Sri Satyagalam and Swamy Deshikan - Part 3

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ShrimatAm Sri VAdihamsAmbudAchArya samyami sArvabhouma divya katAksha labdha

sArvajna Shrimataam Shri Ghantaavataaram Kavitaarkikasimha Sarvatantra

Swatantra Vedaantaachaarya Sri Thooppul Nigamaanta Maha Deshikaaya Namaha

 

Part - 3 -

Swamy Deshikar's life at Satyagalam and Swamy Deshikar's return to Arangam

 

Slokams in Abhitistavam with lot of historical significance

--------------------------

 

Slokam 22 - This slokam tells us about the attack on Arangam by turushkAs

and yavanAs(foreigners)

 

kalipraNidhi lakshaNai: kalitashAkyalOkAyatai:

turushka-yavanAdibhirjagati jrmbhamANam bhayam |

prakrshta-nijashaktibhi: prasabhamAyudhai: panchabhi:

kshiti tridasharakshakai: kshapaya RanganAtha kshaNAt ||

 

May the spread of fear in this world due to anya mathams like boudhdha,

chArvAka (with kali purusha gooDhachAra lakshaNam) and also due to the

attack of turushkAs and yavanAs, be completely eliminated with the use of

your divya Ayudhams in a second.

 

Slokam 28 - This slokam gives us an impression of Swamy Deshikan's feeling

during the crisis period and what he really wished after Arangam was freed.

 

yatIshwara-bhAratI-rasabharENa nItam vaya:

prapulla-palitam shira: padamiha kshamam prArthayE |

nirasta-ripusambhavE kvachana rangamukhyE vibhO

paraspara-hitaishiNAm parisarEshu mAm vartaya ||

 

All my youth was spent in learning SribhAshyam and other works of Bhagavad

Ramanuja and they have brought me now to an advanced age, with my hair

completely white and my head completely filled with Ramanujar. My only

desire now is that you(Lord) should put me in a land like Srirangam or any

other divyadEsham free of enemies and amongst people who are mutually

compassionate towards each other.

 

--

Note - Reference to Abhitistavam in works on Swamy Deshikar

 

Deshika Gadyam

--------------

 

Haya-vadhana, dEva-nAyaka, achyutha, gOpAla, raghuveera-raNapungava,

varada, nara-hari, yathOkta-kAri, deepa-prakAsa, dEhaleesa, vEnkatEsa,

rangEsa, paksheesa, hEtheesa, ramA, kshamA, gOdhA-

vishaya stOtra sudhA ranjitha sahridaya budhajana hridaya

 

This sentence gives the names of all those Perumaals, whom Swamy Deshikar

has sung in his works.

 

"rangEsa vishaya stOtra sudhA ranjitha sahridaya budhajana hridaya"

 

You have endeared yourself to like minded knowledgeable people

through your delightful nectarine StOtras on rangEsa

The following stotrams were composed on Aranga - DasAvatara StOram, Bhagavad

DhyAna SOpAnam, Abheethi Sthavam, Nyasa Tilakam.

--

 

Swamy Deshikan stayed in Satyagaalam for 12 long years and during

his stay here, he used to perform penance sitting under two huge ashwaththam

trees on the banks of the river. These twin ashwaththam trees came to be

known as 'jnaanaashwaththam'. This was also the place where he used to

deliver kaalakshepams on Ramanuja siddhaantham. Many thronged to have his

darshanam and to become his followers.

On the banks of the river there was a Sri Koorma peeTam, a natural

rock or a stone slab in the formation of a tortoise (or koormam). It is said

that Swamy Deshikan used to perform japams sitting on this peetam during his

anushtaanams. Satyagalam is also the place where Swami Deshikan authored

many works on our siddhaantham.

After his long stay here, he then moved towards

Thirunaaraayanapuram. After a few years in Thirunaaraayanapuram, he came

back to Satyamangalam. It was only later that Sri Rangam was freed by one

Gopannanaayaka, the head of the 'jinji' fort.

Periya kovil was opened once again, utsasvar AzhagiyamanavALan was

brought back to Arangam from Tirupati and kainkaryams to Arangan started as

before. Swamy Deshikan upon hearing this news, rushed to Arangam to have

darshanam of his beloved Aranga again, feeling happy that his prayers in the

form of abhitistavam had been answered.

 

Swamy Deshikan back at Arangam

------------------------------

 

By this time Swamy Deshikan was more than 90 years old. He was

revered by one and all as a paramAchAryan and his glories were famous in all

directions. At Arangam, the entire city awaited their AchAryA's arrival.

Swamy Deshikan was received with full temple honours and poorNakumbham. At

the sannidhi, Swamy Deshikan prayed to his beloved Aranga and with great

devotion composed the following verse in front of the Lord -

 

vidhivihita saparyAm vItadOshAnushangA-

mupachita dhanadhAnyA mutsavaistyA na harshAm |

swayamupachinu nityam rangadhAman swarakshAm

shamitavimatapakshAm shashwatIm RangalakshmIm ||

 

The treasure of Arangam should be relentlessly worshipped as per the rules

laid down by poorvAchAryas, it should be rich with lots of food, wealth

and prosperity, it should be free from all defects and faults, it should

always have all utsavams and vaibhavams as per sampradAyam without any

break, it should forever be happy, it should be free from all troubles due

to enemies and should be eternally blissful. Saying so, he pleads to Aranga

to grant this boon of his and protect everybody.

 

It was after this episode that Swamy Deshikan wrote his magnum-opus

"Srimad RahasyatrayasAram".

 

Feeling very happy with the kainkaryam of Gopannanaayaka, Swami

Deshikan has wished him paripoorNa katAksham of AranganAthan in the form of

two sanskrit verses. These slokams can still be seen today on the outer wall

of the sanctum-sanctorum at Arangam.

 

Continued...

 

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vAzhi vyAkhyAmuddirak kai !!!