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Daya and Anukampa : NammazhwAe & Swami Desikan --part 4

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • November 12, 1996 


Dear Friends : I need  a feedback from you .
Is this series too heavy ? Is it readable inspite of
many references to Sanskritic words and 
VaishNava Paribhaashaa? 

Should the language be simplified further ? 
Is it too much of a mumbo Jumbo ? 
Please let me know . I do not want 
to bore you to tears although the subject 
matter is profound and sacred
 ..
Thanks, V.Sadagopan

* * * * * * * * * * * * *  

Part 4 : I will cover the references to Daya in AzhwAr"s 
third  decad of Thiruvaimozhi in this posting. 

The third decad focuses on the fact that Sriman 
NarAyaNan , the means and the goal ( Upaaya Upeyan ) 
makes Himself easily  accessible to  bhakthAs through 
His Archa Avathaaram. Through His Archa rupam 
( presence at Temples as Consecrated Vigraham ) and  His 
Subhaasrayam ( Subham+ Aasrayam = that which is auspicious 
and is also within reach of meditation and enjoyment ) , permits 
us to enjoy Him readily . This is part of His Daya. He knows that 
His other states such as Param , Vyuham, Vibhavam and
Antharyaamitvam are not easily approachable by mere mortals
and hence out of His Daya and Anukampa for us He makes 
Himself available to us as ArchA rupi . He descends as it were to  
our plane of grasp and enjoyment .

Decad 3.3 and 3.6 are the sections that are connected to the 
Daya aspect of the Lord . 

Decad 3.3.1 ( OZHIVIL KAALAMELLAA M--) : The first Paasuram
starting with the words , "Ozhivil Kaalamellaam " is consideered 
the life breath of Sri VaishNava Sampradhaayam . Pages and pages
can be  written about it. This verse gets special attention from
Swami Desikan in the final chapter of Sri Rahasya Trya Saaram. 
Swami Desikan concludes that  those who respond to the Daya 
initiative of the Lord (of Thiruvenkatam ) would be blessed with 
" Sarva Desa , Sarva Kaala , Sarva Avasthochita , Sarva Vidha 
Kaimkaryas to the Lord ".
  
Dr .V.N. Vedantha Desikan's translation of this magnificient 
verse is as follows : " We, I , my heart , all my circle of people,
must go and stay close to the Lord of Thiruvenkatam and also 
serve Him all the time , without any gap, without a flaw, 
with no end in mind,except the service; the Lord who is of 
beautiful and brilliant form and who is the father of even our 
forefathers , to whom alone we are bound to be subservient ; 
the Lord who has taken the abode in the hill resounding with 
the voices, as if it were, that emanate from the falls and streams 
that make the place lovely and livable . I would say that this is 
the great goal of life that any one should cherish to uphold avidly
and unswervingly ."  

In 3.3.3 (ANNal Mayan--) : Here Azhwaar salutes the literally 
countless auspicious attributes of the Lord and hints that 
it is His daya and Sowlabhyam that stand out and make 
Him accessible to us readily .

In 3.3.4 ( Isan Vaanavarkku enban --) : Here Azhwaar points 
out that the Lord's unique trait of making Himself readily 
" accessible to the lowly and downtrodden , to the rustic 
forester and the nomadic tribal---to which class I belong , having no
merit-- -with which He has shown a doting love on me , 
endearing me that  way ----." 

In 3.3.5 , Azhwaar praises the "simplicity and the 
magnanimous grace " of the Lord of Thiruvenkatam
( the essence of Daya Sathakam ) and states that He
patiently stands on top of Thiruvenkatam hills waiting 
for Prapannas , unmindful of the merits or demerits 
of them. He is not satisfied even when a large number of 
those sought His refuge are redeemed . He waits for more
to grant  them the bliss of Moksham .

3.6.4 ( Vaimmin Num Manatthenru ) : Here , Azhwaar says 
that the Lord of Thiruvenkatam will show His grace (Daya )
to us even when we are unable to maintain an unmotivated ,
spontaneous love for Him.

3.6.7 ( Yezhumaikkum Yenathaavikku --) : Here , Azhwaar 
describes the Lord as His precious gem that nevertheless
condescends to the level of His dear ones due to his Daya 
and Anukampa for them . 

The two pointers that  Swami Desikan gives us regarding 
this decad are : (1) The Lord is Svecchaa Sevyakaaran
(The one who takes whatever form the Aasrithaas request )
and (2) Labhyaarcha Vibhavan ( The one who takes the form 
requested by the Aasrithaas and then blesses  them) . MaNavaaLa
Maamuni follows the line of thought of Swami Desikan and 
concludes that among the five states in which the Lord exists 
( Param, Vyuham, Vibhavam, Archaa and Antaryaami ) , He is
most readily  accessible  to us as Archaavatharan out of his 
magnanimous Daya (grace) .

Azhwaar Thiruvadigaleh SaraNam

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan