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Sri U.Ve.Kannan Swamy's ascent to Parama Padham

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • March 30, 1999 


Dear BhakthAs and VaishNava Abhimanis :

I join with Sri Anbil Swamy in offering my humble
salutations to the great Sri Vaishnavite scholar and
Co-Founder and the President of Sri Ramanuja Mission 
here in USA ,U.Ve.Sri Kannan Iyengar Swamy . It is a shocking 
news .A giant tree has fallen .My heart felt condolences 
to the family members ( Sriman K.Kesavan and Srimathi Mythili Kesavan,
Swami's Mother, daughters and grand children ),Sri Nadadur Mathavan , 
Sri B.Jagannathan and others, who had the bhAgyam of kaalakshEpam 
on Srimadh Rahasya Thraya Saaram under this eminent VidvAn .

U.Ve.Puducheri Thattai KaNNan Iyengar Swamy was an inspiration
during his life time to many bhakthALs and will continue to be
a source of undiminishing inspiration for the generations that 
come after him by touching their lives and lighting the lamp
of jn~Anam about AzhwAr AchAryAL's Sri Sookthis in the most 
rigorous and authentic way as he learnt it from other great
giants like PutthankOttam Swamy , Melma NarasimhAchArya Swamy ,
ThirukkOshtiyUr Swamy , Utthamur Abhinava Desikan Swamy ,
MadhurAnthagam VeerarAghavAchAr Swamy and KarpangAdu 
VenkatachAr Swamy .What a scholastic lineage that was
crowned by having Srimadh Rahasya Thraya KalakshEpam 
not once , but six times under the holy feet of 
Parama padha vaasi Sri Thirukkudanthai Adavan ,
Sri KaNNan Swamy .Time and again , I missed the opportunity
to offer my prostrations at the feet of this great scholar 
and receive his blessings . As he has now taken up his
residence with mukthAs in Sri Vaikuntam , I seek his
aaseervaadhams as he begins his nithya Kaimkaryam
there to the Divya dampathis with vigor in the company
of his AchAryan and PoorvAchAryAs . 

To the yathisvarAs of PeriyAsramam of Srirangam ,
Sri Paadhukais of Sri RanganaathA are the most 
important refuge and objects of adoration 
following the way shown by Swami Desikan .
In respectful salutation to the memory of 
U.Ve.KaNNan Swamy and his illustrious AchArya 
Paramparai , I reflect upon the first and the last
slOkam of Sri PaadhukhA sahasram and pray for the 
anugraham of Srirangam Divya dampathis for the 
continuation of the kaimkaryam of Sri RaamAnujA mission ,
which has already distinguished itself by the release of 
the audio tapes of high quality on ChathusslOki, SthOthra
rathnam and the three gadhyams under the leadership of 
Sri Nadadur Madhavan. Sri KaNNan Swamy's inspiration and
guidance has led to the realization of another masterpiece 
of a set of tapes on the entire SthOthra granthams of
Swami Desikan at the Bridgewater Balaji Temple ,NJ
on April 24 during the RaamAnuja Jayanti celebrations
there .I am honored with the invitation toto receive 
the first tapes of this series from the blessed hands of 
Sri U.Ve.KaNNan Swamy there .Our SaraNya dampathis would not 
however wait to call back their dear Bhakthan until that time . 
I offer now my salutation to Sri U.Ve . KaNNan Swamy through
reflection on the first and the last PaadhukhA Sahasra SlOkams:

Santha: Sriranga Pruthveesa charaNa-thrANa sEkarA;
JAYANTHI bhuvanathrANa padha-pankaja rENava:
-- Sri PaadhukhA Sahasram : PrasthAva paddhathi, SlOkam 1 

(Meaning ) : Those mahAns , who bear with joy on their 
heads Sri Ranganathaa's sacred PaadhukhAs bless and protect 
the entire world through the dust associated with their
holy feet .Those MahAns are indeed worthy of deep adulation . 

Jayathi YathirAja Sookthi: 
Jayathi Mukundhasya PaadhukhA yugaLee
tadhubhaya dhana: thrivEdhim avandhayayanthO 
Jayanthi Bhuvi Santha :
-- Sri PaadhukhA Sahasram : Phala Paddhathi ,Slokam 1008 

anvaya Kramam : YathirAja Sookthi: jayathi ;Mukundhasya PadhukhA-
YugaLee Jayathi; Tadhubhaya dhanA: ThrivEdhim avandhyantha: 
bhuvi santha:jayanthi .

(meaning ) The VedAntha PrakAsaka granthams of Acharya
RaamAnujA are victorious in banishing nescience and
apramANams. The sacred paadhukhAs of Moksha Pradhan ,
Mukundhan are victorious in responding to our Prapathi 
anushtAnam through a SadhAchAryan . Both the Lord 
and His paadhukhAs ( NammAzhwAr )are resorted to by those 
Jaya seelAs , who consider the Lord and poorvachAryAs
starting from the Lord as the first among their AchArya-lineage . 
They win over samsaaric afflictions , while living on
His leelaa VibhUthi and at the time of shedding their
mortal coils attain His Nithya vibhUthi , obtain their 
sva-svarUpam , become akAma-vasyars and enjoy ParipUrNa
BrahmAnubhavam. 

Such a Mukthar is our U.Ve.Sri PuducchEri Thattai 
KaNNan Swamigal , who blessed us by sharing his 
vast knowledge of our sampradhAyam acquired through
rigorous studies under many AchAryAs .My salutations
to him on the time of his climbing the Paramapadha
sOpAnam and reaching Sri Vaikuntam .

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil Thattai VaradAchAri Sadagopan