Darsanam

taic[mf

4/14/2009
Chithirai 2009
Srimad Vedanta Desikar Tiruvadigale Saranam

Srinivasan, Muscat – Eeravadai – Tirukkalyana mahotsavam – April 2009

Bhagavate Bhashyakaraya nama:

Sravana Samithi - Muscat
 Kalayana Utsavam in Muscat
Kalyana Utsavam is now
regarded a the annual
feature in the landscape of
Muscat , thanks to efforts
and enthusiasm of many
who had worked tirelessly
for weeks in preparing for
the occasion. Cutting
across ages, the
cooperation from different
religious groups was
commendable. Details of
Kalyana Utsavam 2009 - Muscat
the conduct of the utsavam
and the photos serials have
already been posted in the web which is there for us to enjoy whenever
we wish to. In a land where we are far removed from the celebrations that
is part of our culture, it is like taking one back to roots when we witness
the utsavams even if it were not to measure to the way it is conducted in
our home country or town. Utsvamas is not about the grandeur, but the
Bhakthi with which we celebrate and involvement as a group in doing
kainkaryam for the Lord. It is in this respect we should remember as to
how the service of squirrel was appreciated by lord Rama and accepted by
Him as kainkaryam. Any
service (kainkaryam)
done with Bhakthi
and as part of a
community effort is
better than one
doing alone as the
latter shows that we
have not shed our
ego. Being part of a
larger effort with
Oonjal Sevai –Kalyana utsavam 2009 - Muscat
others with the sole
aim of serving Him without any expectation is what the Lord looks for and
in this respect we as followers of Ramanuja Sampradayam have lived upto
the Acharyans expectations. It was truly a great event that witnessed

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 2

participation of all devotees including children that one rarely sees even in
India.
Why do I think this Kalyana utsavam is very important for Sri Vaishnavas?
From a pure loukeekam angle, it
is a great honor to celebrate the
marriage enactment of one‘s
own parents as we do in
Shashsti abdha poorthi and
sadbishekam. If we can repeat Neerattam
this for our ―ultimate‖ parents
the sense of fulfillment of many
fold. From a more Vaideekam
angle do we have to look farther
than what Swami Desikans had
said in that great passuram ―enn
uyir alithavarai sharanam pukku, … inn amutha thirumagaly munnittu….‖ .
Swami Desikan in all His divine passurams stresses the importance of
Thayaar in our saranagathi and this pasuram is one of the greatest (I see
His indulgence in having the impunity to rate His pasurams. He knows it is
my ignorance) It is clear that we cannot attain Him without the Kripa of
Thayaar and
what more joy
can there be
than
celebrating
the union of
the Thayaar
with Thiru
maal. It is
further
Portion of devotees during tirumanjanam

confirmed by
Bhagavad Ramanuja when the avataram of the gadyams was timed on the
pagunni uttaram day.

We are deeply indebted to all who made this collective effort a great
occasion. We are all proud to have been a part of it.

Vazga Pallandu Nam Amlan Aviyatha Shudar

Vazga Pallandu Thoopul Iyya, Vazga Pallandu Periya perumaal
Nangainallur Venkatesan

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 3

 Paduke Yethirajasya Gathayenthi Yethakkyaya |
Thasya Dasarathehe Pathow Sirasa Daryamyaham||

