Mukundan Swamy: Taking Desika Sampradaya to next generation
Many scholars have been striving hard to spread the wings of Sri Vaishnavism. One among them is great preceptor Sriman U.Ve. E.S. Mukundan Swamy, settled in Hyderabad. An engineer by profession and an expert in German and Sanskrit, Sri Mukundan Swamy quit his job in 2004 and immersed himself in the Desika Sampradaya. His aim is to take the teachings and writings of Sri Vedanta Desika to the younger generation and imbibe spiritual values in them. He has been propagating Desika stotrams through a network of students who take classes at different places.
Hailing from the illustrious Senji Thirumalai Nallan Chakravarthi Swayamaacharyaa Parampara, Sri Mukundan Swamy had Kaalakshepam under Srimad Andavan and Sri U.Ve Annadhoor E.S. Varadachariar Swami, Mysore. He has been awarded the title “Sri Desika Vaangmaya Prachaara Dhurandharaha” by Sri Parakala Swamy and “Sri Desika Stotra Ratnam” by Sri Parvakottai Aandavan.
Sri Mukundan Swamy learnt all Prabandams from his Samasrayana Acharya Sri U.Ve. Elangadu Rajagopalachariar Swamy (his paternal grandfather and disciple of H.H. Garudapuram Swamy). He learnt Srimad Bhagavatam with Veeraraghaveeya commentary from Sri Bhagavandas Maharaj, Vedanta Desika Peetam, Kesighat, Vrindavan. Sri Mukundan Swamy learnt all Vedaanta Desika stothrams from Payyambaadi Chetlur Srotrium Sri U.Ve. P.V. Pranataatiharaachariar Swamy and Sri U.Ve. Narasimha Raghavaachariar (former Sri Karyam, Srirangam Srimad Andavan Ashramam). He has been compiling notes of all upanyasams in Secunderabad right from the year 1975.
He had delivered upanyasams on a variety of subjects including Desika Vaibhavam, Tiruppavai, Yathirajasapthati, importance of Rama nama, Dayashatakam, Gopalavimshati, Raghuveera Gadyam, Srimad Bhagavatam. Sri Ramanuja Vaibhavam, Sundarakandam, and Sri Rukmini Kalyanam.
Through his Swamy Desikan Stotra Paata Goshtee, Sri Mukundan Swamy has been organizing Desika Stotram classes in Hyderabad. Sri Mukundan Swamy has many students all over the world. His sishyas in the U.S. and Singapore have been learning Desika Stotrams through phone. The Swamy conducts competitions under the aegis of Sri Desika Sabha, Hyderabad. He is a member of Sri Lakshmi Nrusimha Seva Samithi, Secunderabad.
He takes classes at Sri Ahobila Mutt and Srimad Andavan Ashramam in Hyderabad regularly. He has been a managing committee member of Sri Desika Sabha, Hyderabad and Srirangam Srimad Andavan Ashramam, Secunderabad. Sri Mukundan Swamy conducts regular weekly classes on Swamy Desikan’s Stotrams at Alwal Sri Balaji Temple, Sri Ahobila Mutt, Srimad Andavan Ashramam, Sri Datta Talent High School, Alwal, and Santoshi Maatha High School, Lal Bazar. He delivers tele-upanyasams to devotees in USA and Singapore during weekends.
The Swamy proposes to run a regular school for teaching Swamy Desikan’s Stotrams, simple Sanskrit, simple German and conducting research work on Swamy Desikan’s works and linking them to modern science.