Thuppul PiLLai- 48- ShodasAyudha sthOthra- Praise on the sixteen Ayudhas of Lord

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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 continue to enjoy the sthOthra granthas of Swamy Desikan [in

alphabetical order]

Shodasa-Aayudha-Stotra -Eulogy on the sixteen Weapons

 

Shodasa-aayudha-stotra is in praise of the glory of Sudarsana who is

wielding sixteen weapons all of which are having a small part of the power

of the Cakra-ayudha bestowed upon them. There is a separate shrine for Sri

Sudharsana both in Srirangam and Kanchi where the deity is having sixteen

arms, each of which is having one weapon. There are nineteen slokas the

first is an introduction and the last two conclusions. The middle slokas

from the second to the seventeenth describe the sixteen weapons, eight of

which are on the eight right-side hands and the other eight on the left-side

hands.

 

The weapons on the right side from yhe top are-(1) Cakra(discus), (2)

Parasu (the battle-axe), (3) Kunta (the spear), (40 Danda (the club), (5)

Ankusa (the goad), (6) Agni(the flame), (7) Nistrimsa (the sword) and

(8)Sakti (the spike). The eight on the left side hands are (9) Paanca-janya

(the conch), (10) Saarnga (the bow), (11) Paasa( the noose), (12) Seera (the

plough), (13) Vajra (the thunderbolt), (14) Gadaa (the mace), (15) Musala

(the pestle) and (16) Trisoola (the trident). Almost all the slokas invoke

the protection of the Cakra-ayudha on the readers-“May He protect you (Paatu

vah)”.

 

With reference to this Shodasaayudha stotra and Sudharsana-ashtaka,there

is a tradition. When Sri desika was living in Kanchi, there was a wave of

cold fever at Tiru-p-put-kuzhi and all the people were in great distress.

When Sri Desika heard of it, he was very much moved and immediately composed

the two stotras praying for their relief and advised the villagers to recite

them. Very soon, the people were free from the epidemic and became healthy

as before.

 

In the colophon Sri Desika says that he composed this Stotra for the

benefit and welfare of the pious and those who recite will be protected by

Sri Sudharsana.

 

[from the book - 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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