Search:
Bhakti List Archives

abhinava dEsika - SrI UttamUr Swamy Divya Charitham- 15

From the Bhakti List Archives

Madhavakkannan V • January 19, 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:- (cont'd)

Later when the first volume of Upanishad Bhashyam with a commentary called 
PARISHKARA was finished, Sri Kolialam Swami went through that and was very 
much pleased, the indicating of which can be seen in his Preface to the 
first volume.  Similarly when two columes of Prabandhams were released with 
Our SwamiÂ’s commentary called RAKSHA, Sri Koilialam Swami was very much 
impressed at the novel approach to the subject, quite different from the 
ones published so far, and agreed that Srivaishnava Sampradaya, in essence, 
have gone into the commentaries with due regard to the meanings of the prior 
and later Pasurams and the context.  He commended that the name “Raksha” for 
the commentary is quite apt.  He said that he would pray  that the Alwars 
and Acharyas should bless him for the completion of the entire Nalayiram 
Pasurams in a similar way.

The printing of Isavasyopanishad was done at Pudukottai with the
advice of Sri Thottalam Rajagopalachar Swami, who, at an earlier date, was 
kind enough to publish Our Swami’s “Ramayana Rassavada Bhoomika”, in Vedanta 
Deepika.  He also arranged, that the proof correction and supervision of the 
publication will be done by Sri U.Ve.Pudukottai Srainivasa Raghavacharya 
Swami, at that time a resident of Pudukottai and a Sishya if Sri Goshtipuram 
Swami.  With a view to speed up the publication, Our Swami started printing 
at Tirupathi itself and the Upanishads like Kena etc. were published.

The publication of “Tiruppalladu” in the Prapandam series was first
released along with Our SwamiÂ’s Raksha commentary, to find out the
reactions of the scholars in Prabandams, specialized in Prabandams and 
qualified to appreciate, criticize and enjoy the RASANUBHAVAM in the 
AlwaysÂ’s Sri Suktis, unanimously approved the new way of approach to the 
interpretation of Prabandams which was in line with the Pramanams available 
on the subject and, in addition, contained many new meanings for the verses. 
  They requested Our Swami to continue his effort and publish the entire 
4000 and odd verses of the Alwars with the Raksha commentary.

At this juncture in Our SwamiÂ’s career, Sri U.Ve.Desika Darsana
Ratnadeepa V.V.Srinivasa Iyengar Swam, Sri D.Ramaswamy Iyengar Swami,
Advocate, (who is hailed as Abhinava Alwar and a Rasika of Prabandams) and 
Retired Police Commissioner Gudalur, G.Rangaswamy Iyengar Swami, from 
Madras, jointly sent word to Our Swami, that they would undertake the 
responsibility of collecting money for Our Swami's publications and they 
fully realize that the publications are really a boon to Our Sampradaya and 
that they know the trouble taken by Our Swmai for the publications of books 
in Sri Desika Sampradaya.  They  also said that Sri.G.Rangaswami Iyengar 
would be the Secretary for the campaign.

The sincerity  of Sri.V.V.Swami would be seen in the English Preface he had 
written for the first volume of the Upanishads, in his inimitable style.

With the blessings of the Acharyas and Alwars the work on Prabandams
was progressing well.  The printing was done at the Sri Venkateswara
Press, at Little Kanchipuram, owned by Sri Purisai Srinivasavaradachariar 
Swami, who is the son-in-law of Sri U.Ve.Gaadi
Swami, who studied for Tarka Siromani under Our Swami.  (The major
work of Nalayira Divya Prabandams, now completed, was done only at Sri 
Venkateswara Press, except, a few sanchikas which were printed at
Madras towards the end).

When the Upanishads were taken up for publication, Our Swami wanted to go 
through all the available manuscripts and other authentic palm leaf 
versions, as he was not satisfied with the books so far published on the 
subject.  Our Swami heard that Sri U.Ve. Kothimangalam Gopalacharya was 
having some authentic palm leaf manuscripts of Upanishads.  (Sri 
Kothimangalam Swami was the Acharya for Vedanta Adhyayana for Sri.Swachandam 
Swami  under whom Our Swami studied Tarka at Madurantakam, and so, known to 
Our Swami.)  Our Swami approached  SrI U.Ve.Navalpakkam Narayanachar Swami, 
a renowned AGNI HOTRI, who was at that time visiting Kanchipuram, and 
requested him to help Our Swami to have access to the Palm Leaf manuscripts. 
  He readily agreed to do that immediately on his return to Navalpakkam.   a 
little later, Our Swami's son-in-law and disciple for Tarka Shastra, Sri. K. 
Sridharatatachar Swami of Kanchi, proceeded to Navalpakkam and secured the 
Palm Leaf manuscripts (through Sri Kotimangalam Swami's nephew Sri 
Viraraghavacharya, also called Seemachas Swami) and brought them to Madras.  
In addition to the above, Our Swami also went through the manuscripts at the 
famous Adyar Library.  Convinced that he had enough material, the work on 
Upanishads with the commentary called PARISHAKARA  progressed well.  The 
commentary Parishkara contains details like; the difference in the versions 
of Sri Madhwa and Sri Sankara; the merits and demerits of the different 
versions and whether it is advisable to deviate from the version in the 
"Bhashya" of Sri Saakshaat Swami, who was well known as "Upanishad 
Bhashyakara".  The Parishkara also contains certain new approaches to the 
study of Upanishads and full commentaries for the portions left out by the 
Upanishad Bhashyakara, which are quoted by some of the Acharyas in our 
Sampradaya books
To be continued..
AchAryan ThiruvadigaLE saraNam
Regards
Namo narayana
aDiyEn dAsan

_________________________________________________________________
MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: 
http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx



--------------------------------------------------------------
           - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
To Post a message, send it to:   bhakti-list@yahoogroups.com
Archives: http://ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/
 

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/