Thuppul PiLLai- 37-Garuda Panchaasath- marvellous sthOthra with mantra enshrined

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SrI:

SrImathE Nigamantha Mahadesikaya namah:

SrImAn venkatanAthAryaH kavitArkika kesarI |

vedAntAcArya-varyo me sannidhattAm sadA hRdi ||

 

May the glorious Venkatanatha, the greatest of teachers of Vedanta, and the

lion among poets and debaters, reside forever in my heart.

 

Dearest Srivaishnavas,

Let us begin to enjoy the sthOthra granthas of Swamy Desikan [in

alphabetical order]

 

Garuda-Panchaasat

(The fifty on Garuda)

 

This is a Stotra consisting of fifty-two slokas on Garuda, the vehicle and

the emblem on the banner of Vishnu. This is written in the grand Sragdhara

metre having twenty-one syllables in a quarter. Sri Desika says (in Sloka

52) he wrote this under the command of Garuda himself with devotion and

respect.

 

The Stotra in five sections:

 

1. Para-Vyooha-varnaka(1-8 slokas)

2. Amrata-aaharana-varnaka(9-25)

3. Naaga-damana-varnaka

4. Parishkaara-varnaka(36-45)

5. Adbhuta-varnaka(46-50)

Colophon(51 and 52)

 

Sri Vedanta Desika was under the care of his maternal uncle Aatreya

Ramanuja , who was popularly known by the names Appullar and

Vaadi-hamsa-ambuvaaha). By the time Sri Desika was twenty years old, he had

learnt from his maternal uncle and Acarya the Vedas, Vedangas and all the

other Sasthras and had mastered them. The Acarya initiated Sri Desika in the

Garuda Mantra and advised him to go to Tiruvaheendrapuram to meditate upon

Garuda and earn his grace. Sri Desika went there and at the foot of an

Asvattha tree on the Oshadhi hill, began the meditation. Garuda was pleased

even within a short time taught him the Mantra on Hayagreeva(the God of

Learning) so that he might get greater knowledge and do service to God.

Pleased by the devotion and penance of Sri Desika, Lord Hayagreeva appeared

before him and by giving a mouthful of nectar blessed him with deep

knowledge and ability to write books and give discourses for the redemption

of all people.

 

In order to please Garuda who helped him to realize the Lord of Learning,

Sri Desika composed a Hymn, Garuda-dandaka by name, in which he briefly

described the greatness of Garuda. Later on, he composed Garuda

Pancaasat(the Fifty on Garuda)(and that under command of Garuda) (52)

wherein Garuda’s greatness is dealt in grater detail for the benefit of all.

 

The Stotra, with Para-Vyooha-varnaka as the first section, opens with the

details about the different forms of the Garuda-Mantra and about the

preliminary observances for recitation and meditation (Japa and Dhyana) (1).

Then the greatness of Garuda is described in several ways; He is an

incarnation of Ssnkarshana, one of the four Vyooha-forms of Vishnu (2). He

is an embodiment of the Veda as the limbs of his body (3). Satya, Supana,

Taarkshya, Garuda and Vihagesa are his Vyooha (Emanation) forms which

preside over the five divisions of Vital air (Praana, Apaana, Vyaana, Udaana

and Samaana(39). All this is revealed by the religious books=Paancaraatra

Aagama,Saatvata-samhita, Paadma, Narayana and Vishvaksena Samhitas.

 

The second section Amrtaaharanavarnaka(9-25) (Bringing the pot of nectar)

describes the strength and greatness of Garuda in flying Svargaloka to take

the nectar-pot, driving away the army of gods who came to fight and

compelling Indra himself to hand over the pot to him. Garuda’s mother,

Vinata, was kept in custody by the Nagas (Serpents) in the Patala-loka who

promised to release her if the nectar is given to them. So Garuda had to do

it to bring about her freedom.

 

The third section is Naaga-damana-varnaka (26-35) (the subjugation of the

Serpents. When Garuda went to Naga-loka, the serpents there began to molest

him. He fought and defeated all. When he began to swallow them, the

Serpent-king agreed to send one snake every day for his food if he would

stop killing them.

 

The fourth section Parishakaara-varnaka (34-35) (The Decoration of Garuda)

describes how Garuda adorned himself with the great serpents Aasisesha was

the bangle on the left hand and Gulika on the right; Vaasuki was the sacred

thread on his body and Takshaka his belt; Kaarkota was garland; Padma and

Mahaa-padma he wore his ear-rings and Ssnkhapaala as the diadem. Each

serpent has a sloka in this section.

 

The fifth and the last section is Adbhuta-varnaka(46-50) (the section on

Wonders) describes the wonderful exploits of Garuda in the service of the

various incarnations pf Paramatma. He is the beautiful canopy and agreeable

fan,the glorious banner and horseless chariot in wars, a devoted servant,

kind friend and helpful companion.

 

He was the swiftest vehicle for Parama Purusha when he rushed to save the

Gajendra from the hold of the crocodile. He was the friend who helped Sri

Rama to nregain consciousness when he lay on the ground bound by the

Nagastra of Indrajit.He was the devoted servant who had brought back the

crown of Vishnu which was stolen by Virochana, the son of Prahlada when

Vishnu was in Yoga-nidra(mystic sleep) in the milk-ocean and adorned with it

Sri Krishn, the cowherd boy(Balagopala) in Gokula.

 

Sri Vedanta Desika concludes the Stotra with a prayer that Garuda should

bestow knowledge and devotion on him to wipe off all his sins. He also

reveals that he composed the Stotra Garuda Panchasat under the command of

Garuda.

 

The Stotra Garuda-Panchasat is of great significance for several reasons,

since it deals with the all-round greatness Garuda and the unfailing

efficacy of the meditation on Garuda, the deity, by the Garuda-mantra.

 

The first sloka is devoted to the treatment of the Garuda-mantra which has

five letters and which is in three words. The first word is Pranava, second

is ‘Pakshi’ and the third word is ‘Svahaa’. By an interchange of two letters

of the word ‘Pakshi’ and by a change in the order of the words, the mantra,

is said to become four mantras.

 

The meditation on this mantra is to be preceded by the Bheejakshara followed

by PraNavam and Dandakam (i.e. namah). Even before beginning the mantra

rendering the anga nyAsam and kara nyAsam need to be performed. One needs to

learn the mantra at the lotus feet of SadhAchAryan.

 

The dexterity of Swamy Desika in poetical composition can be seen in every

sloka. In Sloka four, the forms of the relative pronoun (yah- who) in the

singular of all cases; the numerals one to ten, thousand, ten thousand, lakh

and infinity in sloka five; the episodes of Garuda in several slokas.

Instead of repeating the word Garuda in every sloka, thirty five synonyms

are used. What a great Acharya! What a poet!

 

Such is the intrinsic merit of Garuda Panchaasath which is the result of the

love and devotion of Swamy Vedantha Desika for Garuda, the deity and his

mantra as well as his fascination for Garuda’s greatness and exploits. The

Acharya makes a prayer to garuda for protection in every one of the slokas

of the stothra.

 

[From the Life and works of Sri Nigamantha Mahadesikan- by Prof Sri A

Srinivasaraghavan]

 

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo narayana

dAsan

kavi-tArkika-simhAya kalyANa-guNa-SAline |

Srimate venkateSAya vedAntagurave namaH ||

 

Salutations to Sri Venkatesa, in whom all perfections reside, who is the

teacher of Vedanta and the lion among poets and debaters

 

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