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Pleadings-Posting - 4 (2.12 to 2.14)

From the Bhakti List Archives

Ramanbil • October 4, 1999 


SwAmi VEdAnta DEsika's "NaichyAnusanthAnam" and "SAtvika ThyAgam "
(As gleaned from his StOtras.) - Part 2- Swami pleads
Pleadings-Posting - 4 (2.12 to 2.14)
Anbil Ramaswamy
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[As already mentioned in the Introduction, the NaichyAnusanthAnam is 
applicable to us only and NOT to Swami Desika, we have to substitute 
ourselves wherever Swami Desika extrapolates these to himself] 
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2.12. "WHITEWASH THE WALLS!"
 
 gana karuNArasoughaparithApaharAm
 nayanamahaschaTAm mayi tharangaya rangapathE /
 duritha huthAsana spuritha durdhama duhkamashee
 malinithaviswa soudhadurapahnava vara sudhAm //
 (NyAsa Thilakam SlOkam 8)

 Meaning
 Oh! Tiruvaranga PerumAnE!
 When there is a conflagration, the flames of the fire rage high leaving 
black soot to settle on the walls of high rise buildings spoiling their 
beauty. White lime (ChunnAm) is mixed with water sufficient for obtaining 
adequate consistency with which to whitewash the walls and renovate them. 

The sins of people is like the fire; the grief arising from them is the black 
soot that sticks to the walls like black collyrium; the world mansion that is 
so darkened represents the high rise building. Your glance (kaTAksham) filled 
with karunA that wipes out this unsightly soot is the white lime; your mercy 
is the water that makes for the consistency. Due to limitless sins this world 
is totally blackened. Only if your benign glance falls on this world, would 
this indelible soot be erased."

 Comment:
Self explanatory. This SlOka is found also in Sankalpa SooryOdhayam in Act VI
 
2.13. " I AM A JANTU!"

deepas tvamEva jagathAm dayithA ruchis thE
dheergham thama: prathinivarthayam idham yuvAbhyAm /
sthavyam sthava priyamatha: saronOkthi vasyam
sthOthum bhavanthamabhilashyathi janthuresha: //
(SaraNAgathi Deepikai SlOkam 3)

 Meaning
" Oh! VilakkoLi PerumAnE!
You are the beacon light of the world. All that shine does so because you 
bestow light on them. Periya PirAtti who is inseparable from you stands as 
the luster of your light. This world is steeped in darkness of ignorance for 
long without a beginning and without an end. Only you two can dispel this 
darkness of agnAna, anyathA-gnAna and vipareetha-gnAna. I know the secret 
that you become delighted at the casual mention of the word SaraNa signifying 
surrendering to you and remove ignorance of JeevAs forthwith. I am one such 
janthu. You have to remove my ignorance and bestow light of knowledge"

Comment:
The word 'Janthu' which means a living creature is deliberately used to 
indicate his NaichyAnusanthAnam.

That ThAyAr is the luster for the light can be seen from Sri Rama's words 
"ananyA hi mayA sita bhAskarENa prabhA yathA" and Sri Sita's words 
"ananyA rAghavENAham bhAskarENa prabhA yathA".

"DhEErgham thamah" has been referred to in the Upanishad statement 
"ThamasO mA jyOtir gamaya". 

BhAshyakArar also says that the Divya Dhampatis rejoice on hearing the word 
"SaraNAgathi" in AnumAnadhikaranam (1-4-4) thus- 
"thasya cha vaseekaraNam tad CharaNAgathirEva"

The following famous SlOka supports this luster of the light.
"Na tatra sooryo bhAthi na chandra thArakam 
neEmA vidyuto bhAnthi kuthOyam agnih
ThmEva bhAntham anubhAthi sarvam 
tasya bhAsa sarvamidham vibhAti"
Meaning
Neither the Sun nor the moon nor the stars nor lightning shine on their own, 
not to speak of fire. All these shine because of the radiance of the Lord"

2.14. " I AM A PARROT!"

samrakshaneeyamamarAdhipatE tvayaiva
dhooram prayAthamapidusthyaja ghADa bhandham /
aakrishtavAn asibhavAn anukampamAna:
sootrAnubaddha sakuni kramata: svayam mAm //
(DEvanAyaka PanchAsat SlOkam 8)

Meaning
"Oh! DEvanAyaka!
A parrot-keeper would enjoy tying the legs of the bird with a string, making 
it fly a distance and the pull it back to him. Similarly, you tied me with 
SamsAra bhandham and allowed me to go whichever wayward way I wanted. Now, 
you pulled me back to your feet.  This is also your sport"

Comment:
In this SlOka Swami is said to refer to the incident in which when he 
proceeded from Tiru Ayindai to KAnchipuram, Lord DEvanAyaka appeared in his 
dream and recalled him to Ayindai for composing this and other StOtras.
The words "dusthyaja ghADabhandham" refers to the inviolability of the 
relationship of DEvanAyaka as his master and Swami as his servant. In other 
words the relationship of "SwAmi" with reference to "Adiyan" 

cf. AndAl's "UnthannOdu uravEl namakkingu ozhikka ozhiyAdhu"

Also,cf  Nammalwar's "Thinnam azhundha kkaTTi ppala seivinai vann kayitrAl"

(To Continue)
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