Passing away of Sri Sarangachariar of Srimath Andavan Ashramam
Sreemathe RangaRamanuja Mahadesikaya Namaha
Sreemathe RangaRamanuja Mahadesikaya Namaha
With deep regrets, I am reproducing
the following message received from Sri RR on the passing away of a devouted
Ashramam sishya the one and only Sri Sri Sarangarajan, popularly called as
Saarangaachariar, last night in a Chennai hospital.
Daasan,
R Srinivasan
A Great AchAryA Kainkarya Sri passes away
It is with deep regret that we report the passing away of Shriman VK
Sarangarajan Swami popularly known as ‘Sarangachar’ to his countless friends
& admirers at around 10 PM on Thursday the 29th November. He is survived by
Smt Anasuya (his dharmapatni), sons Parthasarathy & Srinivasan and daughter
Padmavathi Sudarsan & grandchildren. He was 84 years young. While all
friends & admirers will feel a terrible vacuum, adiyen’s loss is personal;
our two families go back 90+ years – the Swami’s father-in-law was the early
mentor for adiyen’s grandfather when he started his legal practice in 1910’s.
The Swami was born on May 1928, served the Indian Railways mostly in
the North Eastern India for nearly 30 years before taking VRS in 1977 &
settled down in Madras (Chennai). Then followed a golden era of totally
committed & unparalleled Kainkaryams by any Sishya over the next 34+ years
to the Asramam & our AchAryAs. Pancha SamskArams & Saranagathi were
performed under HH Srimad Thirukkudanthai Andavan in 1977 & 1982 (on
Mahalaya Amavasyai) respectively.
Adiyen cannot appropriately describe the Swami’s total faith in &
absolute commitment to his AchAryAs. Whenever HH Srimad Andavan camped at
Chennai, the Swami will get up at 3.00-3.30 AM, complete his daily anushttanam
(incl the Perumal/Paduka Aradhanams at his residence) by around 4.30-5.00 AM,
off he will go to the Asramam, wake up (if necessary) the Kainkaryaparars, make
them finish their morning anushttanam & get on with the job of Thaligai,
Aradhanams or whatever!! Not a very popular job BUT one that got done without
fail. He will stay on till the Perumal/Paduka Aradhanams are completed by HH
Srimad Andavan, go home & will be back in the afternoons to do whatever
minor or major Kainkaryam allotted to him by the AchAryAs.
When HH was on Vijaya Yatra also, the daily visit to the Asramam
continued unless he was abroad visiting his children or was so unwell that he
could not move out. Maasaanam Maargaseerisham will find him in the Asramam on
all 30 mornings directing the operations, getting ready the Prasadams on time
& enabling the Dhanur Maasa Aradhanams to proceed without any hitch (whether
HH was in town or not).
No Kainkaryam was too small or undignified for him; he would clean
tables/benches/lamps, fill them with oil, trim the wicks, cut the vegetables (if
need be), step on a rickety table & garland the AchAryAs’ photos in the main
hall, dust&clear the walls&ceilings to remove the cobwebs, stack the
large loads of fruits in the shelves, checking the vouchers, bargaining with
provision store for better rates etc., He was always (over)active like the
proverbial bee in a beehive!! It was crystal clear to all Asramam Sishyas &
Abhimanis that an unprecedented phenomenon was in motion. The respect & awe
that such (amanushya) Kainkaryams created have to be seen to be believed. He was
at his peak during the annual Thirunakshatrams (TN) – morning till evening!! The
day after the TN will find the Swamin coming out with an item wise statement of
expenses of Veda/ Grantha/ Prabandha Parayanam, Thadeearadhanam, Temple Honors,
conveyance etc., show the clear excess/ deficit as the case maybe. The Swami’s
reach was everywhere & all-encompassing that adiyen will – in jest – always
call him as the Chairman!!
He was a true karma yogi (as much as one can be in this Kali Yuga)
& adiyen recalls Slokha 47, Ch 2 of Srimath Bhagavath Geetha
here:
“You have the right only to perform your prescribed duty or KarmAs;
you have no rights over the fruits of action. Never consider yourself to be the
cause of the KarmAs or the results thereof! Never be attached to or desire
for inaction (of KarmAs!).”
Sarangachar Swami lived this concept – as much as anyone could or
would - for the past 34+ years
Slokha 514 of Sri Paduka Sahasram:
Parigruhya sThiramamshukam manOjnyam jaradhamshukavath suKhEna dhEham
Kruthina: kEshavapAdhukE! Thyajanthi
Swamy Desikan states: the PaadhukAs present the Jeevathma with a
novel & new garment, when the Jeevathma seek their refuge. He says: "Oh
Kesava PaadhukE! You present a novel and radiant garment made out of the threads
of rays emanating from Your gems to the approaching Jeevathma. After receiving
this rare garment, the blessed Jeevathma abandon their earthly bodies
effortlessly, as if they are getting rid of a worn-out garment.The
Swamin’s Aathma has now shifted the Kainkaryam to SriVaikuntam where he can
serve the Prathama AchAryAn – Krishnan VandE Jagath Gurum – with the new dress
granted by the PaadhukAs!!
We are however left to wonder – whence will come such
another!!
Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi – RR ( Eyetex R. Rajagopal)
