Thuppul PiLLai- 32- Dasa avathAra sthOthram- learn to recite this!

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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]

 

Dasavatara-Stotram

 

This is a Stotra in thirteen slokas which describes the ten incarnations of

Bhagavan. Sri Desika has composed it as though it is a drama in ten scenes

enacted in a stage (Ranga namely Sriranga by Bhagavan as the Chief Actor and

Lakshmi, His consort as the Actress in appropriate forms. Lord Ranganatha is

the Master of the stage and the hall is packed to the full by saintly souls

who evince great interest in the play and immense devotion to the actors.

Though there are more than thirty Chief Incarnations of the Lord, only ten

of them are chosen here which are very popular. In them too, the emphasis is

on the protection of the World and practice of Dharma by Bhagavan.

Destruction of the Asuras is almost absent.

 

The episodes of the Dasa-avataras are described in an interesting and novel

manner with poetic beauty. The glances of the Matsya-avatara searching for

the Vedas serve as full-blown lotuses under waters of the ocean. The pillar

in the palace of the great Asura became unexpectedly a grandmother by giving

birth to Narasimha, who in His turn became the father of hosts of Brahmas;

the leg of Trivikrama lifted high to measure the worlds above was really a

flag-post with the River Mandakini as the waving banner to proclaim the

charitable quality of an Asura. Sri Rama broadcast this vow that He will

save all if they fall at His feet seeking refuge even once. The pranks of

the cow-herd boy playing in the Yamuna and dancing on the head of the

serpent Kaliya where really sweetened by the feats of the palm-bannered boy,

Balarama, like adding sugar to milk.

 

The penultimate sloka (12th) enumerates all the ten Avataras with an

appropriate epithet to every one of them which reveals their distinguishing

nature. The names of the Avataras with their epithets are-self willed

Fish(Matsya), Sportive Tortoise (Koorma), gigantic Boar (Varaha),

Unthoght-of Lion (Narasimha), Saving Vamana, wrathful Rama(with the axe,

parasu), Compassion-incarnate scion of the Kakutsa Clan(Sita Rama), playful

Plough-weilder(Balarama), Prankful cowherd boy(Krishna), and the White-horse

riding Kalki. It is also stated that those persons who mutter daily these

names sanctify the entire Universe. They are really streets with warehouses

where saleable bales of the merits (Punya) are stocked.

 

The last sloka states that the Stotra itself is Jagan-mangala

(world-beneficiary) which was born of Sri Venkatesa, the poet. If a person

just entertains a desire to read it, there will be the power speech

(Sarasvati) in his mouth, devotion in his heart, purity in his body and

reputation for him.

 

The poet’s love for this Stotra can be seen from the fact that all the

slokas excepting the last find a place in Act VII of his drama,

Sankalpa-suryodaya, which is a picture gallery where all the ten Avataras

and their exploits have been painted.

 

In conclusion, it is the advice of Sri Vedanta Desika to young boys that

they should take to the study of the Stotra even when they are young;

because as they advance in age, there will be an advancement of their

knowledge of the sciences, great devotion to god, innate purity of body and

immense reputation. [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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