abhinava dESika- SrI UttamUr Swamy Divya Charitham- 19

[Guest guest]

SrI:

Sri Padmavathi Sametha Srinivasa Parabrahmane Namaha.

Sri Perundhevi Sametha Devadhiraja Parabrahmane Namaha.

SrimathE Bhagavad Ramanujaya Namaha:

SrimathE Nigamantha Mahadesikaya namaha:

Srimate Rangaramanuja Maha Desikaya Namaha.

Srimate Abhinava Desika Vatsya Satchakravarti Uttamur SRI

VIRARAGHAVARYA MAHA DESIKAYA NAMAHA

 

SrImAn venkatanAthAryaH kavitArkika kesarI |

vedAntAcArya-varyome sannidhattAm sadA hRdi ||

 

Thanian (Invocatory verse on Sri UttamUr swamy written by

Swamy's AchAryan Sri Kozhiyalam Swamy himself)

 

adbhutam yasya vikrAntam vEda vIthI ViSOdhanE |

aparam nigamAntAryam prapadyE vIrarAghavam ||

 

[Article in Tamil by SrI PayyampADi VEnkatavaradAchArya SwAmi; English write

up (based on Tamil) by SrI R.VenkatAchAri (SohattUr- Vankipuram -Oppiliappan

Sannidhi), a disciple of SrI UtthamUr SwAmi. Appeared in the souvenir

released during the SatAbhishEkam (80th birth anniversary) of SrI UtthamUr

swAmi on 10th Feb, 1977]

 

A few days after the starting of the Kalakshepa Goshti, Sri.K.Bhashya

(Ex-Minister) came to Our Swami, as promised by him during the

Tiruppavai Upanyasam, and paid his homage to Our Swami. The he

expressed his desire to study our Sidhanta Granthas under Our Swami

but regretted that he could not join the regular Kalakshepa Goshti.

Any other time, either in the morning or in the evening would be

convenient for him. Our Swami told in private that the granthas

should be studied only in the Acharya-Sishya relationship and that he

was not in the habit of including persons with a cropped head and hair style

in his Kalakshepa Goshti and so regretted his inability to grant his

request. But Sri.K.Bhashyam said that it would be enough if a general

lecture was given to him. Our Swami told in private that he had seen even

great lawyers could not get the correct meaning if they had not studied the

grantha before him word by word under a fully qualified Acharya which could

be done only in a regular Sampradaya method.

 

He advised him that as he was so keen on learning the intricate truths of

our Sidhanta, and as the cropped head and hair style was not necessary for

him as had retired from active service as

a Minister and that as a lawyer he could conveniently remove the crop

without detriment to his profession. He finally advised him to think

over the matter and decide. Otherwise if he accepted him as it is in the

Kalakshepa Goshti, people would accuse him that he had sacrificed his

principles, for the sake of money. He went home and after a few days agreed

to abide by the advice of Our Swami and came back with the proper hair style

(sikhA) and dress acceptable in Our Sampradaya. Our Swami was very much

pleased and started Sri Bhashya Kalakshepa. It is only the God’s wish that

Sri K.Bhashyam changed his mind, as otherwise Our Sampradaya would have lost

a Patron and well wisher of Our Swami, and one who did a great kainkarya in

spreading the granthas of Our Swami. He was so keen on learning the granthas

and he was an advocate, it was easy for him to grasp the meanings easily.

 

He used to regret that he did not have the good fortune to start the

Kalakshepa at least ten years earlier, so that by this time, much could have

been achieved. He completed Srimad Rahasya Traya Sara, Gita Bhashya in

addition to the Sri Bhashya which he did first. By this time, he had gained

enough knowledge and confidence and with Our Swami’s blessings and

encouragement translated Sri Bhashyakara’s Vedanata Deepa, Gitartha

Sangraha, Saranagati Gadya with the commentary of Srutaprakasikacharya and

Vishnu Sahasra Namavali. Our Swami used to admire his patience when he sat

with him to correct his translation, in spite of his old age and possessing

only one eye functioning. In the middle of the Kalakshepa of Srimad Rahasya

Traya Sara, he wanted to undergo Bharanyasa under Our Swami; but Our Swami

took him to his Revered Acharya, Srimad Rangaramanuja Maha Desika and made

him undergo the Bharanyasa.

