Article related to Sri Mukkur Swami's death

From Hindu Newspaper Article dated 2001


Crusader for Hinduism :-
EVEN IN this age of very advanced technology, there are certain
superhuman instances in the field of spiritualism. How else can one explain
this? An extremely obese person had performed the feat of standing waist-deep
in the rapidly flowing waters of a river for nearly 60 hours, meditating on
God, even without sipping a glass of water, as part of his commitment to carry
out a penance. This happened about a year ago in Mattapalli, a village about
150 km from Vijayawada, where the on the banks of the Krishna (in a crevice)
the idol of Narasimha is installed. And the incredible act was performed by a
well-known Vedic scholar, Sri Mukkur Lakshmi Narasimhachariar, whom God took
away to his abode, at the age of 56, just a fortnight ago.

      The Pandit had gone round entire India organising 107 Vedic Yagnams over
a period of two decades, to highlight the glory of Hindu traditions and to
enable men to face problems. Thousands had listened to his discourses on a
variety of subjects (the epics, the Puranas, the Upanishads and the Gita) for
months, each lecture spreading over even three hours, with Vedic recitations
preceding them. His aim was to spread Hinduism and make people understand how
they can get over their anxieties by following the teachings in these works.

      Inheriting knowledge from his father, who was connected with the
Madurantakam Sanskrit College of Ahobila Math, Sri Lakshmi Narasimhachariar had
education in Kanchipuram up to PUC and then mastered the Vedas and the Vedanta
from his brother who was himself a distinguished preacher of Vedic study. Sri
Lakshmi Narasimhachariar also came under the spell of the 44th Jeeyar Swami of
Ahobila Math and mastered Sanskrit, Telugu and Tamil, had thorough training in
Naalayira Divya Prabhandam and had assimilated all the works of Vedanta Desika
and other illustrious leaders. The profundity of his erudition used to astound
listeners as he quoted from various sources and works not only of Vaishnavism
but also of Adi Sankara, Madhusudana Saraswathi and several other religious
heads. The fact that he had been expounding the term ``Vishnu'' in the
Sahasranamam for 10 days in a year for three years in succession, at the
Asthika Samajam, Alwarpet (Chennai) will reveal how he covered various aspects
of religion and philosophy. He also dwelt on steps of atonement for certain
acts done violating the scriptural codes.

      Sri Lakshmi Narasimhachariar's lecture at the Asthika Samajam were taped,
transcribed and published in Kalki. These were later compiled and brought out
in book form by Vanathi Pathippagam entitled ``Kurai Ondrum Illai'', the first
and second volumes of which have gone to more than one edition and sold all
over the world by Tamil people. The third volume has come out recently.

      The late scholar had conducted 107 yagams in different parts of India
from Rishikesh to Tuticorin. The first was inaugurated in the Asthika Samajam
about 20 years ago. His 108th (end the last) is due at Ahobilam. A few persons
were prepared to contribute the entire sum required for each yagam but Lakshmi
Narasimhachariar was keen that every Asthika should participate in them. He
never prescribed any remedy for problems as, in his opinion, that would amount
to a commercial proposition and he, a mercenary. In one case, taking permission
from the Lord during his prayer he got a girl cured of a serious malady and as
a result, she is now well- settled in life. Recently he suggested that a famous
Sanskrit hymn, ``Lakshmi Sahasram,'' be recited for 48 days when a miracle did
happen as he expected and a couple got back their vision. ``I am a tool in
helping these devout devotees.'' Never was he anxious to suggest any miraculous
prescription.

      It was Sri Mukkur Swami who preached that the ``Leonine form of God'' was
not ``fierce'' as some imagined and popularised Narasimha's worship. After a
brief period of employment in Vijayawada, at his brother's command he took up
the discourse- assignment full-time and made ``Mattappali Narasimha'' a
household name. Tragedy struck when his elder brother who was his teacher in
the Vedas and Sastras, was killed in a road accident near Vijayawada. Sri
Mukkur Swami's daily puja (Aradhana) at his residence in T. Nagar used to take
four to five hours and on and off, he went into a trance. Many of his
programmes fixed in advance were cancelled as he remarked that ``Narasimha''
had not given him permission.

      After conducting a Yagam in Mumbai, he came to Chennai and then proceeded
to Kakinada (where he owns a house) where he suffered a massive heart attack
and passed away within an hour. His father- in-law, Sri Thirukkallam Narasimha
Raghavachariar, was also a reputed scholar who too died when he was 58. The
world of religion and Hinduism mourns the loss of a Vedic authority and a
spiritual guide in Sri Mukkur Swami's death.

      - DVV




Yagna Moorthy Of Mukkoor Swamigal Narasimha Yagyams
Mukkur Swamigal has done 107 Narasimha mahayagnas.
I strongly believe that he completed the 108th Narasimha Yagyam in Vaikuntam.