Swamy Vedantha Desikan (1268 to 1369 CE) Birth Place: Thoopul, kanchipuram                           Birth Date: Purattasi - Sravanam

Thanian

Swami Desikan was born in the month of Purattasi, in the vibhava year according to Tamil Almanac in the nakshathra was Shravanam, the sacred nakshatram of ThiruvenkatamudayAn. The infant was given the name Venkatanathan by his parents, Anathasuri and Thotharamba. Samskaras or ceremonies like Jatakarma, Namakarana, anna prAsana and shauLa were all conducted to the boy, by their parents at appropriate years. Venkatanatha grew up in the atmosphere of devotion to Bhagavan and his bhakthas.

It was a memorable day in the life of Venkatanatha at the age of five. His uncle Appullar took him to the temple of Varadaraja where his Acharya Nadadur Ammal was expounding Sri Bhashya to his disciples. The disciples, who were so much absorbed in the appearance of the boy, forgot the trend of the lesson. When asked by NadAdur Ammal to his disciples where he left the kAlakshebham, the young boy, with the permission of the teacher Kidambi AppuLLAr lisped out the words to the surprise of all. Nadadur Ammal was so much pleased by the boy’s intelligence that he blessed him with long life, great knowledge, and worldwide reputation.

At the age of 7, Upanayanam was conducted for venkatanathan. From that time Appullar took charge of the education of the boy Venkatanathan. Venkatanathan was initiated with Sri Vainateya manthra by his uncle, who began teaching sasthras and the vedas. He also studied Tarka and Mimamsa and acquired mastery over other systems of philosophies. Due to the constant meditation on Lord Hayagreeva, Lord Hayagreeva was pleased and bestowed Venkatanathan the great virtue of nectar of knowledge..

When he was residing at Kanchi, His unique gifts of poetics and dialectics earned him the name of Kavitharkika simham. His sovereignty in the field Vedantha earned him the title of Vedanthacharya. His sishyas called him Swami Desikan. He channeled all his varied powers, to establish Sri Ramanujas systems on firm and secure foundations, rendering it ever impregnable to adverse attacks.

Swamy Desikan has authored over a hundred works in number both Sanskrit and Tamil. Sthothra granthas (28), Kavya granthas (4), Natakam(1), Vedhantha Granthas (14), VyAkyA granthas (8), Anushtana granthas (2), Rahasya Granthas(32) and Tamil Prabhandams (32). He composed one work in PrAkrutham (Achuya Sayayam) on Lord Devanathan of Tiruvaheendrapuram. His magnum opus in Manipravala is RahasyathrayasAra. Brahmathanthra Swathanthrar and Kumara Varadharya were prominent among his disciples.

 

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