Experiencing Swami Desika - 5

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SrI:

Shrimate Shri Lakshmi Nrusimha Parabrahmane Namaha:

Shrimate Shri Seetha Ramachandra Parabrahmane Namaha:

Shrimate Shri Ramanujaya Namaha:

Shrimate Nigamantha Maha Desikaya Namaha:

Shrimate Shrivan Satagopa Shri Narayana Yateendra Mahadesikaya Namaha:

 

Swami's humility is beyond compare. As we saw in the

very first posting, Swami was named "Vedanthacharya"

by Sriya Pathi.

 

Swami Desika himself says

 

Visvasmin nama-rupani anuvihitavata tena devena dattam

Vedantacharya-samjnam avahita bahuvit-sartham anvarthayami!!

-- Adikarana Saravali

 

"The supreme lord Sri Ranganatha, who created the forms

and gave the names to all the things in the universe,

conferred on me this appellation 'Venkatacharya', and

here is an attempt of mine to make that title significant

and meaningful by writing this poem Adhikaarana saraavali

(the garland of essentials of the adhikaaranas, which is

a Digest of the teachings of Brahma sutras)".

 

Swami continued to work relentlessly to establish

our Sampradaya. Our Azhagiya Singar mentioned

that Swami Desika wanted to do justice to the title

conferred by Sri Ranganatha. He did not want Our Lord

to be blamed by anybody for having given such great titles

to undeserving personalities and hence strived to ensure

that he stood to the expectations and directions of our

Lord. Our Azhagiya Singar further added that Swami

Desika would be the only one who would have been

conferred a title and then worked for it.

 

Swami had the greatest blessing from our lord

Sriya Pathi and had paripoorana Lakshmi kataksham.

In the first part of the Sloka below Swami says that the

whole world called him as Vedantha vaariyan.

 

vEN periya virithiraineer vaiyatthuLLE

Vedaantha vaariyan enRu iyambha ninROm

naam periyOm allOm; naam nanRum theedhum

namakku uraipparuLar enRu naaduvOmE

 

In the second part of the paasuram Swami says

that he is still a humble person and would approach

elders who are there to tell us what is right and what's

wrong.

 

Swami Desika emphasises on Bhagavata Kaimkaryam

in his Purushartha kasthadikaram. Swami says it is not

enough if we do Bagavad kaimkaryam we must do

Bhagavata kaimkaryam.

 

Swami was categorical in stating that Bhagavata

Kaimkaryam is of utmost importance - even higher than

Bagavat Kaimkaryam. Swami was convinced that Bagavat

Kataksham can be obtained by doing Bhagavata

Kaimkaryam itself.

 

Shatrugnalwar and Madhurakavi alwar did only Bhagavata

kaimkaryam and had complete Bhagavad kataksham.

 

It is difficult to comprehend our Swami's over whelming

devotion to Shri Ramanuja. In fact, Swami repents not

having been a direct sishya of Shri Ramanuja.

 

Swami felt that his works on Padhuka Devi attributes to

accomplishment of his Janma. Here, Swami refers Paduka to

Shri Nammalvar and has written 1000 paasurams on

Shri Nammalvar.

 

Swami Desika spoke on Nammalvar, that's o.k, but

isn't it exciting to note that Nammalvar has also

mentioned about Swami Desika?!

 

 

........later

 

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

 

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi

10th Jun 1999