tka greatness
TRANSCRIPT
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Greatness of Thirukudanthai Andavan in bringing out the picture of Katandethi Andavan
Say Some twenty Three years back suddenly I developed the great reverence to my Great Grandfather H H KaTandethi Andavan Swami. First I was sitting in my old Kumbakonam House ( which was built by Swami ) and I slept there ( It is the great Bhagyam and our fortune to reside in the same house which my Great
Grandfather used to live) , I was in very depressed mood and I was alone, then all of a sudden a yathi appeared and started talking to me, I was totally stunned in seeing a Old Yathi, he blessed me and told why don’t you evoke me by your prayer and instructed me to Chant his name Srimath Srinivasa Ramanuja Maha Desikan . I was totally confused at sudden happenings, I did not know what to do and I was afraid and I got up drank water and slept again .Next day at dinner time I narrated my dream My Spinster aged Athai Late Komalavalli Ammal (She was my friend, Philosopher and guide), Then she told he is none other than your Great
grandfather who was a very great Yathi.
Then I started my R & D about my Andavan Tha‐tha, First I told my mission to My another Aunty Smt Ambhujam Ammal who was our tenant (She is my Aunty and mother of my cousin Ravi Ranganathan (Reliance) of Mumbai, he is active member of Dombivilli Andavan Ashram),She made her son Sridhar Anna (my another cousin) climb the top loft and we both ramified through the old trunk of his maternal Grandfather which contained Old Picture of KaTandethi Andavan in Bheema Ratham. But it was also an old Pic. (The copy of the picture you can find in the link http://www.pbase.com/svami/image/67872689 (Courtesy Thanks to my dear well wisher Sri Mukund of Singapore and Sri Diwakar of Bangalore for hosting the pictures.). But it was in Bheema Ratham.
Then I befriended one Tha ‐tha who was my neighbor, he had huge treasure of Old Narasimhapriya, Ranganatha Paduka and all the Souvenirs brought out on Special occasion by Sri Vaishnava Mutt's. I barrowed them and started my research for H H Picture. I was disappointed in every book all Andavans Picture will be there, and in the middle a blank page
with Katandethi Andavans Dhaniyan , and no photo , (He is the Sixth Acharya in the lineage), I was very
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disappointed , but GOD is not very cruel, In the Book of Andavan Asharama History published in 1969 and Thirukudanthai Andavan's Shastithpoorthi malar there was a rare black and white picture it was an Painting a Imaginary scene in which Five Holiness were there , It was in Pyramid form. On Top there was the picture of H H Periya Andavan sitting and second step You will find the picture H H Chinna Andavan and H H Katandethi Andavan sitting and in Third and Last row you will find Namaandavan and Akkoor Andavan Standing. I immediately remembered i have seen this picture in 1970 in my Maternal Grandfather’s house in Book Andavan Ashram History published in 1969 and I had also seen another exclusive Book in Tamil about H H KaTandethi Andavan's Charithram published in 1929 {I remember that it was a Deepavalli Day , I prostrated my Tha‐Tha ( maternal grandfather) and he blessed me and went inside and brought both the above mentioned books and showed my Ellu Tha ‐ Tha's picture and told that I was the correct person to have the custody of those books even though I was only 6 years ( Inspite of my two elderly Maternal uncles) , I was very happy on receiving the gift ( I think my Maternal Grandfather had foresight that one day this fellow will bring out the Picture of his Grandfather , (we will come to this book which I got in gift from my Grandfather)
I tried to get the picture which I saw in souvenir, but could not, Then I remembered my Father's good friend Sri Kalyanapuram Aravamudhan Svami (Asthana Vidhvan of Andavan Ashram) who was a devote Andavan Shysya. I contacted him regarding the picture and help I needed in getting the picture. To my pleasant surprise Aravamudhan Svami immediately sent the Picture which I required with his blessings and good wishes from Thanjavur. I was working in a Private Limited company and in my company I had a friend named Krishnamurthy, He had a Photo studio. I Gave the picture to him and told him that I want to get the picture of
my Great Grand father enlarged, he told it is very difficult as the picture was hardly 2 inch, And told it will take some time ( In those days computer and technology was not there)Then in two week time I had a nice colour picture of My Great Grand Father enlarged I was thrilled and I thought it his Poorna Krupa. Then I approached H H Thirukudanthai Andavan and also The then Sri Karyam Sir U Ve Adur Asuri Madhavachar and tried to convenience them but it was not very easy I did lot of correspondence and it was very hot correspondence and literally I and Sri Madhavachar used to fight in letters, Then Last I wrote a personal letter to H H asking him ask the Perumal in his trans and then allow the picture to be published.
