Dear Sir , An excellent write up .I am glad and proud to be a descendant of the same village of Poundarikapuram though I am indeed a "nir akshara kukshi", nevertheless I do make it a point to visit the Ashramam to pay my obeisances to The Acharyans ever since I visited the same way back in the 'sixties', whenever I get the chance. my thanks' to you for the article , and my humble 'DaNDangal'to our Swami Srimath Gopaladesika Mahadesikaya Namah: Rajalakshmi Jagannathan- -- In Oppiliappan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Madhavakkannan V <srivaishnavan@...> wrote: > > SrI: > SrImathE Goapladesika mahadesikaya namah: > SrImathE Srinivasadesika Mahadesikaya namah: > SrImathE Ranganathadesika Mahadesikaya namah: > SrImathE Srinivasadesika Mahadesikaya namah: > SrImathE Gopalarya Mahadesikaya Namah: > > > Sri Narayana Yogindra Varadaarya Kripaasrayam / > Rangesa Paada Vinatham Srinivaasa Munim Bhaje // > > (meaning) > I hail Srinivasa Muni who obtained the full grace > of Sri Narayana Yogindra Varadaarya, who always bowed > at the feet of Lord Ranganatha. > > About this Great mahaan, there are two slokas composed > by Sri RV Krishnamachariar: I am giving only the > translation (Please forgive my translation as well): > > For those who take to sanyaas (renunciation), there > could be many reasons. Poverty, disinterest in > samsaaric afflictions, mental worries, non-cooperation > from spouse etc. For this Swamy (Sri Poundarikapuram > Andavan Swamy), lot of wealth (inherited), extremely > cooperative Pathivratha dEvigaL (spouse),; a great > vidwAn of the first kind. Simply due to his vairAgyam > alone, he took to sanyaasaasramam. > > What kind of vidvathvam he has! > He is PaNinI in vyAkaraNam. > GaNAdhar in mImAmsA. > Vedantha Desikan in Vedantha! > > Those vidwAns and scholars who acknowledge the above > whole heartedly also do not speak in front of Him > (with respect and fear- bhayam kalandha mariyAdhai) > > May He reside (as alwayts) forever in the hearts of > such Great scholars and vidwAns! (in order to bless > them as he does always!) > > This day about one hundred and fifty five years ago, > our land witnessed the holy birth of a mahaan in > Poundarikapuram; truly it was an avtaar of Sriman > Narayanan Himself, who out of His benevolence, and > sincere determination, Dhrida vratha, to save all > human beings comes into this world. And the Lord also > chooses the time, the place and the parents to take > birth from. it is all preordained by Him. > > It was the day of days- Adi PoorAdam- Sowmya > year, August 1847, a child-prodigy was born in > Poundarikapuram village. This village with its sylvan > surroundings is very near to the famous > Oppiliappan Koil Divya Desam, whose praise has been > sung by Peyazhwar, Nammazhwar and Thirumangai Azhwar. > Enjoying, so to say, the Divya kataaksha of the > Lord, this cozy village has been the birth of many > great personages. Among them were the couple- Sri > Singaperumal Ayyangar, an effulgent scholar and a > man of unswerving principles of personal practice > and conduct and Smt Senkamalam Ammal, his wife. No > wonder that Sriman Narayanan chose to take His birth > from this noble couple as their seventh son and > was named after Lord Srinivasan. How so true this > about Srimad Andavan Poundarikapuram Srinivasa > Mahadesikan needs no elucidation to the > Srivaishnava world, more so to those unnumbered > beneficiaries. This multifaceted genius was a > repository of erudite scholarship endowed with an > uncommon acumen, which helped not only of acquisition > of knowledge of Kaavyarthas, Saasthras, > Vedanthaarthas, Granthachathushtayam, besides the > Vedas and the Divya prabandhas but also in the > exposition of these to an never ending chain of > disciples who flocked to him all the year around and > down the years. > > A quick review of his biographical details will inform > us how great personages (in our Acharya parampara) are > born great and tower far above the commonality! > > Young Srinivasan was given in adoption to his father's > younger brother. After his upanayanam at 7, he > promptly sought to learn Sanskrit from illustrious Sri > Rangachariar Swami, father of reputed Tharka scholar > Sri Narasimhachariar. Soon followed his higher > education from mahavidwans like Ghattam Varadachariar > Swamy, Sogathur Vijayaraghavachariar Swami, Perumal > koil Thirupputkuzhi Swami, Kuricchi Rangachariar Swami > at Mannargudi, and in matter of time, he became an > accomplished scholar, a mahaa vidwaan himself., having > mastered Alankaara saasthra, Tharkaam, vyAkaraNam, and > mImAmsa besides the Vedas and Prabandhams. He had his > Pancha samskaaram from Sri Ghattam Varadachariar Swami > and Vedantha Grantha kaalakshepam and BharasamapraNam > at the feet of Srimad Andavan VeliyanallUr Narayana > Mahadesikan Swamy, an act indicating possibly things > to come, as later he succeeded Sri Narayana Desika > Mahadesikan Swamy. > > He undertook pilgrimages to all divya desas from > Tirupathi to Thiruvananthapuram. In due time, he > married Smt Komalavilli Ammal hailing from Vagarai, a > nearby village and led his grihasthAsramam at > Poundarikapuram in a manner that was remarkable for > its simplicity and austerity in spite of belonging to > a family as affluent materially as erudite in > scholarship. > > When his (adopted) mother Srirangammal passed away, he > migrated to Srirangam and settled down there. He led > his life strictly as ordained by the elders, > performing Pancha kaala kriyas, the observance of > which gives no room for accepting any material gift > whatsoever it be nor aspire of ill-gotten wealth. His > scholarship and mastery in Sahithya, Alankara, > Tharkka, mImAmsA, Sri Bhsahya and vyAkaraNa was > legendary and little wonder that those who aspired to > gain knowledge of these sought after him and learnt at > his Feet. > > In good time, he heard the call, the divine call for > taking up sanyaasa Ashramam and to become a "light > house:, guiding the parched souls tossed about the > samsaara saagara. It was a definite call and he went > and prostrated repeatedly at the feet of Srimad > Andavan Veliyanalloor Narayana Mahadesikan who after > thorough scrutiny of his disciple's genuineness, > offered him upadesa of Preksha mantra and Prapatti > Prayoga and admitted him to Sanyaasa Asramam, more > fittingly called ThurIya Asramam (the fourth stage). > > Thereafter he went to live in the Srimad Andavan > Asramam at Srirangam hallowed by the footprints of > Srimad PeriyANdavan and spent years there offering > Samasrayanam, BharaNyAsam, and daily kaalskhepa > Goshtis to the innumerable disciples thirsting > spiritually. But as there were hindrances to the > peaceful functioning of Asramam, he decided to move > out of Srirangam itself so as to more effectively > carry on with his spiritual mission. When the > disciples came to know of this, they prevailed > upon him to continue his stay at Srirangam. > > Through their efforts, a separate Asrama was set up > and it came to be known as the "Sri Poundarikapuram > Andavan Asramam", in the same line of Srimad > Periyandavan Guruparampara, verily because Sriman > Narayana willed it so there shall be another > illustrious seat of munithraya Sampradayam, to cater > to the spiritual needs of the ever growing > Sishyavarga, ever seeking new nuances and creeping in > to the crevices of the Sampradaya. And so from this > center this great Acharya traveled on foot across > South India at the request of countless disciples who > considered that their places became sanctified by the > very touch of the Acharya's feet. Eventually he stayed > at Srirangam itself following the footsteps of > Emeprumaanaar Sri Ramanujacharya. > > Thus started a great era, a Saga of monumental service > to the Lord. Not a day passed without a Kaalakshepa > Goshti in the Asramam. It became the confluence of > great minds seeking more and more scholarship in > Sribhashyam, Bhagavath vishayam, and all else with a > thirst and enthusiasm as witnessed never before. > > Sri Poundarikapuram Swami had a large stock > of affluence in his grahasthAsramam. He left off > all in his supreme self-denial and became an ascetic > by almost compelling his preceptor to grant him the > saffron robe. He swayed, as spiritual king, the > Srirangam town for almost five decades. He was no > ordinary scholar, nor an ordinary ascetic, nor even an > ordinary pontiff at that. He taught many; taught > Sri Bhashya every day; believed that it was his chief > goal and inaugurated the present headquarters of the > Asramam on the banks of the Coleroon river, a > few yards west of Sri Dasavatharam Sannidhi (of Sri > Ahobila Mutt). > > A special kind of link between the Ahobila Mutt > and Sri Poundarikapuram Andavan Asramam deserves > mention in this connection. Down from 1750 to this day > the Acharya hierarchy is unbroken, uniquely continuous > in this Asramam. The Acharyas are also native to > the school; inbred and brought up by Kalakshapam / > invitation by earlier Pontiffs at some time. Once > a gap occurred in the Ahobila Mutt; for some > five years (1900-1905). The Poundarikapuram Andavan > of this Asramam had proudly helped in securing a > deserving candidate and giving him Sannyasa order > and installing him as the Pontiff (the 38th). This > happened in 1905. > > Thus, from Srirangam, he