Swami Ramanuja made the most significant contribution to the

development and propagation of the Visishtadvaita Philosophy and
Srivaishnavism Religion. Swami Ramanuja systematized the system of
thought of Srivaishnavism religion and the Alwar's pasurams and to
propagate it among the masses, he had established the Seventy Four(74)
Simhasanadhipathis all over and Swami himself had toured extensively
throughout the country and had visited all the Srivaishnava Divya Desams
where the presiding deities are copiously
praised by the mystic saints, the Alwars.
The foremost among the Seventy Four
Simhasanadhipathis instituted by Swami
Ramanuja is the Vadhulakula Tilaka Sri
Mudaliandan Swami, the priya Bagineyar
(sister's son) of Swami Ramanuja. It is
learnt from our Thirumaligai
Thirumudivarga Vaibhava Prakasikai, that
Swami Mudaliandan is born to his
parents Sri Ananthanarayana Diskshithar
and Nachhiaramman as "Dasarathi" on
the Chaithra Punarvasu Nakshatra day as
the Amsa of Lord Sri Rama himself.
S rimad Bhashyakarar - Kanchi
Swami Ramanuja had a very intimate
attachment for Swami Mudaliandan
which was expressed by Swami Ramanuja himself many times and even at
the time when he embraced Sanyasasrama Swami Ramanuja renounced
everything except Swami Mudaliandan his priya Bagineyar. Swami
Mudaliandan is known to be the Thirdhandam and Paduka of Swami
Ramanuja. Sri Kurathalvan, known to be the Pavithram of Swami
Ramanuja, has also expressed the greatness of Swami Mudaliandan by
saying as,

"Padakku Atma Sambandham Irundhalum, Uzhakku Deha Sambandham

Illaye", meaning,
"Though I have the Atma Sambandham with Swami Ramanuja, I am not

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 4

bodily related to him as Swami Mudaliandan is related to Swami
Ramanuja". Such is the greatness of Sri Mudaliandan Swami Swami
Mudaliandan was born in 1027 A.D at Pachhai Vaarana Perumal Sannidhi
(referred to as ―NazarethPettai‖ today) in Thondai mandalam, to
Anandanarayana Dheekshidar and Nachiyaramman. Anandanarayana
Dheekshidar did not have any children for a long time. He undertook a
yatra to Thiruvengadam to worship Lord Thiruvengadamudayan and pray
for a child. On his way at Thiruninravor, where he stayed overnight at Yeri
Katha Ramar‘s sannadhi, Sriramar (Anandanarayana Dheekshidar‘s
thiruvaradana perumal) appeared in his
dream and instructed that
he need not undertake
yatra to
Thiruvengadam
for begetting a
son He will be
born to serve
Sri Ramanuja
in
Sriperumbudur.
When Sri
Ramanuja took
Mudali andan – Utsavar and Moolavar sanyasam,
Mudaliandan and
Koorathalwan paid respects at his feet and obtained pancha samskarams
from him. Sri Ramanujar taught Sribashyam and other rahasyartham to
Swami Mudaliandan while his father Anandanarayana Dheekshidar taught
him Divya prabandam.
Sri Ramanuja had a very intimate attachment towards Swami Mudaliandan
which was expressed by Sri Ramanuja himself many times. Even at the
time when he embraced Sanyasa, Sri Ramanuja renounced everything
except Swami Mudaliandan, his priya Bagineyar. While going to kaveri for
his daily bath, he used to lean on Dasarathi for support. One day, while on
his way to the river, he was asked why, when he donned the robes of a
Sannyaasin (a Pontiff) he did not give up Dasarathi, as that order
demanded that all kith and kin should be renounced. To this Sri Ramanuja
replied that Dasarathi was an exception as he was his triplestaff
(triTAndam) (the same reason he gave to Tirukkottiyur Nambi) and added
"Just as a Pontiff cannot do without his triplestaff, I cannot do without

