Acharyas

|| Sri :||
|| Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha ||
|| Srimathe Nigamantha MahaDeshikaya Namaha ||
|| Srimathe Sri Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Guru Paramparayai Namaha ||
|| Srimathe Sri Lakshmi Narayana - Sri Lakshmi Hayavadana - Venugopalabhyam Namaha ||

|| Srimathe Sri Lakshmi Hayavadana Divya Mani Paduka Sevaka Srimadh Abhinava Vageesha Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Mahadeshikaya Namaha ||

Sri Lakshmi Hayavadana Paduka sevaka SRI SRINIVASA BRAHMATANTRA PARAKALA SWAMI (IV) - ( THAADIMARI SWAMI - 28th pattam Sri Parakala Matam).

It was the year 1790 AD at a place called Thaadimari,on the banks of the river Pennar,was born a great acharya.

Sri Krishnamacharya was the name given to this child, who at a very young age acquired undisputed mastery over the Shasthras like Sri Vedantha Deshika,even before he was twenty.
He then sat at the divine feet of Sri Ghantavathara Parakala Swami,studied Vedantha under Him.And also underwent the Chakrankana and Bharanyasam.

Like Sri Vedantha Brahmatantra Parakala Swami,his predecessor in the Holy Seat,he traced his descent direct from Sri Thirukkurugaippiran Pillan.He was called upon by Sri Vedantha Brahmatantra Swami to ascend the throne in the year 1836 AD by Sri Ghantavathara Parakala Swami on account of the illness of the latter,and on his demise was raised to the Holy seat of the Sri Brahmatantra Parakala.
The then MahaRaja - Sri Mummudi Krishna Raja Wodeyar,having by this time left all the Affairs of State in the hands of the British Commission,felt free to devote His entire life in the studies of Shasthras and particularly the Vedantha at the feet of His Acharya- Srinivasa Brahmatantra Parakala Swami.

Mysore may be said to have become virtually the Kashmir of the age of Lalithadithya and his successors.The revival and learning of Sanskrit under the most peaceful surroundings in Mysore ran parallel to the perfection of the administrative system built up by the Wise Commissioners.
Thus,Mysore came to be The Model for all the States of New India.The Maharaja was pleased to equip his guru with all necessary funds and paraphernalia to enable him to undertake a journey to the North for ' Dharma DighVijayam ' (during the year Aug 1844 AD - 1854 AD). The record of Srinivasa Brahmatantra Swamis Digvijaya yathra has been preserved in the shape of a Champu named ' Sri Parakala Guru Vijayah ' written by Sri Krishnamacharya (later Sri Krishna Brahmatantra Parakala Swami) at the age of sixteen.

During his Digvijaya yathra, Swami travelled through the western coastal strips of the country and reached the Dakshina Kannada by the way of Kodiyala,reached the seaport of Udupi,sanctified by the birth of Sri Madhwacharya.
The presiding swami - Sri Vamana Theertha of the Mutt there, welcomed Our acharya. The Udupi swami invited The MahaRaja to be his own guest there in his matam.
For three continuous days Sri Srinivasa Brahmatantra Parakala Swami sojourned in the Madhwa Mutt,expounding the Vishishtadvaitha Siddhantha to the gatherings there.

Passing through Shikapur on the way, Srinivasa Brahamtantra Swami arrived at Dharwar,the heart of Karnataka. Among the large body of the learned men inhabiting the Dharwar at the time,the most renowned was Sri Ganapathi Shasthri who,along with a profound knowledge of all other Darshanas,had earned special reputation as the leading exponent of the Vaisheshika System of Sri Kanaada. He then made a visit to Swami and engaged him in a friendly shastraic discussion. A Great disputation ensued between him and the Acharya. Profoundly enlightened by the Swami, Sri Ganapathi Shastry performed obeisance to him along with his vast congregation of disciples.

In the meantime, the news that the acharyas proposed visit to the North had preceded him and Sri Shankaracharya of the Holy peetam of Sri Sankeshwar, who had been described as the 'sun for the lotus of Shankara siddhantha',sent vidwans of his asthanam with the invitation to Swami to visit Sankeshwar.
Swami readily agreed and was welcomed with great honor. The two Swamis representing two systems,living together,engaged in daily disquisitions,presented a unique spectacle to the gatherings. Appraised of the tidings of the Mysore Maharaja -guru's triumphant Dharma Dighvijayam, The Maharaja of Kolhapur requested the Swami to extend to him and to his State the privilege of His Holiness' visit.The invitation was accepted.