continued his mission. The > Asramam under Sri Srinivasa Maha Desikan was a center > of religious activities and philosophical > discussions. The Acharya was an erudite scholar in > Vedaanta Sastras; he possessed an extraordinary power > of mind by which he could accurately recall any > passage, sloka or Sutra with ease. > > Many learned scholars came to study Adhyatma Sastras > under his feet. > Apart from the saamaanya sishyas and countless > extraordinary sishyas, mention must be made of a few > outstanding sishyas who distinguished themselves by > their startling mastery of the sampradaya granthas in > all their facets and left an indelible mark in the > form of permanent contributions to the growth and > spread of the Munithraya sampradayam. > > And thus the three Acahrays who succeeded him after, > Srimad Ranganatha Mahadesikan, Srimad ViNNaRRankarai > Srinivasa Mahadesikan and Sri Gopaladesika Mahadesikan > are manifestations of the Great AchArya Himself as > they follow his footprints in the sands of time, > offering spiritual succour to the ever growing > disciples. In their succession lies the clue to great > Acharya's prophetic gift, the Visionary that he was. > > In 1934, in the month of Vaikasi on Pornami day, the > AchArya's look finally fell kindly on the great > scholar disciple from Mannaargudi as he had decided > that he should succeed him and carry forward the > intellectual and spiritual service that he had so > deftly given a new dimension to. Thus Sri Mannargudi > Anadavan, (followed then by sri ViNNaaRRankarai > Andavan) succeeded Sri Srinivasa Mahadesikan > (Poundarikapuram Anadavan). And Prakritham Andavan is > Srimad Andavan ParavaakkOttai Gopaladesika > Mahadesikan, whose 81st Thirunakshathram is being > celebrated. > > While this was the Great Acharya's work to keep the > line of succession continuous, he did not rest content > there; he knew the coming days would demand more than > this. While this was the Great Acharya Srimad > Poundarikapuram Andavan Sri Srinivasadesika > mahadesikan's work to keep the line of succession > continuous, he did not rest content there; he knew the > coming days would demand more than this, that the > future upkeep of our sampradaya would need not merely > "ships" and "light houses", but also, pillars and > foundation Structures. Among the many hundreds of > Ashthikas/Sishyas, mention should be made of Sri A.V > Gopalacharyar of Anbil, of Sri Krishna thathachariar > Swamy of Bangalore, and of Sri C.M > Vijayaraghavachariar Swamy also of Bangalore, not > because others were less equal, but because these > scholar disciples > carved for themselves a unique position. > > Sri A.V Gopalacharyar was at the feet of this great > Acharya for 42 years of his life, practically everyday > learning the nuances of our sampradayam. A man of > shrewd intellect, a lawyer matchless in his profession > at Tiruchi and affluent, learned in Poorvapaksham > forms of Advaita found full enlightenment from > Acharya's responses and answers to his full load of > doubts and questions. > > Srimad Andavan well versed in the intricacies of > Advaita completely and fully satisfied the disciple's > lurking doubts so well that Sri Anbil Gopalcharyar > Swami was enabled to author many books in elucidation > of Advaitha philosophy, - a contribution of very > crucial importance for the very understanding of > Greatness of unparalleled and unambiguous > Visishtadvaita; he also brought out a few other > granthas. He perpetuated the memory of this great > mahan thus, in the form of granthas and idealized it > by instituting the "Srinivasa Mahadesikan Vidhwath > Sadhas", munificently endowing for its conduct. It is > an annual feature since then, in this ashramam that > brings in congregation scholars of repute for > intellectual and philosophical discussion, disputation > and authoritative assertion of our sampradaya Gnana. > > What Sri AV Gopalchariar had done ? the Granthas he > brought out and the vidwath sadhas he instituted > standing "concretized" in the form of an elegant front > mandapa named after the great Savant, reverberating > with the sonorous voices of the great scholars who > congregate there- will for ages speak of the glory of > his master ? Srimad Andavan Poundarikapuram Swamy. > > So was the great scholar from Bangalore, Sri Krishna > Thathachariar who sat at the feet of the great Acharya > for several years and in turn in multiplication of > those years, imbibed with a sense of purpose and > mission, he enthusiastically undertook the propagation > of our Munithraya Sampradaya by teaching many > disciples in and around Bangalore- a contrbution of > great value requiring Bhashanthara Gnana to cater to > the Spiritual well being of the Kannasa Desa > sishyavarga so dear to Srimath Bhashyakarar and Swamy > Desikan. > > Equally great was the life of Sri CM > Vijayaraghavachariar of Bangalore. Itw as all a divine > dispensation; how else could a retired police circle > inspector who had casually gone to prostrate at the > feet of this Acharya, get transformed, metamorphosed, > so to say into an erudite scholar with such depth, > thorughness and accuracy of knowledge as to be able to > write and publish many of our sampradaya granthas in > Kannada language for the invaluable benefit of the > disciples in kannada desa. > > And you will be wonderstruck when known how did it > happen. This Swami, after ten interesting and > enlightening years of Gurukulavasam, at Srirangam > Poundarikapuram Ashramam and gratified at the > Acharya's commitment with which he taught him all > these years right from Sanskrit alphabet to Vedanthas > and Saathras in great depths, offered even in those > days, an enticing Rs 10,000 as Guru dhakshiNa. Srimad > Andavan looked up and asked him, "Is this what you > have learnt and understood me?". The disciple > persisited in offering it as a token of his gratitude. > The Acharya consolingly told him, "If I accepted this > from you, great harm will follow- in future, our > disciples may stop coming to mearn from me unable to > make a GurudhakshiNa; also this may incite me an > expectation of the same too". The disciple knew that > the Acharya was sincere but still he persisted. Now > the Acharya spoke- "Think what one in my state can do > with this money; with you perhaps, it may find immense > use in making our Sampradayam Granthas so much needed > for the future". This was the divine spark that > impregnated in the mind of Sri CM Vijayaraghavachariar > the passion and the spirit for writing many books in > kannada language which are available even today as > source books for reference and research in Karnataka ? > something which Bhagawan Ramanuja would have approved > of. Words do not suffice to extol the importance of > this service to Srivaishnava community. Srimad Andavan > was noted for his vairAgya ? inassailable spirit of > total renunciation of worldly, material things. It was > Bhagawath Sankalpa, that in this manner a whole range > of our Samparadya Granthas should be born in Kannada > language. > > It is pertinent to mention here of just two sweet > anecdotes illustrating Srimad Andavan Poundarikapuram > Swamy's depth of knowledge and a wealth of > interpretations whether it be Swamy Desikan's > Srisukthis or Bhagavath Bhashyakarar's Sri Bhashya or > Gita Bhashya or any grantha whatsoever. The article > will remain incomplete without recalling these > incidents. One relates to Sri CM Vijayaraghachariar's > personal experience. Late one night at Srirangam, East > Utthara Veedhi Sri Vijayaraghavachariar ? while > bringing back to his mind the explanation of Acharya > Srimad Andavan on the Abheethi sthava sloka 7: > > ramaa dhayitha rangabhUramaNa? na thasya yamavasyathaa > narakapaatha bhIthi krutha: > > It proclaims Swamy desikan's declaration of Lord > Ranganatha's certain protection to Prapannas from > falling into the clutches of Yamakinkaras if they > chant this sloka. Sri CMV Swamy could not digest it. > He found it difficult to understdnmand as to how one > sloka could be so specific to Sri Ranganatha;s > protection! Perhaps, swamy would have said this due to > Bhagavath Abhimaanam and abhimaanam towards Swamy > Desikan's abhIthis sthavam." ? thus, he was pondering > and was having a sleepless night. > > Srirangam Divya Dampathi appeared in Acharya Srimad > Andavan's dream and said, "Your sishya has got a doubt > on SrI Vedantha Desikan's sthuthi on Us. Go and > explain the greatness and speciality of this sloka. > Within an hour, Srimad Andavan knocked at the dorr of > Sri CM Vijayaraghavachariar and right there at the > door step, explained the meaning of sloka and > greatness of the compassion of Divya Dampathi with > tears rolling down his cheeks. This is a proof of his > depth and clarity and explains how Lord Himself was > prathyaksham (visible to his eyes) to him. Swamy > desikan has packed into this sloka all the > Beejaaksharaas contained in the Praanaprathishta > Manthra and Saannidhyaachana manthra ? installation of > energizing mantras pertaining to Lord Ranganathan. > > Another famous anecdote: Srimad Andavan had tremendous > Sri Hayagriva Mantrasiddhi. One there was a young Boy > of five years walking in front of Swamy when the > parents of the boy came to the Ashramam for offering > their obeisance and dhaNdavath praNamams to swamy. The > boy walked towards where Swamy was delivering his > kaalakshepam. Swamy looked at the child, pausing the > kaalakshepam and aksed him, "un peyar enna?" (what is > your name?) The boy did not utter a word. The Father > of the boy told Swamy that he is born dumb (mute). > Immediately Srimad Andavan asked the boy to come near > and asked him to sit in front of him. He taught him as > kind of "aksharaabhyaasam," and recited: > > SrImAn venkatanAthAryaH kavitArkika kesarI | > vedAntAcArya-varyome sannidhattAm sadA hRdi || > > (May the glorious Venkatanatha, the greatest of > teachers of Vedanta, and the lion among poets and > debaters, reside forever in my heart.) and > > jnAnanda mayamdEvam nirmalaspaTikAkruthim | > AdhAram sarva viganAnAm hayagrIvam upAsmahE || > > The five year old boy repeated both slokas. The one > who did not speak a single word in his past five years > spoke due to swamy's merciful kataaksham. Today that > boy has grown to His Holiness Sri Rangapriya > Mahadesikan Swamy of Bangalore. > > The Great Sri Kozhiyaalam Raghavachariar Swami came > to Srirangam and sought Sannyaasa Sweekaranam at the > feet of Srimad Poundarikapuram Andavan who > initiated him into the Sannyaasa Asrama in 1920 in > the year Roudri- Aani- Pournami day. The Aasthaana > Vidwan of Tirumalai Tirupati Devasthanam, Kapisthalam > Desikaachaarya submitted to Swami for approval his > Grantha "Adhikarana Ratna Maalai". The Swami accorded > his approval. > > When the affluent devotees of Poundarikapuram > village nevertheless not his disciples had arranged > for renovation and consecration, It was H H Sri > Poundarikapuram Andavan who was invited to lend the > 'holy hand' for karasparsam (by a great man). With > what results! All can see today how the small shrine > of Oppiliappn has grown as Southern Thiruppathi, with > gala and festivity, fund-flow and pomp and fame and > attraction, all after 1928! The event has a > precedent in Thirukkudanthai Desikan lending his > 'kara-sparsam' to Araavamuthan some 200 years back! > > This was Srimad Andavan Poundarikapuram Srinivasa > Mahadesikan, a creative genius, a perennial spring who > made himself an institution and a legend with his many > sided qualities. He was a great servant, a teacher > unsurpassed, an organizer with an eye for protection, > a missionary with a vision and a visionary with a > mission. No wonder that he was known as Gnana Vairagya > Anusntana Sampanna. A little known truth about this > unassuming practitioner mentioned by Sri Navalpaakaam > NS Devanathachar who got it authoritatively from > Srimad Andavan ViNNARRankarai Swami. > > This mahaan made it a daily practice to chant praNavam > even during brief leisure hours following the precepts > of Upanishads, thereby experiencing the thrill of the > union of JivAthmA with the ParamAthmA. That he was > practicing this was not known to anybody. It was not > necessary to inform anyone, it being the individual > communion of Jivan with Sriman Narayanan. How did then > others come to know of? It was the custom to invite > four Srivaishnavas and feed them in the Ashramam on > the completion of every one crore (ten millions) of > PraNava japam. Such was his accuracy in keeping count > of a small GREAT mantra. Sri VennaaRRankarai Andavan > Swami chanced to notice this and humbly enquired and > got to know the truth. > > Does this not testify to the unassuming nature and > greatness of the AchArya, his gnAna, anushtAnam and > VairAgyam? > > Whenever there were doubts on sri Bhashyam Grantham > and its interpretations, Srimad Andavan was always the > Judge to pass his final judgement as to who is right. > - " was the statement of Srimad Azhagiyasingar (41st > Pattam). > > What a wonder! He attained the everlasting Bliss of > AchAryan Thiruvadi on 20th October 1934, a day after > completion of one of the many Sri Bhashya Grantha > saaRRumuRais, signifying Sri Bhashya Bhakti. > > Let us pay our obeisance to this Great Acharyan His > Holiness Srimad Andavan Sri Poundarikapuram Swamy on > His 160th Thirunakshathram, today. > > Acknowledgement: > 1. Biography of Srimad Andavan Poundarikapuram > Srinivasa Mahadesikan- by Prof. P.R. Srinivasan, > Perugavazhndhan, Bangalore. > 2. Sri Anbil Ramaswamy's write up. > 3. Dr. Sri VN Vedantha Desikan Swamin's article > 4. Sri Delhi Hari Nagar Rajagopachariar Swamy's > article > > adiyEn places the head at the lotus feet of this > Acharya saarvabhouman.. > > asmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE Guru paramparaam.. > > Regards > namo Narayana > dAsan > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com > Yahoo! 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