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PRAKRITAM AZHAGIYA SINGHAR (PART 17)

From the Bhakti List Archives

Ramanbil • December 15, 1998 


PRAKRITAM AZHAGIYA SINGHAR, 
MY ACHARYA, FRIEND, PHILOSOPHER AND GUIDE (PART 17)

Dear Bhagavatas,
Presented below is Part 17 on the above subject being excerpts from my talk
during the 600th Anniversary Celebrations of Ahobila Matam held at New York
during the first week of September 1998.
Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
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· SWAMI'S TIRUNAKSHATRAM
It was the 65th Tirunakshatram of our Swami on 14th December 1991, the first
Tirunakshatram to be celebrated after assuming Sanyaasam. It was celebrated in
a grand fashion befitting a Rajarishi he had become. When he heard that I was
coming, he wrote a personal letter asking me to come via Madurantakam to bring
Melpakkam Swami for the function.

· VEENA RECITAL BY SRI SRIRANGAM RANGARAJAN
That night, Sri Srirangam Rangarajan who used to render a Veena recital every
night to Lord Ranganatha at the temple at the time of Aravanai, gave a special
concert in honor of our Swami. During the course of the recital, the Vainika
played a song from Vibishana Saranagathi, a kriti by Nerur Srinivasachariar (a
disciple of the famous Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar). My father and this Nerur
Swami were co-tenants when I was a school boy and therefore, I could identify
the Kriti as that of Nerur Swami and asked our Swami about it. Immediately, he
pointed to a lady who was sitting nearby and told me that she was the daughter
of Nerur Swami, Sriranganayaki by name. We used to call her "Seerangi", whom I
had not met for over several decades. She was in her seventies then, but we
quickly recognized each other. As I was the General Secretary of "Senior
Citizens' Council, Madras", Swami asked me if I could organize a Veena concert
of Sri Rangarajan under the auspices of our Council.

· " I WANT SOMEONE LIKE YOU"
Swami said to me " I want someone like you during my Sancharams to look after
the accounts and help me in other matters also. But, I told him that since all
my children were settled in USA and being a widower, they would not like me to
be alone in India and they insisted on my coming to America, he reluctantly
consented. " You may go to America, if that is convenient for you. But, when
you go there you should proagate our Siddhantam. I know you will say nothing
that is repugnant to doctrines of our Siddhantam". He was so kind as to draft
an Introduction to the Astikas here to help me "as a noble service to Ahobila
Mutt". This is the Introduction, which has been published in Malolan Net,
Bhakti archives and Saranagathi Journal, as all of you know.

· FOREWORD FOR "HINDUISM REDISCOVERED" 
When I wrote my book " Hinduism Rediscovered ", I submitted the manuscripts to
our Swami. He had it reviewed by a panel of experts in our Siddhantam and gave
a foreword and directed Sri R. Devanathan (in charge of Hyderabad unit of
Ahobila Matam and publisher of Telugu edition of Narasimhapriya, and father of
our SDDS member, Sri Sriram Devanathan of Iowa) to arrange for its publication
in the main Narasimhapriya journal.But, as some serials were being featured
and there was acute space constraint, and as some rare works of Poorvacharyas
were pending to be reprinted, I was told that it would take quite sometime
before this could be taken up and I was asked to wait. I hope someday, the
Matam would be able to publish the book. Meanwhile, I had serialized the
chapters in the SDDS journal Vols.1 and 2 for the information of our members
and for correcting any errors and omissions so that an error free edition
could be published when the time comes. I am happy to receive great
encouragement from one and all. I am grateful for the valuable suggestions
offered by our readers.

· AS CHINNA JEEYAR: 

(1) We saw that as Chinna Jeeyar, our Swami had the bhagyam of doing Aradhana
to Malolan from Day One. He started doing Samasrayanam and Bharanyasam also
from Day One.

(2) Periya Azhagiya Singhar gave him a box and authorized him to keep all
Sambhavanais he received as Chinna Jeeyar. Within a short while, our Swami
collected 12 lakhs of Rupees and wiped of the entire outstanding debts of the
Matam.

(3) One of the most important things he did was to do Achitra Aswamedha
Parayanam on the Ekadasi day followed by Kaataka Parayanam on the Dwadasi day.
Poundarikapuram Andavan Swami once remarked that the Parayanam has the effect
of doing a Aswamedha yagam itself  as indicated by the sloka- 
Japyeneiva Tu Samsidhyeth Braahmanena Atra Na Samsayah / 
Kuryaadanyany Vaa Kuryaad Maitro Braahmana Uchyate //  Meaning 
"Whether a Brahmin does or does not perform the relevant Yagnam, the very
Parayanam of the Mantras have the effect of giving the fruits of performing
the Yagnam". We see how successful our Swami has been and perhaps this
Parayanam has ad its effect, apart from his own other qualifications.

(4)  It is usual for all Sannyasis to start their regime with Kalakshepam on
Aahnika Grantham. Having already authored a monumental work on the subject,
naturally our Swami also started with Pravachanams on Ahnikam.

(5) He is the first Chinna Jeeyar to start a Sancharam alone. The maiden
Sancharam of our Swami as Chinna Jeeyar was to Tirucherai Samprokshanam to
which Periya Azhagiya Singhar deputed him to perform.

· PERIYA AZHAGIYA SINGHAR'S ASCENT TO VAIKUNTAM:
On 16th August 1992, the Periya Azhagiya Singhar attained Paramapadam. The
whole Srivaishnava Samooham was steeped in grief. Our Swami arranged for the
final rites of the Mahan befitting the personality, which towered as high as
the Rajagopuram built by him and dedicated to Sri Ranganatha. Our Swami
performed the Maha Aradhanam, Parvana Sraddham, Dwadasa Aradhanam etc. in a
fitting manner on the 9,10 and 11 of Angirasa Avani for the 44th Pattam
Jeeyar.

· PATTABHISHEKAM : 
The Pattabhishekam of our Prakritam Jeeyar 45th Azhagiya Singhar took place on
Avani 8th (Monday). After Paanaga Aradhanai at night, at the request of the
Sishyas, our Swami ascended the ivory palanquin belonging to the Matam and
came round the Chitrai Veedhis and performed "Pattina Pravesam". It was long
since a similar Pattina Pravesam had taken place and the people who had
thronged the streets felt very much blessed.

It was on the 12th Avani (28th August 1992) Azhagiya Singhar arranged on a
grand scale Saatrumurai with Periya Perumal Periya Goshti. The Iyal Satrumurai
Goshti went round the streets of Srirangam and Ijya Aradhanam, Tadheeya
Aradhanam and Upanyaasams followed.

As they hail in England,"The King is dead. Long live the King" a glorious
chapter came to a close and another glorious chapter began in the history of
Ahobila Matam. 
(To Continue)
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