Reflections on Swami Desikan's sacred compositions

[Guest guest]

Dear Members of the Prapatthi Group :

 

Yesterday , I wrote about the second slokam of

Nyasa Tilakam as a personally moving slokam of

that illustrious stotram. I will write from here on one or other

of the moving verses of Swami Desikan from the vast ocean

(Sudha Sindhu ) of literature that he has left us

as our Kula Dhanam .

 

Today , I will offer my salutations to a Bhu sthuthi slokam .

In the pala sruthi of this stothram , Swami Desikan has

stated the benefits of reciting the 32 verses( count excludes the

Phala Sruthi ) that he composed

as his tribute to Bhu Devi this way :

 

ASYEHSAANAA JAGHADHA ITHI YAA

SRUYATEH VISHNUPATNEE

TASYAA: STOTRAM VIRACHITAMIDHAM

VENKATESEHNA BHAKTHYAA I

 

SRADDHAA BHAKTHI PRACHAYA GURUNAA

CHETASAA SAMSTHUVAANA:

YADHYATH KAAMYAM SAPADHI LABATEH

TATRA TATRA PRATHISHTAAM II

 

Here he describes Bhumi Devi as" Vishnu PathnE,

Asya Jagadha: Eesaanaa " ( The Consort of Bhagavaan

and the empress of the Universe ). He points out that

those , who recite this sthotram with deep faith , devotion and

humility will attain all the fruits that he or she desires and will

retain those blessings permanently .

 

This slokam is special to me. It describes Swami Desikan's

anubhavam of the vaibhavam of Bhumi Devi , who is the presiding Goddess

at Oppiliappan Koil.She is the consort of ThiruviNNagarAn .Hence this

sthuthi in general and this slokam in particular "attracts" me .

 

The slokam is the sixth of the Sri Bhu Sthuthi and refers to

Her glory through Her many names by which She is revered :

 

SARVAM SAHAA ITHI AVANI ITHI ACHALLA ITHI MATHA :

VISWAMBARAA ITHI VIPULAA ITHI VASUNDHARAA ITHI I

ANYAANI CHA ANYA VIMUKAANI ABHIDHAANA VRUTTHAYAA

NAAMAANI AMOONI KATHAYANTHI TAVA ANUBHAAVAM II

 

Anubhaavam means glories or Vaibhavam . Swami describes

how her glories are revealed by her many Naamaas (Names ) .

 

O Bhumi Devi ! You are called Sarvam Sahaa or the one who puts up

with the unlimited apachaaraas of your devotees.

Porumayil Bhumaa Devi is the Tamil saying .

There is no one to excel You in this attribute .

 

You are saluted as Avani to recognize your gunam of protecting

this world from all types of calamities and anguishes .

 

You are revered as Achalaa to denote your steadfastness in

protecting this world and your devotees inhabiting it .

 

You are recognized as Viswambharaa to point out that you bear

this world .

 

You are worshipped as Vipulaa since your auspicious

attributes are limitless.

 

You are celebrated as Vasundharaa since you are the

possessor of invaluable treasures .

 

You are saluted by many other appropriate and revealing names

such as Ananthaa , Dharidhree , Pruthvee et al . All of them try to

describe yet another of your kalyana Gunaas .None of them

cover fully your limitless auspicious nature . Each of them however

throw a little light on one facet of your unique Vaibhavam .

 

This slokam is a direct echo of the latter portion of Bhu Sooktham ,

which is part of Taittitiya Samhita . In the section starting with

" MEHDHINEE DEVI VASUNDHARAA SYAATH

VASUDHAA DEVI VAASAVI " AND TO THE END OF

THE BHU SOOKTHAM , WE COME ACROSS THE MANY

NAAMAMS OF BHU DEVI THAT DESCRIBE HER VAIBHAVAM.

 

Swami Desikan chose a few of these Naamaas form the Bhu

Sooktham and then decided it seems for brevity to hint at Her

other names to describe her Anubhaavam .Some of the other names

included in the Vedic Text are :

 

MEDHINI , VASUDHAA , VAASAVI , HIRAYAGARBHINI ,

SAMUDRAVATHI , SAAVITHRI , DHARANI ,VYAAPINI , SURASUNDARI ,

VAYUMATHI , JALASAYANI , SRIYANTHAA , MADHAVI ,MADHAVAPRIYAA,

LAKSHMI PRIYASAKHI AND ACHYUTHA VALLABHAA .

 

The sooktham includes Her

Gayathri mantram :

 

OM DHANUR DHARAAYAYAI VIDHMAHE

SARVASIDDHYAI CHA DHEEMAHE I

TANNOH DHARAA PRACHODHAYAATH II

 

Bhumi Devi sametha Sri Oppiliappan Thiruvadigaleh SaraNam ,

 

Varadachari Sadagopan