Experiencing Swami Desika - 62

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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 " !!

 

This is an extension of yesterday's posting where we

saw Swami's poetic and Summarising skills. We can see

the same skills being exhibited in the tenth Sloka of

Bhagavat-DhyAna-sOpAnam, also.

 

In the dasAvatAra Sloka that we saw yesterday, there

was an adjective used for each of the avatars indicating

the characteristics of the respective avatAra. Here,

the several angas of our Lord are enjoyed in individual

Slokas and are finally summarised with a verb each.

Swami uses such verb in connection with each anga

to draw our attention to the corresponding enjoyment.

" pAdAmbhOjam sprushati bhajatE ranganAthasya janghAm

voorudwandvE vilagati shanairurdvamabhyEti nAbhim !

vakshasyAstE valati bhujayOrmAmikEyam manIshA

vaktrAbhikhyAm pibati vahatE vAsanAm maulibandE !! "

-- Bhagavat-DhyAna-sOpAnam

Swami Desika completely enjoyed Lord RanganAtha and

reached the peak of his anubavam. Swami has shared

this great experience with us so that by learning

from his anubavam we will experience atleast a

small percentage of it.

This stage in Bhagavat-Dhayana-Sopanam can be

equated to tirupAnALvar's AmalanAdibirAn:

'neelamEni AiyyO! niraikoNdadu yen nenjinaiyE'.

Swami Desika takes the role of a 'nAyaki' here.

It is absorbing to see the nAyakI's reaction

to each of the angas which is described using just

one appropriate word.

Here, the nAyaki (Swami Desika) enjoys the Lord

from the Thiruvadi to the Thirumudi - pAdAdi KEsam!

Initially our Lord's Thiruvadi attracts her. So, she

touches it. Swami has used the word 'sprushati'

suggesting love and reverence. Now, our 'nAyaki'

also caress and fondles the feet of our Lord, like

SrI devi and Bhoo devi.

The nAyaki's mind then remembers the greatness of the

shanks viz. liberation from births and rebirths and

so, gratefully worships the Shanks. Swami has used the

word 'bhajatE', which can mean both attain and worship.

Now our 'nAyaki's focus comes to the thighs. Her eyes

get rooted to it. The thighs of our Lord bear the marks

of the sambhogam of SrI devi, Bhoo devi and Neela Devi.

Our nAyaki is not able to move her mind from it.

The mind of our nAyaki was now like that of a drunken

bee. It could not move its attention from the Lords thighs,

but somehow freed itself and slowly moved upwards. Here,

in the midst of our divine anubavam, our Swami's poetic

genius also needs a mention. Swami uses words like

'shanairurdvamapyEti'. The mind of the nAyaki moved

Slowly and almost reluctantly upwards and reached

the navel!

Now, it is the turn of the navel to give a treat to the

mind. After this, the nAyaki reaches the chest next and

takes a firm seat there - 'AstE'!

In the chest of the Lord, our nAyaki sees another lady

being seated - alar mEl mangai who welcomes this new

nAyaki with both hands as if she were part of her-self.

Our nAyaki enjoys the warmth of Lakshmi's grace. She

forgets herself for a long time being immersed in the

peace, comfort and beauty of that region.

Accidentally she happens to have a glance on the arms.

She was so excited by this that she actively went round

the arms. From shoulder to elbow, and then elbow to wrist

and thence to the soft palms, and again upwards, and

again from one arm to another her mind roamed as in a

merry-go-round.

Face was her next attraction. Like a bee attracted by a

blossoming lotus, the mind (manIsha) feels drawn to the

vadanAravindam and sucks the honey available there in

plenty. It drinks the 'mukakANti'.

Finally, the nAyaki's mind looses itself completely in the

fragrance of the krEdam (crown). Our Lord is 'nAtratuyAi

mudi nArAyaNAN'. Having got so intimate with the Lord, the

nAyaki herself acquires this fragrance and enjoys it.

We saw this in our posting on NammALvar - Alvar

contemplates on Perumal and gets intimate with the Lord.

So, the fragrance of Alvars Bakula flowers spread to the

Lord, and our Alvar smells of Lords Thiru Thulai fragrance!

Now, Swami Desika's mind as a nAyaki bears the vAsanai

of His krEdam.

Adiyal read and enjoyed these anubhavams of our Swami

in the book written by Shri D Ramaswamy Ayyangar.

" Kavi Taarkika Simhaaya Kalyaana guna SaalinE!

SrimatE VenkateshAya VedAnta Gurave nama !! "

....To be continued!

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi

6th Aug 1999