Experiencing Swami Desika - 27

[Guest guest]

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 Yamunacharya's knowledge and commitment to

the Lord, resulted in eight excellent works, viz.,

 

Atmasiddhi

Isvarasiddhi

Samvitsiddhi

GitArthasangraha

AgamapramAnya

Chatussloki

Stotra Ratna and

MahApurusha nirnaya

 

In these he clearly establishes the Sri Vaishnava

school and refutes other schools. Shri Yamunacharya

was particularly upright when denouncing about Saivism.

 

Shri Yamnuacharya's work on Siddhittraya is simply

outstanding where the existence of God and the nature of

self are clearly established. More importantly,

Shri Yamunacharya refutes the doctrines of Advaita and

other systems with authority.

 

Shri Yamunacharya brought out the Gitartha Sangraha -

an abridged version of the Bhagavad Gita in just 32

slokas - an effort of "Gita made easy" in those days.

 

Shri Yamunacharya's Agamapramanya proves the validity

of ancient Pancharatra Agama and its antiquity.

 

Shri Yamunacharya's splendid slokas called Shri Chatussloki

eulogised the importance of Goddess Lakshmi and her

relationship with humanity.

 

It is also believed that Yamunacharya wrote the Stotra Ratna

to enable the devotees to understand Nammalvar's Tiruvaymozhi

and benefit from Alvar's works.

 

Let us enjoy a glimpse of Thiruvaymozhi Vs Stotra Ratna.

 

We saw in our 25th posting, Alavandar's Stotra Ratna thus:

 

"Tvadangri muddisya kadapi kenachit

Yada tadha vapi sakrut krutonjalihi

Tadaiva mushnat ashupanya sheshathaha

subhani pushnani na jathu heeyate!!"

 

Here, Shri Alavandar stresses on the importance of

meditating on the Lotus feet of our Lord. He says that

a single performance of Anjali namaskaram is sufficient

to destruct all sins, increase the Bhakti, and give

prosperity.

 

This can be equated to Shri Nammalvar's

Tiruvaymozhi(1.3.8) thus:

 

nAlum ninradu nama palamai am koduvinaiy-udane

mAlum, or Kuraivillai;manan-akam malam arak kaluvi

nAlum nam tiru vudaiy-adigal-tam nalam galal vanangi

MAlum or-idattilum vanakkodu malvadu, valame

 

Shri Nammalvar reminds us that our sins get cumulated

every day, and the only way out for us to get rid of

our sins is by holding Our Lord's feet. This, cleanses

our inner self and removes all our short comings.

Nammalvar adds that salutations leads to prosperity!

 

Shri Yamunacharya, is said to have performed pushpa

kainkarya to Lord Venkateshwara in Tirumala. This is

mentioned in Sri Venkatachala Itihasamala. May be,

this is the reason why that place is even now known

as 'Yamunaiththurai'!

 

At the holy shrine of Varadaraja, Yamunacharya spotted

out the glittering Ramanuja amidst the pupils of

Yadavaprakasa.

 

Shri Yamunacharya blessed Shri Ramanuja thus:

'Am Mudalvan'! meaning, The cheif personage.

He identified Shri Ramanuja would become his

edifying force in the spread of Visistadvaita.

 

Swami Desika offers salutations to this great Acharya thus:

 

Vigahe Yamunan tirtham Sadhu brndavane sthitam

Nirasta-jihmagasparse yatra Krshnah Krtadarah!!

 

Let me plunge into the holy and ocenic teachings of

Sri YamunAcharya (Alavandar) who has been steadfast

in protecting the righteous persons and who has

defeated the alien systems of thought (in Indian

philosophy) by pointing out the errors/fallacies in

their principal viewpoints.

 

Swami Desika states that Lord Krishna

(i) has protected the pandavas

(ii) chased away kAliyan serpent from the Yamuna river,

(iii) along with cowherd damsels sported in the Yamuna river.

 

Having highlighted the Greatness of Shri Krishna as

mentioned above, Swami Desika says that Shri Yamuna

is similar to Lord Krishna.

 

.......to be continued!

 

AlavandAr tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

 

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

 

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi

7th Jul 1999