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Sri Mani Varadarajan's two postings on guidelines related to Fund raising for Sri VaishNavite causes Here and for Indian Temples

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • September 17, 1999 


Sear Sri Mani Varadarajan :

For the record , I want to make it clear that I welcome
your comments , which are fair and timely.

As for myself , I have been scrupulously practising 
respect for all Sri VaishNavite AchAryAs belonging 
to either kalai . The kalai related controversy is 
anethma to me , although it raises its ugly head 
Often . I happen to belong to the Ahobila matam
sampradhAyam and have the highest reverence for
my AchAryan , Srimath Azhagiya Singar . That does 
not automatically translate into irreverence to other 
AchAryAs,who have lit our Jn~Ana ViLakku .I try 
to studiously avoid the divisive path , since that is 
the path that Srimath Azhagiya Singar follows 
and recommends for His SishyAs .

We as Sri VaishNavAs are a miniscule community 
in the Indian Scene fighting all kinds of odds
and negelect ; we are even more miniscule in 
the World Scene . We are in USA and abroad a group of
dedicated people wanting to do our utmost to the SampradhAyam
that has sustained and nourished us from AchArya 
Naathamuni and Sri RaamAnujA's time onward .We 
have problems even within one kalai . It is all
very sad . I agree with you that we should stay away
from such divisive practises and set an example here 
in these United States , where we have elected to live,
make a career and seek nourishment form the most 
satisfying Sri VaishNava SampradhAyam and
form mutually reinforcing sathsangam .

Indeed , We do get carried away with the projects of
particular interest to us be they in India
or here . Your point about enriching the rich 
temples and forgetting those in dire need is 
a sober and welcome reminder of realities.
The organizations like SVVS energized by 
Srimathi Naagu Satyan and Sri RaajAji Raaghavan
and others representing different SampradhAyams
is essentially aimed at addressing these issues .

I have a weakness for Sri RanganAthA and Srirangam 
on  a footing that is equal to my reverence for
Sri Oppiliappan of ThiruviNNagar .The 247 paasurams
addressed to this Lord of Srirangam are testimonial
enough for His VasIkaraNam . ThoNdaradippoDi 
reveals appropriately his state of helplessness 
in his 19th Paasuram of ThirumAlai :

Kadal niRak kadavuL yenthai
  aravaNait thyulimAkaNDu 
udalenak kuruhu maalO
  yenn seykEn ulahatthIrE 

It is prasiddham that Sri RanganAthA is the first 
among ArchAvathaara Moortthis . For Sri VaishNava 
SampradhAyam , Sri Bhagavadh RaamAnujA Darsanam 
and the nectarine flow of AzhwAr's aruLiccheyalkaL
and their wonderful vyAkyAnams by the revered 
AchAryAs that followed Udayavar , there is a sound
reason for the famous hailing :

 
 " adiyArkaL Vaazha , Aranganahar Vaazha "

That is why I suspect the great AchAryAs have resided 
at Srirangam and presided over different Sri 
VaishNava sadhas .We revere hence Srirangam as 
the divya desam where , ANDAL, KulasEkarar ,
ThoNdaradippodi , ThiruppANar and EmperumAnAr
joined the lotus feet of the Lord for performing
nithya Kaimkaryam . Srirangam is indeed the avathAra
sthalam of Periya NampikaL, Bhattar , Vadakku Thiurveethi
PiLLai , PiLLai LOkAcchAr and many other AchArya 
PurushAs .Here was born the immensely profound
PaadhukhA Sahasram in less than 2 hour time period.

It is in this tradition saluting the sacred feet of 
Sri RanganAthA and those Paadhukhais associated with them 
that PiLlai LokAcchaar revealed to us in Mumukshup Padi,
Dhvaya PrakaraNa CharaNa SabdhArtha VivaraNam :

"PirAttiyum Avanum ( EmperumAnum ) vidilum ,
ThiruvadigaL ( saranaagathanai) vidAthu; thiNN 
KazhalAi irukkum ".

To these Thiruvadis are linked the matchless
companion , the PaadhukhAs ( NammazhwAr ). 

The BhAgyAdhisayam of Lord RanganAthA was hence 
appropriately celebrated by Sri MaNavALa Maamuni
in his Aarthi Prabhandham (10th paasuram )this way:

PoomakaL kOnn Thennarangar PoongkazhaRkku PaadhukamAi
Thaamm Mahizhum Selvacch SatakOpar --thEmalar thAtkku
yEnthiniya PaadhuhamA menthai IrAmAnusanai,
Vaaythenathu NenjamE ! Vaazh 

Sri MaNavALa Maamuni has brilliantly linked here
the AchArya paramparai in this paasuram and
showed us clearly the reason why his nenjam
is eulogizing Sri RanganAthan . In this context , 
I am delighted to learn about the intense efforts
to celebrate this Utthama AchAryan's Thirunakshathram
this year in the West Coast Temple at Livermore .

If I get carried away and plead for support 
for the one and only Sri RanganAthA Temple
in USA , my enthusiasm is understnadable 
and nay excusable by the members of this group.

To me as well as for many members
of this Bhakthi Group , Srirangam is the 
AaNI vErr( the prime root) of the MahA vata Vruksham
of 108 Divya Desams . At the center of this tree 
is our Srirangam putting far spread VizhuthukaL
all around .I consider the Pomona , NY
temple , inspite of it not being a Divya Desam 
in a classical sense , as one more Vizhuthu 
of this central tree .That is the sole reason 
fro my joining with the appeal ! 

I conclude this note with Sri RaamAnujA's
heart felt prayer :

"Satya Kaama! Sathya sankalpa! Aapathsakha !
Kaakuthstha! Srimann ! NaarAyaNa ! PurushOtthama!
SRI RANGANAATHA ! Mama Naatha! NamOsthuthE ! 

May this Lord of Srirangam fulfill His wish 
to be near us here and take His resdience here
to bless us all for times to come !



Santha: Sri Ranga pruthvIsa CharaNathrAna sEkarA:
Jayanthi Bhuvana thrANa Padha Pankaja rENava :
--First SlOkam of Sri RanganAtha PaadhukhA Sahasram (RPS)

Jayathi YathirAja Sookthi:
Jayathi Mukundhasya PaadhukhA YugaLI
tadhubhayadhanAs thrivEdheem
avanshyayanthO Jayanthi Bhuvi Santha:
The last SlOkam of RPS of Swami Desikan .

On this eve of the two day conference to 
celebrate the Thirunakshathram of Thooppul
Vedantha Desikan at ther Sri ranganAthA Temple ,
I seek Your understanding of my enthusiasm 
for helping to complete the construction 
of the Temple for the matchless Sri RanganAthan
and His divine Consort , Sri RanganAyaki in USA.
MahAnthO angruNaanthu !

Daasan , V.Sadagopan