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abhinava dESika- Sri UttamUr Swamy Divya Charitham- 14

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Madhavakkannan V • January 17, 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 ||

Let us continue with the divya charitham of Sri UttamUr Swamy.

[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]

THE BIRTH OF UBHAYA VEDANTA GRANTHAMALA” as a publishing
organization:-

In the year PARTIBHA, in Kanchipuram Kshetram, an important meeting of 
Astikas was arranged at the SIDHASRAMAM under the Presidentship of Sri 
Paramahamsetyadi Koliyalam Swami, to find out ways and means to
provide facilities for the printing and publishing of Our SwamiÂ’s granthas 
and to extend to him all the facilities for further publications. Every one 
present at the meeting felt that the
capacity of Our Swami was really unique in Grantha Nirmana, and if
proper facilities are not provided for him to concentrate on the
Nirmana only, without burdening him with finding finance for the
printing and publishing, the Astikas of Sri Desika Sampradaya will be
denying themselves of the great opportunity provided to them for the
spread of Sri Desika Sampradaya which could be done only by
publishing, the Astikas of Sri Desika Sampradaya will be denying
themselves of the great opportunity provided to them for the spread of Sri 
Desika Sampradaya which could be done only by publishing Our
SwamiÂ’s granthas.

Sri U.Ve.Kootandakuppam Sidhanta Prachara Chakravarti, immediately announced 
a donation of Rupees One Thousand to be treaded as the first installment, 
and insisted that from the books of Kaavya, Tarka, Mimamsa and Vedanta of 
Our Swami, already published, it is very clearly seen that the provision of 
a permanent fund for further publications, is very important and necessary 
for our Sidhanta.  Sri Rao Bahadur, Gudalore, G.Rangaswami Iyengar, Retired 
Police commissioner, volunteered to be in charge of collecting enough funds 
for the above purpose, and also the canvas as much support as possible for 
this move from the Astikas of Madras city.  Sri Koliyalam Swami, as the 
President of the meeting, then asked Our Swami to give the assembled Astikas 
an idea of the granthas, he proposed to take up for publication.

Our Swami replied as follows: “The publications programme is being started 
in the name UBHAYA VEDANTA GRANTHAMALA. So, first, all the Upanishads have 
to be published and side by side the publication of Nalariya Divya 
Prabandams with suitable and novel commentary based on our Srivaishnava 
Sampradayam in strict sense should be taken up.  Then, granthas of Sri 
Bhashyakara and all the Sri Suktis of Sri Desika will be taken up.  The 
basic motive behind these publications will be to give to the Sri Vaishnava 
community a true and authentic version of all the important granthas with 
suitable commentaries, mainly in Sanskrit, so that scholars in other states 
and languages can understand our Sampradaya easily.  The lack of such 
granthas was felt very much during  his visit to North India.  In addition, 
vernacular commentaries also have to be provided, wherever necessary, in 
Tamil and in other languages also.  The list of books to be published will 
include, of course, books and commentaries of other ancient Acharyas also.  
Like my Revered Acharya, I also feel that the publication of SRUTAPRAKASIKA 
with Sri Bhasya should get top priority, but in view of the enormous cost 
involved, this could not be taken up immediately.

Moreover, there are many variations in quoting Upanishad Vakyas
between the available publications of Sri Bhashyas Srutaprakasika and
Upanishads.  So that publications of a fully authentic version of
Upanishads, after thorough scrutiny of all available books manuscripts and 
palm leaf originals, will get top priority since Upanishads are the `Basic 
GranthaÂ’ for all Sri Suktis. Coming to the Nalariya Divya Prapandam, the 
commentaries of the Ancient Acharyas are not easily understandable by the 
present generation of Astikas.  Also in many places, we have to give 
meanings for Pasurams in agreement with the intentions of Swamy Sri Vedantha 
Desika. In addition, there are so many commentaries of the Prabandams which 
are varied and different in nature.  So, a new approach, in line with Sri 
vaishnava Sampradaya, especially for NammalwarÂ’s Tiruvaimozhi have to be 
attempted.  I pray for the blessings of my Revered Acharya to give me 
strength and courage to undertake this mammoth task.”

Thus, when Our Swami addressed the audience, the President, Sri Koliyalam 
Swami, uttered the following words: “Among many Acharya Paramparas, our 
Parampara (Munitrayam), with a view to safeguard and propagate Sri 
Bhashyakara Sidhanta and Sri Desika Sampradaya, has been in the forefront, 
not only Pravachanas, Kalakshepams etc., but also in Grantha Nirmana on a 
wide scale, which fact is very well known to everybody.  Even though Ubhaya 
Vedanta Granthamala is being started with a view to help Sri UttamUr 
Viraraghavachariar for publishing certain books, I am quite confident that 
this effort will finally culminate in a big publishing organisation so that 
the Astikas and Pandits of the coming generations will be grateful  to Sri 
Viraraghavacharya for his great Sampradaya-Kainkaryam.  No doubt Sri 
Viraraghavacharya is my beloved Sishya.  The entire pandit community of our 
country have also recognised the genius in him in all Shastras.  Sri 
U.Ve.Navalpakkam Maha Vidwan, Narasimha Tatacharya Swami once told me that 
he had occasions to go through many granthas of Sri Viraraghavacharya; that 
he had many chances to come into personal contact with him; that he had 
occasions to appreciate his genius; that in him, there is a rare combination 
of Acharya, Samaanadhikarana, Gnana and a profound knowledge in all the 
Shastras; that some of the well-to-do Sishyas of Sri Koliyalam Swami should 
be persuaded to adequately remunerate him and thereby enabling him to stay 
in a permanent place and concentrate and spend  a major portion of his time 
in promoting and propagating our Sampradaya by Pravachanams, Kalakshepams 
and Grantha Nirmana; that Sri Koliyalam Swami, being a Sanyasi, should not 
hesitate to interfere in financial matters, as the ultimate task is a noble 
one.  Such was the high regard Sri Navalpakkam Swami had for Sri 
Viraraghavacharya. (Sri Koliyalam Swami continued) We all know how much 
regard and kindness Sri Goshtipuram Swami had for Sri Viraraghavacharya and 
needs no repetition.  Sri Injimedu Alagiasingar Swami, during his visit to 
Tiruchanur tole me that he was very much impressed with my Sishya (Sri 
Viraraghavacharya) who attended the Sadas at Perumal koil and admitted that 
he is really a genius.  The granthas so far published have proved this.

In this connection I want to mention to you certain sentences
written by Sri Navalpakkam Swami on “Sadachara Poorti”.  All the
qualities required for a Sadachara Poorti are present on Sri
Viraraghavacharya, in full.  I know him right from his boyhood.  Only
certain people will have the determination to adhere to Achara even in 
difficult and trying times.  You all praise me for my Achara of my
Revered Acharya, Sri Tirupati Swami, you would say that I am nothing
before him.  I have heard many people praise my Revered Acharya, that
even during his visits to North India, to attend the Sadas at
Samathanams like Gaddaval, in Poorvashramam, even though the climate
was very cold, he never failed to observe his Achara, in full.

In a similar way, Our Swami Sri Viraraghavacharya, even at a very young age, 
had also traveled to North India.  I used to ask, in private some of those 
who have accompanied him as to how his Achara habits were, in North India.  
However much I ask them in so many different and subtle ways, they all 
unanimously said that Sri Viraraghavacharya Swami was strict in his Achara. 
During his stay in Chittoor, I used to enquire about him, from people coming 
from Chittoor and I used to hear about his Achara with all praises.  They 
not only appreciated him for his soublabhya of a great Acharya, which is 
most befitting of a great Acharya.  For example, they said that one day when 
they went to a nearby well for bathing, even though it was very early in the 
morning, they found Sri Viraraghavacharya in the middle of his bath.  They 
waited and observed him from a distance without their being seen, and saw 
him coming out only, after finishing Mrittika Snanam. When there is a 
congregation
of people, he used to stand aloof from all of them.

Thus, my Antaranga Sishya, Sri Viraraghavacharya, full of such auspicious 
qualities, is launching on a noble task.  If he succeeds in his task, we can 
be rest assured that after all the greatness of our Acharya Parampara is 
well established and that the blessings of Acharyas will not be wasted.  So 
once again, I repeat that it is the duty of all Astikas, who are interested 
in Sri Bhasyakara Sidhanta, to do their best and see that Sri 
Viraraghavacharya succeeds in his publishing programme.”  Thus Sri Koliyalam 
Swami blessed Our Swami and the venture of Ubhaya Vedanta Granthamala was 
inaugurated.
(Please wait for the next post:-)
AchAryan ThiruvadigaLE saraNam
Regards
Namo Narayana
aDiyEn dAsan
aDiyEn

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