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Exploring interest in Sponsoring Ubhaya Vedanta Lecture Tour

From the Bhakti List Archives

Mani Varadarajan • December 22, 1999 


                            sri:
                  srimate ramanujaya namah

Dear Bhaktas,

A couple of weeks back, Smt. Sheela Belur broached the idea of
having Sri U.Ve. Vidwan Elayavalli Bhuvarahachariar Swami come
here for a lecture tour.  It is our great fortune that 
Sri E.S. Bhuvarahachariar Swami has indicated a willingness to
come and share his wealth of knowledge of our tradition with us,
provided that there are interested people here who are willing
to sponsor and host such a lecture tour.

The ball is now in our court to make this project a reality.
Sri Bhuvarahachariar Swami is a renowned exponent of Ubhaya Vedanta,
and in particular of Tiruvaymozhi and Bhagavad Vishayam.  His 
moving upanyAsams on these topics regularly bring his audience
to tears.  His name is known in nearly all Divya Desams as a 
vidvAn of the highest order.  In fact, if you mention you are from 
Bangalore in many places, particularly in southern Tamil Nadu,
people are likely to ask, "Do you know our Bhuvarahachariar Swami?"

Several members of the Bhakti List know Sri Swami personally and can 
attest to his erudition and saulabhyam. Many of Sri Krishna Kalale's 
family, for example, have learnt the entire "Eedu" commentary on 
Tiruvaymozhi from him, and Krishna has often told me of Sri ESB Swami's 
fantastic ability to plumb the depths of the Alvar paasurams and explain 
subtle ideas in very easy-to-understand language.  I have two tapes 
of Sri ESB Swami's lectures (which I will share with anyone 
interested in helping sponsor this tour) and can only say that I thirst 
for more of Sri ESB's lucid explanations of the Alvar arulicceyal.

And, as Smt. Sheela, mentioned, his knowledge of all of our
poorvacharyas' works is phenomenal. Apparently, not a lecture goes 
by without his reverent citations of Swami Sri Desika, Sri Parasara
Bhattar, Periyavaaccaan Pillai, etc.

We need sponsors and hosts
--------------------------
Smt. Sheela Belur is keenly intent on making this idea a success.
We already have willing hosts and sponsors from two or three
cities.  We would like Sri Vaishnavas from each corner of the
U.S. to come forward and help us in this effort. Perhaps we could
have the various Sri Vaishnava organizations co-sponsor this effort,
at least in name, so we can all work together to get such a senior
vidvAn here.

We need sponsors and/or hosts from New York, Boston, Buffalo,
Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, Texas, Detroit, etc., to come forward
and send Smt. Sheela email so we can begin coordinating this
tour. We are shooting for Summer 2000.

Ideally, my idea is that we could arrange a moderate to large 
thiruvaaraadhanam in every place, performed by Sri ESB Swami, and have 
Sri Swami speak afterward.  This would be for a general (perhaps not just 
Sri Vaishnava) audience. There would also be separate sessions on 
specifically sAmpradAyika topics, such as Bhagavad Vishayam, Sribhashyam, etc.
Of course, each location can tailor it to their choosing. 

Please remember, this is a very rare opportunity that we must
capitalize on.  A visit of an orthodox, senior vidvAn of Sri ESB Swami's 
calibre should not be missed.

Those interested in any manner should send email to 
bvsheela@yahoo.com. PLEASE do so soon so we can gauge interest.

thanking you,
raamaanuja daasan,
Mani