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Daya/Anukampaa/Kshamaa /KaruNaa et al -- Part 1

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • October 29, 1996 


Dear Members :

I have  been following with great interest the spirited
discussions on Swami Deskan's Daya Sathakam and the 
invigorating exchanges between Sri Sudharsan and 
Sri Yatachari and Sri Vijayaraghavan. As you might recall , 
I had the good  fortune of posting a few write ups on Daysa
sathakam earlier in the year before Sri Sudharsan joined the 
group . 

I would like to take another appraoach to Bhagavan's 
Gunam celebrated as Daya/Anukampaa /Kshamaa et al .
As it was rightfully observed , Swami Desikan is no casual 
user of words . He was also deeply influenced  by NammaZzhwAr's
Thiruvaimozhi . As a Ubaya Vedantha Acharya , he  established
Iykakantyam(Unison of thought ) betwen Sanskritic and Tamil Vedas . 
Through his profoundly illuminating works known as Dramidopanishad 
Taatparya RatnAvaLi , Dramidopanishd Saaram and other works in Tamil
dealing with Divya Prabhandhams , He has clearly brought out the  
central message of Nammazhwaar , who celebrated Bhagavan's 
daya Svarupam in the thousand plus verses of Thiruvaimozhi . 
The same approach has been taken by MaNavALa Maamunigal
in his Thiruvaimozhi Nurranthaadhi and and the the other work 
named Sri Bhashya Aagama Adhyadasaka Dvandhva Ika Kantyam .

Daya satakam celebrates Srinivasaanukampaa. Srinivasaa is
recognized as Dayaambhodhi and the Acharyaas as" Srinivasa
Dayaambhodhi pareevaha parampara ". The word Anukampaa means 
sympathy , compassion in the literal translation ( Vyankyaartham or 
Sakyaartham ) . The deeper meaning (Svaapadesam or Anyaapadesam )
however defies the simple meaning of compassion or sympathy  .
In his magnificient book " Aazhwaar ThiruvuLLam , my neighbor 
from Oppiliappan Koil Sannadhi Theru , Dr. V.N. Vedantha Desikan 
has summarized the meanings of Nammazhwaar's Thiruvaimozhi
verses according to the many commentators ( Idu ) and correlated them
with the works of Swami Desikan and MaNavALa maamunigal . This is
a set of two volumes published by Sri Vaishnavaa Research Center 
in 1994 and  1995 . I received them as  a present  during my recent 
visit to India for Sri Oppilappan's Ratnaangi/Mutthangi SamarpaNam
festivities in August. I am going through them and can not thank my
scholarly neighboe belonging to the great Vangipuram Navaneetham 
acharya Paramparai. These volumes ar erecommended to anyone,
who wants a serrious study of the subject of Nammazhwaar's Bhagavad
anubhavam of the auspicious KalyaNa Gunam celebrated as Dayaa
or Anukampaa . 

In the next few postings , I will summarize BRIEFLY the thoughts 
of Nammazhwaar on the subject of  Bhagavaan's Dayaa and 
their resonances in Swami Desikan's illustrious works . All of 
the discussions revert back to the three Mantraas that are unique to
Sri Vaishnavaas. Starting with PraNavam (A-U-M ) , the three constituting
letters symbolize in one intrepretation the creative , protective and 
samhaara aspect of the Lord's play. Anukampaa seems to belong to the 
deeply caring and protective aspect of Sriman NarayaNaa. He
protects , comes to our rescue in so many ways. Acharyas also have 
an important  role in us receiving that  protection  and Dayaa of the Lord 
since they unite the Jeevaathmaa with the Paramaathmaa through the 
performance of Baranyaasam for us . It has also been pointed out that 
the first letter of PraNavam , A, stands for demonstrating the Paramaatmaa
proving His Rakshakatvam as Avyaaja KaruNaamurthy . He protects us and 
brings us closer in so many ways that were described with joy by 
Nammazhwar in the mnay verses of his Thiruvaimozhi . 

I will illustrate them in the manner in which the name sake of Swami 
Desikan describes it in his master treatise , Azhwaar ThiruvuLLam
following the illustrious commentators belonging to our Acharya Paramparaa .

AKRUTHYAANAAM KARANAM KRUTHYAANAAM VARJANAM CHA MEH I
KSHAMASVA NIKILAM DEVA PRANATHAARTHIHARA PRABHO II

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan