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Daya Sathakam (21-30)

From the Bhakti List Archives

Skswami • August 1, 1998 


                  Srimaan Venkatanaathaaryaha kavithaarkika kesari|
           Vedanthaachaaryavaryome sannidhaththaam sadhaa hrudhi||


Dear Bhaagavathaas,

"Dhaivaadheenam jagathsarvam". God is the basis of all. And Love  is the basis
of God. How beautiful, blissful and peaceful is it to experience this love!
Our dearest Swami Desikan gives a glimpse of his experience in Daya Sathakam.
With my most humble and loving  namaskaarams to the acharya and to Sriya:
pathi, may I share the following summary translation with you, in postings
comprising about ten slokas at a time. (This posting covers slokas 21-30)

The translation is based on the commentary and explanations by Sri Srinivasa
Raghavacharyar Swami, published in the Tamil book, Daya Sathakam, by the Sri
Desika Dharsana Sabhai, Villivaakkam, Madras. Sri Srinivasa Raghavacharyar
Swami says that the Daya Sathakam is a sastra, sthothra, poem, painting,
endless spring of water and an illumining light. My prayers to Sriman Narayana
for everyone of us to follow in the footsteps of our acharyas,  practice what
they illustrated with their conduct and experience the Love of the Lord
(rasovai saha) that they experienced.

All errors are your humble servantÂ’s.

Dhaasan
Sundararaghavan Krishnaswami Sarma
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                                                    Daya Sathakam 
                                                     (Slokas: 21-30)

21.  Your manifestation is so timely! The earth receives plenty of water, the
crops grow healthily and the farmer is immensely happy.

22.  The Lord of Anjanadhri shines as the moon. His very Form is like the
nectar obtained when the Milk Ocean was churned (because a darshan of His Form
cures all ills). This Form is an aspect of you, (O The Love of Lord
Venkatesa!), the same Love that produced  Mahalakshmi from the Ocean of Milk.
(Note: the Milk Ocean, the churning and the Divine Form are all aspects of the
Love only).

23.  Just as it is natural for the sea-water to be tepid, Love is the natural
quality of Thiruvenkatamudaiyan. This love, being natural to the Lord, changes
His awe-inspiring Dance of Dissolution to the tender act of  Creation.

24.  The LordÂ’s anger at the people who oppose those who have surrendered to
Him knows no bounds. However, (O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!), this anger is
your slave and at your behest, it becomes corrective rather than punitive (as
in weeding the garden).

25.  BhagavanÂ’s gunas are not inherently free to act as they please. Although,
they are par excellence, they can mete out punishment in a trice. Fully aware
of this, the devotees surrender to you, O the Love of Lord Venkatesa, who are
ever-fully showering your protective grace.

26.  O the Love of Lord Venkatesa! The husband of Lakshmi becomes the fountain
of grace because of you. A deeper analysis shows that you are really devoid of
love! The sins of those who have surrendered to you are mortally afraid of you
(because you swallow all their sins so fast!)

27.  (O the Love of Lord Venkatesa!)The Lord of Vrishachala becomes angry at
those who repeatedly violate the commands of dharma. But embracing you again
and again, He forgives them.

28.  O The Love of Lord Venkatesa! There is no repentance adequate to offset
my sins. Sympathizing with this, the Lord Venkateswara, wearing you as armor
and carrying the bow called Saarngam, has taken abode on the Venkatachala
Hills, the home of Victory. 

29.  (O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!) IÂ’m foremost among the sinners. You are
searching for others who have committed far fewer sins. Their sins do not
provide adequate food for you. With inadequate nourishment like this, how will
you, who has married the husband of Lakshmi, survive? (Love lives by
forgiving. The more it forgives, the stronger the love is. "Come, feed on my
plentiful sins and be healthy" says the Acharya!)

30.  O The Love of Lord Venkatesa! IÂ’m the lord of the group of sinners. You
are the queen of gunas. Make me grasp the Lotus Feet of the Lord of Thirumala
Hills. 
                                       ______________________-

                           Kavithaarkika simhaaya kalyaana guna saaline|
                         Srimathe Venkatesaya vedaantha guravennamaha||