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Sri Satyagalam and Swamy Deshikan - Part 2

From the Bhakti List Archives

Balaji CG • February 8, 2001 


ShrimatAm Sri VAdihamsAmbudAchArya samyami sArvabhouma divya katAksha labdha
sArvajna Shrimataam Shri Ghantaavataaram Kavitaarkikasimha Sarvatantra
Swatantra Vedaantaachaarya Sri Thooppul Nigamaanta Maha Deshikaaya Namaha
	
Note - Please overlook translation errors.

Part - 2 - Swamy Deshikan's visit to Satyagalam and Abhitistavam
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	After travelling for several days, along the banks of Kaveri, they
finally reached a small village called Satyagalam. This place attracted
Swami Deshikan, may be due to its picturesque location, calm atmosphere and
above all the presence of a temple of Lord Varada, Swami Deshikan's
aaraadhya daivam. They all decided to stay there and made all arrangements
required.
	
Swamy Deshikan composes 'Abhitistavam'
--------------------------------------

	Having seen the disaster that befell upon Arangam, a deeply hurt
Swami Deshikan composed a stotram called 'Abhitistavam' with 29 stanzas.
This stotram is a pleading to Lord Aranga to make Sri Rangam free of enemies
and to restore it back to its glory. Abhitistavam is a stotram that when
recited with dedication, drives out fear of any kind. It is said that Swamy
Deshikan used to recite it everyday as a prayer to Aranga to free Arangam
from its captors and was very eager to see his prayers answered.

	Abhitistavam describes Swamy Deshikan's AtmakathA (true story) to
some extent, as it has a lot of references to the historical happenings at
that time. From the same, it is also evident that Swamy Deshikan composed
this slokam when he was quite advanced in age.
The greatness of Abhitistavam lies in the fact that, Swamy Deshikan himself
has recited this slokam for years together till Arangam was free of its
captors.

Gist of Abhitistavam
--------------------
	All slokams here address relief or freedom from fear of any kind.
Swamy Deshikan has composed Abhitistavam as the essence of the 4 charama
slokams - Varaha, SriRama, Gita and Sri Sita.

	The 29 slokams enshrined in Abhitistavam, basically follow three
streams, in the following order -
The first few slokams describe the greatness of PerumAL, His anantha kalyANa
guNams and a prayer to the Lord to protect those who recite the holy name of
the Lord.
The second set of slokams offer a prayer to the Lord to drive fear of any
kind from the minds of people affected by samsaric afflictions.
The third set of slokams has a lot of historical essence. In all these
slokams, it is Swamy Deshikan's prayer that Srirangam and other divyadeshams
should be free of all troubles. He continues to say that all devotees should
be relieved of their misery and should be able to do PerumAL sEvai and
kainkaryams as usual.

Some slokams
------------

Slokam 11 - Swamy Deshikan says to the Lord "Protection of the surrendered,
is like protecting yourself". Here he intends to convey 'shEsha-shEshi
bhAvam' wherein all the prapannAs are like sharIram to the Lord.

Slokam 14 - Here Swamy Deshikan says to the Lord "If you shall not protect,
who else shall? and who else can?" This is one of the feelings expressed by
Swamy Deshikan very often. The same feeling is also seen in
'KAmAsikAshtakam' and 'AshtabhujAshtakam'.

Slokam 19 - Here Swamy Deshikan gives examples of PrahlAda, KAkAsura,
GajEndran, Draupadi, VibhIshaNa, kALIya, GOpikAs and AmbarIsha who were all
freed from their troubles after SharaNAgati and similarly requests the Lord
to offer His protection.

Slokams 21 to 27 - In all these slokams Swamy Deshikan pleads to Aranga to
protect Arangam from its captors using His divya Ayudhams.

Slokam 29 - This gives us the AchArya sandEsham "bhayam tyajata bhadram
va:". "Do not fear. He shall protect".

Continued...

P.S - Multiple copies of this post might be received due to multiple
subscriptions.

vAzhi vyAkhyAmuddirak kai !!!


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