hayagriva stotram

You are here: SriPedia - ebooks - Vedanta Desikan - Works

hayagriva stotram

Introduction

Swamy Desikan's first sthOthram is on Lord HayagrIvA .Sri HayagrIvan
presented Himself before Swamy Desikan at Thiruvahindrapuram's OushadAdri
Hill . Sri HayagrIva BhagavAn's laalAmrutham fell on the tongue of Swamy
Desikan and blessed him to become the AchArya Saarvabhouman.

Swamy Desikan has captured the essence of Vedams , Upanishads , Brahma
Soothrams and other sacred texts in choosing the words in this sthOthram
to eulogize the greatness of Sri HayagrIva BhagavAn and the ancient
tattvam that He represents .

We must remember that Sri VedAntha Desikan of Thuppul was only in his
twenties , when he composed this sacred sthOthram . By the tender age of
twenty , Swamy Desikan had already mastered VedAdhyayanam , Dhivya
Prabhandham , Tarkam , VyAkaraNam and other saamAnya Saasthrams. His uncle
Sri AppuLLAr, a direct disciple of the famous NadAthUr ammAL was Swamy
Desikan's AchAryan. AppuLLAr taught Swamy Desikan Sri BhAshyam, Sri GeethA
BHAshyam, Rahasyaarthams and other AchArya Sookthis as well .  Swamy
Desikan's pravachana sakthi and medhA vilAsam even at the age of twenty
was extraordinary.  AppuLLAr initiated his dear disciple further into
Garuda manthram , which was a family treasure.

After AppuLLAr ascended parama Padham , Swamy Desikan travelled to
ThiruvahIndhrapuram to worship Sri HemAbhja Valli samEtha Sri DEvanAthan.
One day , he climbed the small hillock in front of Lord DeavanAthan's
temple known as OushadhAdhri and sat under a big pupil tree. With immense
tranquility descending on him , he began to recite Garuda manthram for
number of hours .  Garuda BhagavAn was immensely pleased with VedAntha
Desikan's japam and appeared before latter, blessed him and initiated
VedAntha Desikan into Sri HayagrIva manthram . Garuda BhagavAn also
presented Swamy Desikan with a vigraham of Sri HayagrIvan in the
Yogaasikai (seated in YogAsanam) posture.

Swamy Desikan was immensely happy with PakshirAjAn's blessing and began to
do Sri HayagrIva Manthra japam for many days.  Lord HayagrIvan was so
pleased with Swamy Desikan that He appeared before latter to grant the
boons of unsurpassed Pravachana sakthi , visEsha Jn~Anam on para and apara
vidhyais and power to defeat the opponents in adhyAthmika saasthra debates
and to raise the vijaya dhvajam of Sri Bhagavath RaamAnuja Darsanam .

Sri Hayagriva SaakshAthkAram spurred Swamy Desikan to compose on the spot
the sacred HayagrIva SthOthram as his reverential tribute to the Lord of
all Vidhyais for His dhivya anugraham .

The vigraham of Yoga HayagrIvan presented by Garuda BhagavAn became an
ArAdhana Moorthy for Swamy Desikan along with VaradarAja PerumAL.  Another
Vigraham of Lord HayagrIvan presented by Goddess sarasvathi to Sri
BhAshyakArar at Srinagar also reached Swamy Desikan through his AchArya
paramparai . This vigraham is a Lakshmi Hayagriva Vigraham , which is
today at the ParakAla matam and is the ArAdhana Moorthy of the
YathIsvarALs of that Matam at Mysore.  The YogAsikA Hayagrivan presented
by Garudan is with Swamy Desikan at his sannidhi at ThiruvahIndhrapuram .

Slokas

     ..shrii hayagriiva stotram.h..
           shrImaan.h ve~NkaTa naathaaryaH kavitaarkika kesarI. 
           vedaantaachaarya varyo me sannidhattaaM sadaa hR^idi.. 
         GYaanaananda mayaM devaM nirmalasphaTikaakR^itim.h . 
         aadhaaraM sarva vidyaanaaM hayagriivam upaasmahe .. 1 .. 

         svatassiddhaM shuddhasphaTika maNibhuubhR^it.h pratibhaTaM 
         sudhaa sadhriichiibhir.h dhutibhir.h avadaata tribhuvanam.h . 
         anantaistrayyantair.h anuvihita heShaa halahalaM 
         hataa sheShaa vadyaM hayavadana miiDii mahi mahaH .. 2 .. 

         samaahaarassaamnaaM pratipadamR^ichaaM dhaama yajuShaaM 
         layaH pratyuuhaanaaM laharivitatirvedhajaladheH . 
         kathaa darpakShubhyat.h kathakakula kolaaha labhavaM 
         haratvantar.h dhvaantaM hayavadana heShaa halahalaH .. 3 .. 

         praachii sandhyaa kaachidantar.h nishaayaaH 
         praGYaadR^iShTer.h aJNjana shriirapuurvaa . 
         vaktrii vedaan.h bhaatu me vaaji vaktraa 
         vaagii shaakhyaa vaasudevasya muurtiH .. 4 .. 

         vishuddha viGYaana ghana svaruupaM 
         viGYaana vishraaNana baddha diikSham.h . 
         dayaanidhiM dehabhR^itaaM sharaNyaM 
         devaM hayagriivam ahaM prapadye .. 5 .. 

         apauruSheyair.h api vaakprapaJNchaiH 
         adyaapi te bhuuti madR^iShTa paaraam.h . 
         stuvannahaM mugdha iti tvayaiva 
         kaaruNyato naatha kaTaakShaNiiyaH .. 6 .. 

         daakShiNya ramyaa girishasya muurtiH 
         devii sarojaasana dharmapatnii . 
         vyaasaadayo.api vyapadeshcha vaachaH 
         sphuranti sarve tava shakti leshaiH .. 7 .. 

         mando.abhaviShyan.h niyataM viriJNcho 
         vaachaaM nidhe vaJNchita bhaaga dheyaH . 
         daityaa paniitaan.h dayayaiva bhuuyo.api 
         adhyaapayiShyo nigamaan.h na chet.h tvam.h .. 8 .. 

         vitarka DolaaM vyavadhuuya satve 
         bR^ihaspatiM vartayase yatastvam.h . 
         tenaiva deva tridasheshvaraaNaam.h 
         aspR^iShTa Dolaayitamaadhi raajyam.h .. 9 .. 

         agnou samiddhaarchiShi saptatantoH 
         aatasthivaan.h mantramayaM shariiram.h . 
         akhaNDa saarair.h haviShaaM pradaanaiH 
         aapyaayanaM vyoma sadaaM vidhatse .. 10 .. 

         yanmuulamiidR^ik.h pratibhaati tatvaM 
         yaa muulamaamnaaya mahaadrumaaNaam.h . 
         tatvena jaananti vishuddha satvaaH 
         tvaam akSharaam akShara maatR^ikaaM te .. 11 .. 

         avyaakR^itaad.h vyaakR^ita vaanasi tvaM 
         naamaani ruupaaNi cha yaani puurvam.h . 
         shaMsanti teShaaM charamaaM pratiShTaaM 
         vaagiishvara tvaaM tvadupaGYa vaachaH .. 12 .. 

         mugdhendu niShyanda vilobha niiyaaM 
         muurtiM tavaananda sudhaa prasuutim.h . 
         vipashchitashchetasi bhaavayante 
         velaa mudaaraamiva dugdha sindhoH .. 13 .. 

         manogataM pashyati yaH sadaa tvaaM 
         maniiShiNaaM maanasa raaja haMsam.h . 
         svayaM purobhaava vivaadabhaajaH 
         kiMkurvate tasya giro yathaarham.h .. 14 .. 

         api kShaNaardhaM kalayanti ye tvaaM 
         aaplaavayantaM vishadair.h mayuukhaiH . 
         vaachaaM pravaahair.h anivaaritaiste 
         mandaakiniiM mandayituM kShamante .. 15 .. 

         svaamin.h bhavaddhyaana sudhaabhiShekaat.h 
         vahanti dhanyaaH pulakaanubandham.h . 
         alakShite kvaapi niruuDha muulaM 
         aN^geShvivaanandathum.h aN^kurantam.h .. 16 .. 

         svaamin.h pratiichaa hR^idayena dhanyaaH 
         tvaddhyaana chandrodaya vardhamaanam.h . 
         amaanta maananda payodhimantaH 
         payobhirakShNaaM parivaahayanti .. 17 .. 

         svairaanubhaavaas.h tvadadhiina bhaavaaH 
         samR^iddha viiryaas.h tvadanugraheNa . 
         vipashchito naatha taranti maayaaM 
         vaihaarikiiM mohana piJNchhikaaM te .. 18 .. 

         praaN^ nirmitaanaaM tapasaaM vipaakaaH 
         pratyagra nishshreyasa saMpado me . 
         samedhiShiiraMstava paada padme 
         saMkalpa chintaamaNayaH praNaamaaH .. 19 .. 

         vilupta muurdhanya lipikra maaNaaM 
         surendra chuuDaapada laalitaanaam.h . 
         tvadaMghriraajiiva rajaH kaNaanaaM 
         bhuuyaan.h prasaado mayi naatha bhuuyaat.h .. 20 .. 

         parisphuran.h nuupura chitrabhaanu - 
         prakaasha nirdhuuta tamonuShaN^gaam.h . 
         padadvayiiM te parichin.h mahe.antaH 
         prabodha raajiiva vibhaata sandhyaam.h .. 21 .. 

         tvat.h kiN^karaa laMkaraNo chitaanaaM 
         tvayaiva kalpaantara paalitaanaam.h . 
         maJNjupraNaadaM maNinuupuraM te 
         maJNjuuShikaaM veda giraaM pratiimaH .. 22 .. 

         sa.nchintayaami pratibhaada shaasthaan.h 
         sa.ndhukShayantaM samaya pradiipaan.h . 
         viGYaana kalpadruma pallavaabhaM 
         vyaakhyaana mudraa madhuraM karaM te .. 23 .. 

         chitte karomi sphuritaakShamaalaM 
         savyetaraM naatha karaM tvadiiyam.h . 
         GYaanaamR^ito daJNchana lampaTaanaaM 
         liilaa ghaTiiyantra mivaashritaanaam.h .. 24 .. 

         prabodha sindhoraruNaiH prakaashaiH 
         pravaala saN^ghaata mivodvahantam.h . 
         vibhaavaye deva sapustakaM te 
         vaamaM karaM dakShiNam aashritaanaam.h .. 25 .. 

         tamaaMsi bhitvaa vishadairmayuukhaiH 
         saMpriiNayantaM viduShashchakoraan.h . 
         nishaamaye tvaaM nava puNDariike 
         sharadghane chandramiva sphurantam.h .. 26 .. 

         dishantu me deva sadaa tvadiiyaaH 
         dayaa taraN^gaanucharaaH kaTaakShaaH . 
         shrotreShu puMsaam.h amR^itaM kSharantiiM 
         sarasvatiiM saMshrita kaamadhenum.h .. 27 .. 

         visheSha vitpaariSha deShu naatha 
         vidagdha goShThii samaraaN^gaNeShu . 
         jigiiShato me kavitaarki kendraan.h 
         jihvaagra siMhaasanam abhyupeyaaH .. 28 .. 

         tvaaM chintayan.h tvanmayataaM prapannaH 
         tvaamudgR^iNan.h shabda mayena dhaamnaa . 
         svaamin.h samaajeShu samedhiShiiya 
         svachchhanda vaadaahava baddha shuuraH .. 29 .. 

         naanaa vidhaanaamagatiH kalaanaaM 
         na chaapi tiirtheShu kR^itaavataaraH . 
         dhruvaM tavaanaatha parigrahaayaaH 
         navaM navaM paatramahaM dayaayaaH .. 30 .. 

         akampaniiyaan.h yapaniiti bhedaiH 
         ala.nkR^iShiiran.h hR^idayaM madiiyam.h . 
         shaN^kaa kalaN^kaa pagamojjvalaani 
         tatvaani samyaJNchi tava prasaadaat.h .. 31 .. 

         vyaakhyaa mudraaM karasarasijaiH pustakaM shaN^ka chakre 
         bibhrad.h bhinnasphaTika ruchire puNDariike niShaNNaH . 
         amlaanashriir.h amR^ita vishadair.h aMshubhiH plaavayan.h maaM 
         aavirbhuuyaa danagha mahimaa maanase vaaga dhiishaH .. 32 .. 

         vaagartha siddhihetoH 
         paThata hayagriiva saMstutiM bhaktyaa . 
         kavitaarkika kesariNaa 
         veN^kaTa naathena virachitaa metaam.h .. 33 .. 
  

Commentary

Sri Hayagriva tattvam as understood from Swamy Desikan's Sthuthi is so
profound that it defies description . The sookshmArthams (subtle meanings
)embedded in the sthuthi passages are sruthi sAram ( essence of VedAs and
Upanishads).  It is no wonder that Swamy Desikan is known by the title of
NigamAntha MahA Desikan or VedAntha Desikan .

As BhagavAn HayagrIvan appeared before him and blessed him , the twenty
plus year old Sri VenktanAthan from Thuppul was elevated immediately to
the noblest of AchArya Peetams .  He became Swamy Desikan . He had
Isavara-SaakshthkAram of that Veda Moorthy, Sri HayagrIvan and that led to
his choice of the Vedic metre , Anushtup with 32 syllables (8+8+8+8).This
is one of the 64 slOkams that Swamy Desikan set in the anushtup meter . It
is interesting to note that the first 10 slOkams of DayA sathakam are also
set in anushtup meter as well . The entire ShOdasAyudha sthOthram and the
first slOkam of Garuda DaNdakam praising the veda Moorthy is set also in
Anushtup meter.  Garuda BhagavAn was the One , who presented Sawmy Desikan
with the archai of YogAsikaa HayagrIvan and initiated him into HayagrIva
manthram This then is the context of the avathAram of the first slOkam of
Sri HayagrIva SthOthram :

Jn~Anandamayam dEvam nirmala spatikAkruthim
aadhAram sarva vidhyAnAm HayagrIvam upAsmahE 

The key words of the first SlOkam
**********************************

Jn~Anandamayam dEvam , nirmala-spatikAkruthim and AaadhAram Sarva
VidhyAnAm are the key words that flowed over the tongue of Swamy Desikan.

Isvara Tattvam is captured by Swamy Desikan exquisitely through the choice
of words , "Jn~Anandamayam, nirmalam , AadhAram Sarva VidhyAnAm".  These
words have such powerful connotations that we will be spending a lot of
time in the subsequent postings to fully comprehend the Vedic significance
of these carefully chosen words by Swamy Desikan .  In today's posting ,
we will focus on Sri HayagrIvAvathAram .

The AvathAram of Sri HayagrIvan
*********************************

Lord HayagrIvan is one of the avathArams of Para VaasudEvan .He is
AniruddhAmsam. The day of His incarnation is AvaNi ThiruvONam ,which falls
on September 10 this year.

He is saluted as Sarva VaagIsvarEsvaran , Sarva Vedamayan ,UdhgItha
PraNava Moorthy, ChimayAnandha Roopi and VisvOtthIrNa SvarUpan in Sri
HayagrIva Upanishad . 

In this avathAram, the face (Thirumuka MaNdalam) alone is that of a
majestic horse and the body is like that of a human , except that it is
sudhda Satthva Mayam. He is the embodiment of PraNavam (OmkAram). He is
the First Lord of all Vidhyais.

During PraLayam , Moola Prakruthi reaches the subtle state of Tamas . The
Jeevans get embedded in that Tamas and suffer very much.  VyUha VaasudEvan
incarnates as Aniruddhan and rests on the swirling torrent of PraLayam
waters.  He engages in Yoga nidhrai and reflects on how He can create the
world anew and save the suffering jeevans locked in Tamas .

During the Yoga Nidhrai, He creates Brahma Devan from the Lotus arising
out of His Naabhi. Next , He instructs Brahma Devan on the VedhAdhyayanam
and the meaning of all the Four VedAs. He also blesses Brahma Deavan on
the intricacies of Srishti (Creation ).Before the creation of Brahman ,
His sankalpam led to the existence of two drops of water on the lotus leaf
below the lotus flower . These two drops of water became the asurans Madhu
with TamO GuNam and Kaitabhan with rajO guNam. They entered the lotus
flower through the stem .There , BrahmA had just concluded creating four
Vedas as four beautiful children.The two asurans grabbed the four babies
and ran off to the nether world (PaathALam).

BrahmA was heart broken over his inconsolable loss.  He could not continue
with the creation of the world without the help of the VedAs , which were
his eyes and guides. Brahma devan approached Aniruddha BhagavAn and begged
for help .Aniruddhan took the form of a VeLLai parimukhan ( Human Body and
a Horse's face down to His neck ). The hue of the avathAra moorthy was
clear white like a spatikam . This is the HayagrIva Moorthy. He proceeded
to the hiding place of the two asurans in PaathALam and raised the
UdhgItha svaram. The asurans were frightened on hearing the sound of
UdhgItham. They dropped the Four children (Vedams)and ran towards the
direction wherefrom the udhgItham originated. At that time , Sri
HayagrIvan recovered the children and returned them to Brahma Devan and
restarted His Yoganidhrai as HayagrIvan. The asurans ran back to where
they stole the VedAs and found HayagrIvan engaged in Yoga Nidhrai . The
asurans made a lot of noise and woke up the Lord. Sri Hayagrivan got up
from His bed of Adhi Seshan and fought with the asurans and destroyed
them. Afterwards , Sri HayagrIvan reinstructed Brahma Devan on the secrets
of creation using the VedAs and returned to VyUha sthAnam. 

We will cover two items:
(1)the AniruddhAmsam of BhagavAn HayagrIvan 
(2) initiation of the discussions on understanding the
"JnA~nandha-mayathvam " as Isvara Tatthva NirUpaNam by Swamy Desikan at
the very beginning of his sthuthi.

AdiyEn will rely on the KaalakshEpa Granthams of asmath AchAryan , HH
Srimath Azhagiya Singar , Sri NaaraayaNa YathIndhra MahA Desikan as source
and inspiration for this. 

Sri HayagrIvan's AniruddhAmsam
*******************************

Sri VaikuntanAthan (ThiruviNNagarappan) has immeasurable anantha kalyANa
guNams in His manifestation as Para VaasudEvan.The two major categories of
our Lord's KalyANa guNams are: PARATHVAM (Supermacy )AND SOULABHYAM (ease
of access by every one).

The PARATHVAM of our Lord is defined mainly by His six guNams known as
Upayuktha guNams : 

" Jn~Anam , Balam , Isvaryam ,Veeryam , Sakthi and Tejas." 

The SOULABHYAM of our Lord is defined by two more Upayuktha guNams:
SOUSEELYAM and VAATHSALYAM .

Souseelya guNam permits Him to mingle even with lowly ones readily inspite
of His supermacy .Vaathsalyam is the guNam of great affection for those
that seek refuge in Him by overlooking the dhOshams (deficencies) that
they have. 

The guNams behind Parathvam and Soulabhyam never ever disassociate
themselves from the SvarUpam of our most merciful Lord. Although, these
guNAs are part and parcel of His svarUpam , in specific instances, He
highlights one or other of these guNAs for His upAsakAs. 

As refered to before , He stays in five states .  One is Paraa state,
where He is resplendent as Para- VaasudEvan . The other state among these
five states is VyUham. PaancharAthram is considered to have the ultimate
authority in describing matters related to VyUha Moorthys.

There are positions among our PoorvAchAryAs that either accept the VyUham
state as having four VyUha Moorthys (VaasudEavn, SankarshaNan ,
Prahdyumnan and Aniruddhan )or only three Moorthys
(SankarshaNan,Pradhyuman and Aniruddhan).  Sri KooratthAzhwAn takes the
first position of four VyUha Moorthys and his son , Sri ParAsara Bhattar
prefers the position of three VyUha Moorthys.  Sri Bhattar recognizes Para
VaasudEvan as ShAdguNya Moorthy and does not recognize a VyUha VaasudEvan
seperately in his count of three VyUha Moorthys. 

The general Consensus is that Para VaasudEvan has the six guNams such as
Jn~Anam ,Balam, Isvaryam, Veeryam, Sakthi ans Tejas (ShADguNyAth
VaasudEva:).  Para VaasudEvan is recognized as" Muktha BhOgyan". 

The further consensus is that all the other three vyUha Moorthys also
possess these six guNAs , but they highlight only twin guNams each , which
are relevant to their unique roles. 

SankarshaNan highlights the two guNams of Jn~Anam and Balam and is engaged
in the acts of creating SaasthrAs and SamhAram (Azhitthal).

Prahyumna VyUha Moorthy has Isvaryam and Veeryam as highlights and is
engaged in the acts of Creation and the spreading of Dharmam .

AniruddhA VyUha Moorthy has Sakthi and Tejas as highlights among the six
guNAs and is engaged in protection of the World and upadEsams on the
Tatthvams.  Hence Aniruddhan has been saluted as "Sakthi tEjO Aniruddha:".

This then is the VyUha Tattvam behind Aniruddhan, who incarnated as
HAYAGRIVAN for destruction of Madhu and KaiDapan (Madhusoodhanan) and for
the recovery of VedAs from them for the benefit of Brahma Devan.

We have to remember always that AniruddhAmsa HayagrIvan has all the six
GuNAs although , He highlights the two GuNAs (tEjas and Sakthi) for the
sake of this specific avathAram. Same is true for SankarshaNa and
Prahdyumna VyUha Moorthys.

Isavara Tatthva NirUpaNam 
**************************

Swamy Desikan stresses in Sri Rahasya Thraya Saaram (Tatthva Thraya
ChinthanAdhikAram) that for the proper comprehension of Isvaran , a clear
understanding of the following five His GuNams are indispensable :

" Sathyathvam, Jn~Anathvam , Ananthathvam ,
Aanandhathvam and Amalathvam." 

Among all the limitless GuNams of the Lord , the above five GuNams
proove(nirUpanam) the essential difference(VilakshaNam) between Isvaran
and all the others. Thus , these five GuNams are known as "SvarUpa
NirUpaka VisEshaNams".

The GuNams other than the above five such as Souseelyam , Vaathsalyam and
other VibhUthis are NirUpitha SvarUpa VisEshaNangaL. 

When one understands fully the true svarUpam of the Lord with the help of
the five GuNams (Sathyathvam , Jn~Anathvam , Ananthathvam , Aanandhathvam
and Amalathvam as SvarUpa- NirUpaka visEshanangaL ), the rest of the
GuNams become " NirUpitha SvarUpa VisEshaNangaL ". 

Swami Desikan in his HayagrIva sthOthram proves the Isvara Tatthvam of
this avathAra Moorthy (AniruddhAmsan) with both SvarUpa- NirUpaka and
NirUpitha SvarUpa VisEshaNangaL.  

Previously reference was made to Swamy Desikan's nirUpaNam of the Isvara
Tatthvam of Sri HayagrIva BhagavAn. It was noted that the five
distinguishing hall marks of Isvarathvam --Sathyathvam, Aanandhathvam ,
Amalathvam , Jn~Anathvam and Ananthathvam-- have been proven by Swami
Desikan to reside in the Suddha-sathva Dhivya MangaLa Vigraham of Sri
HayagrIvan . Now, adiyEn will begin the process of rolling out the Vedic
and Upanishadic and other Sruthi-based references to the Isvarathvam of
"VeLLai Parimukhar".

First SlOkam of Sri HayagrIva SthOthram
*****************************************  

"Jn~Anandhamayanm dEvam nirmala SpatikAkruthim
 aadhAram sarva VidhyAnAm HayagrIvam upAsmahE "

(meaning): We meditate upon that Supreme One, who has the neck and face of
a horse and who is the embodiment of Jn~AnA (divine Knowledge) and AnandhA
( Bliss) .He has a ThirumEni (body ) like a radiant , blemishles Spatikam
(Crystal) and is the abode of all VidhyAs (branches of Learning).

This slOkma set in the Vedic anushtup meter is the dhyAna slOkam for
BhagavAn HayagrIvan.

The Madhva Sampradhya AchAryAs also use this slOkam as the DhyAna slOkam
for their upAsanais.  A great HayagrIva UpAsaka by the name of VaadhirAja
Theerthar of Udippi Sri KrishNa Mutt used to meditate on Sri HayagrIvan
,while holding cooked horse oats(KoLLU) on his head and Lord Hayagrivan
approached His upAsakan as the most beautiful white Horse and partook the
naivEdhyam noisily .This happened every day at Udippi , when Sri
VaadhirAja Theerthar invoked Lord HayagrIvan during his AarAdhanam .

For the HayagrIva UpAsakAs , Sri VaasudEva-AnuruddhAmsa HayagrIvan is
meditated upon in this manner:

na HayagrIvAth Param asthi MangaLam
na HayagrIvAth Param asthi Paavanam
na HayagrIvAth param asthi Dhaivatham 
na HayagrIvam PraNipathya seedhathi

This slOkam is modelled by adiyEn after the one , which starts with "na
VaasudEvAth Paramasthi MangaLM --" .The meaning of this slOkam is:

There is no other auspiciousness which is grater than HayagrIvan; there is
nothing more sacred than Sri HayagrIvan to destroy our accumulated sins;
there is no God superior to HayagrIvan;No one grieves after performing
SaraNAgathi at the sacred feet of HayagrIvan .

Such is the MahAthmyam of this Veda Moorthy.  He is the AkarArthan . He is
the all protecting AkAra SvarUpan . Akaaram is the firat letter in the
Pranavam and as such , the meaning of akAram is recognized in Vaaman
PurAnam as :

" akArENa akhilAdhAra: ParamathmA abhidhIyathE "

(meaning): Akaaram represents BhagavAn , who is the aadhAram (Support )
for every thing .  This akAram can then be extrapolated to Sarva-vyApaka
NaarAyaNa-HayagrIvan by HayagrIva UpAsakAs. He is then " the sarva
rakshaNa Dhikshitha" HayagrIvan.As akAra Vaachyan , He is never with out
MahA Lakshmi. Parodying a Lakshmi Tanthra SthOthram , adiyEn would like to
say :

"LakshmyA Saha HayagrIvO DevyA KaaruNya RoopayA
 Rakshaka: Sarva SiddhAnthE VedAnthEapi geeyathE "

(meaning): All PaancharAthra SiddhAnthams and VedAnthams(Upanishads)
declare with a single voice that the Lord (HayagrIvan/VishNu/NaarAyaNan)
protects this world and its beings together with the embodiment of Mercy ,
MahA Lakshmi, His beloved Consort .Therefore , when we think of Sri
Hayagrivan ,He is always visualized as LakshmI HayagrIvan,the archA
moorthy worshipped today by the YathIsvarALs of ParakAla matam. This
dhivya mangaLa vigraham is the One presented to AchArya RaamAnujA by
Sarasvathi Devi at Kashmir and worshipped later by Swami Desikan Himself.

" Jn~Anandamayam dEvam , nirmala spatikAkruthim " is the first Paadham of
the HayagrIva sthOthra slOkam set in the Vedic Anushtup meter.Let us
reflect on the Jn~Aanandhamaya Devan " first.

Jn~Ana+Anandha Maya Devan: HayagrIvan
***************************************

Brahma Soothrams declare that Brahman is the embodiment of Bliss
(aanandhamayam).  The eight SoothrAs housed in Aanandha-mayAdhikaraNam (
Brahma Soothrams I.1.13 and the following) is a condensation of the
Aanandha Maya Brahma VivaraNam found in TaittirIya Upanishad.  The main
Brahma soothram (I.1.13) describing Braman and NOT Jeevan as the
embodiment of Bliss principle is:

" aanandhamaya: abhyAsAth " .. I.1.13

AchArya RaamAnujA devotes many pages for intrepreting the deep meanings of
this particular soothram dealing with the " Aaananda Mayam " of Brahman
.This is the Bliss recognized as Brahman beyond the scope of humans and
celestials. The above and the subsequnt seven soothrams convey the
siddhAntham that Brahman is full of Bliss (aanandha mayam ).  The
distinguishing charactrestrics of this JnAnandha Maya Brahman based on
Brahma SoothrAs has been elaborated under the following 8 categories by
Dr.S.M.S.Chari in his scholarly treatise" The Philosophy of the VedAntha
SoothrAs " this way:

1. Brahman as SarvAthmA or the Self of all
2. Brahman as AttA or the Eater
3. Brahman as the AntharyAmin or the inner controller
4. Brahman as the Akshara or the Imperishable reality
5. Brahman as VaisvAnarA or the Ruler of All souls
6. Brahman as Aayatana Or the abode of Heaven and Earth
7. Brahman as BhUmA or the Infinitely great
8. Brahman as DaharAkAsan or the dweller in 
   the subtle space within the human heart

Sri VedAntha Desikan invoked all these meanings and attributes of Brahman
by addressing Veda Moorthy, Sri HayagrIvan as " Jn~Anandha Mayam devam "
at the very first quarter of the two Line slOkam . This Jn~Anam linked
with Aanandham has to be connected with the Famous TaittirIya Upanishad
Passage: "Sathyam Jn~Anam anantham BrahmA" This means that savisEsha
Brahman , Sri Lakshmi HayagrIvan is with the distinguishing attributes of
Reality (sathyam), Knowledge(Jn~Anam ) and Infinitude (anantham) . 

we will discuss the Jn~Anam, Nirmalam and the SpatikAkruthi aspects
saluted in the first Paadham of the First slOkam :

"Jn~Ananda Mayam Devam nirmala spatikAkruthIm "

earlier adiyEn pointed out that JnAnathvam is one of the five defining
guNams of Isvaran and it is a SvarUpa NirUpaka VisEshaNa guNam .  With
this Isvarathvam of Sri HayagrIvan in mind , Swamy Desikan saluted right
away the Lord in front of him as the embodiment of Isvara Tatthvam with
the words : Jn~Ananada Mayam Devam ". The choice of the word " Mayam"
after "JnAnandha " is very important.  He (Lord HayagrIvan ) is not just
of the form (indicator) of Knowlege-Bliss principle, but He is full of it
( Jn~Ana and Aanandha MAYAN).

DEVAN: He is indeed Devan ,DevAthi Devan, DevanAthan and Deva Raajan. He
is Deva adhinAthan .He is "Dhvisath niyanthu( One who commands and directs
the DevAs and protects them ); He is Anantha- GaruthmadhAdhyai: aj~nAtha
seemakan " ( The Devan whose glories are not fully understood even by the
nithyasooris like AdhisEshan and GaruDan).  He is " amara adhipathi ". He
is " ViBhudha yEka Naathan" ( TannoppArillappan). He is Thridasa Naathan.
He is Nirjara Pathi . He is Sura pathi.He is Suparva Naathan (Deva
Naathan). He is VaimAnika- Adhipan( Lord of those celestials , who travel
in the Sky). Such is the power behind the mild looking word , "Devan "
chosen by Swami Desikan to salute the "Jn~Ananda Maya Devan". Swamy
Desikan had the Sevai of DEvanAtha perumAL of ThiruvahIdhrapuram prior to
sitting under the pupil tree on Oushadha Giri to meditate upon Sri
HayagrIvan. Hence, the many words used by Swamy Desikan to salute Deva
Naatha PrerumAL in Deva Naayaka Panchasath are relatable to this
Jn~Anandha Maya dEvan , Sri HayagrIvan. 

NIRMALAN: "JnAnandha Mayam devam nirmala SpatikAkruthim " is the first
Paadham of the first slOkam . AdiyEn will focus now on the choice of the
word "Nirmala " Devan by Swamy Desikan 

"Nirmala" resonates with the words of used by ThiruppANAzhwAr in the first
paasuram of His AmalanAdhipirAn .  There AzhwAr uses the words " Amalan,
Vimalan and Nimalan " .The word used by Swamy Desikan in his "Sri
HayagrIva SthOthram" (viz).," Devam Nirmalam " means that Sri HayagrIvan
is blemishless in His GuNams .He is " Mala-prahtibHaDan" ( Opposite scale
of DhOshams ). 

According to Swamy Deesikan, Nirmalathvam indicates Moksha Pradhathvam (
Power to grant Moksha Sukham).  As Nirmalan , He is sarvOpakArakan.  He is
Nithya NirdhOshan ( For ever free from deficencies).He is Ubhaya Linga
VibUthi Naathan (with Two identification marks). One of them is "Akhila
hEya prathyaneekathvam " (untouched by impurities or dhOshams of any kind:
nirmala dEvan ).  The other is " anantha KalYANa guNAkarathvam " ( abode
of infinite auspicious attributes).  This is the way that the Ubhayalinga
AdhikaraNam of Brahma Soothram describes "the Nirmala dEvan".  BhakthAs
are referred to two excellent articles by Sri M.S.Hari in SaraNAgathi
Journal ( Volume 3.8 and 3.9, archived at
http://www.sivaishnava.org/sgati).

NIRMALA SPATIKA AAKRUTHIM Devam :His hue is that of a blemishless,
spotless White (Thooya PaLinku).  He also wears a spotless white Vasthram
unlike the golden-hued pIthAmbharam that is worn by Sri RanganAthan . The
references for the PeethAmbharam are: "andhi pOl NiRatthAdai" of
ThiruppAnar and "padichOthiyAdaiodum palkalanAi ninn paimpoRkaDicchOthi
kalanthathuvO " of Swamy NammazhwAr .Swamy Desikan states clearly that Sri
HayagrIvan's hue is a spotless white clad in a spotles white vasthram as
the First Lord of Vidhyais.

Swamy Desikan salutes thus the Upanishad Saaram, Sri HayagrIvan as
"Jn~Anandha Mayam Devam , Nirmala SpatikAkruthim HayagrIvam UpAsmahE".
This is very much in the spirit of the Brahma Soothram 3.3.11 (
AanandhAdaya: PrahdAnasya ).  This Soothram points out that Bliss
(Aanandham), Knowledge (Jn~Anam ) , stainlessness (Nirmalam) etc are the
essential attributes of the One and only SavisEsha Brahman and any
meditation of such a Brahman should include the Jn~Anandha Nirmala GuNams
, which are part of the SvarUpa NiruPitha VisEshaNa guNams of One , who is
Isvaran.

Such is the grandeur of the Vision of Swamy Desikan as he starts his
salutation of Lord HayagrIvan .

Now we will focus on the second Paadham of Sri HayagrIva SthOthram
saluting Him as " AadhAram Sarva VidhyAnAm " ( as the foundation for all
the VidhyAs , Para and Apara vidhyAs ). 

There is a slOkam in Sri Hayagriva Sahasra Naamam that connects the Suddha
Spatika Roopam of Lord HayagrIvan that sends out in all directions the
amrutha (nectraine) kiranams (waves )of Jn~Anam like the cool rays of the
Full Moon :

Chandra MaNDala madhyasTha SvEthAmbhoruha Vishtara:
jyOthsnAyamAnaanga ruchi nirdhUtha-anthar-bahis-tama: 

Here , Sri HayagrIvan is visualized as being seated in the middle of cool
Chandra maNDalam on a spotless , white Lotus ; He drives away the inner
and outter darkness (Tamas) that engulfs one with His rejuvenating
radiance .This He does with His dhivya KatAksham alone. 