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 5

Andaan‖. Thus Andaan is referred to as a Triplestaf(TriTAndam) which is
always found with a pontiff. Andaan had the privilege of having both
Bodily relationship (Thega sambandam) and Spiritual relationship (Atma
sambandam). Bodily relationship as Sri Ramanuja‘s Bagineyar and Spritual
relationship as a Servant of Sri Ramanuja.
Once, on Sri Ramanuja‘s instructions Andaan went to Periya
Nambi‘s daughter Athuzhai to her in-law‘s house as ―Attuzhai's stri dhana
vellatti‖ (Servants who are sent with bride to her In law‘s house during
olden times to work in groom‘s house). Just to comply with his Acharya‘s
words, Aandaan served Athuzhai‘s and her in laws for several months until
they realized who he was and regretted it all. This incident shows
Andaan‘s unparallel devotion to his Acharya, which is the essence of our
Sri Vasihanava sampradayam.
Udaiyavar is admired for his
administrative acumen, revered
for his philosophic integrity, and
adored for his surpassing
compassion; he was like the
clouds which bring their
consoling showers, ~~ "kArEi
karuNai-yirAmAnuSa" ~~
says AmutanAr. He
streamlined the entire
administration of properties
and revenues of the 'peria
kOil' (Great Temple) ~~
"tiruvarankan Selva-
muRRum tirutti-vaittAn". This was
possible principally because he had entrusted AandAn with the entirety of
temple administration, in the capacity of SrI-kArya-dhurandhara, or
ANDAn kuRaTTu-maNiam.It was Tirumangai-Mannan who had initially
organised the temple functionaries into five groups. By the time Udaiyavar
became responsible for the Periya kOyil, he amplified the functions and
organized the ten-fold temple 'parijanam' (functionaries).
They were:-

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 6

(1) tiruppatiyAr, (2) tiruppaNi-seyivAr, (3) bhAgavatanambi-s, (4) uLLUrAr
and todavattimAr, (5) viNNappamseyivAr, (6) tiruk-karakak-kAiyAr, (7)
sthAnattAr,(8) pattuk-kottu, (9) Arya-bhaTAL, and (10) dAsa-nambi-s.
This reorganisation was known as 'uDaiyavar tiTTam'. Since ANDAn was
made the chief of the entirety of mudalikaL (temple functionaries), ANDAn
came to be known as Mudali-
ANDAn.
Kandadai Andaan
Swami Mudaliandan did not have
children for long time. Once, while
discussing with Sri Ramanuja,
Andaan regretted about not
having a child. At the same, Sri
Ramanuja received prasadam
from the Temple which was
covered with a garment
(Kandadai- Gandam + aadai – a
piece of cloth with fragrance)
worn on Lord‘s thirumeni (Lord‘s
archaamurthy). Sri Ramanuja
indicated to Andaan about the
auspicious happening and told him he will get a son soon. Soon, a son
was born to Andaan. Thus, Andaan vamsam (family) was called
Kandadayar family. It is said that a whole street [north mADa street] in
SrIvilli-puttUr bears the name 'kandADaiyAr vIthi', to signify the
importance of the family.
Vaazhi Periya Perumal
Vaazhi Periya Piratti
Vaazhi Sri Ramanuja
Vaazhi Sri Mudali Andaan

Compiled from the net.

Nangainallur Venkatesan

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 7

 Swamy Desikan‘s Yatiraja Saptati is indeed the Simha Naadam ( the
roar of the Kavi Simham). This roar of Our Swamy is a Saptati (74 slokas)
on Yatiraajan. The creation of Our Swamy is potent enough to apply
fetters on the passions of the people who are verily giant elephants. The
fetters tie the people to the foot of Yatirajan. In other words Yatiraja
Saptati is like a fetter which can tie the debaters to the foot of Yatiraja
mountain.
This stotra on the Ascetic king begins with salutations to the chief
profounder of the Doctrine of Sri
Vaishnavism from Perumal, the first
Aacharya up to Sri Mahapoornar
(Peria Nambi) the direct Aacharya
of Sri Ramanuja. Yatiraja Saptati
shows the unparalleled devotion
of Swami Desikan to his
Maanaseeka Aacharya Sri
th
Ramanuja. In the 11 sloka
―Upaveethina Oordhrapundram--
-Swami Desikan praises Sri
Ramanuja who shines with the
Yagna Upaveeta on his chest
and with the Oordhvapundra
(vertical thiruman marks) who
Periya Nambigal - madurantakam
is really the fruit of all the
good deeds in the world,
who has a Tridanda in his hand and
finally has a tuft of hair on his head. He is our savior. A true disciple
imprints his Aacharya‘s tirumeni ammaippu or the vigraham in his mind
and sincerely adheres to his Aacharya‘s teachings. This is what Our
Swamy is telling us to do. One can immediately recall the beautiful
Tirumeni of Our Swamy - (Thondar Ugakkum Thunai --- as described by
his own son and disciple Sri kumaraVaradar in PillaiAndhadi). The tuft of
hair – shikaya shekarinam—just like how a king decks himself with a
crown Sri Ramanuja‘s shikai sits like a crown on his beautiful head. Indeed
his arrival on this world had made the world trijagat punya phalam.
In sloka 20 of Yatiraja Saptati Our Swami says that Sri Ramanuja‘s
tiruvadi is our only refuge.The tiruvadis would secure for those who
surrendered the three goals of Artha kaama and Moksha.The holy feet has

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 8

the potency to cure and correct bad tendencies of all the Bhadda atmas.
Bhakti towards Sri Ramanuja ‗s tiruvadi will ensure Moksha Saamrajyam.
Swami Desikan in the next few slokas describes how Sri Ramanuja is his
protecting Deity. Sri Ramanuja sits under a large Vedic tree and holds his
Tridanda staff in his hand. He drives away the non believers and the
heretics rebelling against the Vedic system and stands like a royal swan
(raja hamsam) in the manaseeka Manasarovar of the hearts of the
devotees. Sri Ramanuja is like a snake charmer who is adept in powerful
mantras. He is ever protective of his devotees and takes care that no
harm is done by the poisonous
vipers of non believers. Sri
Ramanuja‘s Sri suktis act as an
antidote for all his Bhaktas who
been poisoned by the worldly
pleasures. Just like how
Pakshirajan Garudan removes all
the ailments in our body after a
snake bite same way Sri
Ramanuja‘s Tirumantram,
Dwayam and Charama Slokam is
a potent medicine for all ailments.
Sri Bhakyakarar sits with his right
palm, gesturing as it were an
advice or vyakhanam. The luster
on the nails of on his Tirukarangal
takes away the inner ignorance of
the Bhaktas who worship him.
This pose of Sri Ramanuja is
present only in Tirumalai with
upadesa mudra. Sri Sri Ramanuja‘s Sri Suktis are distilled essence of the
Upanishads. They are indeed mantras which can be chanted to protect us
from the internal and external sufferings.
In sloka 27 Our Swami says in this world there are three luminary bodies
like the Agni, Moon and Sun. Agni has the power to make things pure,
Moon has the power to cool and the Sun has the power to shine with
luster. Sri Ramanuja has all these three qualities of the sun, agni and
moon and also qualities which these three do not possess. Let us see how.
Sri Ramanuja is like Agni extremely pure. But Agni does not allow any one
to come near whereas Sri Ramanuja with his soulabhayam allows every
one to come near him. Moon emanates cool rays and those who see the
Moon are filled with cooling effect. When we worship the Archa Vigraham

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 9

of Sri Ramanuja we have the same moon effect on us! But Moon can shine
only when there is darkness and the Moon‘s rays cannot be noticed
without the help of a dark night. Sri Ramanuja‘s Tirumeni has the effect of
not only cooling the bhaktas but also weeding out the defects in them.
Here the word dosha in the sloka is used in two ways—dosha (defects)
dosha (ratri night). Sun is full of Tejas so also Sri Ramanuja‘s Bhrama
Tejas is beyond description. Sun has a defect. It will give too much heat to
mankind that it becomes unbearable. Whereas Sri
Ramanuja who is full of Bhrama Tejas
destroys the unbearable heat of
samsaric sufferings with his
SriSuktis and Upadeshams.
Thus Sri Ramanuja is an
assembly of three luminaries in
one without any defect, with
only karunai. He is there always
to give us salvation. Kaare
karunai Ramanuja!
Our Swami‘s Yatiraja Saptati is
like an ocean which cannot be
crossed and the more we delve
into it the more we realize how
much less we know about Our
Thoopul Iyya.
Vaazhi Yatiraja Chandrama
Vaazhi Adbhuta Thoopul Iyya
Vaazhi Kumara Varada.
Nangainallur Rajashree

Swami Desikan Vandana

kaHcyaaM naBasyaEaaoNaayaama\ Anantaya-gaurao: saut: .

jaatao yaao janaBaagyaon a EaImantM tmahM Bajao .. 3
kawfcI EXtfrtftilf p<r dfdaci mastftilf !`nnftacaaf yaf
'{mf KRvi[f p<tfr rak j[gfk qi[f pakfy viESxtftalf
`vtarmf ecyft !ma[a[ KRAv EpabfBki[fEb[f.
I pray to my Guru “Sriman” who has taken birth on
the earth by our fortune Sri Ananthachariar-Totaramba dampathi in
Kanchi during Purattasi month.
P.B. Annan in Vaibhava Prakasika stotram

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 10

 continuing from Part 2)

The 3rd reason why Swami Venkatanathan's memory is to be greatly

cherished by us on his 'tirunakshatram' is hinted in the phrase "kalyANa-
guNa-shAlinE...".

Desikan was a man of many rare and sublime qualities ("guNA-shAli"), two
of which were really outstanding.
He was (A) utterly fearless ("nirbhaya") and (B) a man of
compassion ("kArunnyan"). Desikan achieved in life what ordinary men of
the world never do viz. he conquered Fear of both Life and Death. And
because he was utterly fearless he was also utterly compassionate
towards a world around him mired in Fear of every conceivable kind.
Conquest of the Fear of Life:
The fears and anxieties
that beset ordinary
men in life simply held
no terror for Desikan.
Poverty, disease, old
age, social approval...
none of these ever
mattered to him.
Throughout his life he
held steadfast to the
age-old value of
"simple living and high
thinking". He shunned
wealth like the plague;
he did not know the
meaning of the term
"financial welfare"; the future, neither his own nor that of his family, held
any worry for him. All his life he was content living on "unchavruthi" -- on
whatever means of sustenance came his way by way of day-to-day alms
given by the community.
Although he considered austerity in life as value, Venkatanathan
does not seem to have for that reason imposed it on others. Nowhere in
his lifetime does Desikan appear to be grand-standing his simplicity or

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 11

humility. At all times he seems to have borne his poverty with a quiet and
natural dignity.
Desikan's fearlessness in life is amply demonstrated through a
famous 'stOtrA' of his, the 'vairAgya-panchakam'. His good Advaitin friend
VidyAranya of the
Vijayanagar Court
once sent him an
invitation to serve as
full-time royal poet-
laureate. It meant a
plum-post securing
for Swami Desikan a
comfortable livelihood
for the rest of his life,
not to speak of post-
retirement benefits!
Swami Desikan
S wami writes Vairagya panchakam however rejected the
offer of what today
would qualify as a fantastic 'career-break'. The only wealth, he wrote to
his friend in Vijayanagar, the only heirloom he coveted was always his for
the taking. "It is ever resident and awaiting me on the Hastigiri Hill in
Kanchi"... Desikan was meaning, of course, the Deity in the temple of Lord
Varadaraja.

Conquest of the Fear of Death:

Malik Kafur, the Mughal general of Alaudin
Khilji's invading army in south India,
attacked and ransacked the SriRangam
temple during Desikan's days there. The
poor citizens fled but some of them were
ruthlessly massacred. While on his flight
from SriRangam to distant Satyakaalam
(now in Karnataka) where he took refuge,
Venkatanathan was first-hand witness to
bloody death and carnage. Desikan lived
alone in exile in Satyakaalam for over a
S wami’s life in sathyakalam decade. The story of human struggle to
conquer the primal Fear of death became
one of the marvellous themes that Desikan dealt with in his famous and
slightly auto-biographical 'stOtrA', the "abhIti-stavam".

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 12

Compassion:
Desikan was a man of great compassion. Neither lofty scholarship nor high
birth seems to have insulated him from the pains and miseries of the
common man. Being a "kavi-kEsari" or a "tArkika-simham" did not make
him retire into some secluded 'ivory tower'. Desikan seems to have been
acutely aware of the social ills and problems of the world around him and
deeply empathized with the commonweal.
An example of
Desikan's compassion for the
commoner is the
"sudarshanAshtakam". This
'stOtra' was composed by
Venkatanathan on seeing the
plight of the people of a
village near Kanchi struck by
a devastating epidemic. In
his times there was no such
thing as public health
system, and when an
epidemic struck, hundreds if not
S wami composes S udarsanashtakam to save the life of
thousands perished. Desikan's
S rivaishnavas of Tiruputkuzhi agraharam

'sudarshanAshtakam' became at once both a prayer of hope and a therapy

for relief at a time of great calamity for the people of Kanchi. To this day,
this 'stOtrA' is recited by the faithful everywhere who believe it wards off
illness and disease.
Swami Desikan was the first 'achArya' in the Vedantic tradition who
boldly went as far as to define God's quality of universal compassion as
being not merely theological necessity but philosophical axiom. A God
without compassion would be a contradiction in terms, he said. Since we
see that compassion does exist in this world, we have to conclude that
God too therefore must exist.
To the Upanishad definition of Brahman having 3 dimensions viz.
"satyam", "gnyAnam," and "anantham", Desikan made out a fitting case
for adding a 4th dimension -- "dayA" or "anukampA". It became the
central theme of his famous "dayA satakam", a "stOtrA" which, beyond a
shadow of doubt, only a man of great 'dayA' in his own right – an
extraordinary "kalyANa-guNa-shAli", so to speak -- could have ever
composed. (to be continued)
dAsan, Sudarshan

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 13

 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,
Swamy Vedantha Desikan‘s contribution to the VisishtAdvaita Srivaishnava
philosophy [Bhagawath Ramanuja Darsanam] in the proper evaluation of
the theories and concepts of all schools of thought and rejection of those
which are opposed to those of his system i.e. Vedanthic and Vedic
religions. All his works both bog, small, breathes this trend.
There is no name in the world of Sanksrit literature and philosophy
combined like the
name of
Vedantha
Desika.
It is aDiyEn‘s
intent to enjoy
with you the
glories of Swamy
Desikan-
Thuppul Kula
maNi by
remembering his
st
S wami Desikan (centre), 1 Parakala mutt Jeer (right to swami) and Kumara
varadachariar (left to swami) – Kanchi parakalamuth
life, by immersing
ourselves in his works, and by enjoying the greatness and mastery of the
same. Though we can not [I can not] enjoy the granthas to the fullest
extent for lack of jnAnam [in me], even great scholars have declared their
failure in attempting to know the depths of Swamy?s works. So, we are
not alone.. both in failing and in enjoying as well.
[I refer mostly to Sri A Srinivasargahvan‘s book on the life and works of
Vedantha Desika, the malar released by Sri Seva Swamy, the souvenir
released by Thirbaheendrauram devotees and Sri Anbil Ramaswamy
Swamin‘s articles]

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 14

He is the one who makes all those who surrender to His feet- as
Mahaadesikan. He is simply phenomenal. Scholars who lived during
Swamy Desikan‘s period also mentioned that Swamy is an adhubutha
avtar. He is a vidwAn- few said. He is a great intellect- few said. He is the
greatest poet; some praised. He is our fortune to establish firmly the
VisishtAdvaita- some said. Every one said, based on the extent they
understood our Swamy.
Before reading his great mystical life history, let us read the
breathtaking huge list of his works: [to read the list itself takes time..
Swamy wrote all of them in one life time.. It is told by scholars, that one
can not even read all of his works fully in
one life time.. Such was the
greatness of Swamy?s works. It is
not that he wrote just ordinary
works [engaatthukkaararum
kacchErikku pOraar type..]; He
wrote gems after gems? Every one
grantha out beats the other. ? Many
of you may know all this. But there
are few who do not know; and it is
my intent to reach those few. Also
for those of us who know, - this is
just rejoicing and relishing Swamy‘s
glories again? [kasakkumA?]
Swamy Vedantha Desikan? we
can boldly say- was the greatest
intellect India has ever produced. He
appreciated Vedic philosophy. He was
philosophical; and religious; His
thoughts were moulded by the writings and teaching of his Poorvacharyas
? the galaxy of them- right from Sri SaTakOpa muni (NammAzhwAr)?
Nathamuni- Yamunacharya- Ramanujacharya- and others. He was a very
faithful follower of his master - Sri Ramanuja. He built a fortress around
the philosophy of Ramanuja so well; that none can dare enter. He had
fullest conviction in the teachings and followings of Ramanuja.
He was a lion among poets and logicians. [We will enjoy all of his works in
detail later]. He was a poetic genius. He had the mastery over languages
and could use them very effectively to communicate anything he had
visualised. But he never went astray with his poetic skills and license and
adhered to nothing but the philosophy of VisishtAdvaita Sri vaishnavam.

