Dayaa Sathakam (101-108)

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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 101-108

and completes this humble effort. It is the Love of the Lord that prompted

this effort, guided and concluded it.)

 

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

------------------------------

 

Dayaa Sathakam

(Slokams 101 - 108)

 

 

101. O The Love of Lord Venkatesa! You are the queen of all the attributes

of the Lord. The Lord has infinite attributes, but without paying heed to

them, I have been extolling your supremacy only. All the gunas, probably

miffed at having been left out, do eventually nod in agreement that Love is

Truth. Without your strength, how could the Daya Sathakam have taken shape?

 

102. O The Love of Lord Venkatesa! I began extolling you! this is really not

a new activity but have been in vogue since time immemorial. The Vedas praise

you. But, all the praises are just a beginning only, and do not have an end.

No one can really capture your greatness completely. You must pardon and bear

the unfinished effort to do the impossible.

 

103. O The Love of Lord Venkatesa! You are as the vast ocean whose depth is

immeasurable. Sages like Valmiki were aware of this and did not venture to

dive in to the ocean. Where they stood on the shore, I ventured to dive in

and attempted to scale the depth. But, I could not reach the sea-bed and came

back up from the depths. Both the Lord and His consort are amused at my

attempt and smile teasingly. In spite of this teasing, because I made them

laugh, even though I attempted the impossible, you must protect me.

 

104. The Lord Thiruvenkatamudaiyaan has placed me in the Vedaantha Desika

peedam and brought out the Dayaa Sathakam. It is He who has sung this. He is

the Veena player and I am the veena in His Hands. He has sung not Srinivasa

Sathakam but in praise of His life-force, Love. He has used me, the son, to

sing the praise of the mother.

 

105. This sthothram has come about because of the Love of Lord Srinivasa. And

it talks about only that. All that is said in this sthothram is true. The

world will benefit from this sthothram which is without flaws. This sthothram

is ever present in the hearts of sathwic people.

 

106. This Dayaa Sathakam is udhaaram. The Daya Devi graces those who recite

this sthothram. Her dheerga kataaksham falls on these people and she coronates

the devotees victorious and removes all their enemies.

 

107. The poet, Lord Venkatesa, has painted this praise of Love. He was

prompted by the three objectives of Love. One is to protect all, the second

is to grant the heaven to those who seek it, and the third is to grant moksham

to those who seek it.

 

108. The slokams of the Daya Sathakam may have errors and deficiencies. Let

it be! The hundred slokams are clear , and do offer clarity to a confused

mind. Some may point out the errors in these slokams. But the boisterous

enthusiasm of the Divine couple who are on the Thirumala Hill that has the

roaring falls, suppress their complaints.

________________________

 

Kavithaarkika simhaaya kalyaana guna

saaline|

Srimathe Venkatesaya vedaantha guravennamaha||