Varadaraja Panchasat, v. 3

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Here is the 3rd Sloka from Desikar's VaradarAja PancASat, with

meaning and commentary by D. Ramaswamy Ayyangar. We left off

in the previous Sloka with Desikar's declaration of his utter

incapability and even rudeness of attempting to praise the Lord.

 

Note the usage of the epithet ``avyaajavatsala.'' A striking

contrast, perhaps, to his doctrinal explanation in his other

works of prapatti / self-surrender being a ``vyaaja'' or

pretext for the Lord's grace?

 

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jaanan anaadivihitaan aparaadhavargaan

svaamin ! bhayaat kimapi vaktum aham na Saktha.h |

avyaajavatsala ! tathaapi nirankuSam maam

vaatsalyam eva bhavato mukharIkaroti || 3 ||

 

My Lord! Knowing the multitude of offenses committed

by me from time immemorial, I am unable and unfit to

say anything (about You) out of fear. Nevertheless,

O You of Innate Love! Your love alone compels me to

break into words.

 

``avyaaja-vatsala'', You who possess spontaneous and unconditioned

love such as a cow towards its calf. ``Svaamin!'' My Lord whose

property I am.

 

In this sloka, Desika says because of his sins he is afraid even

to talk of the Lord. But the Lord's unconditioned, unlimited, and

illimitable love urges him to speak, that is, sing (a stotra) in

His praise.

 

Comparative merit or demerit apart, thinking of himself the poet

feels utterly unequal to being a stotra in praise of the Lord. But

when he thinks of that great quality of Mercy in Him, he feels

emboldened. ``My sins make me desist from praising you; but your

love does not permit me to be quiet. It makes me sing your praises.''

In the Goda Stuti we see Desika voicing a similar sentiment --

``... mukharayanti guNaas tvadIya.h ...'' Addressing Goda, he says,

``Your great qualities dispel my vow to keep mum and make me speak

out.'' The same word is used here -- ``mukhara'' (= talk).

 

The words ``anaadivihitaan aparaadhavargaan'' remind us of the

words of SaraNaagati Gadya of Sri Ramanuja beginning with

``anaadikaalapravRtta.'' ``The sense of fear at the thought of

such sins renders me incapable of uttering even a single word.''

 

The word ``nirankuSam'' occurring in the sloka can be taken as

an adjective to ``vaatsalya'' or as an adverb modifying the verb

``makharIkaroti''. The vaatsalyam or love of the Lord is unfettered,

unobstructed and unconditioned. That vaatsalyam makes the poet burst

into a torrent of praise. ``nirankuSam maam'', taken together, may

give the meaning, ``Even such an uncontrollable and unruly person

like myself feels compelled to obey the behests of your love and

begin to sing in praise of you.''

 

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