Sri Poundareekapuram Srimad ANdavan Thirunakshathram

From the Bhakti List Archives

• March 23, 1999


Sri:

SrImathE Gopala desika Mahadesikaya Namah:

Dearest Sisters and Brothers,

sreevAsa ranga parakAla munitrayAbhdha lakshmAtma rakshaNa yatitva 
yugAgamAntham/
Acharya bhakti paripUtamanarGha sheelam Gopala desika munim 
gurumAshrayAma:

Today, Panguni rOhiNi (March 23rd) is the Thirunakshathram (Janamdhin- 
birthday) of Srimadh ParamahamsEdhyaadhi Srimad Andavan -PaRavaakOttai 
Sri Gopala Desika Mahadesikan Swami- Prakritam Andavan of Sri 
Poundareekapuram Andavan Ashramam. 

It is adiyEn's pleasure and Bhagyam to post this on His 
Thirunakshathram.  It is Emperumaan's grace that I was blessed to have 
this AchArya Saarva bhoumar as adiyEn's AchAryan. Swami is the 
personification of jnAnam, bhakti and Vairagyam. Swami's instructions 
and gentle "thirutthip paNikoLLal" are always polite, gentle, but firm. 
Though Swami upholds the traditions and anushtanam in the most strictest 
manner, he used to offer the lowly selves like adiyEn, practical 
instructions and is compassionate enough to understand our problems.  

It is purely Divya Dampathi's grace that adiyEn is blessed to be the 
recipient of Swami's kataaksham, being associated with fellow 
Bhagawathas (of this list) and fellow great sishyas of my AchAryan (like 
Sri Anbil Ramaswamy, Sri Muralidhar Rangaswamy, Sri Gopal Lakshmanan, et 
al). 

AdiyEn asked lot of "silly" questions to Swami during my recent visit to 
Srirangam and Swami smilingly answered in simple words (else it would 
not enter into adiyEn's head) convincingly. The replies were excellent 
and highly diplomatic too (when it is on controversial issues!) (In 
fact, my father who was sitting by my side, used to feel embarrassed at 
the type of questions, I asked- Still, Swami in his own imitable 
narration clarified!).

It is  indeed  a  great  privilege  for  me to  write  about 
Paravakkottai  Srimad Gopala Desika Maha Desikan  Swami. It is our 
Bhagyam that He is amidst us. It is (y)our Bhagyam that He is able to 
talk to you all (in US) over phone and deliver upanyaasams. 

As written By Dr. N.S. AnantaRangachariar , Ph. D as "THE ROLE OF GURU 
IN SPIRITUAL SADHANA" and translated in English by Sri Anbil swamy)         

The AchAryan to be sought  should be endowed with the  following 
qualities.                                                  

i)  he must have gained realization;                        
ii) he must be of a firm understanding,                     
iii) sinless,                                               
iv) well versed in the scriptures,                          
v)  established in Brahman,                                 
vi) Satvic in nature,                                        
vii) truthful,                                              
viii) endowed with virtuous behavior,                       
ix) free from jealousy, vanity and other vices,             
x) endowed conquest over his sense organs,                  
xi) forgiving,                                              
xii) compassionate,                                         
xiii) corrective whenever there is a lapse and              
xiv) mindful of his and other' welfare.                     

The Prakritam Aachaarya ,Sri PaRavaakkOttai ANdavan Swami fulfils  each 
and everyone of these parameters  admirably well and  is  truly  a  
Srotriya  and   Brahmanishta  fit  to  be worshipped   as  God  himself  
as   ordained  by   Taittriya Upanishad-'   Aachaarya   Devo   Bhava'  
and  as  voiced  by
Apasthamaba-'Devamiva Aachaaryam Upaaseetha". 

Please visit the website on Sri Poondareekpuram Srimad Andavan Ashramam, 
created By Sri Anbil Ramaswamy and Sri Sampath Rangarajan. 

The URL is : http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/9878/index.html

AchAryan ThiruvadigaLe SaraNam

Narayana Narayana

Narayana dAsan Madhavakkannan
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