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Sri Ramanuja Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Swamy

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Rajeev Karamchedu • April 26, 2001 


Sri:

Namaskaram to all the Bhaktas:

On this day of Vaishakha/Vaikasi Maasam, Rohini Nakshatram,
the thirunakshatram day of the 25th Jeer of Sri Parakala Matham,
Sri Ramanuja Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan,
I would like to post this small article on the Jeer, extracted from
"Sri Parakala Matha Vaibhavam".

This article (and the grantham) is orginally in Kannada. Sri
Ranganath Samudrala has taken up the very important kaimkaryam of
translating this article into English. My sincere thanks to him. The 
following article is a result of his translations and my minor reformattings 
and rephrasings.

SRI RAMANUJA BRAHMATANTRA SWATANTRA PARAKALA MAHA DESIKAN
----------------------------------------------------------

Sri Ramanuja Brahmatantra Parakala Maha Desikan was known as
Sri Ramanuja Chary in his purvaashramam. Sri Ramanuja Chary was
was born to Sri Tirumalacharya of Bagepalli in the year 1709,
(Virodha Samavatsara, Vaishaaka Chandramaana Maasam (Souramaanam
is Mesham), rohini nakshatra, koundiya gotram)

Sri Ramanujachary left Bagepalli to arrive at Kumbhakonam. He
obtained mantropadesham at the lotus feet of 21st HH of the Parakala Matham, 
HH Periya Parkala Swamy (known as Tirumalai Krishnammacharya
in his purvaashramam). Later, under the tutleage of the 22nd Jeer of
the Parakala Matham, Sri Srinivasa Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala
Maha Desikan, he underwent Sastraabhyasam, Vedantha Grantha
kaalakshepam and was an expert in Udaya Vedantha.

At the tender age of 24, Sri Ramanuja Chary was attending the
Brahmotsavam festivals at Tirumala Tirupati Devasthaanam. During
the celebrations, he had a premonition about his future life
and as a result, he immediately proceeded to Kumbakonam and
at the feet of the then Jeer of the Parakala Matham, Sri Srinivasa
Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan, he sought
and obtained Sanyaasaashramam. Sri Ramanuja Chary spent the next
38 years performing Vedantha kaalakshepams and spreading
the essence of the Ramanuja Siddhanta. With his dedication towards
Laxmi Hayagriva and anugraham of PerumaL, Sri Ramanuja Chary became
a "mahaa tapOnidhi", "gyani" and above all, a achanchala bhakta
of Lord Hayagriva.

At the time when Sri Ramanuja Chary was about 62 years young,
the then Jeer of the Sri Parakala Matham (24nd Jeer), Srimad
Abhinava Srinivasa Brahmatantra Parakala Maha Desikan was
searching for a successor for the Matham. He found Sri Ramanuja
Chary to be the most suitable candidate and instructed him to arrive
at Sri Rangapattanam. Sri Ramanuja Chary followed the instructions
and in 1771, became the 25th Jeer of the Parakala Matham, Sri
Ramanuja Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan. The
Maharani of Mysore, Maharani Lakshmimani also sought Jeer's counsel
on several matters.

During the Tippusultan-Maraatha war and also because of the
pressures from the British Empire and the Nizam of Hyderabad,
the conditions were becoming unsafe for the Jeer and the Matham.
At the insistence of the Maharani of Mysore and several well-wishers,
HH left for Tirupati for preserving the divine heritage of the Matham.

In 1799 Srirangapattanam fell into the hands of the British Empire.
who handed the kingdom over to its previous rulers. After
the kingdom regained its peaceful times, the Maharani of Mysore
requested HH to return to Mysore. HH granted the request and returned
to Sri Rangapattanam. HH also performed the "Pattaabhishekam" for
Sri KrishnaRaja Wodeyar, after which Mysore was made the capital
city for the Kingdom of Mysore.

Shortly after that, Sri Krishna Raja Wodeyar invited HH to come
to Mysore. But, a more divine and sacred place was calling for
HH. This punyakshetram was Krishnaapuram, which was in the taluka
of T.Narispura. Krishnaapuram was on the banks of river Kaveri
with a very beautiful temple of Lord Krishna in the form of
"Santhaana Gopala Krishna". HH, Sri Ramanuja Brahmatantra Swatantra
Parakala Maha Desikan moved there, performing aaradhana to Sri 
Lakshmihayagreevaha LakshmiNarayana and immersed himself and the
people there in Sastra-Grantha pravachanam.

HH later also instructed the Maharani of Mysore to invite a great
scholar named Sri Krishnaacharya to take up the activities of
the Matham at Mysore. At the Jeer's command, the Maharani of Mysore
built a beautiful temple for Sri Sveta-Varaaha Swamy and presented
to HH for the activities of the Matham.

Sri Ramanuja Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan remained
at the banks of kaveri for a long time to come. Like his Prathama 
Acharya/Paramaachaarya, Sri Swamy Nigamantha Maha Desikan, HH graced
this earth for a full 102 years. In Pramodutha samvatsara (1810), meena 
maasa, shasti thithi (Saturday), Sri Brahmatantra Swatantra
Parakala Maha Desikan reached the lotus feet of his acharyas.

"Vandeya  SriNilaya  Parakalaatha Vedaantha Yagnam
Tatpaadaabje Vinihitabharam Brahmatantraathathuryam
SriKrishnaarayadhadhighaTatham Gaabjamabjaakshahrutakam
Srimad Raamavaraja Parakalabhidam Desikendram."


Rajeev Karamchedu


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