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asmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE GuruparamaparAm- 12

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Madhavakkannan V • March 4, 2001 


SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:

Dearest Sisters and Brothers,

Please accept adiyEnÂ’s dhaNdavath praNAmams at your feet.

We have been enjoying the unparalleled, avicchinna (uninterrupted) AchArya 
vamsa vruksham of Srivaishnava Sampradayam.

About one hundred and fifty five years ago, our land witnessed the holy 
birth of a mahaan in Poundarikapuram (near Oppiliappan Koil); truly it was 
avtaar of Sriman Narayanan Himself who out of bountenous benevolence and 
sincere determination, Dhrida Vrata, to save all human beings, comes into 
this world. And the Lord chooses this time, the place and the dhampathis to 
take His birth from- it is all preordained by Him.

In Sowmya Year, Adi Pooradam, 26th August, 1847, a child was born to Sri 
SingaperumAL Ayyangar, an effulgent scholar and a man of unswerving 
principles of personal practice and conduct and Smt Sengamalam AmmAL, his 
wife. They named the child as Srinivasa after Lord Srinivasa.

Young Srinivasan was given in adoption to his fatherÂ’s younger brother. 
After his upanayanam at 7, he promptly sought to learn Sanskrit from 
illustrious Sri Rangachariar Swami, father of the reputed Tharka scholar Sri 
Narasimhachariar. Soon followed his higher eductation from mahavidwans like 
Ghattam Varadachariar Swami, Sogathur srinivasachariar Swami, Perumal Koil 
Thirupputkuzhi Swami, Kuricchi Rangachariar Swami at Mannargudi and in 
matter of time, he becamce an accomplished scholar, a mahavidwan himself, 
having mastered tharkkam, VyakaraNam, meemaamasam, besides the Vedas and 
Divya prabhandhams.

He had pancha samskaram from Ghattam Varadachariar Swami and Vedantha 
grantha kaalakshepam and BharasamarpaNam at the feet of srimad Andavan 
Veliyanalloor Narayana mahAdEsikan, an act possibly indicating things to 
come, as later he succeeded as Srimad Narayana mahadesikan.

In spite of belonging to an affluent family, Sri Srinivasan led his 
gruhasthasramam at Pundarikapuram in a manner that was remarkable for its 
simplicity and austerity. In good time he heard the call, the divine call 
for taking up Sanyasa Asramam and to become a “lighthouse” guiding the 
parched souls tossed about in the samsaara saagaram. He went and prostrated 
repeatedly at the feet of Srimad Andavan Veliyanalloor Narayana Mahadesikan 
at VinnaaRRankarai who after thorough scrutiny of the discipleÂ’s 
genuineness, offered him upadesam and prapatti prayoga and admitted him to 
Sanyasa Ashramam, more fittingly called thurIyAsramam.

Thereafter he went to live in the Srimad Andavan Ashramam at Srirangam 
hallowed by the foot prints of Srimad Periya Andavan and spent years there 
offering Samasrayana, Bharanyasam and daily kaalakshepam Goshtis to the 
innumerable disciples thirsting spiritually. But, he felt greatly anguished 
when obstacles were put  in  his  path  of discharging his duties as an 
Acharya. He decided to leave Srirangam  and  go to another place which would 
be congenial to him. 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”

>From here, 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.

Thus started a great era, a Saga of monumental service to the Lord. Not a 
day passed without a Kaalakshepa Goshti in the Ashramam. It became the 
confluence of great minds seeking more and more scholarship in sri Bhashyam, 
Bhagavath vishayam, srimad Rahsyathrayasaram and Sri Geetha Bhashyam and all 
else with a thirst and enthusiasm as witnessed never before.

Apart from the saamaanya sishyas and countless extraordinary sishyas, 
mention many 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 from of permanent 
contributions to the growth and spread of the Munithraya sampradaya. And 
thus the two who succeeded Him, Srimad Andavan Mannargudi Ranganatha 
Mahadesikan and Srimad Andavan VinnaaRRankarai Srinivasa Mahadesikan, are 
manifestation of the Great Acharya himself as they followed his footprints, 
offering spiritual succor to the ever-growing disciples.

In 1934, in the month of Vaikasi on Pornami day, the AchAryaÂ’s look finally 
fell kindly on the great scholar disciple from Mannaargudi as hed 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 Srimad Poundarikapuram Andavan Sri 
Srinivasadesika mahadesikanÂ’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 AcharyaÂ’s responses and answers to his full load of doubts and 
questions. Srimad Anvadav well versed in the intricacies of Advaita 
completely and fully satisfied the discipleÂ’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 understaiding 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.

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 Grnatha “Adhikarana Ratna Maalai”. The 
Swami
accorded his approval.

Srimad Anvadavn is the one who blessed with his kataaksham and made child of 
five years old utter the JnAnandamayamdevam slokam (first slokam of Sri 
Hayagriva SthOthram)Â…, though he was born mute. Today this divine child, 
blessed by this Acharya is ashtangayogi and the greatest Acharya His 
Holiness Sri Rangapriya Swamy.

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.

"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).

In 1928, 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 Aravamuthan some 200 years back- says 
Sri Dn VN Vedantha Desikan Swami in his article.

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?

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.

The above article is from the article written in 151st Jayanthi malar.

His Tanian reads as follows:
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.

asmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE GuruparamparAmÂ…

adiyEn humbly requests with folded hands to each Bhagawatha of this list, to 
contribute your mite for the 81st Jayanthi celebration. Please pay your 
obeisance by contributing your mite and donate generously to the cause of 
the 81st Tirunakshatram celebrations planned for March 24-31, 2001. 
Contributions from the USA are tax exempt. Please mail your checks to:

SMSA Inc,
c/o Smt. Nagu Satyan,
7821 W Alder Drive
Littleton, CO 80128

Please indicate on the memo of your check that your contribution is for 
Srimad Poundarikapuram Ashramam.

For those in India, please send the cheque or drafts in favour of "S.P.A.V 
Trust a/c- 81st Jayanthi  and send to Srikaryam, Srimad Poundarikapuram 
Andavan Ashramam, 43- A/13, Asramam Road, Srirangam, TRICHY.  PIN 620006, 
India.

PLEASE PLEDGE BEFORE this month end so that we can arrange to send by Mar 
10th to organizers. Thank you.

AchAryan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Narayana Narayana

adiyEn Acharyan Thiruvadi Narayana dAsan madhavakkannan



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