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Sri Varadaraja Sthvam: part XXVI: SlOkm 15

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • November 21, 2001 


Dear Sri VaradarAja BhakthAs:

The 15th slOkam is one with deep connections to
the Isvara Tatthvam as established by Sri VaishNavite
doctrines. It has  been pointed out that Swamy Desikan
has quoted this slOkam twice in his commentary on
SaraNAgathi Gadhyam of AchArya RaamAnujA .This slOkam 
rebutts the views of those , who assert that the Lord
is Nirgunan (without auspicious attributes of any kind)
takes this form:

prakrushtam vign~am balamathulam isvaryam akhilam
 vimaryAdham veeryam Varadha! paramA sakthirapi cha
param tEjaschEthi pravara-guna shaDkam prathamajam
 guNAnAm nissImnAm gaNana-viguNAnAm prasavabhU:

(meaning): Oh VaradarAja PrabhO! Your most auspicious 
six guNams arose out of Your form as the First of Moorthys , 
Para VaasudEvan and became the birth place for 
the limitless derivative KalyANa GuNams .Your primary 
six guNams  are recognized as : Jn~Anam , Sakthi, Balam , 
Isvaryam , Veeryam and Tejas .

Commentary by SrivathsAnkAcchAr Swamy: There are those ,
who preach that You are NirvsEsha Brahmam and as such 
You are NirguNan. They try to destroy Your true status 
as "SaguNan and Anantha KalyANa GuNAkaran". This is 
ofcourse patently false propaganda. BhAshyakArar has
firmly established that You have Ubhaya Lingam based 
on the PramANams of ValmIki , ParAsarar , Sukha ,
Sounakar and other Maha Rishis. Sage ParAsarar has 
shown that the six kalyANa guNams behind the name of
Yours as BhagavAn is an elaboration of the two guNams,
(viz)., Jn~Anam and Sakthi.When we try to elaborate on
the six guNams , there are branches and branches of 
derivative kalyANa GuNams. It is impossible to list
all of these auspicious guNams.The Sri Sookthi known as
"ShADguNya VivEkam " explains that all of the limitless
kalyANa GuNams of the Lord fold into the primary hextad 
of GuNams .Swamy Desikan refers to this explanation 
and compares that relationship to the situation , where 
the whole world is held in the belly of the Lord during
the time of universal deluge:

tavAnantha guNasyApi shaDEva praTamE guNA:
yaisthvayEva jagath kukshou anyEpyanthar nivEsithA:

In this slOkam of KurEsar , there is a qualifier for 
each of the six primary GuNAs that arose from Para
VaasudEva Moorthy.:

1. Prakrushtam Vij~nAnam : The capacity to know 
every thing (Omniscience) that is far superior to
that of a Jeevan.

2. Athulam Balam: All pervasive and unstoppable
strength that can control and subdue every other power.

3. Akhilam Isvaryam: the all comprehensive Isvaryam
(VibhUthi) including LeelA and Nithya VibhUthi that
confers on Him the title of Ubhaya VibhUthi Naathan .

4. VimaryAdham Veeryam: Limitles valour .

5. ParamA sakthi: The supreme state as the power
behind the universe and its functioning .

6. Param Teja: The capacity to be the matchless
Supreme Radiance (Param JyOthi:, Svayam JyOthi:) 

The guNams exhibited by the Jeevans pale into insignificance
compared to the KalyANa GuNams of the Lord. For instance ,
the Jn~Anam shown by th eJeevans is alpam(insignificant), 
where as the Lord's Jn~Anam is VilakshaNam ( matchlessly 
superior).

The auspicious effects of the six guNams of the Lord on
the jeevans are linkable to the Lord's dhivyAthma
Svaroopam and Dhivya mangaLa Vigraham.The Jagath 
Srushti ( the creation of the world with its chEthanms
and achEthanams) , RakshaNam (protection ), VinAsam
(destruction ), conferral of true Jn~Anam and finally
the blessings of MokshAnugraham are manifestations 
of the six guNAs in action.      

Sri SrinivAsa Varadha TaatAchAr Swamy of Kaanchi
has elaborated further on these GuNams of Lord
VaradarAjan as experienced by Swamy Desikan in 
His Sri VaradarAja PanchAsath . In  a brilliant
monograph entitled Sri VaradarAja GuNAmrutha 
Vaibhavam , Sri TatAchAr Swamy ,  a direct disciple of
Thirupputkkuzhi Sri Nrusimha TaatArya MahA Desikan ,
identifies TEN auspicious GuNams of the Lord with 
emphasis on the GuNam celebrated as KaruNai or DayA.

These ten guNams identified are: (1) KaruNai/Compassion
(2) Soulabhyam/Ease of access)(3) Souseelyam 
(4)Vaathsalyam/affection(5)Kruthaj~nathvam/acceptance 
of adiyAr's little efforts to worship Him as big efforts  
(6) Sarvaj~nathvam /Omniscience(7) Sarva
Sakthithvam /power to accomplish whatever He
has resolved to accomplish (8) Sathya Sankalpathvam/
unalterable in pursuit of the vows made by Him 
(9) Pari-Poornathvam /abode of all wealth and bliss 
(10) ParamOdhArathvam/matchless generosity .

Swamy Desikan describes Lord VaradarAjan as 
"kOpi KaaruNya Raasi:" . Swamy Desikan gives
prominence to Lord Varadhan's karuNai just as He did 
highlight the DayA aspects of ThiruvenkadamudayAn
in His Dayaa Sathakam . The "kOpi" qualifier
for the KaruNai of BhagavAn is to remind one
of its incomparable nature (Vilakshanam).

This auspicious attribute of KaruNai helps us
to have the confidence in Him as our Protector
at the appropriate moment.When Lord's KaruNai propels
Him to have the Sankalpam to protect us , no force
in the Universe can oppose that Sankalpam . RakshaNam
will come to be. KarUnai energizes His sakthi and 
vice versa. Without Sakthi, KaruNai can not accomplish
any thing; without karuNai, Sakthi can not lead to
MangaLams .

The name of PeraruLALan for Lord VaradharAjan  
suggests that He is the embodiment of this KaruNai gunam .
We can not see the GuNam of karuNai , but we can
enjoy it with our eyes as the Archai ThirumEni of 
Lord VradharAjan standing on top of Hasthi Giri. 
He is Sarva Phala-Pradhan ( blesses us with all 
what we seek all the way upto Moksha anugraham ).

"Kalayathu kusalam na: kOpi KaaruNyarAsi:"

Sri VardarAja ParabrahmaNE Nama:
Daasan, Oppiliappan Koil V.SaThakOpan



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