Daya and Anukampa : NammazhwAe & Swami Desikan --part 4
From the Bhakti List Archives
• November 12, 1996
Dear Friends : I need a feedback from you . Is this series too heavy ? Is it readable inspite of many references to Sanskritic words and VaishNava Paribhaashaa? Should the language be simplified further ? Is it too much of a mumbo Jumbo ? Please let me know . I do not want to bore you to tears although the subject matter is profound and sacred .. Thanks, V.Sadagopan * * * * * * * * * * * * * Part 4 : I will cover the references to Daya in AzhwAr"s third decad of Thiruvaimozhi in this posting. The third decad focuses on the fact that Sriman NarAyaNan , the means and the goal ( Upaaya Upeyan ) makes Himself easily accessible to bhakthAs through His Archa Avathaaram. Through His Archa rupam ( presence at Temples as Consecrated Vigraham ) and His Subhaasrayam ( Subham+ Aasrayam = that which is auspicious and is also within reach of meditation and enjoyment ) , permits us to enjoy Him readily . This is part of His Daya. He knows that His other states such as Param , Vyuham, Vibhavam and Antharyaamitvam are not easily approachable by mere mortals and hence out of His Daya and Anukampa for us He makes Himself available to us as ArchA rupi . He descends as it were to our plane of grasp and enjoyment . Decad 3.3 and 3.6 are the sections that are connected to the Daya aspect of the Lord . Decad 3.3.1 ( OZHIVIL KAALAMELLAA M--) : The first Paasuram starting with the words , "Ozhivil Kaalamellaam " is consideered the life breath of Sri VaishNava Sampradhaayam . Pages and pages can be written about it. This verse gets special attention from Swami Desikan in the final chapter of Sri Rahasya Trya Saaram. Swami Desikan concludes that those who respond to the Daya initiative of the Lord (of Thiruvenkatam ) would be blessed with " Sarva Desa , Sarva Kaala , Sarva Avasthochita , Sarva Vidha Kaimkaryas to the Lord ". Dr .V.N. Vedantha Desikan's translation of this magnificient verse is as follows : " We, I , my heart , all my circle of people, must go and stay close to the Lord of Thiruvenkatam and also serve Him all the time , without any gap, without a flaw, with no end in mind,except the service; the Lord who is of beautiful and brilliant form and who is the father of even our forefathers , to whom alone we are bound to be subservient ; the Lord who has taken the abode in the hill resounding with the voices, as if it were, that emanate from the falls and streams that make the place lovely and livable . I would say that this is the great goal of life that any one should cherish to uphold avidly and unswervingly ." In 3.3.3 (ANNal Mayan--) : Here Azhwaar salutes the literally countless auspicious attributes of the Lord and hints that it is His daya and Sowlabhyam that stand out and make Him accessible to us readily . In 3.3.4 ( Isan Vaanavarkku enban --) : Here Azhwaar points out that the Lord's unique trait of making Himself readily " accessible to the lowly and downtrodden , to the rustic forester and the nomadic tribal---to which class I belong , having no merit-- -with which He has shown a doting love on me , endearing me that way ----." In 3.3.5 , Azhwaar praises the "simplicity and the magnanimous grace " of the Lord of Thiruvenkatam ( the essence of Daya Sathakam ) and states that He patiently stands on top of Thiruvenkatam hills waiting for Prapannas , unmindful of the merits or demerits of them. He is not satisfied even when a large number of those sought His refuge are redeemed . He waits for more to grant them the bliss of Moksham . 3.6.4 ( Vaimmin Num Manatthenru ) : Here , Azhwaar says that the Lord of Thiruvenkatam will show His grace (Daya ) to us even when we are unable to maintain an unmotivated , spontaneous love for Him. 3.6.7 ( Yezhumaikkum Yenathaavikku --) : Here , Azhwaar describes the Lord as His precious gem that nevertheless condescends to the level of His dear ones due to his Daya and Anukampa for them . The two pointers that Swami Desikan gives us regarding this decad are : (1) The Lord is Svecchaa Sevyakaaran (The one who takes whatever form the Aasrithaas request ) and (2) Labhyaarcha Vibhavan ( The one who takes the form requested by the Aasrithaas and then blesses them) . MaNavaaLa Maamuni follows the line of thought of Swami Desikan and concludes that among the five states in which the Lord exists ( Param, Vyuham, Vibhavam, Archaa and Antaryaami ) , He is most readily accessible to us as Archaavatharan out of his magnanimous Daya (grace) . Azhwaar Thiruvadigaleh SaraNam Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan
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