Part VIII of SrI VedAntha DesikOthsava MaalikA by Sriamd PillaipAkkam Azhagiya Singar , 37th Pattam PeetAdhipathi of SrI Matam .

[Guest guest]

 

 

 

 

 

 

SrI:

 

 

 

 

Dear Swami Desika BhakthAs:

 

SlOkams 27-34 cover the sacred bath ( Thirumanjanam) for Swamy Desikan after His descent from Oushada Giri and the various MangaLa-AsAsanams at the Sannidhis starting from Lord DevanAthan and concluding with that of AchArya RaamAnuja.

 

During the night of PurattAsi SravaNam , AzhwArs' aruliccheyal

SaaRRumuRai took place(SlOkam 30).In SlOkam 33, the night time Veethi PuRappAdu & Hamsadhvaja

avarOhaNam are described .The next day , Boat( teppam) utsavam on Garuda nadhi takes place and is described by Srimad Azhagiya Singar.

 

SlOkam 27:Thirumanjanam

 

Swamy Desikan travels after AchArya RaamAnuja MangaLa-AsASanam on a golden palanquin and arrives at the Four pillar Mantapam for Thirumajanam with waters from Garuda Nadhi .

 

saptatyA samstutOyam yatipati-tatulam svAnuroopam svaSishyam

 

svam paksham sthApayantam

 

suBahumatimimam kAnchana-AndhOLikAyAm

 

ArOpyaamOdhamAna:parigata-viSikham sannidhim neeyamAnam

 

theeram taarkshyapagAyA:

snapayitumanayat theerthavaryam suteertham

 

(meaning): Swamy Desikan eulogized YathirAjar and made AchArya RaamAnujA's ThiruvuLLam very happy with the samarpaNam of his YatirAja spatati(saptatyA samstutOayam

Yatipati) .AchArya RaamAnujA

placed His sishyan on a golden palanquin ( Kaanchana AndhOLikA)in recognition of his many profound kaimkaryams to defeat Paramatha Vaadhins and protect thereby the illustrious Sri VaishNava darSanam following His own path ( svam paksham sthApayantam ) . The golden pallakku arrived on the bank of Garuda nadhi and the archakAs consecrated the water from Garuda nadhi for the Thirumanjana utsavam

( theeram Taarkshya-pagAyA: snapayitum anayat theerthavaryam sutheertham).

 

SlOkam 28: Thirumanjanam

 

tatrAsou chandanAktO visamanija-mukhE chandrasAmyAsahatvAt

 

gandhasnAnacchalEna svaniDila-tilkacchAdhanEcchurvibhAti

 

ityEkEanyE tu gandhasnapanamiha GurO: lOkadhrugpAta Bibyat

 

HemABjAngaraSami prakaramaya-

sudhAmanjanam jAnatE hi

 

(Meaning): Now the Thirumanjanam for Swamy Desikan takes place with Garuda nadhi water.The stage of Sandal paste abhishEkam is reached . The lustre of Chandran is now defeated by the mukaha kAnti of Swamy Desikan.Some say that Swamy has now hid himself under the cool glances of HemABhjavalli( Cool sandhana-abhishEkam) so that no evil eye is cast on him ( lOkadhrugpAta Bhibhyam) and he is deeply immersed in the nectar of the assembly of the auspicious glances of ThAyAr( HemABhjAnga raSmi prakaramaya-sudhAmanjanam ).

Others say that Swamy uses the occasion of SantanAbhishEkam to hide the bright tilakm on His forehead.The face of AchAryan became unequal to ( superior to) chandran thru the sandal paste abhishEkam (chandrasadhrusamAna mukham santana snAnatthinAl visamam AayiRRu).

 

SlOkam 29 : avabruta snAnam

 

Srimad RaamAnujArya pratithamatasunirdhAriNE sArvabhouma:

 

sOayam hEyEvEtiRaamAnujapadha-

yugalee dhAsavaryA: tamEnam

 

sarvE bhaktyAbhishinjan svayamapi

sukhadhai sUridhAsyAdhi krutyai:

 

sUrErjanmOtsavAntAvabhruta

krutimishAt TaarkshryanadhYO-dhatheerthE

 

(Meaning): Swamy Desikan is an illustrious AchArya Saarvabouman in reinforcing SrI Bhagavad RaamAnuja darsanam

(Srimadh RAmAnujArya prathita mata sunirdhAriNE SArvabhouma:)

and the many sishyAs of AchArya RaamAnuja wonder whether Swamy Desikan is an aparAvatAram( another incarnation) of their revered BhAshyakArar.These sishyAs out of their immense devotion for Swamy Desikan expressed their reverence for Him thru the vyAjam (excuse) of avabruta snAnam with Garuda river waters ( SarvE bhaktya

abhyashinjan sUrEr-janma utsava- anta avabruta krutimishAt Taarkshya nadhyOga theerthE).

 

SlOkam 30: PurattAsi SravaNam night & aruliccheyal sARRumuRai

 

theerthAdhutteerya satyam sadanamupagatO DeSikO-alankrutAnga:

 

dEvESAsvAdha-siddhAmrutarasa-

bharitam bhakshya-bhOjyAdhi-jAtam

 

AasvAdhya SrI SaThAri pramukha munigirAmutsavEvyApitAnAm

 

samyak SrAvyAvasAnE BudhagaNa

kathitai:saisha tOtushyatE sma

 

(Meaning): TheerthavAri was over. The archakAs and the ghOshti came out of the waters of the river.Thereafter , Swamy Desikan returned to His asthAnam with special decorations ( theerthAt uttheerya satyam sadanam upAgatO DeSikO-alankruta-anga:)

There He partook nectarine bhakshya-bhOjanams offered earlier to Lord DevanAthan ( dEvESAsvAdha-siddhAmrutarasa bharitam bhakshya-bhOjyAdhijAtam). After that , Swamy Desikan listened to the AzhwAr Sri sooktis from the devotees (AasvAdhya SrI SaThAri pramukha muni girAm) , who took part in the janmOtsavam ( utsavE vyApitAnAm) .The scholars of AzhwAr SrI sooktis took over now and Swamy enjoyed the discussion

on the intricate VaakyArthams of dhivya prabhandhams by the many Jn~Anis of Thiruvaheendhrapuram

(samyak SrAvyaavasAnE Bhudha gaNa kathitai: saisha tOtushyatE sma).

