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SrI:
SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:
SrImathE SrInivAsa Mahadesikaya namah:

Dearest Srivaishnavas, 

SRIMAD ANDAVAN - SRI VENNATRANKARAI ANDAVAN SWAMI
(Panguni - Anusham) (19-3-1882 - 9-4-1980)

Today is this great Acharyan Thirunakshathram. He is
the Acharya of asmadhAchAryan His Holiness Srimad
PaRavakkOttai Andvan Sri Gopaladesika Mahadesikan
Swami in Srimad Poundarikapuram Andavan Ashramam. 

Let us enjoy the glories of this Swami on his
Thirunakshathram. [Given below is from Sri Anbil
mAmA?s Acharya vamsa vruksham write up]. Also I have
added few relevant anecdotes from this Acharyan?s life
extracted from Thirukkudanthai Desikan 300th
anniversary souvenir article written by Sri VN
Vedantha Desikan swami. 

Sri Velaamur Varada Krishnamachariar Swami belonged to
Kalyana Puram near Tiruvaiyaaru. He married one
Alarmel Mangai. Both the families were steeped in
Vedic tradition. The family enjoyed the patronage of
Serfoji Raja of Thanjavur on account of their deep
dedication to Vedic tradition. They lived in a house
adjacent to Singaperumal Koil at Vennatran Karai whose
praise has been sung by Tirumangai Alwar.

The couple was blessed with a son in the cyclic year
_Kara_ in the month of Panguni when the star Anuradha
was in the ascendant.19th March 1882. At his birth, he
was named Seshadri. He received Pancha Samskaram from
his father as well as the first lessons in Sama Veda
from his father.

He was sent to Tiruvaiyaru Vembu Sastrigal and 
(*Nagaraja Sastrigal), noted Sanskrit Pandits to
specialize in Sama Veda, Kavya, and Nataka. Later, he
studied and became proficient both in Yajur Veda and
Divya Prabhandam. Qualified to perform yagnas, he was
an authority in Dharma Sastras and in the practical
application of six Sutras in daily life. He excelled
in Goshti Parayana as he was endowed with a rich
mellifluous voice. At the Sama Veda examination
conducted by Pudukkottai Samasthanam, he was declared
to have passed in second class owing to the partiality
of the examiner but when the Swami refused to accept
the award contending the verdict, the Raja ordered a
re-examination and found him to have passed in Ist
class, by which he won the acclaim of the Raja and
other Sanskrit pundits. He  married Janaki, then only
7.

(*the daughter of Kodavasal Ramabadrachariar and Ponnu
kamalammmal) at the age of 11  Sri Velaamur
Srinivasachariar was greatly devoted to Sri Desika He
was chiefly instrumental in enabling Velliyanur Srimad
Andavan to celebrate Sri Desika Annual festival at
Neelamegha Perumal Koil. He gave to the temple a
palanquin, a number of Vahanas and several jewels.
These festivals were conducted by him with great
devotion out of the family funds. Even after becoming
an Acharya, he continued to evince keen interest in
the proper conduct of these festivals. Today, Srimad
Andavan_s relations in Purvasramam still continue to
celebrate Swami Desika Utsava with unabated interest
and devotion.

(*Once, when participating in a Yaga, the Ritvik in
charge of Atharvyu was indisposed and could not
attend. Within one night, our Swami learned the entire
Atharvyu mantras and acted in  the place of the
absentee Ritvik and completed the Yaga successfully.
Such was his capacity to absorb and retain with razor 
sharp memory and perform the role with consummate
skill.)

Some hostile persons removed the idol of Swami Desika
from the small shrine in Hara Saapa Vimochana Perumal
Koil at Tiruk Kandiyur. The father of Srimad Srinivasa
Maha Desikan took the lead in  making a new idol and
installed it in the empty shrine. Srimad Andavan  in
his Purvasrama used to lead the _Adhyapaka Goshti_
during the festival days.

Srimad Srinivasa Maha Desikan in his Purvasrama was
quite well known for his philanthropy. He has helped
pious Vaishnavas in times of dire need. Although born
in a wealthy family, Sri Srinivasachariar?s mind and
heart turned to renunciation and to severing Worldly
attachments. He had already sought the feet of Gnana
Vairaghya Anushtana Sampanna  Poundarika Puram Andavan
and received from his Grantha Kalakshepam, Bhara
Samarpanam, Prapatti Prayoga Upadesam, Presha Mantra
Upadesam and Sannyaasa Prayogam. Considering his
Poorvasrama financial resources as trash, he came to
Poundarika Puram Andavan Asramam as his final retreat.

After becoming the Acharya, he devoted his full
attention to the administration of the Asramam and to
the celebration, in a grand manner the Tirunakshatra
of the past Srimad Andavans.

(* He helped Chaturveda Satakratu Navalpakkam
Narasimha Tatachariar, Kozhiyalam Sri Ranga Ramanuja
Maha Desikan and several others and earned their
gratitude and blessings*)

The daily Aradhanas were performed with great piety
and devotion. The _Sathumurai_ congregation was indeed
an inspiring sight to the devout. On such occasions,
Srimad Andavan himself led the Goshti giving it both
grace and solemnity. He would recite all by himself
the Nighamana Adhikara of Sri Rahasya Traya Sara of
Sri Vedanta Desika. His discourses on such occasions
were listened to with rapt attention.

Till about 1890's there was only one Andavan Asramam,
situated somewhat near further up-stream the coleroon.
 Sri Andavan, particularly called Peria Andavan had
many disciples, among whom two were Tatacharya
cousins;  Sri Valianallur Andavan is the one finding a
place in the hierarchy of Sri Poundarikapuram Asramam.
 The other pontiff, Sri Chinnandavan headed the Mela
(or Peria) Asramam.  The two were naturally intense
friends. Certain circumstances might have necessitated
the setting up of this new Asramam for Sri
Poundarikapuram Andavan but we - the modern educated
disciples -ought to bear in mind that the more there
are Acharyas, the more they serve the religious cause
in a broad canvas.  

It is relevant to mention that Sri Vinnatrangarai
Swami was accepted as same teacher by Sri Thenbarai
Andavan (of Peria asramam), since the latter had a
feeling of regret that he had not mastered his own
Sakha, same veda!  

Very interestingly, in the Sannyasa life too, Sri
Vinnatrangarai Andavan exhibited great concern for the
health (that was rapidly declining) of Sri Thenbarai
Andavan (1960's).  Everyday he would walk to and fro. 
What it means is that he should take bath every time
on return!  Once indeed, a moving event occurred, Sri
Vinnatrangarai Andavan walks to Peria Asramam, meets
Sri Kannan Swami on the way, learnt that the latter
was going to Madras on some urgent work since the
Thenbarai Andavan's health would sustain life for some
three days, but Sri Vinnatrangarai Andavan warns the
latter that it was not so, takes him back to the
Asramam and almost influences him to take to the
saffron order.  Yes, it was urgently necessary.  

Indeed on later occasions, Sri Vinnatrangarai Andavan
used to congratulate Sri Thirukkudanthai Andavan on
the growth, expansion, increasing affluence, etc. of
his Asramam, with a legitimate satisfaction that He
himself had worked for it by forcing Sri Kannan Swami
to accept Sannyasa at the right moment.

How I wish disciples of both the Asramams bear this in
mind and help the cordial spirit to grow ever and
ever.  There is - and there can be - no reason for any
other feeling between two such parallel and allied
streams of spiritual propagation, working for the same
goals of spiritual uplift of society according to the
great, common, heritage both inherit- be it two
Andavan Ashramams; or two kalais in Sri Ramanuja
Darsanam. United we stand; divided we do not stand; we
fall. Bhagavd Ramanuja would not be pleased.
Raamaanujaarya dhivya AgnyA vardhathAm apivardhathAm
would be meaningless.  

Srimad Andavan seemed to have a premonition of his
impending death. He called to his side the then
Srikaryam, Paravakkottai Sri  Rajagopalachariar Swami
(who had come to the Asramam to assist him in the
conduct of Tirunakshatra celebrations) and told him in
confidence that since his earthly life would not go
beyond the next Sravanam day which fell on 5th April
1980, he should be interred by the side of his Acharya
in the Brindavanam on the bank of Vada Kaveri.
Strangely enough, Srimad Andavan entered his Jyoti at
2 pm on 9th April 1980,(* which was Siddharti Panguni
27th, a Krishna Paksha Navami Tithi day*)  so close to
the last day which Srimad Andavan had himself fixed.
(*IT WAS THIS SWAMI WHO INITIATED INTO SANNYASA
ASRAMAM THE MAHAN CELEBRATED AS _INJIMETTU
AZHAGIYASINGHAR_*)

The Iyal Goshti of Venntran Karai Andavan was a
magnificent sight, the like of which was never seen or
heard of before. The grand procession led by the
Ahobila Mutt elephant, with the idol of Sri
Bhashyakaara at the head, passed through the streets
of Srirangam and impressed all by their colourful
variety- the Poorvaasrama son of Acharya carrying the
worn garlands of several Divya Desas, seven or eight
divisions of Veda Parayana Goshtis, their Vedic chant
piercing the sky above all the surging sea of
Srivaishnavas, devotees and disciples. The procession
stood at the Dasavataaran Sannidhi and after
Mangalaasaasana there reached the Asramam. Ubhaya
Vedaanta Vidwan Madhurantakam Sri Veera
Ragahavachariar Swami paid glowing tributes to Srimad
Andavan_s many sided virtues in verse and prose.
Another glorious chapter in the history of Sri
Poundarika Puram Asramam came to a close. 
Acharyan ThiruvadgaLE SaraNam
Regards
Namo Narayana
dAsan

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