Later on in His Dighvijaya, Swami was invited by the Peshwas. Krishna Bhatta from Pune,the Capital of the Shrimanths, the Peshwas, was sent by Sri Mohana Shasthry, the most learned and most renowned exponent of all the shashtras, recognised as the stalwart in the Advaitha Siddhantha.
Under the accomplished Peshwa Bajeerao II, Pune had been turned into a 'Saraswathi Peetam' as it were. And Sri Mohana shastry might be said to have been the recognised guardian of the peetam.
Sri Swami made his triumphal entry to Pune,the whole city turned up to have the darshanam of the great acharya of the south.
In the midst of the gathering was Sri Mohana Shastry,who was the first amongst all to welcome the thaadimari swami. When shastry heard ' UBHAYA VEDANTHACHARYA' amongst the titles,shastry turned to the swami and with a smile asked which 'two' Vedanthas referred to were. He himself knew three ! Shastry received the necessary explanations.

The next morning after the usual services and worship Swami was engaged in expounding shasthras to Sri Narasimhacharya, Sri Ananthacharya, Lakshmi narasimhacharya. There appeared before the assemblage of disciples, a veritable army of the foremost Vedanthic Scholars of the age, led by Mohana Shastry himself,among the former being Sri Bhikku Shastry, Tryambaka shastry, Gopalacharya, Ganesha Suri, Krishna Bhatta,Ramachandra Shastry, Daabaacharya,Narayanashastry, Maha Deva Shastry, Vishnu Shastry, Govinda Shastry, Dhondoo Pandit, Baalashastry and so on.

Sri Mohana Shastry was the first to speak.With a respectful yet challenging attitude the great scholar started a disputation with the question as to how it was that the Acharya elected to assume the 'Thridanda' Sanyasam forbidden as it was in the Kali Yuga by most Dharma Shasthras like 'NIRNAYA SINDHU'.
After a long discussion over this and other allied subjects,like sporting shikhai,yagnopavitha,katisutra etc,,... having received convincing shasthraic explanations, Mohana Shastry, free from passion and prejudice, rose from his place and begging forgiveness for his non-performance of the Sashtangapramanam at the feet of Sri Thaadimari Swami up to the moment,along with his disciples performed Dandavath Pranamam a dozen times-a token of repentance and prayer for forgiveness.
Sri Mohana Shastry, as the leader of Pandiths,stood up in the assembly and read aloud a document in which he and his followers were indeed overcome thoroughly in the shastraic battles by the great Thaadimari Swami!!
Copies of this signed by them, were also despatched to the greta Sabhas of the learned men in the north !

By this time (1854 AD),Sri Krishnaraja Wodeyar had made arrangements for the Celebration of His 'SHASHTIPURTHI SHANTHI'.
He had despatched a letter begging the Swami for his return immediately to Mysore to grant him the privilege on the occasion.
Unless he had performed the PaadaPuja to His Guru and received blessings,it would not be appropriate to go through any of the ceremonials,he felt.
Moved by the importunity of the Royal Disciple, Sri Thaadimari Swami returned to Mysore.

Later on Sri Mummudi Krishnaraja Wodeyar continued his 'Higher Studies' under the Thaadimari Swami. He started a systematic study of Sri Bhagavadh Githa, Sri Bhashya and The Bhagavadh Vishayam.
Alternately residing on the banks of the river Kapila,the Kaveri and in Mysore, Sri Swami lived up till 1861 AD, a dazzling ornament to the grand assemblage at the Royal Court of Mysore of the foremost Pandiths and Seers of the age. He conferred the Sanyasa Ashrama on Sri Srinivasa Deshikendra Brahmatantra Parakala Swami at the request of the Maharaja, before he proceeded to Sri Vaikunta Divya Loka.

His thaniyan- Srimadh Ghantavathrothhama kalimathanaavaptha sathsampradaya
Sribhashya Sri rahasya traya srthimadaseeyanghri vinyasthabharam |
Vedantha brahmatantrabhidha kali mathanaalabdha thuryashramam tham sri
srivaasa brahmatantradimapada parakalaakhyamacharya meedhey ||
|| Sri Lakshmi Hayavadana Divya mani paduka Sevaka Srimadh Srinivasa Brahamatntra Parakala Mahadeshikaya namaha. ||

[ P.S : This is an extract from a book written by Sri Deshikacharya - all credits to Hayavadana & Acharyas]

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