Vedanta Desika 111 part 9

Vedanta Desika -111.


Part 9 .



Azhwars produced devotional hymns and their songs were collected later into the Four Thousand Sacred Hymns as Nalayira Divya Prabhandam. Nathamuni collected them and formed the classical and vernacular basis for SriVaishnaism. This inspired Swamy Desikan and he felt the importance of composing some poems in his mother tongue Tamil . The 24 prabhandams in Tamil is later called as Desika Prabhandam after the famous Nalayira Divya Prabhandam. Out of 24, only 19 prabhandams are available to us, and the rest five (Pandhu, Kazhal, Ammanaim, Oosal, yesal ) are not found anywhere(Luptham ) In this part 9, 3 prabhandams on Sri Devaraja perumal of Kancheepuram Temple , is briefly discussed.

29.Meyvradha manmiyam

Meyvradha Mahatmiyam is in Manipravala style indicating sthala puranam of Kanchipuram in 29 pasurams. Brahma's desire to worship Sriman narayan in person could not succeed due to previous sins and so he started doing penance. He had a divine vision to perform Aswametha yagna in Sathyavratha kshetram by constructing yagasalai at Hasthigiri. . Brahma then ordered Viswakarma to arrange the same. Brahma named that place as Kanchi and started doing Yagnam. But as Brahma's wife Saraswathy was in river and not there with him due to some misunderstanding with him. Brahma or any Hindu ,doing penance without wife by his side, is said as not permissible. So Brahma asked his son Sage Vasishta to call on his mother and ask her to be present with him for the yagna. But as Saraswathy refused to come for the Yagna, Brahma started doing yagna with his other wife Savithri. This news reached Saraswathy and she became angry with Brahma's action. Saraswathy started overflowing as narrated by Swamy Desikan in this prabhandam in pasuram 12 as aththana yaththana anuththithanai aththithana uththi puriyaaL .

Due to the flooding in the entire yagna site , Yagna could not be continued successfully. Seeing this incident, Sriman Narayana took the form of Pallikondan (In lying pasture ) uthiravethikkulle uthithar vanthar (As in pasuram 17 )and stopped the water flow acting as dam. Swami Desikan then immersed very much in the sweet memories of Lord Sriman nArayanan appearing before Brahma, as a golden mountain erecting in the middle of the Yagna's Agni. Swamy Desikan's memories continued with much happiness and in grand elation he narrates his nector like experience as Atthigiri arulalap perumal vandhar-- karutha varam tharum Dhaivap perumal vandhar --umbhar thozhum kazhaludayar vandhar--vanera vazhi tanthar vandhar thame

about the Lord's glories wash over Swami Desikan and he declares with elation his

Saraswathy then felt her foolishness and immediately decided to join Brahma in Yagna. In the Havis offered Punyakoti vimanam then appeared with great tejas. Brahma had the appearance of Perarulalan in Punyakoti vimanam .So, Brahma felt extremely happy and pleaded for permanent stay of Vishnu in this kshetram. Sriman Narayana granted this as boon to Brahma . In this manner, Sriman Narayanan blesses us all in this temple to Bakthas in Kancheepuram.Swamy Desikan indicates this in 26th pasuram as Kaliyil thozhuthezha ninranere . It is informed that Brahma left for sathyalokam afterwaeds.then.

30.Adaikalappathu

Adaikalappathu is in 11 pasurams with ten on description of Prapatti in ten and the concluding one on palasruthi. In the very first pasuram Swamy Desikan hails Kanchi as Mukthi tharum nagar ezhil mukkiyamam kachi thannil stressing Kancheepuram as one of the seven towns sure to attain salvation as It is revered as one of the seven mukthiKshethrams .His surrendering words like Nallladakkam adainthen, adiyinai adainthen, paraman adi paninthen, are sure to cause much devotion to Sriman Narayana. This is similar to NyasaDasakam lines of addressing to Lord directly by Swami Desikan in the form of "I surrender to you", "I pray to you", etc. In third pasuram Swami Desikan points out that all are eligible to perform Prapatthi

to Sriman narayana and this act of saranagathy will result in getting the Moksham easily. IIn 4th pasuram kakamirakkathan explains the saranagathi of kakasuran and vibhishana to Lord Rama.

In prapatti manthram as svanishtai , and following Acharya's teachings in Acharyanishtai, God accepts the same with joy and grant the boon sought immediately. In 6th Pasuram Swami Deikan refers different types of Saranagathi prapatti as sva nishtai - full knowledge for performing Prabathi. ukti nishtai - guidance of Acharya on performing Prabathi acharya nishtai - Acharya to perform the Prabathi bhagavatha nishtai -pardon a devotee to get rid of any Bhagavatha Apacharaare are narrated excellently in this prabhandam. In surrendering for our protection to the Lord by observing the following five angas of prapatti ( Anukulya samkalpam, pratikulya varjanam, karpanyam, maha visvasam, goptrtva varanam,karapanyam ) are also find place in this prabhandam.as Ukakkumavai ukanthu, ugava anaithum ozhinthu, .mihat thunivu peravunarndhu, kavalena varitthu, puhalillat tavamariyen-

The tenth pasuram 'Thirumagalum Thiruvadivum' Swamy Desikan tells that he joined with Sriman narayana who has many Sakala kalyana gunangal. They are as Sriman narayana with supreme characters as ' who is never separated from His beloved consort, He has most bewitching beauty,He is ocean of mercy,He has unmatching Daya to His devotees,He is an omniscient and easibly accible nature, His body is with both chethanas and achethnas, He is one, who creates, protects and destroys all of this world and its beings, which always stay with Him".



31.Artha panchakam

Swamy Desikan concludes in this Prabhandam that Only Vidwans with familiarity of the meanings of our Vedas can enjoy the sweetness of the meanings of these Paasurams.Now, Adiyen with only poor basic knowledge of all these things attempting to write on them is really a great task. Anyhow Desika premai compels now to do something.

Arthapanchakam is also with 11 pasurams in praise of Lord Varadaraja of Kancheepuram.This deals with the knowledge on Five doctrines , the most important for those who wish to gain Moksham . The five principles of Paramathma swaroopam, Jeevathma swaroopam, Virodhi swaroopam, upaya swaroopam and Phala swaroopam are described in 2 pasurams each and the concluding one is palasruthi.

In the very first line of this prabhandam he quotes Sriman Narayana as Amalan aviyatha sudar alavilla aramuthan.in which Amalathvam( Amalan ),Sathyathvam, (aviyatha),Jnanathvam (Sudar),Ananthathvam (Alavilla), Anandhathvam, (Aaravamudham) .In 6th pasuram Nalvahaikkum saranamalippan referring 4 kinds of body in to which a jeevan enters to experience its karmas as : (1) The body of Devas (2) The body of humans (3)the body of Animal or Bird (4) Tree or stone immobile..

The lines of vidhai mulayin nyayatthal adi illa vinai adaive refers to BhIjankura Nyayam , as spring up of a plant (Mulai) from the seed ( Vithai) . Seed arise from only from earlier mulai, and not in any other place. A doubt as to which is first is ever exists as seed or plant .This debate or doubt is unsettled like this BheejAnkura Nyayam, hard to decide on whether body came first to enjoy the karmas or the Karmas

led to the appearance of body , to suffer or enjoy as per the karmas . For this our Acharyars established that

both Karmas and body are, coexistent, timeless and ancient .In 6th pasuram Nalvahaikkum saranamalippan referring 4 kinds of body in to which a jeevan enters to experience its karmas as : (1) The body of Devas (2) The body of humans (3)the body of Animal or Bird (4) Tree or stone immobile .

.In 7th pasuram, " amarar thozhum Atthigiri ambhyutthal Aaramudhe " Lord Varadaraja is recognized as One who cuts asunder Samsarabandam to those who practice Bakthiyogam in this eight Angams.yama niyamam achanam iyalavi pulanadakkam, thamathariyum tharanaigal ninaivozhukkam, samamudaiya samadhi is well illustrated. The characters required for this are . "Ahimsai ,Truthfulness, Non stealing , control of Kaamam, Purity ,Contended life, Observation of tapas and vrathams ,Knowledge on Vedas and Upanishads, Saathvika Thyagam,Padhmasanam ,control of Breath, Control of senses , Imprint of Bhagavan's Thirumeni in mind, uninterrupted meditation,dhyanam ". Readers are requested to inform my approach is correct one in briefing the great Acharya Sarva bhauman's divine literature.in just few lines.



ARUMBULIYUR JAGANNATHAN RANGARAJAN