Vedanta Desika 111 part 8

Vedanta Desika -111




Part 8



In previous part sl.no 23 is left, and so please make them as 23,24, &25. It can be said 25.Daya Satakam is the outcome of the Lord's Sankalpam only. Similarly I feel my writing this essay is only HIS sankalpam and the blessings of our Achrya sarva bouman SrI Vedantha Desikan . The three remaining sthothrams in his sthothra grantham 26. Garuda thandakam and 27.Garuda vimsathi and 28. Ethiraja sapthathi ,are discussed in this part 8. About swamy Desikan's 24 Tamil prabandams will be continued with HIS Sankalpam from next week.



26. GARUDA DANDAKAM



When Swamy Desikan was in Kanchipuram, a snake charmer challenged him to prove his capability . He then let loose a deadly serpent on him . Swamy Desikan then chanted the Garuda Manthra for God's grace. Garuda emerged immediately from the sky and whisked away the serpent. The snake-charmer realised his foolishness and his underestimation of swamy and surrendered fastly before Swami Desikan. He pleaded then to secure the snake as he is completely depending only on that snake for his livelihood. Swami Desikan with his merciful nature thus composed Garuda Dhandakam and pleaded for its survival. Garuda came back from the sky with living snake and flew after dropping it .

Swamy Desikan's Garuda Dhandakam is in dhandaka format with a majestic, rhythmic style like Raghuvira Gadyam. Dhandam is stick with strong long footing. There are only seven slokas in this. The first one is prayer to Vainadeyan, who is with serpents in the whole body considered as person responsible for Brahma Vidya . Slokas 2 to 5 are in poetic prose split into four quarters . Sloka 6 is description on structure of Dandaka. The Concluding sloka is palasruthi. The lines of Garudamagila veda nidathi roodam ,when recited in gigantic manner is sure to capture all minds.The concluding lines of Garuda dwaja doshaya geetho garuda thandaka points out that he sings this to please Emberuman with the flag on Garuda.









Garuda's importance of being hailed in vedas, being the vehicle of Sriman Narayana, being consort of Rudra and Sukeerthy, being an incarnation of Sankarshana, adorning serpents as ornaments, with powers of blessing and granting manthras to devotees are praised well in this sthothram .



27. GARUDA PANCHASATH



When Swamy Desikan meditates Garuda-manthra on the same night of Lord Hayagriva's presense before him.In very next day, Garuda appeared in his dreams and said, there are four persons Sounaka, Bruhaspathi, Narada and Kasyapa who had his direct blessings and the boons of his manthra, the Pancha Varnee. Swamy Desikan then joined those great souls and a sthothram on Garuda was composed to benefit one and all. Swamy Desikan obeyed this Holy order of Garuda immediately and started writing Garuda Panchasath.



Sri Garuda Panchasath, is on Vainatheya with 52 slokas . This sthothram is composed with five parts each called as 'Varnakas'.



1. Slokas 1 -8 ,Pra-Vyuha Varnaka on Garuda's form in Sri Vaikunta in Vyuha with Sankarshana,



2.Slokas 9 -25, Amruthaaharana Varnaka on greatness of Garuda fetching nectar from Deva Loka.



3.slokas 26-35 NaagadhamanaVarnaka (Sarpanasa)on Garuda's crushing of serpents in pathala lokam .



4.slokas 36-45 Parishkaara Varnaka (Alankara ) on the serpents that adorn Garuda's person as ornaments.Description of snakes given here as 'Audiseshan and Kuligan as kankanams, vasuki as sacred thread, dakshagan as waist belt, padma, mahapadma as ear rings, sankabalan as crown '.



5.Slokas 46-51Adhbhutha Varnaka on describing extraordinary talents of Garuda. Gajendra moksham is highlighted in sloka 47.



Perfection and proper method of chanting this stothra with training from an Acharyua is good. Otherwise it may yield to adverse effects. The sthothram begins with explaining the correct method of chanting the Garuda-manthra. In third sloka hails various parts of Garuda's body .



The fifth sloka may be termed as playing a number game as Eko Vishnu, dweediya sthree chathurvithitham panchavarni hasyam shadgunya smerasaptha swagathi animathyashta sampavan navathma and concluding as a person beyond numbers who gives freedom from fear bayam veeda sankyodaya na is wonderful one.In 52nd sloka ,Palasruthi , Swamy Desikan tells that one who recites this will be free from fear of serpents, mental afflictions, diseases, and all their wishes are sure to be answered favourably. .







28. YATHIRAJA SAPTHATHI







SwamyDesikan came to SriPerumbudur on his way to SriRangam and composed a sthothra called 'Yathirja sapthathi' glorifieing all our Acharyas, particularly Sri Ramanuja in depth and sought SriRamanuja's blessings, on Chiththirai-Thiruvaadhirai birth star day of Sri Ramanuja.Yathiraja Sapthathi consists of 74 slokas signifying the number of the Simhaasanaadhipathis, appointed by Sri Ramanuja. Swamy Desikan who forms Achrya lineage after Sri Ramanuja which is as follows SrimanNarayana-SriLakshmi-SriVishwaksenar-SriNammazhvar-SriNathamuni -Sri Uyyakondar -Sri Manakkalnambi-Sri Yamuna Muni-Sri Perianambi-Sri Ramanuja . After Sri Ramanuja, Swamy Desikan joined in this lineage. . Sri Ramanuja is referred in many names such as Yathiraja, Bhashyakarar, Udaiyavar, Emberumanar, Lakshmanamuni, Ethipathi by Swamy Desikan.



