SrI:
SrImathE Gopaladesika Mahadesikaya namah:
Most of us are aware of Thirukkudanthai Desikan Sri
Gopaalaarya Mahadesikan Swamy (from 1700 CE to 1782
CE). There were three ascetics in saffron attire
(as Great Sishyas) serving this GrahasthA Acharya,
attending on him with implicit reverence, doing all
personal chores- a very unusual phenomenon. They had
been drawn from far and near; one was from wartrap,
who later proved to be on the model of Sri Nathamuni;
the second from Seyyanam (Thirunelveli) a prototype of
Sri Yamunamuni; and the third from VazhutthUr
near Ayyampettai Sri Vedantha Ramanuja muni, whose
prolific propagation service had brought the school to
a preeminent status. At His feet, there were three
sanyaasis (munis) and hence is called ?munithraya
sampradayam? since then.
Sri VazhutthUr Swamy, Sri Vedantha Ramanuja muni- He
received the robes of a Sannyasi from the hands of
Paduka Sevaka Sri Ramanuja Maha Desika- came to Sri
Gopalarya Mahadesikan (Thirukkudanthai Desikan) along
with other two sanyaasis as mentioned above and fell
at his feet, quoting from NammazhwAr Thiruvaymozhi:
Theeraa vinaigaL theera ennai Andaay! THIRUKKUDANTHAI
OORAA! Unakku Atpattum adiyEn innam uzahlvEnO?
You have ruled me dispelling all my sins accrued so
far! Oh Lord of Thirukkudanthai! (Thirukkudanthai
DesikanE!) After being protected by You, will I ever
suffer here (on this earth?) No? never! (pl forgive me
for my free crude translation).
Thirukkdanthai Desikan was overwhelmed with joy and
blessed our Sri Vedantha Ramanuja Swamy ?Here after it
is You who is going to rule the world being a
glorious Acharya! Here after you will be the ruler
(andavan) of Srivaishnava sishya kOtis! Thenceforth,
that Acharya came to be known as Andavan.
Prefixing the name of his village, he came to
be known as Vazhuthur Andavan
Sri VazhutthUr Andavan was born in the star of
Poorattadi in the month of AvaNi in 1743 CE..
He was also known as Srirangam Srimad Andavan, as he
stayed in Srirangam almost permanently. As the
Sampradaya was continued by the successive Acharyas,
and Swamy had Sri Navalpakkam Annayaarya Mahadesikan,
Sri Andikkattu Swamy and Sri ThirutthuRaippooNdi
Andavan as sishyas. Each of them had many sishyas and
Samparadyam grew to a great extent and hence this
Swamy is known as one of huge family (big kudumbam),
also called ?Kudumbi Swami?
The term ?Andavan?- meaning one who came to rule the
hearts of his followers was coined and applied
reverentially not only to him but also to all
Acharyas who came after him. Thereafter, the Parampara
itself came to be called ?Srimad Andavan
Paramparai, propagating the munithraya sampradayam.
Other than Sri Pakalamutt and Sri Ahobila Mutt, all
other AchAryas of Vadakalai sect today trace back to
Sri Vedantha Ramanuja Muni (Sri VazhutthUr Andavan) .
Today is Swamy?s Thirunakshathram. Let us
pay our obeisance to this Great Acharya by reciting
the thaniyan (dedicatory verse) and contemplate its
meaning:
Gopala Desika Padaabja Madhu Vratasya Pragnaa Virakti
Karunaa Mukha Sad Gunaabde/
Vedaanta Lakshmana Muneh Srita Bhagadeyam
Paadaaravinda Yugalam Saranam Prapadhye //
(Meaning)
He who is like bee residing in the (and sucking the
honey from) the lotus feet of Sri Thirukkudanthai
Desikan, who was endowed with the innumerable
auspicious qualities, knowledge, detachment and mercy,
who showers His grace to those who resort to him.
adiyEn takes refuge at his feet with no other
recourse.
Large number of disciples used to attend his
kaalakshepams due to his greatness. Once when a new
series of kaalakshepam was about to start, disciples
recited the thaniyan and were about to start. There
was a king cobra which came out of its hole and had
its hood raised. Immediately one of the sishyas took a
stick to beat and kill. Swamy the most compassionate
as usual took pity of this being and asked the sishya
not to disturb or hurt the snake. They proceeded with
the kaalakshepam (in a tense situation perhaps for
sishyas). The Cobra stood still till the end and
disappeared after kaalakshepam was over.
This extraordinary event was happening repeatedly
everyday. The snake became one of the regular
attendees too. After the grantham was completed, Swamy
was descending the steps of the tank for his
Anushtanam, the Cobra went around him and struck
its hood on the ground three times and appeared
to beg something.
The Acharya understood that it was a Mahapurusha in
the previous birth and had become a Cobra by some
curse and that it was seeking relief from
Samsara. Plucking a fruit from a tree nearby, he
offered it to his Aradhana murthi and performed
Aartha Prapatti for the Cobra. Vazhuthur
Andavan sprinkled some holy waters on the Cobra
which was waiting for him to come. Instantly, it
passed away. (from Sri Anbil Ramaswamy Swamy?s
article and from Sri Thirukudanthai Desikan 300 the
Anniversary malar)
Sri Vazhutthur Andavan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam
Regards
Namo narayana
dAsan
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