Desikan's "dinasari"

[Guest guest]

Dear SrimAn Sadagopan,

Your note on Desikan's "vaishnava-dinasari" is not only useful but also

extremely thoughtful. It brought out all the salient and wonderful features

of one of the most precious daily sacraments that every SriVaishnavan is

enjoined to perform by our tradition. Sir, my gratitude to you is exceeded

only by the thanks that must go to that member who asked you to sum-up for

all our benefit the sequence of "kramam" for daily "tiruvArAdana".

 

The most moving part of the daily sacrament is I think the "Ijya-ArAdanam"

when, as you say, "the flood of affection" for the deity simply envelops and

overwhelms the devotee…:

 

"BhaagavathAs perform AarAdhanam for the Lord ,they invite Lord VaradarAjan

as the dearest relative (Bhandhu) and are elated over that thought .They

will offer salutations and upachArams to Him as though He is the young

Prince , who rules the entire land .They will express their affection to Him

as a parent , who relates to his son , who was born after a long period of

penance (tapas).They will be elated like the one, who sees a majestic male

elephant in rut in the forest .They will be filled with pride like the owner

of a rare and precious gem stone. With all these joyous feelings gushing out

of every fibre of their body and mind…".

 

Indeed, this is the joy that every human truly longs to experience… the joy

of experiencing easy communion with divinity at an intensely personal level!

The idea that the Supreme One… in the form of Krishna or Rama or MalOlan…

that the Supreme One could be induced to pay a customary and daily visit to

our homes… spend a few minutes with us… partake of our little hospitality…

talk with us… laugh with us… fill our home with His warmth, cheer and

goodness… and then depart …promising to return again same time next day…

it's joy, indeed, pure unalloyed mystical joy.

 

Reading the "ijyai" portion of your post, I could'nt help recalling the

scene in the "aranyaka" where Sabari lovingly watched the Lord seated beside

her on the rough floor inside a lowly hut in the jungle and happily

accepting whatever she had laid out for him. It was also a sort of

"ijya-seva" that old Sabari performed, isn't it? Her heart must have been

brimming with the same sort of joy.

 

I also imagine how in the BhAratham, Vidura must have felt when to his utter

joy and astonishment, Krishna (as "pAndava-dhoota", the emissary) casually

arrived at his doorstep in Hastinapuram one evening, without notice, and

said, "Hello, Vidura! Happen to be in town on business and couldn't think of

any better place than yours to spend the night in! Do you mind if I have

dinner with you?".

 

One can well imagine the intense joy Vidura must have experienced that

evening as he performed "ijyai" for the Lord!

 

adiyEn dAsanu-dAsan,

Sudarshan

 

 

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