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Experiencing Swami Desika - 5

From the Bhakti List Archives

Praveena • June 10, 1999 


SrI:
Shrimate Shri Lakshmi Nrusimha Parabrahmane Namaha:
Shrimate Shri Seetha Ramachandra Parabrahmane Namaha:
Shrimate Shri Ramanujaya Namaha:
Shrimate Nigamantha Maha Desikaya Namaha:
Shrimate Shrivan Satagopa Shri Narayana Yateendra Mahadesikaya Namaha:

Swami's humility is beyond compare. As we saw in the
very first posting, Swami was named "Vedanthacharya"
by Sriya Pathi.

Swami Desika himself says

Visvasmin nama-rupani anuvihitavata tena devena dattam
Vedantacharya-samjnam avahita bahuvit-sartham anvarthayami!!
-- Adikarana Saravali

"The supreme lord Sri Ranganatha, who created the forms
and gave the names to all the things in the universe,
conferred on me this appellation 'Venkatacharya', and
here is an attempt of mine to make that title significant
and meaningful by writing this poem Adhikaarana saraavali
(the garland of essentials of the adhikaaranas, which is
a Digest of the teachings of Brahma sutras)".

Swami continued to work relentlessly to establish
our Sampradaya. Our Azhagiya Singar mentioned
that Swami Desika wanted to do justice to the title
conferred by Sri Ranganatha. He did not want Our Lord
to be blamed by anybody for having given such great titles
to undeserving personalities and hence strived to ensure
that he stood to the expectations and directions of our
Lord. Our Azhagiya Singar further added that Swami
Desika would be the only one who would have been
conferred a title and then worked for it.

Swami had the greatest blessing from our lord
Sriya Pathi and had paripoorana Lakshmi kataksham.
In the first part of the Sloka below Swami says that the
whole world called him as Vedantha vaariyan.

vEN periya virithiraineer vaiyatthuLLE
Vedaantha vaariyan enRu iyambha ninROm
naam periyOm allOm; naam nanRum theedhum
namakku uraipparuLar enRu naaduvOmE

In the second part of the paasuram Swami says
that he is still a humble person and would approach
elders who are there to tell us what is right and what's
wrong.

Swami Desika emphasises on Bhagavata Kaimkaryam
in his Purushartha kasthadikaram.  Swami says it is not
enough if we do Bagavad kaimkaryam we must do
Bhagavata kaimkaryam.

Swami was categorical in stating that Bhagavata
Kaimkaryam is of utmost importance - even higher than
Bagavat Kaimkaryam. Swami was convinced that Bagavat
Kataksham can be obtained by doing Bhagavata
Kaimkaryam itself.

Shatrugnalwar and Madhurakavi alwar did only Bhagavata
kaimkaryam and had complete Bhagavad kataksham.

It is difficult to comprehend our Swami's over whelming
devotion to Shri Ramanuja. In fact, Swami repents not
having been a direct sishya of Shri Ramanuja.

Swami felt that his works on Padhuka Devi attributes to
accomplishment of his Janma. Here, Swami refers Paduka to
Shri Nammalvar and has written 1000 paasurams on
Shri Nammalvar.

Swami Desika spoke on Nammalvar, that's o.k, but
isn't it exciting to note that Nammalvar has also
mentioned about Swami Desika?!


.......later

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi
10th Jun 1999