Sri Satyagalam and Swamy Deshikan - Part 2

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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

 

Note - Please overlook translation errors.

 

Part - 2 - Swamy Deshikan's visit to Satyagalam and Abhitistavam

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After travelling for several days, along the banks of Kaveri, they

finally reached a small village called Satyagalam. This place attracted

Swami Deshikan, may be due to its picturesque location, calm atmosphere and

above all the presence of a temple of Lord Varada, Swami Deshikan's

aaraadhya daivam. They all decided to stay there and made all arrangements

required.

 

Swamy Deshikan composes 'Abhitistavam'

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Having seen the disaster that befell upon Arangam, a deeply hurt

Swami Deshikan composed a stotram called 'Abhitistavam' with 29 stanzas.

This stotram is a pleading to Lord Aranga to make Sri Rangam free of enemies

and to restore it back to its glory. Abhitistavam is a stotram that when

recited with dedication, drives out fear of any kind. It is said that Swamy

Deshikan used to recite it everyday as a prayer to Aranga to free Arangam

from its captors and was very eager to see his prayers answered.

 

Abhitistavam describes Swamy Deshikan's AtmakathA (true story) to

some extent, as it has a lot of references to the historical happenings at

that time. From the same, it is also evident that Swamy Deshikan composed

this slokam when he was quite advanced in age.

The greatness of Abhitistavam lies in the fact that, Swamy Deshikan himself

has recited this slokam for years together till Arangam was free of its

captors.

 

Gist of Abhitistavam

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All slokams here address relief or freedom from fear of any kind.

Swamy Deshikan has composed Abhitistavam as the essence of the 4 charama

slokams - Varaha, SriRama, Gita and Sri Sita.

 

The 29 slokams enshrined in Abhitistavam, basically follow three

streams, in the following order -

The first few slokams describe the greatness of PerumAL, His anantha kalyANa

guNams and a prayer to the Lord to protect those who recite the holy name of

the Lord.

The second set of slokams offer a prayer to the Lord to drive fear of any

kind from the minds of people affected by samsaric afflictions.

The third set of slokams has a lot of historical essence. In all these

slokams, it is Swamy Deshikan's prayer that Srirangam and other divyadeshams

should be free of all troubles. He continues to say that all devotees should

be relieved of their misery and should be able to do PerumAL sEvai and

kainkaryams as usual.

 

Some slokams

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Slokam 11 - Swamy Deshikan says to the Lord "Protection of the surrendered,

is like protecting yourself". Here he intends to convey 'shEsha-shEshi

bhAvam' wherein all the prapannAs are like sharIram to the Lord.

 

Slokam 14 - Here Swamy Deshikan says to the Lord "If you shall not protect,

who else shall? and who else can?" This is one of the feelings expressed by

Swamy Deshikan very often. The same feeling is also seen in

'KAmAsikAshtakam' and 'AshtabhujAshtakam'.

 

Slokam 19 - Here Swamy Deshikan gives examples of PrahlAda, KAkAsura,

GajEndran, Draupadi, VibhIshaNa, kALIya, GOpikAs and AmbarIsha who were all

freed from their troubles after SharaNAgati and similarly requests the Lord

to offer His protection.

 

Slokams 21 to 27 - In all these slokams Swamy Deshikan pleads to Aranga to

protect Arangam from its captors using His divya Ayudhams.

 

Slokam 29 - This gives us the AchArya sandEsham "bhayam tyajata bhadram

va:". "Do not fear. He shall protect".

 

Continued...

 

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vAzhi vyAkhyAmuddirak kai !!!