This Tamo-haran (destroyer of Aj~nam ) is saluted again beautifully by the
following section of Sri HayagrIva AshtOtthara SthOthram: 

aj~nana naasakO Jn~Ani PoorNachandra sama prabha:
Jn~adhO Vaakpathir yOgi yOgisa: sarvakAmadha:

MahA yOgi MahA Mouni MounIsa: SrEyasAmpathi:
Hamsa: Paramahamsasccha ViswagOpthA VirAD SvaarAD

Suddha Spatika sankAsO JaDAmaNDala samyutha:
AadhimadhyAntharahitha: Sarva VaagIsvarEsvara:

These passages of Sri HayagrIva AshtOttharam salute Sri HayagrIvan as :(1)
the Destroyer of Ajn~Anam ( Aj~na naasakan) , (2) Jn~Ani, MahA Yogi,
Yogisan , Jn~Ana Daayakan for Yogis, (3)Parama Hamsa AvathAran , who
incarnated as the Swan to teach the VedAs to Brahmaa , His son , just as a
Swan can separate Saaram (Milk) from AsAram ( water), (4) Aadhi-madhya
-antha rahithan ( One who has neither beginning nor middle nor end ,
(5)ViswagOpthA (Protctor of this world from Aj~nam and ViparItha Jn~Anam)
, (5) VirAD- SvarAD ( VirAd Purushan of Purusha Sooktham and undisputed
Emperor of the Universe created by Him , (6) SrEyasAM pathi: ( the Lord of
ALL auspicousness , (7) Suddha Spatika sankAsan ( With the blemishless hue
and lustre of Spatikam ) and (8)Sarva VaagIsvarEsvaran ( The Emperor of
all gods of Knowledge and (9) MahA Mouni , MounIsan ( The great silent
Teacher , who imparts knowledge even without verbal instruction ).

These passages put in perspective the Sarva VidhyA Aadhara svarUpam of
Lord HayagrIvan.

What are some of the Vidhyais for which He is AadhAram?
********************************************************

One of the Sri HayagrIva Sahasra Naamam gives a clue: " Veda VedAntha
SaasthrArtha Tatthva VyAkhyAna TathparAya nama:" ( The One , who is
exclusively devoted to and eagerly engaged in the intrepretation of the
deeper meanings of Vedams, Upanishads , Saasthrams and Tatthvams for the
AchArya SaarvabhoumAs/PandithAs and PaamarAs). 

In MunDaka Upanishad , there is a conversation between Angiras (the
AchAryan) and SaunakA (the sishyan) , which deals with the Vidhyais that
Lord HayagrIvan teaches are covered .These are:

"dhvE VidhyE VedithavyE ithi ha sma yadh
BrahmavidhO Vadanthi PARAA CHAIVAAPARAA "
Mundaka Upanishad: 1.1.4

(Meaning): There are two kinds of Knowledge (Vidhyai) , namely , AparA and
parA-lower and higher-Vidhyais.So say those ( the great seers of
Upanishads)who know Brahman . 

The Next Manthram talks about the "lower knowedge " ( apara vidhyai) :

tathAparA RgvEdhO YajurvEdhO
SaamavEdhO Atharva vEdha: SikshA
KalpO VyAkaraNam niruktham chandhO JyOthishamith
Atha ParA yayaa Tadhaksharam adhigamyathE

(meaning): The Four VedhAs , Six VedhAngAs ( SikshA/Phonetics, Kalpa/Code
of rituals, VyAkaraNa/Grammar , Niruktha/etymology , Chandas/metre and
JyOthisha/astrology ) are Apara Vidhyais or the lower knowledge that yield
Brahma Jn~Anam .

The Higher knowledge( Para Vidhyai)is that which leads to immortality or "
That which goes beyond the word meaning in language". Para Vidhyai teach
the wise (DheerA:) about the Akshara Brahmam , who is Nithyam
(eternal),Vibhum ( Full of VibhUthi ) , Sarvagatham ( all-pervading ) ,
BhUthayOnim ( source of all creation). LORD HAYAGRIVAN TEACHES BOTH APARAA
AND PARAA VIDHYAIS . aparaa gives Brahma Jn~Anam and Paraa leads to Brahma
SaakshAthkAram , which is the exclusive domain of Jn~Anis saluted by
GeethAchAryan as the ones dearest to Him.

BrahmOpAsanam based on the seven principles attributed to Brahmanandhi by
AchArya RaamAnujA in his Sri Bhaashyam ( VivEkam , VimOgam , AbhyAsam ,
Kriyai , kalyANam ,AnavasAdham and Anuddharsham ) constitute apara
vidhyai. The fruit of that BrahmOpAsanam with Lord HayagrIvan's anugraham
is Brahma SaakshAthkAram , the Para Vidhyai.  Both are made possible by
the SarvAdhAra VidhyA Tathparan, Sri HaygrIvan. 

The Moksha-para VidhyAs are 32 in number and are taught in ChAndhOgya
Upanishad, which is a Saama Upanishad . UdhgItha PraNavam saluted as
Amrutham and Abhayam in BrahmOpAsanam will be covered later in detail
since Lord HayagrIvan is recognized as PraNava Udhgitha SvarUpan or
PraNava UdhgItha Vachas . In this posting , we will just list without
going into detail some of these 32 VidhyAs housed in ChAndhOgya ,
BrahadhAraNya and KoushIdaki Upanishads .Some of these VidhyAs are:

1.Madhu Vidhyai

2.Gaayathri Brahma Vidhyai. This one is
particularly appropriate on this day after 
Gaayathri Japam to reflect upon.

3.Koukshaya JyOthir Vidhyai

4.SaanDilya Vidhyai

5.Kosa Vij~Nanam

6.Purusha Vidhyai

7.Raigva Vidhyai

8.ShOdasa Kalaa Brahma Vidhyai

9.PrANa Vidhyai

10.PanchAgni Vidhyai

11.VaisvAnara Vidhyai

12. Sadh Vidhyai

13. BhUma Vidhyai

14.Dahara Vidhyai

15. PurushAthma Vidhyai

16.BaalAki Vidhyai

17. MythrEyi Vidhyai

18. Paryanga Vidhyai

19.Pradhardhana Vidhyai et al

We will conclude the the second and final Paadham of the First slOkam of
Sri HaygrIva SthOthram with a passage from Sri HayagrIva Sahasra nAma
Phala sruthi:

VidhyA SaamrAjya sampatthi Mokshaika phala Saadhanam
Sarvavith svAthma-bhAvEna paramam padham AapnuyAth 

Another passage from the Sri HayagrIva Sahasra Naamam sums up the phalan
of this Sarva VidhyA aadharan this way:

AshtAksharaika NishtAnAm Kaaryam VaikuNtam arpayan
SaraNAgathi NishtAnAm SaakshAth Vaikuntam arpayan

The Vaikunta Kaaryam hinted here is Nithya , Niravadhya Kaimkaryam to
Parama Padha Naathan and His dhivya Mahishis at His Sri Vaikuntam .

Why we worship Sri Hayagrivan
*****************************

Before we continue with the commentary on the Second SlOkam of Sri
HaygrIva SthOthram , adiyEn would like to point out why Sri HayagrIvan is
specially worshipped by us . 

All what one can seek from PerumaL as Isvaryams are Jn~Anam , Bhakthi and
anushtAnam . As Sri UtthamUr Swamy explains , One can ask all of the above
three Isvaryams from PerumAL and more . Although Our Lord can bless us
with the every Isvaryam , it is considered appropriate however to ask a
specific avathAra- Moorthy of the Lord for a specific boon , which has
close connections to His avathAram . For instance , Sri HayagrIvan
incarnated to bless Brahma with the power of Veda Vidhyai .He is therefore
the VidhyA RaajA. Parama Sivan ,the grandson of the Lord became DakshiNA
Moorthy due to the grace of Sri HayagrIvan. Devi Sarasvathi became the
goddess of Learning due to the anugraham of Sri HayagrIvan.  Brahaspathi
became Deva Guru due to the blessing of Sri HayagrIvan. Swamy Desikan is
going to point out later that DakshiNA Moorthy, Sarasvathi (Bharathi) and
Brahaspathi got vested in powers of learning from a trifle of the
anugraham of Sri HaygrIvan.  That is why we worship Sri HayagrIvan
exclusively , when our desire is for the acquisition of Jn~Anam and
Vidhyai.

Sri HayagrIvan is invoked in all Vaidhika KarmAs through the first slOkam
in our sankalpams:

SuklAmbharadharam VISHNUM
SASI VARNAM Chathurbhujam 
Prasanna Vadhanam dhyAyEth 
Sarva vighnOpasAnthayE 

The Sukla ambhara-dharan (Clad in spotless white cloth ) and Sasi varNan (
with the white hue reminding us of the cool, white rays of the autumn Full
Moon ) referred to here is none other than Sri HayagrIvan . 

We pay our special reverence to Sri HayagrIvan for these reasons .

The Revered Jeeyars of the ParakAla Matam starting from the direct Sishyar
(Sri Brahma Tanthra Svathanthra Swamy) have continued this tradition of
AchArya RaamAnujA and Swamy Desikan by performing uninterrupted AarAdhanam
for Sri Lakshmi HayagrIvan.  MahA Lakshmi takes on the form of another
Devi with the name of "Vidhyai" and becomes the Dharma- Pathni of Sri
VaagIsvarEsvaran (HayagrIvan) .  As Lakshmi HayagrIvan , Our Lord wears
the two VishNu chinnams (Sankham and Chakram ) in two hands and has a
Pusthakam and Jn~Ana mudhrai (Chimudhrai) on the other two hands . Saadhu
Jana rakshaNam , Dhushta Nigraham , VidhyA Pradhatvam and Moksha
Pradhathvam are represented by the four hands of Sri HayagrIvan.

Following is  a small krithi that can be sung in Raagam Naattakurinji or
VasanthA .

Pallavi: HayagrIvam BhAvayAmi sathatham
Sundara Aniruddha avathAram (LakshmI)

Anupallavi: Jn~Anandha-mayam svaprakAsam
Jn~Ana-dhAyinam DayA nidhim (LakshmI) 

CharaNam 1 : Aadhi-madhyAntha rahitham Vaaji Vakthram 
Sarvaj~nam svacchandhanm Deva Devam ( LakshmI)

Charanam 2: Madhu KaiDapa mardhanam Saarasvatha pradham
aj~nAna-Naasakam Sarva VaagIsvarEsvaram (LakshmI)

(Meaning): adiyEn reflects always on Sri Lakshmi HayagrIvan , who is of
the most beautiful avathAram of Aniruddhuan .  He is full of bliss of
knowledge and self-effulgent; Sri Lakshmi Hayagrivan is the one , who
blesses us with Tatthva-Hitha -PurushArtha Jn~Anam and is a treasure house
of dayA guNam. The Lord of Gods with the face of a horse is Omniscient and
shines like a clear crystal .AdiyEn meditates on that Lord , who destroyed
the two asurAs , Madhu and KaiDapan . He is the One , who blesses us with
Vedic speech and removes our false Knowledge and is the Lord of all Gods
of Learning . 

The Second SlOkam of Sri HayagrIva SthOthram
**********************************************

Swami Desikan started the first slOkam on the Veda Murthy in the Vedic
Anushtup Metre and concluded the sthOthram also in the same Vedic Anushtup
metre. In between , he used four other metres: SikhariNI , Saalini ,
UpajAthi and MandhaakranthA . SlOkam 2 & 3 are set in SikhariNI metre ,
which Swamy Desikan used for the sixth decad of DayA sathakam saluting
another tEjO-maya DayA nidhi presiding ovr the hills of ThiruvEnkatam
.Here is the second slOkam of Sri HaygrIva sthOthram:

savathssidhdam suddha-spatika-maNi bhUbhruth prathibhaDam
SudhA sadhrchibhir-dhyuthibhir-avadhAtha Thribhuvanam
ananthais thrayyanthairanuvihitha hEshA halahalam
hathAshEshAvadhyam HayavadhanamIDimahi Maha:

(Meaning): We sing the glories of that tEjOmayan ( effulgent Vigraham) ,
who incarnated as HayagrIvan to banish the samsAric afflictions of His
bhakthAs.  His dhivya mangaLa vigraham is like a hill made up of suddha
spatikam ( gem crystal).He spreads His nectarine lustre on the three
worlds and renders them white. He generates the "Hala Hala " sound
appropriate to His form as a Horse and through that neighing sound
suggests that it contains the essence of all the Upanishads. He makes it
easy for those , who are blessed to hear that SunAdham , to understand the
true meaning of His VedAs.

Svathassiddham: The first word chosen by Swami Desikan is "Svathassiddham
" to salute Lord HyaagrIvan.  We will use the rst of this posting to
understand the Vedic significance of this word chosen by Swamy Desikan.

This is indeed a powerful word with deep Vedic connotations.  Here , Swamy
Desikan instructs us that Lord HayagrIvan is self-manifested and
ever-existing. 

Svatha: Siddham also means self-evident .It is self-evident that He is
ajAyAmanan ( One who was never born ; He is AnAdhi Purushan). The Vedams
recognize Him as Ucchishta Brahmam . As the creation passes into
primordial matter at the time of MahA PraLayam , this Supreme Self
persists , since He is not subject to change , decay or death. The Atharva
Vedam salutes this Svatha-Siddha , Uchcishta Brahmam as :

Rk Saama Yajurucchishta UdhgItha: prasthutham sthutham 
hinKAra ucchishtE Svara: SaamnO mEdisccha tanmayi 
--- Atharva vedam: XI.7.5

The essence of Sri HayagrIvan is summarized in the above Atharva Manthram
, which means: In the Ucchishta Brahman is sustained every thing , even
the Rk , Yajuh , Saama , UdhgIthaa, HinkAra , Svara and Saaman rhythms and
rhymes . 

The front Portion of Sri HayagrIva Manthram ( the first three words ) is
an echo of the first three words of the above Atharva Manthram.  His
UdhgItha SvarUpam saluted in the Sri HayagrIva Manthram is also echoed in
the above Atharva Manthram ( Rk Saama Yajurucchishta udhgItha:).

The subsequent manthrams of this Tenth Canto of Atharva vedam goes on to
praise the glories of this Ucchishta Brahmam (Sri HayagrIvan) this way:

" UchcishtA is the name of the great Brahman , since He is the undecaying
self( Svatha: Siddham ).In the Uchcishta form is sustained the entire
creation consisting of name and form ( ucchishtE naama rUpam chOcchishtE
lOka aahitha: Atharva Vedam -XI.7.1).  Atharva veda manthrams ( XI.7.24-27
) are great tributes to this Ucchishta Brahmam that is Svatha: Siddham.
These manthrams salute the Lord this way: 

" Every thing is reborn from Him after the PraLayam , the disciplines of
divine knowledge , the sense organs , the vital realm , the blissful realm
and all categories of human beings (aanandhA mOdhA:
pramudhOabhImOdhamuvascha )."

We will proceed with the Paadham by Paadham commentary on the second
slOkam now.

The First Paadham is :" Svatha Siddhma Suddha Spatika MaNI bhUbruth
prathipaDam ".

We discussed in detail the Vedic significance of the word , "Svathasiddham
" in the previous posting .

The reamining words of the first paadham are: " Suddha Spatika maNI
bhUbhruth PrathibhaDam " .  Swamy Desikan says here " Let us eulogize that
blemishless spatika gem resembling that of a hill".  Prathi+ bhaDam makes
the word "PrathibhDam ". Prathi as a seperable proposition means towards
or in the direction of some thing.Hence , PrathibhaDam means vying with or
rivalling .BhUbhruth means mountain . Therefore , "BhUbhruth PrathibhaDam
" means resembling a mountain .  What is this mountain? What does this
Savthasiddham mountain made of and waht does it resemble ?  The answer is:
It is made of sudhda sathva maya dhravyam , which has the hue of "suddha
Spatika MaNI" or blemishles spatika ( paLinkU) gem stone. The lustre of
this Haya vadhana Parabrahmam is " a challenge to a hill of pure white
crystal like gem ". 

The Second Paadham :

"SudhA sadhrIchibhi: dhyuthibhi: avadhAtha thribhuvanam " (idiMahi) is the
prayer.We eulogize the self-evident effulgence resembling a hill of pure
crystal gem , " WHICH RENDERS THE THREE WORLDS TO A WHITE LUSTRE
RESEMBLING NECTAR " is the meaning of the second paadham . In some paatams
, "avadhAtha thribhuvanam " is replaced by " apathApa thribhuvanam "
according to Sri D.Ramaswamy Iyengar. "avadhAtha thribhuvanam " means
rendering all the three worlds white by its svayam jyothi (innate
radiance). "ApatApa- thribhuvanam " means banishing the tApams
(sufferings) of the three worlds . Sri HayagrIvan radiates white rays
resembling nectar for bhUtha sanjeevanam and makes all the three worlds
white. Thus , He showers His grace over all the three worlds .

The Third Paadham :

"ananthai: thrayyanthai: anuvihitha hEshaa hala halam " is the third
paadham of the second slOkam .

VedAs and its branches are countless (ananthA vai VedA:).  The innumerable
Veda saakhais are saluted by Swami Desikan as " ananthai: thrayyanthai:".
One meaning of Ananthai: is endless, infinite, eternal , boundless and
inexhaustible. The apourushEya Vedams , the breaths of Lord HayagrIvan are
the endless triplets( Rg Yaju: Saamaani)."Thrayyanthai:" is derived from
thrayi or triplet , the three VedAs taken together. " ThrayimayAya nama:"
is the salutation for the Lord eulogized by the limitless three vedAs.  "
anu+vihitha hEshaa hala halam " idImahi is the rest of the third paadham .
"anu" means after or along with ; "vihitha" means done or performed
.anuvihitha here means that which is heard/performed continously . What is
that which is heard continously as the auspicious sound ? It is the "
hEshA hala halam ". "hEshin" means a Horse.  "hEsh" ( hEshA )means
neighing of a Horse. "hEshA hala halam " means the neighing sunAdham of
the Horse- faced Sri HayagrIvan , which sounds like "haal hala" sabdham ,
which is echoed continously by the eternal VedAs.

Fourth Paadham :

" hatha asEsha avadhyam Hayavadhanam idImahi maha:' is the fourth paadham
.

What does that kanai kural (neighing sound) of Lord HayagrIvan do ? What
is its impact ?  Swamy Desikan states that Sri Hayavadhanan's "hEshA Hala
halam " destroys (hatha) without residue (asEsha) all the paapams and
inauspiciousness (avadhyam).Swamy Desikan experiences Sri Hayagrivan as a
JyOthirmaya SvarUpan (maha:) and asks us to pray to Him for removal of our
aj~nams by having the good fortune to hear His auspicious neighing sound
that is the rejuvenating nectarine oushadham for banishing our samsAric
afflictions.

Thus , this "Svathassiddha SvarUpi , Suudha spatika maNi maya bhUbhruth
prathibhaDa svarUpi, SudhAsadhrIchibhi: dhyuthibhi: avadhAtha thribhuvana
SvarUpi " is invoked to bless us and remove our paapams (avadhyams=faults,
defects, sins) through His " hEshA hala hala " nadhams.The invocation of
the " Hala Hala " sabdham to invoke the neighing sound of a horse is a
brilliant use of onomateopia ( imitiation of a sound effect through a
choice of word or words) is a rhetoric master piece by Swami Desikan .
This sabdhAlankAram is reverentially placed at the sacred feet of Sri
HyagrIva para Brahmam by Swami Desikan .

the meaning of the first Paadham of the third slOkam of Sri HayagrIva
SthOthram:

SamAhAra: SaamnAm prathipadham-ruchAm dhAma yajushAm
laya: prathyUhAnAm laharivithathir-BhOdhajaladhE:
kaTA-dharpa-kshubhyath-kaTaka-kula kOlAhala-bhavam
harathu anthar-dhvAntham Hayavadhana hEshA hala-hala:

(meaning): The Hala-Hala sounds in the form of neighings emanating from
the divine throat of Sri HayagrIvan , the Horse-faced Lord , are the
aggregate of Saama VedA mantrAs , the word for word meanings of the Rg
vedA (Rks) and the abode of Yajur VedA manthrams .These Hala-Hala nadhams
are the destroyers of all obstacles to true Jn~Anam about ChEthana-
AchEthana-Isvara tatthvams ; these Hala-Hala sounds are like the movement
of the waves from the ocean of true knowledge (Jn~Anam). May these
sunAdhams chase away the inner darkness (ajn~nam) arising from the uproar
(loud and confusing noise) of debaters whose minds are driven by their own
pride , arrogance and viparItha Jn~Anam .

Sri HayagrIvan's neighing sounds are in the form of the tree of Saama
Vedam (Saamans) with its thousand branches(SaakhAs).  They stand in for
the meanings of Rg Veda manthrams (Rks).They contain the essence of Yajur
Veda Manthrams.They destroy all obstacles that stand in the way of
acquisition of para and apara vidhyais;they appear like the never-ceasing
waves from the ocean of true Jn~Anam. Thus , these sunAdhams associated
with Sri HayagrIvan are the integrated essence of the three Vedams ; they
remove the obstacles towards gaining adhyAthmika vidhyai (true spiritual
knowledge); they kindle the wick of the dheepam of knowledge and makes it
shine bright to illumine our path towards mOksham ; they destroy the
clever and fallacious arguments of the debaters from avaidhika-mathams
(Mathams that reject Vedams as PramANams)and kudhrushti- mathams (
philosophies that distort the true meaning of the Vedams) ;they( the
sacred sounds of hala-hala) rescue the gullible from the delusions caused
by the loud and spirited argumnets advanced by the proponents of avaidhika
and Kudhrushti mathams in favor of their illusory doctrines ; May the
sacred sound of the neighings of Sri HayagrIva BhagavAN banish forever the
dark clouds of ajn~Anam clouding our cognition of the true tatthvams and
liberate us from the cycles of births and deaths (SamsAram)!

The third slOkam contains a section of Sri HayagrIva manthram and hence it
is very sacred. Out of his infinite DayA , Swami Desikan housed the
manthrams inside the different sections of his sthuthis addressed to Sri
HayagrIvan , Sri Raaja GopAlan , Sri Devi and Garuda BhagavAn .This was
done for helping the aasthikAs , who did not have the benefit of
ManthrOpadEsam through an AchAryan .  The mere reciting of these
sthOthrams would then yield the fruits of manthrOpadEsam directly from Sri
NigamAntha MahA desikan . Of all the sthOthrams, Si HayagrIva sthOthram is
the most important one for every one to learn and recite . Sri HayagrIva
BhagavAn is adhi Moorthy and has been recognized as the One with "Manthra
Mayam SarIram ". All manthrams are embedded in Him . He is thus the
treasure house of all Veda Manthrams and upAsana manthrams for gaining
this-worldly and other-worldly gains.

In the second slOkam , Swamy Desikan mentioned for the first time , the
power of the hala-Hala Sabdham: " anathai: thrayyanthai: anuvihitha hEshA
Hala-halam hatha asEsha avadhyam". Here ,Swamy Desikan elaborates on the
unique significance of the hala-hala sabdham emanating from the throat of
the Horse-faced Lord , Sri HayagrIvan.

He provides extended commentary on the "ananthai: thrayyanthi:( Limitless
three Veda SaakhAs)first " in the first paadham of the third slOkam .

SaamnAm SamAhAra:
******************
SamAhAra: means the assemblage, an aggregation.  a compendium. "SaamAnAm
SamAhAra:" means then the assembly of the entire 1875 verses of Saama
Vedam with its three parts(pUrva Aarchika, Uttara Aarchika ,and
MahA-Naamni AarchikAa saamans).

These Hala-Hala dhvani is recognized as the rustle of the assembly of the
thousand-branched Saama Veda tree. Thus not only the samhithA portion of
Saama Vedam but the thousand shAkhAs ( recensions or branches )are
referred to here .

GeethAchAryan has declared that He is in the form of Saama Vedam among the
VedAs (vedAnAm Saama VedOsmi)to celebrate its supermacy among the VedAs.
That is why , Swamy Desikan starts with the Saama Veda SvarUpam of Sri
HayagrIvan sitting in front of him at ThiruvhaIndhrapuram .

The neighings of HayagrIva Moorthy is in the form of Saama GhAnam covering
all the saamans (manthrams) in all its forms.  The Rig Vedam deals with
Jn~Anam , the Saama vedam with UpAsanA , worship and contemplation and
Yajur Vedam with kriyA/KarmA or the observance of Vedic rites . Although
Rg Vedam is the "parent ", Swamy Desikan mentions Saama Vedam first
because of manthra siddhi that he attained from Sri HayagrIva manthra
Upaasanai . 

The tradional hierarchy among the VedAs is Rg, Yajus and Saamam .Most of
the Saama veda ManthrAs are rks from Rg Vedam set to music. It is
generally believed that Saama vedam has only 75 verses of its own and the
remaining 1,800 Saamans are from the different cantos of the Rg Vedam .
The same Rk in Rg Vedam deals with knowledge and the identical Rk(Saaman)
in saama Vedam deals with prayer and worship (AarAdhanam) to a devatA ,
whose antharyAmi is Sri Lakshmi HayagrIvan, the Sarva VidhyA Moorthy .

RuchAm Prathipadham
*********************

Swamy Desikan salutes Rg Vedam next and shows us its links to the body (
Hala-Hala Sabdham ) of Lord HayagrIvan."RuchAm " refers to Rg veda
Rks(manthrams).As we mentioned earlier, the prefix "Prathi" , when going
before a noun means " likeness, or resemblence or equality".
"Prathi-padham means then " every where or in every word". The word group
"RuchAm Prathipadham " chosen by Swami Desikan points out that the
Hala-Hala Naadham of Sri HayagrIvan is the sum of the meanings of every
word of Rg Veda Manthrams. Viewed in the context of the aphoristic
statement , "The Veda itself is the secret of VedAs", One can understand
that the VedAs in general and the Rg Vedam linked with Jn~Anam in
particular deals with Rutham ( Truth),dhee ( Thought or understanding or
comprehension) ,rAyE (spiritual felicity) , Vaaja ( Homogeneous totality
of thought ), ghrutha ( mind ), asva (vital energy ) and amrutham (
sath-chith-aanandham).  It is intersting to note the important connection
between two tathvams mentioned above , "Vaaja and Aasvam " with the two
sacred names of Sri HayagRivan: " Vaaji- Vakthran and MahA asva siras ".

DhAma YajushAm
***************

Sri HayagrIvan houses the essence of the meanings of all Yajyur Veda
Manthrams dealing with karma- KaaNDam. That is why He is saluted by Sri
HayagrIva Sahasra Naamam at three places as:

" Padham kriyA kaaraksccha nipAthO Gathiravyaya:"

" Sarva karma SamArAdhya: Sarva VedamayO Vibhu:"

" Niranthara namOvAka suddhayAji hrudhayAsraya:"

There are 1984 manthrams in Yajur vedam . 

The Param-dhAman , Sri Lakshmi Haygrivan is the dhaman for the Yajur Vedam
(YajushAM dhaama:).  "Dhaman" means abode or house . DhAman also means a
majestic lustre .Dhama ChaDh is the Vedic name for Agni , which is central
to Yaagams and Yaj~nams. Invocation of the word "DhAman " in "DhAma
yajushAm " is very revealing in that the Lord , who accepts all Veda Havis
in Yaj~nams, the antharyAmi Brahman of Agni ,is invoked here. 

we will cover the rest of the three paadhams of the third slOkam :

Paadham 2:
**********

"laya: prathyUhAnAm lahari-vithathir-BhOdha-jaladhE: "

The prose order is : "PrathyUhAnAm laya: BhOdha jaladhE: lahari vithathi". 

PrathyUha: means impediment , obstacle or hindrance . These impediments
realte to the acquisition of true knowledge. The Hala-Hala dhvani destroys
those impediments .The "prathyUhams " reach the state of layam ."
Hayavadhana hEshA hala-hala: prathyUhAnAm laya:" is what Swamy Desikan
reveals to us as the Vaibhavam of Sri HayagrIvan.

" hEsha hala-hala:" is being described further in this Paadham.Sri
HayagrIvan's neighing sounds echoing continously and creating sarva
mangaLams are like the never-ceasing waves (lahari vithathi:) from the
ocean of Jn~Anam (BhOdha jaladhE:). These waves bathe one in the nectar of
dhivya Jn~Anam .These are the BhakthAs of Sri HayagrIvan who receive such
anugrahams. These Hala-hala dhvanis have the power of anishta -nivrutthi
(removal of inauspiciousness) and also remove the impediments ( Vigna
Naasanam).  These waves originating from Lord HayagrIvan are Jn~ananda
maya lahari( embodiments of the waves of Jn~Anam and Bliss combined).

Swamy Desikan recognizes Hala-hala Dhvani as the cause behind the removal
of all hindrances for acquisition of Knowledge of every type. Besides
anishta nivrutthi, one is also blessed with ishta prApthi ( obtaining
one's object of desire). Sri HayagrIvan is Sreya: Pradhan and the best of
SrEyas is VidhyA- anugraham .He is tamo Haran and hence , the removal of
Aj~nAnam is an easy task for Him. He is Vaakpathi and therefore , He can
bless one immediately with Saarsvatha Vaak (vedic Speech). He is sarva
Saasthrakruth , SakalOpanishad sthuthyan and hence it is effortless for
Him to bless us with true insights about most complex tatthvams. His "
VidhyA SaamrAjya sampatthi" ( the wealth of the kingdom of VidhYais )has
the unfailing result of " Mokshaika Phala Saadhanam" ( blessing us with
Moksha siddhi).

Third and the Fourth Paadhams:
*******************************

" kaTA dharpa kshubhyath kaTaka kula kOlAhala bhavam 
haarathu anthar-dhvAntham Hayavadhana hEshA Hala-Hala:"

The prose order is :" Hayavadhana hEshA hala-hala: kaTa dharpa Kshubhyath
kataka kula kOlAhalabhavam anthar dhvAntham harathu" .

Parama Padha Vaasi Sri D.Ramaswamy Iyengar , a great Desika BhakthA gives
us the meaning of these two paadhams : " The prayer voiced in the slOkam
is that our inner darkness be dispelled by those hala-hala sounds. The
cause for that inner darkness (avidyA) settling in our minds is defined in
the third quarter of the slokA as the confusion and chaos caused by the
clamouring noise of vain and haughty disputants propounding the
superiority of the various systems of thought rooted in avaidhika and
kudhrushti mathams.The sounds of the God of Knowledge alone can dispel the
confusion caused by their uproar ( KolAhalam )of disputants ". 

Let us now analyze the meanings a little more.  The prayer is for the
auspicious and welcome dhvani of Sri HayagrIvan's Hala-Hala naadham to
dispel the inner darkness ( Hayavadhana hEshA hala-hala: anthardhvAntham
harathu).  " Tamaso maa Jyothir gamaya" is the prayer . 

Thirumangai Mannan asks for such help from Sri HayagrIvan at ThiruveLLaRai
dhivya dEsam:

"vasayil nannmarai keduttha ammAlAyaRkkaruLi
munn ParimuhamAi ,isai KoLL Veda NoolinRivai 
payanthavanE YENNAKKU ARUL PURIYE " 
--Periya Thirumozhi:5.3.2

Thirumangai Mannan visualizes ThiruveLLaRai PerumAL as Sri HayagrIvan .
The Sanskrit name of this KshEthram is SvEtha Giri ( Thiru VeLLarai).
When Thirumangai mannan had the darsana soubhAgyam of SvEtha Giri , He was
reminded of the blemishless, white crystal mountain like form of Sri
Hayagrivan that would be saluted later by Swami Desikan as " Nirmala
SpatikAkruthi , Suddha Spatika maNi bhUbhruth prathibhaDam " . Thirumangai
Mannan asked for the boon of Jn~aNam of the Four vedAs from VeLLai
Parimukan. In one of the TherazhundhUr Paasurams( Periya Thirumozhi:
7.8.2) , Thirumangai has again the vision of HayagrIvan , who blessed him
with such Vedic knowledge and introduces this Veda Moorthy to us with
pride :

" munnivvlahEshum iruL maNDiuNNa 
munivarOdu DhAnavarkal thihaippa,
vanthu pannukalai naal VedapporuLai yellAm
ParimuhamAi aruLiya yenn paraman KaaNNmin ". 

Swamy Desikan refers to "KaThA dharpa kshubhyath kaThaka kula kOlAhala
bhavam anthardhvAntham Hayavadhana hala-hala: harathu ".

"kathA" means disputations ; kathAchalam means giving a false account of
some thing based on ViparItha Jn~Anam. These disputants are taken up with
themselves and are haughty and their mind is agitated ( dharpa Kshubhyath)
. They are in groups ( kathaka kulam ) and raise a lot of din and noise (
kOlAhalam ). Those noisy protestations of these kumathis confuse the mind
of listeners ( KolAhala Bhavam anthar dhvAntham), who begin to wonder
whether their false claims are true. There is the darkness of Aj~nam
looming over the horizon. Swamy Desikan prays to the JyOthirmaya
HayagrIvan to intervene and chase away that darkness of aj~nam from all of
us . He is requesting Lord HayagrIvan to destroy that Aj~nAnam with His
Hala-Hala dhvani ( Hayavadhana hEshA hala-hala: harathu).

The fourth SlOkam is set in the rare Saalini metre .  Swamy Desikan's 28
sthOthrams contain 862 slOkams .  This fourth slOkam of Sri HayagrIva
sthOthram has the unique distinction of being set in the Saalini metre .
Let us digress a little to reflect on the Padhya vrutthams (poetic metres)
chosen by Swamy Desikan in the 33 slOkams of Sri HaygrIva sthOthram .

The Five Metres used by Swamy Desikan:
**************************************

The First SlOkam and Anushtup metre
*************************************
Swamy Desikan set the first slOkam of His FIRST SthOthram in the sacred
Vedic metre of Anushtup to salute the Veda SvarUpan , Sri HayagrIvan.
Anushtup has eight syllables in each quarter of its four paadhams . One is
inevitably reminded of AshtAkshara Manthram of Sriman NaarAyaNan , when
one thinks of anushtup metre. As the lion among poets , Swamy Desikan
followed all the rules for the use of this metre: (1)Fifth syllable of
each quarter shoul be short (2) the sixth long and (3) the seventh
altenatively long and short. 

The Second & Third SlOkams (SikhariNI Metre)
*********************************************

The SECOND and THIRD slOkams were set in SikariNI metre , one of the seven
derivative metres of the Vedic Metre , Athyashti.  The etymology of the
word SikhariNI is connected with that of an excellent woman ."Si" means to
be attentive and to be sharp. Sikhara means the peak or summit; SikhariNI
can then be related in a larger sense to an attentive woman of towering
beauty .That metre was then chosen by Swamy Desikan for verses 2 and 3
dealing with Hala-Hala Veda dhvani of the Lord .

The Fourth SlOkam and the SikhariNI Metre
******************************************* 

The FOURTH slOkam is set in the rare Saalini metre .  This metre is a
derivative of the Vedic Thrishtup metre.The clue for the use of Saalini
metre is obtained for a study of another slOkam set in the Saalini Metre: 

angO hanthi JN~AANA Vrutthim vidattE
DHARMAM dhattE KAAMAARTHAM cha soothE
MUKTHIM dhattE SarvathOpAsyamAnA
PumsAm SRADDHAA-SAALINEE VISHNU BHAKTHI:

Now , we comprehend the possible reason for Swamy Desikan's choice of the
SaalinI metre.

