Vedanta Desika - Lessons from his life-II

[Guest guest]

Dear Prapatti Group Members:

 

Here is a summary of the Srimad Vedanta Desika Dinacharya Stotram recorded by

Nayinaracharyar. I found it very inspiring:

 

1. I bow to Shri Venkatanatha whose Avatara sthalam was Kanchi, Vasa sthalam

was Sri Rangam and Leela Sthalam was Tirumalai.

 

2. My salutations to Swami Desika who considered flaterry as Kalakoota visham

and the royal palaces as Narakas (Hell).

 

3. Swami leaves His Nidra during the third yamam of the night. i.e wakes up at

about 3.00 AM. Mella ezhundu Hari endra peraravam. And being in the bed, He

remebers the Guru Parampara. Then He recites the Gadhyam and stotras on

Sriman Narayana that praises the kalyana gunas of Narayana.

 

4. Then He walks to the river Kaveri. Offers the morning ablutions. After

wearing clean clothes and Urdhva Pundra, Swami does His Sandhyavandhanam. In

the open and with a Ekaagra mana He does the Gayatri-Japam facing the direction

of Sun. He does the upasthanam after the sun-rise.

 

5. Then he completes other Nitya -Karmaas like (Adhaara Sakdhyadhi tarpanam,

Kaanda rishi tarpanam, Brahma Yagnyam etc.,) and proceeds to the Sri

Ranganathar temple. There He offers His prayers to the Lord's lotus feet.

 

6. After obtaining the theertha prasadam, Swami arrives at the Kalakshepa

Mandapam where His sishyas eagerly await Him. There in simple sanskrit and

Tamil, He explains the purport of Vedanta. He use to treat His sishyas like

His own children - affectionate and loving.

 

7. Then His shishyas do Bhikshadanam for Him. Swami uses the material thus

offered by His sishyas for the Bhaghavat Aradhanam.

 

8. After spending some time with His sishyas teaching and instructing them

Swami proceeds to do the Aradhanam for Lord Varada.

 

9. Swami does Aradhanam with vessels (mostly wooden vessels) that are

inexpensive. It seems thieves will not find it worth their effort to steal

them.

 

10. In the fourth Yama of the day, Swami is busy writing works that helps in

defending the Ramanuja Siddhantha against the onslaughts of Maaya Vaadins and

Shoonya Vaadins.

 

11. After doing His evening Sandhya Vandhanam, Swami spends more time with

His sishyas praying to His Kula-Deivam Lord Varada.

 

12. He recites the Divya-Prabhandham and other slokas on Lord Varada.

 

13. Once again He spends time with His sishyas clarifying their doubts on

Rahasyartham.

 

14. After seating Goddess Perundevi and Lord Varada in the lotus of His heart,

Swami with Ekaagra Chinthanam proceeds to His bed. He keeps remembering the

glories of the Lord and proceeds to enjoy the Yoga-Nidra.

 

15. Once again Swami wakes up and starts a fresh and blissful day in Bhagavat

and Bhaghavata kaimkaryam.

 

I bow again and again to that Maha Purusha,

 

After reading this, my only kurai is I have not been one of those sishyas!

Please forgive me if my translation is not upto the mark.

 

Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan