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Fwd: Benediction from H.H. Srimad Andavan Swami of Srimad Poundarikapuram Ashramam

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Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan • January 2, 2000 


Dear BhavatOttamAs:

Shri Muralidhar Rangaswamy returned from India recently.  He had the 
sowbhagyam of meeting Srimad Poundareekapuram Swamigal.  Swami has a special 
message for us that he had sent through Murali.  Due to Mani's absence he 
has not been able to resubscribe to the bhakti group.  Hence I am pleased to 
forward the same.  Thanks.

Vijayaraghavan
Buffalo, NY


>From: "muralidhar rangaswamy" 
>CC: vijayaraghavan_s@hotmail.com
>Subject: Benediction from H.H. Srimad Andavan Swami of Srimad 
>Poundarikapuram Ashramam
>Date: Sat, 01 Jan 2000 05:12:33 PST
>
>
>Sri:
>
>SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,
>
>Dear Bhaktas,
>
>At the start of the new millenium, Adiyen wishes to share with all
>of you the message of benediction from H.H. Srimad Andavan Swami of Srimad
>Poundarikapuram Ashramam. The message,
>originally in Tamil has been translated by U.Ve. Dr. V.N. Vedanta
>Desikan Swamin.
>
>Namo Narayana,
>
>SriMuralidhara Dasan
>
>***************************************************************
>
>Benediction Message from
>Sri Paravakkotti Srimad Andavan
>SRI GOPALADESIKAMAHADESIKAN
>of
>Srirangam Sri Poundarikapuram Swami Asramam
>
>
>To the Srivaishnava Community living in the United States of America
>
>
>All persons devoted to the Sri Vaishnava Sampradayam would be well familiar
>with the name of Mahavidwan Sri Ubhaya Vedanta Acharya Thirumalai 
>Eachambadi
>Veeraraghavacharya Swami of Madhurantakam.  Rightly was he, famous as 'Sri
>Madhurantakam Swami'.  He had devoted his whole life to the propagation of
>Sri Desika Sampradaya.  He had been writing articles on our sampradaya
>throughout his life.  A collection of those writings would prove to be an
>ideal source book for the moderns to understand the nuances of sampradaya.
>
>He was one who would never swerve from the codes of conduct mandatory for a
>Sri Vaishnavite.  There is a maxim that a Vaishnava ought to fall down on
>all forms, like a stick (danda) on seeing another Vaishnava.
>
>That is, how the usage 'dandam samarpippadu' came into vogue.  This
>signifies the sesha-seshi relationship, the one who prostrates is the Sesha
>and the one to whom prostration is rendered is the Seshi.  I have observed
>in my life the implicit observance of this great virtue that marks a
>Srivaishnav, only in the case of two great Swamis.  One was the Goshtipuram
>Swami (Sri Sowmya Narayanarya Mahadesikan), when I was a student of the
>Tirupathi Sanskrit College, I was a resident of the Ahobila Math there.
>There I saw one day, the above Swami returning to the Math, after finishing
>his daily rituals in the Pushkarini.  Remember he was revered very highly
>for his Jnana as well as Anushtana.  I felt I should pay obeisance to him.
>I went and fell down on all fours in Sashtangapranam and lo! what did he 
>do!
>  He too, fell down before me even as I was in the process of prostration.
>I was shocked.  I could not swallow and forbear the thought of my Bhagavata
>apachara.  I ran away with tearful eyes and avoided the repetition.
>Therefore, I used to prostrate only 'behind the screen', somewhere,
>unnoticed by him.  What a touching quality of these great Swamis!.
>
>Later on, some 30 years later, I had occasion to visit Sri Madhurantakam
>Swami in his residence at Srirangam.  I experienced the same return of
>Pranama from him, when I rendered it.  Now I had the guts to stop him.  I
>prayed to him to cease from such an act that hurts me.  No, he would not
>relent.  I then hit a strategy to keep the Swami off from rendering a
>Prativandana, I requested him to initiate me in Vaiswadeva, which would
>place him at the level of a preceptor in a sense.  He kindly obliged me and
>smilingly commented: 'This is only a pretext of being a preceptor.  Anyhow
>you have won me.
>
>Both the Swamins were real treasure houses of Jnana.  They had such 
>sterling
>qualities that they would be respectable to all.  For them, to exhibit this
>virtue of servility to any Srivaishnava, irrespective of age or other
>qualifications, marks them out as unique models for us to follow.
>
>We had only recently celebrated the 120th Jayanthi of Sri Goshtipuram 
>Swami.
>  The centenary of Sri Madhurantakam Swami is to be held on 4.3.2000.  It 
>is
>in the fitness of things to celebrate these functions as a matter of our
>duty towards our sampradaya.
>
>Swami Desika has mentioned in his 'sampradaya parisuddhi' (one of Sillarai
>Rahasyas), that "there is no conflict of content among the branches,
>whatever they may be, in the Ramanuja Sishyas' sampradayas.  But whatever
>minor difference arises in certain practices, because of place, passage of
>time or condition of living, should be treated as permitted by our
>scriptures.  This emphasises that all belonging to Sri Bhashyakara's
>Siddhanta are; one they subscribe to the same cardinal Vedantic tenets.
>Differences, if any, in some practical aspects, are to be conceded as
>permissible.  They will themselves not amount to an antagonism or a cause
>for conflict.  This is what we should learn from the life of this great
>swami; Let each Sri Vaishnava adhere to practices transmitted from
>generation to generation in a family. Let each adhere to his practice and
>respect others' practices also.
>
>Sri Vaishnavas in the USA are a minority in that country now.  They ought
>not to make much fuss about differences that may necessarily exist between
>one group belonging to one sub-unit and another similar group, say 
>belonging
>to another Acharya-line.  After all, all of you inherit the tradition of
>Bhagavad, Ramanuja and Swami Desika.  Remember what Swami Desika wished:
>"May jealousy be abandoned;  It is jealousy that generates mutual enmity".
>Live without jealousy, with a feeling of unity, with the right kind of
>reverence to the Bhagavatas as other Vaishnavas are to be treated.  That
>kind of culture is called Bhagavata-nishta.  The Lord would not excuse
>offence against His devotees, namely, the Bhagavatas.   May this sprit
>inform you all, in everyday conduct and in assemblies of Sri Vaishnavites.
>
>Now comes an occasion for your participation in the Centenary of the great
>Vaishnava that Sri Madhurantakam Swami is.
>
>I pray to the Divine couple Sri Ranganatha - Sri Ranganayaki and to the
>great Poorvacharyas that you may all be blessed with long life to all of 
>you
>and your kith and kin, with sound health, with bounteous affluence, and 
>with
>all that each one of you may wish for.
>
>I take leave with my hearty benedictions and with Sriman Narayana smarana.
>
>Narayana Narayana
>
>Srimad Andavan
>Sri Poundarikapuram Swami Asramam
>
>-- oo0oo --
>
>
>
>
>
>
>______________________________________________________
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Srimate Sri Laksminrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka
>Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>-- 20 megs of disk space in your group's Document Vault
>-- http://www.egroups.com/docvault/malolan_net/?m=1
>

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