The 5th to 31st SlOkams ( UpajAthi Metre)
*****************************************

The FIFTH to THIRTY FIRST sLokams are set in the Upajaathi Metre, which is
another derivative of the Vedic Thrishtup metre like SaalinI metre.  Swamy
Desikan decided to stay with UpajAthi metre after the Saalini Metre for
the next 27 slOkams . His concentration was sharp in extolling the anantha
KalyANa guNams of Jn~ananthamaya , Svathasiddha , Veda Moorthy . He stayed
thus with the UpajAthi metre for all the rest of the slOkAs except the
last two ( 32-33). UpajAtha means produced or happened.These 27 slOkams
forming the bulk of the total 33 slOkams (~82%) can be visualized to have
been formed by PrArthanA-poorvaka vij~nApanam of Swami Desikan to Lord
Hayagrivan for the boon of Vedic Speech for samrakshnam of Bhagavath
RaamAnuja SiddhAntham.

The Thirty Second Slokam and MandhAkranthA metre
**************************************************

For the THIRTY SECOND SlOkam , Swamy Desikan used the MandhaakrAnthA
metre. This MandhAkrAnthA metre is another derivative of the Athyashti
Metre like SikhariNI metre( the metre of the 2nd and third slOkams).  The
whole of the great Kaavyam of MegadhUtA of the celebrated poet KaaLidAsA
is composed in the MandhAkrAnthA metre. The Vedic root Mandh (mandhathE )
means to celebrate without rushing .  The non-Vedic meaning is to move
slowly(mandha gathi) .  One meaning of AakrAntha is to have the mind
engrossed or occupied .The combination of mandh and AakrAnthA , one can
extrapolate to get a meaning of the poets's mind being steeped in a
majestic , unhurried celebration of the anantha kalyANa guNams of the
Saarasvatha-Vaak-dhAyaka Sri HayagrIvan. 

The Thirty third and Final slOkam ( AaryA metre)
*************************************************

This is the Pahala sruthi slOkam is set in AaryA metre by Swami Desikan.
One hundred and Sixteen of the 862 slOkams ( 13.5% ) of the 28 sthOthrams
are set in AaryA metre . This metre must have 12 maathrAs or syllabic
instants in the first and third quarters (paadhams), the second 18 mAthrAs
and the fourth 15 mathrAs.  The whole of the poet GovardhanA's AaryA
sapthasathi (700 vesrses)has been composed in he AaryA metre.  This metre
is usullay a celebration of the DayA svarUpam of the Lord .

The fourth slOkam is a prayer for the gift of Vedic speech arising out of
the destruction of the inner darkness described in the previous slOkam (
Haya Vadhan hEshA hala-Hala: anthar- dhvAntham harathu). Here Swamy
describes the power of that Hala-Hala dhvani further.  He states that the
anugraham of Sri HayagrIvan is like the the Sun rise that chases away the
night's darkness ( Anthar nisAyaa kaachith prAchi SandhyA ). He describes
the unique anugraham of Sri HayagrIvan also as ," praj~nA dhrushtE:
apoorvA anjana SrI:". The imagery used by Swami Desikan is powerful and
revealing.

That lustorous image of Sri HayagrIvan is like kOti SuryOdhayam with the
power to banish the terrors of the night of inner darkness .  That lustre
is also of divinely wonderous nature (kaachith prAchi SandhyA ). That
lustre , which is in the form of praatha: sandhyA Kaalam drives away
swiftly and decisively the inner darkness. 

The Saama MaadhyAhnika UpasthAna manthram translated by the Sri Kaaryam of
Poundarikapuram Aasramam, Professor Anantha NarasimhAcchAr Swamy is very
appropriate in the context of invocation of the uniqueness of Praatha:
sandhyA image invoked by Swamy Desikan ( PraachI SandhyA Kaachith): 

" The Lord from whom the Sun derives the light , The Lord who is the
propagator of the VedAs , The Lord whom the great souls sustain in their
heart through meditation and see the entire universe , The Lord from whom
the army for the protection of the DevAs came into being , The Lord for
whom VaruNA and Agni are like two eyes , He is the inner soul (AntaryAmi)
living inside all things and beings in the Universe .  He is pervading the
Upper worlds , the earth and the intervening space.May This Lord (Adithya
Mandala Madhya Vaasi) ---- bestow on me lustre like Sun , life like Vaayu
, Smell(fragrance) like SomA , intelligence like Brihaspathi , beauty
(youth) like Aswins ,Strength like IndrA and Agni ".

That radiant form of Sri HayagrIvan also has the power to reveal what was
hitherto unseen. What is being revealed is the true Jn~Anam. How was it
revealed ? What was the power that made it possible to see what could not
be seen until now ? It is the power of Sri HayagrIvan , which acts like
the rare kind of sacred anjanam ( collyrium ) , which opens up the eye of
Jn~Anam to experience the entire range of Vedic knowledge , which helps to
understand what are true Tatthvam, Hitham and PurushArtham among a
bewildering array of false entities.

This powerful VidhyA Moorthy blessing those who seek refuge is Sri
HayagrIvan , who performed Veda UpadEsam to Brahma Devan ( VakthrI
Vedaan).  Swamy identifies this Nru-Turangan as the avathAram of Sri
VaikuntanAthan, Para VaasudEvan.

The fourth slOkam houisng all these thought is as follows: 

"prAchi SandhyA kaachidanthar nisayA:
praj~nA dhrushDEranjana-SrirapUrvA
VakthrI VedAn bhaathu mE VaajivakthrA
VaaghIsAkhyA VaasudEvasya Moorthy:"

(meaning): The Horse-faced Lord worshipped as the Lord of Speech (VaagIsan
)is indeed the avathAra roopam of Para VaasudEvan of Sri VaikuNtam. He
instructs Brahma Devan on the VedAs and is like the unique , morning light
( prAtha: SandhyA )to drive away our inner darkness . He is the matchless
, sacred collyrium (anjanam) for revelation of the dhivya Jn~Anam .May
this subhAsraya ThirumEni of this incarnation of Para VaasudEvan shine
with in and before me always !

Swami Desikan touches on the avathAra rahasyam of Sri HayagrIva BhagavAn
here since the avathAra rahasya chinthanam ( reflections on the Six
rahasyams underlying His incarnation ) is vital for the successful
completion of the Bhakthi or Prapatthi anushtAnam for Moksham without
delayed phalan . In His magnum opus , Sri Rahasya Thraya Saaram ( Charama
SlOkAdhikAram), Swamy Desikan sums up the six rahayams this way :

avathArasya sathyathvam ajahath svasvabhAvathA
Suddha Satthvamayathvam cha SvEcchAmAthranidhAnathA
Dharma glAnou samudhaya: Saadhu samraksdhANArTathA 
Ithi Janma rahasyam yO vEtthi naasya Punarbhaav:

(meaning):(1) Our Lord's incarnations (avathArams) are real .(2) They
happen without any dimunition in His svabhAvam .(3) These avathArams are
constituted by Suddha Satthva Dhravyam.(4) These avathArams happen because
of our Lord's own volition (Sankalpam).  (5)These avathArams take place ,
when there is even the slightest harm to dharmam in His world.  (6) The
avathArams of the Lord are intended for the protection of His
BhakthAs.Those who reflect on these six inner meanings of the reasons
behind the Lord's avathArams do not get rebirth (na Punarbhava:).

When Swami Desikan salutes Sri HayagrIva- BhagavAn in the fourth paadham
of this slOkam as " VaaghIsAkhyA VaasudEvasya Moorthy:" , He wants us to
remember the avathAra Rahasyam of Sri Nru-Turanga HayagrIvan ( The
avathAram with human body and a horse's face). 

This HayagrivAvathAram came about to save Brahma Devan , who had lost the
VedAs to two asurAs . Bhagavan incarnated to punish those asurAs (Madhu
KaiDapan). Out of His own sankalpam , without the least dimunition in His
svAbhAvIka-kalyANa guNams , Para VaasudEvan took on the Suddha Sathva
Drvya maya svarUpam of HayagrIvan and came to the rescue of Brahma Devan
and helped him continue with his assigned duty of creation (Srushti
karmA).

In this avathAram , Para VaasudEvan has the face of a horse ( Vaaji
Vakthra:).  He stays as the Supreme God of Learning and instructs Brahma
Devan on the four Vedams that are essential for him to continue his
srishti karmAs. Brahma Devan pleaded with the Lord to restore the VedAs
from the two asurAs, which the Lord did effortlessly.  Swamy Desikan prays
for that illustrious avathAra Moorthy (HayagrIvan ) to shine always in his
mind and in front of him with the words of the third and fourth paadhams
of this fourth slOkam:

" VakthrI VedAn Bhaathu mE Vaaji VakthrA
VaaghIsAkhyA VaasudEvasya Moorthy: "

Vaikunta Vaasi Sri D.Ramaswamy Iyengar quotes in this context the
Upanishidaic passage dealing with the extraordinary effect of the darsana
soubhAgyam of the Para Brahmam.  All the knots of confusion are broken
apart and frees one to receive and benefit from the full range of Vedic
wisdom ( True Jn~Anam ).

With the fifth slOkam set in the UpajAthi metre, the SthOthram proper is
said to start and goes upto slOkam 31 followed by the DhyAna slOkam ( 32nd
SlOkam set in MandhaakrAnthA metre) and concludes with the Phala Sruthi
SlOkam (33) set in the AaryA metre .

Fifth Slokam
************

previously, adiyEn indicated that the sthuthi of Lord HayagrIvan starts
from this Fifth SlOkam. Here, Swamy Desikan proclaims his Prapatthi to
that "VaaghIsAkhyA VAASUDEVASYA MURTHY:".

The Fifth slOkam housing the SaraNAgathi of Swamy Desikna is as follws:

Visuddha Vig~yAna ghana SvarUpam 
vig~yAna visrANana Bhaddha dhIksahm I
DayAnidhim dehabruthAm SaraNyam 
Devam HayagrIvam-aham prapadhyE II

(Meaning): AdiyEn seeks refuge in Lord HayagrIvA, whose divyAthma , Suddha
Satthva SvarUpam is the embodiment of pure and unalloyed dhivya Jn~Anam .
As the overflowing treasure house of DayA , He has taken the sankalpam to
bless the chEthanams with His rejuveanting blessings of dhivya Jn~Anam
that will liberate them from the cycles of births and deaths.  To fulfill
His vow to liberate them from the darkness of ajn~Anam , He stands as
their beacon light , their sole and final refuge to bless them with dhivya
Jn~Anam.  AdiyEn also desiring that divine and redeeming dhivya Jn~Anam
perform prapatthi at His lotus feet . 

This prapatthi slOkam can be split in the following four ways patterned
after a chathur vEda vanthanam format :

1. Visuddha Vij~nana ghana SvarUpam Devam HayagrIvam
aham prapadhyE .

2. Vij~nana VisRANana Bhaddha DhIksham Devam HayagrIvam
aham prapadhyE .

3. DayAnidhim Devam HayagrIvam aham prapadhyE .

4. dEha BruthAm SARANYAM Devam HayagrIvam aham prapadhyE .

The refrain of " Devam HayagrIvam aham prapadhyE " is like a ChathurvEda
Vandhanam to the Lord of Supreme divine Knowledge .These salutations are
steeped deeply in Upanishadic teachings . 

For instance in Sri HayagrIvOpanishad , Sage NaradhA approaches his father
, BrahmA Devan and asks the question requesting guidance to realize divine
Jn~Anam :

" Oh Bhagavan (revered One)! Oh son of BhagavAn !  Please perform upadEsam
for me that Brahma Vidhyai, which will quickly erase all sins , confer
Brahma Jn~Anam and make adiyEn the posssessor of the richest of all riches
!  ( adhIhi Bhagavan ! Brahma-VidhyAm varishtAm yayAchirAth Sarva Paapam
vyapOhya , Brahma VidhyAm labdhvA , IsvaryavAn Bhavathi )

Lord BrahmA , the Master of the Four VedAs and their inner meanings as
taught to him by Lord HayagrIvan Himself earlier responded to his son's
request :

BrahmOvAcha:" HayagrIva DhaivathyAn manthrAn yO Veda sa Sruthi-Smruthi
-ithihAsa -PurANAni veda sa sarvaisvaryavAn bhavathi ta yEthE manthrA: "
(Lord BrahmA said: Oh my Son ! Those who know the Four Manthrams that have
Lord HayagrIvan as Devathai, would fully comprehend the inner meanings of
Sruthi , Smruthi , IthihAsams and PurANams and would become the possessor
of sarva Isvaryam and these four ManthrAs have Lord HayagrIvan as their
protecting Supreme Lord/Para-dEvathai )".

The Chathur-Mukha BrahmA then initiated NaradhA with the Sri HayagrIva
manthrams , which have all in common the Brahma-Adhri-Soorya- BharghavA as
the Rishis , Gayathri-anushtup-Thrishtup as Chandas, Sri HayagrIva
ParamAthmA as Devathi , llhoum as BheejAksharam , sOham as sakthi , lhUm
as the keelakam , BhOga-Moksham as ViniyOgam , akAra-ukAra-makAra as kara
and anga nyAsams . 

The blessings invoked by the double "SvAhA-SvAhA " namaskAram in the Sri
HayagrIva manthrams is : " mahyam mEdhAm praj~nAm prayaccha". MedhA and
Prj~nA arw two poweful words with deep Vedic Connotations. Swamy Desikan
asked for the blessings of "MedhA and Prj~nA " from the DayAnidhi and
peroformed prapatthi under the sacred feet of Lord HayagrIvan at the
OushadhAdri Hill of ThiruvahIndhrapuram .

After the Sri HayagrIva Manthra japam , the four Veda manthrams
representing the four VedAs are to be recited as instructed by Sri
HayagrIvOpanishad :

1. YadhvAgvadhanthyanu chEthanAni rAshtrI dEvAnAm nishasAdha mandhrA ;
chathasra oorjam dudhuhE payAmsi kva svidhasyA: Paramam jagaama .

2. GourImimAya salilAni takshathi yEkapadhi dhvipadhI saa ChathushpadhI;
akshtApadhI navapadhI BhabhushI sahasrAksharA paramE vyOman .

3. OhshtapidhAanA nakulI dhanthai: parivruthA pavi:, Sarvasyai vaacha
IsAnA chAru maamiha vaadhayEth ithi cha Vaagrasa:

4. Sa SarparIramathim vArdhamAnA Bruhan mimAya
jagadhagnidhatthA;AasUryasya dhurithA tanAna sravO dhEvEshvamrutha
majuryam .

Inview of brevity, the meanings of the veda manthrAs will not be covered.

Sri HayagrIvOpanishad states that the recitation of the Sri HayagrIva
Manthram initiated by the AchAryan would make one a MahA purushA and
Brahma Vidhyai will never leave from such UpAsakAs blessed by Sri
HayagrIvan.

That was the paramAnugraham Swamy Desikan received on that blessed dwan
from Lord hayagrIvan on the OushadhAdhri Hill after being initated into
the Parama Paavana Sri HayagrIva manthram by the Veda SvarUpi ,Garuda
BhagavAn Himself .

We will conclude this first section of the posting on the fifth slOkam of
Sri HayagrIva sthOthram with Swamy Desikan's own visualization of Lord
Garudan with the Veda Bhaagams as His Limbs . The third slOkam of Sri
Garuda panchAsath visualizing the Veda SvarUpam of the Lord starts with
the words " nEthram GaayathramUchE" and has the following meaning :

In every limb of Garuda BhagavAn , the portions of the VedAs are seen .
SthOmam , the Saama Rk(Saaman) is prsent as His dhivyAthma SvarUpam ; the
Saaman revered as Gaayathram are His eyes; the Thruvriddh Saaman serves as
His head; Yajur vedams serve as His many names , the different metres
(chandas) serve as His hands; the seats of rthviks known as dhishnyams are
His hooves; the saaman known as VaamadEvyam becomes His body ; the Bruhadh
and Rathanthra Saamans become His two wings ; Yaj~nAyaj~Iya Saaman becomes
His puccham/tail).  VedAs themselves declare that these Veda Saamans are
limbs of Lord GarudA . May that Lord free us from the bonds of our karmAs
and show us the way to Moksham and free us from the afflictions of
SamsAram .


previously, adiyEn referred to the power of the Sri HayagrIva manthram in
the context of the SambhAshaNam (conversation) between Brahma Devan and
Sage NaaradhA. adiyEn referred to the prapatthi performed by Swamy Desikan
to that "VaaghIsAkhyA VAASUDEVASYA MURTHY:".  Additional reference was
made to the "chathur Veda Vandhanam " housed in the fifth slOkam 

The Fifth slOkam housing the SaraNAgathi of Swamy Desikan is as follws:

" Visuddha Vig~yAna ghana SvarUpam 
  vig~yAna visrANana Bhaddha dhIksahm 
  DayAnidhim dehabruthAm SaraNyam 
  Devam HayagrIvam-aham prapadhyE "

As referred to earlier , this prapatthi slOkam can be split in the
following four ways patterned after " a chathur vEda vanthanam " format :

1. Visuddha Vij~ynana ghana SvarUpam Devam HayagrIvam aham prapadhyE .

2. Vij~nana VisRANana Bhaddha DhIksham Devam HayagrIvam aham prapadhyE .

3. DayAnidhim Devam HayagrIvam aham prapadhyE .

4. dEha BruthAm SARANYAM Devam HayagrIvam aham prapadhyE .

