Experiencing Swami Desika - 56

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SrI:

Shrimate Shri Lakshmi Nrusimha Parabrahmane Namaha:

Shrimate Shri Seetha Ramachandra Parabrahmane Namaha:

Shrimate Shri Ramanujaya Namaha:

Shrimate Nigamantha Maha Desikaya Namaha:

Shrimate Shrivan Satagopa Shri Narayana Yateendra Mahadesikaya Namaha:

 

" SrimAn VenaktanAthArya: kavithArkika kEsarI!

VedAnthAchArya varyO mE sannidhatthAM sadhA hrudhi " !!

 

'madura' is the next quality in the series of

kalyAna gunas as described by Shri Alavandar.

 

'madura' can be understood as being beautiful,

nectarine, sweet etc. Experiencing our Swami is

certainly sweeter than the sweetest experience.

 

Swami's mAduryam was evident in his talks, works

and even in his Physical appearance. Swami was sweet

to everybody and spent his life happily. Because of

his sweet (madura) words he lived as madurakavi!!

 

In terms of physical height Swami was slightly short.

An opponent commented on Swami's height as

'AkArO krashva:'. swami instantly replied as

'AkArO dIrggayEva' - meaning the alphabet 'A' of 'AkArO'

is long (dIrgam) unlike 'a' which is short !!!

This explains swami's sense of humour, his knowledge

and nectarine talks.

 

Every aksharam in every work of Swami is maduram.

If we have to explain the sweetness of swami's works,

it is humanly impossible.

 

Let us have a glimpse of one of the nectarine

Slokas of Swami:

 

" Bhaktahpriya twayi tatha parivarthamane

Muktha Vidhana vidhatistava poorvamaaseeth!

Haaravali: paramatho rashana kalapaha

Dhara kanasthathanu moukthika noopora sri:!! "

 

Swami Desika speaks of the Trivikrama avatAra

of our lord.

 

Swami narrates that our Lord has now started growing,

he is growing in such a fast pace. The speed in which

our lord is growing is unimaginable. Swami Desika

proves his poetic genius in this Sloka too!

 

To enjoy Swami Desika's experience of enjoying

this avatAram, lets now fix our focus on the

stars in the sky.

 

The stars were close nit and looked like pearls spread

above our Lords head. This was like a pearl crown to

our Lord (muttu kreedam). The next moment, our lord

grew further, now the string of pearls were around

Lords neck resembling a chain (haaram), even before

we can grasp this sight fully, these pearls appeared

to be a pearl waist band (odiyAnam). In a flash When

our lord grew more, these pearls became an anklet to

our lord's lovely feet.

 

Oh!! What an experience !!!

 

 

Swami's face was full of Brahma tEjas. He had a

glittering golden body and posed the vyakyAna mudra which

exposes the inner meanings of the Upanishads. Swami had

authoritative books in his hand. Swami was extremely

beautiful with all this in his jIva dasa.

 

Shri Kumara varadarya says that the same beauty which was

seen in the jIva dasa of Swami is seen in the archa

avatAra also. Shri Kumara varadarya's heart was moved at the

beauty of Swami Desika, which made him do mangalAsasanA to

Swami thus:

 

" sempon mEni mArAda toopulmAlE " and

 

" nintU muruvalkOnda mugam vAzhi

vAzhviyAkyA muddiraikai

vAzhi nin vadivE "

 

Shri Kumara varadarya could not resist seeing the beauty

of our Swami and so did mangalAsAsanam to his own father.

Such is the Sweetness of Swami's physical beauty.

 

Swami's mAduryam can hence be viewed in various

perspectives.

 

 

" Kavi Taarkika Simhaaya Kalyaana guna SaalinE!

SrimatE VenkateshAya VedAnta Gurave nama !! "

 

....To be continued!

 

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

 

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi

31st Jul 1999