Acharya Sri Pancha Madha Banjana Thatha Desikan Thirunakshatram falls on Masi Swathi Nakshathram (March 12, 2012).
“I take refuge at the feet of Sri Thatha Desikan, the blemish less who is a Paarijatha flower (Granting all desires) of those who take refuge at his feet, the one who is like the full moon coming out of the ocean of the lineage of Sri Saila Poorna.
– Sri Keezh Neer Kundram Anantha Desikar
I celebrate Thathacharya Guru who is like Sukha Brahmam in Vedic lore and in establishing Tattvas”
– Kachi Kadambi Appayya Dikshitar (a.k.a) Srinivasa Dikshitar
Sri Thatha Desikan the eldest son of Aacharya Skandhanur Sri Srinivasa Thatha Desikan ( The royal preceptor of Skandhanur Samasthan, the descendant of Sriman Nathamunigal ; He was named after the Moola Purusha Sri Periya Thirumalai Nambigal the grandson of Sri Alavandhar; the Lord of Seven Hills Sri Srinivasa fondly called him as “Sri Thatha Desikan” and blessed this title to his lineage for the selfless service that he was rendering to the Lord of Seven Hills) known popularly as Sri Pancha Madha Banjana Thatha Desikan belongs to the celebrated Sriman Nathamunigal Vamsam known as Sri Thathacharyar Vamsam which takes its root from Sri Angirasa, Sri Aapathsambha Mahrishis in the Hrutha Yuga and inherited by great scholars like Sri Padkmaksha Muni, Sriman Nathamuni, Sri Alavandar, Sri Periya Thirumalai Nambi ( Srisaila Poorna Maha Desikan), Sri Emberumanar ( Swamy’s Mother was the daughter of Sri Deivathukarasunambi), Sri Kurugesar ( Sri Pillan, the abhimana Puthrar of Sri Emberumanar), Sri Vishnuchitharya Thatha Desikan ( his commentary for Sri Gathyathrayam is very famous), Sri Pillai Thirumalai Thatha Desikan, Srisaila Srinivasa Thatha Desikan, Sri Gattam Thatha Desikan, Sri Thirumaligai Nilayitta Thatha Desikan (known popularly as Srivilliputtur Thatha Desikan), Sri Kandhanur Swamy ( Kandhanur Srinivasa Thatha Desikan).
Srisaila Srinivasa Thatha Desikan swamy was a disciple of Srimadh Kumara Varadhacharyar ( Thirukumarar of Sri Desikar) who went for a Sadas against a Mayavadhi as per the orders of Swamy Sri Nainaracharyar. He is a poorvacharya of 10 generations before Sri Thatha Desikan’s direct paternal lineage. This Aacharyan’s Mother was the daughter of Swamy Desikan’s Uncle and his father was celebrated Sri Padhmaksha Desikar, the prapauthrar (great grandson) of Sri Kurukesar ( Sri Thirukurugai Piran Pillan, the abhimana Puthrar and Thiruvadi of Swamy Emberumanar and the prathama Simhasanathipathi of Sri Bashya Bagavath Vishaya Ubhaya Vedantha Simhasanam).
Sri Thatha Desikan is celebrated for His divine brilliance and Gyanam. He decorated the courts of Vijayanagar Rulers and had many Kings from the dynasties of Hoysala, Rayas, Kakatheyas and Tamil as his disciples. He is the son of Sri Kandhanur Srinivasa Thatha Desikan and inherited all the talents from his paternal lineage. He is known for his love on Naalayira Divya Prabandham. This Swamy always used to sing the Thiruvaimozhi verses and had a deep devotion for Sri Nammalwar. He propagated Sri Vishtadvaita Sidantha all over the country of Bharath and had many disciples in the places of Pushkar, Gandhara, Lahore, Nepal, Prayag, Varanavath and Dwaravathi.
Sri Thatha Desikan is considered to be the amsam of Thiru Aazhi Azhwan (Sri Sudharsanar/ Sri Thirumazhisai Piran). He did various kanikaryams at Sri Aravamudhalwan Sannidhi ( Sri Sarangapani Perumal Temple, Kumbakonam). The famous 6th aacharya of Sri Ahobila Mutt Sri Sashtaparangusa Swamy was his maternal uncle and he served Sri Ahobila Mutt as a Sri Karyam during the time of Sri Sashtaparangusa Muni. He is much celebrated for his profound knowledge on both Prabandham and Sri Bashyam. He propagated the values of Sri Desika Prabandham and because of his influence, later his foster son ‘Koti Kannikadhana’ Sri Lakshmi Kumara Thatha Desikan composed the commentary on Sri Desika Prabandham known as ‘Sri Thatha Desikan Vyakyanam’.
Sri Thatha Desikan is the pradhana Aacharya and Aaradhana Moorthy for Srimadh Aandavan Swamigal. Sri Upanishad Bashyakara Sri Ranga Ramanuja Swamy is the prime sishya of Sri Thatha Desikan. Sri Thatha Desikan was born in Kali 4610, which is equated with 1509 A.D, that is around 130 years after Sri Periya Parakala Swamy attaining Paramapadham, later Sri Ranga Ramanuja Swamy got Sanyasa ashrama Sweekaram from the 15th pattam Sri Parakala Jeeyar Swamy.
Sri Saila Srinivasa Thatha Desikan faced his opponent by name Brahma Dattan from Kashi along with Sri Brahma Thanthra Swamy (Sri Periya Parakala Swamy) as per the orders of Swamy Nainaracharyar and Swamy Desikan in Kanchipuram.
Sri Thatha Desikan won a group of scholars headed by a mayavathi who was a Uchishta Ganapathi Upasaka at Chandragiri and the conversations are well recorded by his sishya Sri Upanishad Bashyakara Ranga Ramanuja Swamy as a great grantha known as “Pancha Madha Banjanam” and hence Sri Thatha Desikan got the title “Sri Pancha Madha Bandhana Thatha Desikan”.
Sri Mahacharya of Cholasimhapuram went and met Sri Thatha Desikan at Chandragiri fort and conveyed him the mis-happenings at Thillai Thiruchithra Kootam Divya Desam and requested him to take the necessary steps to restore proper worships at this Temple. Sri Thatha Desikan immediately helped Sri Mahacharya with his immense Mercy and raja sahayam and requested him to go to Thillai Thiruchithra Kootam and to regulate the worships of Sri Govinda raja Perumal. It was only during that time, the world famous “Chanda Marutham” was written based on Swamy Desikan’s “Sathadooshani” by Cholasimha puram Sri Doddacharya swamy ( Sri Mahacharya) and till today The Doddacharyas of Sri Mahacharya’s lineage receives respects in various Divya Desams!
Sri Thatha Desikan’s brother was Sri Sundara Thatha Desikan and to him was born the celebrated Aacharya ‘Koti Kannikadhana’ Sri Lakshmi Kumara Thatha Desikan. Sri Thatha Desikan adopted Sri Lakshmi Kumarar as his son and taught him several sastras and sampradhayas. Sri Thatha Desikan played a key role in restoring Sri Vaishnava Siddantham at various places of modern Andhrapradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Gujarath with his vast knowledge and rich Sishya parampara. With the help of the then Hindu rulers of South India, he opposed the invading Unrighteous forces of Foreign Invaders and with this inspiration, later Sri Lakshmi Kumara Thatha Desikan drove away the Unrighteous forces from various Divya Desams and regulated the worships and grants in a larger scale.
Sri Thatha Desikan was such a great scholar that, he admired even the opponents. Famous Advaita scholar Adayabalam Sri Appaya Dikshitar was a great devotee of Sri Thatha Desikan and many times in his grantas he comments on the greatness of Sri Thatha Desikan. On showing his reverence for this great Aacharya, Sri Appaya Dikshitar has composed one Sanskrit Thanian on Sri Thatha Desikan which still exists in anushtanam along with the main Thanian of Sri Thatha Desikan written by his disciple Sri Upanishad Bhashyakara Ranga Ramanuja Muni.
Sri Thatha Desikan’s aradhana perumal was Sri Malayappan and His parivaram including Sri Aravamudhalwan, Sri Chakravarthy Thirumagan, Sri Lakshmi Hayagrivar, Sri Vennaikadum Pillai, Sri Nammalwar, Sri Thirupan Alwar, Sriman Nathamunigal, Sri Alavandhar, Sri Emberumanar, Swamy Sri Desikan.
Worshipping Sri Thatha Desikan, one gets Gyana, Vairaghya, Bakthi. On Worshipping Sri Thatha Desikan, one gets profound knowledge and deep devotion on our Alwars and Aacharya Parampara. He was very fond of children during his mortal life and he used to teach the children of Vijayanagar Sri Ramayanam in simple Sanskrit Verses. He had very deep devotion for Swamy Sri Vedantha Desikan. So people who suffer with unnecessary confusions in life, who long for mental peace, who are in bad need for financial comforts please worship Sri Thatha Desikan, the amsam of Sri Sudarsanar. Children who are going to appear for their exams could pray to Sri Thatha Desikan for he was like an affectionate grandfather for all the children of Vijayanagar during his life time. Sri Thatha Desikan Sannidhi is there in Sri Pillan Sannidhi in Kanchipuram Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple.
Courtesy: Sri Seva Swamy’s “Sadamarshana Gothra Mahaneeyargal Vaibhavam, Photo Courtesy : Sri Kausik Swami
