Essance of Nyasa Dasakam

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NYASA DASAKAM OF SWAMI VEDANTHA DESIKAR

 

 

Sriman Venkatanatharyah kavitharkika kesari

Vedanthacharyavaryo me sannidhatham sadha hadhi

 

 

The advent of Swami Vedantha Desikar into this world was mainly for

the establishment of the efficacy of Prapatthi also known as Nyasa

Thus almost all his works deals with prapathi . "MOKSHOPAYA

PRAPATHISYATH" Srimad RahasyaTraya of Sri Vedantha Desikar is an

elaborate study of Prapathi – Saranagathi.

 

Description of few of the works of Swami Desikar

 

Nyasa Dasaka, Nyasa Vimsathi ,Nyasa Tilakam, Saranagathi

Deepikai ,

His two other works in Sanskrit are the Abhayapradaana saara and

Nikshepa Raksha then the Adaikallapathu in tamil.

 

The contribution of Vedantha Desikar in the postulation of `NYASA"

as a perfect & easy system which can be adopted by one and all.

Of-course the greatness of Prapathi is conveyed by all the Alvars

and Acaryas and is not new one, it can be gleaned from the

intuitive experiences of the Alvars and the Sastric expositions of

the Acaryas like Swami Alavandar and Sri Ramanujar.

 

Swami Desikar has systamised the doctrine of Prapathi as MOKSHOPAYA.

 

The Nyasa Dasakam crisply describes the Nyasa (Prapathi performed

with angas), nature ,qualification etc.,

 

The first three slokas conveys the poorva bagam of Dvayam (Sriman

Narayana Caranou sharanam prapadhye) the fourth sloka describes

about the fruit gained by performing the prapathi- Pala prayojanam

The last five slokas describe the Nishta after prapathi.

 

The first sloka reads " Aham Madrakshana baro math rakshana palam

thatha na mama sripathirevethyatmanam nikshiped budaha"

 

The essentinal nature of the soul is outlined here. "Swanishta"of a

Saranagathan is emphasized here i.e to say that the jiva belongs to

Lord and is the property of Lord ,this sloka beautifully conveys the

meaning of the namah padam of the moola mantram.

 

The thought or Nyasa to be adopted by Caranyan is conveyed here " I

do not belong to myself, the burden accruing from such protection is

equally not mine and benefit accruing from such protection is

equally not mine, they all belong only to Sriman Narayana.

 

The first step of prapathi - elimination of ego and egot is

depicted in this sloka. The same idea is conveyed by all our

Acaryas. For instance the verses from Mumukshapadi is remembered

here wherein the quality required from the individual is conveyed -

"Emperumanai andri thanum pirarum thanaku gathiagamattarkal"

 

 

The second sloka conveys the requisites of Caranyan.

"Nyasamyakinchanah ………………athma raksha baram tvaye"

 

The second sloka is an address made to the Supreme Lord, wherein Sri

Desikar in this sloka expresses his sheer helplessness -

"Aakincanyam & Annanyagatitvam"

 

It is expected from a Saranagatan to express these two qualities

while performing Saranagathi. In this Sloka Desikar performs

Saranagathi through the good office of Tayar .Lordess is embodiment

of grace. She by her purushakaram veils the Swatantriyam of Lord

and makes him to shower his grace on the individual soul. Pirati is

described as "Nityam Agnyatha nigrahah". The five organs of

Prapathi is explained in this sloka they are Anukulasya Sankalpam,

Prathikulasya Varjanam, Maha Vishvasam , Goptrutva Varana, Karpanya

anusanthanam.

 

The first i.e Anukulasya sankalpaha means the prapannan should

perform only such acts which helps him in surrendering unto Lord's

feet

 

Obviously the next organ is that he shall not do anything which

affects his association with Lord – Prathikulasya Varjanam The

third "Maha Vishvasam" is that the Prapannan should have unflinching

faith on the Supreme Lord , the fourth anga "Goptrutva Varanam"

conveys that the Prappanan should regard Emperuman alone as his

refugee, the fifth anga "Karpanyam"–the prappanan should expresses

his sheer helplessness and total Surrender unto Lord for Salvation.

 

 

In the third sloka Desikar speaks about the another quality

required from a Prapannan – "SATVIKA TYAGAM".

 

This sloka reminds us the Nammalvar's Tiruvaimozhi where in Alvar

has also conveyed the same idea

 

"Endraikum ennai uyyakondupokiya ………aathiyai nindra en sothiyai en

solli nirpanno"

 

(7th centum 9th decad)

 

The third sloka being the very essance of Nyasa Dasakam conveys

the "Bhara Samarpana" as entirely an act got done by the Lord

himself for his own benefit. The word "Swa" which means one's own

is repeated more than eight times in this sloka. The frequent

usage of the word is made to emphasize that the individual by all

means is ever subservient to Lord.