The refrain of " Devam HayagrIvam aham prapadhyE " is like " a ChathurvEda
Vandhanam " to the Lord of Supreme divine Knowledge .These salutations are
steeped deeply in Upanishadic teachings . We will study each of these four
salutations now:

1. Visuddha Vij~yAna ghana SvarUpam devam HayagrIvam aham prapadhyE .

"Visuddha" means the purest of the pure ; " Vij~yna ghana SvarUpam "
refers to the divine Jn~Anam filled SvarUpam of Lord HayagrIvan.There are
lot of subtelities between the concepts "rUpam, SvarUpam and dhivyAthama
svarUpam and their relation to Suddha Satthvam". AdiyEn would like to
share with you the input of Sri Hari regarding these concepts: " The
SvarUpam is not Suddha satthvam.  latter is an achith tatthvam. Only the
rUpam is Suddha satthvam. This rUpam is called dhivya rUpam.  But the
dhivyAthmA is SvarUpam. The SvarUpam is Samastha-chith-achith
-vilakshaNam. It is the sathyathva-jn~Anathva-ananthathva-aanandhathva-
amalathva-svarUpa-nirUpaka-dharma -visishta-dharmi".

The choice words chosen by Swamy Desikan , "Visudhda Vij~yna-gana
svarUpam" thus pays tribute to this dhivyAthma svarUpam of the
Lord."Visuddha" means completely free from any imperfection (amalathvam).
"Vijy~anam" means Knowledge and in this context refers to the dhivya
Jn~Anam , which has visuddhi.  That Visuddha Vijy~anam is ghanam or this
dhivyAthma svarUpam of the Lord is replete or fully filled with Visuddha
Vijy~nam.Swamy Desikan recognizes that the dhivyAthma svarUpam is in the
form of parisuddha jn~Anam.To that dhivyAthma SavrUpi, Lord HayagrIvan,
Swamy Desikan offers his prapatthi ( Visuddha Vijy~ana ghana svarUpam
dEvam HayagrIvam aham prapadhyE ).

2. Vijy~na visrANana bhaddha dhIksham dEvam HayagrIvam aham prapadhyE :

Lord HayagrIvan has taken a vow (vratham) to bless those who perform
prapatthi unto Him with this visEsha jn~Anam (Vijy~nam) .  He is therfore
Vijy~na VisrANan . Swamy Desikan offers therfore his  prapatthi to the
VeLLai Parimukhan , who is a treasure house of Dayaa.

3.DayAnidhim dEvam HayagrIvam aham prapadhyE:

In the third vandhanam, Swamy singles out this unparalleled dayA svarUpam
of the Lord by addressing Him as DayA nidhi.His anugraham is
"KaruNAmbOdhau utthitham " ( arising out of His ocean of Dayai).He is the
KarunA VaruNAlayam.  One can relate this unparalleled Daya having  the
effect of "SamsAra ThAriNI" or lifting us out of the ocean of samsAram and
landing us on the other(safe) shore of SamsAram .In the 15th slOkam of
DayA sathakam , Swamy Desikan will indicate later that the GuNAs like
Jn~Anam, Bhalam, Isvaryam ,Veeryam , Sakthi will be nothing but dhOshams ,
when they are bereft of the Lord's DayA guNam. The katAksham of that DayA
Nidhi results in the chEthanan attaining Moksha siddhi without any effort
( apavargam akrushttapacchyam anubhavathi ).This DayA Saarvabhouman
blesses even the aparAdha ChakravarthIs to have the freedom from the
cycles of births and deaths through the conferral of visuddha Vijy~Anam . 

4. dEhabruthAm SaraNyam dEvam HayagrIvam
aham prapadhyE .

dEha BruthAm means janthus  or prANikaL or sarIrins whether they have have
two feet or more .The root Bhru means to possess or have.  dEha BhruthAm
means those posssessing a body (corporeal) which includes chEthanAs of
every kind .The story of Gajendran as a dEha Bruth attaining mOksham
through SaraNAgathi comes to mind here.

Lord HayagrIvan of "Visuddha Vijy~Ana ghana svarUpam " in His role as
"vijy~Ana- VisrANanan" becomes the Sarva Loka SaraNyan  or the avowed ,
unfailing protector for all "dEha bruthAm". Swamy Desikan offers his
Prapatthi to this SaraNyan as a dEha bruth and seeks the conferral of the
dhivya Jn~Anam leading to anAvrutthi ( non-return to the SamsAric world).

Thus ends the fifth slOkam , where Swamy Desikan performs prapatthi to
Lord HayagrIvan. 

Sixth Slokam
************

"apourushEyairapi vaak prapanjai:
adhyApi tE bhUthim adhrushta pArAm
sthuvannaham mugdha ithi thvayaiva 
kaarunyathO naatha kaDAkshaNeeya:"

(meaning): Oh Lord HayagrIvA ! Veda-VedAnthams are not composed by anyone.
They are apourushEyam (authorless and vast).They struggle even today in
their efforts to describe adequately Your SvarUpam, ThirumEni and Your
anantha kalyAna guNams; they can not see the limits (shores) to the ocean
of Your glories. Such is their magnitude of Your countless glories !
Inspite of it , adiyEn has come forward boldly to sing about those
limitless glories . It is indeed sheer foolishness on my part to engage in
this impossible endeavour. Please consider me as one of Your children with
limited intellect and shower on me Your mercy-laden katAkshams inspite of
my saahasam (boldness). I am a fit object for Your auspicious and merciful
katAkshams .

Here Swamy Desikan records his unfitness to engage in the act of praising
the Lord's glories adequately , when the great VedAs themselves find that
impossible. Later , Swamy Desikan is going to refer to the futility of the
VedAs trying to comprehend fully the glories of the Lord in GopAla
Vimsathi ( nigamAnthai: adhunApi mrugyamANam ). In Sri VaradarAja
PanchAsath (slOkam 2) , Swamy Desikan refers again to his bold act
(saahasam) in attempting to praise the Lord's glories , while the Muni-
SaarvabhoumAs of sharp intellect have given up :

yasyAnubhAvam adhiganthum asaknuvantha:
muhyanthi apankura dhiyO Muni Saarvabhouma:

While the greatest of Munis stagger from such an impossible task , Swamy
Desikan says that he is engaged in such an act boldly out of foolishness
and asks for the Karisaila Naathan's pardon for the apachAram committed :

tasyaiva tE sthuthishu saahasam asnuvAna:
Kshanthavya yEsha bhavathA Karisaila Naatha 

It is customary for Swamy Desikan to acknowledge his inadequacy to
undertake the hopeless task of praising adequately the full glories of the
Lord . In some sthOthrams, he will pray for the Lord's blessings ( Sri
HayagrIva sthuthi) to undertake such an onerous task ;in others , he will
seek the Lord's understanding and pardon ( Sri VaradarAja PanchAsath); in
some others , he will argue for his fitness as a logician .  An example of
such a case , where he says that he has the rights to praise the Lord in
proportion to his yogyathai, is found in Sri Deva Naayaka Panchasath (
SlOkam 5):

nirvisyamana vibhavam nigamOtthamAngai:
sthOthum Kshamam mama cha dEvapathE bhavantham
gaava: piBhanthu gaNasa: kalasAmbhurAsim
kim tEna tarnaka gaNAs thruNm aadhadhAnA: 

(Meaning ): Oh DaivanAyakA ! Just as the Upanishads relish enjoying the
act of singing Your glories , adiyEn also has the fitness to engage in
such an act of eulogy. What if the herds of adult cows drink with gusto
from the mighty milky ocean?  Their little calves engage only in partaking
small blades of grass as their invigorating food .  Thus , adiyEn is
singing Your praise in proportion to my meagre intellect, while the great
Upanishads engage in praising Your kalyAna guNams in a manner appropriate
to their lofty stature .

Sri D.Ramaswamy Iyengar points out that Swamy Desikan is following the
foot steps of his PoorvAchAryArs --AaLavandhAr, KurEsar and ParAsara
Bhattar- in engaging in such act of NaicchAnusandhAnam .

Swamy Desikan describes the VedAs in this slOkam as apourushEyam
(authorless) and Vaak Prapanchai: ( immense branches and manthrams). Swamy
points out that even these mighty and vast VedAs are unable to determine
the limit of the Lord's glories and are engaged in their futile searches
even today ( adhya api adhrushta paaraam tE bhUthi:). Your "bhUthi" or
glories are of such limitless nature to comprehend and describe. While
that is so , here I am as a foolish youngster ( mughdha: aham ) attempting
to priase Your vibhUthis.  Mughdha: means "aRiyAp piLLai" or a foolish
fellow , who does not know what he is about to do. The word Mugdha:
reminds one of opposite kind (Muktha:) , who fully comprehends the true
nature of Tatthva-Hitha-PurushArthams and crosses over to the other side
of SamsAric ocean to praise the Lord with the blessings of the Lord
Himself . Swamy Desikan therefore prays for the karuNA katAksham of Lord
HayagrIvan to receive dhivya Jn~Anam to transfrom himself from a "mugdhan
" to a "Mukthan ".His prayer is " KaaruNyathO Naatha KatAkshaNeeya:". 

Seventh Slokam
***************

In the seventh slOkam , Swamy Desikan declares that all those Gods and
Rishis reputed for their powers of knowledge shine only because of
possessing a mere fraction of Lord HayagrIvaa's prowess as a VidhyA
Moorthy.

The seventh slOkam containing these thoughts is as follows:

" DhAkshiNya ramyA Girisasya Moorthy:
dEvi SarOjAsana dharma Pathnee
vyAsadhayOpi vyapadEsaya vaacha:
spuranthi sarvE tava sakthilEsai:"

(meaning ): The pretty-to-behold(ramyA)form of KailAsanAthan
(GirIsan)known as DakshiNAmUrthy , the "Goddess of Learning " and the wife
of Brahma Devan with the name of Sarasvathi having the white lotus as Her
abode and even Sage VyAsA and others famous for their powers of divine
Vaak --all of them derive their Saarasvatham ( power of divine speech
)from a mere fragment of the power of the Adhi VidhyA Moorthy, Lord
HayagrIvan.

Lord HayagrIvan is recognized here as the "SarvArtha Tatthva VyAkhyAtha "
( the expositor of the comprehensive meanings of all tattvams )and
"chathu: shashti KalAdhipan" ( the Master of all the 64 kalaikaL). As such
, He is the source of all Jn~Anam . Even great ones reputed for their
powers of knowledge owe it to Lord HayagrIvan for their high status ,
since they have been blessed with a tiny portion of the power of VidhyA of
Lord HayagrIvan . They have been empowered by a tiny fraction of the full
power of the Aadhi VidhyA Moorthy , Lord HayagrIvan.  He is the "Sarva
VedAthmakO VidhvAn , Veda- VedAntha Paaraga:, Sarva Saasthrakruth " .He is
the Sarva VaagIsvarEsvaran" ( Lord of all gods of Learning ). He is asEsha
Veda Roopan . He is YathArtha Jn~Ana dhAyakan . His mere katAksham confers
visEsha Jn~Anam .

Swamy Desikan's inspiration for this slOkam might have come from one of
the slOkams of Sri HayagrIva Prapathti :

"vijy~Ana dhAna praTithA jagathyAm vyAsadayO
vaagapi DakshiNA saa 
yadhveekshaNaamsa aahitha VaibhavAstham dEvam
HayagrIvam aham prapadhyE "

This slOkam recognizes that Lord HayagrIvan celebrated for His VidhyA
dhAnam confers such blessings favorably on great rishis like VyAsA by His
VeekshaNa vaibhavam ( power of KatAksham alone). 

In the seventh slOkam , Swamy Desikan adds two more celebrities besides
VyAsa BhagavAn , who have been the beneficiaries of such anugraham that
made them possess immense powers of VidhyA .  These two besides Sage
VyAsaa are Lord DakshiNA Moorthy and Devi Sarasvathi.

The foremost among those blessed with VidhyA dhAnam is "DaakshiNya ramyA
Girisasya Moorthy:".  He is the One , who sits under a golden banyan tree
.  He teaches the highest truth as He understood it from Lord Hayagrivan
to the four rishis , Agasthyar, Pulasthyar , Dakshar and MarkaNdEyar.
This lovable and Youthful form of Ahirbudhnyan (Parama Sivan) is DakshiNA
Moorthy , who is looking southward (DakshiNa disai) like Lord RanganAthA .
One of the AzhwArs describes this DakshiNA Moorthy ( favorably disposed
Moorthy , when it comes to the upadEsam of TatthvArthams) this way:

" aala nizhark keezh aRa neRiyai naalvarkku
mElaiyuhatthu uraitthAn meyt tavatthOn "

(meaning): Under the sprawling Banyan tree sat this youthful MahA purushan
of great austerity and He instructed the four eminent older sages about
the esoteric tatthvArthams through the medium of mounam (silence).

This vidhyA Moorthy owes his power of " Nikila samsaya haraNa naipuNyam "
(Expertise in the removal of all doubts about tatthvams)from his AchAryan
, Lord HayagrIvan and goes on to instruct the four great Rishis and
others. That power arose from imbibing a fraction of the
power(sakthi-lEsam) of His Lord , Sri HayagrIva BhagavAN.

The second beneficiary of Lord HayagrIvA's anugruham is Devi Sarasvathi :"
Devi SarOjAsana dharma pathnee ". She is the wife of Lord BrahmA seated on
the red lotus arising out of the navel of the Lord .She is Pusthaka
DhAriNi ( a book on Her hand) and has a japa malai on the other hand
reciting perhaps Sri HayagrIva manthram .  She is seated on a white lotus
like Her AchAryan.

The third beneficiary is VyAsa BhagavAn .Swamy Desikan salutes Sage
VyaasA's celebrated Vidvath with the words "Vyapadesya Vaacha:" ( those
with most laudable power of Vaak) .

Swamy Desikan includes others sages like ParAsarar ( the author of VishNu
PurANam ) and VaalmIki ( author of the Aadhi Kaavyam) with the use of the
word , "VyAsadaya: sarvEpi" ( Sage VyaasA and others ). They all shine as
great repositories of learning and wisdom due to the possession of a mere
fragment of the power of Lord HayagrIvan , their AchAryan.

Swamy Desikan declares here that " SarvE tava sakthi-lEsai: spuranthi" .
Swamy Desikan states that all great ones known for their Vaak siddhis
shine only through the absorption of a speck of the matchless
VidhyA-blessing power of Lord HayagrIvan . Swamy Desikan cites Lord
DakshiNA Moorthy, Devi Sarasvathi and VyAsaadaya: as examples of such
great souls blessed by Lord HayagrIvan.

Eighth Slokam
*************

From slOkma 6 upto 31 , Swamy Desikan addresses Sri HayagrIvan directly
and prays for his anugrham. In the sixth slOkam , He mentioned that he is
a mughdhan (aRiyAp PiLLai/ignorant one) and hence deserved to be the
object of the mercy-laden glances of the Lord of Vidhyais . In the seventh
slOkam , he acknowledged that DakshiNA Moorthy, Sarasvathi Devi ,
VyAsa-VaalmIki-ParAsarAs noted for their Vaak-siddhi shine by the power of
a fraction of Lord HayagrIvan's prowess.

Here in the eighth slOkam , Swamy Desikan salutes the apAra (limitless)
karuNai of the Lord , who saved Brahma Devan from the lot of being a
stupid one through His benovolent UpadEsam on the VedAs .

The eightth slOkam is as follows:

mandhO-abhavishyan niyatham VirinchO
 vaachAm nidhE vanchitha bhAgadhEya:
dhaithyApaneethAn dayayiva bhUyOapi
 adhyApayishyO nigamAn na chEth thvam

(meaning): Oh VaachAm nidhE ( the treasure house of all kalais/vidhyAs)!
Oh HayagrIva Bhagavann!  You performed upadEsam on the Vedams and their
esoteric meanings for Your son , BrahmA.  The two asurAs by the name of
Madhu and Kaitabhan stole those VedAs from Your son , when he was
temporarily distracted. Brahma was totally incapable of performing his
srushti duties as a result of the loss of the vedaas . He was dumbfounded
and actionless. Out of Your karuNai for BrahmA , You recovered the VedAs
for him and reinstructed BrahmA on those vedAs and their meanings once
again. If You had not performed the UpadEsam for the second time , what
would have been the lot of BrahmA ? He would have stayed dumb and remained
incapable of performing his assigned duties.

This slOkam deals with the avathAra KaaraNam of Lord HayagrIvan , which
was for the purpose of upadEsam for BrahmA on the VedAs once again.  Sri
D. Ramaswamy Iyengar quotes here the Upanishadic pasage: "yO brahmANam
vidhaathi poorvam , yOvai yOvai VedAmcha prahiNOthi tasmai " to refer to
the teching of the VedAs to BrahmA for helping him with his assigned
duties of creation after his loss of the VedAs to Madhu and KaitabhA . 

Swamy Desikan says to Lord HayagrIvA in this slOkam : " Oh Lord ! Had You
not restored the VedAs from the two asurAs and instructed BrahmA once
again ( thvam dhaithya-apaneethAn nigamAn DayayA yEva BhUya: api na
adhyApayishyaya: chEth),then BrahmA would forever be a mandha-mathi (dim
witted) and lost his bhAgyam and status as the creator of the janthus as
ordained by You ( Virincha: vanchitha bhAgadEya: niyatham mandha:
abhavishyath). It certainly would have been so(niyatham).

BrahmA's prayer was of the form that we come across in Taittiriya
AraNyakam III.15.1:

"Harigum haranthamanuyanthi dEvA visvasyEsAnam
 vrushabham matheenAm , BrahmasarUpammanu
 mEdhamAgAdhayanam maa vivadhee: vikramasva"

(meaning): Like loyal servants, dEvAs follow Hari , who is the Lord of the
Universe , who leads all thoughts as the Supreme leader and who absorbs
into Himself the Universe at the time of PraLayam . May this path to
liberation taught in the vedAs open itself to me! Oh Lord deprive me not
of that bhAgyam ! Please strive to secure that anugraham for me !

