His Holiness Sri: Sri:ranga Na:ra:yana Jeeyar, Sri:rangam

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  In his earliest days, he showed great interest in the study of the Vedas. He joined Rig Veda Patasala in Tiruvanaikovil near Srirangam and completed the mastery of Rig Veda. From there he went to Chidambaram to study Sastras under Mahavidwan Brimhasri Ramasubba Sastri and Srivaishnavism under the mahavidwan Sri U.Ve. Ashtagothram Venkatacharya Swami, a renowned scholar.  In his student days, he was so enthusiastic in his studies that he learnt even Agamas and Jyothisha Sastra.

          In the year 1958, he took charge as priest of Sri Paramapadanathan Sannidhi at Srirangam Temple.  From there he went to Coimbatore and joined as Priest of Sri Lakshmi Narayana Perumal Temple, popularly known as “Garudi Koil”.  His sincerity and devotion in serving the Lord impressed the people of Coimbatore and thus he became very popular among the people.  He arranged for special festivals in the temple and performed Sudarsana and Ashtakshara Yagna for the promotion of human welfare.  Public support enabled him to perform Sri Maha Sudarsana Yagnas for the welfare of the Universe, with 108 Homakundas (representing the 108 Srivaishnava Divayadesams) for 12 days at Srirangam in 1978, Coimbatore in 1988 and 2000, and at Chennai in 2007. Aside from these, he also conducted Sri Sudarsana Yagnas at Badrinath, Ayodhya, Tiruvali Thirunagari where Sri Tirumangai Alwar was preached the Ashtakshara Mantra by Lord Narayana himself.  He has undertaken extensive Divyadesa Yathras along with his followers.  He has also arranged Alankara Thirumanjanam at many Divyadesam Temples. Swamy has also helped many vaishnavite temples by donating Vahanams and Jewels.

          On 01.12.1989, the day of his 60th birthday (Sashtiapthapoorthy), he renounced all his comforts and fortunes and took to Sanyasa Ashram and adorned the Peetam of Sriranga Narayana Jeer at Srirangam as the 50th descendant of Sri. Ramanuja.   As Sriranga Narayana Jeer, He has devoted heart and soul in the day to day kainkaryams of Sri Ranganatha Swami and Sri Ranganayaki Thayar. He also arranged an elephant for the temple from Coimbatore and adorned the front gate of the Sanctum Sanctorum of Lord Ranganatha with silver plates weighing 63 kilos of silver.

          Sriranga Narayana Jeer Swami, being the descendant of Sri Ramanuja, is the Head of the Sthalathars and as such is honoured first in the temple functions at Srirangam.  Besides His daily worship and attending the festivals of the temple, He performs various other important functions, such as:

1. Anointment of “Punugukappu”, i.e. applying a Special Thailam (oil), to Lord Ranganatha and Sri Ranganayaki Thayar on all Fridays.  The speciality is, while the Archakar applies the Thailam on the Lord, the Jeer Swamy has to fan the Lord and during this period only the Archakar and Jeer Swamy will be present in the Sanctum Sanctorum of the Lord and no one else will be allowed inside.
2. Jeer Swamy is one of the important key holders of the safe custody vault of Lord Ranganatha’s Ornaments and is required to be present both at the time of taking out and depositing of the ornaments etc.
3. He is also required to supervise the day to day rituals in the temple.

 The greatest achievement of the present Jeer Swamy is that He has been successful in renewing the Temple honours at Tirumala for Sriranga Narayana Jeer with great efforts. Thus He has been, for the past five years, visiting Tirupathi Tirumala for Mangalasasanam at the temples of Padmavathi Thayar, Govindaraja Perumal and Lord Venkateshwara, with all temple honours and other paraphernalia.  Further, it is only during the present Jeer’s time that the exchange of honours between the Lord Venkateshwara temple at Tirumala and Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple at Srirangam, has commenced since the past two years.

          Besides this, the Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam has allotted land space at Tirumala Hills for construction of Sriranga Narayana Jeer Mutt. The HR & CE Board of Govt. of Tamil Nadu has already allotted funds for the construction and the foundation stone has already been laid.

          He has also periodically been arranging discourses by eminent vaishnavite Scholars for propagation of Vaishnavism.  It is only during the period of the present Jeer that the Sriranga Narayana Jeer Mutt, Srirangam, has come to be known not only in Tamil Nadu but also in many parts of India and even abroad.  The Jeer Mutt, which was in a dilapidated condition, has been thoroughly renovated with all latest facilities, only on account of the concerted efforts of the present Jeer Swami.  His simplicity and easy accessibility has held him in very high esteem not only among the Vaishnavites but also among the public belonging to all religions.

Article Provided by: Sri:ma:n Andy Sri:niva:san Swa:mi

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