantha ramanuja
Sri yogeendra guruththamena yaminash sruththyantha vidhyathmana:
PrAptha sruthya vathamsa yughma hrudhayam Srivasa ramanujath
Sri Srivasa muneendra desika manim sreyo nidhim samsraye
Thirutthuraipoondi Andavan gave sanyasam to Sri
Srinivasaraghavachariar Swami who went on to become one of
illustrious Acharyas of Munitraya Sampradayam, and unparalled among
His contemporaries. This mahan later came to be known as the famous
Srimath Periandavan.
SrinivasaRaghavan was born on 25.2.1801 in the year Roudri (Masi-
pushyam) in a village called Piliyaranai near Kanchipuram. At a
tender age of 10, he mastered rendering of Sama Veda learnt from his
father, Sri Krishnamachariar which was considered to be an invaluable
wealth in his family traditions.
Sri Krishnamachariar was extremely pleased with his son's progress
and took the young boy back to Kanchi . There, SrinivasaRaghavan
learnt Nyaya – Meemamsa- Vyakarana Sastras under the tutelage of
great scholars. Thereafter he went to Srirangam to see Srirangam
Swami (Srimath Vazhutoor Andavan) and prayed for Saranagathi.
Srimath Andavan , performed Atma samarpanam ( saranagathi) to him in
front of Lord Sri Ranganatha's sannidhi.
He went to Srirangam Swami and prayed to him that Swami perform
kalakshepams to him on sampradayic granthams.. Thirutthuraipoondi
Andavan took Agnya from Swami in carrying out this holy task and
performed kalakshepams to Srinivasaraghavan on Grantha
chatushtayam,Rahasyams and Rahasyarthas.
SrinivasaRaghavan gained exemplary knowledge in all that learnt from
his Acharya. After some time, he prayed to Srimath Thirutthuraipoondi
Andavan for the Dureeyasramam. As his near and dear objected to this,
Srimath Andavan also felt that SrinivasaRaghavan be a gruhasta for
some more time before taking up sanyAs and blessed him to go back to
Kanchi.
In His gruhastasrama, SrinivasaraghavswAmi was blessed with a girl
and He immediately felt that He had fulfilled his duties as a
gruhasta. When Srinivasaraghavan swami went to Srirangam and prayed
with thirutthuraipoondi Andavan for sanyasa, Swami tested Him in
various ways to see whether He was ready to take up sanyasa .
After getting convinced, Swami granted sanyasam to Srimath
Periandavan and he was given the title "Srinivasa maha desikan".
Since this mahan was so popular among his sishyas and admirers alike,
he was fondly called as periandavan. For a long time he was residing
in Srirangam . In a month, He would go to devout and pious
Srivaishnava bhagavathas' thiru maligai on selected seven to eight
days for unccha Vritthi . He would take the grains to the banks of
Coleroon river, wash them in the river water, cook them and eat the
bhagavath prasadham along with thulasi leaves. On other days, he used
to powder the dry leaves fallen from the Holy Fig tree and consume
the same. Such was his Vairaghyam.
Sishya paramapara:- He remained deeply dedicated to the sampradayam
and placed Srimad Andavan sampradayam on a firm footing and as a
beacon light to thirsty aspirants. Upon Lord Ranganatha's command to
take disciples, and disseminate and propagate the Philosophy, several
persons became His Disciples, and became erudite scholars and
preceptors. Some of them were
1) Thirupputkuzhi Appa 2) Mannargudi Gopalanna 3) Vyakaranam
Rangachariar 4) Meemisal Narasimhachariar 5) Chinnamu Rangachariar 6)
Thirunelveli Gopalasamudram Narayanachariar 7) Shamala Chakravarthi
and 8) Purisai Nadathur Rangachariar.
Sri Srinivasa Raghavachariar's (Periandavan's) asrama sweekaram took
place around 1828. He observed Chathurmasyams for 55 years and he
adorned thirunadu in subhanu varusham thai masam - krishna
thrayodhasi thithi(1884-Jan-Feb)
In the next posting, adiyEn will cover the history of achAryAs
starting with Srimath Chinnandavan.
Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi - Perungadambanur Parthasarathy Sreenivasan (of Besant Nagar,Chennai)
Srimath Andavan Ashamam--Guru Pramapara--Chapter 6
Acharya parampara of Srimath Andavan Ashramam continues in this posting with Srimath Chinnandavan - Sri Paduka Sevaka Ramanuja Mahadesikan
Srimath Chinnandavan
Thirunakshatram: Karthigai - Magam Thaniyan:
Sriman naatha muneendra yaamuna muni Srisamya mindraathmanaha
Sri Srivasa muneendra desika mane: praapthaaga maanthath dvayam
Sri rangesha padhe thadharpithabharam Sri paadukasevaka
Sri ramanuja yoginam guruvaram vandhe dayasagaram
Karthigai - Magam is the thirunakshtram day of one of the foremost and illustrious acharyas of Srirangam Srimath Andavan Periasramam, Srimath Chinnandavan - Sri Paduka Sevaka ramanuja maha desikan.
This mahan was born in the year sarvadhari (1828), in the month of Karthigai in a hamlet called velliyanallur. His janma nakshatram is Magam. He belonged to satamarshana gothra. His father, Sri Krishna Thathacharya. named his son as Srinivasaraghavan. It is a great coincidence that two other Acharyas in this illustrious lineage who adorned the peetam were also named as Srinivasaraghavan in their poorvasramam namely Srimath Periandavan who was Srimath Chinnandavan’s direct predecessor and the other Acharya was none other than the famous Srimath Thirukkudanthai Andavan who was instrumental in spreading the Periasrama parampara to length and breadth of the country and made it reach dizzy heights of glory in our sampradaya.
Younger days of Srimath Chinnandavan
Sri Krishna Thathacharya performed upayanam and other vaithika samskarams to his son at the right age. SrinivasarAghavan swami also underwent veda adhyayanam and learnt kavya alankara grantham. He went to Mysore. And There He met SriRama Sastri who was the Asthana vidwan of the Mysore raja samsthanam. He learnt nyaya sastras and advaita philosophy under his tutelage and thus became an exponent With his radiant brilliance. he even cleared the doubts Sri sastri encountered on sastraic research and earned his awe and accolades. In particular, swami was extremely proficient in tharka sastras. He went to Srirangam in pursuit of the studying ampradhaya granthas and reached the holy hermitage of Srimath Periandavan who was the paragon of Gnana and vairaghya and prayed at His holy feet for the same. Observing Srinivasaraghavan Swami, Srimath Periandavan was very much pleased with His modesty and His sastraic knowledge and accepted Him as His sishya. He rendered Grantha chathustayam ( namely Srimath Rahasya thraya saram, Geetha Bhashyam, Sri Bhashyam and bhagavath vishayam) and satha dhooshani to Srinivasaraghavan. Srinivasaraghavan swami went back to vellianallur after completing the kalakshepam. i
Taking up sanyasa
When swami was in vellianallur observing his panca kala anushtanams and leading a very regimented life of a true srivaishnava paramAikanthi, Srimath Periandavan due to His severe penance and austere life, became very weak.. For the sampradaya to continue to flourish and grow, Srimath Periandavan wanted to choose His successor .After makingseveral tests,Peria Andavan decided that Srinivasaraghavan swami was the right person to succeed Him as the acharya of the periasramam. In the meantime, Periandavan’s health deteriorated.
Srinivasaraghavan swami went back to Srirangam from vellianallur and prostated before srimath periandavan and prayed to him that he be granted sanyasa. With great modesty, he went through the explanation of qualification of oneself to take up sanyasa thereby indicating his readiness for the same. swAmi told srimath periandavan that he did "Sarvasanga parithyagam", completely renouncing samsara bhandham and prayed to Srimath periandavan to grant Him sanyasa. Srimath periandavan was filled with extreme happiness to have chosen the right successor and granted Srinivasaraghavan swami, sanyasa on an auspicious day. He was given the title "Sri Paduka sevaka ramanuja maha desikan".
Since both were Acharyas together at the same time, they were fondly called as periandavan and chinnandavan by the sishyas and admirers alike. This period lasted for a very short duration though with Srimath periandavan reaching parama padam within 4 months of Srimath chinnandavan taking up sanyasa.