Meanwhile I Printed the Komaladhantakam composed by the Katandethi Swami in Tamil and Also Katandethi SvAmi’s picture in the back ( As Usual U Ve O.Sudharshanam Iyengar( whom I used to address as Tha‐tha) of Nava Bharath Press came to my rescue and he proof read and his son Sridhar Anna Printed and gave in time) and I distributed it
free of cost and it is worth mentioning that In Sri Narasimhapriya –Tamil Edition free advertisement appeared and response was very good. I still preserve the letters of blessings showered on me by Andavan Ashram Shyshyas. But No favorable reply came Ashram regarding the picture. Still there was no official recognition from Andavan Ashram. Still I did not loose hope.
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Thirunakstram of H H Katandethi Andavan Fast approaching and I decided to attend it in person and also meet His Holiness (Every year i used to send Money for Thirunakstram, I had sent small contribution for Thirunakstram that year also. I wish to inform you that due to some family circumstances i did not get the Brahma
Upadesha .As usual I was accompanied by my Athai , We reached Srirangam , and first person I stumbled upon was Sri Madhavan Swami , I introduced myself and he was very happy to meet me even though we had fought war in letters ( I know I was wrong but it was due to my Bhakti towards my Great Grand Father) , Then he took me to H H and introduced me , Swami immediately recognized My Athai and enquired about her then asked about my father etc and then pointed me and told "Inda Paya rombha Poladhavana Kaduthasi ezuthinan" and he told i am happy for his attachment and affection towards his Great Grand father. Then My Athai told me Apologize and ask Shamapannam from Svami, which i did , Then Athai requested Swami to bless me since it was my Birthday ( I am fortunate to be born on same Avani month and same Moola Nakshtra ), Swami was Karuna Moorthy ,he blessed me and enquired why my Brahma Upadesha was not done and he told he will get it done at his expense , what a large heart swami had, then My Aunty told He has one more younger brother for both she will arrange it through my father in Bangalore shortly, Immediately Swami Shot back and told it is not additional expense let both the boys be brought here and he will arrange the Brahma Upadesha at Srirangam Andavan Ashram. Swami told Can't he do a small thing for the Poorva Asharama Douhithar of Great Andavan. Then we went and observed the Thirumanjana and other puja, and then Swami went on rounds and was asking welfare of all the guests who have come for Katandethi Andavan's Thirunakstram. Whenever Swami came near me he will tell me that I should get my Brahma Upadesha done soon at Srirangam. He told he wanted to do Upadesha of a Special mantram composed by my Great grand father which
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came to Swami through his predecessors. I believe it was a SavAri Mantra Composed by Katandethi Andavan on His Guru H H Periya Andavan.**
I had one more wish , I wanted to take the Paduka of my Ellu Tha‐tha to my house( even though we were from Ahobila Mutt, and now I am the Shysya of H H Rangapriya Swami), So I carried two Sets of New Wooden Paduka and also a small silver Paduka, then I told my wish to Sri Madhavan Swami and also H H Andavan Swami, Then he was such a Karuna Murthy then immediately during the Afternoon Aradhanai Swami sent words for me and then took the Paduka’s and placed Original KaTandethi Swami's Paduka on the New Paduka’s and then did aradhanai and then gave it back to me , While giving back it is supposed to be given in Pattu Vastharam, I did not know and i did not carry any Pattu Vastharam , so he scolded me affectionately and then he asked Sri Madhavan Swami to give me the Pattu Vastharam from Ashram , then he gave the Holy Blessed Paduka’s and even now I have it, every year I carry Silver Paduka to Jayanagar Andavan Ashram
for H H Katandethi Andavans Thirunakstram.
The Celebration went on well after the function we took leave of Swami and again he reminded my Athai of my Brahma Upadesha & Told he wanted to do Upadesha of The special Mantra of composed by Sri KaTandethi Andavan. Then I Reminded Svami of the Picture of H H KaTandethi Andavans Picture, I explained how i concluded it was The picture of Katandethi Andavan, As i had carried the pictures of all Andavan and compared it with the group photo which I found in The Shastithpoorthi Malar, Svami listened to me and was nearly convinced, he told he will think over and give favorable reply. If you see old Dhaniyan Book of Andavan Ashram and Nithya Anusandanam Book brought out by Lifco, in the book the KaTandethi Swami's Dhaniyan used to be read in last , i don’t know what was the logic ( I thought since he got initiated into duriya Ashram by Thirukudanthai Azagiasingar it was done ) , Then our Acharya Sarvabhouman H H Thirukudanthai Andavan ( Kannan Swami only inserted the Dhaniyan in the rightful place ( In between the Chinna Andavan and Nama Andavan) and brought out fresh book. It is his way of expressing his Vathsalyam towards his Poorva Acharya. Now a days Ashram Dhaniyan book is ok but in Lifco book they continue to print the same old method of having KaTandethi Swami's Dhaniyan in the Last.
Thirukudanthai Andavan SvAmi’s Shathabhishekam was fast approaching and Preparation was going on, then one fine morning I received the Call and Mail from U Ve Adur Asuri Madhavachar Svami the Then Sri Karyam that I should immediately send a Block of the Picture of KaTandethi Andavan Swami, matter is very urgent. So immediately went to Sridhar Anna of Nav Bharath Printing Press and asked him to help me, which he readily did. Then I sent it to Madhavan Svami. I was waiting for the suspense to unfold. Our Acharya Vallals Shathabhishekam was celebrated in a grand manner, I Got a Shathabhishekam Malar from Ashram and it was great joy for me and tears rolled in my eyes, the book contained the Pictures of all Andavan Swami for the first
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time. At last my struggle for getting the picture of my
great grandfather
has bore fruit. I was thinking even though my Maternal
grandfather was a very big businessman ( he owned the
Petroleum Products
Agency ), He was the Balya
Snehithan of H H Thirukudanthai Andavan in Poorva Ashram. But he did not take any initiative. Then there was my Grandfathers cousin who was known as Kanadi Tha‐tha who was in Andavan Ashram and doing Kainkaryam to Andavan Swami, he also did not do anything.
As I had told that My Tha‐Tha presented me with precious book's Andavan Ashram History published in 1969 and Thirukudanthai (Katandethi) Andavan's Charithram which was published in 1929 (It is very old book and it is very delicate). I gave it to my Athai (I lived up to 1972 with my Patti and Athai and then My Father took me to Kanpur where he was working in Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. I totally forgot about the book. Then When I started my R & D about my great grandfather I asked my Athai about the book which my Maternal Grandfather presented me . Then Athai told that my Late cousin Sri Aravinda Chari had taken the Book, Then she got back the book and gave it to me. Now I have the two treasured book with me. I thank my maternal Grandfather Who had foresight and presented the book to the correct person. I feel he knew about what will happen in future. I thank my Grandfather Sri K.K.Venkatavaradhan from bottom of my heart.
An interesting thing about how I got the Upadesha of Mantra which Thirukudanthai Andavan wanted to do Upadesha to me.
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I , My father, My Athai and other members of family went to the Ashram, H H Swami Enquired about my father, Athai etc and again Swami told my father that your eldest son Sridhar is a terror, and Swami told he appreciated my sincerity towards my H H Katandethi Swami and he has achieved his mission. Then I went
twice to Ashram and unfortunately swami was not keeping good health. My Brahma updesham was over by then, but i did not trouble Swami for my Upadesha of Special Mantram, But Swami even though he was not well he told he will do the Upadesha Shortly , but I was not fortunate.
Then During the 2005 December I met Sri U Ve Adur Asuri Madhavachar Swami, He had come to deliver the Thirupavai Upanyasam on invitation of Malleshwaram Desika Sabha , he showered the same vathsalyam which we used to do before. Then i used to meet him once in a while when he used to visit Bangalore. Then One day in year 2007 , he telephoned and asked me to come with my wife the house which he used to stay in Malleshwaram whenever he used to come to Bangalore. I did the Snanam and went in our traditional attire. Then he did the Upadesha
of SarVari Mantra Composed by H H Katandethi Andavan on his Guru H H Srinivasa Maha Desikan ( Periya Andavan). Then he told this was the Mantra which H H Thirukudanthai Andavan Wanted to do Upadesha to you , This mantra only very few people know about it, and it is closely guarded secret mantra. I am happy that At last i got the Mantra which a Great Mahan Composed and through him it came to H H Thirukudanthai Andavan and then to Madhavachar and finally it came to me. I have recorded the Mantra in my Digital Recorder.
So one thing i know what I am destined to have I will get it.
I thank all of you for taking your valuable time and reading my scribbling.