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SrI:
SrImathE Srinivasa Mahadesikaya namah:
SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:

Dearest all, 

Today is the Thirunakshathram of Srimad
ViNNaaRRankarai Andavan of Srimad Poundarikapuram
Andavan Ashramam. 

After Srimad Andavan Sri Ranganatha Mahadesikan (Sri
Mannaargudi Andavan), Sri VeNNaaRRankarai Andavan took
over (Panguni - Anusham) (19-3-1882 - 9-4-1980)

(extracts from Sri Anbil Ramaswamy Swamin?s write up
and Sri Dr VN Vedantha Desikan?s article- Thanks to
both of them for their permission to use their
articles)

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

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 Parayanam 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 1st class, by which he won
the acclaim of the Raja and other Sanskrit pundits. He
 married Janaki, (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  TirukKandiyur. 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 SaaRRumuRai 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.

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.  Readers would realize the
risk, the confusion, etc.  That often results on the
successor not taking over immediately without a gap in
time.

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

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 colorful
 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 Dasavataara 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.

His Tanian reads as follows:

Naryanaakhya Yathiraja Paadaabja Bringa
Sri Vaasa Yogi Gurunaa Arpitha Bharam Eese/
Bhakthyaaddhi Poorna Varadaarya Kripaatha Sinham
Sri Srinivasa Munivaram Aham Prapadhye //
(meaning)

I take refuge at the holy feet of Srinivasa Maha
Desikan who was like a honey bee at the lotus feet of
the yathi- srEshtar, Sri NaarAyaNa MahA Desikan and
performed his prapatthi  at  the  sacred  feet of
Poundarikapuram SrinivAsa MahA Desikan after receiving
 his  pancha samskAram rites from Sri VaradAchArya
Swami known for his Bhakthi-Jn~Ana -VairAghyam.

AchAryan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam
Regards
Namo Narayana
Acharya paadhaangri rENu: 

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