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Re: Draft of Appeal

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Sadagopan • November 10, 1999 


Dear BhakthAs: 

On behalf of the International committee of Sri VaishNavAs
wishing to pay tribute to the great scholars of Bhagavath
RaamAnuja Darsanam , adiyEn would like to invite your attention
to the life and works of an illustrious MahAn , Sri U.Ve.
Thirumalai Ecchampadi (Madurantakakam ) Veeraragavachariar Swamy,
who shared the dais with giants of his times such as 
HH InjimEdu Azhagiya Singar, Utthamur Swamy , Putthankottam 
Swamy , Thirukkoshtiyur Sowmya Narayanacchar Swamy , 
Vangipuram Navaneetham Krishnamachar Swamy ,HH Devanarvilagam
Azhagiya Singar and others .

Parama Padhavaasi  Sri Maduratakam Veraragavacchar Swamy 's
centernary will be celebrated at Srirangam in March 2000 .
This mahan was prolific in his writings and shared his 
immense knowledge with fellow Sri Vaishnavas at every
level . Many articles of Swamy are in the earlier issues
of Nrusimha Priya . During the forthcoming cenetenary celebrations,
the many monographs will be reissued and there will be
a Vidvath sadas at Srirangam presided over by HH Poundarikapuram
Sri Gopala Desika Maha Desikan . The committe invites all 
of you to particpate in this MahOthsavam and requests 
you to support this kaimkaryam , which is our way of 
celebrating the life and message of a great Sri Vaishnavite
scholar and savant.

Sri Madhuranthakam Veeraragavachar Swamy was the Thiruvadi
( Sishya rathnam ) of the great Garudapuram Swamy belonging
to the Ecchampadi Vamsam . HH Garudapuram Swamy hails from 
the lineage of Ecchampadi Aacchan , one of the seventy four
simhAsanadhipathis appointed by Acharya Raamanuja himself.
Ecchampadi Acchan was known as Srinivasa Purohitha for
the construction of champaka praakaram and Hema Koopam 
for Lord Srinivasan at Thirumalai and Purana , manthra Pushpa, 
Panchaanga patanam for Thirumalaiappan daily . AchArya Ramanuja
initiated Ecchampadi Acchan into Nrusimha Manthram
and Naarasimha Taapaneeyopanishad as well . Such is 
the glory of the lineage of Madhuranthakam Veeraraghavachar 
swamy's Acharyan and his sishya paramparai coming from
the Ecchampadi Vamsam. 

AdiyEn will be writing later about the AchArya sathakam 
and AchArya mangaLam for the Garudapuram Swamy to pay tribute 
to the AchAryan of Mashuranthakam Veeraraghavachar Swamy . 
Other members of the committee and scholars from India 
will be contributing articles to pay our reverence to this
giant of a scholar , Sriman Madhuranthakam Veeraraghavacchar 
Swamy during the next few weeks. We appeal to you to support
this kaimkaryam ot the best of your ability .Thanks in advance .  

Subhamasthu ,
Pramaathi Sukla Paksha Dhvitheeyai
Daasan, Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan 

*************************************************
  
      Sri U. Ve. Mahavidvan Madurantakam T.E Veeraraghavachariar Swamy
                            Centenary Celebration


                                   AN APPEAL

    In the spiritual history of India, Sri Ramanujacharya's Ubhaya or
two fold Vedanta has far-reaching importance.  The genius of Sri
Ramanuja lay in showing the unity of the Vedas and the Sanskrit
scriptures  with the mystic hymns of the Alvars. Sri Ramanuja 
chose 74 of his disciples and appointed them as "Simhasana Adhipatis",
messengers to continue the propagation of his philosophy. 
One of them was Ecchambadi Acchaan.  To this distinguished
and scholarly family belonged Sri U. Ve. Thirumalai Ecchambadi
Veeraraghavacharya Swami, who carried aloft the great spiritual
tradition of Bhagavad Ramanuja in this century.

    Sri Veeraraghavacharya Swami was born on February 28, 1900, under
the nakshatra 'Avittam'. His father was Sri T.E. Krishnamachariar, the
first Tirthakaarar of Sri Kodanda Rama Swami temple at Madurantakam.
Swami had his education in Sanskrit at his native place and soon
gained enviable proficiency in the Vedas.  At the same time, he also
mastered the 4000 verses of the Divya Prabandham.  He then specialized
in Nyaya Sastra (logic) at the renowned Rajah's college under the
eminent vidvan Sri U.Ve. Swacchandam Swamy.  Subsequently, Swami
learnt Sribhashyam, Gita Bhashyam, Srimad Rahasya Traya Saaram and
Arayirappadi (Bhagavad Vishayam) under Sri Sri Paramahamsa
Parivrajaka Garudapuram Swami.  He also studied Tattva Mukta Kalaapam 
from Sri U. Ve. Goshtipuram Sowmya Narayanacharya Swami.

