Daya/Anukampaa/Kshamaa /KaruNaa et al -- Part 1

[Guest guest]

Dear Members :

 

I have been following with great interest the spirited

discussions on Swami Deskan's Daya Sathakam and the

invigorating exchanges between Sri Sudharsan and

Sri Yatachari and Sri Vijayaraghavan. As you might recall ,

I had the good fortune of posting a few write ups on Daysa

sathakam earlier in the year before Sri Sudharsan joined the

group .

 

I would like to take another appraoach to Bhagavan's

Gunam celebrated as Daya/Anukampaa /Kshamaa et al .

As it was rightfully observed , Swami Desikan is no casual

user of words . He was also deeply influenced by NammaZzhwAr's

Thiruvaimozhi . As a Ubaya Vedantha Acharya , he established

Iykakantyam(Unison of thought ) betwen Sanskritic and Tamil Vedas .

Through his profoundly illuminating works known as Dramidopanishad

Taatparya RatnAvaLi , Dramidopanishd Saaram and other works in Tamil

dealing with Divya Prabhandhams , He has clearly brought out the

central message of Nammazhwaar , who celebrated Bhagavan's

daya Svarupam in the thousand plus verses of Thiruvaimozhi .

The same approach has been taken by MaNavALa Maamunigal

in his Thiruvaimozhi Nurranthaadhi and and the the other work

named Sri Bhashya Aagama Adhyadasaka Dvandhva Ika Kantyam .

 

Daya satakam celebrates Srinivasaanukampaa. Srinivasaa is

recognized as Dayaambhodhi and the Acharyaas as" Srinivasa

Dayaambhodhi pareevaha parampara ". The word Anukampaa means

sympathy , compassion in the literal translation ( Vyankyaartham or

Sakyaartham ) . The deeper meaning (Svaapadesam or Anyaapadesam )

however defies the simple meaning of compassion or sympathy .

In his magnificient book " Aazhwaar ThiruvuLLam , my neighbor

from Oppiliappan Koil Sannadhi Theru , Dr. V.N. Vedantha Desikan

has summarized the meanings of Nammazhwaar's Thiruvaimozhi

verses according to the many commentators ( Idu ) and correlated them

with the works of Swami Desikan and MaNavALa maamunigal . This is

a set of two volumes published by Sri Vaishnavaa Research Center

in 1994 and 1995 . I received them as a present during my recent

visit to India for Sri Oppilappan's Ratnaangi/Mutthangi SamarpaNam

festivities in August. I am going through them and can not thank my

scholarly neighboe belonging to the great Vangipuram Navaneetham

acharya Paramparai. These volumes ar erecommended to anyone,

who wants a serrious study of the subject of Nammazhwaar's Bhagavad

anubhavam of the auspicious KalyaNa Gunam celebrated as Dayaa

or Anukampaa .

 

In the next few postings , I will summarize BRIEFLY the thoughts

of Nammazhwaar on the subject of Bhagavaan's Dayaa and

their resonances in Swami Desikan's illustrious works . All of

the discussions revert back to the three Mantraas that are unique to

Sri Vaishnavaas. Starting with PraNavam (A-U-M ) , the three constituting

letters symbolize in one intrepretation the creative , protective and

samhaara aspect of the Lord's play. Anukampaa seems to belong to the

deeply caring and protective aspect of Sriman NarayaNaa. He

protects , comes to our rescue in so many ways. Acharyas also have

an important role in us receiving that protection and Dayaa of the Lord

since they unite the Jeevaathmaa with the Paramaathmaa through the

performance of Baranyaasam for us . It has also been pointed out that

the first letter of PraNavam , A, stands for demonstrating the Paramaatmaa

proving His Rakshakatvam as Avyaaja KaruNaamurthy . He protects us and

brings us closer in so many ways that were described with joy by

Nammazhwar in the mnay verses of his Thiruvaimozhi .

 

I will illustrate them in the manner in which the name sake of Swami

Desikan describes it in his master treatise , Azhwaar ThiruvuLLam

following the illustrious commentators belonging to our Acharya Paramparaa .

 

AKRUTHYAANAAM KARANAM KRUTHYAANAAM VARJANAM CHA MEH I

KSHAMASVA NIKILAM DEVA PRANATHAARTHIHARA PRABHO II

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan