Experiencing Swami Desika - 91

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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 " !!

 

 

In yesterday's posting we had a glimpse of Swami Desika's

KrishnAnubavam. Swami enjoys our Lord's bAla leela's and

at the same time speaks of the greatness of our Lord in

the following Sloka.

 

" nikatEshu nishAmayAmi nityam nighamAntairaradhunApi mrugyamANam !

yamalArjunadrushtabAlakElim yamunAsAshikayauvanam yuvAnam !! "

 

-- Gopala Vimshati (8)

 

Swami Desika describes Lord Krishna as 'nighamAntairaradhunApi

mrugyamANam' (i.e.) 'being searched for even now by the Vedas'

or 'beyond the comprehension of the Vedas'. Upanishads are not

able to explain even one KalyAna guna of the Lord completely

and are stuck at the very beginning!

 

With all the above mentioned greatness our kutty kannan

revealed His sowlabyam by pulling himself around with the

mortar as a respect to his mothers words. Our Lord also

exhibited his paratvam by granting sApa vimochanam to two

yakshas. These Yakshas had enjoyed the bAla leelas of our

Lord when they were trees. Not being contented with that

they stayed there for some more time even after they got

back their original forms and were immersed in the leelas.

The river yamuna also had the bAgyam to see all the leelas

of Kannan.

 

Swami states this Greatest Lord is seen by his side

all the time => niketesu nisamayami nithyam!

 

There are several works of Swami Desika which expatiate on

the Lord being out of reach of even the Vedas.

 

In the very first Sloka of KaamaasikAstakam, Swami says that

supreme Lord who is unreachable and incomprehensible is found

to reside to the south of Vegavati river (vegavatyAsca

dakshinam). Upanishads reveal Him as the supreme deity having

the sun, the moon and fire as his three eyes and having the

body of a man and the head of a Lion with over hanging manes

=> Nara simha - (Man lion).

 

Kaamasikaa is the translation in Sanskrit by Swami Desika of

the tamil word Velukkai ( Vel - irukkai). Two meanings are

given for this word - Vel = kama, irukkai = Sitting posture;

and vel = as he likes, irukkai = being seated.

 

In KaamaasikAstakam Swami has given an extremely moving and

profound declaration of the Lord's dedication to protection

of those who have taken refuge.

 

" tvayi rakshati rakshakaihi kimanyai:

tvayi cA rakshakai: kimanyai: !

ithi nishcita dhi: srayAmi nityam

nrhare vegavatI tatAsrayam tvAm !! "

 

Swami Desika has described his total dependence on Lord for his

safety.

 

Swami resolves to serve Lord Narasimha who resides on the banks

of river Vegavati.

 

Swami makes an emphatic declaration - " when you are there to

save me why indeed should I seek other gods? And should you

decide not to save me, who else will dare intercede? "

 

These four lines briefs us the concept of saranagathy. Swami

makes a resolution with determined mind. Immense faith or

mahAvisvAsam is of highest importance for the performance of

Prapatti and this has been emphasised here.

 

Swami with utmost faith and confidence declares that if our

Lord decides to protect us nobody can stop it and if the Lord

Himself decides not to protect us then there is nobody to

protect us. When we know this truth we have no option but to

wholeheartedly seek refuge in our Lord and become a recipient

of Lords dayA!!!

 

 

This compilation is based on the inputs from " SrI KaamaasikAstakam "

by sEva Swami, published by Sri Vedanta Desika Research centre and

from Shri A. Srinivasaraghavan's " The Life and Works of

Sri Nigamanta Maha Desikan " .

 

 

" Kavi Taarkika Simhaaya Kalyaana guna SaalinE!

SrimatE VenkateshAya VedAnta Gurave nama !! "

 

....To be continued!

 

 

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

 

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi

4th Sep 1999