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Kanchi VaradarAjan & some autobiographical reflections .

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • March 18, 1997 


Dear Fellow Devotees of Atthigiri AruLALan:

I appreciate very much Sri Viji Triplicane"s notes
related to my  postings on YathirAja Vimsathi .Thanks 
Sri Viji for your kaimkaryam as a devoted resident of
Thiru AllikENi and commentary on ParakAlan's Paasuram 
on the ParandhAman of Thiru AllikkENi . They are most
enjoyable . What all of us are doing is a form of Bhagavatha 
Kaimkaryam to reflect upon our kula dhanams and keep the
warmth of our memories about our illustrious sampradhAyams .

I am  going to be a little autobiographical in this posting.
Please do not mind me . Perhaps , this is one way for us to get 
to know each other a little more through  the cyber postings , which tend 
soem times to be impersonal and leads occasionally to peculiar
twists . Many of you have shared information on your backgrounds,
birth places , places of residence et al . I will share with you some 
thoughts on this special day .   

Today is my birthday . I am not being sentimental on this day .
I just wanted to share with you some of my blessings .
One of the blessed things that happened 
to me during June of 1995 was the invitation from Sri Krishna Kalale to join
the Bhakthi list managd by our Sri Mani .. That was a turining point 
in the sense that it was Bhagavath sankalpam to have 
the sadh sangam in this far off land from ThiruviNNagar . 

I was born on the day of Sri Oppiliappan's
Panguni uthsavam  (5th day ) , when the Lord steps out on 
Siriya Thiruvadi . The day was Panguni JyeshTA nakshathram (Kettai ).
Today , it may not be Kettai . But , my passport reminds me 
that this is my birthday according to English calendar .

I asked my father once why I was named Sadagopan .He said that  
the name was chosen because I was born  on the day of the janma 
nakshthram of the First Jeeyar of Ahobila Matam . I am glad to say that finally

I have been blessed to have the company of BhagavathALs here 
and have the benefit of intense enjoyment of our divya sookthis 
and AruLiccheyalgaLs at this home away from home . As you know , my
father's name is Sriman VaradAchariyAr . He was named after the 
Kanchi Nagareesan , Sri VaradarAjan by his father . Hence Kanchipuram 
and sthothrams on Sri Varadaraaja by His  athyantha BhakthAs like
Thirukkacchi Nambhi , Swami Deikan , MaNavALa Maamuni are very
important to me . I am glad that the posting related to the Uthsavam 
of Sri VaradarAjan brought such a sympathetic resonance in the minds 
of Sri Varadan , Sri ParthA and Sri Viji . I feel like one that has done his
duty
and extend the moment of enjoyment of the Lord's Garuda Sevai . 
Earlier Sri RengarAjan has written about the Divya Desam of ShoLingar
( Thirukkatigai/Sozha simha puram ) and ThoddAch Ar swamy 's blessings.
Sri Viji's postings added more to the understanding of the blessings of this
devoted bhaktha from  the Kanchipuram end .

I have never beem blessed so far to witness in person  the Garuda SevA at
Kanchi.
Few months back , I had a vivid dream in the early morning. I was standing
on a balcony in that dream and suddenly , I had the Darsanam of Sri VaradarAja
coming out of the West gopuram of Kanchipuram on the back of Garuda and
being offered KarpoorAratthi . It was thrilling . Theday before I had completed
a
lengthy article on Kanchi Divya Desam and Sri Varadaraaja Vaibhavam . 
What became clear to me was that the Lord gives his sankethams, 
if we consciously or unconsciously think of Him from wherever we are .
Many strage things happen to us. We are not blessed to have AchAram or 
anushtAnam . Inspite of this all , it seems that SaraNyan thinks of us 
in His own mysterious ways . That is all that matters to us as we go
about our daily lives ordained by Him with all its twists and turns..

Please do not read this posting as boastful or sentimental , but as 
a statement celebrating THe KaruNa Kataksham of the Divya Dampathis
and my special blessings to be part of this devout group .

I will conclude this unusual osting with the Suddha BangALa krithi
of Sadhguru ThyagarAja SwamigaL :

Palalvi :       TolinE jesina PujA palamu delisinu ; naapAli DaivmA 
Anupallavi : Paluvidhamulu nE dalachi karagagA 
                      palukaka neevatu kaaga
CharaNam : SarivaaralalO chowka jesi udhara poshakulanu 
                        pOruguna jesi 
                        Hari Daasa rahitha puramuna bhesi ;
                        dhari joopa kundaka , ThygarAjArchitha ( TolinE )

(Meaning ) : " It must be the effect of my (defective ) worship in
                         previous births that , although I have been thinking
and 
                         pining in several ways , You are irresponsive , myself
                         remaining here and YOURSELF THERE .You have left me
                         to the ridicule of my compeers , in aplace bereft of
your
                         devotees  and full of people , where only concern is to
live 
                         somehow , and You have not shown me a way out ."      

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan