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Sri Stuthi-9

From the Bhakti List Archives

muralidhar rangaswamy • February 6, 1998 


Dear Friends,

I shall continue the Sri Stuthi series in this post with a summary of 
verses 17-19. 

17. ShrEyaskAmA: KamalanilayE ChitramAmnAyavAchAm
    ChUdApIdam Tava Padayugam ChetasA DhArayanta: I
    ChatraChhayAsuBhagashirasschAmarasmErapArshvA: 
    ShlAGhAshabdhashravaNamuditA: StragviNa: Sancharanti II

In the previous verses Swami Desikan has extolled the benefits accruing 
to Artha Janas on account of the merciful glances of Thayar. 
In this verse, Swami Desikan describes the eternal glory that awaits 
these blessed folks who have become the beneficiaries of Her grace.  

Those desirous of fame are forever engaged in contemplation of your 
lotus feet which adorn the Vedams (at their head) through the 
salutations of the Upanishads. In turn their praises are sung around 
the world and they are engaged in contemplation of you while hearing 
their glories being thus sung, along with the marks of a royal umbrella, 
fan and garlands.

There are two types of fruits that one can get. The first is Shreya and 
the other is Preya. The foremost benefit of 
either kind can be obtained only through a glorification of Mahalakshmi 
Thayar. Swami Desikan describes the fruit of Shreya in this verse. In 
India, guests of honor are accorded the utmost 
respect and welcomed to the accompaniment of the royal umbrella and 
fan. They are then adorned with garlands of flowers and their praises 
are sung by all assembled. Here Swami Desikan refers to this honor 
through the salutation "SragviNa: Sancharanti"     

18. UrIkartum Kushalamakhilam JEtumAdInarantIn 
    DUrIkartum Duritanivaham TyaktumAdyAmavidyAm I
    Amba StambAvaDhikajananagrAmasImAntarEKhAm 
    AlambantE VimalamanasO VishNukAntE DayAm TE II

Erudite ones of blemishless intellect crave only for your mercy which 
resembles a village that knows no boundaries (GrAma SeemAnta Rekha)
and try to become its beneficiaries in many ways so that they may 
attain all fame and glory, overcome the enemies arising from the body
(Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada and MAtsarya-The reference here is 
to the association with Samsara), destroy their sins as a result of 
Samsaric association, absolve themseleves of association with Prakruti 
as a result of which they are steeped in ignorance, and for release from 
the cycle of birth and death (Moksham). 

This salutation is motivated by Sri Ramanujacharya's Sri Ranganatha 
Gadyam salutation where in a mood of Naichyanusandanam, he declares that 
he is full of bad qualities and as a result of his associtation 
with Prakruti (which is a mixture of the TriguNas), he is inextricably 
bound to SamsAra by the rope of Karma and does not possess the knowledge 
to overcome this bondage of Karma which results in an 
endless cycle of birth and death. (Tila Tailavat.....Karma PAsha 
Pragratita: is the important ChoorNika). Sri Ramanujacharya then 
seeks the grace of the Lord ever associated with Sri, who is a boundless 
ocean of mercy, to overcome the bondage of Karma and obtain 
Moksham.
      
In this verse, Swami Desikan glorifies this aspect of the Divine Couple 
and points out that only the mercy of the Divind Couple is 
responsible for both Anishta Nivrutti and Ishta PrApti. Therefore, 
it is the most sought after blessing by those who have the intellect to 
discern this. This is a mirror image of the Daya Shatakam salutation 
Deenalambana Divya Dampati Daya Kallolakolahala 

19. JAtAkAnkshA Janani YuvayOrEkasEvADhikArE 
    MayAlIDam ViBhavamaKhilam ManyamAnAstruNAya I
    PrEtyaI VishNOstava cha Krutina: PrItimantO BhajantE
    VElABhangaprashamanaphalam Vaidikam Dharma Setum II  

Prapannas derive great happiness in engaging in exclusive  
service of Perumal and Thayar and doing everything that pleases the 
Divine couple. They recognize the worthless nature of all other 
things emanating from Maya (material wealth, gratification of the senses 
etc.). They perform their prescribed VarNAshrama duties 
in accordance with the Sastras only because it pleases Perumal and 
Thayar. To help them overcome any obstacles and impediments in 
their pursuits, they receive your grace on in the form of a bridge of 
Dharma. 

It is instructive to note the use of Dharma Setu in this salutation. 
Swami Desikan describes Thayar's grace and mercy as the bridge of 
Dharma which enables Prapannas to perform their prescribed duties 
(solely to please the Divine Couple) and cross the ocean of Samsara. 
Samsara is an endless ocean of sin and one steeped in this ocean 
has no escape from the cycle of birth and death. However, Prapannas 
recognize that their Purushartha is to be constantly be engaged in 
service of the Divine couple and Bhagavatas. Consequently, even in their 
earthly existence, they perform acts only to please the Lord 
and his consort. At the end of their earthly life, they reach 
Sri Vaikuntam, where they are blessed with SAmeepyam (eternal residence 
beside the Lord) and SalOkyam (attaining VishNu Lokam) 
and enjoy constant bliss. All of this is possible only due to the 
mercy of Periya Piratti. This aspect of Thayar is glorified as the 
bridge that enables Prapannas to cross the ocean of Samsara.

The Vega Setu Stotram too contains a similar salutation. This 
has been discussed in considerable detail in this forum. Interested 
readers may browse the archives for these discussions. 

Samasta JananIm VandE Chaitanya StanyadAyineem 
ShrEyaseem SrinivAsasya KaruNamiva RUpiNeem

Namo Narayana

Muralidhar Rangaswamy

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