H.H. the 44th Jeeyar of AhObila Matam : AvaNi HASTHAM
From the Bhakti List Archives
• August 25, 1998
Dear BhakthAs : Today is the blessed day of the Thirunakshthram of H.H , the 44th Jeeyar of AhObila Matam , Sri VaNN SatakOpa Sri Vedantha Desika YathIndhra MahA Desikan . He ascended the throne of Ahobila Matam at the age of 63 and occupied that sacred sthAnam for 35 years . His kaimkaryam to build the southern Raaja Gopuram fro Sri RanganaathA will always be etched in the memory of Bhaktha kOTis . Sri Jaganathan had translated and posted one of this Jeeyar's Upadesams today . It is an example of the scholarship of this great AchAryan . His parents had the names of Sri RanganAthan and Srimathi RanganAyaki( of the Sriranga Divya Dampathis ) . Our Jeeyar was born when the constellation of Hastham was in ascendance during the Simha (AvaNi) maasam of ManmathA year . That year in the Western calendar was 1895 . This Soumya (Azhagiya) Simham(Singam ) reached the Lotus feet of his divine parents , Sri Ranganaathan and Sri Ranganaayaki at Srirangam on August 16, 1992. He was 3 years short of reaching the Veda PrAyam of 100 . He has blessed us with 8 Sri Sookthis to remind us of the AshtAksharam . The 44th Jeeyar had performed his SaraNAgathi at the sacred feet of the 41st Jeeyar , Sri VaNN SatakOpa Sri Lakshmi Nrusimha SatakOpa YathIndhra NahA Desikan ( 1854-1923) and was close to the Injimedu , DevanarviLagam Jeeyars (42nd and 43rd Jeeyars ) and performed Kaimkaryams for them and received their choicest blessings . I will celebrate the constellation of HASTHAM ( the thirteenth lunar mansion , HasthA )under which he was born . Hastham or HasthA also means Hand as well as the trunk of an elephant (Hasthi ) . The Lord's abode in KanchIpuram is on a hi;;ock having the form of a hasthi and hence is known as Hasthigiri in Sanskrit and Atthigiri in Tamil . We will focus on the symbolism of the meaning of Hastham or the Hand . Acharya Hastham **************** An AchArya is known for his Hastha MudrA , which is recognized as hamsa MudrA or UpadEsa MudrA . The Hamsa MudrA ( signet ring ) in the hands of NammAzhwAr was given to the first Azhagiya Singar , Adhi VaNN SatakOpa Jeeyar by NammAzhwAr himself and is worn by every Jeeyar of Ahobila Matam on their fingers . Here the Hamsa MuidrA merged with the Upadesa MudrA formed by the union of the thumb and the index finger . These Acharya paramparai carries then the title of Parama Hamsa ParivrAjakas. Hatha Mudrais of BhagavAN and Devotee ************************************** Abhaya, Varadha , AahlAvana , Kati mudrais are generally seen on the HASTHAMS of the Lord at different divya desams . The Hastham of Sri RangarAjan holds the Abhaya MudhrA and assures us not to fear . SaraNAgathi Saasthram is taught by that hand gesture of our Lord . That very same Abhaya Hastham advises us not to do SaraNAgathi again . The Bhakthan responds to that Abahya Hastham with Anjali Hastham (mudrai ) or folded palms . It is said that the Heart of the Lord melts , when He sees the Anjali MudrA of the Bhakthan . In this context , smruthi says : anjali: paramA MudhrA kshipram DevaprasAdhinI ( Anjali MudhrA is nmost effective to result in very quick anugraham from the Lord ). This hastha mudhrA is indicative of our KaarpaNyam , an essential angam of SaraNAgathi . Aakinchanyam and ananya gathithvam are indicated by the mumkshu and the Lord responds very quickly to that Hastha mudhrA . This Hastha MudhrA of the devotee results in the removal of all anishtams ( Inauspiciousness) that stand in the way of Moksham . Their happy status is described by the Passage from Saanthi Parvam of MahA Bharatham : baddhAnjalipuDA hrushtA : nama ithyEva vAdhina: (Meaning ) : Those who were blessed to see the Lord in SvEtha DhvIpam rising like thousands of AdityAs in effulgence , folded their palms in Anjali MudhrA and stood wiht joy expessing Nama: sabdham .Anjali of the Bhakthan is answered by the Lord with Abhaya Hastha Mudrai and accepted asBhakthan's prArhtanA pUrvaka vij~Apanam for RakshaNam .Anjali Hastham ( mudrA ) of a devotee has prapatthi garbham ( holds Prapatthi prayer inside) according to Swami Desikan , who has blessed us with a special Rahasya Grantham called Anjali Vaibhavam . The power of this anjali mudra formed by folding the two Hasthams in unison is indicated by the five fruits that it earns from the Lord : aasu karithvam( Yielding fruit immediately ) asEsha DhOsha Nivarthakathvam ( Removal of all dhOshAs) asEsha KalyANa kAraNathvam ) Yielding all auspiciousness) anuBhandhi Rakshakthvam ( protecting all the kith and kin) akshaya pala Prathatvam ( yielding undiminishing fruits ) Anjali mudrA is therfore understood as am+jalayathi or the hastha mudrAi that melts the Lord's heart into water. Swami Desikan prays for this Abhaya Hastham to shine forever in his heart .This prayer is addressed to Sri DevanAthan of ThiruvahIndhrapuram : nithyAparAdha chakithE hrudhayE madhIyE dhatthAbhayam spurathi DAKSHINA PAANI PADMAM AhlAvana MudrA Of Telliya Singham ********************************** Bhagavan NarasimhA invites His dear Bhakthan , PrahlAdhan to come near with this Hastha Mudrai at ThiruvallikkENi . NO body dared to go near the Lord after HiraNyakasipu"s vadham . The most merciful Lord singled out His parama Bhakthan and invited him to come near . hastha Mudhrais of Sri Oppiliappan and SrinivAsan ************************************************** with His dakshiNa ( Right ) hastha mudrai , the Lord of BhUmi Devi shows His feet as the refufge for the Prapannan . With His left hastha mudrai ( Kati hastham ) , He points out that for those who have sought His rakshakam , the samsAra Saagaram (ocean ) is only thigh deep and can be waded comfortably to reach Him on the other shore . One can celebrate the KarAvalampanam by the Lord to lift us up from the terrors of SamsAram and getting us close to His feet in parama Padham .Such is the Power of Hastham of the Lord and the AchAryA , who leads us to the Lord . I offer my deep salutations to the Mahaan , who was born under the constellation of hastham to lift us up an ddeliver us unto the feet of Parama Padha Naathan in His Sri Vaikuntam . AchAryan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam , Tattai VaathUla SadagOpan
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