On the occasion of 105th  HH Pedda Jeeyar Swami Thiru Nakshathram,  thirumanjanam was performed to Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji followed by ashtotthara namavali. HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji enlightened everyone  about the greatness of Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji and the yeomen services HH extended to the society. A few devotees gathered their resources and made a beautiful acharya rathna haram and offered it to Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji.

After the puja, Dr. Pavuluri Chaudary ji, the founder of JIMS and Dr. Rameshwar Rao ji  participated in the Foundation Stone ceremony for JIMS Homoeo Medical College. A lamp was lit before the Lord and prayers were said to formally initiate the construction of Homoeopathy Medical College and Andhra Bank in JIVA campus.

At the site, just when the ground puja started,  the de:vathas showed their happiness through Rain God who showered his blessings with a small shower for couple of minutes. The program concluded with prasada ghoshtti.

Photos

                                                            HH Divine Message

Dear Bhagavad Bandhus

 

On the occasion of Sri Sri Sri  Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji’s Thirunakshathram, we pray to a:cha:rya to bless us all with his grace.

Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji  appeared on this earth 105 years back on  1st of August, 1909 in Kakinada Pattanam.  When a place is situated on a sea coast it is referred as Pattanam.

According to the lunar calendar  it was the Soumyana:ma samvathsara, Nija Sra:vana ma:sa and his birth star was Uththara:bha:dra

Sri Kavirathna Swamivaru who  composed  HH’s Ashto:ththara Satha Na:ma sthothram  gave two wonderful na:mas  about  his birth day.

The star, the month, and the year in which HH Sri Swamiji appeared aptly convey the great qualities of Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji. They thus became ‘sa:rtthaka na:madhe:ya’.

The birthstar is Uththra:bha:dra.

Bhadra means welfare or protection and Uththara means upcoming or later. Thus Uththara:bha:dra means – ‘Good protection for us in future – coming years’.

One should listen to good advice and perform good deeds to get that good protection.

The month of Sra:vana by virtue of its name itself makes us listen to good words.  Our a:cha:ryas preach good virtues and give us proper advice too.

Thus Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji  rightly chose Sra:vana month.

Just listening to sermons and discarding them  the next moment is useless. A good listener is the one who retains the worthy words. As if His appearance is for the sake of serious listeners, Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji chose Nija Sra:vana month.The activities HH chose to perform were such that would facilitate people to have an opportunity to  listen to good words, to put them  into practice them and  influence  others too. We recognize that a given name is apt for a person or activity only after a deed is performed and its results fructify. Since his childhood, Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji showed great interest to learn, which he pursued along with  his ayurvedic medical profession. He wanted to learn Sa:sthras (scriptures) as their knowledge is necessary for the study of oriental/traditional literature.

As a young boy he started his studies in a village called Mandapeta near Kakinada and later he continued his learning in Rajahmundry, which was the center for learning scriptures in those days. During that time HH made friendship with Sri Telikicherla Gopalacharya swami as he was also studying from the same Guru. HH asked Sri Gopalacharya Swamy whether HH could also join him in the studies. He was 19 or 20 years then. Then started the life- long friendship between  Sri Gopalacharya swami and Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swami. ‘Making friendship is easy but maintaining it for long is difficult’ – Sugriva says so in Ramayana.

Gopalacharyaswami and Pedda Jeeyar Swami’s friendship was strong and steadfast. There was never a single difference in their long association. They studied together thus.

There was  a great scholar Sri Venkata Sastri garu in Saripalli (WG Dist)  Sri Molugu Ramanujacharya Swami, and Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji together went to Sri Venkata Sastriji to learn Tharka sa:sthram (Principles of Logic in Philosophy) Sri Gopalacharya Swami was a senior student at that time. Sri Venkata Sastri used to teach the junior students for some time and later in the day Sri Gopalacharya Swami used to conduct sessions for re-enforcing what had been taught earlier and clarify their doubts. Sri Molugu Ramanujacharya Swmai also liked our Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji very much. Sri Venkata Sastriji also used to show lot of affection on Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji . It is said that Kanchipuram Sankaracharaya (Paramacharya) also learned Tharka Sastram from Sri Venkata Sastri garu. Thus Sri Venkata Sastri garu was  a renowned scholar at that time. Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji trinity learned the Tarka Sasthra from Sri Venkata Sastri garu even before Paramacharya Sankaracharya of Kanchi Peetam.

The Swamis used to be very close with each other and thus the friendship became stronger with deep roots. Thus the activity of sravanam – listening started, which later led to sra:vanam – preaching others what he learnt. The studies continued in spite of HH’s involvement in other activities or movements. Besides vedic and dha:rmic activities, HH used to support and participate in the freedom movement. He used to support freedom fighters that were lodged in prisons such as Andaman jail etc. HH used to help freedom fighter  like Prativadi Bhayankaracharyulu and  used to take care of  their health related issues. Those days, good medical assistance was available only at Kolkata or Chennai. HH used to take them to those cities for any major treatments. Thus HH participated in the freedom movement too along with his study of  vedic scriptures and thathva sasthra. Sri Swamiji was still in Gruhastha:srama at that time and had three sons and one daughter.

He was away serving an ailing freedom fighter in a Chennai Hospital when his daughter was born. Unfortunately due to lack of proper medical help during the child-birth, the mother passed away. He was 26 years then and took complete care of the baby and brought up the three small children with utmost love and care. At that time itself Sri Swamiji wanted to take Sanyasam, but since the children were very young, he felt it was not appropriate at that time.

He went to Prayaga in 1934-35 – for her asthi sanchayanam.

At that time Kumbhame:la was going on there. Due to a big stampede in heavy rush thousands of people died in the melee. HH saw heaps of dead bodies covered by tarpaulins lying there. That sight moved him deeply.  He was heart- broken and decided not to lead a materialistic life any more. But, since he had to bring up the children he focused on that activity first. He also planned on their careers too according to the need of the day. Those days medical facilities were a challenge in rural areas.  So  HH wanted all his children to become doctors and serve in the rural areas. He sent them to Chennai and made them study LIM (Licentiate in Indian Medicine – there was no MBBS in those days).  All his sons became doctors, and his son-in-law too was a doctor. He wanted them to work in rural areas only and help common people.

Fulfilling his family responsibilities thus, he continued with his spiritual, dha:rmic activities and studies to lay a sound traditional foundation and to instill human values in the society.  HH first wanted to get himself equipped with knowledge. For that purpose HH did ‘Sravanam’ alongwith Sri Gopalacharya Swami varu. Once the learning was completed in Saripalli, HH proceeded for higher studies in our sampradayam. There was a village called Mandasa in Srikakulam district where there is a temple for Vasudeva Perumal who is very beautiful and lovely. There lived a great scholar called  Sri Ramanujacharya swami rendering advice and preaching in the royal court. Though he was not that rich, he wanted to teach students who were interested in learning and propagating our sampradayam.

HH and Sri Gopalacharya Swami varu went to Mandasa to learn Sri:bha:shyam –a  commentary on Brahma sutras by Bhagavad Ramanujacharya swami varu.

 

Sri Ramanujacharya swami had a small house and was living on daily rations at that time. It takes at least a year to study Sri:bha:shyam. HH went  there and  made all the arrangements for their stay  including rations etc., for one full year. In the beginning sri  Ramanujacharya was hesitant to accept HH as his student as he being a political activist would have a number of visitors from far and wide and disturb the village peace. But HH convinced Sri Ramanujacharya Swami. He made arrangements for his service activities to continue in his absence and  went to Mandasa for learning Sribhashyam with complete focus.

The classes for HH and Gopalacharya swami were to start from the next day and HH and Sri Gopalacharya Swamivaru were sleeping in a small room in Temple Rajagopuram itself the previous night. HH had a dream that – HH and Sri Gopalacharya Swamivaru were crossing a bridge on the river Godavari. When they were half way, the bridge collapsed and there had no way to go forward. HH woke up, narrated the dream to Sri Gopalacharya swami varu and together they went to Sri Ramanujacharya swami in the same night and told him about the dream. They were afraid that their studies might stop in the middle as indicated in the dream.  Sri Ramanujacharya Swami asked them to wash their feet, hands and do Sri Vishnu Sahasra Nama Parayanam. Next day morning Sri Ramanujacharyaswami took them to Vasudeva Perumal temple, prostrated before the Lord and asked the students too to prostrate. He prayed to Perumal, “O Lord! These two young and enthusiastic students came to learn the treatises and are interested in protecting your dharma and tradition. It is your duty to see that they complete this study without any hindrance. Kindly bless that they do not face any troubles.” Then he asked them to prostrate again and then started the lessons then and there.