Srimath chinnandavan was serving as guiding light of the sampradaya and authored rarest of several granthas when he was the Acharya of the periasramam- They are as follows:
1. 1. Ahnikartha prakasikai 2.Sri Jayanthi nirnayam 3.ukthyacharya nishta vicharam 4.sathpadha rakshai 5. Janmashtami nirnayam ..6.thathkrathu nyaya vicharam.7.Acharya sambavanai kramam...8.Aasowcha sangam
Sishya parampara:- Several erudite scholars became the disciples of srimath chinnandavan, foremost being:- 1.Eyunni SriVaradhachar swamy(who later became Terazhundur Andavan) 2 Sri Villiputhur Ammalachar swami 3.Vidvan ukkur Srinivasaraghavachar.4.Akkur Srinivasaraghavachar. 5..Vidvan Tembarai Ramabadrachar
Yathra
Srimath chinnandavan traveled to Sri kanchi from Srirangam and gave several sampradayic pravachanams(discourses) during His yathra and came back to Srirangam.
Srimath Chinnandavan attained Thirunadu at the age of 68 leaving behind grieving disciples in the year Vijaya (1895), on the sukla sapthami thithi in the tamil month of Thai. Swami was in thureeyasramam was 10 years observing that many chaturmasyams.
Srimath Kadanthethi Andavan
Thirunakshatram: Aavani-Moolam
Thanian
Srimath Srivasa yogi pravarasa kaaruNa paanghasanghaadha BHangaath
VEdhaantha dvandva vidhya madhu rasa lahari chchanchari kaayamaaNaha
THEnaachaaryENa ranga prabhu charaNa yugE daththa rakshaa BharaSri:
Srimath Srivasa raamaavaraja muNimaNis santhatham srEyasE syaath
Srimath KAdandhEthi Andavan was born in the Avani month of Virodhi varusham (1829 A.D) in Moolam nakshatram in a village just south of river KAveri called KAdandhEthi to Srimathi Janaki Ammal and Sri RaghunAthAchar. Sri RaghunAthAchar was performing kainkaryam to Srimath Thiruthuraipoondi Andavan, the second Andavan of Srimath Andavan Ashramam. The child was named Sri Varada VedAnthAchAriAr. He was initiated into Brahmacharyam with upanayanam at the prescribed age and was taught vEdAs and upanishads. He learnt Tharka ShAstras in ,RajamannAr Koil under the tutelage of Sri U.Ve. SamiyAchchAr swAmi.
In his young days itself Sri Varada VedAnthAchAriar, with sincere devotion and strong vairAgyam meditated on the sacred Moola manthram, AshtAkshara manthram and gAyathri manthram vigrorously and attained manthra sidhdhi and power. Later he visited Mysore Asthanam and further mastered in tharka shAstrAs from Mysore samasthAna vidwan named Aakki Azhwan. During this period he also received Sri Hayagreeva ManthrOpadEsam from Sri Parakala Jeeyar Swami and Sri Nrusimha ManthrOpaDesam from Sri Ahobila Matam Azhagiyasingar. Thus he attained various manthra sidhdhi and SathAvadAna shakthi at a very young age as a bramhachAri. He mastered the four shAstras and also had poetic prowess as an "Aasu Kavi".
Sri Varada VedAnthAchAriar was married at the age of 35. Immediately after his marriage, he started on a yathra and visited various samasthAnams.
At Nagapattinam ,a request from the town’s Tashildar Sri Rangaswami Nayakkar, Sri Varada Vedanthachariar swami displayed his Satavadhana skills in Vellipalayam Krishna Sannidhi. (Sathavadanam is a skill where the person performing this skill will tackle 100 questions or acts at the same time). The people were awed by this display. At the end, he asked a palanquin to be brought and he got into the palanquin. He asked it to be lifted only in the back of the palanquin. With his manthra sidhdhi he went on a procession in the palanquin, with no one lifting the front side of the palanquin.
At Thirumala, he was gifted an ivory Planquin as a sanmAnam on one occasion. He later donated this palanquin to Swami Desikan Sannidhi at Thirucherai. He stayed in Thirupati till he completed 60 years.
At Thirukkudanthai
After celebrating his sasthiabdapoorthy at Tirumala, he desired to come and live in Thirukkudanthai. He sold his properties at Tirupathi and came to Thirukkudanthai. He purchased a house in Sri Aravamdhan Sannidhi Street and stayed there. He did many kainkaryams and ubhayams at the sannidhi of Sri Aravamudhan. He was very much devoted to Sri Komalavalli Thaayar and donated a Simha Vahanam for Komalavalli ThAyAr.
Swami’s Compositions
Adbudha vAmanam". Aaraat Prabhandham Swapna Sathakam" When his eyesight had weakened considerably due to his old age, he composed a grantham called "Sri Komala Dandakam" on Thirukkudanthai Komalavalli Thayaar. . By reciting this wonderful grantham he regained his vision completely. HH Kadenthethi Andavan had a special attachment to Komalavalli Thayar.He has given a Gold Karai ( Jewel ) and a Silver Simha vahana to Thayar
Srimath Chinnandavan attained Thirunadu at the age of 68 leaving behind grieving disciples in the year Vijaya (1895), on the sukla sapthami thithi in the tamil month of Thai.. In 1905 after 11 years without acharya, Andavan sishyas went to Thirukkudanthai. Having known the greatness and gnana, anushtana and vairagyam of Sri Varada Vedanthachariar, Andavan Ashramam sishyas went to Thirukkudanthai and requested him to become their Acharya , to continue the Andavan Sampradhayam.
Sri Varada Vedanthachariar was already 76 years old then. He decided to accept the sanyasa ashramam with the intent of satisying the longing of Andavan sishyas for an Acharya and also with the intent of appointing Therezundur Varadachariar as the next Andavan at an appropriate time.
38th pattam Thirukkudanthai Azagiyasingar
He approached 38th pattam Azhagiyasingar Srimath Srinivasa Sadagopa yatheendra Mahadesikan (Thirukkudanthai Azagiyasingar) with other Andavan sishyas and requested him to give sanyasa ashramam to him. Sri Varadha Vedanthachariar accepted the Preksha manthram and sanyasa ashramam from Srimath Azhagiyasingar and became the 6th Andavan of Andavan Ashramam in Avani month of 1905 (Tamil year Visvavasu) at Nrusimhapuram in front of hundreds of sishyas of Andavan Ashramam, Ahobila Matam and srivaishnavas of Tirukkudanthai. He was given the name "Srinivasa Ramanuja Mahadesikan" and was called as Thirukkudanthai Andavan and also as Kadandethi Andavan. An Andavan thiruvadi, Tiruvaheendrapuram Ashtavadani Sri Anathachariar composed and offered the tanian "Srimath SrivAsa yOgi.." for Kadandethi Andavan at the sannidhi of Sri Ranganatha Perumal. But due to his old age, Srimath Andavan used to faint and lose conciousness during pravachanam.
Srimath Nammandavan
In 1908, as Srimath Andavan was getting older and weaker day by day, he decided it was time to hand over the Acharya peetam to Therezhundur swami and communicated this to him through his sishyas. On hearing this, Therezhundur swami rushed to Srirangam leaving his family and properties. He gave all the manthra powers of saptha koti (7 crores) Thiruvastaakshara manthram he had earned to Therezhundur swami and said it will help in his winning over everyone to our sath-sampradayam. He gave preksha manthram and sanyasa ashramam to Theruzhundur swami in Aug 1908 (tamil year Keelakam) and made him the 7th Andavan with title Srimath Vedantha Ramanuja Mahadesikan who was also called as Nammandavan and Therezundur Andavan. After having restored the Andavan Ashramam sampradayam to its glory and after appointing a great avathara pursha like Nammandavan as the succeeding Acharya, Srimath Kadandethi Andavan graced His sishyas in leela vibuti for 6 more months and in early 1909 attained Thirunadu (Tamil year Keelaka, Masi month, Krishna paksham, Dwadasi thithi) after 3 chaturmasyams at the age of 79 years.
In the next chapter(7) adiyen will continue with the history of acharyas beginning with Srimath NammAndavan.
Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi - Perungadambanur Parthasarathy Sreenivasan (of Besant Nagar,Chennai)
Srimath Andavan Ahramam-Guru Parampara-Chapter 7
Acharya parampara of Srimath Andavan Ashramam continues in this posting with Srimath Nammandavan - Vedantha Ramanuja Mahadesikan
Srimath Nammandavan
Thirunakshatram: Avani PoorattAdhi
Thanian:
Srimath Srivasa yogeeshwara padhavinatham labdha vEdhaantha yugmam
Sri paadooSEvi raamaanuja munithilakaath thathpadha nyastha Baaram
Srimath Srivasa raamaanuja munimaNEr labda mokshaasramam tham
Srimath vEdhaantha raamaanuja yathi nrupathim sumsrayE gnyana vaardhim
Avani poorattadhi is the thirunakshatram of Srimath ThErazhundur Andavan Sri Vedhantha Ramanuja Mahadesikan. His poorvashrama Name was Sri Varadhachar. Sri Varadhachar Swami was born in the year Prajothpathi (1871) in the month of AvaNi in ThErazhundur village in Tanjore district in Tamilnadu. He belonged to Eyunni vamsam and Bharadwaja Gothram. At very early age, he was trained at vedha adhyayanam, kavyam and nataka alankaram at his birth place. To learn TharkA, vyAkaranA, and meemAmsA he went to Srirangam, offered his obeisance at the feet of PeriAndavan who in turn blessed Sri VaradhAchar swami with pancha samskaram and manthra upadesam. Sri VaradAchAr swami learnt Tharka and nyAya sAsthrA from the great scholar Vilakkudi Vedhanthachar swAmi. He under went intensive training under the great pandit pudhu-agrahAram Brahmasri Kuppuswami sastrigal in meemAmsA and vyakaranA. He had performed Atma samarpanam at the holy feet of Nam Perumal by Srimath ChinnAndavan - Srimath Paduka Sevaka Ramanuja Maha Desikan.
He was married at the age of 18 years to Sowbhagyavathi Sengamala Ammal, daughter of Sri Annasami Ayyangar of Thirukkudanthai Ayyangar street . Sri Varadhachar swami became a disciple at the holy feet of Srimath ChinnAndavan - Srimath PAdukA Sevaka Ramanuja Maha Desikan and learnt kalakshEpa grantha chathushtyams from His Holiness, His Holiness Srimath Chinnandavan who was very much impressed with Sri VaradhAchar Swami called him one day and told, "You are going to be the Sampradhaya Pravarthaka of this Asramam" . When Srimath Chinnandavan's health was affected, he longed for a successor for this sampradhaya. Sri VaradAchAr swami, at that young age readily offered himself for the ascetic order. But some concerns were raised from very close circle of Varadhachar swamy. HH adorned thirunadu in Vijaya varusham (1894) in the month of thai without appointing a successor to Asramam. Sri VaradAchAr swami, after completion of Chinnandavan's kainkaryams, purchased a house at Srirangam and lived there with his parents and wife. He visited the Brindavanam of asramam daily, performed ThiruvArAdhanam, and pAdukArAdhanam in morning and offered ThiruviLakku at evening and after all kainkaryams, he used to return home only at night.
This was his daily activity for 11 long years from Vijaya varusham 1884 Thai month to Visuvavasu-Avani -1905, when 76 years old Kadanthethi SathavadhAnam Varadha vEdhanthAchAr swami, a disciple of PeriAndavan, was requested by all Andavan Ashramam sishyas and other bhagavathas to take up sanyasam from Thirukkudanthai Srimath Azhagiya singar. . Accordingly Srimath Srinivasa SatakOpa Yatheendra Maha Desikan (38th Jeer of Sri Ahoibila Mutt) who was camping at Nrusimhapuram gave thureeyAsramam to Kadanthethi swAmi in presence of a large Srivaishvaite gathering. Thus 76 year old KAdanthethi swami became the Asrama Head of Srimath Andavan periAsramam as Srinivasa RAmAnuja MahA DEsikan.
The health of KAdanthEthi Andavan deteriorated during 1905 and all asramam sishyas immediately rushed to Sri VaradAchar swami and requested to take up sanyasam from KAdanthEthi Andavan. Sri VaradAchAr swAmi readily acceded to their request by leaving the family to take up ascetic orders. He received thureeyAsramam from the holy hands of KadanthEthi Andavan Srinivasa Ramanuja Maha Desikan in the year KEELAKA VARUSHAM- AVANI MADHAM (sep-oct ,1908 ) and was named Sri VEdAntha RAmAnuja MahA dEsikan- also known as & ThErazhundur Andavan. And NammAndavan. Both AchAryAs were together for a period of 6 months. Srimath KadanthEthi Andavan attained thirunAdu in Keelaka varusham-masi madham-krishnapaksham-dwadasi thithi (17.02.1909).
Ever since Srimath NammAndavan took up sanyasam, His Holiness had assimilated in himself strict austerity, extreme rigid and rigorous routines of a sanyAsi, leading a highly puritan's life of his poorvacharyas, rejecting all luxuries and conveniences. He travelled by walk only like his predecessors observing " pAdhayAthra" to visit holy shrines. Good personality, majestic look, pleasing voice, convincing talk etc were his great traits. His discourses were full of humor , with penetrating perception of holy life of sages Alwars and ArchAvathAras. He attracted all sections of vaishnavite community, vedic scholars and VEdhAnthis, by his philosophic lectures. His deliverance of Sri BAshyA, Bhagavath vishyam and other granthAs, were with such ease and perfection, that they attracted a large gathering around him, wherever he lectured. People in those days used to say that, Peria perumal is namm Perumal, jewel among alwars - is nammAlwAr and jewel among acharyas- is NammAndavan .
Some of the great scholars who studied, swaroopa granthas under His Holiness srimad NammAndavan were:-
Sri U.Ve. Rangachar swami (who became Akkur Andavan-Srinivasa Maha Desikan later)
Sri U.Ve.Tenpirai Venkata Raghavachar swami( who became Thenbarai Andavan-Sri RanganAtha Maha Desikan later)
Dimmakudi sri U.Ve .Srinivasachar (Sri Ramanja Yatheeswarar)
Thirukkudanthai Vairakya Nidhi Sri U.Ve. Rajagopalachar ( Sri Narayana Yatheeswar)
Rayampettai GanapAdi Vidwan Seemachar ( Sri Srinivasa Ramanuja Maha Desikan ) and many others.
His holiness adorned thirunAdu in PRAJOTHPATHI year (1931)-Aadi -Poorattadhi Krishna panchami day,that was on 03.08.1931 at the age 59 years and 11 months shortly before celebrations of His shashti-abtha-poorthi.
In the next posting adiyen will continue with the history of acharyas beginning with Srimath Akkoor Andavan.
Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi - Perungadambanur Parthasarathy Sreenivasan (of Besant Nagar,Chennai)
Srimath Andavan Ashramam--Guru Parampara-Chapter 8
Acharya parampara of Srimath Andavan Ashramam continues in this posting with Srimath Akkur Andavan - Srinivasa Mahadesikan
Sri Srinivasa Mahadesikan (Srimath Akkur Andavan)
Thirunakshatram: PurattAsi-UtthirattAdi
Thanian
Srimath vEdhaantha Raamaanuja yathi nrupathEr labdha vEdhaantha yugmum
Srimath dEvaadhinEthu ChCharana sarasijE thEna daththaathma Baaram
Srimath Srivaasa yogeeshwara mahitha mahaa sampradaayaika nishtam
VandhE Srivaasa yogeeshwara gurumanagam vathsalam Bhavyasheelam
Akkur Andavan was born in the year 1880 in the month of Purattasi with Uthirattadhi as his birth star.His poorvasrama name was Rangachariar. He was the immediate successor to Srimad Nammandavan and 7th Peetadhipathy of Srirangam Srimad Andavan Asramam. He had studied sampradhaya granthas at the holy feet of sri Nammandavan along with Sri U.Ve.Thembarai Venkata Raghavachar swami (who became Tembarai Andavan later) Dimmakudi sri U.Ve .Srinivasachar Thirukkudanthai Vairakya Nidhi Sri U.Ve. Rajagopalachar, Rayampettai GanapAdi Vidwan Seemachar and many others
In 1931,When Nammandavan's health was very much affcted, HH wanted to appoint a successor for the Asramam. His Holiness NammAndavan wanted Sri Akkur Rangachar Swami to be his successor. But having influenced by gnanam, vairaghyam, anushtAnam, spiritual powers, and great capabilities of Srimath NamAndavan, Sri Rangachar swami thought that he may not be a fit person to be the successor of Srimath NamAndavan and adorn this great Acharya lineage of Srimath Andavan Ashramam. Sri Rangachar swami hesitated and respectfully declined to take up thureeyashramam at that time. Srimath Andavan was very upset that Sri Rangachar could not be appointed immediately as His Holiness realized His dehAvasanam (end) was nearing. His Holiness offered prayers to the PAdukAs of PoorvAchAryas, and with tears rolling in his eyes, reciting slokas like "Sriman Abeeshta Varadha Thvaam asmi charanam Gatha:" and with Goddess Thayaar as Purusha kAram, His Holiness offered pranams many times at the lotus feet of Lord Varadharaja of Kanchi, and appealed to HIM ,
"Hey Prabho! you have fulfilled the prayers, of Sri Alavandar by making Sri Ramanuja as the Sampradhaya pravarthakar. Now fulfil my prayer also by making Akkur Rangachar swami, as the sampradhya pravarthakar & my successor, in our Asramam. The responsibility is yours."
