Thuppul PiLLai- 41- Kaamaashtakam

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SrI:

SrImathE Nigamantha Mahadesikaya namah:

SrImAn venkatanAthAryaH kavitArkika kesarI |

vedAntAcArya-varyo me sannidhattAm sadA hRdi ||

 

May the glorious Venkatanatha, the greatest of teachers of Vedanta, and the

lion among poets and debaters, reside forever in my heart.

 

Dearest Srivaishnavas,

Let us begin to enjoy the sthOthra granthas of Swamy Desikan [in

alphabetical order]

Kaamaasikaashtaka

 

Kaamaasikaashtaka is a Stotra on Sri Narasimha Bhagavan in eight

verses with the ninth as a colophon.. He is described as being in a sitting

posture at His will gaily on the sands in southern part of Vegavati River

near Kaanchi even setting aside his usual place of honour and preference to

Sri Vaikuntha. The Upanishad (the later part of the Veda) reveals 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 the lion with overhanging manes-

(Nara-simha = Man-lion). The unique feature of the face of Narasimha is that

at the same time it manifests two mutually opposite sentiments-to

Hiranya-kasipu. Narasimha appears with frightening blazing eyes and terrific

peals of laughter; to his son Prahlada with cool and affectionate eyes and a

captivating lovely smile. Sri Desika declares that so long as Sri Narasimha

is for us on the sands of Vegavati, we will not think of any other Deity as

our saviour. He concludes with a prayer that Sri Narasimha (the man-lion)

should fulfil all our righteous desires.

 

Kaamaasikaa is the translation in Sanskrit by Sri Vedanta 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. The Alwars refer to this Shrine by this name.

 

Swamy mentions wonderfully:

 

bhagavAn is the only one who can protect us. If He does not protect us

no one else can protect us, and if He decides to protect us, we don't need

anyone else's protection. This concept is conveyed in Slokam 8 - tvayi

rakshati rakshakaih kim ananyaih, tvayi ca arakshati rakshakaih kim

ananyaih. The same idea was conveyed in SrI ashTabhujAshTakam Sloka-s 5 and

6: bhayam kutah syAt tvayi sAnukampe, rakshA kutah syAt tvayi jAtaroshe

(Slokam 5), and tvayi pravrtte mama kim prayAsaih, tvayyapravr tte mama kim

prayAsaih (Slokam 6). This is the basis of goptrtva varaNam (the

deliberate choice of bhagavAn as the Sole Protector) which is one of the

a~nga-s of prapatti.

 

 

 

[From the Life and works of Sri Nigamantha Mahadesikan- by Prof Sri A

Srinivasaraghavan]

 

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo narayana

dAsan

kavi-tArkika-simhAya kalyANa-guNa-SAline |

Srimate venkateSAya vedAntagurave namaH ||

 

Salutations to Sri Venkatesa, in whom all perfections reside, who is the

teacher of Vedanta and the lion among poets and debaters

 

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