Yadavabhyidhaya - Krishna of Desika

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About Vedanta Desika

 

Venkatanatha, also known as Vedanta Desika, a great follower of

Ramanuja was born in Thoopul, near Kanchipuram,700 years ago. He was

the greatest exponent of the philosophy of Ramanuja and also a great

devotee of Lord Narayana synonymous with Brahman, the Absolute

Reality according to the philosophy of visishtadvaita, as the

philosophy of Ramanuja is called now.

 

Besides his works on philosophy Desika has also composed

several hymns on the different forms of Narayana such as Ranganatha

in Srirangam ,Venkatesvara in Tirupathi and so on.

 

Among his major works Yadavaabhyudhaya and Paduka sahasra are

well known. Paduka sahasra was composed in a single night as

challenged by another poet who failed in the attempt. It is also

cherished as a great religious work by the devotees, believed to have

the power of granting the wishes of one who recites it like Ramayana.

 

As the greatest exponent of the philosophy of visishtaadvaitha

he won many a battle of wits and came to be called Kavithaarkika

kesari, the lion among poets and logicians.

 

 

Yadhavaabhyadhaya is the story of Krishnaavathaara retold by

VedantaDesika with a beautiful poetic flavour steeped in bhakthi.

Desika has written devotional hymns on all the archaavathaaras the

deities of all the vaishnavite shrines but none of the forms of Lord

Narayana seems to be so dear to him as His incarnation as Krishna.

Gopalavimsati, twenty verses in praise of Krishna is the most

exquisite work exuding charm and beauty. Yadhavaabhyudhaya is an

epic which seems to be an elongated version of Gopalavimsati as it

elaborates on the subtle references to the exploits of Krishna

therein but it is rich in poetic skill and intellectual excellence.

The most significant fact which points out to the link between the

two works is that the opening verse of both the works is the same.

The greatness of Yadhavaabhyudhaya can be understood by the fact

that the commentator of the work is none other than Appayya

Dikshitha, the well known exponent of Advaita Vedanta. Here an

endeavour is made to present this great work in such a way that

all can enjoy its richness and beauty, which has been made known only

to Sanskrit scholars so far.