Sri Stuthi-9

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Dear Friends,

 

I shall continue the Sri Stuthi series in this post with a summary of

verses 17-19.

 

17. ShrEyaskAmA: KamalanilayE ChitramAmnAyavAchAm

ChUdApIdam Tava Padayugam ChetasA DhArayanta: I

ChatraChhayAsuBhagashirasschAmarasmErapArshvA:

ShlAGhAshabdhashravaNamuditA: StragviNa: Sancharanti II

 

In the previous verses Swami Desikan has extolled the benefits accruing

to Artha Janas on account of the merciful glances of Thayar.

In this verse, Swami Desikan describes the eternal glory that awaits

these blessed folks who have become the beneficiaries of Her grace.

 

Those desirous of fame are forever engaged in contemplation of your

lotus feet which adorn the Vedams (at their head) through the

salutations of the Upanishads. In turn their praises are sung around

the world and they are engaged in contemplation of you while hearing

their glories being thus sung, along with the marks of a royal umbrella,

fan and garlands.

 

There are two types of fruits that one can get. The first is Shreya and

the other is Preya. The foremost benefit of

either kind can be obtained only through a glorification of Mahalakshmi

Thayar. Swami Desikan describes the fruit of Shreya in this verse. In

India, guests of honor are accorded the utmost

respect and welcomed to the accompaniment of the royal umbrella and

fan. They are then adorned with garlands of flowers and their praises

are sung by all assembled. Here Swami Desikan refers to this honor

through the salutation "SragviNa: Sancharanti"

 

18. UrIkartum Kushalamakhilam JEtumAdInarantIn

DUrIkartum Duritanivaham TyaktumAdyAmavidyAm I

Amba StambAvaDhikajananagrAmasImAntarEKhAm

AlambantE VimalamanasO VishNukAntE DayAm TE II

 

Erudite ones of blemishless intellect crave only for your mercy which

resembles a village that knows no boundaries (GrAma SeemAnta Rekha)

and try to become its beneficiaries in many ways so that they may

attain all fame and glory, overcome the enemies arising from the body

(Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada and MAtsarya-The reference here is

to the association with Samsara), destroy their sins as a result of

Samsaric association, absolve themseleves of association with Prakruti

as a result of which they are steeped in ignorance, and for release from

the cycle of birth and death (Moksham).

 

This salutation is motivated by Sri Ramanujacharya's Sri Ranganatha

Gadyam salutation where in a mood of Naichyanusandanam, he declares that

he is full of bad qualities and as a result of his associtation

with Prakruti (which is a mixture of the TriguNas), he is inextricably

bound to SamsAra by the rope of Karma and does not possess the knowledge

to overcome this bondage of Karma which results in an

endless cycle of birth and death. (Tila Tailavat.....Karma PAsha

Pragratita: is the important ChoorNika). Sri Ramanujacharya then

seeks the grace of the Lord ever associated with Sri, who is a boundless

ocean of mercy, to overcome the bondage of Karma and obtain

Moksham.

 

In this verse, Swami Desikan glorifies this aspect of the Divine Couple

and points out that only the mercy of the Divind Couple is

responsible for both Anishta Nivrutti and Ishta PrApti. Therefore,

it is the most sought after blessing by those who have the intellect to

discern this. This is a mirror image of the Daya Shatakam salutation

Deenalambana Divya Dampati Daya Kallolakolahala

 

19. JAtAkAnkshA Janani YuvayOrEkasEvADhikArE

MayAlIDam ViBhavamaKhilam ManyamAnAstruNAya I

PrEtyaI VishNOstava cha Krutina: PrItimantO BhajantE

VElABhangaprashamanaphalam Vaidikam Dharma Setum II

 

Prapannas derive great happiness in engaging in exclusive

service of Perumal and Thayar and doing everything that pleases the

Divine couple. They recognize the worthless nature of all other

things emanating from Maya (material wealth, gratification of the senses

etc.). They perform their prescribed VarNAshrama duties

in accordance with the Sastras only because it pleases Perumal and

Thayar. To help them overcome any obstacles and impediments in

their pursuits, they receive your grace on in the form of a bridge of

Dharma.

 

It is instructive to note the use of Dharma Setu in this salutation.

Swami Desikan describes Thayar's grace and mercy as the bridge of

Dharma which enables Prapannas to perform their prescribed duties

(solely to please the Divine Couple) and cross the ocean of Samsara.

Samsara is an endless ocean of sin and one steeped in this ocean

has no escape from the cycle of birth and death. However, Prapannas

recognize that their Purushartha is to be constantly be engaged in

service of the Divine couple and Bhagavatas. Consequently, even in their

earthly existence, they perform acts only to please the Lord

and his consort. At the end of their earthly life, they reach

Sri Vaikuntam, where they are blessed with SAmeepyam (eternal residence

beside the Lord) and SalOkyam (attaining VishNu Lokam)

and enjoy constant bliss. All of this is possible only due to the

mercy of Periya Piratti. This aspect of Thayar is glorified as the

bridge that enables Prapannas to cross the ocean of Samsara.

 

The Vega Setu Stotram too contains a similar salutation. This

has been discussed in considerable detail in this forum. Interested

readers may browse the archives for these discussions.

 

Samasta JananIm VandE Chaitanya StanyadAyineem

ShrEyaseem SrinivAsasya KaruNamiva RUpiNeem

 

Namo Narayana

 

Muralidhar Rangaswamy

 

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