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 __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Small Business $15K Web Design Giveaway http://promotions.yahoo.com/design_giveaway/ Yahoo! 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