Sri Garuda Dhandakam

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Swami Desikan was initiated into Garuda mantram by his Acharya, Sri AppuLLar.

Incidentally , the Tamil word PuL stands for a bird. Here the reference is to

the divine bird, Garuda , who is also known as Pakshi Raja(the king of Birds).

Garuda Mantram includes therefore among its five syllables the two syllables

constiuted by the word Pakshi. The Garuda Mantram was a Mantram of AppuLLar"s

family. After instructing Sri Desikan on all relevant Sri Vaishnava granthas,

Rahasyas Tarka and Vyaakarna, Sri AppuLLar initiated him into the recitation of

Garuda Mantram .

 

After his Acharya"s passing away, Sri Desikan settled at Thiruvahindrapuram and

worshipped Sri Devanayaka Perumal and Hemabjavalli Thaayar. While residing

there, he ascended the hillock near the Lord"s temple known as Oushadhadri and

sat under a Aswatta tree and recited Garuda Mantram for a considerable time in

intense concentration.. Garuda Bhagavan was pleased with the devotion of Sri

Desikan and appeared before him and blessed Sri Desikan. Sri Garuda Bhagavan

also gave an archa murthy of Yogaasika Hayagrivan to Sri Desikan to use in his

daily Aaraadhanam. Sri Garuda also initiated Swami Desikan into the recitation

of Sri Hayagreeva Mantram. The enormous achievements of Swami Desikan came out

of the Anugraham of Sri Garuda Bhagavan, who is generally recognized in Sri

Vaishnava Sampradhaya as Veda Swaroopi. Swami Desikan Composed Garuda

Panchaasat to record his gratefulness to Sri Garuda Bhagavan and incorporated

the Garuda Mantram in one of the 50 slokas of that Panchasat. He then recited

Sri Hayagreeva mantra and had the good fortune of seeing Sri Hayagreeva and

received His blessings as well. Swami composed the Hayagreeva Stotram and

incorporated the Mantra of Sri Hayagreeva in this stotram. All the acheivements

of Swami Desikan as a Great Acharya arise from the blessings conferred by Both

Garuda Bhagavan and His Lord Sri Hayagreeva at Thiruvahindrapuram. The archa

murthy of the Yogaasika Hayagreeva presented by Garuda Bhagavan can be seen even

today , next to the Vigraha of Swami Desikan sculpted by his own hands , when he

was challenged by a sculptor, who wanted to to defeat Swami in a contest.

 

Sri Garuda Dhandakam was composed on a later occasion, when a Snake charmer

challenged Swami Desikan"s title as Sarvatantra Swatantrar and sent some

poisonous snakes towards Swami to test his power in handling poisonous snakes..

Sri Desikan recited the Garuda Mantra and the snakes were carried away by

Garuda Bhagawan. The snake charmer lost thus his snakes and his livelihood. He

fell at the feet of Swami and asked for forgivenness. Swami forgave him and

requested Sri Garuda Bhagawan to return the snakes and composed the Garuda

Dhandakam to thank Sri Garuda for his intervention.This stotra was composed at

Kanchipuram.

 

Thus, the Stotras associated with Garuda Bhagavan and Sri Hayageeva, the Lord

of Learning occupy a special place among the 28 stotras of Swami Desikan. In

the next posting, I will include the translation of Sri Garuda Dhandakam, which

is a marvellous composition as seen from its Dhandakam structure.

 

V.Sadagopan