In sloka 11, Ramanuja's physical appearance is well stated, as Yajna Upaveetham in His chest ,Oordhvapunram (Thiruman kappu in face, and other part of body ),Tridandam in His hand as a result of the fruit of the Good deeds of three worlds, a tuft of hair on the Head. He also has a specialty as saviour of the Vaishnavites, guaranteeing for their salvation,who surrendered unto Him. In sloka 12 , Chakra, Sanghu, Gadha, Khadga, Saarngha, the Lord's five weapons have unitedly taken the incarnation of Sri Ramanuja and is therefore sure to protect us with harsh on the enemies of our religion.The works of Ramanuja is detailed from slokas 13.



In sloka 30, Sri Ramanuja's works are compared to a river furnishing cool waters to a thirst-tortured traveller traversing a dry desert. as (palar) a river of milk to holy personages devoted to the study of spiritual works ,for sruthis as eyes of the Vedas,and form as precious guide for interpretation ,to the activator to the vital nerve-chord. Sri Ramanuja being an incarnation of the Five Weapons of the Lord as panchaprayuthair murare is indicated in sloka 12, as viswakseno yathipathir in sloka 32; and as Dhaththaathreya in sloka 63. In sloka 44 Swamy Desikan Lauds Ramanuja's SriSukthis and debates as an excellent one and states comparing his works with others is like comparing Salt and pachai karpooram in equal metre as lavana vanija karpoorarkam .



In 38th sloka , Victory to Ramanuja for saving the Para Brahman by giving a hand lift from the clutches of other sects is well said. Slokas 69 &70 are on Ramanuja's Siddhaantham placed on a Trivedhi pedestal,and his works, like Sri Bhashyam to guide us. Slokas 71 &72 are on greatness of Yathiraja sapthathi . Slokas 73 & 74 are palasruthi .In this Swamy Desikan prays to bestow on the reader devotional intellect with leela Vibhuthi and Nithya Vibhuthi. He states that those who learn the hymn are sure to find the righteous path as clearly as a myrobalan fruit in the palm Ullankai nellikkani pola .



During his lifetime Ramanuja wrote Nava rathnangal 1.Sri-Bhasya, 2.Vedanta-dipa,3. Vedanta-sara, 4.Vedanta-samgraha, three prose works (gadyas): 5.Saranagati-gadya,6. Sriranga-gadya and 7.Vaikuntha-gadya, 8 Gita-bhasya and 9.Nitya-grantha. Swamy Desikan got inspiration from him though he was born about 130 years after Sri Ramanuja attained parama padam.







Stotras recitation benifits



In Gita (2.47) Karmanyeva athikarasthe ma paleshu kathachana It is said your right is to work only, But not to expect the fruit thereof. But When Swamy Desikan's sthothrams are recited peacefully it is sure to attain benifits automatically.



Names of Sthothras (Number of slokas ) Benifits



1.Shri Hayagriva Sthothram- 33 Knowledge and proficiency -

2.Shri Maha Veeravaibhavam-94 Happy life

3.Shri Gopala Vimsathi-21 Santhana bagyam



4.Shri Dasavathara Sthothram- 13 Nava graha santhi

5.Shri Sthuthi -25 Luxury and comfort in life.



6.Shri Bhu Sthuthi-33 Success in a cherished desire



7.Shri Godhasthuthi -29 Free from obstacles in life



8.Shri Nyasa dasakham -10 Saranagathi



9.Shri Nyasa Thilakam -32 God's Grace



10.Shri Nyasa Vimsathi -22 Best Teacher and student



11.Shri Kamaasikashtakam-9 Gets all benefits



12.Shri Sudarshanashtakam-9 Getting rid of physical ailments



13.Shri Ashta Bhujashtakam-10 Calling for divine grace



14.Shri Shodasayudha Sthothram-19 Free from misery and troubles



15.Shri Vairagya Panchakam-6 The way to salvation



16.Shri Varadharaja Panchasath-51 Meritorious results



17.Shri Vegasethu Sthothram -10 Fulfill our wishes



18.Shri Saranagathi Dheepikai -59 Avoid Ignorence



19 Shri Devanayaka Panchasath -53 Truthfulness



20.Shri Achyutha Sathakam- 101 Mind purification



21 Shri Dehalya Sthuthi -28 Simplicity and social behaviour



22.Shri Paramartha Sthuthi-10 Eliminate bad characters



23 Shri Daya Sathakam -108 Source to get blessings



24 Shri Abhithistahavam -29 Free from fear



25.Shri Bhagavath Dyana Sobanam -12 Bhakthi for Mukthi



26.Shri Yathiraja Sapthathi -74 Success in debate



27 Shri Garuda dandakam -4 Save from poisonous creatures



28.Shri Garuda Panchasath-50 Healthy life without worries











To be continued .......






Arumbuliyur Jagannathan Rangarajan