Sri Stuthi-11

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Dear Friends,

 

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

of verses 23-25. The highlight of this work by Swami Desikan

is verse 24.

 

I offer my sincere thanks to Sriman Sadagopan for sharing additional

insights about the significance of the number 25 (number of verses in

Swami Desikan's Stuthi) and for the most eloquent description of the

six attributes of Thayar from the Lakshmi Tantram of the Paancharaatra

Agamam. Sri Sadagopan's overview provides an excellent perspective of

the Sri Stuthi composed by Swami Desikan. Sri Nadadur Ammal wrote an

extensive commentary (Prapanna Paarijatam) on the Lakshmi Tantram. I

would like to request Sri Sadagopan to continue his informative

summaries on this subject. Swami Desikan has referred to the Lakshmi

Tantram in several verses of the Stuthi. In this context, it must be

noted that the number six is also significant in the glorification of

Mahalakshmi Thayar. In one of the verses Swami Desikan eulogizes Thayar

as being replete with the six auspicious qualities (JnAna, Bala,

Aishwarya, Shakti, Tejas and VAtsalya). This salutation points to Thayar

being the manifestation of the Lord's auspicious attributes.

 

23. MAtA Devi! Tvamasi BhagavAn VAsudeva: PitAmE

JAta SsOham Janani YuvayOrEkalakshyam DayAyA: II

DattO YuShmatparijanatayA DesikaIrapyatastvam

Kim TE Bhuya: Priyamatikila SmEravaktrA ViBhAsi II

 

Oh Devi! You are my mother. Bhagavan VAsudeva alone is my father. I

am but one among the numerous who have secured your grace and been

blessed with your mercy. My Acharyas have given me to you in the form of

an eternal servant. You are smiling at me now simply because

you are thinking "what more is left that is befitting for Desika to

accomplish?" The tasks meant for me have been completed. This is

what I infer from your smile.

 

In this verse, Swami Desikan beautifully glorifies the role of the

Acharya in performing Prapatti. Here, Swami Desikan declares that

as a result of Prapatti, he has become an eternal servant of the

Divine couple, who are the mother and father of the Universe

respectively (Akhila Jagan Mataram Asman Mataram and Akhila Jagat

Swamin Asmat Swamin are the relevant salutations from Sri

Ramanujacharya's SharaNagati Gadyam). The message here is that

he has now been rendered fit for Moksham. It is in this context that

the role of the Acharya is glorified. Moksham is extremely difficult to

obtain. The state of Moksha can be attained by performing SharaNagati at

the feet of a SadAcharya. Since Swami Desikan has

been blessed with the boon of Moksham through the grace of his Acharyas,

what more can interest him? What more is left for him to accomplish? Is

this not the ultimate goal of life? Thus asks Swami Desikan. Mahalakshmi

Thayar smiles knowing that Swami Desikan has

attained this state of eternal bliss. Swami Desikan adds that he is

aware of the reason for Thayar's smile. This smile of Thayar is related

to the Shruti declaration: Tatvam Asi. Swami Desikan uses

this statement as a glorification of Thayar. In the Bhagavad Gita

Arjuna salutes Lord Krishna as "PitAsi Lokasya..". In the Sri Sooktam

Mahalakshmi Thayar is glorified as "Sriyam VAsayamEkulE Mataram

PadmamAlinIm" and "Nicha DevIm Mataragam Sriyam VaAsayamEkulE"

denoting that her status as the mother of the univese. This verse of

Swami Desikan's Sri Stuthi is consistent with the Upanishad declaration

of "Matru DevO Bhava, Pitru DevO Bhava, Acharya DevO

Bhava". This can be seen from first the salutation of Mahalakshmi

Thayar as his mother, followed by the slautation of Bhagavan Vasudeva

as his father and then glorifying the exalted role of the Acharya

in performing Prapatti. All of Swami Desikan's works pay utmost

importance to the relevant PramANams. However, these become evident only

through a study of Swami Desikan's works at the feet of a SadAcharya.

Swami Desikan concludes the verse with the declaration that "After

begetting all that there is to be received, what else is left?"

 

24. KalyANAnAm AvikalaniDhi: KApi KAruNyasImA

NityAmodA NigamavachasA MoULimandAra MAla I

SampaddivyA MaDhu Vijayina: SamniDhattam SadA Me

SaIShA Devi Sakala BhuvanaprArThanA KAmaDhenu: II

 

You who are the cause of auspiciousness in everything! Your

manifestation as Daya SvarUpiNi which is beyound imagination and

defies description by words! You who adorn the head of the Vedas as

the MandAramAla! You who symbolize divine wealth (Divya Sampath)!

