Sri Ubha. Ve Prathivadi Bhayankaram ANNANGARACHARYA SWAMIGAL His Life and Activities (Dr, V- V. Ramanujam, M.A., M.Se., Ph.D.) Jagadacharya Simhasanadhipathi Mahavidwan Sri. Ubha Ve. Prathivadi Bhayankaram Annangaracharya Swami is too well-known a figure—an institution by himself—to need any introduction to the reli- gious-minded. He is a towering personality of unrivalled eminence in the spiritual world, a scholar of deep and extensive knowledge of the literature of philosophy and religion, as well as the literatures of the languages —prose, poetry, and drama (in Sanskrit and Tamil}, besides a good knowledge of Telugu and Hindi. He is a unique combination of many things rarely found ‘together in a single individual. These are, a mastery of the Vedas with regard to chanting of the text and a critical knowledge of their teachings as well as the language; a mastery of the6 Sri Ramanujan Tamil Prabandhams of the Alwars and the “Secret” teachings of the Acharyas of both text and available commentaries He is a forceful speaker of rare eloquence, who can hold huge audiences spell:bound by his sonorous and metallic voice and sweetness of exposition. He is an equally forceful and prolific writer—the author of some five hundred books, big and small. He isa great bhaktha, eager to serve the Dieties in temples by group-chanting of the Vedas and Prabandhas. He has travelled the length and breadth of India many times, to worship the famous shrines and to propagate Sri Ramanuja Siddhanta It is a unique piece of luck to live contemporaneously with this great soul. Though posterity would benefit by the wealth he has put down in his numerous writings, we have the good fortune of being with him and hearing his expositions of godly matters in a style, charming in its natural grace and expressive of the heart's intense emotionsand which at once captures the minds of the listeners and sends them into raptures and makes their eyes tear-laden. There was one Sri Mudumbai Nambi, a desciple and contemporary of Sri Ramanuja, who was installed by him as one of the 74 Simha- sanadhipathis. Among the descendents of Mudumbai Nambi should be mentioned Sri Pillai Lokacharya, the author of the “Ashtadasa Rahasya”’. Prathivadi-bhayankaram Annan Swami was another famous Acharya from this family. being the grandson of Pillai Lokacharya's paternal uncle. Sri Annan swami was one of the eight ' Diggajas” or Simhasanadhipathis installed by Sri Manavala Mamunigal. Sri Annan Swami was a native of Kanchee and ‘had his early training under Sri Nainarachariar, son of Sri Vedanta Desika. There have been many great scholars and Acharyas who were decen- dents of Sri Annan Swami. Men of great renown inthe recent past, were the great Pushkaram Anantachariar Swami who flourished about a century ago and his grandson Jagathguru Sri Gathi Anantacharya Swami. These were great men who toured India several times to propagate Sri Rama- nuja Siddhantha and attracted lakhs of disciples. Our Swami was born in 1891 in the Tamil month of Panguni under the star Visakham in the year Vikrithi, of Sriman P. B Anna Rangacharyar Swami of this family, Sri Anna Rangacharyar was a scholar of no mean merit and was the chief pandit in the Kanchee Sanskrit Vidyalaya He died at the young age of 43 leaving his only son, who was but 1! at the time. But in thatP. B. A. Swami's Life and Activities 4 short period of less than 14 years, the father had given excellent instruction to his son in many branches of Sanskrit Literature and brought him up as an ardent, orthodox, and disciplined Sri Vaishnavite. The careful upbringing of the boy then devolved upon Jagathguru Sri Gathi Ananthachariar Swami, who instructed him in the Sanskrit sastras of Tarka (logic), Vyakarana (Grammar), Mimamsa and Vedanta. Besides his father and Sri Gathi Swami, he owes his learning to many other eminent scholars, chief among whom should be mentioned Sri Elangadu Ranga- chariar Swami of Kanchee, Elaiavalli Srinivasa Varadachariar and two Madhwa Scholars, Sri Ramachandrachar and Sri Vidyachar. Even before he was born, Sri Annangarachariar’s maternal grand- father had become a sanyasin and adorned the Alagia Manavala Jeer's place and was well-known as Shashti Jeer Swami. The Jeerswami was a great Tamil Scholar and well-versed in Srivaishnava Sampradaya. He took deep interest in our Swami’s education and upbringing. He imparted him invaluable instruction. Our Swami learnt Tamil also from the well-known Tamil Scholar Sri V.M Satakopa Ramanujachariar. In his younger days the precocious youth was familiarly known as ‘ Jeer's grandson’, in religious circles all over the south, and was looked up to with affection and admiration by many people. Bven from boyhood days, Sri ‘Annangarachariar used to write Sanskrit verse and prose and publish them in Sanskrit journals of those days and these were well-received by the readers. By tho age of twentytwo, he had completed a regular course of studies inSanskrit and Tamil under eminent pandits. He was then filled with an ardent longing to acquire a knowledge of Yajur-Veda, both text and commentaries. A great teacher of Yajur Veda, Sri U. Vo. Mamballam T. V. Sudarsanacharya Swami was requested to go over and live in Kanchi for imparting the necessaay instruction A vedio school called Veda Vedanta Vaijayanthi was founded by our swami with the help of many generousminded philanthrophists, in 1913 anda band of ardent students, chief among whom was our Swami, began Vedie studies under the great teacher, Sri Sudarsanacharya Swami. ‘The Patasala thus established, in the Jeer Swami's Mutt with Sri P. B. Anna Swami asa foundation pupil shifted from building to building till it was established in its own spacious building and hostel by the