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asmadhAchAryan SathAbhishEkam special- 3

From the Bhakti List Archives

Madhavakkannan V • March 28, 2001 


SrI:
SrImathE Gopaladesika Mahadesikaya Namah:

Dearest Srivaishnavas,

During Kaliyugam, where can one go and pay obeisance to the Lord? No need to 
worry. There is a Divya Desam (#1 Diya Desam), Srirangam, surrounded by the 
divine river Cauveri (purer than even the river Ganges- per ThoNdaradippodi 
AzhwAr) where Lord Sri Ranganthan reclines most mercifully on the bed of 
AdhisEshan. Groups and groups of devotees flock to the Lotus Feet of Lord 
Sri Ranganathan and SathsampradAya YathishrEshtars have established their 
Ashramams and mutts in the bank of Cauveri at Srirangam at the feet of the 
Lord.

Among these Ashramams and mutts, the center “kausthubha maNi” like Ashramam 
is asmadhAchAryan Srimad Poundarikapuram Andavan Ashramam. This Ashramam was 
adorned by the seers and saints at the feet of the greatest seer Srimad 
ParamahamsEdhyAthi Sri Srinivasa Mahadesikan, (the jnAna, vairAgya, 
anushTAna sEvathi Srimad PeriyANdavan, the mukkOl muni).. Having the same 
name, Sri Srinivasa Mahadesikan (Srimad Poundarikapuram Andavan), 
considering him as the personification of eternal servitude at the feet of 
Srimad PeriyANdavan Himself, established this great Ashramam.

The entire srivaishnava community and the whole world knows that AchAryas 
having crystal clear jnAnam, blemishless, faultless anushTAnam, and 
tremendous virakthi have occupied the pristinely pure seat as the beaconing 
light in this Ashramam. Let us try to contemplate and be blessed to enjoy 
few great truths about this Ashramam.

1.	“Kaliyum kedum kaNdu koNmin”- Swamy NammAzhwAr had happily announced 
this. Even today, one can see the truth of this statement of Sri SaTakOpar 
in this Ashramam.
2.	 Srivaishnavan always considers YogakshEmam. He always wishes the well 
being of the entire humanity, nay, all beings, even. That too- 
YathishrEshtars always are selfless and think of othersÂ’ welfare only at all 
times. Out of such YathishrEshtars, the eldest among them, the greatest 
among them in terms of anushtAnam, jnAnam, VairAgyam etc., is our AchAryan 
YathishrEshtar Sri ParavaakOttai Andavan Sri Gopaladesika Mahadesikan Swamy. 
He has understood clearly that only VaidhIka anushtanams are the protection 
and savours for this world and if one slips and does not adhere to his 
anushtanam, then it does not do any good to the entire world itself.

3.	Commensurate with His jnAnam, this AchArya saarvabhouman shines with His 
anushtAnam also. Not only does He adhere and follow the vaidhIka 
anushTAanams and karmas; also does He instruct, order and command all His 
disciples (who (on their own) come to His Lotus feet with a desire to learn, 
get initiated and have AchArya sambhandham) to follow the karma anushtAnams 
in accordance with saasthrAs; - the manner in which He does this (making 
sure that the disciple commit to doing karma anushtAnams) is to be cherished 
in our minds.

4.	AchinOthihi saashthrArtthAn AchArE sthApayathyapi/ swayam AchArathE 
yasmAth thasmAth AchArya uchyathE…// .. “Not only does He preach these 
saasthrArthams; He practices what he preaches. (The term AchArya implies: 
one who acquires jnAnam by the study of saasthrAs (sacred texts); AND who by 
way of imparting this jnAnam to others makes them adopt the religious life 
as laid down the saasthrA- says Sri SMS Chari in his book on “Vaishnavism”)

5.	When we enter into this Ashramam, the first one that welcomes us is: the 
Board which advises us to wash our hands, feet before entering. Not only is 
there a board; also there is a water tap to do the same. Such facilities are 
so nicely provided by AchAryan. There is a saying in the saasthrAs that 
Kalipurushan enters through a dirty toe.. (or heel).. The most merciful 
asmadhAchAryan never ever allows that purushan to enter through anyone into 
this Ashramam. Thus, this is an Ashramam where Kali has NOT YET entered 
into.

6.	 All Vaishnavites are firm in their understanding of saasthrAs that they 
should never abstain from doing the most essential basic nithya karma i.e. 
sandhyAvandhanam. This MahAchAryan always advises those who come to the 
Ashramam not to leave this nithyakarmA. One who does not do sandhyAvandhanam 
and who has stopped doing the same, gets deprived of and disqualified from 
doing any vaidIka karma afterwards. He cannot even enter the temple. He has 
nithya theettu. He becomes karma chaNDALan. He becomes dirty forever. There 
is also a board that pierces our conscience and advises firmly, saying: “I 
have performed sandhyAvandhanam. Only after performing sandhyAvandhanam, I 
am entering into this place”  This is an excellent strategy (which is 
currently being followed in most of first class Management Schools.. as 
Leadership covenants.. and Quality Policy etc..  AchAryan has done it by 
displaying this board what cannot be done even by saying hundred times, by 
letting their conscience speak to him. Kali had promised and assured to 
ParIkshit MaharAjan that he will never ever touch those Brahmins who follow 
their karmAnushtAnams. Thus, in this way too, Kali has not entered into this 
Ashramam..

7.	asmadhAchAryan does not expect any wealth, or money or fruits; nor does 
He expect them to be from high lineage, or of high education, etc. All that 
He wants from those who prostrate at His Lotus Feet to get His munificent 
blessings is: they should be doing trikAla sandhyAvandhanam without fail. If 
they say,, “Yes. I am doing trikAla sandhyAvandhanam”, then He gets really 
happy and showers His vailakshaNya kataaksham with paripoorNa aseervAdhams 
(fullest Blessings). He also accepts what they offer be they fruits, money 
etc. Also He asks them as to what they want the money or materials to be 
done with. He spends for the same kaimkaryams, which they desire. He never 
enforces His thiruvuLLam on it. If someone does not do trikAla 
sandhyAvandhanam, He does not even ACCEPT their offerings. He does not even 
see their offerings and asks them to give to some sannidhi (He tells them 
without hurting them).

8.	Also He addresses them saying “If at all you are coming in future, you 
should do sandhyAvandhanam daily without fail. Then I can accept what is 
offered. “. He does not stop with that. He also gives with his Blessings, a 
very simple book which gives in great detail how to do sandhyAvandhanam. 
Achamanam and praaNAyAmams are repeated as many times as one needs to do in 
a sandhyAvandhanam. There is no need to refer back even. Those who have not 
been doing trikAlasandhyAvandhanams for years together will not even be able 
to pronounce those words. For these people, He has organized for teaching 
them from basics and with meanings - through study centers (being run by Sri 
C Seshadri Swamy at Chennai at more than ten places and by Sri MS Hari at 
Singapore). There are many now who perform sandhyAvandhanam without fail 
after studying in these centers. With such an AchAryan, who does not look 
for wealth or money; but only for sishyAs performing nithyakarmAnushtAnams 
withot fail, there can be NO WAY that Kali purushan can enter into this 
Ashramam at all.

Let us pay our obeisance at the Lotus feet of this AchArya saarvabhouman 
Srimad ParavaakkOttai Andavan Sri Gopaladesika Mahadesikan Swamy and greet 
Him to live for hundred more years. Youngsters need not worry as to where to 
go for salvation in these cruel days of Kali yugam. It is Srimad 
Poundarikapuram Andavan Ashramam.

The above is a translation from Tamil article written by Sri U Ve Mannargudi 
Rajagopalacharyar Swamy. Anything good is due to his article. All errors of 
faults are mine.

AchAryan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Narayana Narayana
adiyEn Narayana dAsan madhavakkannan

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