An ideal acharya is expected to have two wings like a divine bird with which he helps the disciple rise in consciousness and lead an ideal life. These two wings are Jnana and Anushtana. Such an exceptional Master is Sri Paravakottai Andavan of the Paundrikapuram Ashramam at Srirangam who is entering his 91st year today, April 8 (Panguni-Rohini). It is an occasion prayerfully welcomed by his disciples and admirers all over the world.
Born in 1921 in his ancestral village of Paravakottai, Sri Rajagopala lost his mother at a tender age. Belonging to a family of scholars, he showed deep inclination towards traditional studies. Perugavazhndan Krishnamacharya initiated him in to Sanskrit literature. After some years in Sholingur as a student, he proceeded to Venkateswara College at Tirupati in 1936 where he had as college mates some fine personalities who were to make a mark in the world of scholarship such as Sri N.S. Ramanuja Thathacharya and Purisai Krishnamachariar. He became a Vyakarana Siromani in 1942.
All those who have come into contact with the Master have uniformly referred to his adherence to age old customs as well as values, even if this has meant punishing schedules and meager income. Even in his pre-sannyasa days, he adopted vairagya in heart and a ruthlessly simple living. This enabled him to accept the rigours of life when he went to Mysore in 1942 to study under Sri Abhinava Ranganatha Swami, the 33rd head of the Parakala Math.
The Swami of Parakala Math was literally a glowing agni whose stern self-discipline became Rajagopala’s inspiration. Recalling those days of intense training, he says: “The priests and cooks of the sanctum , Vaidik, visitors bringing offerings, cooks of the kitchen, storekeepers and other officials would adhere to the allotted timings and do their work with devotion. After the morning worship was over, the students of Kalakshepam would be ready at the Mandapam. Every three months he held examinations for them. They could get financial assistance only when they passed the test. He had thus run the religious institution of Parakala Math verily like a royal court.”
Under the aegis of this legendary teacher, Sri Rajagpala widened and deepened his study of the Grantha Chathushtaya (Sri Ramanuja’s Sri Bhashya and Gita Bhashya, Vedanta Desika’s Srimad Rahasyatrayasara, Pillan’s Manipravala commentary on Tiruvaimozhi known as Aarayirappadi) and returned home in 1947. His career as a Sanskrit pundit in the schools in Tiruchi district were enriching for he now found the time to delve into the many-faceted Vaishnava literature which included Tamil works. Because of his scholarship as well as strict adherence to traditional purity, Sri Rajagopala was most welcome to all learned assemblies and Srivaishnava Maths.
Sri Rajagopala had a particular bond with the Paudrikapuram Asramam with which his own father and grandfather had connections. He was given sanyasa by Sri Vinnatrangarai Andavan on February 20, 1983, and became Sri Gopala Desika Maha Desikan of the Paundrikapuram Asramam. He has given a wonderful fillip for the publication of the works of Sri Vedanta Desika with critical commentaries in English and Tamil by eminent scholars. Yet another important facet of his work relates to the high importance he has given to Tamil. Apart from the hymns of the Azhwars, Kamban’s Tamil Ramayanam has been entwined by him in his discourses on Valmiki Ramayana. These lectures are like nectar to the soul and have been published as volumes that are impeccable in production values.
Goda Devi is very much in his consciousness. He has caused a lovely image of Andal to be installed in the Desikan Sannidhi of the Ashram in Srirangam and sees to it that festivals associated with her are celebrated with éclat. He has also written about Goda Devi. For instance, he speaks of her revolution in the methodology of meditation upon the Divine. Traditionally we speak of engaging mana-vak-kaaya (mind-word-body) to meditate upon the Lord. But Andal has made it easier by putting the triple-engagement in the reverse order, when she says we ought to worship with flowers, sing of the Lord and think of Him with the mind:
“Going to the Lord after a purificatory bath, bringing tulasi and other scented flowers for worship, stringing them and decorating the Lord with the garlands, sprinkling the flowers at His feet in reverence, doing the ashtanga namaskara are all external matters. But when we do them, our mind would know that it is all being done for the Lord…”
Sri Aurobindo said that “one man’s perfection can save the world.” In these days of uncertainty, the presence of the Paundrikapuram Ashramam Andavan gives us peace and hope for a life divine on earth.
