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Sri Vegaa Sethu Stotram-- Part 4

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • October 27, 1996 


Verse 7 : Maalini metre

prasamitha hayamedha vyaapadam padma Yoneh:
sritha jana paratantram sesha bhogeh sayaanam I
saraNamupagathaa: sma: saantha: Nisseshadhosham 
satamaNisethum saasvatham vegavatyaa: II

The Archa murthy at Thiruvehhaa is under the control of 
those , who approach Him and surrender unto Him. No
Dhosham or imperfection can approach Him. He is blemishless.
On the middle of the river Vegavathi , he rests on Adiseshaa like a dam 
constitued by blue gem stones with his beautiful bluish hue . Resting thus,
He saved the yajnam of Brahma from the impending danger . May we 
approxach this Lord of many kalyANa gunams and offer our SaraNAgathi 
and be saved !  

Verse 8 : Maalini Metre 

saraNamupagathaanaam soyamaadesakAri
samayathi parithaapam sammukha : sarva janthO: I
sataguna pariNama: samnidhaou yasya nityam 
vara vitaraNa bhumA VarAnAdhreesvarasya II 

The Lord of Thiruvehha is the  one , who follows the wishes of 
those doing prapatthi to Him. He banishes the sorrow of 
His devotees and all of those assoicated with them . He appears 
before them for that purpose . Only because of His appearance 
first to protect Brahma's Yajnam , Sri Varadaraja came out of the 
sacrificial fire and stayed on the top of Atthigiri to give boons to 
all who worship Him. He is indeed the cause of Varadan, 
the boon giver's appearance on this earth . 

There are two ways in which BhagavAn protects the chetanAs. 
In one way , He removes the obstacles that they face; in the  other way ,  
He gives them the fruits of their penance through His  boon-granting
power . As YathokthakAri , He responds to those who offer Prapatthi 
to Him by the first way. Varadarajan responds in the complimentary ,
second way and concentrates on the boon-giving activity. Varadarajan"s
work is made lighter thanks to YathokthakAri"s taking  the load off
Varadaraja by destroying the sufferings of the Prapannaas first .
 As a result of that special activity of YathokthakAri , Varadarajan 
becomes one hundred pervent  more effectictive in His area of 
specialty (viz )., boon-giving to those , who perform SaraNAgathi to Him . 
Varadaraja's glory thus gets multiplied thanks to YathokthakAri.

Here Swami Desikan says that YatokthakAri is SARANAM 
UPAGATHAANAAM AADESAKAARI (I-E)., He follows the orders of 
those , who perform Saranagathi at His holy feet. He comes in
front of them (SAAMUKHA: ) AND DESTROYS THEIR SUFFERINGS
( PARITHAAPAM SAMAYATHI ). Because of YathokthakAri "s proximity ,
Varadaraja"s ( VARANAADHRI ISWARASYA ) glory as  a boon -granting
Lord (VARA VITARANA BHOOMA ) MULTIPLIES A HUNDRED FOLD
ALWAYS. 

Verse 9: Mandaakranthaa metre

Kanchee Bhagyam kamala nilayA chetasO abhishta siddhi:
kalyAnAnAm nidhiravikala: kopi kArunyarAsi : I
puNyAnAm na: pariNathirasou bhooshayan bhogisayAm
vegaasethurjayathi vipulO viswarakshaikahetu : II

The describtion of the Lord of ThiruvehhA as the embodiment of 
the fortune of the district of Kaanchipuram is given by Swami Desikan 
here. He states that the Lord took archaa form here to fulfill the wishes of 
His consort , who is concerned about the erring chetanAs and is keen on
directing them to the right way  to get the boon of  Moksham from Her Lord. 
The Lord of Thiruvehha appears like the ripened  fruit of the chetana's 
punyam . YatokthakAri  is the house of all auspicious 
guNAs. He is the ocean of mercy intent on saving the suffering 
chetanAs. Such a magnanimous and merciful Lord rests on 
His bed of Adisesha at Thiruvehhaa and beautifies Adisesha through
his assoication .  

Verse 10 : Anushtub Metre

vegasethOridam stotram Venkatesaena nirmitham I
yeh patanteh janAstheshAm yathoktham kuruteh Hari : II

This Vegaa Sethu stotram was composed by poet Venkatesa. 
Those , who recite it with devotion will get their wishes fulfilled 
by the Lord of ThiruvehhA . True to His words " I will protect 
the Prapannas, who seek refuge in me " as Rama and " I will 
relieve you of all sins " as KrishNa, the Lord of Thiruvehha will
protect the Chetanas , who offer Prapatthi unto Him. 

KAVITHAARKIKA SIMHAAYA KLAYANA GUNA SAALINEH I
SRIMATEH VENKATESAAYA VEDANTHA GURAVEH NAMA: II

SRIMATEH NIGAMAANTHA MAHAA DESIKAAYA NAMA: 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan