Experiencing Swami Desika - 43

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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:

 

"SrimAn VenaktanAthArya: kavithArkika kEsarI!

VedAnthAchArya varyO mE sannidhatthAM sadhA hrudhi"!!

 

We saw devotees holding different opinions on

Swami Desika's avataara. Shri Kumara Varadarya states

this in his Desika mangalaasAsana, thus:

 

"Venkatesavataroyam tad gantam so:thava bhavet

yatindramso thaveityevam Vitarkyayastu mangalam!"

 

"May all auspiciousness be with Sri Vedanta Desika

about whom different views were held that he was

an incarnation of Lord Venkatesa or he was his bell,

incarnate or a part of Acharya Sri Ramanuja

himself"

 

We see that there are different opinions on

Swami Desika's avataaram. Well, but the bottom line

on which all the devotees agree is that there has

been nobody equal to our Swami!

 

Our Swami, right from his child hood days has shown

mastery in all his learning's. Swami was like sage Vyasa

himself in the knowledge of Vedas with its various

methods of recitation like Jata - Varna and Carca,

and of the Kalpa sutras dealing with the conduct

of rituals. In addition to the Vedas Swami studied

the tarka and mImAmsa. Swami Desika acquired mastery

over other systems of Philosophy Viz.

Sankya and Yoga, Dvaita and Advaita, Bhaskara and

Pasupata, Bauddha and Jaina.

 

In Sapta Ratna MAlika there is a mention about

Swami Desika's knowledge. Let us have a glimpse

of it:

 

"BharadvAja shAndilyahArItamukhya

smrutistOmasuksmArthanirNItidasha:!

purAnAgamAdishvasAdhAraNasrI:

sutO bhAti lOkeshvanantAyasoore:!!"

 

-- Sapta Ratna MAlika (27)

 

There are subtle thoughts in the Various smiritis

written by Bharadvaja, Sandilya, Harita and others.

Swami Desika's expertise is evident from his proper

and most appropriate interpretations. Not just this,

Swami's mastery over the Puraanas and Agamaas is

matchless.

 

"JyotishchandashshabdashAstra pravINa:

kAvyasheNi nAtakAlankrutijna:!

mImAmsAyAm brahmakarmAtmikAyAm

srastA saakshat sarvatantrasvatantra:!!"

 

-- Sapta Ratna MAlika (28)

 

 

He had an extraordinary skill in the sciences of astrology,

prosody and grammar and was perfectly acquainted with epic,

poetry, drama and poetics. He was the creator as it were,

of the Karma-Mimamsa and Brahma-Mimamsa.

 

"SAnkhye yOge bhAttatantrO gurukte

shaive jaine shAnkare bhAskarE cha!

shastre bauddhe yaadave garvitAnAm

pratyAkyAtA sarvatantrasvatantra:!!"

 

-- Sapta Ratna MAlika (29)

 

 

Swami was all victorious by refuting the arguments

of those belonging to various other schools of

thought like sankhya and yoga, Dvaita and Advaita,

Bhaskara and Pasupata, Bauddha and Jaina.

 

 

All this our Swami was able to do even before he

was twenty years old. Swami Desika has himself stated

this in Sankalpa Sooryodayam. Isn't this Divine!!!

 

"Kavi Taarkika Simhaaya Kalyaana guna SaalinE!

SrimatE VenkateshAya VedAnta Gurave nama !!"

 

....To be continued!

 

 

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

 

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi

30th Oct 1999