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SAtvika AhamkAram 4.02: "DO YOU NEED NAME & FAME?

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Ramanbil • November 22, 1999 


SwAmi VedAnta Desika's "NaichyAnusanthAnam"
and "SAtvika AhamkAram"
(as gleaned from his StOtras)
Part 4. SAtvika AhamkAram
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Dear Bhagavatas
Your kind attention is invited to the Introduction to this Part posted on 
21st November 99 to appreciate this posting better and in the proper 
perspective.
(Anbil Ramaswamy)
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SAtvika AhamkAram 4.02:
"DO YOU NEED NAME & FAME? 
HERE IS THE MAGIC FORMULA! 
COME! TAKE IT AND COVER YOURSELF WITH GLORY!"
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VidhyO dhanvathi vEnkaTEswara kavou jAtham jagan mangaLam
DEvEsasya DasAvatAra vishayam stOtram vivEkshitha yah: /
VaktrE thasya saraswathee bahu mukhee bhaktih parA mAnasE
Suddhih kApi thanou disAsu dasasu khyAthih: subhA jrumbhathE //
(DasAvatAra StOtram SlOkam 13)

Meaning
"I am Poet VenkaTeswara, verily the ocean of all arts (vidyas). 

This poem about the 10 AvatAras of Lord RanganAtha, the Lord of all Lords, 
emanated from me through the grace of the same Lord. 

This will bring happiness and splendor to the entire world. 
(Jagan mangaLam)

Anyone entertaining even an inclination or a mere desire to recite this 
StOtram will experience-
· proficiency in speech (vaktrE tasya saraswathee bahumukhee)
· devotion in mind  (bhakthih parA mAnasE)
· physical purity and beauty (Suddhih kApi thanou) and
· name and fame in all the 10 directions of the world (disAsu dsasu khyAthih 
subhA jrumbathE)

Comment:
In the just previous SlOkam, SwAmi described all the 10 AvatAras of the Lord 
with unique adjectives for each one of them thus:
1. IchchA meena : He took the form of a fish by His mere Sankalpam
2. VihAra kachchapa: He took the form of a tortoise just playfully
3. MahApOtrin: He took the form of a mammoth wild boar
4. YadruchchA harEh: He unexpectedly barged out in the form of Lion-man
5. RakshA VAmana: He took the form of a dwarf with intent to protect
6. ROsha RAma: He took the form of ParasurAma, the ferocious
7. KaruNA kAkustha: He took the merciful form of Lord Rama
8. HElAhalin: He took the form of the wielder of the plough, Lord ParasurAma
9. KreeDA vallabha: he took the form of Lord KrishNa, the playboy
10. Kalka vAhana dasA kalkin: the apocalyptic kalki mounted on the white 
horse.
As a grand finale, SwAmi beckons all of us to recite this StOtra, if we 
desire to acquire effective speech, absolute devotion, purity in body and 
above all name and fame in every quarter. 

Please note that the very thought of the 10 AvatAras leading one to fame in 
all the 10 directions of the universe.

What more one would want in this life? 
He guarantees all these.
In return for what?
For even a mere "desire to recite", not even "actually reciting!"
The SwAmi implies that even for material wellness- 
"Here is the panacea!"

 It is believed that reciting this StOtra is equivalent to propitiating the 
nine planets (Nava grahas). 
Actually, ParamaikAmtins do not seek to propitiate the Navagrahas because 
they are just creatures and servants of the Lord. 
When the Lord is pleased, they are powerless to go against His pleasure.

Another message of SwAmi seems to be that since a "mere desire" to recite is 
capable of conferring all the blessings listed,  even kids and illiterate 
folks (who may not understand the meanings of the SlOkas) can "desire" to 
recite and this very "desire" would bestow on them all the above benefits.
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To follow: AhamkAram 4.03:
DO YOU WANT TO ASCEND THE STEPS UP TO PARAMAPADAM?
FOLLOW ME. I WILL TAKE YOU THERE!"
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