Today, 12TH DEC, 2012 (WEDNESDAY) KARTHIGAI ANUSHAM marks the thirunakshatram of Sri Lakshmi Kumara Thatha Desikan
Sri Lakshmi Kumara Thatha Desikan – Brief Notes:
Name :Sri Abhayapthamruthar / Aaravamudhar
Known as : Sri Lakshmi Kumarar
Title: Edur Immadi Koti Kannikadhana Thatha Desikan
Hailed as : Kumara Thathachariar
Avathara Sthalam : Thirukudanthai (Kumbakonam)
Avathara Day :Karthigai Anusham
Avathara Year : Tamil Prajopathi
Amsam : Sri Visvakshenar / Sri Nammalwar
Parents : Sri Sundara Thatha Desikan, Sri Ammangar
Aacharyan :
Sri Pancha Madha Banjana Thatha Desikan
Sri Anjaneyar ( Sri Rama Moola Mantra)
Thiruvaradhana Perumal :
Sri Chakravarthy Thirumagan with parivaram as given by Sri Perundevi Thayar of Kanchipuram
Divine Parents:
Divya Dampathi at Kumbakonam and Kanchipuram
( Fed by Sri Komalavalli Thayar)
Served :
Vijayanagar Kingdom as Raja Guru and Chief Minister
Adorned :
Srikarya Thurantharar of Dhivya Desams
Devigal : Sri Kamala Ammangar
Sishyas : Innumerable
Lived at : Chandragiri
Authored :
Srimath Hanumath Vimsathi,
Nikama Parimala Nigandu,
Lakshmi Niyudam,
Panchagranthi Nipaharam,
Satvika Brahmana Vidya Vilasam,
Parijata Apaharanam
Sri Panduranga Mahathmiyam
Sri Desika Prabandha Eedu
Works on Him :
Sri Lakshmikumarodhayam
Sri Thatha Desika Vimsathi
Contributed :
Repaired and gold plated the Temple Shrines of Sri Rangam, Kanchipuram, Thirumalai-Thirupati. Undertook various
kainkaryams at various divya Desams.
Saved :
Various Divya Desams and Temples from foreign invasion
Fond of : Sri Ramayanam
Lectured:
Extensively on Sri Ramanujacharya’s Vishistadvaita
Established:
Around 500 Agraharas, gosalas, patashalas and Desanthri Kattalai in Temples
Inherited:
Custodian-ship of Kanchipuram Sri Varadharajaperumal Temple
Constructed:
India’s Largest Sri Hanuman Temple at Thathayangar Kulam, Kanchipuram.
Abhimana Divya Desams : 5
Srirangam, Kanchipuram, Thirumalai, Kumbakonam and Srivilliputtur
Special Devotion Towards : Thayar Sri Andal
Theertham : Ashtami thithi : a day before Sri Rama Navami
Lord Sriman Narayana created Brahma and gave him the powers to create beings in the Universe. Rishis were created and they learnt the Vedas from Brahma. By Thapas they could perceive the Supreme Being and lay down further principles and guidelines. By their conduct and upbringing of their progenies along the right path they could influence future generations to follow righteous conduct.
The generations that came from them trace their lineage to the respective Rishis {sages) and were known as belonging to the Gotra named after that Rishi. This was and continues to be an important aspect of introducing oneself in Vedic parlance.
All descendants of Sage Shadamarshana were themselves great Rishis spreading the message of the Vedas and Upanishads. The line of descent is mentioned in some of the writings of the descendants and a genealogical table as taken from a book is appended for information. There is a universal appreciation of the great deeds of very learned and eminent men of yore born in this Vamsa (Lineage). The Aacharya Nadamuni who by his learning and unstinted devotion could get a vision of Nammazhvar and write down the 4000 & odd Tamil pasurams of all the Alwars, belongs to this great lineage.
From his time onwards, the Vedas in Sanskrit, and the Tamil Vedas in the form of the 4000 & odd sacred Verses named as “Naalayira Divya Prabhandam” in Tamil, came to be spread amongst the devotees and Vishistadvaidam, the philosophy distinguishing the soul Jeevatma from the Paramatma, became the beacon light of religious fervour.
Nadamuni’s grandson, Alavandar, who became a great aacharya in his time, had this to say about his proud lineage of Shadamarshana Gotra:
“ Janithvaham Vamse Jagathi
Mahathi Kyathi Yassesam ”
“ I am proud and fortunate to be born in this “Mahati Kyathi Yassasam–Dynasty with extraordinary Glory”
It has to be remembered that the gene of the great Shadamarshana Rishi and his descendants Nadamuni and Aalavandar (Yamunacharya) continue to guide those born in this Vamsa (Parampara) and once this awareness comes, it will automatically become an inducement to seek the path of knowledge in the sayings of the Mahapurushas and secure a higher, nobler and more valuable purpose in life and try to live upto the values and deeds manifested and demonstrated by them.
As K.M. Munshi has observed in his book on “Social and Cultural History of the Indian People”, the Aacharyas starting with Nadamuni were not only eminent gurus, but were also evangelists to the core, and hence they trained their successive generations to spread the tenets of Srivaishnavism amongst the masses.
Sri Alavandhar, Sri
Sri Emberumanar and Sri Thirukurugai piran pillan Vaibhavams
Aalavandar had four sons, named “Chottai Nambi, Deivathukkarasu Nambi, Pillai Arasu Nambi and Thiruarangathu Perumal Arayar (Sri Rangaraja Nambi). With the blessings of his father Aalavandar, Chottai Nambi proceeded to Tirukkottiyur to be with Tirukkottiyur Nambi and Became the Aacharya there serving Lord Sowmyanarayanan of Tirukkottiyur. His son was Ennachan, grandson Pillaiappan and great grandson Tholappar.
