Dayaa Sathakam (61-70)

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Srimaan Venkatanaathaaryaha kavithaarkika kesari|

Vedanthaachaaryavaryome sannidhaththaam sadhaa hrudi||

 

 

Dear Bhaagavathaas,

 

"Daivaadheenam jagathsarvam". God is the basis of all. And Love is the basis

of God. How beautiful, blissful and peaceful it is to experience this love!

Our dearest Swami Desikan gives a glimpse of his experience in Daya Sathakam.

With my most humble and loving namaskaarams to the achaarya and to Sriya:

pathi, may I share the following summary translation with you, in postings

comprising about ten slokas at a time. (This posting includes slokams 61-70)

 

The translation is based on the commentary and explanations by Sri Srinivasa

Raghavacharyar Swami, published in the Tamil book, Daya Sathakam, by the Sri

Desika Dharsana Sabhai, Villivaakkam, Madras. Sri Srinivasa Raghavacharyar

Swami says that the Daya Sathakam is a sastra, sthothra, poem, painting, an

endless spring of water and an illumining light. My prayers to Sriman Narayana

for everyone of us to follow in the footsteps of our acharyas, practice what

they illustrated with their conduct and experience the Love of the Lord

(rasovai saha) that they experienced.

 

All errors are your humble servant’s.

 

Daasan

Sundararaghavan Krishnaswami Sarma

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Dayaa Sathakam

(Slokams 61 - 70)

 

61. (O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!) As soon as surrender is done, moksham

should be the result. Removal of avidya is moksham. Avidya is a fire that is

shaped like the face of a horse. Even the floods of pralaya cannot extinguish

it. But, one single wave from the ocean of Love (that you are) puts out the

fire of avidya.

 

62. ( O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!) The "all-grabbing tendency" ("everything

for me" attitude) is terrible indeed. Only after giving up desires can one be

Godward-bound. After giving up desires, concerned that the heart may retain a

tinge of residual hardness and not become fully soft even as the heart

regains its purity, they surrender to you with determination and stead-

fastness for succor and protection.

 

63. (O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!) Your husband (Lord Venkatesa) who is a

swathanthran really becomes bound to others because of you. He is all-knowing,

but because of you He does not give importance to the sins of His devotees.

The Lord of Thirumala Hills is the Master of all the worlds, but because of

you He becomes a servant to others. Like this, you make the Lord dance to your

tune!

 

64. (O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!) The Lord who provides refuge, withheld

His promised anger at the Ocean King, the leader of all rivers; He dissolved

the anger of Parasurama in his own merits, corrected the behavior of the crow,

Jayantha - all because of you. With your promptings, He discards the meting

out of punishment. Dictated by you, His actions are corrective rather than

punitive.

 

65. (O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!) The Lord of Seven Hills is supreme and is

at the highest status. The king of Nishada, Guha, the king of monkeys,

Sugriva, Sabari who lived alone in the forest, Kuchela, the hunchback, the

gopis and the flower-vendor (decorator) were in a lowly state. But, in the

flood of Love that you are, the differences were wiped out and they were

raised to the level of divinity. This samathwam takes place entirely because

of you.

 

66. (O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!) You have manifested in a cognizable and a

beautiful way on Thirumala Hills! Brahma is happy at Sathyalokha because of

your Grace. The husband of Parvathi is living happily because of your Grace.

Indra, due to your Grace only, was victorious in the Devaasura war and is

protecting his kingdom.

 

67. (O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!) The beauty of the Milk Ocean and the

Ocean of Nectar joining together is reflected in Lord Srinivasan embraced by

you. The Lord’s characteristics take on a special attribute (when saturated

with you). They give life to the dead. The auspicious ladies sing the gunas of

the Lord and the fragrance of this is like that of the sweet camphor. Even the

elders who have mastered their senses are attracted by the Lord’s gunas

(saturated with you).

 

68. (O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!) Thiruvenkatamudaiyan is engaged in the

sport of creation, preservation and dissolution. For those who are devoted to

Him, He also opens the door to mukthi and waits by the door welcoming them in.

Both these opposing activities are done by the Fountain of Love that He is,

embraced by you. Hence the Vedas extol Him.

 

69. O The Daya Devi embellishing the Lord Srinivasan who is ever present with

Mahalakshmi! Your onslaught wipes out the confusion and sins of Kali yuga. You

embrace the noble and the downtrodden, as the flood pours over the hills and

valleys, equally and impartially. The falls on Thirumala Hill are a standing

proof for this.

 

70. (O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!) Saranaagathi (surrender) is a sheet of

cloth that covers all sins. People, when they surrender to you, bring only

their loads of sins as offering. But, you go forward to receive them ever so

lovingly! Lord Srinivasan asks, "Why this stupidity?" and points out their

sins one by one. But, you welcome publicly those who surrender to you, in

complete view of all the good people living in Sruthanagaram (city of noble

souls).

____________________________

 

Kavithaarkika simhaaya kalyaana gunasaaline|

Srimathe Venkatesaya vedaantha guravennamaha||