You who grant the request of those who offer prayers from all the worlds

like the wish fulfilling cow KamaDhenu! Oh Mother Mahalakshmi!

Please remain rooted in my heart forever!

 

In the first Shlokam Swami Desikan salutes Thayar as Mangalam

MangalanAm. In this verse, he glorifies her as Mangala NiDhi. It is

important to note the usage of KaruNa along with Mangala Nidhi.

In general, those who rule over anything or acquire Lordship, are

not necessarily merciful. However, Swami Desikan is brilliant in

pointing out that Mahalakshmi's Lordship over everything

auspicious is accompanied by unbounded mercy. Her mercy is like that

of a mother for her retarded son "ManyE Maata Jada Iva SutE" to

borrow from Swami Desikan's Daya Shatakam. The salutation AmodA refers

to happiness. In this context Swami Desikan glorifies Thayar as

NityAmoda since she is responsible for conferring the boon of

eternal bliss (Moksham). Madhu Vijayina: describes her as the

consort of Bhagavan Hayagriva resident in his chest. Sriman Sadagopan

saluted this aspect of Thayar very eloquently in his note. Swami

Desikan's Aradhya Daivam was Bhagavan Hayagriva. Therefore, it is

fitting that he commenced the Stuthi with a salutation Madhuvijayi

and he is remembering Bhagavan Hayagriva again at the conclusion.

The key salutation in this verse is PrArthanA KAmaDhenu:, where

Thayar is described as the wish fulfilling cow who grants the wishes

of all who offer prayerrs to her. Those who contemplate on Thayar

through this verse will be blessed with all Siddhis.

 

25. UpachitaguruBhaktEruttitam VenkateshAt

KalikaluShanivrityaI KalpamAnam PrajaNaM I

SarasijanilayAyA: StotramEtat PaTanta:

Sakala KushalasIma Sarva BhoumA Bhavanti II

 

The foremost among those devoted to their Acharyas, named Venkatesha

has composed this set of verses in praise of Mahalakshmi Thayar,

which dispels all misery and bestows those who engage in its recitation

with all auspiciousness and will make them emperors.

 

The reference here is to Srinivasa, the Lord of Seven Hills. Swami

Desikan was an incarnation of the bell of the Lord of Seven Hills

(VenkateshAvatarOyam TadGhantAm ShrohavAdbhavE is a tribute to

this aspect of Swami Desikan from the Desika Mangalam). He was also

known as KavitArkika Simham (the lion among poets and logicians).

Swami thus attributes his composition to the Mahima of Lord Srinivasa

and declares that those who recite the verses of the Stuthi composed

by him in praise of Mahalakshmi Thayar will be blessed to the ultimate

extent (emperors) of everything auspicious.

 

An important aspect of the Sri Stuthi is that it contains

the essence of the Lakshmi Mantram. Therefore, the Phala Shruti of

Swami Desikan's Stuthi follows as a logical consequence.

 

In this eleven part series, I have tried to summarize the important

aspects of Mahalakshmi Thayar from Swami Desikan's Stuthi and

related references from Shruti and the works of Acharyas before

Swami Desikan. I gratefully acknowledge the insightful comments,

words of encouragement, and thoughtful suggestions of Srimans Sadagopan,

Anand Karalapakkam, Jaganath Bharadwaj and Smt. and Sri.

Krishnamachari, and Smt. Subadra Vasudevan during the course of this

Kainkaryam. Everything correctly stated in these posts is entirely

due to the Anugraham of my Acharyan, Srimad Andavan Swami of

Srimad Paundarikapuram Ashramam, (who blessed me with the source

material for the summary) and my mentor, Swami Rangapriya

Mahadesikan. All errors and shortcomings are mine alone. I hope this

series of articles serves as input for additional reflections. On this

note I offer Prayers to the Divya Dampatis for Anishta Nivrutti and

Ishta PrApti for all members of our group.

 

Bhagavan NarayanAbimatAnurUpa SwarUpa Rupa GuNa VibhavaIshvarya

SheelAdyanamadikAtishaya Asankheya KalyANa GuNa GaNam

Padma VanAlayAm BhagavatIm

Shriyam DevIm NityAnapAyinIm NiravadyAm Deva Deva Divya MahishIm

Akhila Jagan MAtaram Asman MAtaram AsharaNya SharaNyAm Ananya SharaNa:

SharaNamaham PrapadyE.

 

Nitya Sri Nitya Mangalam,

 

Namo Narayana,

 

Muralidhar Rangaswamy

 

 

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