Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Experiencing Swami Desika - 43

From the Bhakti List Archives

Praveena • October 30, 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:

"SrimAn VenaktanAthArya: kavithArkika kEsarI!
VedAnthAchArya varyO mE sannidhatthAM sadhA hrudhi"!!

We saw devotees holding different opinions on
Swami Desika's avataara. Shri Kumara Varadarya states
this in his Desika mangalaasAsana, thus:

"Venkatesavataroyam tad gantam so:thava bhavet
yatindramso thaveityevam Vitarkyayastu mangalam!"

"May all auspiciousness be with Sri Vedanta Desika
about whom different views were held that he was
an incarnation of Lord Venkatesa or he was his bell,
incarnate or a part of Acharya Sri Ramanuja
himself"

We see that there are different opinions on
Swami Desika's avataaram. Well, but the bottom line
on which all the devotees agree is that there has
been nobody equal to our Swami!

Our Swami, right from his child hood days has shown
mastery in all his learning's. Swami was like sage Vyasa
himself in the knowledge of Vedas with its various
methods of recitation like Jata - Varna and Carca,
and of the Kalpa sutras dealing with the conduct
of rituals. In addition to the Vedas Swami studied
the tarka and mImAmsa. Swami Desika acquired mastery
over other systems of Philosophy Viz.
Sankya and Yoga, Dvaita and Advaita, Bhaskara and
Pasupata, Bauddha and Jaina.

In Sapta Ratna MAlika there is a mention about
Swami Desika's knowledge. Let us have a glimpse
of it:

"BharadvAja shAndilyahArItamukhya
 smrutistOmasuksmArthanirNItidasha:!
purAnAgamAdishvasAdhAraNasrI:
 sutO bhAti lOkeshvanantAyasoore:!!"

-- Sapta Ratna MAlika (27)

There are subtle thoughts in the Various smiritis
written by Bharadvaja, Sandilya, Harita and others.
Swami Desika's expertise is evident from his proper
and most appropriate interpretations. Not just this,
Swami's mastery over the Puraanas and Agamaas is
matchless.

"JyotishchandashshabdashAstra pravINa:
 kAvyasheNi nAtakAlankrutijna:!
mImAmsAyAm brahmakarmAtmikAyAm
 srastA saakshat sarvatantrasvatantra:!!"

-- Sapta Ratna MAlika (28)


He had an extraordinary skill in the sciences of astrology,
prosody and grammar and was perfectly acquainted with epic,
poetry, drama and poetics. He was the creator as it were,
of the Karma-Mimamsa and Brahma-Mimamsa.

"SAnkhye yOge bhAttatantrO gurukte
shaive jaine shAnkare bhAskarE cha!
shastre bauddhe yaadave garvitAnAm
pratyAkyAtA sarvatantrasvatantra:!!"

-- Sapta Ratna MAlika (29)


Swami was all victorious by refuting the arguments
of those belonging to various other schools of
thought like sankhya and yoga, Dvaita and Advaita,
Bhaskara and Pasupata, Bauddha and Jaina.


All this our Swami was able to do even before he
was twenty years old. Swami Desika has himself stated
this in Sankalpa Sooryodayam. Isn't this Divine!!!

"Kavi Taarkika Simhaaya Kalyaana guna SaalinE!
SrimatE VenkateshAya VedAnta Gurave nama !!"

...To be continued!


dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi
30th Oct 1999