Saying so, He surrendered his burden at the lotus feet of the Lord Varadhan of Kanchi. His holiness adorned thirunAdu.
Like AlavandAr's prayer, Srimath NammAndavan's prayer too was granted by Lord Varadha later. Srimath Aakur Rangachar swamy consented to take up sanyasam immediately after Srimath Nammandavan adorned ThirunAdu. Exactly 3 weeks after NammAndavan adorning Thirunadu, Sri Narayana Yatheeswarar, a Disciple of NammAndavan, who had already received Sanyasam from NammAndavan, gave the ochre ascetic robes of sanyasam to Sri Rangachar swami.
SriRangachar swami became the successor of NammAndavan in Andavan asramam as Srimath Akkur Andavan Sri Srinivasa Maha Desikan, the same name as PeriAndavan and very much like PeriAndavan in Gnaana, vairagya, anushtaanam etc.. His sancharam in the 15 year period from 1931 was all on foot (paadha yathrA). His holiness Srimad Akkur Andavan covered Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Thirupathi through His paadha yatra and spread Munithraya ashrama sampradyaa.
Srimad thembarai Andavan and Srimath Thirukkudanthai Andavan attended the Kalakshebam of various granthams in their poorvasramam at the holy feet of Srimath Aakkur Andavan. Srimath Akkur Andavan had the blessings of Srimath Nammandavan in Completing the Vyakyanam for the remaining 208 slokas of Padhuka sahasram (Srimath Nammandavan had already completed vYAkyanam for about 800 slokas of paduka sahasram, but before completing the balance, he adorned ThirunAdu)
Once Akkur Andavan had to undergo a surgery to remove a cyst from his chest. He never took any pain killing medicine or anesthesia for the procedure. Instead, he was deeply immersed, in reciting ramayana slokas mentally for getting himself relieved from the pain. He was one of the greatest exponents of Ramayana discourses at his time. People had a very high regard for him for his simplicity, lucid and profound knowledge in sampradhaya and sastras, humourous discourses, etc, and called him as ""ENGAL ANDAVAN"
Thembarai Venkata Raghavachar Swamy was doing kainkaryam to Srimath Akkur Andavan, continuing to undertake kAlakshEpams under His Holiness. Srimath Akkur Andavan. His Holiness was immensely pleased with Thembarai swAmi’s GnAna, vairAghyA and AnushtAnams and felt that Thembarai Swamy was the right person to be adorned as ‘sampradAya pravarthakA’ of periAsramam after His time. His Holiness Srimad Akkur Andavan informed Thembarai Swamy about his decision. Thembarai Swamy after long thoughts, decided to take up sanyAsam and gave his consent to his Holiness. Srimath Andavan was extremely pleased byThembarai swAmi’s decision and ordained His sishyAs to make arrangements for the Holy ceremony.
On 06.10.1946, Srimath Akkur Andavan gave the holy sanyAsam to Sri. U.Ve. Brahmaniddhi Thembarai VenkatarAghavAchAriar swami in presence of several Andavan thiruvadis and named him as ‘Sri RanganAtha mahA dEsikan’ and asrama disciples fondly called him as Thembarai Andavan. Both Acharyas, namely Akkur Andavan and his successor Srimath Thembarai Andavan were together in the Asramam for a period of 5-1/2months till Srimath Akkur Andavan adorned ThirunAdu on 19-3-1947 on a krishna paksha dwAdasi day (in the month of Panguni, viya year).
In the next posting adiyen will continue with the history of acharyas beginning with Srimath Thembarai Andavan.
Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi Perungadambanur Parthasarathy Sreenivasan (of Besant Nagar,Chennai)
Srimath Andavan Ashramam-Guru Parampara-Chapter-9
Acharya parampara of Srimath Andavan Ashramam continues in this posting with Srimath Thembarai Andavan - Sri Ranganatha Mahadesikan
Thembarai Andavan:- Thirunakshatram: Avani Revathi
Thanian:
Srimath VEdha vathamsa lakshmana munehe praapthaaga maantha dvayam
ThEna Sri raghu punga vangri yugaLe nyasthaathma Rakshaambharam
Srimath Srinidhi yogivarya karuna labdaabhja chakraangkanam
Vande shaanthi virakhthi poornamanagham Sri ranga naatham Gurum
Srimath Thembarai Andavan Sri RanganAtha MahA dEsikan adorned Acharya peetam as the 8th Andavan in the Andavan Periashramam Munithraya Sampradayam AchArya Lineage. .
Thembarai is a beautiful serene village situated on the banks of river pAmani .He was born to Sri. U.Ve. Vangeepuram SeshAdriyAchAr in then year 1886 VIYA varusham in the month of Avani with Revathy as birth star(19-08-1886).His poorvasirama name was venkataraghavan. (His father gave him excellent education in his younger days.)
The Astrologers who looked at the horoscope of swAmi predicted that he would become a sanyAsi and a parama virakthA,unparalleled. After undergoing samskArams at the right age, swAmi performed adhyayanam of sAma sAkhA and became an exponent. He underwent rigorous training and mastered sanskrit, and Kavya sAstrAs along with other vEda sAkhAs in Thirukkudanthai Sanskrit College. He went to Rajamannar koil nd mastered vyAkaraNa sAstrAs under the tutelage of Sri. U.Ve. RangachAr swAmi (This mahAn later became the 39th Jeer of Sri Ahobila Mutt as Sri Parankusa SatakOpa yatheendra mahA dEsikan). Later he went to viLAkkudi to learn tharka sAstrAs under the eminent guidance of “ThArkika simham” Sri. U.Ve. SrinivAsachariAr swAmi. Having completely learnt tharka sAstrAs, swAmi learnt and mastered MeemAmsa sAstrAs under the guidance of MahA mahOpAdhyAyA Brahmasri KuppuswAmi SastrigAL and Brahmasri ChinnaswAmi SastrigAL.
Marriage
In the year 1908, swAmi was married to Srimathi Vijayavalli Ammal. Immediately after the marriage, swAmi took the VaisvadEva upadEsam from his paternal uncle, Maha vidwAn Brahmanidhi Sri. U.Ve. RamabhadrAchAr swAmi. During his GruhasthAsramA, swAmi observed panca kAla anushtAnams in an austere and rigorous way. Later, swAmi served as a religious teacher in a national high school. . During this time swAmi served as an examiner for sanskrit competitions conducted Sri kanchi kAmakOti matam. Sri SankarAchArya (paramAchAryA) had utmost respect for swAmi’s pAndithyAm.
SwAmi followed Sriman nigamAntha mahA dEsikan in observing ‘Unccha vrutthi’. Such was the vairAghyam swAmi possessed in renouncement all the materialistic lifestyle and observance of severe austerity. c.. SwAmi underwent grantha chathushtya kAlakshEpams under Srimath NammAndavan. In the kAlakshEpa goshti, swAmi used to listen to kAlakshEpam with rapt attention and full concentration.
Srimath NammAndavan performed panca samskAram to swAmi in his younger days and later performed bharasamarpanam at the lotus feet of vaduvoor (Lord Sri Rama). In the year 1922, in Mannargudi,Sri Ramanaya upanyasam of swAmi was arranged by Sri. U.Ve. vidwAn Rama swAmi Iyengar and Sri. U.Ve. KrishnamAchAriAr,which went on for over two months.
While swAmi was undertaking kAlakshEpams from His Holiness Srimath NammAndavan ,Srimath Andavan adorned ThirunAdu unexpectedly in Kanchipuram. Srimath Akkur Andavan succeeded NammAndavan to adorn the AchArya peetam. Thembarai swAmi continued his kAlakshEpams under Srimath Akkur Andavan.
Guna seelA
From his younger days, swAmi was a puritan filled with all satva gunAs .. Simplicity, honesty, purity, veracity, courage, equality, renunciation, lucid and profound
sampradayic knowledge were hallmarks of swAmi’s gunAs. One could see simplicity all the way in the clothes he wore, the food he ate or the lifestyle he led. SwAmi was such a down-to-earth person who won the respect of many of his admirers SwAmi had no desire to save money for his family. The amazing virakthi swAmi possessed is attributed to his profound knowledge of our siddhAnta and total belief in it. Even during the sadas when sambhavana was offered to vidwAns, swAmi would do his best to avoid taking up sanmAnam.
SanyAsa sweekAram
Swami was doing kainkaryam to Srimath Akkur Andavan, continuing to undertake kAlakshEpams under His Holiness. Srimath Andavan was immensely pleased with our swAmi’s GnAna, vairAghyA and AnushtAnams and felt that our swami was the right person to be adorned as ‘sampradAya pravarthakA’ of periAsramam after His time.HE WAS very confident our swami would carry Asramam’s growth to heights of glory. Accordingly HH did upadEsam on prapatti proyOgA and prEsha manthram to our swami.
In the meantime, swAmi’s dharma patni attained AchAryan thiruvadi in the year 1946. Srimath Akkur Andavan was also becoming weak because of age. Swami after long thoughts decided to take up sanyAsam and hence went to Srimath Andavan and prayed to HH and sought his blessings for the sanyAsam. Srimath Andavan was extremely pleased by swAmi’s decision and ordained His sishyAs to make arrangements for the Holy ceremony.
In the year viya in the month of Aippasi on the 21st day i.e. on 6-10-1946 in the presence of several Andavan Thiruvadis, Srimath Akkur Andavan gave the holy sanyAsam to Sri. U.Ve. Brahmaniddhi Thembarai VenkatarAghavAchAriar swami. He was given the title as ‘Sri RanganAtha mahA dEsikan’ and was fondly called as Thembarai Andavan. Srimath Akkur Andavan lived for 5 more months after that and adorned ThirunAdu on 19-3-1947 on a krishna paksha dwAdasi day ( in the month of Panguni, viya year).
Because of the sanyAsa sweekAram, swami's lifestyle did not change a bit at all as he practiced a life of sanyAsi even before that with rigorous anushtAnams and extreme vairAghyam having completely renounced worldly comforts.
The daily chores of Asramam was maintained the same way as it was done from Srimath PeriAndavan's period. Srimath Thembarai Andavan would wake up before 4 AM in the morning and would perform avagAha snAnam immediately thereafter. SandhyAvandhanam, japams would be done after that followed by bhagavath ArAdhanam and purvAchAryAs' pAdukA ArAdhanam. This was followed by distribution of perumAl and pAdukA theertham. . Later, Sri bhAshya, geethA bhAshya, bhagavath vishaya kAlakshEpams would by rendered by His Holiness after which vaidheeka karmas such as samAsrayanams and bharanyAsams would be performed for the bhAgavathAs for the day.
In the evenings, kAlakshEpams on divya sookthis such as Srimath RamAyanam, nyAya siddhAnjanam. AdhikaraNa sArAvaLi would happen besides other anushtAnams. Srimath Andavan would consume very little food once a day in the mornings.
During swAmi's time as AchAryA, Sri. U.Ve. Chakravarthi KrishnamAchAriar swAmi, Sri. U.Ve. V.K. SrinivAsAchAriAr swami and later Sri. U.Ve. SrinivAsa rAghavAchariAr swami ( Kannan swami – later Srimath Thirukkudanthai Andavan) served as Sri Karyams of Asramam at different periods.
As per the holy order of His Holiness, a monthly magazine called 'Sri Ranganatha Paduka' was started in the year 1955 in the month of October ( Manmatha Varusham in the month of Ippasi) to bring a connection between the asramam and the andavan sishyas.
Srimath Thembarai Andavan became weaker as the days passed by due to rigorous anushtanams, meagre intake of food and also due to breathing related health issues. His Holiness gave upadEsam on “PrEsha manthram” and “MOkshAsrama Ahnika AnushtAnam” to three vidwAns of the Asramam - U.Ve. Sri. Kannan swAmi, U.Ve. Sri. Mysore GopAlAchAr swAmi(who later on became Srimath Mysore Andavan in the late 80s) and Mannargudi GanapAdi vidwAn U.Ve. Sri. NarasimhAchArya swAmi for them to be ready and take up sanyAsam any time when called.
In April 1963, Srimath Andavan’s health was extremely affected and with great difficulty His Holiness was performing his nithya karma anushtAnamOn April 4th 1963, Srimath Andavan's condition became worse and most of the sishyAs were informed. Sree kAryam Sri. U.Ve. kannan swAmi was also informed of Srimath Andavan’s health and . On His arrival, arrangements were speeded up for Sri kannan swAmi's thureeyAsrama sweekAram. Early morning the next day i.e. on 5th april, 1963 (Friday, sukla dwAdasi, makam star), in the presence of sishyAs, His Holiness Srimath Thembarai Andavan ordained the ascetic order to Sri U.Ve. Kannan SwAmi who was named as Srimath vEdAnta rAmAnuja mahA dEsikan. and within few hours on the same day (April 5th 1963) He adorned Thirunadu satisfied with having found His worthy successor.
In the next posting adiyen will continue with the history of acharyas beginning with Srimath Thirukkudanthai Andavan.
Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi Perungadambanur Parthasarathy Sreenivasan (of Besant Nagar,Chennai)
Srirangam Srimath Andavan Ashramam-Guru Parampara-Chapter 10
Acharya parampara of Srimath Andavan Ashramam continues in this posting with Srimath Thirukkudanthai Andavan - Sri Vedantha Ramanuja Mahadesikan
Srimath Thirukkudanthai Andavan: Thirunakshatram: Panguni - Pushyam
Thanian:
Srimath vedhantha ramanuja munikarunalabdha vedhantha yugmam
Srimath Srivasa yogeeswara gurupadhayorarpithaswathma bharam
Srimath Sri ranganathahvaya munikrupaya praptha mokshasramam tham
Srimath Vedhantha ramanuja munimaparam samsraye desikendram
Given below is the history of Srimath Thirukkudanthai Andavan – Srivedantha ramanuja maha desikan,who took Srirangam Srimath Andavan periAsramam to glorious heights of growth spreading it literally across length and breadth of the country.
Avataram
Srimath Thirukkudanthai Andavan was in the born in a small village called “ karukudi” (situated next to Thirukkandiyur in Tanjore district) in the banks of river Kaveri in the Parabhava year - Panguni month –with pushyam as his birth star -( 1907) to Sri. U.Ve. Padmanabhachariar and Komalavalli devi. He was named as “Srinivasaraghavan” He was fondly called by everybody as ‘Kannan”.
Kannan swami was taken to Srirangam periAsramam many a times by his father during His childhood days. He used to observe the paduka Aradhanam being performed there and when he came back to kudanthai, he will play with friends of his age posing himself as an acharya, wearing a cloth up to knee height and will have a dhandam in his hand and proclaim himself as Andavan. He will carry the water in “kottankacchi” – a dried coconut shell ( Srirangam periAsramam is also called kottankacchi Asramam) and distribute the “theertham” in the same way Srimath thErezhundur Andavan used to do ( focusing both His eyes in one direction). He will do all this with out the knowledge of his father.
Sri Padmanabhachar swami taught him the arulicheyalgals of Alwars – Nalayira divya prabhandham at a tender age and swami mastered the tamil vedham , before he completed 14 years. He also learnt sAstras in Kottaiyur , under the tutelage of Sri. Seshasayee
Sri padmanabhachAr swami sent his son to Raja patasala in Kamakshi josyar street for some time to learn more on sastras. Later swami learnt tharka,and meemamsa,vyakarana sastras under shri devanagar vilagam swami . He stood as a paragon, gaining extensive knowledge in all the sastras . He also qualified for Sanskrit Sironmani fromThiruvaiyaru Sanskrit college. Whenever Nammandavan and Engalandavan visited Thirukkudanthai in their respective times, Sri Kannan swami performed kalakshepams on adhyatma sastras under their lotus feet. One of those times, Srimath Engalandavan performed “Bhara samarpanam” to Sri Kannan swami in Amudhan sannidhi. Swami had been performing kainkaryam to divya desam perumals even much before becoming Andavan.
Life as a Gruhasta
By the age of 14, swami having mastered the whole of Divya prabhadham became a leading member in the adhyapaka ghosti. At the age of 16, He got married to Sri vedavalli ammal. She was the sixth daughter of Neduntheru krishnaswamy Iyengar. For his livelihood, swami started giving upanyasams at a very young age.
Swami used to visit Tanjore , every Sunday to render kalakshepams on Geetha Bhashyam.
Four sons and two daughters were born to swami in his gruhasthasramam. After his father’s demise, swami with the blessings of his Acharya, went to Chennai to take care of his family needs.
Move to Chennai
When swami went to chennai, Akkur varadachar swami, an ardent devotee of sreemad Akkur Andavan,and a great business magnet , requested Him to stay in his thirumaligai and arranged for swami’s rendering of kalakshepams in various sabhas through out the city.
Kannan swami had His own distinct and inimitable style of rendering upanyasam. It simply mesmerized the listeners who were always seeking more at the end of His upanyasams. At that time His contemporaries in upanyasams were stalwarts such as karppangadu
venkatachariar swami, kanchi vidwan prathivadhi bhayankaram Annangarachariar swami.
As a parent, Swami performed his duties very well by giving good education to his children and led his gruhastasrama in a blessed manner
His Acharya Bhakti which was so deep rooted in his heart prompted him to visit Srirangam several times to seek the blessings of Srimath Thembarai Andavan. Srimath Thembarai Andavan,seeing his Acharya bhakthi not only ordained him to look after the administration affairs of the Asramam ( by appointing him as Sri karyam of the Asramam) but also commanded Him to stay permanently in Srirangam.
In 1963, Srimath Thembarai Andavan became very weak and emaciated due to strict Ahara niyamams and old age and wanted to nominate His successor to adorn the Acharya peetam. Sri Kannan swami who had unassuming Acharya bhakthi, rigorous observance ofanushtanams, and great administrative skills immediately came to his mind. This very thought made Srimath Andavan feel happy and His Holiness apprised Sri kannan swami about this and was optimistic that Sri Kannan swami would oblige.
Taking up sanyasam
Srimath Thembarai Andavan became weaker as the days passed by. So His Holiness gave upadesam on “Preksha manthram” and “Mokshasrama Ahnika Anushtanam” to three vidwans of the Asramam - U.Ve. Sri. Kannan swami(the incumbent for the succession,) U.Ve. Sri. Mysore GopalachAr swami( who later on became Srimath Mysore Andavan in the year 1988) and Mannargudi Ganapadi vidwAn U.Ve. Sri. Narasimhacharya swami , to be ready and take up sanyasam any time when called.
When swami was in chennai, Srimath Andavan’s niyamanam kept on occurring to his mind and swami appeared to be reluctant in taking up sanyasam due to family circumstances.,.
Sri. Kannan swami’s son, Sri. Gopalan told his father that he had dreamt about Srimath Thembarai Andavan telling him that He had gone to viraja nadhi and come back and asked him to send his father immediately and take up sanyasam. GopAlan also told his father that he would take care of his mother (swami's dharma pathni) and asked him to proceed to Srirangam. Sri Kannan swamy finally decided to prepare himself for sanyasam and accept Srimath Thembarai Andavan’s Niyamanam.
On April 4th 1963, Srimath Andavan's condition became worse Sree karyam Sri. U.Ve. kannan swami was informed of Srimath Andavan’s health and immediately kannan swamy
rushed up to Srirangam. On His arrival, arrangements were speeded up for His thureeyasrama sweekaram.
Early morning the next day i.e. on 5th april, 1963 (Friday, sukla dwadasi, makam star), in the presence of sishyas, His Holiness Srimath Thembarai Andavan ordained the ascetic order to Sri U.Ve. Kannan Swami who was named as Srimath Vedanta Ramanuja maha
Desikan and within few hours on the same day (April 5th 1963) Tembarai Andavan adorned Thirunadu .
This illustrious Acharya Peetam of Srimath Andavan,developed centrally on His Holiness Thirukkudanthai Srimath Andavan vedantha ramanuja maha desikan.
He was a great scholar in Nyaya, Vyakarana, and so much he was at ease in the recitals of Nalayira Divya Prabhandham, Srimath Ramayanam, Bhagavath Vishayam and sukthis, Having taken to ascetic order, casting away plentitude of wealth , this great Acharya had assimilated in himself extreme, rigid and rigorous life of a sanyasi, the strict austerity and highly puritan life of his predecessors scorning all luxuries.
Sancharam
Poorvacharyas like Sri Periandavan, Sri Nammandavan and Sri Akkoor Andavan went by padayatra to places such as Melkote, Mysore , Kanchi, Ariyakkudi,sethu. Srimath Andavan covered over 30000 km by foot from sethu to Himachalam through out the length and the
breadth of the country and set up various Asramams in places very far away from South India .
During His time, Srimath Andavan Asramam grew leaps and bounds throughout the country. This was truly a golden period in the annals of the Asramam as it witnessed itself a phenomenal growth and a meteoric rise. His Holiness constructed many Asramams
throughout the country during His period and also conducted many Temple samprokshanams,Yagnams, Homams and performed mangalasasanams of various Divya desams, Vijaya yathras from Kanniyakumari to Badrinath and held Many Vidvath Sadas to name a few.
Srimath Andavan observed 26 chathurmasyams spanning 26 years from 1963 to 1989 and reached Thirunadu on Vibhava varusham –panguni madham-Krishna panjami day (10-04-1989) leaving behind thousands of grieving disciples and admirers, whose divine anubhavams with His Holiness during His life time remain carved in their memory forever.
In the next posting adiyen will continue with the history of acharyas beginning with Srimath Mysore Andavan.
Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi Perungadambanur Parthasarathy Sreenivasan (of Besant Nagar,Chennai)
Srimath Andavan Ashramam--Guru Parampara--Chapter-11
Life History Of Srimath Mysore Andavan (1909 – 1989)
Sri:
Srimathe Rangaramanuja Mahadesikaya Namaha:
Srimathe SrinivAsa rAmAnuja Mahadesikaya Namaha:
Thirunakshatram: Avani - Uthiram
Thanian:
Srimath Srivasa yOgeeswara munikarunAlabdha vEdhantha yugmam
Srimath vEdhantha rAmAnuja gurupadhayorarpitha swAthma bhAram
Srimath srudhyantha rAmAnuja yathi nrupathE:prAptha mOkshasramam tham
Srimath SrivAsa rAmanuja munimaparam samsrayE gnanavArthim
This article covers the life history of Srimath Mysore Andavan
Parthipa-Avani Uthiram is the 97th thirunakshatram day of Srimath Mysore Andavan Sri SrinivAsa RAmAnuja MahA dEsikan ,who adorned Acharya peetam as the 10th Andavan in the Andavan Periashramam Munithraya Sampradayam AchArya Lineage.
AdiyEn is transmitting the source material provided by:-
Sri. Sunder KidAmbi(of Boston,USA–purvAsrama grand son of Srimath Mysore Andavan and Sri R. Rajagopal ,in his article” Looking back and Looking forward-III in
September issue of 2004,(Dharana varsusham –Purattasi madham)
as a life history of Kaviratna, Vedanta Vibhushana, Vedantasara, Pravachana Kalanidhi, Sri U Ve Vidwan Hariharapuram Gopalacharya (in his purvAsramA) and as Srimath Mysore Andavan, Sri Srinivasa Ramanuja Mahadesikan ( in ThuriyAsramA).
An elderly scholar of vidwat scholarship in Sanskrit, Tamil, Kannada and Hindi, Sri Hariharapuram Gopalacharya was born on 19.08.1909 ( Soumya Varusham –Avani Madham Uthira Palguni Nakshathram) to Sri Krishnamaachaarya and Smt. Ranganaayakamma (Gowri festival day, Sosale village, T. Narasipura Taluk on the banks of Cauvery near Sangamam of Cauvery and Kapila rivers, Mysore district) who belonged to an orthodox Srivaishnava family which had a scholastic background. Other members of the family included two brothers and two sisters.
During his childhood, due to epidemic plague that spread widely, swAmi's father passed away, following which, the family's financial position was not sound. He lived in Sosale village and studied in a higher primary school there. Knowing the budding scholar in swAmi, the scholars persuaded him to join Mysore Maharaja Samskruta Paathashaala and continue his studies. Accordingly, swAmi came to Mysore, joined the Sanskrit college, completed his further studies in Saahitya and Vyaakarana and became Vidwan.
During the student days, he had to depend for his daily food in Sri Parakaala mutt, where the then Aacharya Sri Abhinava Ranganaatha parakAla mahA dEsikan who adorned the peetam, noticed the brilliant boy and provided him necessary facilities. By the grace of lord Hayagreeva, he also brought his brothers and used to help them by giving good education and food (padi) that he received in the Parakaala mutt and there by facilitated their studies also.
Having completed matriculation, Sanskrit (vidwat degree), Kannada Pandit and Hindi Pandit exams, he attained proficiency in 'Naalaayira Divyaprabhandam' (Tiruvaymozhi), chanting of vedas, literature and grammar. He passed all higher examinations of philosophy (Vedanta Shastra) and obtained Vidwat Prashasti. In his 14th year, he had the blessings of Srimath NammAndavan and with Pancha Samskaaras and Bharanyasa. At that juncture, he composed a beautiful collection of 134 poems (Srimad Aandavan Vaibhavam) and visualizing the scholar in him, Srimad Aandavan blessed the boy immensely and he came to be known as Mysore Vidwan Gopu.