 

In the fourth sloka Desikar performs Saranagathi at the feet of

Lord Varadha through the good office of Tayar . Lord Varadha is

bestower of boons . A desire to have Moksha at the end of life is

voiced in this sloka.

 

In the fifth sloka Swami Desikar prays to Lord for having the

mental attitude of Prapannan i.e "Let my knowledge of being a Sesha

to you never flinch or waver , let me not think of any fruit or

benefit as worthy of attainment by me except to attain you, and let

me steer all karmas which are taboo or done with a desire to obtain

any benefit for myself. Let me be an eternal sub-serviant of you,

whatever I do, say , think all be dedicated unto you.

The verse "Nishad Kamya rahitam mam kuru" is expressed by all the

Alvars and Acaryas. Andal in her Tiruppavai expresses the same by

verse

 

"Mattranamkammangal Mattrelo rembavai" where in she prays that all

the kamyakarma performed by her shall be for attainment of Lord

alone;.

 

In the 6th sloka Swami Desikar prays for eternal service at Lord's

feet. The service , that one desires to render to Lord must extend

to the Lord's devotees . The Lord is envisaged in this sloka as

accompanied by his divine consorts Sri, Bhu, & Neela Devi and so

on. This Prapathi reminds us of Emperumanar's Saranagathi Gadyam

where in Swami Emperumanar also prostrates to the Lord through his

Consort –Sri,Bhu,Neela Devi "Evam bhuta bhoomi nila nayika".

 

 

 

The " SARVAKALA ,SARVADESHA, SARVAPRAKAR,SARVAVIDHA KAINKARYA

PRAPTHI" is the prayer of Swami Desikar proclaimed in the 6th sloka.

 

In the seventh sloka Swami Vedantha Desikar offers himself and all

his possessions , wordly relationship such as wife,children and as

well the wealth & house at the Lotus feet of Lord. Total self-

surrender is voiced in this sloka. The feeling of "I" and "mine" has

been changed to "Thy" and "Thine".

 

In the 8th sloka , Swami Desikar makes an appeal to Lord on behalf

of all the Prappannan to save him from commiting sins and as well

wipe off all the sins commited by him. Swami Desikar addresses to

Lord as "Oh ! merciful Lord , I am entirely under your protection,

therefore of your own accord please see that sins are not committed

by me and if per chance , I commit any sin kindly wipe it off".

 

Again in the 9th sloka Swami Desikar prays to Emperuman to release

him from all the sins committed by him from beginning less time.

Sins committed before prapathi, and as well after Prapathi.

 

In Saranagathi Gadyam also Swami Emperumanar prays to Lord and his

Consort to forgive all the sins commited by him from beginning

less time and as well for the sins that may be committed in the

future.

 

"Anadhikalapravrutham viparithagynanam, atmavishayam kruthsna jagath

vishayam, cha vipareetha vrutham ,cha sesha vishayam ,adhyapi

varthamanam, vartishyamanam cha, sarvam kshamsva…."

 

In the tenth sloka " Sriman niyatha panchangam madrakshana bararpanam

Achikarath svayam svasmin athoahamiha nirbaraha"

 

Swami Desikar addresses to Lord "Oh! Lord of Sri, you of your own

accord have got performed in you the offering of the burden of my

protection accompanied by the five indispensable component ( 5 angas

of prapathi) Therefore I have been freed from all the burden &

responsibilities in the matter of my protection.

 

Thus in this sloka Prapathi is referred to as an accomplished fact

for which the Lord alone is responsible , and thereby the prappana

gets a sense f relief.

 

Nammalvar's pasuram is worth quoting here " En na mudal vandu

pukunthu" , "Tan vayal thane thuthithu"

 

Adiyen

Sri Vaishnava Dasi

Vasumathi Sampath Kumar

[Guest guest]

Dear Shrimathi Vasumathi SampathKumarji,

 

Please accept adiyen's humble pranam. It is only by poorvacharyas

grace and bhagavata grace that alpa gyana people like adiyen get to

know the meanings and saranagathi related works of Swamy Desikan, thru

lucid writeup by great srivaishnavas like you. Although aidyen now

know the overall meanings of the sanskrit slokas if you can be please

be kind enough to provide us with the "pada" meanings of the slokas

then it will be more clear for us to read and understand. Those along

with these eloborate meanings can be put together as a file and loaded

into Ramanuja files section for future reference.

 

vandhE ParavAdhi annagarAryam||

 

Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan,

N.C.Narashiman