Pleadings-Posting - 5 (2.15 to 2.17)

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SwAmi VEdAnta DEsika's "NaichyAnusanthAnam" and "SAtvika ThyAgam "

(As gleaned from his StOtras.) - Part 2- Swami pleads

Pleadings-Posting - 5 (2.15 to 2.17)

Anbil Ramaswamy

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[As already mentioned in the Introduction, the NaichyAnusanthAnam is

applicable to us only and NOT to Swami Desika, we have to substitute

ourselves wherever Swami Desika extrapolates these to himself]

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2.15. " I AM A CLOWN!"

 

trasthari nayEna sthApithA sobhathAm tridasAnAm nAtha thava samAjE/

vanditva mahithAnAm madhyE srutheenAmbAlisA mama sthuthi: //

(Achyuta Sathakam SlOkam 4)

 

Meaning

"Oh! Lord of DevAs!

In the midst of Nityasooris and Muktas filled assembly, Vedas sing your glory

in pure and chaste language. I also try to say a few blabbering words bereft

of any wealth of words or meanings, letter or spirit, form or substance. No

doubt, my puerile attempt is ridiculous and clownish. But, do not the

senseless and clumsy witticisms of the court jesters sometimes amuse great

poets and learned pundits in the courts of kings? So also, you should amuse

yourself hearing my prattles"

 

Comment:

This is another facet of NaichyAnusanthAnam.

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2.16. "DOG DRINKING GANGA WATERS!"

 

padmA mhee prabruthibhih paribhuktha bhoomna:

kA hAniratra mayi bhOkthari thE bhavinee /

dushyEth kimangri thaTinee thava dEva sEvyA

durvAratharsha chapalEna sunAvaleeDA //

(SaraNAgathi Deepikai SlOkam 42)

 

Meaning

Oh! ViLakkoLi PerumAnE1

Periya PirAtti and Bhoomi PirAtti are forever enjoying your divya mangala

vigraham, divya Atma swaroopam, kalyAna guNa gaNas etc. If a lowly creature

like me also enjoys the same will it diminish your divinity?

 

Brahma, Shiva and other celestials celebrate the Ganga waters that flow from

your feet. A dog due to unquenchable thirst licks the same holy waters. Does

anyone consider that the sanctity of Ganga as being polluted by this?

 

Similarly, my panegyric will not demean or diminish your infinity"

 

Comment:

The desire to enjoy the Lord enjoyed by His Devis is found expressed in

Nammazhwar's words when he says-

 

"vaDivaNaiyillA malarmagaL matrai nilamagaL

pidikkum mellaDiyai koDuvinaiyEnum piDikka"

 

KoorathAlwAn has also referred to the sanctity of holy waters not being

affected by dog licking in his "Sri Sthavam" SlOkam 5 thus-

 

"dushyEth sA thu na thAvathA na hi sunA leetApi bhAgeerathi

dushyEswApi na lajjathE na chabibEthi aarthisthusAmyEschunah"

 

Tirumazhisai Azhwar also equates himself to a lowly dog when he says

"nAyinEn nAn seitha kutram natramAghavE koLL gnAla nAthanE"

 

Cf also "nAyEn vandaDainthEn", "aDi nAyen" etc.

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2.17. "HOLY GANGA AND THE UNHOLY GUTTER!"

 

malinamapi bhAshitham mam kinkarasatyha!

Thava keerthi jyotsnA prasarE /

lagnam labhathAm visuddhim rathyA salilamiva tripathagAsrOthOgatham//

(Achyutha Sathakam SlOkam 3)

 

Meaning

Oh! Kinkara Sathya!

Though my words may be dirtied by faults, once they get contact with your

spotless brilliance they will also acquire brightness. Alongside Ganga runs a

gutter with dirty waters. By merging with the waters of Ganga, the gutter

waters also become sanctified. After the merger, downstream, there is no

difference and they become as holy as the Ganga.

 

So also, however lackluster, soiled and sullied they may be, my words can

also attain purity because they are sanctified by the moonlight of your glory"

 

Comment:

In PAduka Sahasram SlOkam 3 also SwAmi says that his praise acquires the same

exalted status as the words of VAlmiki because of the greatness of the

subject -'vasthu vailakshyam'

 

Ganga is called TirpathakA because it is said to flow in the three lokas- the

heavens, the earth and the nether worlds.

 

(To Continue)

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