Regarding discharging duties and responsibilities, Sri Gopaalaachar married Smt Jayalakshmi from Talkad who belonged to a respectable family. The couple were blessed with six daughters and two sons.
Srimath Mysore Andavan was famous amongst the other scholars from Sosale. He worked hard towards the improvement of the Sri Venugopalaswamy temple at Sosale. He was an ardent devotee of Srimath Aandavan, all through. He was a beloved disciple of many great scholars and he successfully completed the studies of and Upanishads and grantha chathushtya kAlakshEpams under Srimath Akkur Andavan
In his efforts to invite Srimath Aakoor Andavan to Karnataka, his journey on cycle to Chamarajanagar, Sathymangalam, Erode and Srirangam to arrange for the stay of Andavan was commendable. With all these devotional services to Sri Aacharya, he obtained the blessings of Srimath Aakoor Aandavan. Sri Gopalacharya served in a high school at Sakaleeshpuar (Karnataka) and thereafter he came to Mysore and served as Sanskrit teacher in Mahajana high school (1945 to 1975).
Srimath Thembarai Andavan became weaker as the days passed by,and gave upadesam on “Preksha manthram” and “Mokshasrama Ahnika Anushtanam” to three vidwans of the Asramam - U.Ve. Sri. Kannan swami(who later became Thirukkudanthai Andavan), U.Ve. Sri. Mysore GopalachAr swami, and Mannargudi Ganapadi vidwAn U.Ve. Sri. Narasimhacharya swami , to be ready and take up sanyasam any time when called.
when the health condition of His holiness Srimad Tembirai Andavan was badly affected, Vidvan sri Gopalachar Swamy was the alternate candidate to become ninth peetathipathi to succeed His holiness thebirai Andavan Himself in April 1963,had not sri Kannan swamy turned up for taking up sanyAsam for any reason. Sri kannan swamy entered Thuriyasramam in 5th April 1963 as 9th peetathipathy with the name Srimadh Vedhantha Ramanuja Maha Desikan.(SRP-sep-2004)
Sri Chitrakoodam Vijayaraghavachariar was the srikaryam till late 60s.Then, Sri Mysore Gopalachar became Srikaaryam of the Srimad Andavan Ashramam , and continued as srikaryam for almost 2 decades. As srikaryam of Srimath Andavan asramam, He travelled all along with the then pontiff H.H.Thirukkudanthai Aandavan, & undertook paadayatra all over India and specially Badrikasramam. He was respected for his devotion, dedication, commitment to Srivaishnavism (Sri Ramanuja Darshanam) and his wide scholarship in all shastras. He was a good swimmer too.
Scholarly works : Srimath Andavan has contributed many works of scholarly nature. They include;
1. Ramanuja Noothandadi (1959) a translatory work (with commentary in Kannada) from Tamil to Kannada.
2. Sri Ramanuja Panchashat in Sanskrit
His master pieces :
1. A complete translation of 'Sri Paadukaasahasram' with scholarly commentary in Kannada (1969). This work of 465 pages, was published at Sri Parakaala mutt Mysore.
2. A translation of 'Deshika prabandham' from Tamil to Sanskrit and commentry in Kannada.
3. Srimad Aacharya Parampara Prabhavam in Sanskrit.
4. Shaattumurai Kramam and Aacharya Thanian
5. A beautiful work about Vishnusahasranama
6. Sragdharaa Shatakam in Sanskrit
7. Sri Rahasyatraya Saara Sangraha of Vedanta Deshika in poetry (sanskrit version)
8. Sri Mahaalakshmi Stuti, a fine stotram about Goddess Lakshmi of 108 Divyadeesha (at the time when Sri Tirukkudanthai Andavan was ill and bedridden)
9.A commentary to 'Tiruvaimozhi', following the lines of Poorvaachaarya's commentary.
10. Translated works of Sri Vedanta Deeshika to Kannada.
11.Pillai Anthaadi (Sanskritized)
12.Deshika Vaibhava shatakam
13.VenkatanAtha gurustuti
S wAmi was an Aashu Kavi of a very high caliber, and used to compose Padabandhams spontaneously. SwAmi has also written numerous articles about Sri Ramanuja philosophy. Following his contribution to Sanskrit literature, SwAmi was recognized as an outstanding scholar both by state and center, and was given an honorarium (President's Gold Medal).
When Srimad Thirukkudanthai Andavan,s health was very much affected ,His holiness gave sanyasam to ,Vidvan Mysore Gopalachar on 11.04.1988 (PRABHAVA VARUSHAM-PANGUNI MADHAM –Sravana Nakshathram) and HH became the successor of Thirukkudanthai Andavan and 10 th peetathipathi of Srimadh Srirangam Andavan Ashram at the . age of 79 years.,Since then he was popularly called as Mysore Andavan.
“The health of His holiness was also very much affected,in 1988/89 by repeated debilitating strokes of cerebral thrombosis .Even then, His holiness used to remember and recite fluently the verses that He composed more than six decades earlier.And yet Padukas
Saw to it that HH Srimad Mysore Andavans’s mental faculties & speech were not affected (excepting for a minor loss of recent memories!)When not bedridden, HH could move about freely and perform Perumal and Paduka Aradhanam daily and recite the Seva Kalams fluently (when the senior Acharya Srimad Thirukkudanthai Andavan was too much indisposed to do so.) HH srimad Mysore Andavan’s Kalyana Gunas were many .Indeed a rare combination of of Gnanam Santham ,Virakthi, Vairakyam,and Anagam.(blemish less or Faultless)and above all an un shakeable Acharya Bhakthi that had to be seen to be believed) “(SRP. SEP., 2004)
Both the Acharyas,Srimad Thirukkudanthai Andavan and Srimad Mysore Andavan were
together for a period of exactly one year
His holiness Srimad Thirukkudanthai Andavan adorned the Thirunadu on 10-04-1989.Within a short period of 42days His holiness Srimad Mysore Andavan also attained Paramapadam at Srirangam Ashramam -Dwidhiyai on 22 -05-1989 ( @ 3:10 AM on a Monday, SUKLA VARUSHAM –VAIKASI MADHAM_-Krishna Paksham thithi ) thus becoming an illustrious ardent devotee of Sri Ramanuja. Words cannot explain the saintly nature of Srimath Mysore Andavan, but it could only be felt by the disciples who loved and adored him with devotion.
With Obeisance to His Holiness Srimath Andavan, Sri SrinivAsa RAmAnuja mahA DEsikan.
Srirangam Srimath Andavan Ashramam-Guru Parampara--Chapter 12
Srimathe Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikaya Namaha
Sri Ranganatha Divya Mani Padhukabhyam Namaha
Acharya parampara of Srimath Andavan Ashramam continues in this posting with Srimath Srimushnam Andavan - Sri Ranga Ramanuja Mahadesikan. Adiyen has used some references from the postings of Sri R. Rajagopalan ( in Sri Ranganatha Paduka in his article Looking Back and Looking forward) and Sri. C.G.Balaji (reg. our Andavan Swamy's sri sookthis in His purvasramam). This is the first of the two postings on Prakrutham Andavan. Second part will be published soon.
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 03-06-19 35 to U .Ve. Srinivasachariar and sri Kumudhavalli, belonging to to the illustrious lineage of swayamAchArya purushAs. His great great grand father Sri Nadu nattu Narayanachar was the prime disciple of annarya Maha Desikan .The pooravasrama name of Srimushnam Andavan was Varahan. Varahan’s, UpanayAthi samskAram were performed at the right age.
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( affiliated to Madras University ) in Chennai for his initial education in SastrAs.
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. 01-06-1989 , upon the holy command made by H.H. Thirukkudanthai Andavan earlier, Sri Varahachar Swamy with devotion, took ascetic order, by taking the ochre ascetic robes of sanyasam from PeriyAndavan sannadhi on Sukla Varusham- Vaikasi 19th as Sri Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikan, in memory of his affection towards the illustrious Great Acharya from Velamur “Sri Upanishad Bhashyakarar”- H.H. Sri Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikan. The disciples of the Asramam got convinced that H.H.Sri Mushnam Srimad Andavan can not only carry aloft the banner of Ashramam but also take it to further heights. H.H. is a versatile exponent in many other sAstras such as sculpture , sangeetham, alankAra sAstra, Astrology, Jyothisham, politics, construction,Ayurvedha to name a few. Swamy’s pandithyam in VedhanthA and vyAkaranA is well known. It is also well known that His Holiness Srimadh Andavan talks with Slesha in appropriate moments with amazing timing and precision. It could be said that there are no literatures left out in Tamil that swami is unaware of. It is swamy’s special quality to quote Thiruvalluvar,Kamban,IlangO and Bharathi in His anugraha Bashanams as and when required.
