Bhakti List Archives

Status report and final appeal: InjimEttu Azhagiya Singhar's 120th Birthday celebration MahOthsavam at ThiruveLLUr

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • Sun Jan 24 1999 - 13:17:15 PST 


Sri:
Srimate Sri Lakshminrusimha Parabrahmane nama:

Dear BhakthAs :I had the BhAgyam of inviting your attention
to the ongoing second Shashtiyabdha pUrthi uthsavam of 
the great savant of Sri VaishNavism , Sri InjimEttu 
Azhagiya Singhar , whose contributions to nourish the 
roots of the tree of Bhagavadh RaamAnuja SiddhAntham 
has few parallels in the last 120 years. His unique 
contributions have been covered in my earlier postings .

Nine of us have responded to generate $387 so far 
as a result of this appeal inspite of the lack of a lead
time in knowing about it. Before we conclude this appeal ,
May I take the liberty of suggesting that you consider 
contribtuing 5 or 10$ each or whatever you can as your 
testimonial for the great life and message that is enshrined 
in the Institutions that this great AchAryan has left behind 
:mathurAnthakam  Veda PaatasAlai , Nrusimha priyA journal , 
adhyAthma Granthams and Annual Vedaantha Vidvath Sadas ;
in short , the enormity of his contributions through 
personal example , vaatsalyam , achAram, anushtAnam ,
and Kaimkaryam to Sri VaishNavA community is extraordinary .
The least we can do is to offer our modest samarpaNam 
to the incomparable riches that he has left behind 
so that our modest contributions can help sustain
these irreplacable kaimkaryams . 

You can send your Tax deductible contributions 
still to Sri P.Dileepan at 1908 Presswood Drive ,
Hixson, TN 37343 . Thanks to all those , who have 
come forward and  supported this Kaimkaryam 
even in these times , when all of us are reeling under 
the impact of many legitimate requests for support 
for worthy Sri VaishNavite causes from Indai 
and here .  

The recent issue of Nrusimha PriyA has the salutations 
of many mahAns , who have ascended the AchArya SthAnams later 
as well as from great Sri VaishNavite Scholars , whose
lives were made sacred through association with this 
ParamAchAryan .

I will assemble this information to illustrate his 
greatness as documented by the above stalwarts of
the Sri sampradhAyam such as ThirukkOttiyur Swami ,
PutthamkOttakam Swamy , Maharishi VaasudEvAcchAr Swamy ,
H.H. the 44th Jeeyar MukkUr Azhagiya Singhar 
(nephew of this Mahaan ), who built the southern gOpuram for 
Sri RanganAthA , Villivalam NaarAyaNAcchAr Swamy 
(the brother of the Current H.H.the 45th Jeeyar of AhObila Mutt ),
UttamUr VeeraraghavAcchAr Swamy ,NavalpAkkam Iyaa 
DevanAthArya Swamy ,MadhurAnthakam VeerarAghavAcchAr 
Swamy ,Kaanchi PrathivAdhi Bhayankaram AnnangarAcchAr 
Swamy  and a host of other Vaikunta Vaasis .

The All-around Maadhuryam of this MahAn
****************************************

During the time of the InjimEttu Azhagiya Singhar , 
Mukkur Sri RajagOpAlAcchAr Swamy ( who ascended 
the AchArya Peetam of AhObila Matam later as H.H , 
the 44th Jeeyar ) was an AarAdhakar at MukkUr Ahobila Matam .
He paid a moving tribute about the Madhuram aspects
of his AchAryA's AchAryA . 

Madhuram is a Sanskrit word with many meanings:
Sweet , pleasant , agreeable , most enjoyable ,lovely ,
mellifluous , charming ,nectarine et al. To understand 
the significance of this word , we have to go 
to the works of the great master KaaLi Daasa 
and his Kaavyams .H.H. the 44th Jeeyar composed 
the following  tribute in nostalgic rememberance of
the Madhura Samvidh SvarUpam of H.H the 42nd Jeeyar
from InjimEDu :

vadhanam madhuram vachanam madhuram
gamanam madhuram jn~Anam madhuram 
vasithA madhurA VaaNi madhurA 
Ranga SatArE: Sakalam Madhuram 

The Aasrama Naamam of the InjimEttu Jeeyar is
saluted in the fourth paadham : Sri Ranga SatAri 
standing for Sriranga Sri Ranganathath SatakOpa 
YathIndhra mahA Desikan.

VADHANAM Madhuram :This Jeeyar is known for a beautiful 
face adorning an unforgettable smile . He welcomed every one 
to Sri MalOlan's Sannidhi with sumukham . From children to
MahA VidvAns , he displayed an even temperament and 
inquired about their Yoga KshEmams and encouraged
them to get involved with our great sampradhAyam .

VACHANAM Madhuram : His UpanyAsa style (saili ) was
sweet even when he was treading over controversial points 
in the VidvAn's assemblies that he had called for
to preserve and the grow our great tradition .
His achanam was like the shower of nectar.

GAMANAM madhuram : His travel to divya dEsams and the enjoyment 
of the SaraNya dampathis there , his slow movement of his eyes 
(taking it all in ) at the sannidhis to enjoy 
the soundharyam of the divya dampathis from the Peetam 
to the KirItam of the Lord with the accompaniment of AzhwAr's
prabhnadhams and AchAryA's sthOthrams had few comparisons.   
There was no hurry , whatsoever during those occasions .
His recitation of Sri VarardarAja Sthavam and Panchakam at
Kaanchi PeraruLALan's  sannidhi in his sweet voice was 
a treat . One remembered AlavandhAr , Thirukkacchi Nampi ,
RaamAnujA ,NadAdhUr ammAL ,ApuLLAr and Swami Desikan 's
mangaLAsAsanams at those times .His Prapatthi(upAya anushtAnam )
was performed by his AchAryA , SrimushNam SwarNam Swami ,
right in front of Kaanchi VaradarAja PerumAL . 

JN~AANAM Madhuram : After mastering the SaamAnya Saasthrams 
( Tarkam , MImAmsam, VyAkaraNam , JyOthisham ) , H.H. 
the 42nd Jeeyar readied himself for the study of VedhAntha 
Saasthrams ( Sri BhAshyam et al ), VichAra Saasthrams 
( NyAya Parisuddhi , SarvArtha Siddhi, Tattva Muktha Kalaapam )
thru KaalakshEpams .

His expertise in Sri Bhaashyam , and the other three KaalakshEpa 
granthams , Divya prabhandham , Ahnika Granthams and 
sookshmArthams related to them were legendary . With the choicest
blessings of Jn~Anam bestowed by Sri Lakshmi Narasimhan ,
his AaarAdhana mUrthy , he trained an illustrious 
series of AcharyAs including the current Jeeyar of
Sri Ahobila Mutt and instilled high standards for
scholarship in every one of them to enhance their 
Kaimkarya Sri to our dear SampradhAyam.

VASITHAA madhuram : His vasIkaraNa sakthi to 
gather around him great scholars and simple
people alike was legendary . 

VAANI Madhuram : The timbre of his voice was one of
the sweetest .His sangItha Jn~Anam was very well
developed and he used to render the slOkams 
of sthOthrams in different rAgAs like Hamsadhvani 
et al . 

Ranga SatArE's Sarvam Madhuram :After attempting to 
remember with affection the MaadhUryam of the face ,
smile , speech , Jn~Anam and VasIkaraNam , the poet 
( H.H the 44th Jeeyar ) gives up further description
of the multi-fceted maadhUryam of his ParamAchAryan 
and concludes with a statement : All aspects of 
Sriranga Sri Ranganatha SatAri is nothing but Madhuram . 

Concluding prayers to this great AchAryA
*****************************************

Now , I will remember with revenrence the tributes paid by 
two great Sri VaishNavite Scholars of H.H. the 42nd Jeeyar :

Sriranga satajith yOgIDahObila MaDAdhipa:
JeeyAdh akhila kalyANa guNa rathnaakarO MahAn
-- Sri U.Ve. NavalpAkkam DevanAthArya Swamy 

(Meaning ): May the Ahobila Matam's Jeeyar ,
Sriranga Sriranganaatha SatakOpa Muni,known 
for his infinite auspicious attributes like
the ocean full of brilliant gems be victorious 
forever !

SampUrNO Narasimha divya krupayA jEjIyathAm sarvathA
-- Sri U.Ve. PutthankOttakm SrinivAsAcchArya Swamy 

(Meaning ): May Sriranga SriranganAtha
SatakOpa Yatheesvarar be victorious everywhere 
and every times through the unlimited grace of
Sri LakshmI Nrusimhan .

yassanthatham VakuLa bhUshaNa vaangmarandhai:
Sri BhAshya Sookthi sura sindhu gnarAvagAhai:

VedAntha desika vachOmrutha dhArayA cha
Kaalam nayanthyanuhinam kamanIya seela :
-- Sri U.Ve .PitthakOttam SrinivAsAchArya Swami

(Meanings of the above two slOkams ): This mahAn of 
most charming righteous attributes passes his time 
tasting the makarandham of the divya prabhandhams of 
NammAzhwAr's Bhagavadh Vishayam , immersing himself in 
the nectarine fountain of the Sri BhAshyam of AchArya
RaamAnujA , and in the amrutha shower of the Sri Sookthis
of Swami Sri Desikan .

Sri PutthankOttam Swami concludes his tributes 
with a mangaLa slOkam with a prayer that the glory
of Sriranga SriranganAtha SatakOpa YathIsvarar 
last as long as there are stars and the Moon 
and recognizes this great AchAryA as the One ,
who acquired sarva mangaLams as a result of
the most merciful katAkshams of Sri Lakshmi
Narasimhan falling on him .

AzhwAr , Acharyan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,
AdiyEn , Oppiliappan Koil VaradachAri Sadagopan