He could complete the study just  in six months with complete satisfaction to himself and his guru too. .   Later HH took Sri Ramanujacharya Swami to Nadigaddapalem, organized a panditha sabha and honored his guru in a grand manner. We renovated the temple in Mandasa in memory of this learning and also based on the incident happened there during that time

Thus HH did sravanam (listening) and  adhyayanam (study) and hence we can say that he was appropriately born in the month of Sra:vana.

We also do ‘sravanam’ but as the saying goes ‘jeernam mande subhashitham’ – good advice gets lost when it falls in the ears of dumb persons. But Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji performed sra:vanam (making them listen) for others also.Thus HH arranged fortnightly, monthly, quarterly Panditha sabhas in towns and cities where a number of scholars were invited to give their discourses. Earlier no pravachanams/sabhas were conducted thus. HH started, ‘Ubhaya Vedanta pravachana goshti.’

There was no concept of giving lectures on the summary of texts in public. HH wanted everyone to get the essence of texts and made them listen to it. Thus it is apt that HH appeared in Nija Sra:vana month.

Such thinking is possible only when one possess a sattvika manas. As if to indicate that, HH appeared in Soumya year – HH possessed a very pleasing, peaceful, contented and loving manas and was also able to make others’ manas (minds) too  soumya (sathwik). Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji undertook padayathras in villages – and especially tried to encourage women because it would be beneficial to the society. Those days people used to go to temples occasionally and rarely used to conduct any mass pujas.

But HH encouraged and organized collective Lakshmi Pujas on Fridays. The Friday puja scheme was devised in a specific way – that host should to wash their houses, decorate with mango leaves, draw rangavallis in front of their houses, take head bath, invite friends and families in their street, area, town and perform Lakshmi puja.  HH strictly instructed the devotees   not to make any cooked prasadam except fruits and soaked chickpeas,  because the entire focus drifts  to the cooking and serving aspect while the  purpose of the main activity gets defeated.

HH published a small book – Sukravara pooja vidhanam – in 1930s and all these instructions were contained in the beginning of that book. This developed unity and cooperation among the rural folks.

HH used to go on ‘padayathra’ in villages to each and every house and explained to them about its importance. In the Kalvapamula village there lived a lady called Bhagavanlamma,   very enthusiastic and disciplined. She used to reach the village before HH’s visit there, propagate about the activity, encourage them and get them all ready for HH padayatra.

Thus through many movements he brought awareness in scholars and common people.

He possessed that ‘ma:nasic soumyatha’ for assisting everyone into dharmic field and thus it is apt that HH was born in  Soumya samvathsara.

The Ashtoththara Satha na:ma sthothram composed by Sri Kavirathna swami has the two following namas :

Om Sri Soumya nama samvathsara nija sra:vana ma:sa vathe: namaha

Om Krushna paksha dwithi:ya: bha:k uththara:bha:dra tha:raka:ya namaha

 

Till now 105 years passed after his appearance. We are performing this celebration today on HH’s birth anniversary.

This Divya Saketam was built as a sripada samarpana – a tribute to HH’s lotus feet on His centenary.

Our main intention to build this Divya Saketam was to accomplish Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji’s sankalpam.  HH’s teachings should reach everyone without any distortion.  HH brought together scholars and common people and facilitated the passage of knowledge from the learned to the needy.

Since all these activities had to be undertaken for the benefit of the society, HH wanted to take Sanya:sam. Even though he was ready mentally in 1935 itself, it took about 20 years till 1952-53 or so to settle all his children.

Meanwhile HH performed Ashta:kshari japam in Badari for four times starting from 1948. In 1954 HH took Sanyasa ashram and immediately performed Ashtakshari Koti havana maha krathu in a grand scale.

It was the conclusion for the fourth japa anushtanam. So HH took around 300 Rutviks and other devotees to Badari along with him. For the first time, a special yahtra train was organized  from South to North in the year 1954. It was a trip to Rishikesh from Vijayawada. All the devotees and scholars were taken in that train and brought back safely. HH had no experience in such tours but everyone hailed the arrangements. Now-a-days yatra specials are common , but it was the maiden trip in 1954. Kanchipuram Sri Prativadi Bhayankaram Annangaracharya swami asked HH – whether devotees going there will ever come back safely or is it a route to moksham in a lighter vein. The nature of yatra was like that in those days – people used to write their Wills before leaving for Badari. Buses used to go upto Peepal koti only. From there Badari was accessible only by walk. From  Peepal koti to Joshimath, then to Pandukeswar and then to Badari – about 20-40Km between each place in Hills. In those days Rishikesh was not a big town but Haridwar was.mBus from Haridwar used to go to Garhwal, another bus from Garhwal to Srinagar which used to stop on the banks of Ganga on the other side of the river. The river had to be crossed on boats and then board another bus from Srinagar to Peepalkoti. In such difficult conditions, with so many people, HH managed the entire tour efficiently.

From 1954 onwards he undertook major movements.

From 1954 to 1958 – HH focused on completing Badari Annada:na kshethram and finished Pratishta there.

In 1958 Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji started Ramanuja Kratus.

From 1960-69 HH performed 108 Srirama Maha Kratus.

Then conducted Sribhashya Sadass in Sriperumbudur and Bhagavad vishaya Sadass in Srirangam.

Then performed Sri Lakshminarayana Maha kratu in Tirupati with 1008 kundas in 1972 in a grand scale.

Then an All India Vedic Conference was organized in 1973 in Ramlila Maidan in Delhi.

It was first of its kind in India – a grand success.

About 2500 vedic scholars and 800 divya prabandha scholars from all over the country participated in it.

Vedic and prabandha recitations took place and it was a unique function. From 1974 onwards HH performed 108 Swadhya:ya jna:na Yajnams.

Thus HH showed us how to protect vedic tradition and social heritage.

Prior to HH’s preaching,  wearing Tilakam on forehead was not a regular practice. Even in Vaishnava families – only gents used to wear Tiruman/Srichurnam vertically. Ladies used to wear round kumkuma only. HH started the movement of pancha sanskarams, and educated them the need to honor and practice our traditions. From then on even ladies are wearing vertical Srichurnam. People around in the society who saw vertical tilakam mark on forehead used to ask if they were sishyas of Jeeyar swmaiji. Even staff and passengers of RTC buses used to question about that.

In Tamilnadu, peole never  used  to recognize us when we go there. Only after HH’s untiring movements, renowned scholars there recognized HH and were wondering as if Ramanuja took birth again in the form of Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji.

Sri Prativadi Bhayankaram Swami or Sri Vanamamalai Jeeyar swami used to say when they saw Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji –‘ Ramanuja, when will you give me Moksham ?’  ‘Srimannarayana, is the time not ripe yet to lead me unto your place?’

We know the incident when Sri Vanamamalai Jeeyar swami said .

We joined HH Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji in 1975 for the first time. HH went to Tamilnadu and Kerala for Divya desa renovation movement. We are new and used to write reports of HH’s activities. We went to Vanamamalai and Sri Jeeyar Swami was lying on bed. He was very old, frail with white hair and beard. When Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swami stood beside his bed humbly, He folded his hands and said “Ramanuja, koovikkollum kalamennum kurugado?”

1954 when HH went to seek sanyasam, the same Jeeyar Swami refused to give fearing that HH might claim heir-ship for the Matham. However the same Jeeyar Swami realized the greatness of Sri Pedda Jeeyar swami and said the above in that trip. Because of HH’s sincerity and divine activities, all the scholars in Tamilnadu changed their minds and hailed HH as Andhra Jeeyar. In fact Divya Desa renovation movement was started by HH only and now it gained a lot of momentum.

In our HH’s presence, people from south, north and middle of the country easily used to mingle together and participate in programs. Such occasions are rare with other swamis. Gatherings with other swamis used to have only people of a particular region/area only.

When Swadhyaya jnaya yagnas started, programs were conducted almost in every village. Many of the temples in our areas became Divya desas and are serving as the lamps of tradition for the devotees even today. There are many people who took samasrayanam from HH and contributed their might to the tradition with HH’s benevolence.

It is the tirunakshatram – birth anniversay of such great Swamiji today and we will celebrate with Thirumanjanam and recite Thaniyan.

We will also lay foundation stone for a Homeo Medical college affiliated to the JIMS hospital as an offering to our Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji. No one used to know who is a jeeyar or what is meant by it before. Only after HH, everyone knows the word and hail Sri Swamiji.

 

Bol  Jeeyar swamiji maharaj ki jai!