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thiru vAy mozhi vyAkyANam sponsir project - part 3 - Sri Sudarsanam Iyengar's works

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sampath Rengarajan • October 24, 1997 


Sri Sudarshana iyengar's contributions - part 3

	This is a  continuation  of the posts on thiru  vaay
mozhi vyAkyAnam sponsor project.  The objective of this post
is to highlight  the number of  successful  and  resourceful
accomplishments   made  by  Sri   Sudarsanam   iyengar.  His
contributions  to SriVaishnavam is something that one cannot
sum  up in a  couple  of  sentences.  In  the  following  an
attempt  is  made  to  present  his  *major*  works  as  his
achievements.  If anyone is interested in obtaining these or
part of these please stay tuned for an announcement in which
a proposed  mechanism to bring his books from India is going
to be announced by ThoNdar kulam.


	A  srivaishnava  literature  known  as  "Sri  Vishnu
chiththa  vijayam",  which was left incomplete by his father
and Sri Sudarshanam iyengar took up the work to complete it.
He   wrote  an  other   literature   known  as   "Sankararum
Vaishnavamum".  This   nool   is   presented   with  a  well
researched  and  somewhat  in-depth  analysis  from  bagwath
pAdhAL  sri  adisankara's   works.  This  literature  states
clearly as to how Sri AdiSankara  had Sriman  Narayana alone
as his  "para  thathuvam".  His other  works  such as "Sanka
kAla  thamizhar  samayam"  and Saathi matha  ArAychchi"  are
literatures  based on "paripAdal" and show the dominance and
influence  of  Srivaishnavam  during  sanka kalam.  He wrote
another book titled as "Kambanin samayam", that describes as
to how Sri kamban was a devout srivaishnava  himself and his
ramayanam has  derivations  from AzwAr pasurams and that Sri
Kamban is not a Shiavite as claimed by *some* politician.

He also wrote a book known as "Ramalinga  prathishtai" which
clearly  establishes  and negates the popular  notion  among
certain shaivaite circles that Sri Rama worshipped Sri Shiva
to cleanse a sin for killing a "Siva  bhakthAL"  ie Ravanan.
It is said that he has quoted from  AdirAmayNam  and several
others to establish the truth and observed that this popular
belief is just not true.

He also wrote a nool "agnihOthriyum vaishnavamum".  This was
to counter  the  literature  known as  "varalARRil  piRantha
vainavam"  which  was  seen  as  a  greater  threat  to  the
integrity of srivaishnavam  itself as a religion.  This nool
was  said  to  have  been  written  by a  srivaishnava  born
thAthAthAcharyar  himself.  It was believed  that this nool,
"varalARRil piRantha vainavam" was written predominantly due
to  the   insistence   of   vaishnava   dvEshis.  This  nool
"varalARRil piRantha vainavam" was portraying  Srivaishnavam
as a religion  after vedic period and was saying that AzwArs
bhakthi neRi are not mentioned in  upanishads  and RAmaunjar
never  preached  prapatti  neri as an upAyam for mOksham and
many more.  Sri Sudarsahna  iyengar went over point by point
of this  book and  proved  them all wrong  from  appropriate
quotes  from  vedAs  and  upanishads.  His 300 page book has
also quotes from various scholars.  He has proved it without
fail  that  charaNagathi  is  the  best  upAyam  and  Sriman
narayana is the only param.  He even gave a discourse  about
these in many platforms  (arranged meetings that are similar
to town hall  meetings)  and forums and  condemned  the nool
"varalARRil piRantha vainavam".  Recently there was an issue
at thiruch chAnoor ursavam and Sri Sudarsanam  iyengar stood
up to defend the  observance of our agamas  strictly and his
appeal was  supported  by our jeer of  ahobila  mutt and was
also  printed in Nrsimhap  priya and was  presented  in this
forum as well two years  ago.  Thus he served  Srivaishnavam
to a very great extent as a defender of our  sampradhAyam in
this century.

He also answers  through his own  sudarshanam  magazine, all
the occasional Sri Vishnu and Sri vaishnava  bashing that is
being printed in some popular tamil magazines.  When Murugan
temple was  attempted to be founded in thiru maal irum solai
the case was heard in  Madras  high  court.  It is said that
the judgment  categorically  pronounced  that Shaivite don't
have any say in thiru  maal  irum  sOlai temple.  However,  after a
while there were some  encroachments  that started appearing
again  in that  vicinity  of  thiru  maal  irum  sOlai temple.  Sri
Sudarshanam iyengar established a task force  (somewhat  for
social  awareness  also) under his command by name "Seeriyar
padai"  to  keep  a  vigil  on  this  development.  He  also
collected   funds  to  support  this  effort  for   bringing
awareness  about the history of thiru maal irum solai and to
stop the  growth of some of the  unofficial  encroachments.
Due to his timely  action these  encroachments  were stopped
once again.  He has also  translated  many Sanskrit nools in
tamil and published from his own press.  -

Sri Vishnu chiththar thiruvadikaLE saraNam
Sri RanganAyikA samEtha Sri Ranganathar thiruvadikaLE saraNam
Kadagakkudi Sampath Rengarajan