In Ever Loving Memory of
*Sri Narasimhan Krishnamachari*
* 20-09-1939 * 18-12-2008*
Sri Narasimhan Krishnamachary swamin of Chicago Fondly Remembered by Relatives & Friends
A tribute to VaikunTavaasi U.V. Sri N. Krishnamachariar Swami
has attained Acharya Thiruvadi 11 Years Ago.
Words cannot express the grief and the sadness of the beloved ones he left behind.
The Srivaishnava community truly lost one our most devout bhagavathas
who inspired many of us through his quality postings that are reflections
of his deeper understanding of the rare and complex scriptures,
thoroughness in analysis and simplicity in presentation.
He valued our samprdhyadam so much he practiced it truly and lived by its examples.
At this moment of sadness, we pray to HH Sri Ranga Ramanuja Mahadesiakan
and the Divya Dhampathi to bestow all the blessings on
Smt Kalyani Krishmamachari and their children to endure and overcome this grief.
Dasan
Avataaram: 20th September 1939
Ascended to Paramapadam: 18th December 2008
He was shy of just about 10 months for celebrating his “Saptadi”)
Words fail me as I venture to record my admiration for a virtual Achaarya
who was very much with us until recently. His dedication to his own Achaarya,
His Holiness Srirangam Srimad Andavan of Periyasramam was none the less
than his devotion to the Divya Dampatis. Only a person who enjoyed the
Paripoorna KaTaaksham of Bhagavaan and Achaarya could pen such wonderful
pieces like what Sri N.K. Swami has been regaling us with.
Lord Krishna who gave us the “Song Celestial” was an Achaaryan. I feel that our
Swami bearing his name as Krishnamachariar is not by sheer coincidence but
is quite significant. Like Lord Krishna who concealed his “Paratvam”
under the cloak of “Soulabhyam”, our Swami’s unassuming simplicity belies
his unfathomable erudition enabling him to present such deeply researched
insights into the nuances of any topic he undertook - be it Sri VishNu Sahasra naamam
or Swami Desika StOtras or Nammazhwar’s Tiruvoimozhi or anything else.
“Vidya” and “Vinayam” are never seen to co-exist. But, both happily blended
in an exemplary manner in our Swami.
During the last few years, he suffered excruciating pain through a strange disease
called “Trigeminal Neuralgia” - that causes episodes of intense pain in any or
all of the following: the ear, eye, lips, nose, scalp, forehead, teeth or jaw
on one side of the face bringing about stabbing, mind-numbing, electric shock-like
pain from just a finger's glance of the cheek or spontaneously without any
stimulation by the patient.
During his last days, his condition was further aggravated by what
is known as “Blepharospasm” - a neurological movement disorder involving
involuntary and sustained contractions of the muscles around the eyes.
It is beyond imagination how our Swami not only bore the trauma which lesser
mortals like us could not even comprehend but also fought with admirable fortitude
as exemplified by his perseverance in churning out such delectable
"likhita kainkaryams" for our benefit.
He was my mentor and an unfailing source of inspiration and guidance – in fact,
a ready reference - on whom I could rely at any time for the most authentic and
authoritative interpretation of any tricky point in our philosophy and practices.
We can do no better than exclaim with what Oliver Goldsmith did about the
“Schoolmaster” in his poem “The Deserted Village”:
“And still they gazed, and still the wonder grew,
That one small head could carry all he knew”
The entire Srivaishnava world is forever indebted to this illustrious educator.
Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy