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abhinava dESika - SrI UttamUr Swamy Divya Charitham- 24

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Madhavakkannan V • February 1, 2002 


SrI:
Sri Padmavathi Sametha Srinivasa Parabrahmane Namaha.
Sri Perundhevi Sametha Devadhiraja Parabrahmane Namaha.
SrimathE Bhagavad Ramanujaya Namaha:
SrimathE Nigamantha Mahadesikaya namaha:
Srimate Rangaramanuja Maha Desikaya Namaha.
Srimate Abhinava Desika Vatsya Satchakravarti Uttamur SRI
VIRARAGHAVARYA MAHA DESIKAYA NAMAHA

SrImAn venkatanAthAryaH kavitArkika kesarI |
vedAntAcArya-varyome sannidhattAm sadA hRdi ||

Thanian (Invocatory verse on Sri UttamUr swamy written by
Swamy's AchAryan Sri Kozhiyalam Swamy himself)

adbhutam yasya vikrAntam vEda vIthI ViSOdhanE |
aparam nigamAntAryam prapadyE vIrarAghavam ||

[Article in Tamil by SrI PayyampADi VEnkatavaradAchArya SwAmi; English write 
up (based on Tamil) by SrI R.VenkatAchAri (SohattUr- Vankipuram -Oppiliappan 
Sannidhi), a disciple of SrI UtthamUr SwAmi. Appeared in the souvenir 
released during the SatAbhishEkam (80th birth anniversary) of SrI UtthamUr 
swAmi on 10th Feb, 1977]
PRESIDENT’S AWARD – RECEIVING IN DELHI :

The Govt. of India, after they got the report from Brahmasri 
K.Balasubramania Iyer, (it seems) made special and secret enquiries about 
the worthiness of the only recommendation for the Award, as that
was the First Year of the Award.  Reports from local officials at Madras and 
also from Sri Anantasayanam Iyengar at Delhi were obtained and finally 
decided on Our Swami and the same was announced.  Our Swami was invited to 
Delhi to receive the Award and the same was presented by His Excellency 
Dr.Rajendra Prasad, President of India. At that time, being the First Award, 
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Sir S.Radhakrishnan were also present and they 
also spoke to Our Swami in private and congratulated him.  Sri Chakravarti 
RajajiÂ’s son said that he was very happy that the First Award went to a 
CHAKRAVARTI and that too a VIDVAT CHAKRAVARTI.

Our Swami was staying in the bungalow of Sri Anantasayanam Iyengar Swami 
where full facilities were available for observing Achara and Anushtana in 
full.  Our Swami could not refuse the kindness of the Astikas of Delhi and 
their request for giving a series of Upanyasas. He was forced to stay on in 
Delhi for about a month and the Upanyasas were well attended, by almost all 
the Astikas of Delhi.  After the Upanyasa series, Our Swami wanted to 
fulfill his long felt desire to visit the Uttara Divya Kshetras His sisters 
and their husbands also joined him from Madras and the entire Divya Kshetras 
were visited, to his full satisfaction.

After Our SwamiÂ’s return to Madras, completing the Uttara Divya Desa Yatra,  
a meeting was convened in Madras under the Presidentship of His ex Governor 
of Madras, to felicitate Our Swami on his getting the PresidentÂ’s Award.  
Many learned scholars spoke praising Our Swami. Brahmasri.K.Balasubramania 
Iyer, who was also present, explained that the selection of Our Swami for 
the First Award was impartial and purely on merit and that he never 
considered any other candidate, as he knew the merit of Our Swami and that 
he never had any doubt in his mind.  He also said that he was not approached 
either by Our Swami or by anybody connected with him and in fact Our Swami 
knew about that only after the selection was made.  All speakers praised not 
only Our Swami but also Brahma Sri Iyer for his impartiality and his 
straight-forwardness and integrity.

ONE MORE SRI BASHYA KALAKSHEPA GOSHTI:

Then as usual the Kalakshepa and grantha nirmana were started in full swing 
and with added vigour and enthusiasm.  The Kalakshepa of Sri Bhashya was 
started particularly for Paiyambadi Setlur Srivatsangacharya  (who is the 
maternal grand son of Srimad Kolialam Swami in his Poorvasramam), Siromani, 
and some more Siromani pandits like him, Sri.U.Ve.N.R.Srinivasan Swami 
(Engineer) and some more Sishyas who had the capacity to grasp quickly and 
progressing well.

BHASHYARTHA DARPANA:

Sri.K.Sridharacharya, an Acharya attached to Pushkaram Uttara Ahobila 
Jalaria Peeta, sent Rs.5,000/- for printing Sri Bashya Text only, for th use 
of his Sishyas in North.  The publication of Sri Bhashya with Srutaprakasika 
was uppermost in Our SwamiÂ’s mind.  Thinking that he could combine this 
present offer with that, he approached the Government of India for a grant.  
They refused saying that the book had already been published once.  In the 
meanwhile many requested Our Swami to write a commentary, more easily 
understandable than the tough
Srutaprakasika on Sri Bhashya.  To fit into the limited budget available, 
Our Swami started the commentary called “Bhashyartha Darpana” along with the 
Text.  When work was delayed for want of more funds, Sri.N.R.Srinivasan and 
Sri.G.Kasturi of “The Hindu” contributed
Rs.1000/- each.  The book was released in two volumes, by Srimad 
Alagiasingar, the 44th Jeer of Ahobila Mutt, at Sri Desika-Srinivasa 
Sannidhi at Mylapore.  At the time of release, The Alagiasingar recalled his 
acquaintance with Our SwamiÂ’s Revered Acharya.  He said that the present 
author being an Antaranga sishya of Sri Swami, would have been trained by 
him well and hence the Grantha Bhashyartha Darpana would be a 
BAHUSRUTAPRAKASIKA and a better grantha than Srutaprakasika.  He also asked 
well-to-do Astikas of Madras to contribute generously and told the lawyers 
assembled there that the money invested in such granthas would be more 
beneficial to them than the hundred of law books which were not referred to 
even once a year. He himself purchased 50 copies for distribution to the 
pandits in the Mutt.

SRUTAPRAKASIKA : (and the birth of Our SwamiÂ’s own Composing Section)

The Govt. of India who originally refused the grant came forward and 
sanctioned Rs.7000/-.  Our Swami was hesitating to start the work as the 
grant covered only one third the cost of the book on completion. Sri 
U.Ve.Madapusi Sudarsanam Iyengar Swami, a well-known patron of Sri
vaishnava Sampradaya, gave a donation of Rs.5000/-.  The work was started, 
but the progress was very slow, for want of printing facilities for Sanskrit 
granthas in Madras city.  In one year, only a few forms could be printed.  
Our Swami could not find a way out of this except to purchase types (preess) 
and start a Composing Section of his own.  Among our SwamiÂ’s Kalakshepa 
Goshti, Sri.R.Venkatachariar, of Oppiliappan Sannidhi who had his Pancha 
Samskara under Our Swami's Revered Acharya, came forward to keep the 
Composing Section in his office and to look after the management also.  Our 
Swami had already located a press, owning Sanskrit Types, suitable for his 
work, who wanted to sell it with the cases, ready for composing.  After 
fixing the price, on an auspicious day, Our Swami and his sishya 
Sri.R.Venkatachari went to the press and started weighing the types. After 
weighing, Our Swami found out that he did not have enough cash with him.  
Sri R.Venkatachari said he had also brought Rs.1000/-, in case it might be 
needed, and immediately paid the amount to Our Swami.  The types were 
purchased and brought in his car to his house at Nungambakkam.  Next day 
other materials needed to start the composing were purchased and work was 
started right in earnest.  The book Srutaprakasika was finished in record 
time, to the surprise of even the printing press owners.  Sri Ramanujam of 
Sri Ramakrishna Printing works undertook to do the Striking of the forms at 
a concession rate.

He even used to remove the form running in the machine and gave priority for 
Our SwamiÂ’s work.  After the finish of the book, Srutaprakasika, the space 
allotted for the press was needed by him for further extension and letting 
out, to enable him to get a rental income to augment his declining business, 
and as Sri.M.S.Varadacharya of Adyar, (Nelvoi) who, as the Joint Secretary 
of Ubhaya Vedanta Grantha Mala and a sishya in the Kalakshepa Goshti offered 
to keep the press in his house at least for an equal period, if not more.  
So, after two years the  Composing Section was shifted there.  As it was 
very difficult for Our Swami to go there for proof correction and for 
supervision (as Sri.M.S.V.SwamiÂ’s office was located in a different place, 
supervision throughout the day was not possible by him), the same section 
was shifted to the western wing of Our SwamiÂ’s own Tirumaligai, from where a 
tenant had just then vacated.  This saved a lot of trouble and time for Our 
Swami and the work was going on with more speed.

In the meanwhile, the Kalakshepa Goshti was also flourshing, with more
are more sishyas joining.  Among them was Sri Soundara Rajan, an Advocate 
and Legal Advisor for “The Hindu”.  He had his Pancha Samaskara under Our 
Swami and joined the Kalakshepa Goshti for Isavasyopanishad Bhashya, Srimad 
Rahasya Traya Sara and also Sri Bhashya.

After the finish of Srutaprakasika, other publishing activities of Our
Swami included the scrutiny and printing of a Sanskrit version of Srimad 
Rahasya Traya Sara, written by Koothapakkam Neelameghachar Swami, who was 
doing Acharyakam in North India, and a well wisher of Our Swami.  The 
publication of a Tamil book in essay form, called Upanishad Sara was 
published by Visishtadvaita Prachaarini with the finance provided by 
Sri.U.Ve.Kootandakuppam, Sidhanta Prachara Chakravarti Rangaramanua 
Chakravarti, in memory of his wife Kamalammal, (who at one time had the 
privilege of doing Madhukara Kainkarya for Srimad Koliyalam Swami) and was 
born in the Vamsa of
Srimad Varadacharya Swami   (an Acharya of Srimad Ketandipatti
Swami).  The above Sri Rangaramanuja Chakravarti Swami was the first donor 
of Rs.2000/- for the starting of Ubhaya Vedanta Granthamala and the printing 
of Upanishads.  The book UPANISHAD SARAM was released on the day of 
Tiruvadyayana Mahotsava or Srimad Rangaramanuja Desikan. Then the books 
`ChatuslokiÂ’ and `Stotra RatnaÂ’, with tamil commentaries, were published for 
V.P.Sabha.

THE 71st TIRUNAKSHATRAM OF OUR SWAMI:

A meeting was held in Tiruvallikeni National Girls High School at the 
Sudarsanam Iyengar Hall, under the Presidentship of Sri.U.Ve.D.T.Tatachar 
Swami to felicitate our Swami on his 71st Tirunakshatram. 
Sri.K.Soundararajan, Advocate (“The Hindu”) was the secretary of the 
celebrations committee, which was formed earlier, to collect funds to be 
presented to Our Swami to show our gratitude in recognition of his service 
to Sri Desika Sampradaya in general, and for his efforts in publishing books 
on our Sampradaya.  Sri.D.P.Parthasarathi Iyengar Swami, Sri.V.T.R.Swami and 
Sri.D.V.Vasudevan of “The Hindu” also were in the committee and helped in 
the collection of funds.

Sri.D.T.Swami presiding said that he had acquaintances with Our Swami from 
his student days and had been an admirer of Our SwamiÂ’s genius. He said that 
Our Swami had such a thorough grasp of all the Shastras and possessing an 
alert mind, would make quick decisions, almost in a minute, when others like 
him would take more than six months.  This, he had seen, when they assembled 
to make decisions on a particular version of a grantha which had created 
doubts in the minds of all pandits.  Sri.D.R.Swami spoke in praise of the 
Raksha commentary of the Prabhandams and requested Our Swami to undertake 
publishing all the works of Sri Desika.  Our Swami replied suitably and said 
that the
publication of Sri DesikaÂ’s works had been uppermost in his mind for quite 
some time and that the scrutiny of the orignal Granthas had already been 
started.  He said that the huge money it would involve, prevented him from 
launching  on the venture and with the blessings of
his Revered Acharya and Sri Desika along with the good wishes and 
co-operation of the Astikas, he hoped to complete the same during his life 
time.  Then a purse was presented, and also an amount, to be kept
as Reserve Fund for the celebrations of the Tirunakshatrams of Acharyas and 
Alwars at SIDHASHRAMA of Our Swami

Rest in next...
AchAryan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam
Regards
Namo Narayana
aDiyEn dAsan

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