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
In the next posting adiyen will continue with the second part of history of Srimath Srimushnam Andavan.
Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi P. Sreenivasan (of Besant Nagar,Chennai)
Srirangam Srimath Andavan Ashramam --Guruparampara --Chapter 13
Srimathe Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikaya Namaha
Sri Ranganatha Divya Mani Padhukabhyam Namaha
Acharya parampara of Srimath Andavan Ashramam continues in this posting with the second part of Life History of Srimath Srimushnam Andavan - Sri Ranga Ramanuja Mahadesikan.
Srirangam Srimath Andavan Ashramam has been the center for spreading ”The philosophy of VisistAdvaitA “ which is a very ancient one having come down to us through ages as an unbroken tradition. It has the authority of eternal vEdas, Upanishads, in Sanskrit and Divya Prabhandams in Tamil, as well as the Lord’s own words “PancharAthra”. It is the true Philosophy of religion unassailable , dear to Divya dampathis , dear to seers , dear to Alwars and Acharyas.
His holiness initiated efforts to spread this message of Srivaishnavism and Prapathi margam founded and propagated by Sri Bhagavath Ramanuja and nurtured by Sri Nigamantha Mahadesika several centuries ago and performed samasrayanam and saranagathi to thousands of sishyas. His Holiness Offered Mangalasasanams to the Divya Dampathis of most of the 108 Divya Desams, imparted Grantha Chathustya Kalakshepams and Anugraha Bhashanams to countless audiences.
In Bhagavath Geetha ,
Chapter7-16 Lord Krishna says to ArjunA
“ChathurvidhA bhajanthE mAm janA: sukruthinOrjunA
ArthO jignAsurarthArthi GnAni cha bharatharshabha;”
(Four types of devotees of noble deeds worship me
1. The seeker after worldly possession,
2. afflicted,
3. the seeker of knowledge, and
4.man of wisdom, Gnani, oh, best of Bharathas)
Chap 7-17
ThEsham Gnani nithyayuktha Eka bhakthir vishishyathE
PriyO hi GnaninOthyartham aham cha mama priya:
(Of these, the best is man of wisdom (Gnani) ever established in identity with me and possessed exclusive devotion for me , I am extremely dear to Gnani, and gnani is extremely dear to me)
Acharyas are Gnanis , who are dearer to God. Acharyas dispel the darkness of mind and enlighten with knowledge for which even God himself cannot find substitute as repayment,for the matchless upakaram the Acharya has done, as quoted by Swamt Desikan in “Yetri manathezhil” in 38th pasuram of Adhikara Sangraham.Praising Acharya’s glory retaining Acharyas teachings in mind, and spreading AcharyAs greatness etc. are only very very small and insignificant, when compared to the greatest help, the Acharya has done to the sishya earlier.
It is our purva janma punyam that we have our Acharya to guide us in the righteous path to spread the fragrance of Arulicheyals and Divya sukthis of Alwars and purvacharyas and philosophy of Visihtadvaita, tarvelling far and wide throughout the country.Sishyas and Abhimanis living abroad in USA UK, Middle east, Singapore and Australia are blessed by His Tele –Upanyaasams every month for the last 6 years. His holiness is a Charismatic mentor, and his soulabyam, souselyam and His impartiality etc. won the appreciation of several thousands of his sishyas.
The following are some of the many Hymns authored by His Holiness Srimushnam Andavan which were composed more than 30 years ago in His purvasramam.
1. VeerAchala Sri RAmachandra SuprabhAtham (This work is sung in praise of Sri Ramar At Veerachalam. Veerachalam is a place in present day Andhra pradesh where Srimath Andavan Swamy served as a Sanskrit professor for many years.)
2. Prapanna Navaneetham (In this sthothram, the first letter of each slokam is highlighted. All the highlighted letters if read in a sequence gives a very special meaning pertaining to the sthothram)
3. PanchAnana PanchAmrutham
4. Krishna ThArakam (In this sthothram, the first letter of each slokam is highlighted. All the highlighted letters if read in a sequence gives a very special meaning, “Pranava kAra” in this case.)
5. VAkyAnvayAdhikarana vishayaha
6. PAdukavihAra sabhA prabhAvaha (This was composed by our Swamy on the greatness of PadukA vihAra sabhaconducted regularly. It was the 29th sabha on which he wrote this work and some mathematics in the slokams enshrined in this sthothram yield the number 29. In the last slokam, Swamy uses a special variant of rhythm known as "PadachaturUrdhvAbhidam vruttam".)
His Holiness is not only continuing what had commenced during the time of Poorvacharyas but also adding to the same and expanding the activities which are mentioned below.
His Holiness took up the project of building Brindavanams for HH Srimath Thirukkudanthai Andavan and HH srimath Mysore Andavan and renovated Brindavanams of other poorvacharyas for which samprokshanam took place in 1990.
H.H. also built Ashramams at aurangabad , Azhvar Thirunagari, KR koil st (west Mambalam Chennai), Secunderabad , Oppiliappan Koil, Royampettai, srimishnam, Sripuram, ( Bangalore )Thirumalai, Thiruchanur, Thiruvahindrapuram, Thiruppullani, Vaduvoor, (1&2). HH named the the vaduvoor Ashramam as “Sri sakshath swamy Mandapam” which accommodates Veda patasala for 30 students as of now. Renovation of Ashram Structures at CHENNAI, Jayanagar, Kanchipuram, Kumbakonam, Melkote, Rishikesh, and Secondrabad, (maarappalli) were also done by HH Srimath srimushnam Andavan.
Construction of Sannidhi for Gopalarya Maha Desikan,(1700-1783)-Munitraya Siddhantha Sthapanacharyar, on his 301st birthday at his birth place Royampettai. Construction of Kalyana Mandapamat Ashramam premises in Kanchipuram for the convenience of devotees.
Constructions /Renovation of of temples, at
Dombiville, Jayanagar, Kadal-mangalam,Kurugaikavalappan koil, New Delhi, Perumpetrapuliur, Sripuram, Thirukkandiyur, Uthiramerrur also took place during the past 15 years.
Starting of Veda Patasalas, at Vaduvoor, Kanchipuram, Thiruchanur, thiruvahindapuram and SriMushnam. Starting of Aghama sAstra training, for the students at Srirangam patasala , nominating Koothapakkam Kannamachariar to train and award dheekshas, to deserving students.
Srimad Andavan arts and science college: H.H. being a learned scholar and a teacher by profession before adorning the peetam, has a strong faith that Education, should reach the downtrodden irrespective of cast ,creed or sex, paved way for funding this temple of education,declared open by The President of India Dr. Sankar Dayal sarma on 26th Oct 1996 which has 1250 students and 80 faculty members now that will upgrade as Deemed to be University with in 8 years.
Kalyanapuram R. Aravamudhachariar, Asthana Vidvan,Srimad Andavan Ashram under the advice of HH set up Harikatha training for students as optional in 2002 and 21 students were undergoing training.
HH has offered a Vajra kavacham for Perumal at sripuram temple in Bangalore
HH under His direct supervision made the utsava moorthies of sri Bhashyakarar and sri Rukmani sathyabhama sametha sri Venugopalan and sent them to USA for performing Thirumanjanam and Dolothsavam respectively for the grahams of Sevarthees.
A silver lined wooden simhasanam costing 3.5 lakhs, was offered by His Holiness to Thooppul Desikan during Purattasi Thiruvonam in 2001.
Installation of new utsava Moorthy costing about 1 lakh at Vaikundanathji Mandir in New Delhi .
Starting of a fund for offering Nithya Thatheeyaradhanam to the devotees visiting the Andavan Ashram at Thirumalai and Kanjipuram during Brahmothsavam and so on.
Starting of a corpus fund for the maintenance of Ashram establishment that includes emoluments for the kainkarya paras, Life Insurance for them and their family etc.
As perazhvar syas “Pallandu Pallandu” to perumal , let us pray to the Divya Dampathis for blessing our Acharya, Srimadh Srimushnam Andavan –Sri Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikan for longevity with good health to guide us all in years to come.
In the next posting adiyen will continue with notes on our purvacharyas' sri bhashya, rahasya and bhagavath vishaya parampara
Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi P. Sreenivasan (of Besant Nagar,Chennai)