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Pleadings-Posting - 5 (2.15 to 2.17)

From the Bhakti List Archives

Ramanbil • October 5, 1999 


SwAmi VEdAnta DEsika's "NaichyAnusanthAnam" and "SAtvika ThyAgam "
(As gleaned from his StOtras.) - Part 2- Swami pleads
Pleadings-Posting - 5 (2.15 to 2.17)
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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2.15.  " I AM A CLOWN!"

trasthari nayEna sthApithA sobhathAm tridasAnAm nAtha thava samAjE/ 
vanditva mahithAnAm madhyE srutheenAmbAlisA mama sthuthi: //
(Achyuta Sathakam SlOkam 4)

Meaning
"Oh! Lord of DevAs!
In the midst of Nityasooris and Muktas filled assembly, Vedas sing your glory 
in pure and chaste language. I also try to say a few blabbering words bereft 
of any wealth of words or meanings, letter or spirit, form or substance. No 
doubt, my puerile attempt is ridiculous and clownish. But, do not the 
senseless and clumsy witticisms of the court jesters sometimes amuse great 
poets and learned pundits in the courts of kings? So also, you should amuse 
yourself hearing my prattles"

Comment:
This is another facet of NaichyAnusanthAnam.
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2.16. "DOG DRINKING GANGA WATERS!"

padmA mhee prabruthibhih paribhuktha bhoomna:
kA hAniratra mayi bhOkthari thE bhavinee /
dushyEth kimangri thaTinee thava dEva sEvyA
durvAratharsha chapalEna sunAvaleeDA //
(SaraNAgathi Deepikai SlOkam 42)

Meaning
Oh! ViLakkoLi PerumAnE1
Periya PirAtti and Bhoomi PirAtti are forever enjoying your divya mangala 
vigraham, divya Atma swaroopam, kalyAna guNa gaNas etc. If a lowly creature 
like me also enjoys the same will it diminish your divinity? 

Brahma, Shiva and other celestials celebrate the Ganga waters that flow from 
your feet. A dog due to unquenchable thirst licks the same holy waters. Does 
anyone consider that the sanctity of Ganga as being polluted by this? 

Similarly, my panegyric will not demean or diminish your infinity"

Comment:
The desire to enjoy the Lord enjoyed by His Devis is found expressed in 
Nammazhwar's  words when he says-

"vaDivaNaiyillA malarmagaL matrai nilamagaL 
pidikkum mellaDiyai koDuvinaiyEnum piDikka"

KoorathAlwAn has also referred to the sanctity of holy waters not being 
affected by dog licking in his "Sri Sthavam" SlOkam 5 thus-

"dushyEth sA thu na thAvathA na hi sunA leetApi bhAgeerathi
dushyEswApi na lajjathE na chabibEthi aarthisthusAmyEschunah"

Tirumazhisai Azhwar also equates himself to a lowly dog when he says 
"nAyinEn nAn seitha kutram natramAghavE koLL gnAla nAthanE"

Cf also "nAyEn vandaDainthEn", "aDi nAyen" etc.
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2.17. "HOLY GANGA AND THE UNHOLY GUTTER!"

malinamapi bhAshitham mam kinkarasatyha! 
Thava keerthi jyotsnA prasarE /
lagnam labhathAm visuddhim rathyA salilamiva tripathagAsrOthOgatham// 
(Achyutha Sathakam SlOkam 3)

Meaning
Oh! Kinkara Sathya!
Though my words may be dirtied by faults, once they get contact with your 
spotless brilliance they will also acquire brightness. Alongside Ganga runs a 
gutter with dirty waters. By merging with the waters of Ganga, the gutter 
waters also become sanctified. After the merger, downstream, there is no 
difference and they become as holy as the Ganga. 

So also, however lackluster, soiled and sullied they may be, my words can 
also attain purity because they are sanctified by the moonlight of your glory"

Comment:
In PAduka Sahasram SlOkam 3 also SwAmi says that his praise acquires the same 
exalted status as the words of VAlmiki because of the greatness of the 
subject -'vasthu vailakshyam'

Ganga is called TirpathakA because it is said to flow in the three lokas- the 
heavens, the earth and the nether worlds.

(To Continue)
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