Raaghavasingamo - Kavitaarkika Singamo

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Swamy Deshikan Thiruvadigale Sharanam !!!

 

Swamy Deshika in his masterpiece Raghuveeragadyam (a.k.a

Mahaveeravaibhavam), uses the word " Raaghavasimha " when addressing Sri Rama.

This popular sobriquet suits the crown prince quite well. This Lord was

perhaps the only Singam that Threthayugam saw. But when it comes to

Kaliyugam, the thunderous roar of another Lion often reverberates under the

skies of Vedantha. This Lion is none other than our very own

Kavitaarkikasingam (Swamy Deshika) which has the capacity to outbeat

anything and everything under the sky. After the advent of this Lion, the

sobriquet " Raaghavasimha " is perhaps a fading shade of yester epochs.

 

Now comes the question. How could a monacrch like Sri Rama, with such vivid

and vibrant looks be compared to a preceptor of the monastic order like

Swamy Deshika? Our Achaarya Swamy Deshika is no way less comparable to Sri

Rama. He may in fact be compared with every embellishment befitting Sri

Rama.

 

Sri Rama is Chakravarththi Thirumagan, the crown prince of the Kingdom of

Ayodhya. He is the royal heir to the throne. He dwells in the luxurious

palace of the kingdom of Ayodhya that is comparable to Sri Vaikuntam.

 

Our Swamy Deshika, is the jnaana putra of Sri Ramanuja who is the King of

ascetics. He seats himself on the throne of moksha samrajyam in the kingdom

of Ramanuja Siddhantham. He dwells in many of the palaces built on holy

lands sung by the mystics or Azhwars (divya-deshams). To be heir to the

throne is indeed a reserved right for one who is in the familial lineage. To

have inherited one throne is in itself a big wonder. But, Deshika, with no

effort on his part was chosen as the simhasanadhipati of not one but two

thrones (Ubhaya Simhasanadhipati).

 

When we speak about Sri Rama, the sovereign, one gets a mental picture of

Him decked with the choicest of jewels, adorning velvet attire with a crown

and armour.

 

Our Swamy Deshika is also a sovereign. He is the sovereign amongst acharyas.

He is decked with the jewels of jnaanam and vairaagyam. Detachment and

austerity are his strengths while purity of mind and deed are his robes.

Humility is his armour, his disciple-fold remain at his feet like his

sandals. The knowledge of the supreme are his senses and constant meditation

on Paraman his fervent thought.

 

Speaking of Sri Rama, one would also get the picture of Srirama holding a

bow with a quiver full of arrows strung to his back and striding on a golden

chariot.

 

Our Acharya holds weapons but those are nothing but the tatvams that he

would impart to his disciples. His bow is nothing but his scholarship and on

this, he sets the works of Ramanuja and other poorvacharyas as arrows. He

strides along the path leading to beatitude with the poorvacharyas as his

horses, Ramanuja as his charioteer and with the Vedas and Prabandhams as the

wheels of this chariot. Deshika's charioteer who was Ramanuja, not only

drove his ratham but also his manoratham. The benevolence of Sri Ranganatha

Paduka is nothing but the roof of this chariot with sanctity and

spirituality wavering on top of this as his victory flag. His ultimate

proclamation is Prapatti, which is the ultimate means to attain deliverance.

 

Lord Sri Rama had the most handsome stature or thirumeni azhagu.

 

Deshika too, was one of the most charming in looks. Swamy

Nayanaracharya says in his Deshika vigraha dhyanam - " His colour is like the

shining Sun, His feet are like freshly bloomed Lotus, His strong ankles,

knees, thighs, white cloth around the waits, the navel, strong broad chest,

neck, the two long hands, beautiful soft cheeks, nose, the beautiful lotus

bead garland and thuLasi garland around the neck- Oh mind! Think of AchArya

saarvabhouman always in this charming form. (This slokam describes the

beauty from the lotus feet to Head) "

 

Lord Sri Rama was apunyajana baadhaka. Though He was the noblest

among men during his avataaram, yet, he inflicted pain on others who were

unjust and wicked (Vaali, Raavana et al).

Our Swamy even out of his own accord cannot inflict pain on others.

 

Lord Sri Rama has in his servitude bhagavathas like Lakshmana.

 

The greatness of Sri Rama increased manifold due to the greatness of

Lakshmana. Sri Rama had Lakshmana as his shesha (servient) while our Deshika

had Lakshmana as his sheshi (master). Ramanuja who is none other than the

incarnate of Lakshmana was the sarva-sheshi of Swamy Deshika.

 

Lord Sri Rama is 'nirupAdhika swAmy' to one and all. He the Supreme Master

with no limiting adjuncts or binding reasons.

 

Deshika is indeed the 'nirupAdhika AchArya' with no binding reasons or

limiting adjuncts. He is the Supreme Universal Preceptor to one and all as

he showed to the world, with his profound knowledge, the Lord Himself, who

lay embedded in the terse passages of the shruti. Deshika is indeed the

light with which one can really see the Supreme Lord.

 

Lord Sri Rama is 'prapanna jana samrakshaka'. He uplifted and protected

those who surrendeed at his feet.

Deshika is also 'prapanna jana samrakshaka'. He performed 'AtmoddhAram' of

those who sought refuge at his Lotus feet and effected their spiritual

upliftment. He protected them from the vicious influences of internal

enemies (shAdguNyam), ajnaanam and viparIta jnAnam by imparting to them the

esoterical purports of Ramanuja siddhAntham.

 

One twang of the bow-string of Sri Rama would send waves of terror amongst

his enemies. Arrows set from the bow of Sri Rama were amogham. They knew not

to return.

 

One 'hUmkAraM' of our Acharya Swamy Deshika that is in the form of Ghanta

ghosham is sufficient to drive the para-mathavAdins to the end of their

wits. His words that were like arrows, struck terror in the hearts of

para-matha-vAdins and slayed the ajnAnam in them making them adopt the path

of parama-vaidika-srI-sampradAyam. His garjanam would also drive away all

the internal enemies like kAma, krOdha, lObha, mOha, mada, mAtsarya

(shAdguNyams).

 

Lord Sri Rama had great disciples and brothers like Sri BharatAzhwan, who

considered the thiruvadi nilai or Padukais of Sri Rama as his greatest

asset. Lord Rama had in his servitude, noblest among bhagavathas like

Hanumar, Guhan, Vibhishanan, JAmbavan et al.

 

Our Deshika sung a thousand verses on these Padukais of Sri Rama, by virtue

of which the greatness of Sri Rama and his Padukais increased several-fold.

Deshika had disciples who considered the vicinity of his padukas to be many

more times superior to Paramapadam. Deshikan also had in his servitude the

noblest among bhagavathas which included ascetics and imperials.

 

When Sri RamappirAn was deeply immersed in sorrow, he sent a word to his

never to be separated divine consort, Sri Sita, a word of abhayam and

assurance through Deshika's work Hamsa-sandesham.

 

Lord Sri Rama protected the yajnas of Rishis by slaying demons like thATaki

and others. Lord Sri Rama conferred upon Vibheeshana, the wealth of his

fore-fathers which was the Sri Ranga VimAnam. This was consecrated at

Thiruvarangam.

 

Our Lord, Deshika protected this Lord Sri Ranganatha from the onslaughts of

Advaitins by means of his masterly works like ShatadUshaNi,

tattvamuktAkalApam and others. He, by means of his scholarly elucidations

defended the divya prabandham recitation at Thiruvarangam and arranged for

the nityaradhanam of Sri Ranganatha to be conducted free of impediments.

 

Swamy Deshikan in his Paduka Sahasram - Shesha paddhati says -

" dasharathatanayassan ranganAthastvamEva " - intending to say that the son of

Dasharatha is none other than Sri Ranganatha. By having arranged for the

regular performance of ThiruvArAdhanam to Thiruvaranga, Deshika has infact

made sure that the daily thiruvArAdhanams to Lord Sri Rama are conducted as

per the shastras and AgamAs.

 

With all these qualities befitting a monarch, is our Achaarya Sri Swamy

Deshika KavitArkika Singam any less than a sovereign chakravarti like Sri

Rama? We in fact see him one pedastal above Lord Sri Rama Himself.

 

vAzhi vyAkhyAmuddirak kai !!!

vedAnthasUri charaNau sharaNam prapadye !!!