Vedic recitals, riveting discourses and scholarly lectures marked the 200th birth anniversary of renowned Sanskrit scholar and Veda, sastra pandit of yesteryears Sri Tyagaraja Maheendral reverentially known as “Mannargudi Periyaval” here over the weekend.
Contemporary scholars lined up to embellish the sessions at the Sri Sankara Mutt, which is housed at the place where the great scholar was born. Besides special lectures, upanisad parayanam, prasthana thrya bashya parayanam, vakyartha vicharam and upanyasam added lustre to the proceedings that were being held annually to spread the glory of the scholar revered and celebrated by the Vedic world courtesy the Sri Mannargudi Periyaval Seva Samiti.
Sri Tyagaraja Maheendral or popularly known as Mahamahopadyay Raju Sastrigal and reverentially addressed as Mannargudi Periyaval was born to Appayya Dikshitar and Maragathavalli at Koothambadi near Tiruvarur on May 28, 1815. Even as a kid, he excelled as Sarasa Kavi in scripting lyrics and hymns and went on to master Tarka, Vedantam, Veda Bhashyam, Vyakarnam, and Mimamsam. He had scripted the splendid Advaita granta “Nyayendu Sekaram” and several other grantas that lit up the sastra literary sphere during his lifetime.
Sri Raju Sastri’s literary achievement echoed in all lands across Bharat and he came to command a legion of disciples from far and near who all rose to fame through their stellar scholarly works in sastra and Vedic orbits.
Hailing Sri Raju Sastri as “Kulapathy” for the huge disciple following he commanded, Kanchi Paramacharya Sri Chandrasekara Saraswati Swamigal had referred to him as “Mahapandithar” and a scholarly disciplinarian who lead a virtuous life and founded the Advaita Sabha. Contemporary vedic and vedantic literary names including Mullaivasal Dr. Krishnamrthy Sastrigal, Brahmasri V.Swaminatha Sastrigal, Dr.Kota Venkateswara Satrigal, Dr.Mani Dravida Sastrigal, Sri P.M.Vijayaraghava Sastrigal, Dr. C.S.Seshadri Sastrigal, Nerur Sri Ramana Sarma, Brahmasri Subrahmanya Sastrigal, Dr.K.S. Maheswaran, Srihari Dyaheigude and Sri P.R.Vasudevan delivered lectures and discourses on various topics over the two days.