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 15

He was the greatest logician? developed logic to argue? vidhaNdAvaadhis?
he entered into hair-splitting discussions and dialogues in his works when
he had to explain the various Vedic Upanishadic and other purAnic works.
His works are about 120 in
number. [look at the list below-]..
The subjects are varied. But the
soul of these works is the same..
i.e. Ramanuja darsanam. He
wrote original works in Sanskrit;
also commented on the works of
his Acharyas- namely
Yamunacharya and
Ramanujacharya. He wrote
sthothras, kaavyas, drama, prose
etc..
His style is inimitable for its
depth of ideas, sweetness,
simplicity and ease; it is majestic,
S wami Desikan with Bhashyakarar - Chengalpattu
sometimes tough. He was a great
admirer of Adhikavi Vaalmeeki
and Kalidasa. His poetic work Hamsa sandhEsam, though similar to
Kalidasa?s mEgasandhEsam, is original in many respects. Daya sathakam
is a unique composition wherein he personifies grace (Divine grace- daya),
without which Lord?s other qualities are of little value and help to
suffering mankind- Swamy says. AbhIthi sthavam is an invocation for the
Lord?s protection from evil forces from both within and without. His
GodhA sthuthi is a piece of place of great lyric beauty and merit and talks
of Sri GodhA?s influence with the Lord through love and Desikan?s
surrender to Her compassion.
Let us look at the amazing list [wait until next]
Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam
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

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 16

6. avatAra rahasyam:

(Slokam 31): Why did bhagavAn take so many incarnations among us?
Swami Desikan reminds us of Lord krshNa's declaration in the gItA (4.8) -

partitrANAya sAdhUnAm vinASAya ca durkrtAm, dharma

samsthApanArthAya sambhavAmi yuge yuge - through his Slokam 31.
vipaksha nikshapita - for the destruction of the enemies of His devotees,
samsthApia parama dharmAh - establishment of the best of dharma-s, and
sAdhu paritrANa - for the protection of the good. Srirama Desikacharya
Swami observes that while bhagavAn could have done all this while being
in SrI vaikunTham itself, He really wanted to be with us in form, and show
us how to be a good son, a good husband, a good friend, etc., and it is
His souSIlyam that made Him take all these incarnations - just for the
sake of His devotees.

7. The Importance of worshipping the arcA mUrti in Temples:

The question can be asked - why should we worship the form of bhagavAn
in the temples - the arcA mUrti? Swami Desikan gives a simple analogy.
When a treasure is hidden underground, people walk on it without
knowing its location. There are those who are called siddha-s, who can

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 17

provide a dark collerium which can be applied in the eyes and which will
then help identify the location of the treasures. BhagavAn's true nature
His divya Atma svarUpam - is not realizable except through His own
Grace, and is like the treasure hidden from our reach. But if we keep
worshipping the dark arcAmUrti of bhagavAn with devotion
uninterruptedly, this will
serve like the dark
collerium that will
help in ultimately
realizing the divya
Atma svarUpam of
bhagavAn over time.
(Slokam 45).

The bhakta-s are so

moved by having
the sevA of
bhagavAn's tirumeni
in temples that they
shed tears of joy
and their whole body
experiences extreme
excitement (kadamba
goLa nibha kaNTakAyamAna nijAgnAn – with mayirk-kuccu - hairs
standing erect on the body like budding kadamba flowers -58).

8. BhagavAn's tirumeni:

Swami Desikan briefly describes devarAjap Perumal's tirumeni through 10

Sloka-s (34 to 43) in this stotra. We have seen the similar anubhavam of
Swami Desikan in a few of his stotra-s before e.g., through 11 Sloka-s in
SrI bhagavad dhyAna sopAnam and through 30 Sloka-s in SrI
Devanayaka pancAsat.

BhagavAn's tiru mukham resembles the moon, His kirITam is like the Sun,
and His beautiful dark hair resembles the darkness of the night. How is it
possible for the Sun, the moon, and the darkness to co-exist
simultaneously? Swami Desikan's beautiful anubhavam - bhagavAn is the
aghaTitaghaTanA Saktan - He is One who can make impossible things
happen (Slokam 34).

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 18

BhagavAn's beautiful face far exceeds the beauty of the full moon, and His
eyes resemble the just-blossomed lotus flowers. Meditating on His divine
face will remove even the sins committed knowingly, and serve as the
prAyaScitta (remedy) for these sins (Slokam 35). The sight of His divine
shoulders reminds Swami Desikan of the might of these shoulders under
which the different gods including brahma (vidhi pramukha deva janah)
have sought refuge (Slokam 37). Having the darSanam of bhagavAn's tiru
udaram (belly) reminds Swami Desikan of His saving all the brahmANDa-s
in His stomach during the pralaya. His navel reminds him of the creation
of brahma in a lotus flower from the nAbhIkamalam (Slokam 38).

Swami Desikan – Vennai Thazhi kannan tirukkolam - Tiruvaheendrapuram

Looking at bhagavAn's deep red pItAmbaram, Swami Desikan meditates

on bhagavAn's acts of crushing the asura-s madhu and kaiTabha, and the
resulting profuse stream of blood soaking into bhagavAn's pItAmbaram
and thus imparting this deep red color (Slokam 40). The mekhalA (waist-
band) kindles memories of the great chain that has been put around
bhagavAn the manmathan like a chain around a mad elephant (the rasam
here is that those who meditate on this mekhalA of bhagavAn will be

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 19

relieved of the pursuit of trivial pleasures in this world – Srirama
Desikacharya Swami).

In SrI Devanayaka pancAsat Swami Desikan's anubhavam of the

darSanam of bhagavAn's Divine thighs was that they were the death-bed
for the cruel asura-s such as hiraNyakaSipu. In the current Slokam his
anubhavam is that they are like the strong pillars that support the
mansion where the three worlds are stored (reference to bhagavAn's
stomach being the heavy mansion where all the worlds rest at the time of
pralaya) (Slokam 41).

The darSanam of bhagavAn's

Lotus Feet reminds Swami
Desikan of the sacred gangA
flowing from His Feet during
the time of His trivikrama
incarnation and sanctifying all
the three worlds, and their
offering protection to anyone
who surrenders to them
(Slokam 43).
Madurantakam – Raman Tiruvadi

9. We Always Belong to Him and Are Never Independent:

We have to realize that we are His possession and belonging and are not
independent, and are always subservient to Him who is the Supreme Lord.
We are like a wooden doll which has been tied by the ropes of the three
guNa-s, sattva, rajas, and tamas, and bhagavAn alone can release us from
this bondage (82). We came across this same concept in SrI Devanayaka
pancAsat earlier (Slokam 8 - sUtrAnubaddha Sakuni kramatah).

-To be continued.
-dAsan krshNamAcAryan
Courtesy : www.ramanuja.org

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 20

 Panguni Uthiram Celebration in Muscat
Panguni Uthiram was celebrated in Muscat by the asthikas of Sravana
Samithi with great dedication. Morning Tirumanajanam was performed to
emperuman. The oonjal Utsavam was performed with great devotion with
Special Aradhanam, Taligai and parayanam of Gadya Trayam. Oonjal

utsavam was performed with great dedication. Hundreds of Srivaishnavas

and devotees took the blessings of Lord Srinivasan.

Darsanam – Virodhi – Chithirai 2009 21