 

Our Swami was at that time staying in New Mambalam and as he flet that West

(Old) Mambalam would be more suitable for his Anushtana and so shifted his

residence. But after staying there for some time, he

found out that New Mambalam was also equally good with added

facilities for sishyas to come easily. So he shifted back to New

Mambalam (T.Nagar). Wherever he stayed, the sishyas erected pandal

(shelter) for conducting the Kalakshepa. It took two years to finish the

Kalakshepa of Srimad Rahasya Traya Sara and Tiruvoimozhi Bhagavad

Vishaya.

 

In the meanwhile, Manuscript Library authorities requested Our Swami

to scrutinize and make it fit for printing, the book “Nayadyumani” by

Srimad Meghanadari. It is an argumentative type of grantha and the

subject discussed and argued are mostly found in Sri Bhashya. The

authorities were very much satisfied with the scrutiny and requested

Our Swami to write a Forward for that. They gave him full freedom on

the volume of the forward and agreed to print all that would be

written. The foreword written by Our Swami went to more than 100 pages and

as promised they printed the entire lot. All agreed that the Foreword

definitely improved the value of the book. The Foreword

contained, in essence, the Visistadvaita Siddhanta, the SarIrAthma

Bhava and the same was explained by quoting many Shastras. Our Swami

explained there that how the Sariratma Bhava was special to Our

Sidhanta and how other Sidhantas lack the essence of all Shastras by

not accepting the Sariratma Bhava. It also explained the basic

differences in approach to the subject by the author and Sri Desika.

The author of the grantha was a predecesor to Sri Desika and belonged

to the Vamsa Parampara of Somasiandan, the nephew of Sri Bhashyakara.

Sri U.Ve.D.T.Swami while reviewing the book had written that the

Forward of Our Swami, by itself, was fit to be treated as a separate

grantha of importance.

 

Coming back to Our Swami’s publishing activities, which remained as

the main structure and core of Our Swami’s career, Chandogyopanishad

was published with Parishkara commentary while Our Swami was in

Tirupati. After coming to Madras, Brihadaranyaka, Svetaswara and

other Upanishads, though printed in Tirupati. The proof was sent to

Madras for correction and was finished in Tirupati. To satisfy the

request of many Astikas, Tiruppavai with the Raksha commentary was

also printed and published and well received by everybody.

Within a year after Our Swmai came to Madras, Sri.V.V.Swami passed

away. Our Swami lost a good well-wisher and the Sidhanta lost a good

Patron. Sri.D.R.Swami, after many granthas of Our Swami got

published, used to say that it was a pity that Sri V.V.Swami was not

alive to rejoice over the wonderful publications, Our Swami was giving to

Our Sampradaya. Sri V.V.Swami’s absence was, in a way, not felt very much

as Sri.D.R.Swami, Sri.K.Bhashyam, Sri V.T.R.Swami and others were taking a

lot of interest in the publications. Due to the efforts of Sri G.Rangaswami

Iyengar Swami, the book “Bhavaprakasika” was printed at Tirupati Devastanam

Press. During this time,

Mahamahopadyaya, Brahmsri, Anantakrishna Sastriar, wrote, a book

called “Sata Bhooshani” which is a khandana grantha for Sri Desika’s

“Sata Dhooshani”. To respect the wishes of Sri U.Swami, and to obey

the commands of his Revered Acharya, Our Swami agreed to write a return

khandana for Sata Bhoosahni’, but could not start immediately due to the

work in hand.

AchAryan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo Narayana

ADiyEn Dasan

 

 

_______________

MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos:

http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx