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Annamacharya

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Vijay_Srinivasan • July 31, 1997 


Dear Prapatti Group Members:

Recently in the Buffalo temple, Shri Kamisetty Founder-Director of
TTD-Annamacharya Foundation gave a series of lectures on Annamacharya and
his Kritis.  I thought I will briefly share some of the interesting things
I learned from the lecture.

Annamacharya belonged to the 15th-16th century.  He was the direct disciple
of Adivan Sadagopa Yatindra Maha Desikan.  He has composed in Sanskrit and
Telugu about 32,000 songs out of which about 12,000 are presently
available.

Annamacharya who was born in a smarta family was greatly influenced by the
hymns of Alwars.  He became an ardent devotee of Ramanujacharya and Vedanta
Desika.  He decided to have his Pancha Samskaram and from then on he
devoted his entire life in the service of Thiruvenkatamudaiyan in singing
his glories.  It seems some of his songs are verbatim translations of
Alwar's pasurams.  Some of his songs also echo, Swami Desikan's Daya
Satakam.

The Dakshina Sampradaya Bhajan Paddhathi has greatly borrowed from
Annamacharaya Kirtans. The "Thodayamangalam" section is completly filled
with Annamacharya Kirtans.  Eventhough I am a great fan of Dakshina
Sampradaya Bhajans, one thought always use to irk me viz.  How come
Sri-Vaishnavas have missed contributing to this wonderful sampradayam.  How
sadly I was mistaken!  After these lectures, the local organizer of the
sampradaya bhajan has decided to include the recitation of "Thaniyans" of
Ramanujacharya, Vedanta Desika and Manavala MAmunigal.  Once again I am of
the firm belief that there is no aspect of life that is not touched by
Ramanujacharya's philosophy.  It is complete by itself because central to
his philosophy is the identification of the Parama Purushan (Purna) as
Sriman Narayana.  In his own words the key to his philosophy is: "Sarvam
Samagnyasam iti".

Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan