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Dayaa Sathakam (61-70)

From the Bhakti List Archives

Skswami • August 6, 1998 


                     Srimaan Venkatanaathaaryaha kavithaarkika kesari|
                  Vedanthaachaaryavaryome sannidhaththaam sadhaa hrudi||


Dear Bhaagavathaas,

"Daivaadheenam jagathsarvam". God is the basis of all. And Love  is the basis
of God. How beautiful, blissful and peaceful it is 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 achaarya and to Sriya:
pathi, may I share the following summary translation with you, in postings
comprising about ten slokas at a time. (This posting includes slokams 61-70)

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, an
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.

Daasan
Sundararaghavan Krishnaswami Sarma
---------------------------------------------------------------

                                                 Dayaa Sathakam
                                                  (Slokams 61 - 70)

61.  (O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!) As soon as surrender is done, moksham
should be the result. Removal of avidya is moksham. Avidya is a fire that is
shaped like the face of a horse. Even the floods of pralaya cannot extinguish
it. But, one single wave from the ocean of Love (that you are)  puts out the
fire of avidya. 

62.  ( O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!) The "all-grabbing tendency" ("everything
for me" attitude) is terrible indeed. Only after giving up desires can one be
Godward-bound. After giving up desires, concerned that the heart may retain a
tinge of residual hardness and not become fully soft  even as the heart
regains its purity, they surrender to you with determination and stead-
fastness for succor and protection.

63.  (O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!) Your husband (Lord Venkatesa) who is a
swathanthran really becomes bound to others because of you. He is all-knowing,
but because of you He does not give importance to the sins of His devotees.
The Lord of Thirumala Hills is the Master of all the worlds, but because of
you He becomes a servant to others. Like this, you make the Lord dance to your
tune!

64.  (O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!) The Lord who provides refuge,  withheld
His promised anger at the Ocean King, the leader of all rivers; He dissolved
the anger of Parasurama in his own merits, corrected the behavior of the crow,
Jayantha - all because of  you. With your promptings, He discards the meting
out of punishment. Dictated by you, His actions are corrective rather than
punitive.

65.  (O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!) The Lord of Seven Hills is supreme and is
at the highest status. The king of Nishada, Guha, the king of monkeys,
Sugriva, Sabari who lived alone in the forest, Kuchela, the hunchback, the
gopis and the flower-vendor (decorator) were in a lowly state. But, in the
flood of Love that you are, the differences were wiped out and they were
raised to the level of divinity. This samathwam takes place entirely because
of you.

66.  (O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!) You have manifested in a cognizable and a
beautiful way  on Thirumala Hills! Brahma is happy at Sathyalokha because of
your Grace. The husband of Parvathi is living happily because of your Grace.
Indra, due to your Grace only, was victorious in the Devaasura war and is
protecting his kingdom.

67.  (O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!) The beauty of the Milk Ocean and the
Ocean of Nectar joining together is reflected in Lord Srinivasan embraced by
you. The LordÂ’s characteristics take on a special attribute (when saturated
with you). They give life to the dead. The auspicious ladies sing the gunas of
the Lord and the fragrance of this is like that of the sweet camphor. Even the
elders who have mastered their senses are attracted by the LordÂ’s gunas
(saturated with you).

68.  (O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!) Thiruvenkatamudaiyan is engaged in the
sport of creation, preservation and dissolution. For those who are devoted to
Him, He also opens the door to mukthi and waits by the door welcoming them in.
Both these opposing activities are done by the Fountain of Love that He is,
embraced by you. Hence the Vedas extol Him. 

69.  O The Daya Devi embellishing the Lord Srinivasan who is ever present with
Mahalakshmi! Your onslaught wipes out the confusion and sins of Kali yuga. You
embrace the noble and the downtrodden, as the flood pours over the hills and
valleys, equally and impartially. The falls on Thirumala Hill are a standing
proof for this. 

70.  (O The Love of Lord Venkatesa!) Saranaagathi (surrender) is a sheet of
cloth that covers all sins. People, when they surrender to you, bring only
their loads of sins as offering. But, you go forward to receive them ever so
lovingly! Lord Srinivasan asks, "Why this stupidity?" and points out their
sins one by one. But, you welcome publicly  those who surrender to you, in
complete view of all the good people living in Sruthanagaram (city of noble
souls).
                                       ____________________________

                              Kavithaarkika simhaaya kalyaana gunasaaline|
                           Srimathe Venkatesaya vedaantha guravennamaha||