A LEGEND
N.Ch. Sri Rama Iyengar
Transfer from
active service to more active service in the twilight of life is indeed a rare
gift I was endowed with. While the former gave me satisfaction of serving the
three services in my humble way, the later humbled me so thoroughly, in that ,
I surrendered my heart and soul, mind and body at the lotus feet of my
spiritual guru Shri Srirangam Nallan Chakravartula Raghunandhacharya of
Warangal, a beacon light in the modern world. The position I am in appears to
me symbolic of the evergreen life after this life. “ACHARYAH HARIHI SAAKSHAT”
and hence the concept.
It is his
boundless grace showered on me abundantly and extravagantly that picked me up
for taking down dictation of his masterpiece Sri Vishnu Shasra Nama Bhashya for
the last four years. Rigorous ‘train’ing for nearly five hours a day from
Secunderabad to Warangal and back in the company of bankers, doctors, teachers,
and officials, a number of good people in good measure enriched my energy and experience.
The publication was presented as an offering by the author firstly to Sri
Ranganadha on the 2nd December, 2002 at Sri Rangam, on 4th
December, 2002 to Swamy Varadaraja at Kanchi and at Tirumala on the 6th
December, 2002 to Lord Venkateswara. Watching the event with the entourage at
each holy temple I felt elated. It is only Lord Rama who could make his sandals
as much worthy as to adorn a throne or a blessed squirrel admired by
generations forever and ever.
The incident
that occurred at Kanchi in the context of an anecdote provoked me to share my
feelings with my friends and hence this feature. Rajahamsa the Chief Adhyapaka
at Varadaraja Temple came running to Raghunadhacharya Swami when he spotted him
on the precincts, offered sanshtanga pranam, escorted us round the
temple and performed offering of the book to the Lord and His Consort. In the
afternoon Raghunadhacharya Swami with his followers was invited to his house. A
shawl, new clothes etc. were offered on a silver plate to the Acharya and the
entire family bowed down to him in reverence. The host did not leave the feet
of his distinguished guest from Andhra Pradesh. He recited extempore many
verses in Sanskrit and Tamil in praise of Rghunadhacharya and befitting the
nature of a true Srivaishnava. They mean some thing to the effect ‘but for your
generous gesture in accepting my invitation to visit my house I neither deserve
this honour nor capable of affording this luxury even in my dream; I call it a
day in my life; Lord Varadaraja answered my prayers this way. I conceive no
other reason for this fortune’. This went on and on for quite some time. A
scene almost unseen and unheard in the present day. I came to know later that
Rajahamsa was the grandson of (Late) Padmavibhushan Prativadi Bhayankaram
Annangaracharya of Kanchi, an established and acknowledged authority on
Sanskrit literature and spiritual discourses in those times. He was said to be
the uncrowned king among scholars of South India; and widely respected
throughout the country.
Padmavibhushan
Annangaracharya was sixty years old when Raghunadhacharya was still a student
at Vedanta Vardhini Kalasala, Sitarambagh, Hyderabad at the age of eighteen. Recognising the latent talent and many a
fascinating facet in the bright and buoyant boy his teacher Shri Vedantacharya
and Principal Shri Ramanujacharya took special interest and transformed him
into a master and an authority on vedic and Sanskrit literature, sciptures and
Tamil prabhandas of Alwars. They saw in him the future hope of Visishtadvaita.
True to their expectations, Raghunadhacharya firmly believed in the rich
heritage and tradition of visihtadvaita and vowed to preserve, protect and
propagate the holy edicts ordained by Bhagavad Ramanuja through out his life
and stood by his oath.
During this
period a controversy arose which started as a small shower but ultimately
turned out to be a big storm that shook the entire literary world and uprooted
the tower of assumed authority in the field. Annagaracharya in his wisdom
thought it fit to target a small time scholar for his alleged misinterpretation
of the word “Madirekshana” from Kalidasa’s Sakuntalam. He chose to
belittle the Pundit in public by shooting articles in leading magazines of the
day highlighting the mistake and exposing the culprit. He put forward what
according to him is correct as imparted by his illustrious Guru.
The height of
arrogance of the supreme and the humiliation suffered by the unsuspecting less
known scholar angered young Raghunadhachrya. He joined issue with the literary
gaint and challenged him at his own game. Through the same magazines he
condemned the contention of Annangaracharya. He quoted extensively from roots
of the term, rules of grammar, derivation and usage by earlier poets.
Annangaracharya’s
ego was hurt. He could not ignore the resistance to his writ. The opponent was
far from an equal nay, negligible in stature. It is all the more impossible to
digest. He preferred to nip it in the bud. With vengeance, he countered
Raghunadhacharya’s submissions supplemented by choicest abuses. The young man
in turn cut short and sharp every point of his adversary’s defense with
incisive logic and stood his ground with confidence and robust optimism. The
literary world was divided in support and against the rivals. Some threw weight
with the majority for fear of antagonizing the great man and few others stood
by Raghunadhacharya by compulsion of conscience and truth.
The heated
exchange through press reached boiling point. Personalities involved in the
controversy notwithstanding, the scholars wanted to know what is right.
A committee
of experts presided over by poet laureate Mahamohopadhyaya K. S. Krishnamurty
Sastry examined the argument of both sides, evaluated the evidence produced,
documents quoted , authorities cited and finally gave their verdict that
Raghunadhacharya is correct hundred percent. Few years later the title Kavi
Sabdika Kesari was conferred on Raghunadhacharya. Mahamahopadhyaya and Satra
Ratnakara followed.
Annangaracharya
was crestfallen. He could not digest the ignominious defeat at the hands of a
boy of eighteen, less than worse that of what he inflicted on the small-time
scholar. He never forgot nor forgave Raghunandhacharya till he breathed his
last.
Humility in
victory is a great virtue with Raghunandhacharya. The very pink of modesty and
civilized behaviour he is a treasure trove of spiritual knowledge and a scholar
of scholars. He is a source of inspiration strength and blessing to his
disciples. Mellifluous in speech, kind at heart, true to percept in practice he
is an Acharya by letter and spirit of the word.
By dint of his spiritual
knowledge and personal traits Raghunadhacharya captivated the heart of
Rajahamsa the chief Adhyapaka at Kanchi. By example the Acharya taught him how
to conquer hatred. The grandson of Annangaracharya bowed down in veneration to
Raghunadhacharya and scored a point over his grandfather.