Vedanta Desika part 1

VEDANTHA DESIKA 111


Sri Vedantha Desika's 111Divyasthuthi is to be known to all, as Swami's 740th birth anniversary is on purattasi sravanam (29 9 09 ) . His compositions are 28 Stotra Granthas, 4 Kavya Granthas including SriPaduka Sahasram, 1 dramatic grantham, 14 philosophic granthas , 8 vyakyana granthas, 32 Rahasya granthas, and 24 Tamil prabhandhas.

Kavidargiga Simham Vedanta Desika , the greatest Sri Vaishnvite writer, poet, philosopher, ardent devotee of Sriman Narayana lived during 1269 – 1370. Swami was born in Thoopul, near Kanchipuram , and his parents are Ananta Suri and Totaramba. "Venkatanatha" was his original name. His maternal uncle Kidambi Appullar . a scholar, and a direct disciple of Sri Ramanujar educated and trained him. His Upanayanam took place at his seventh age and he gradually became master of Vedas, Divyaprabandam, Puranas and Sastras. At 20 , he was a Great Scholar in SRI Vaishnavism. At 21 he got married to Tirumangai alias Kanakavalli, and couple were blessed with a son named as Varadarya" .At 27 Swamy became Acharya .

Vedanta Desikan is said to be incarnation or Avathara of Ghanta (Incarnation of bell ) of Sri Venkatachalapathy of Tirumala. In Tiruvahindipuram "Garuda Mantram" was initiated by his Guru. Garuda appeared before him then and taught him "Hayagriva Mantra". It is said that Lord Hayagriva appeared in the form of horse on Avani Tiruvonam day and presented him an Idol of Hayagriva to Swami Desikan.

It is said that glorious dazzling image of Ranganatha was rescued by Vedanta Desika whose contribution to Vaishnavism and its philosophy is prolific and phenomenal.

His writings include devotional works on deities and Acharyas, treatises on Vishitatwaita , commentary on the Srimad Bhagavad Geetha , secret doctrines of Vaishnavism (Rahasyathrayam), original Tamil poems, epic poems and allegorical dramas in Sanskrit, dialectical works directed against rival schools, treatises on practical daily life and several other miscellaneous treatises. Every work of his is full of beautiful poetry, superb devotion, conceptual density, philosophy, mythology, poetic gymnastics, lilting rhyme and majesty of language.

In this essay,'Vedanta Desika 111' I just want to precisely write with HIS blessings , about few of Sri Vedanta Desika's contributions every week..

1.Sri Hayagriva Stotram

The first sloka of this Stotram

Gnana nanda mayam devam nirmalas spadigagritham

Atharam Sarva Vidyanam Hayagrivam Upasmahe

is famous with many schools included this in prayer song as it states that all scholars with great knowledge attain blessings from Hayagriva only. In this stotram with 33 slokas , He further states as Dakshinamoorthy, and Saraswathy , Vyasa got powers only from Hayagriva. He claims as Orators, eminents, researchers, organising heads get bountiful knowledge from the tips of tongue with the presense of Hayagriva.Sloka 32 is Dyana sloka of Sri Hayagriva.

2. Sri Mahavira Vaibhavam

Raghu Vira Gadyam is another name to this sloka with 94 soornikas. Vedantha Desika's praises to Chakravarthi Thirumagan on seeing the sannnadhi of Lord Rama with Lakshmana and Sita, in Tiruvahindipuram is just narration of the entire Srimad Ramayanam in sweet commanding Sanskrit language.The sloka in 47th soornika

Apara paraa vaara parikha parivratha parapura parisrutha thava thahana javana pavana bhava kabhivara parishvanga bhavitha sarvasva dhana

is essence of entire Sundarakandam , which conveys the glory of Rama who graced Hanuman for identifying Sita in Ashokavana.

3. Gopala Vimsathy

This sloka consists of 21 slokas on Krishna from His birth to Krishna's vasthrabharanam . Sloka 12

Adharahita chharu vamsa nalaa, Muktalambhi Mayoora pincha mala, Hari neelashila vihanga leela Prathibhasanthu mama anthima prayane

conveying his desire to see Krishna with flutes in his lips, blue peacock feather in his hair, at the end of his life is sure to attain Lord's grace. Also it is believed that recitation of this sloka gets blessings to get a child .

4. Dasavathara Stotram

This stotram composed when he worshipped the lord in Dasavathara sannadhi in Srirangam. He offers obeisance to Lord Ranganatha and Sri Ranganayaki Thayar , whose ten divine incarnations he covered in the stotram. The next ten Slokams are devoted to the ten incarnations, one for each incarnation. The twelfth Slokam is summary of all the ten incarnations in one Slokam, and the thirteenth one is Palasruthi. For Navagraha santhi also this sloka is considered good.

.... to be continued