Deivathukkarasu Nambi, the second son of Aalavandar, had no interest in worldly life and was a completely detached person. His father, therefore, gave him permission to go on a pilgrimage to the North accompanied by his wife. While on his way back he went to Tirumala for worship, he had a call to serve the Lord there. He stayed there doing service in the form of making garlands etc. for the Lord. As time passed, the Lord wanted him to beget issues to help in the propogation of the tenet. With His blessings, he had three issues, one son and two daughters. On hearing about the birth of the grandson, Aalavandar sent to Tirumala his eldest son, Chottai Nambi and others and named the child as “Tirumalai Nambi “ who later on came to be known as Peria Tirumalai Nambi.
After the two daughters were born, Deivathukkarasu Nambi left for Azwar Thirunagari to reside there and propogate Vaishnavism. Aalavandar looked after the children. Peria Tirumalai Nambi learnt all the Shastras and nuances and when he became of age Aalavandar sent him to Tirumala where his father had dedicated himself in the service of the Lord, to serve Him. The two sisters accompanied him.
He then performed the elder sister SriDevi’s marriage with Aadikesava Perumal of Bhoothapuri who was his disciple. This couple begot a son… Peria Tirumalai Nambi blessed the child and named him “Ramanuja” or “Ilayaiazhwan” who became the leading light of the philosophy of Vishishtadvaita. Peria Tirumalai Nambi used to bring the holy water from a fall called “Aakasa Ganga” from a distance. On one occasion, he was met by a hunter’s son requesting for water to quench his thirst. The boy was calling out “Thaah:” meaning “Holy Father”.
As it would take time to go back and fetch water from Aakasa Ganga for the Bath of Lord Srinivasa in time, Tirumalai Nambi did not accede to the request of the boy. However, the boy hit the pot from behind, made a hole and drank the water falling there from. When Nambi noticed this, he sat down and told the boy how he could not be able to discharge his duty in time. However, the boy assured him that the Aakasa Ganga could be brought nearer and by a feat, as it were, brought it so. Nambi at once took the water and rushed to the temple by then the “Thiruvaradhanam” was completed and people were waiting for Nambi to perform Satrumurai.
Nambi was much worried that he could not make his duty in time. The Lord then appeared before him. He called him “Thatha” and told him that he was much pleased with the selfless service of him and henceforth he has been fondly called as “Holy Father”. He blessed Nambi and ordered him to stay with him forever and blessed the title of “Thathachariar” on him and his descendants”. (Venkateswara Mahatmiyam and B.L. Riches’ writings).*
His erudite scholarship became a matter of appreciation and pride. Even Peria Nambi who was a Sishya of Aalavandar and also the preceptor of Ramanuja was impressed by his scholarship. While on a visit to Tirumala, he learnt a few things from him and was proud to apprise Sri Ramanuja of his glorious uncle’s profound and deep knowledge of the Sashtras.
Sri Ramanuja was happy that there was a pillar of strength in this great uncle of his and that he was at Tirumala where he could be effectively communicating his ideas to learned Vaishnavites visiting the Shrine. Not only that. Sri Ramanuja also undertook a pilgrimage to Tirumala to worship the Lord. Peria Tirumalai Nambi met him. The nephew and uncle became emotionally involved. Ramanuja learnt about a few more expositions and listened to the commentary on Srimad Ramayanam from Tirumalai Nambi. He felt enriched. Tirumalai Nambi on his part requested Ramanuja to take his two sons under his wings for imparting knowledge.
Ramanuja desired that his cousin, Govinda, Tirumalai Nambi’s sister’s son, who has become a great devotee serving the Lord of Kalahasthi be also sent to him. Tirumalai Nambi visited Kalahasthi and could, through his spiritual advice, convert Govinda to appreciate Vaishnavism and the Vishistadvaita philosophy of Ramanuja, and bring him around to come back to Tirupathi. He later sent him also to Sri Ramanuja at Kancheepuram.
After Peria Tirumalai Nambi, his elder son Pillai Tirumalai Nambi stepped in to do the Kainkaryas which his father had been performing at Tirumalai. Thirukkurugai Perian Pillai: He is the second son of Peria Tirumalai Nambi. As already stated, he was sent by his father to be the disciple of Ramanuja as he felt that he was precious and could be a pillar of strength to the cause of Visishtadvaita philosophy in due course.
His intuition proved right. Ramanuja imparted to this receptive mind the great treasures of Prabandams and Sri Bashya Sutras and ordered him to bring out a commentary on Prabandams. Accordingly, with His blessings, Pillai wrote the “Aarayirappadi” which was the first detailed exposition of the Prabandams. When Ramanuja later appointed 74 pontiffs of whom he nominated four of them as Sri Bashya expositors, Thirukkurugai Perian Pillai became the main successor of Ramanuja for the “Sri Bashya School”.
The above detailed account was given to elucidate in brief the evolution of the great clans of Shadamarshana dynasty from Nathamuni. It was Peria Tirumalai Nambi who came to be called Thathachariar and his descendents whole families separated and lived in various parts assumed different names. Tholappar in Tirumalai, Arangars from Alavandar’s last son.
Thanks to : STVD for writeup and images