    Fully trained by eminent vidvans in the shastras, Sri Madurantakam
Swami took a position as professor of Nyaya in Rajah's College.  For
nearly three decades, hundreds of students benefitted from his deep
knowledge of Nyaya, ubhaya Vedanta, and Mimamsa.

    After his retirement in 1955, Sri Madurantakam Swami settled down
in Srirangam, following the tradition of countless acharyas of Sri
Vaishnavism from Nathamuni onwards who made this pilgrim centre their
place of Jnana Yoga.  He was associated with the Sri Ranganatha Paduka
Vidyalaya as a teacher during these days.  Always in demand for
scholarly congregations, he was scintillating as a powerful debater.
His expositions were clear and to the point.  Blessed with a
prodigious memory, he could effortlessly recall scriptural sources 
to convey the message of his arguments.

    Recognizing his accomplishment in all aspects of Ubhaya Vedanta,
including the tenets and texts of both subschools, Sri Madurantakam
Swami became the President of the Srimad Ubhaya Vedanta Prachaara Sabha
in Srirangam, founded by Sri Tridandi Sriman Narayana Ramanuja Jeeyar
Swami in 1963.

    A prolific writer on the philosophy and literature of Sri
Vaishnavism, Swami contributed regularly to journals such as Sri
Vedanta Dipika, Sri Nrusimha Priya and Sri Ranganatha Paduka.  Among
his works are:

   1. Tamil translation of Anumana Adhyaya (Chapter on Inference)
      of Nyaya Parisuddhi of Vedanta Desika.
   2. Tamil commentary on Desika's Nyasa Tilakam.
   3. Tamil rendering of Desika's "Raksha" commentary on Alavandar's
      Gitartha Sangraha.
   4. Sri Sampradaya Sudha.
   5. Sanskrit rendering of Tirumangai Alvar's Siriya Tirumadal.
   6. NikAsha Sata Dushani.
   7. Tamil commentary on Jitante Stotram.
   8. Tamil Commentary on Desika's Abhiti Stava and Sri Stuti.

     The birth centenary of this great acharya falls on March 4, 2000
(Maasi Avittam).  Special programs are being planned for this day, as
this auspicious occasion would provide the right atmosphere for the
dissemination of Sri Vaishnava ideas.

    To celebrate the centenary in a fitting manner, the "Sri
U. Ve. Mahavidvan Madurantakam T.E.  Veeraraghavachariar Swami
Satabdhi Mahotsava Committee" has been set up as a central organizing
body under the benedictory presidentship of Sri Sri Paravakkottai
Andavan, Srimad Paramahamsa  ParivrAjaka PaRavakkOttai Gopaladesika 
Mahadesikan of Srimad Poundrikapuram Andavan Asramam, Srirangam.

     In keeping with the life and teachings of Sri Madurantakam Swami,
a broad outline of activities for the celebrations has been drawn up
as below:

   1. Recitation of Vedas, the Divya Prabhandham, Sribhasyam,
      Gita Bhashyam, Srimad Rahasya Traya Saaram and Bhagavad Vishayam
   2. Vidvat Sadas for five days.
   3. Discourses by eminent scholars in the evenings.
   4. Publishing the collected works of Sri Madurantakam Swami.
   5. Tadiyaradhana for all the participants during the five days.

    To add lustre to this celebration of Sri Ramanuja Darsana, all the
Yati Sreshtas of our Sampradaya will be invited to participate in the
celebrations.  Each scholar is to be given around Rs. 1000 as
sambhavana and travel expenses.  The total cost for the entire
celebration is estimated to be Rs. 10 lakhs.

    We earnestly appeal to all Sri Vaishnavas to come forward with
liberal donations to this noble cause in order to pay a fitting
tribute to the great contributions of Sri Madurantakam Swami to the
Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya.

    Donations can be sent to any one of the following committee
members.  Contributors residing in the USA/Canada can make their
checks payable to SMSA, Inc.  These contributions are
tax-deductible. Contributors at Singapore can send their checks to
Shri Madhava Kannan.  At the end of each month (Nov., Dec., Jan., and
Feb.,) the checks will be sent to SMSA for issuing a consolidated
check to the Satabdhi celebration committee.

    For those who make contributions at $100 (US) level, as a token of
appreciation, copies of Yatiraja Saptati by Sri Poundarikapuram Andavan
Swami (7 cassettes) will be given.  If you are making contributions
at the $150 level, a complete set (about 20 casettes) of Upanyasams
recorded under the "popularization of Vedanta Desika project" will be
given as a compliment.

With respects:


International   Fund   Raising  committee  for  
Madurantakam  Swami's  Centenary Celebration 


V.Sadagopan
Apt. 68-1
Scarborough Manor
Scarborough, NY 10510

S. Vijayaraghavan
99 Kingsview Road
Williamsville, NY 14221

Hemmige vachaspati(Mani Varadarajan )
326 Frederick St
San Fransisco , CA 94117

Muralidhar Rangaswamy
37 Briarwood lane, Apt#9
Marlborough , MA 01752

Madhavakkannan vasudevan
Block 130 # 06-255
Yishun Street , 11
Singapore 760130