 

SlOkam 31:The Happiness of the Dhivya Dampatis over the JanmOtsavam for Their son

 

hE SrImann DevanAtha! Sruti-sikhara gurUttamsa janmOtsavAnAm

 

vrudhyai kluptam na vAhOtsavamimanubhUyaisha santOshamApa

 

dEveechApatya trushDyA pramudhita hrudhayA bhUshitAnga: bhavantam

 

dhrushDvA pushpEshukODi pratitamakhiladhruk pAtabheetyA-

vruNOt kim?

 

(Meaning): Srimann DevanAtha! You enjoyed with delight the nine day long JanmOtsavam for VedAnta Desikan intended for the growth of His future JanmOtsavams at Your dhivya dEsam. Your dear consort was equally delighted and with eyes filled with joy looked at You decorated with all kinds of AabharaNams and flower garlands (DEveechApatya trushDyA pramudhita hrudhayA bhushitAnga: bhavantam) . Did She hasten to cover Your sacred face with crores of glances emanating from Her eyes as floral arrows to form a curtain to protect Your charming Thirumukha manDalam from the ills causable by any evil eyes (dhrushDvA pushpEshu kODi pratitam akhiladhruk paatha-bheetyA vruNoth Kim ? ) .Thus ThAyAr and PerumAL enjoyed Their son's JanmOtsavam on that

vikhAri year.

 

SlOkam 32: BhAgyam of the citizens of Thiruvaheendhrapuram

 

ahO bhAgyam ahO bhAgyam

AheendhrapuravAsina:

 

DampatyO: DesikAkhyam yadhapatyam bhAti nissamam

 

(Meaning):The residents of Thiruvayindhai are truly fortunate ones . Here they have the sevai of Swamy Desikan , who is the son of the dhivya dampathis . The divine couple are "permanent residents ( sthira vaasis) " of this dhivya dEsam , while Swamy Desikan joined them for a specific period at Their dhivya dEsam . They honored him as Their own child ( like the Srirangam dampathis handled infant ParAsara Bhattar ) and blessed Him with many special anugrahams and made Him shine with great lustre as the great VedAntAchAryan ( DampatyO: DeSikAkhyam yadapatyam bhAti nissamam).

 

SlOkam 33: Hamsa dhvaja avarOhaNam on the night of SaaRRumuRai

 

DampatyOrbhAgyabhuta: Sruti-Sikharaguru:sveeyajanmOtsavAntE

 

veethim sarvAm pareetya svanilaya-vilasat Hamsachihna-dhvajAgrAt

 

dhAsairvAsOavarOpya pramudhita hrudhai: vEdapArAyaNOktai:

 

bhEjE smrAnanABjO hrudhi nihita

surESAngripadham svasadhma

 

(Meaning): Swamy Desikan is One, who was the object of the special grace of the Dampathis of

Thiruvaheendhrapuram

( DampatyO: bhAgya bhUta:). Swamy Desikan ( Sruti sikhara Guru:) of such distinction travelled on all the rAja veethis of Thiruvayindhai ( veetheem sarvAm pareetya) on the last day of His JanmOtsavam(sveeya JanmOtsava-antE) and brought down the Hamsa mudhrai bearing dhvajam ( flag) from the flag post through His dhAsa vargams. He was joyous over the avarOhaNam of the flag signalling the Joyous conclusion of the celebrations.He travelled to His home (sva-nilayam) on the river road accompanied by Veda PaarAyaNa GhOshti and with a pleasant smile on His face(smErAnanam) , while engaged in dhyAnam of the lotus feet of Lord DevanAthan ( hrudhi nihita SurESAngri padhamam) .

 

slOkam 34 : Boat festival in Garuda Nadhi on the 11th day

 

SwAmin kim TaarkshanadhyAm plavamahasamayE sarpamEkam gruheetvA

 

nyasAngrim tatphaNAgrE karadhrutabhujaga: KrishNavarshmA vibhAsi

 

KaaliBdhdhyAm kAliyAkhyE PhaNini-krutapadham KrishNamastOshamAdhyam

tadhroopaprAptirEshA na tu Garudanadhi sarpa ityEsha vakti

 

(Meaning): Swamin ! During the boat( theppam) festival on Garuda nadhi on the eleventh day of Your utsavam , You bless us with the sevai of yours as KaaLinga- nardhana KrishNan holding the tail of that snake and placing Your feet on its head( sarpamEkam gruheetvA nyasyAngrim tatphaNAgrE karadhruta bhujaka: KrishNavarshmA vibhAsi).This serpent is not an ordinary snake found in Garuda nadhi but the famous snake , KaaLiyan on whose head You danced as KrishNa roopi

in the pond formed by YamunA river.

 

SlOkams 35 to 38 describe the blissful dOlOtsavam anubhavams of Srimad PiLLaipAkkam Azhagiyasingar for Lord DEvanAthan , SrI Raghuveeran ,

SrI HemAbhjavalli and Swamy Desikan on the VidAyERRi day following our AchAryan's JanmOtsavam at Thiruvayindhai .

 

(To Be continued )

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan