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Challenge 3.17: "MAKE THE WORDS OF SAGE VYASA RING TRUE"

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Ramanbil • October 27, 1999 


SwAmi VEdAnta DEsika's "NaichyAnusanthAnam" and 
"SAtvika AhamkAram "
(As gleaned from his StOtras.) - 
Part 3 - SWAMI CHALLENGES!
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Dear Bhagavatas
Kindly refer to "Part 3 - SWAMI CHALLENGES! An Introductory Note" - 
posted on 10th October 99. I am leaving out this to avoid repetition. 
You may read that to appreciate this posting in the proper perspective. 
Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
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Challenge 3.17:  "MAKE THE WORDS OF SAGE VYASA RING TRUE"
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visrANayan mama visEsha vidhAm anindhyam
antharvatheem giri maheendra purAdhi rAja /
sthavyah:, sthava priyah: itheeva thapOdhanOktham
sthOthEthi cha tvad abhidhAnam avandhyaya tvam //
(Sri DEvanAyaka PanchAsat SlOkam 7)

Meaning

"Oh! DeivanAyaka!
The great VyAsa Maharishi praised you through the words of Bhishma pithAmaha 
in the "Sri VishNu sahasranAmam" thus:
1.  that you are the one fit to be praised (sthavyah:)
2.  that you love praise by whomsoever and in whatsoever language or manner 
(Sthava priyah:) and
3.  that you hold in high esteem those who praise you (sthOthA ithi cha).

He has awarded these three epithets. Only on this basis, I have taken bold to 
praise you. Only if you accept my praise and bless me, you will deserve these 
triple epithets.

IF you do not wish to falsify the words of VyAsa Maharishi, better help me 
out!"

Comment

Sthavyah: - The ONLY ONE who is fit to be praised by all at all times. In 
other words, none other than EmperumAn is fit to be praised. Praising others 
is telling white lies -
Cf. "pArilOr parraiyai pachaip pasum poigal" (vide Tiruvoimozhi 3.3.169)

Sthava priyah: - The Lord considers it as appropriately done, even if anyone 
had started praising Him in whatever manner and in whatever tongue, says 
ParAsara BhaTTar.

Vide-  "yathA kathanchit yayA kayAchit bhAshayA yEna kEnApi thEjaskara na 
thirashkAraNeeva guNa samkeerthana abhimAnEna kriyamANah: sthavah: sva 
vishayah: priyathamOsya ithi sthava priyah:"

It may be mentioned in this connection that when some people objected to the 
recitation of Tiruvoimozhi in Srirangam on various grounds and especially 
that it was in a Dravidian language - it was firmly established that so long 
as the subject and object of praise was the Lord, the use of a different 
'lingua franca' did not matter.

SthOthA - means "one who praises". 
It can also be interpreted as the "one praised BY the Lord"
Whom does the Lord praise?
Who is there fit to be praised BY the Lord?
Did He praise anyone at all?
Yes. He did.
Did not NammazhwAr say -?
"yen sollAl yaan sonna inkavi enpiththu thun sollAl thannaik keerthitha 
mAyan" 
(TVM 7.9.2) - that the Lord praised HIMSELF through the words of the AzhwAr. 
Thus, "SthOtha" is appropriate.

SwAmi also explicitly states -
"veLLai parimughar dEsikarAi viragAl aDiyOm uLLathu ezhudiyathu Olai ittanam" 
- that the horse-faced BhagavAn dictated the StOtram and SwAmi merely acted 
as the scribe"
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To Continue. Challenge 3.18:
"ARE YOUR PROMISES MERELY A 'WILL O' THE WISP?"
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