INTRODUCTION

This stotram celebrates the auspicious quality (Kalyana Guna) of Mercy (Dayaa) of the Lord of Thiruvenkatam. Of All the Kalyana Gunaas of Venkataadhri Sekhara Vibhu, His Dayaa is the most important one for the uplift of the Chetanaas. The concept of Prapatthi and Thiruvenkatamudayaan’s Dayaa to realize the fruits of that Prapatthi is the subject of Sri Venkatanatha Kavi in this “Satakam”.

The structure of this stotram containing 108 slokas (one for each of the Divya Desa Archaa Murthys of Sriman Narayana perhaps) is extraordinarily impressive even by Swami Desikan’s standards of poetic excellence. Our Acharya has used ten plus different meters to compose the ten groups of slokas, each of which houses “ ten” slokas. The numbers of slokas and their poetic meters are as follows:

1. Slokaas 1-10: Anushtup meter
2. Slokaas 11-20: Aryaa meter
3. Slokaas 21-30: Oupacchandhasikam
4. Slokaas 31-40: Maalini
5. Slokaas 41-50: Mandhaakraanthaa
6. Slokaas 51-60: Nathkutakam
7. Slokaas 61-70: SikariNi
8. Slokaas 71-80: HariNi
9. Slokaas 81-90: Pruthvee
10. Slokaas 91-104: Vasantha Tilakaa
11. Slokaas 105& 106: Maalini again
12. Slokaas 107& 108: Sardhoola Vikriditham

In the tradition of Sri Sriraama DesikAcchAr Swamy, each set of the ten slokas have the essence of the ten Patthus of Thiruvaimozhi of Nammazhwaar.

According to this tradition, every set of ten reveals a particular meaning, which together covers the Ananatha KalyaaNa GuNams of the Lord of Thiruvenkatam. The ten meanings associated with the ten sets of ten slokas have been summarized by Srirama Desikaacchaar Swamy this way:

1. The Lord of Thiruvenkatam is the one, who can give Mokshaanugraham.
2. He comprehends everything and He is capable of carrying out whatever He chooses to do.
3. He destroys the enemies of those, who surrender unto Him and thereby seek His help.
4. He is the means for attaining ALL worthwhile goals.
5. He is the fruit of ALL worthwhile endeavours.
6. He can be reached easily thru the glorious means of Prapatthi.
7. He will rush to the help of the lowest and the highest with same speed, when they appeal to Him sincerely for help.
8. He is the Supreme Principle standing on top of Thiruvenkatam.
9. He is the one, who took the incarnations of Rama and Krishna.
10. He is the one, who can offer the happiness associated with Moksha right here on this earth.

Swami Desikan goes on to describe in detail the Anantha Kalyana Gunaas of Sriman Narayana in his Taatparya RatnaavaLi and Dramidopanishad Saaram. He is thus paying his tribute to Nammazhwaar’s Thiruvaimozhi in all of these three works. We will illustrate the ten essential meanings of Daya Satakam in the subsequent sections as revealed by Srirama Desikaacchaar Swamy in the tradition of his Achaarya, Navaneetham Krishnamaacchaar Swamy of Oppiliappan Koil.

17 Mar 2012

Slokam 2

2. SALUTATIONS TO THE ACHARYA PARAMPARAI

vigaahe tIrtha bahulaaM shItalaaM guru santatim.h.
shrInivaasa dayaambhodhi parIvaaha paramparaam.h..2

(MEANING):

adiyEn immerses deeply in the overflowing rivulets of AchArya Paramparai linked to the ocean of Dayaa of the Lord; these streams of interlinked AchArya paramaparai originating from the Lord Himself are full of cooling waters to quench our hot samsAric afflictions and they are adorned with many steps to enter into for immersion.

(COMMENTS):

Swamy Desikan states here that he commences the composition of Sri Dayaa Sathakam with the salutation to the AchArya Paramparai to have the blessings of uninterrupted flow. He compares the vast KaruNai of the Lord of ThiruvEnkatam to a huge water shed from which many rivers flow out. The AchArya are like ghats (structures with descending steps) to immerse in the flowing waters of the rivers. If there are no thuRais (ghats), we can not enter safely into the comforting and cool waters of the Lord’s Dayaa. Without the AchArya Paramparai, we can not link up with the Lord’s Dayaa guNam and experience its sukham. The key words of this slOkam are “SrinivAsa DayAmbhOdhi pareevAha ParamparAm(aham) vigAhE”. AchArya Paramparai is compared to the river with many safe ghAts to enterthe dayAaa pravAham of the Lord and experience it. All around Thirumala temple are many sacred theerthams like KOneri, AakAsa Ganga, Swamy PushkaraNi and others, which are cool like the AchAryAs
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)