Daya Shatakam & NavarAthri Celebrations : Glory of DayA Devi Part II

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs of ThiruvengadamudayAn:

 

After Summarizing the ten meanings associated with the ten sets of ten slokas

Swami Desikan in SrI DayA satakam , he goes on to describe in detail

the Anantha Kalyana Gunaas of Sriman Narayana in his Taatparya RatnaavaLi

and Dramidopanishad Saaram .He is thus paying his tribute to Nammazhwaar"s

Thiruvaimozhi in all of these three works .We will illustrate the ten

essential meanings of Daya Satakam in the subsequent sections as revealed by

SrI Srirama Desikaacchaar Swamy in the tradition of his Achaarya, SrI

Navaneetham Krishnamaacchaar Swamy of Oppiliappan Koil .

 

In the very first sloka , Swami Desikan states precisely his goal in

composing this Grantham and describes the object of his salutations this

way:

 

PRAPATHYEH TAM GIRIM PRAAYA:

SRINIVAASAANUKAMPAYAA

IKSHUSAARA SRAVANTHYEVA

YANMOORTHYAA SARKARAAYITAM

 

Here he compares the Lord"s DayA as the sweet flowing river of Cane

sugar juice,which has solidified to become the mountain of Thiruvenkatam.

Swami States that he offers his Prapatti to that mountain, which has become

the embodiment of the Lord"s DayA . The first theme covered by the first ten

slokas revolves around the fact that the Lord of Thiruvenkatam (SravaNa

Venkatesan ) is eminently suitable for worship and adoration.The reason is

that He is an ocean of Mercy (DayA).He serves as the treasure for those

who have no riches to speak of . He is the field out of which grows

the our fruits of human life (PurushArthams). That concept of blemish-free

mercy makes Him the supreme object of contemplation and worship as described

below (10th SlOkam):

 

AKINCHANA NIDHIM SOOTHIM APAVARGHA TRIVARGAYOH

ANJANAADHRI ISWARA ABHISHTOWMI NIRANJANAAM

 

The above sloka is the last of the first group of ten. In earlier verses,

Swami Desikan offers his salutations to Guru Paramparaa and AzhwArs. In

the beautiful second verse , he says:

 

vigAhe teertha bhauLaam seethaLAm guru Santathim

Srinivasa DayAmbhodhi pareevaha paramparaam

 

The key words are: " SeethaLAm Guru santathim Srinivasa DayAmbhodhi

Pareevaha Paramparaam Vigaahe". He says that he immerses in the cool waters

of the flowing stream of Guru Parampara that originated from the ocean of

Mercy(DayA) known as Srinivasa.

 

The SECOND essential theme of DayA satakam is that Sri Venkateswara is

eminently enjoyable in terms of Bhagavat Anubhavam .This theme is met in

Sloka 19 :

 

ROOTAA VRUSHACHALA PATEH

PAADEH MUKA KANTHI PATRALACCHAAYAA

KARUNEH SUKAYASI VINATAAN

KATAKSHA VITAPAI: KARAAPACHEYA PALAI:

 

Here, Swami Desikan says that DayA Devi is standing tall in Thirumalai

representing the merciful aspect of Sri Venkateswara. She grows at the

feet of the Lord of Venkatam and serves as His kalpaka tree that fulfills

the wishes of those who pray to Him. His cool glances at the sight of His

devotees cause the tree of DayA Devi to send out tender shoots and ripe

tasty fruits. Those, who worship at the sannidhi of Sri Venkateswara

become beneficiaries of His Dhaya and enjoy the fruits of that Kalpaka tree.

Hence, Swami Desikan says that the KarunA Katakshams of the Lord of

Thiruvenkatam yield indescribable riches to the devotees . His DayA makes

Him eminently enjoyable.

 

The THIRD essential theme of DayA Satakam is that He has the most

beautiful Divya Mangala Vigraham and to feast on Him with our eyes is

equivalent to tasting the divine nectar. The sloka corresponding to this

theme is as follows (SlOkam 22):

 

KALASODHODHITI SAMPADHO BHAVATHYAA:

KARUNEH SANMATHI MANTHA SAMSKRUTHAAYAA :

AMRUTAAMSA MAVAIMI DIVYA DEHAM

MRUTHA SANJEEVANAM ANJANAACHALA INDOH

 

Here, Swami Desikan says that the churning of the Ocean of DayA of Sri

Venkatesa yields the nectar, which is the divine and auspicious vigraham

of Srinivasan. That Vigraham made entirely of Suddha Satvam is standing on

top of Thirumalai. This most beautiful Archaa Vigraham removes the fear of

Yama to Prapannaas and gurantees them the fruits of Moksham. Such is the power

of this auspicious and beautiful Archaa Murthy of the seven hills.

 

The FOURTH essential theme of DayA satakam is that the Sri Venkatesa

concept is the most delectable experience to enjoy among all delectable

experiences that the human beings can hope to enjoy . His blue effulgence

radiating from the top of Thirumala hills and its sacred associations

provide the richest item for the enjoyment of the chetanas . Here,

the divya Mangala Vigraham is not the object of reference , but

the holiness of the Venkateswara Tattwam , which is the highest concept

that Vedas can proclaim. The sloka corresponding to this theme is

as follows( SlOkam 39):

 

PARIMITA PALASANGHAATH PRAANINA: KIMPACHAANAA:

NIGAMA VIPANI MADHYEH NITYA MUKTAANUSHAKTHAM

PRASADANAMANUKAMPEH PRAAPTAVATYAA BHAVATYAA

VRUSHAGIRI HARINEELAM VYANJITHAM NIRVASANTHI

 

The FIFTH central theme is about the blessings that one accrues form the

Kataksham of Srinivasan of Thirumalai. Swami Desikan says that the

auspiciousness of that glance can result in freedom from the three debts

that human beings are subject to in this world. These three debts are to

Devas, Rishis and one's ancestors(Pithrus). Normally, one gets rid of

these debts with great diffculty. The debt to the Devas is normally

discharged thru the performance of Yagaas and the offering of Havis.

The debt to Rishis is discharged through Veda Adhyayanam. The debt to

the Pithrus is discharged thru progeny. These three debts are

instantaneously discharged by the mere glance of Sri Venkatesa

resting for a moment on the Prapanna. The blessings arising from that

merciful glance not only makes the Prapanna free from these three debts,

but it also results in obtaining then boon of Moksham thru the DevayanA

path at the time of leaving this earth. Prior to that, the glances of Sri

Venkatesa confer immense wealth in this universe. The sloka containing

these thoughts is the fourty ninth verse of DayA Satakam :

 

SREYA: SOOTHIM SAKRUTAPI DHAYEH

SAMMATHAAM YA: SAKEEM TEH

SEETHODHAARAA MALAPADHA JANA:

SRINIVAASASYA dHRUSHTIM

DEVAADHEENAA MAYA MANRUNUTHAAM

DEHAVATTVEAPI VINDHAN

BHANDHAAN MUKTHO BALIBHIRANAGAI:

POORYATEH TATPRAYUKTHAI:

 

The SIXTH central theme of the Satakam is that Lord Srinivasa is easy to

approach thru Prapatti. Swami Desikan says through the following Fifty

ninth sloka that the Bhakthi and Jnana Yogam are difficult to practise

as means to Moksham compared to Prapatti at the holy feet of Sri Srinivasa

as taught by our Acharyas such as Ramanuja, Yamuna and others:

 

TVADHUDHAYA TOOLIKAABHIRAMUNAA

VRUSHASAILA JUSHAA

STHIRA CHARA SILPINAIVA PARIKALPITHA

CHITRADHIYA:

YATIPAATHI YAAMUNA PRUBRIDHAYA:

PRATAYANTHI DHAYEH

JAGADHI HITAM NA NASTVAYI

BHARANYASANAAT ADHIKAM II

 

The SEVENTH central theme of Satakam states that His incomparable mercy

removes any and every obstacle (Anishtam ) that a Prapanna faces on this

earth. The slokam corresponding to this theme is as follows(61st SlOkam):

 

AKOOPAARAI REKODHAKA SAMAYA

VAITANDIKA JAVAI:

ANIRVAABHYAAM KSHIPRAM KSHAPAYITUM

AVIDHYAAKYAPATAPPAAM

KRUPEH TVAM TATTAATRUK PRATHIMA

VRUSHA PRITHVEEDHARA PATHI -

SVARUPA DWAIGUNYA DVIGUNA NIJABINDHU :

PRABHAVASI

 

The EIGTH central theme refers to His Kalyana gunam by which He

accomodates Himself to the wishes of the Prapannas. Although He knows that

some of the desires of the Prapannas relate to the nonlasting ,perishable ,

trivial things , Sri Venkatesa gives them what they want . Later, He gives

them the knowledge and discriminative power to overcome the desire for

perishable things and elevates their sight to the lasting concept such as

Moksham. In other words, He goes along with the wishes of Prapanna first and

then slowly helps them to set higher goals such as Nithya Kainkaryam and

Kaivalyam. The sloka containing these thoughts is the seventy fifth Slokam

of the Dhayaa satakam .

 

The NINTH central theme relates to his sincere friendship out of His

compassion for the Prapannas. His friendship does not count on any returns

from the Prapannas.It is the most natural of all friendships.

 

The TENTH central theme deals with Sri Venkateswara"s grace in leading the

Prapannas in the Devayaana path to Srivaikuntam.In the 104th slokam .

Swami Desikan acknowledges the glorious mercy of Sri Venkateswara in

crowning him as "Vedanthaacharya" at the end of reciting Dhaya Sathakam.

He states that he was just an instrument in the hands of the Lord of

Thiruvenkatam in composing DayA sathakam. This slokam housing his Sattvika

thyagam is a gem (104th slOkam):

 

VEDANTHA DESIKA PADEH VINIVESYA BAALAM

DEVO DHAYASATAKAM YETAT AVADHAAYAT MAAM

VAIHAARIKENA VIDHINAA SAMYEH GRUHITAM

VEENA VISESHAMIVA VENKATA SAIL NAATHA :

 

Here Swamy Desikan says: " adiyEn is not fit to compose

this sthOthram about the dayA guNam of Lord SrInivAsan.

The responsibility for that effort belongs to the Lord

Himself. He is always fond of engaging in playful acts.

AdiyEn's sukrutham ( puNyams done in previous janmAs)

has now become fruitful. At this time , the Lord decided

to engage in a sport using adiyEn . Boy that adiyEn is, now

elevated to the status of VedAnthAchAryan and placed in

a lofty position. The fruit of making that playful act

becoming appropriate is also the Lord's sankalpam .

He made it possible for this DayA satakam to emerge

out of adiyEn's mouth. The Lord used me as HIS instrument

and completed the task of singing it.In this world , a rich man

will please himself by playing on a VeeNA and raise sunAdham

from that VeeNA. It is appropraite to say that VeeNA is only an

instrument for generating that sunAdham and it by itself does not

raise that pleasing sound. It is the skill of the VeeNA player

that is normally praised. In a similr manner , adiyEn has

only been an instrument in is hands for the birth of this

SthOthram. All the glories belong only to Him . Thus

the Lord of ThiruvEnkatam has performed a leelA through adiyEn.

 

Kavithaarkika simhaaya Kalyana Gunasaalineh |

srimateh Venkatesaaya Vedantha guraveh Nama ||

 

Daasan, Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan