Experiencing Swami Desika - 15

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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:

 

Lord Vishvaksena did panchasamskara to

Shri Nammalvar and taught him our

Philosophy. So, next in the hierarchy

of our Guru's is Shri Nammalvar.

 

In our Guruparampara, Shri Nammalvar

is the first Guru who appeared in the

human form. He is our Kula Pati!

 

He was an amsa of 'Sriman Narayanan'

and 'Senaimudaliyar'.

 

Just as how, the word 'Desika', by default

refers to Swami Desika, so also the word

Alvar refers to Shri Nammalvar.

 

Lord Krishna in Bhagavat Gita says, it is very

rare for to see a person who sees Vasudeva

in everything!

 

Our Nammalvar was such a rare person. Shri Nammalvar

lived thus: "Unnum soorum", "Parugum Neerum", "Thinnum

Vetrilaiyum" yelam kannan!

 

Alwar also regretted that he should have been born a

little earlier so that he could have enjoyed Kannan

directly!

 

 

Swami Desika says

 

Yasya sarasvatam sroto

Bakula-amoda-vasitam!

Srutinam visramaya-alam

satharim tam-upasmahe!!

 

-- Yatiraja saptati (4)

 

May I prostrate at the lotus feet of

Sri Sathakopa (Sathari) i.e Nammalvar or

Parankusa whose master-pieces of literary

and philosophical gems are full of the divine

fragrance of Bakula flowers (worn by him),

his works are the sure and sufficient resting

place for the divine sanskrit Vedas (Sruti).

 

Shri Nammalvar always wears Bakula flowers

(Magiyam poo) blessed by Lord. So, even the

literature that comes from his mouth has the

fragrance of Bakula flowers.

Shri Nammalvar poured out the essence of

Vedas in Tamil. Whenever there is confusion,

in understanding Upanishads, the ready reckoner

is Nammalvar's Sri Sukti's. Swami Desika says,

Since Alvar's sri Sukti's reflect the Vedas,

the Vedas can take rest and relax.

This way, Shri Nammalvar blessed us with such great

Sri Sukti's which could benefit the whole world.

Swami Desika says that we should think of

Shri Nammalvar constantly.

 

Alvar contemplates on Perumal and gets intimate with

the Lord. So, the fragrance of Alvars Bakula flowers

spread to the Lord, and our Alwar smells of Lords

Thiru Thulai fragrance.

 

Swami Desika meditates on the Alvar who enjoys Perumal,

so in Swami Desika's Sri Sukti's we see the fragrance of

both Bakula flowers and Thiru Thulai!

 

....To be continued!

 

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

 

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi

20th Jun 1999