Experiencing Swami Desika - 24

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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:

 

Shri Manakkal Nambi was entrusted with the task of

finding Shri Yamunacharya. Shri Yamunacharya was

now having a royal status.

 

Shri Manakkal Nambi took the order's of his

Acharya as his primary objective in life and

took all efforts to search out for Shri Yamunacharya.

Shri Manakkal Nambi having located Shri Yamunacharya

did indirect service to him in order to gain an entry.

 

Shri Yamunacharya learnt about Sri Vaishnavam

and Divya Prabhandam from Shri Manakkal Nambi.

 

Shri Manakkal Nambi taught Yamunacharya the secrets

embedded in Bhagavad-Gita.

 

Shri Yamunacharya, having learnt the secrets of

Bhagavad-Gita from a SadAcharya, has given us the

essence of Gita in a nut shell in his

Gitarthasangraha ( 32 stanzas).

 

Swami Desika has also given us Gitarthasangraha.

Our swami has rendered nineteen works in tamil.

Gitarthasangraha, is the fifteenth work and contains

twenty one stanzas. This again gives the essence

of Gita all the eighteen chapters of Bhagavad-Gita.

 

Let us immerse ourselves into the first Sloka of

Shri Alavandar's Gitarthasangraha :

 

SvaDharma-jnana-vairAgya

sAdhyaBaktyekaGocaraha !

nArAyaNah param brahma

GiTaSastre samIritah !!

 

Swami DEsika has rendered the above Sloka in Tamil:

 

Karumamum jnanamum kondeyum kAdhaluk-KOrellakkendru

Arumarai uttchiyul Aadharitthodum Arum biramam

Thirumagaloodu varum thirumAl enru than uraithan

tharumamugandha dhananjayannukkavan sArathiye!!

 

This Sloka tells us the whole gist of Gita Sastra.

 

The subject matter of the Gita Sastra is Sriman Narayana,

Sriman Narayana is Para Brahman. Gita has been addressed

as Sastra because it speaks only the truth.

 

This highest Brahman - Sriman Narayana is attainable

by Bhakti alone [bhakti eka Gochara],

 

meaning Lord Sriman Narayana comes within the range

of Bhakti alone or

Lord Sriman Narayana is both Upaya and Upeya.

 

Bhakti is attainable only by performing the duties

of ones own vArna and Asrama (Swadharma),

 

by the acquisition of true knowledge - the knowledge of

the seshatvam of the jiva,

 

and by Vairagya - turning away from allegence to

anything but the Lord.

 

All these are explained fully and clearly [sameerita]

 

.......To be continued!

 

AlavandAr tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

 

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

 

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi

29th Jun 1999

 

P.S: A few postings on Swami Desika could not be sent due

to "Bhakti Vocation". Since the idea was to post one mail per day,

Adiyal has posted only today's posting. However, the postings can

be sent as privately if requested.