Experiencing Swami Desika - 90

[Guest guest]

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 " !!

 

We are celebrating SrI Krishna Jayanthi. On this auspicious

day, we shall enjoy our Swami's works on Lord Krishna!

 

Swami has given 21 Slokas on Lord Krishna and named them

Gopala Vimshati. In Gopala Vimshati Swami has picturised

And enjoyed Lord's childhood and Lord's leelas.

 

" animEshanishEvaNIyamakshNO: ajahadyauvanamAvirastu chittE !

kalahAyita kuntalalam kalApai: karaNOnmAdakavibramam mahO mE !! "

 

-- Gopala Vimshati (10)

 

Swami's anubhavam of Lord Krishna is amazing. Swami says that

our Lord is ever youthful and his beauty mesmerizes everyone and

also goes on to state that Lord's beauty should be enjoyed without

batting an eyelid. True, the split second time we wink our eyelids, we

miss to enjoy the beauty of our Lord and Swami emphasises this fact.

Just the small peacock feather on top of our Lord's hair is enough to

behold our attention.

 

The Divya leela's of our Lord captivates the mind and other indriyas

of the people. Swami Prays to the Lord that this beautiful flood of

Lord Krishna's Jyothi form should always be in his heart.

 

Swami Desika is so charmed by the beauty of the Lord that he

prays to the Lord to bless him with the same vision during his

final phase.

 

" adarAhitachAruvamshanAlA: makutAlambimayoorapinchamAlA !

harinIlashilAvibhanganIlA: pratibhA: santu mamAntimaprayANE !! "

 

-- Gopala Vimshati (12)

 

Swami prays to our Lord that at the time of his avataara poorthi,

he should see only Lord Kannan's thirumeni in his heart and should

not get reminded of any other thing. Swami describes that our Lord

should hold his beautiful flute and appear as Venugopalan.

Swami's anubhavam and even wishes were beautiful. Not only did

our Swami wish that Lord appears as Venugopalan, but also, wishes

to see the Lord sport the peacock feathers slantingly on head. Swami

also states that Lord's ThirumEni should be blue in color, similar to

the blue bead of Indiran.

 

Swami Desika adds that by reading this stotra one will be blessed with

a direct vision of the Lord Krishna!!!

 

Further, Swami has given another work on Lord Krishna - YadhavAbhyudayam.

In this work, Swami enjoys Kutti Kannan's leelas in great detail. In the

fourth canto

[29th Sloka], Swami says:

 

It is amazing to note our Lord's Soulabyam and his desire to be

present amongst us - the Jivas. Our Lord - sarvEshvaran - who has

everything and who grants everything - including Moksha - is seen

here as stealing butter from maids. While stealing the butter, our

Lord was 'afraid' that they would find him and 'punish' him. Seeing

the maids come, our Lord lays down motionless and with 'folded

hands'. Our Lord requests the chalangai, with a 'shivering fear',

not to raise jingles as it would show him to the maids.

 

Our Lord's Soulabyam is so evident in his Krishna avatAram. Our

Lord exhibited his greatness and easy accessibility at the same

time.

 

The most gifted mother of all - Mother Yashoda - was finding the

'pranks' of our Lord a bit too much. So, she 'punishes' our Lord Krishna

by tying the Lord to a mortar with a thick rope. Our Lord - what a Leela -

'accepts' the 'punishment' like an ordinary Jiva. However, he pulls around

with the mortar and exhibits his paratvam by granting sApa vimochanam

to two yakshas.

 

Swami has described the above episode in both Gopala Vimshati and

YadhavAbhyudayam.

 

How to define our Lord's quality who at one step performs " sAAradyam "

to Parthan and at the same time gives the world through Parthan the

Bhagavad Geetha! Our Sriya:Pathi's Kalyana Gunas captivate one and

all. But it immerses the Jivas when the Kalyana Gunas are enjoyed and

expressed by Swami Desikan. Swami's KrishnAnubavam is vast.

 

And How to define our Swami's vast knowledge and anubhavam. On one

end, Swami enjoys Baala Krishnan's leelas while on the other he shares

the greatness of Bhaghavan's Geeth-o-upadesam. Swami has written

commentaries on Shri Yamunaacharya's Gitarthasamgraha in the same

way as Swami enjoyed Kutti Krishnan's leelas.

 

Sarvam SrI KrishNArpaNamasthu.

 

" Kavi Taarkika Simhaaya Kalyaana guna SaalinE!

SrimatE VenkateshAya VedAnta Gurave nama !! "

 

....To be continued!

 

 

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

 

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi

3rd Sep 1999