Brahma devan prayed to the Lord with manthrams like ThrisuparNa manthrams
invoking His intervention to to restore his intellect (medhA and opraj~nA)
to resume his assigned duties:

" BrahmEthu maam , madhumEthu maam ,
  BrahmEva madhumEthu maam , yaasthE sOma
  prajA vathsOapi sO aham --"

This set of manthrams are recited by those who seek divine knowledge and
who wish to burn away all sins that stand in the way of enlightenment .
This section of Upanishad means: " May the Supreme Brahman reach me! May
the blissful one ( Sathyam Jn~Anam anantham BrahmA ) reach me! May the
Supreme One (ParamAthmA) that is blissful and svathasiddham reach me! Oh
Lord being one among Thy creatures , I am Thy child ..destroy my sorrow!
.I offer myself as an oblation unto Thee !  

The Lord answered BrahmA back and revealed the warp and woof of the world
to be created as DharmA through instruction on the profound manthrAs like
the ones below:

"dharma ithi dharmENa sarvamidham parigruhItham
 dharmath athidusccharam tasmAth dharmE ramanthE"
-- Sri mahA NaarAyaNOpanishad: 78

(Meaning): Some consider that performance of dharmam (scriptural duties
here ) is the means of liberation . By the performance of dharmam , all
the world is held together. There is nothing more difficult to practise
than dharmam ordained by the scriptures. There are many obstrcutions that
present themselves while one goes about doing his ordained dharmams to
eliminate selfish feelings and destructive passions which interfere with
the development of a life of harmony with his fellow beings.

"DharmO visvasya jagatha: prathishtA lOkE 
 dharmishta prajA upasarpanthi , dharmENa paapam
 apanudhathi , dharmE sarvam prathishtitham ,
 tasmAth dharmam paramam vadanthi"
 --Sri MahA NaarAyaNOpanishad: Section 79

(meaning): Dahrmam (rutham) is the support of all the Universe. Every one
draws near a person , who is fully devoted to the practise of Dharmam.
Through the observance of his dharmam , a person banishes all the sins.All
are supported by DharmA.  Hence , they say that DharmA is the supreme
means of liberation .

BrahmA's confusion was removed. He was blessed with dhivya Jn~Anam by Lord
HayagrIvan to resume his dharmam.In the next slOkma , Swamy Desikan
describes the anugraham of Lord HayagrIvan to the dEva guru, Bruhaspathi ,
when his mind was full of doubts.

Ninth Slokam
*************

Swamy Desikan referred to the help given by Lord HayagrIvan to BrahmA in a
time of crisis in the eighth slOkam . In the 9th slOkam , he refers to the
help given by the Lord HayagrIvan to the Deva Guru , Brahaspathi, whose
mind vacilated from true Jn~Anam at one time. 

It will be useful to understand the credentials and ancestry of
Brahaspathi first .The name Brahaspathi means the great teacher and refers
to intellect and speech. He is the son of AngIrasa prajapathi, one of the
ten offsprings of BrahmA's mind . Angiras (the power of enlightenment) and
his wife SraddhA (devotion)  had four sons : Agni (Fire God),
Samavartaa(cosmic revolution) , Utathyaa(Pervading truth) and Brahaspathi
(the great teacher). Like his father Angiras , who is a teacher of Brahma
VidyA , Brahaspathi is known for his intellect and power of speech
(Vaak)and became the AchAryan for the DevAs just as SukrAchAryan (son of
Bhrigu) became the teacher for asurAs.He is the Lord of Dhanur and Meena
Raasi.  Brahaspathi's son is Sage BhaaradhvAjA (sky Lark).  Thus
Bruhaspathi is of impeccable ancestry and progeny.

Brahaspathi is known also as the teacher of JyOthir Vij~nAnaa ( astrology
and astronomy).  Rg Vedam X.72 dealing with the beautiful aspects of
creation has Brahaspathi as the Rishi .  He is visualizd in manthra
saasthrAs as being seated on his chariot called Niti GhOshA (the roar of
law )and controlling the movement of the planets. 

Brahaspathi is the author of "Brahaspathi SamhithA ", which contains a
large collection of the teachings of the teacher of DevAs. It is
considered that the atheistic philosophy attribted currently to ChaarvAkA
was originally developed by Brahaspathi with the intention of discouraging
the antigods (asurAs) from performing Yaj~nAs , DhAnam and Tapas to
acquire godlike powers.

Even with such impeccable credentials, Brahspathi gets himself in to
trouble in intrepreting  dharma saasthrams. His mind gets muddled on those
occasions.  He ends up being the creator of CharvAka matham or the
materialistic system , which totally denies the existence of God. During
that occasion , Lord HayagrIva intervened and and became the AchAryan to
the AchAryA of the DevAs and saved both Bruhaspathi and his disciples from
following the wrong path .  Swamy Desikan says that Lord HayagrIvan put an
end to the oscillations (waverings) of the mind of Brahaspathi , which in
turn stopped the oscillations (instabilty ) of the kingdoms of the
DevAs.Brahspathi was rescued by Lord HayagrIvA by dispelling his
vitharkams (wrong logic) that led to his founding of the ChaarvAka
matham.He regained Brahma Jn~Anam and thereby accepted Lord HayagrIvan as
his timely protector and Lord. 

The ninth slOkam containing these thoughts is as follows: 

vitarka DhOlAm vyavadhUya satthvE
 Bruhaspathim varthayasE yathasthvam
tEnaiva Deva ThridasEsvarANAm 
 asprushta dhOlAyitham-aadhirAjyam

(meaning): " Oh Lord HayagrIvA ! Thou dost do away with the faulty ways of
thought of Bruhaspathi (which make him waver and flater with regard to
what is the highest of truth) and establish him in the Satthvic
(righteous) path. It is because of that the chiefs among DevAs enjoy thier
high posts and positions without oscillations (i.e)., permanently."

The play that Swamy Desikan has on the word "DhOlA " is very amusing and
enjoyable (rasOkthi).  Bruhaspathi's  mind was moving like a swing from
here to there without steadiness and the Lord intervened and put an end to
those perilous movements and stablized (anchored) Bruhaspathi's mind in
the satthva maargam (Deva! thvam Vitarka DhOlAm vyavadhUya Bruhaspathim
satthvE yatha: VarthayasE).

What is the consequence of stabilizing Bruhaspathi's mind through the
Lord's sadupadesam ? The Lord's merciful intervention prevented the
kingdoms of DevAs from swinging wildly and falling under the sway of
DhAnavAs (asurAs).Swamy Desikan suggests playfully that Lord HayagrIvan
put an end to the oscillations (doubts) of the mind of Bruhaspathi , which
in turn put an end to the oscillations of his sishyA's kingdom ( tEna yEva
Thridasa IsvarANAm AadhirAjyam asprushta DhOlAyitham).DhOlAyitham means
swinging back and forth. Asprushtam means incapable of .  Thus the
straightening out of the vagaries of mind of the AchAryan of the DevAs
saved the kingdom of DevAs from undergoing any swings in prosperity and
stability. Such is the UpakAram of Lord HayagrIvan!

Tenth Slokam
*************

In the 8th and the 9th slOkams , Swamy Desikan referred to the
paramOpakAram of Sri HayagrIvan to His son (Brahman ) and grandson (Deva
PurOhithar, Bruhaspathi). The Brahmanaspathi's help to Bruhaspathi was
covered in the 9th slOkam . 

In the 10th slOkam deals with the special occasions , where Lord
HayagrIvan accepts the Havis in a Yaj~nam directly and then distributes
them to the DevAs .  Normally , when the YajamAnan cals the name of the
DevAs to receive their share of Havis , they stretch their hands and
receive them directly .In most of the times , Agni Devan serves as an
intermediary in the delivery of the offerd Havis in Yaj~nams and Yaagams. 

An example of a special case , where the Lord Himself received the Havis
directly is the AsvamEdha Yaagam of Brahma Devan performed on top of
Hasthi Giri.  There , Lord HayagrIvan in the form Of VaradarAjan appeared
in the middle of the towering agni jwAlais of the Yaaga KuNtam in
PuNyakOti VimAnam and received the Havis directly and made Brahma Devan
very happy and fulfilled.  The assembled DevAs stretched their hands as
their names were called , but the havis "eluded" their outstretched
hands.The Lord accepted the sacred offering and the DevAs were told by
Brahma that he was performing a special Yagnam with a specific motive as
explained in the dhivya sookthis of Swamy Desikan such as Sri VaradarAja
PanchAsath (SlOkam 8), Hasthigiri MahAthmyam and in BrahmANda PurANam (
Satya Vratha KshEthra Vaibhavam). 

As revealed by BhishmA in Sri VishNu Sahasra Naamam, Our Lord is to be
worshipped as:

BhUrbhuva: svastharu: thAra: SavithA PrapithAmaha:
Yaj~nO Yaj~pathir YajvA Yaj~ngO Yaj~na Vaahana: (104)

Yaj~na Bhruth Yaj~nee Yaj~bhug Yaj~na saadhana:
Yaj~nthakruth Yaj~na Guhyam annnam annadhA yEva cha (105)

Eighteen Sri VishNu Sahasra NaamAs are assoicated with Yaj~nam , Havis ,
the YajamAnA of the Yaj~nam and His specific roles in Yaj~nam. He is the
Taarakan, who helps us as a boat to cross the ocean of SamsAram . It is
intersting that the name of PithAmaha (Grand father Brahma Devan ) is
included here , when the Lord's name is recited as PrapithAmahan ( The
Great Grand Father , Sri HayagrIva Varadhan).  He is the Yaj~na pathi( the
Presider over the Yaj~nam).  He is the Yajvaa ( performer of the sacrifice
for those , who are unable to do the Yaj~nam). He does this at both dawn
and dusk on behalf of those , who are unable to perform these
Yaj~nams.This is His Vratham .  He is the Yaj~na Bhruth ( the concluder of
the Yaj~nam) through the ritual of PoorNAhUthi. He the Seshi of Sarva
Yaj~nams including that of Brahma Devan on top of Hasthi Giri.Most
importantly , He is the enjoyer of the havis of all Yaj~nams ( Yaj~na
Bhuk).That is the secret of all the sacrifices (Yaj~na Guhyam).He is the
annam ( the object of enjoyment) and annAdha ( the enjoyer of those who
enjoy Him through the performance of the Yaj~nAs.  As declared by Him in
His GithOpanishad, He is the enjoyer of the Yaj~nam as well as the Lord of
that Yaj~nam ( ahamhi Sarva yaj~nAnAm BhOkthA cha PrabhurEva Cha). He is
the antharyAmi of all the DevAs and receives the Havis(oblations).

The tenth slOkam of Sri HayagrIva sthOthram is about these profound
tatthvams.

In the 7th, 8th and the ninth slOkams , Swamy Desikan saluted the great
anugraham for DakshinAmUrthy Sivan , BrahmA and Bruhaspathi . In the 10th
slOkam , the sacred manthric form ( the form constitued entirely by Veda
Manthrams) receiving the oblations from yajamAnAs of Yaj~nams is saluted .

A Digression:
*************

I will digress a little here in response to a request for elaboration on
the Thirumazhisai AzhwAr's paasurams that I quoted earlier in the context
of the seventh slOkam of Sri HayagrIva sthOthram ( Aala nizhark Keezh aRa
neRiyai naalvarkku mEluraithAn meyt-tavatthOn ) . 

There was a question from a BhakthA as to what DakshiNA Moorthy Sivan
taught to the four rishis assembled under His feet for sadupadEsam .
Thirumazhisai AzhwAr himself describes the topic for instruction in the
second half of the above paasuram of Naanmukan ThiruvandAthi this way:

" JnAlamaLanthAnai AazhikkidanthAnai ,
  aal mEl vaLarnthAnait thaan vaNangumARu "
  --Naanmukan ThiruvandhAthi: Paasuram 17

Thirumazhisai refers to the unalloyed devotion of DakshiNAmUrthy Sivan to
Sriman NaarAyaNA here.  AzhwAr says here that it is not only himself, who
comprehends the Para Tatthvam of Sriman NaarAyaNan , but it is is also
DakshiNA Moorthy Sivan sitting under the golden pupil tree (svarNa Vata
Vruksham) knows about it and instructs the four great sages through mounam
and nayana dheekshai ( initiation through mere katAksham/ glances).

The subject matter of the initiation is the Lord who measured the worlds
with three steps ( Ongi UlahaLantha Uttamn), who performs Yoga NidhrA on
the bed of Adhi Seshan in the middle of milky ocean (KsheerAbdhi Naathan)
and the same One who floats on the roaring waters of PraLaya Jalam (
waters at the time of deluge) on a small pupil leaf as a tiny baby (Vata
pathra Saayee) while keeping all the worlds safely tucked away in His
little stomach nonchalantly for the next period of Srushti (creation).

Thirumazhisai points out that DakshiNA Moorthy- Sivan was teaching these
eminent sages the way in which He Himself worships His Lord and grand
father , Sriman NaarAyaNan with total devotion . 

The Tenth SlOkam of Sri HayagrIva sthOthram
********************************************

"agnou samiddhArcchishi saptha tanthO:
  aathasthivAn manthra mayam sarIram
akhaNDa saarair havishAm pradhAnai:
  aapyAyanam vyOmasadhAm vidhathsE "

(meaning): Oh Lord HayagrIvA ! When the YajamaanAs ( the performers of
Yaj~nam) conduct Yaagams , they offer consecrated oblations in the bright
and towering flames emanating from the agni kuNTam .  At that time , You
present Yourself in the form of the manthrams that they recite and receive
their Havis (Oblations such as parched rice , pressed somA juice et al )
directly. Afterwards , You pass on those tasty oblations to the DevAs and
make them fully contented.

The beauty of majestic flames constituting the seven-tongued Agni BhagavAn
is invoked by the choice words: " SamiddhArcchishi Saptha tanthO:".  The
first Rk (manthram ) of Rg Vedam (agnimeeLE PurOhitham --) salutes this
high preist of cosmic activities , who works out the eternal laws
(dharmams) and who feeds and sustains all that is divine and luminous. He
is the antharyAmi Brahmam inside Agni BhagavAn .

Comments on the first Rk of the first Hymn of Rg Vedam 
******************************************************

There are nine rks in this first hymn that can be related to the "Manthra
mayam sarIram " of Lord HayagrIvan that NigamAntha MahA Desikan saluted in
his tenth slOkam . We will focus on the first RK :

" agnimeeLE PurOhitham Yaj~nyasya devamruthvijam
  hOthAram RathnadhAthamam "--Rg Vedam I.1

Here are brief comments on the selected Vedic words pregnant with meaning
praising the anugraha soubhAgyam (blessing power and glory) of this Yaj~na
Moorthy:

1. Agni: the Brahman and Vrathapathi (Lord of observances and pledges).

2. Yaj~nasya Devam : the divine Lord of cosmic activities guided by the
manthrams of Yajur Vedam .

3. Rithvijam : the One with no beginning , middle or end working through
His eternal Laws (Rutham ).

4. HotAram : the One who feeds (the dEvAs the havis)

5. RatnadhAtamam : the One who sustains all that is divine and luminous
and One who is the best giver of joyous gifts and rayi (affluence of all
kinds).

In the remaining 8 Rks , we come across additional insights (5-14):

5. HOthA : the giver and  acceptor of Rayi ( wealth of any realm ).

6. Kavikrathu: "Source of Knowledge".

7. Satya: Truth personified , the embodimnet of Divine Truth

8. Deva: Matchless divine One (TannoppArillappan ), DevaRaajan (
PeraruLALan ).

9. Chitra-sravastama: "The source of divine inspiration" .

10. Anga: "the friend of All". 

11. Gopam : the protector of the Cosmos 

12. Rtasya: " the true eternal knowledge".

13. Supyana: soulabhyan ( easy of access by one and all )

14. SvastayE : " Blessing , Prosperity , success and benediction " . He is
the AadhAram for Svasthi of the world .

That Lord HayagrIvan with His manthra maya sarIram stands in the middle of
the seven-tongued agni of Yaaga KunTam (Saptha tanthO: Samiddha archishi
madhyE mantra mayam sarIram aatasTivAn ) All the Vedic names given to Agni
stand in for the SvayambhU (self-manifest ) and Parameshti ( the Supreme
ruler ):

A. JaatavEdas( All-possessor)

B. Paavaka ( The Purifier)

C. Jvalana (Burning as saptha jihvA/seven tongued)

D. VibhAvasu ( Rich in radiance)

E. ChitrabhAnu ( Multi-colored)

F. BhUritEjas( Resplendent )

G. Sikhin ( Flaming )

H. VaisvAnara( All Pervader /VishNu)

J. DraviNodas( the giver of wealth).

That Lord with " Manthramaya SarIram "accepts "akhaNda Saarai: HavishAM
pradhAnai:" and distributes them to the DevAs and makes them happy and
contented ( vyOma-sadhAm aapyAyanam vidhathsE). Vyoma means aaakasam.
VyOma Pureesan (Aakasa NagarIsan ) is the name of ThiruviNNagarappan .
VyOma sathAm means celestials(dEvAs) . VyOma  Pureesan is their Lord . He
blesses them with gifts of tasteful Havis (akhaNda Saarai: HavishAM
pradhAnai:).  They are filled with paripUrNa thrupthi or complete
contentment ( AapyAyanam vidhathsE).

Thus ends the beautiful salutation to the Yaj~na Moorthy , the embodiment
of Veda manthrams .

Eleventh Slokam
***************

In the eleventh slOkam , Swamy Desikan reveals that Sri HayagrIvan is of
the form of PraNavam , which is the source of all letters and the
underlying cause of the Universe .

This slOkam is as follows:

"Yanmoolameedhruk prathibhAthi tatthvam
  yaa moolam aamnAya mahAdhrumANAm
tatthvEna jaananthi visuddha SatthvA:
  thAmaksharamAthrukAm thvAm "

(meaning): Oh Lord HayagrIvA ! This prapancham (universe)is made up of
devAs, humans, animals, plants et al and divides in the form of
agni,aakAsam , vaayu , jalam and bhUmi Tatthvams. They have to be created
with the help of the VedAs, which in turn have many SaakhAs (branches or
rescensions ).These VedAs are like big trees with many branches. The
principal root for all these VedAs is the manthram celebrated as PraNavam.
This PraNavam , which is recognized as "yEkAksharam" is indestructible
aksharam  and is the foremost among letters (akshara maathrukA) .  The
righteous ones correctly comprehend through Tatthva Jn~Anam that You are
the the PraNava svarUpi .  They also understand You as the collection or
assembly of all the aksharams as well .They thus  recognize that PraNavam
(Yourself) is the source or origin of all letters and VidhyAs.

Sri D.Ramaswamy Iyengar states that only those versed in Mantra Saastram
can understand the full meaning of the HayagrIva sthOthram in general and
this slOkam in particular.

Swamy Desikan as Sarva Tanthra Svatanthrar had full command of the Manthra
Saasthram and particularly Sri HayagrIva Manthram to complete his avathAra
Kaaryam of defeating avaidhika Mathams and to establish Sri
VisishtAdhvaitham as the parama Vaidhika Matham .  His Satha dhUshaNi is a
classic example for the abundance of salutations to the hEshA hala hala
manthra sabdham of Sri HayagrIvan.One comes across references to passages
from Sri HayagrIva SthOthram or the tatthvams behind the sthOthra
Vaakhyams quite often in Satha DhUshaNi.  Such Examples are in the
follwing Vaadhams of Satha DhUshaNi: 1 (samAhara saamnAm --hEshA hala
hala:, the third slOkam of Sri HayagrIva sthOthram ), 9 , 11 , 14 , 15 ,18
, 19 , 29 , 34 ,36 , 38 , 42 , 43 , 49 and 50.

Sri HayagrIva BhagavAn sat on the throne of Swamy Desikan's tongue
(JihvAgra SimhAsanam) and helped him to defeat all the contestants in the
debates relating to Para Matha Bhangam .

AdiyEn concludes this posting with a prayer from Sri HayagrIva Abhigamanam
( arrival) :

Sriman LakshmI Hayamukha vibhO svIkurushva-archanam mama
Srimath tEham charaNa kamalam samsrayan saadhu yaachE
Indhu: syandhAdhika subha sudhA saara rUpam thvadhIyam
rUpam chitthE lasathu mahitham sundaram sEndhiram mE 

(meaning ): Oh Lord LakshmI HayagrIvA ! Please accpet adiyEn's aarAdhanam
and archanams . AdiyEn besseches humbly Your auspicious , lotus feet as my
refuge !  The lustre of Your roopam far exceeds that of the nectarine rays
of the Moon . May the Majestic and the most beautiful roopam of Yours
reside always in my mind !

Please add PraNavam in front of the following 15 Sahasra Naamams of Sri
LakshmI HayagrIvan ( ):

( )Sarva VedamayAya Haya VadhanAya Nama:
   SumukhAya Haya VadhanAya Nama:
   SuddhAya Haya VadhanAya Nama:
   SuroopAya Haya VadhanAya Nama:
   SugadhAya Haya VadhanAya Nama:
   SudhiyE Haya VadhanAya Nama:
   SuvruthayE Haya VadhanAya Nama:
   SamvruthayE haya VadhanAya Nama:
   SoorAya haya VadhanAya Nama:
   SutapasE Haya VadhanAya Nama: 
   SuhrudhE haya VadhanAya Nama:
   SundarAya Haya VadhanAya Nama:
   SubhagAya Haya VadhanAya Nama:
   SoumyAya Haya VadhanAya Nama:
   SucharithrAya Haya VadhanaAya Nama:

Twelfth Slokam
**************

In the eleventh slOkam , Swamy Desikan saluted Sri HayagrIva BhagavAn as
the akshara-praNava SvarUpi responsible for all creations .In this 12th
slOkam , Swamy Desikan refers to how the VedAs comprehend Him as the
source of all creations and the ultimate goal and destination of those
created beings and entities .

The slOkam is as follows:

avyAkruthAth vyAkruthavAnasi thvam
  naamAni roopANI cha yaani poorvam
samsanthi tEshAm charamAm prathishtAm
  VagIsvara thvAm tvadhupaj~navaacha:

(meaning): Oh HayagrIvA , the Lord of all VidhyAs!  Before creation , this
world was a shapeless and nameless mass (moola prakruthi or avyAkrutham ).
Out of that moola prakruthi , You created MahAn- ahankAram and pancha
bhUthams and gave them names and forms. Then , You embodied them as well
as entered into them as antharyAmi.Therefore , the worlds that describe
them end up with You , who is the indweller of all of them. You also
become their ultimate goal and destination . Hence , the VedAs that
originated from You salute You adoringly as the primary source and the
ultimate goal of this prapancham .The great ones , who have been specially
blessed by You with the powers of Vaak ( Brahma Jn~Anam and Vedic speech)
recognize You not only as the "vyAkruthavAn " (creator of janthus and
achEthanams with forms and names ) but also as their ultimate destination
( charamAm PrathishtA ).

The MahA NaarAyaNa Upanishad manthram salutes appropriately this "
VidarthAran " ( the manifold sustainer ) this way in the spirit of the
above slOkam :

yasmAth JaathA na parA naiva kimcha-
  naasa ya aavivEsa bhuvanAni visvA 
prajApathi: prajayaa samvidhAna-
  sthrINi jyOthigumshi sachathE sa shOdasI 

(meaning): The beings born from PrajApathi (Lord HayagrIvan) are not
seperate from Him .  He creates all beings , provides them with the ten
senses , the five elements constituting their bodies and the three
luminous worlds  (fire , Sun and Moon ) in which they dwell in and next
enters into them as their indwelling supporter and commander
(antharyAmi).Before their creation , nothing whatsoever existed other than
Him.  He created them , gave them names and forms, entered into them and
finally became their ultimate destination .Befitting His naamam as
"ShOdasi " or the one with 16 Kalais ( PrANaa , SraddhA , five elements ,
indriyA , mind , food ,veerya , tapas ,mantrA , yaj~nA , the worlds and
the names), He identifies with all the creatures of the Universes .

This Lord HayagrIvA , who has no equal or superior (samAdhika daridhran )
is the One , who is described as " idham sarvam poorNam " (all of this
prapancham is encompassed/filled by Him ).

With this slOkam, Swamy Desikan recognizes Lord Hayagrivan as the One who
created first the naama- roopa Prapancham from Moola Prakruthi ( Poorvam
thvam avyAkruthAth yaani naamAni roopANi cha VyAkruthavAn asi). He also
salutes Him next as the One in whom the naam-roopa prapancham reaches its
layam ( tEshAm charamAm prathishtAm thvAm). Swamy Desikan says that VedAs
recognize Him as such and eulogize Him . 

This slOkam reminds adiyEn of the VishNu PurANa slOkam which salutes the
Lord as having vyaktham and avyaktham as His body and having omniscience ,
omnipotence , omnipresence ,unmatched bhalam , immeasurable Isvaryam as
some of His aanantha KalyANa guNams:

" vyakthAvyaktha svaroopasthavam 
  samashti-vyashti roopavAn
  sarvaj~na: sarva dhruk sarva sakthi 
  jn~Ana bhalardhimAn --VishNu PurANam: 5.1.47 

Swamy Desikan salutes this VyakthA-Vyaktha Svaroopan and His Srushti
leelai as " avyAkruthAth yaani naamAni roopANi cha vyAkruthavAn asi " .
Lord HyagrIvan's samashti ( aggreagate or collective pervasion ) and
vyashti (distributive pervasion ) roopams are also saluted here . 

The third paasuram of Thirucchandhaviruttham also relates to the tatthvams
ranging from Moola Prakruthi to naama roopa prapancham saluted by Swamy
Desikan .  Thirumazhisai's amazement about the inability of people to
comprehend fully the Lord as PurushArtha- Roopi with panchOpanisha: sakthi
( ParamEshti-PumAn- visvO-nivrutthi: sarva yEva hi) is very relevant to
Sri HayagrIva UpasakAs .

AchArya RaamAnujA's beautiful commentary on the second slOkam of the
thrirteenth chapter of Bhagavath GitA is very pertinent to the subject
matter of the the 12th slOkam of Sri HayagrIva sthothram . Additional
references to the origin of beings from Moola prakruthi and the Lord's
creation of beings from latter are found in Sri Bhagavath GitA slOkams (
chapter 14.3 and 14.4).

The Upanishadic passages from Taittiriyam (2.6.1) and BruhadhAraNyakam (
1.4.7) are also very relevant to the understanding of the twelfth slOkam
of NigamAntha MahA Desikan's Sri Hayagriva SthOthram :

" Tath srushtvA tadhEvaanuprAvisath ,
  tadhanupravisya saccha thyacchAbhavath , 
  vij~yAnam chAvij~yAnam cha sathyam chAnrutham-
  cha sathyamabhavath" --TaittirIyam

(meaning): "Having created it , He entered into it .  having entered it ,
He became Sath and Tyath...He became both consciousness  and unconscious ,
both sathyaa (individual self) and anrutha (matter).He has remained true
to His own nature".AchArya RaamAnujA states that it is in this way that
all distinctions of names and forms are brought about.

The "naama-roopa VyAkaraNam " is next alluded to in the BruhadhAraNyaka
Passage:

"Then this was undiffernetiated. Now , it has been differntiated by names
and forms "..Br.Upanishad:1.4.7

Here , the Lord is recognized as existing in the states of effect and
cause and having the chEthanAs and achEthanams in their gross and subtle
states as His body .The body-soul ( SarIra-sarIrI , PrakAra-prakAri )
relationship between IsvarA-and His Prakruthi (the cosmos consisting of
JivA and Jagath), the very central doctrines of Sri VisishtAdaitham are
alluded to . 

Thirteenth Slokam
*****************

Swamy Desikan saluted the Manthramaya- sarIram of Lord HayagrIvan in the
tenth slOkam ; in the eleventh , he elaborated on this revelation to
instruct us that Sri HyaagrIvan is PraNava manthra SvarUpi and that
PraNavam is the tap root (aaNi vER ) for all vedams ; in the 12th slOkam ,
our ParamAchAryan described Sri HayagrIvan's creation of Naama Roopa
Prapancham from Moola Prakruthi and His roles as the creator and the
ultimate destination for all of His creations . He pointed out that the
VedAs created and relaeased by Him ( tvath upaj~na VedA:) salute and
celebrate  His srushti , antharyAmi , rakshaka and laya leelAs on behalf
of His creations. 

In the 13th slOkam , the subject matter of this posting , Swamy NigamAntha
MahA Desikan focuses on how the great ones skilled in Vedic knowledge
(vipascchitha:) meditate on the ThirumEni/Moorthy (SubhAsrayam ) of Lord
HayagrIvan:

mughdhEndhu nishyantha vilOpaneeyAm 
  Moorthim tavAnandha sudhA prasoothim 
vipascchitha: chEthasi bhAvayanthE
  vElAm udhArAmiva dhugdha SindhO:

The Keerthi of this Parama MangaLa Moorthy is being slauted here . The
alliteration with Mughda Indhu ( young crescent Moon ) and Dhugdha Dindhu
( Milky Ocean ) is most enjoyable.

(meaning of this slOkam ): Oh Lord HayagrIvA !  Your suddha Spatika roopam
reminds one of the comfortingly cool white rays of the Moon and it removes
all the taapams (samsAric heat/ afflictions)with their coolness .This
roopam of Yours raises aanandham in the hearts of those , who meditate on
You and those who have the darsana soubhAgyam of Your spotlessly white
ThirumEni .For them , You appear like the assembly of waves from the Milky
Ocean .  The Jn~Anis meditate always on this auspicious ThirumEni of Yours
in their minds and derive great bliss.

The Dhivya mangala Vigraham/subha Tanu ( the most sacred and auspicious
body ) of Lord HayagrIvan is being described here.Lord HayagrIvan was
sitting in front of Swami Desikan  in the YogAsikai form as Yoga
HyaagrIvan .  He had presented Himself out of His own sankalpam (kaamAth
adhivasan as in KaamAsika ashtakam ) as an adhbhutha Nruturangan ( One
with the head of a Turangam/horse and the body of a Human being) before
Swamy Desikan to bless Him and to get him started on his avathAra
kaaryam.His hue is like that of the molten rays of the young Moon (mughdha
Indhu nishyantham) that is flowing .

That dhivya MangaLa Vigraham is most desirable to enjoy (vilObhaneeyam
)and enhances the flow of nectar like bliss ( aanandha SudhA prasoothim ).
It is like a gigantic assembly of waves of the milky ocean ( dhudha
sindhO: udhArAm vElAm iva).  Swamy Desikan states that the learned ones
meditate on the three aspects of His ThirumEni , the whiteness, beauty and
the enjoyability of the sacred and auspicious body of Sri HayagrIva
BhagavAn both as means (upAyam ) and as an end (upEyam , charamAm
PrathishtA ).

Sri D.Ramaswamy Iyengar points out that the three analogies elaborate on
the whiteness, loveliness and enjoyability of the Lord's body . He
explains that the Moon is full of amrutha kiraNams ( Moon whose rays full
of rejuvenating  nectar).Here , the nectar is aanandha mayam ( full of
bliss).VelA means a flow of current , a shore or coast and also a limit.
This aanndha-maya waves (aanandha lahari)splash on the meditator and
immerse him or her in a state of indescribable bliss .When those waves of
bliss bless the upAsakan ,then such a blessed one recognizes Lord
HayagrIvan as upAyam (means ) and upEyam (ultimate destination)or ParamAm
gathi.

Fourteenth Slokam
******************

The anubhavam of the Jn~Anis , who visualize Sri HayagrIva BhagavAn in
their heart lotuses is described in the 14th SlOkam :

manOgatham pasyathi ya: sadhA thvAm
 manIshiNAm maanasa raaja-Hamsam 
svayam purObhAva vivAdha bhAja:
 kimkurvathE tasya girO yathArham 

The thoughts on the fruits of meditating upon the sacred form of Lord
HayagrIvan , described in the previous slOkam , is taken up in this slOkam
.  

(meaning): Oh Lord Haya-Vadhana MahA DesikA !  The Raaja Hamsams ( King
Swans ) take up their abode in the divine lake known as MaanasarOvar .
You , who is the emperor of all thise Raaja Hamsams (sanyAsis and
Yathi-varAs )choose as Your permanent abode ,the mind (manas, Saras or
Poykai ) of Your upAsakAs .Thus You facilitate their efforts in meditation
of You.For such people blessed by You , all the Vidhyais compete with one
other to serve them . They thus  become thus the sakala saasthra-
parAngathALs or the celebrated experts/exponents of all para and apara
vidhyAs due to Your benovolent grace (anugraham ) .

Swamy Deikan says that those Yogis , who have the power to visualize the
Raaja Hamsam ( Lord HayagrIvan ) seated on a white lotus in their heart
lotuses are belssed with the siddhi (fruits ) of full command of Vaak or
divine speech . The various VidhyAs in the form of words rush to them
saying .  "Please Make use of me , Please Make use of me " in a
competetive manner. They argue as it were with one another to serve the
upAsakaas, who visulaize (pasyanthi)the Raaja Hamsam seated in their heart
cavities (manOgatham maanasa Raaja hamsam pasyanthi ).These blessed Ones
are the objects of service for all Vidhyais and as a result , they become
the exponents of great vidhyais .

This effect is some what similar to the falling of the merciful glances of
MahA LakshmI on a chEthanan .  When those auspicious glances fall on one ,
then the various categories of wealth chase each other to be in the front
row to bless the chEthanan .  They compete with each other to bless the
chEthanan:

yasyAm yasyAm disi viharathE Devi dhrushti: tvadhIyA
tasyAm tasyAm ahamahimikAm tanvathE SAMPADHOGAA:
--Sri Sthuthi: slOkam 15

Sri D.Ramaswami Iyengar reminds us of the situation when Sri Raamachandran
received the upadEsam on the use of various asthrams (weapons in the form
of arrows) from Sage VisvAmithrar as He proceeed to SiddhAsramam to
protect his Yaj~nam .Then the asthrams competed with one another to rush
to the side of Sri Ramachandran saying , "kim karavAmathE ?" ( Here we are
, Your willing slaves! Pray command us as to what we shall do for You as
Your kinkarAs ?).

Swamy Desikan is a prime example of such a blessed One , whom the Vidhyais
served competing with one other due to BhagavAn HayagrIvan's
paramAnugraham .  His varaNam ( choice ) of Lord HayagrIvan as His dhivya
Utthama AchArya Saarvabhouman and prapatthi to Him (Devam HayagrIvam aham
prapadhyE ) is a reminder to all of us on the need for celecration of our
AchAryans in the form of Lord HayagrIvan:

(PraNavam )Guru sathbhakthi tEjanAya nama:
(  "      )Guru VisvAsa VardhanAya nama:
(  "      )GururupAsana sangAthrE nama:
(  "      )Guru PrEma VardhanAya nama :
(  "      )Pancha samskruthi bhAvanAya nama:
(  "      )Saasthra-PaaNi pradhAna-krutha- 
           bhava-magna samuddharaNAya nama:

Fifteenth Slokam
*****************

In the previous slOkam , Swami Desikan began to focus on the power of Sri
HayagrIvan to confer the boon of Veda Vaak . In this fifteenth and the
subsequent two slOkams , Swami focuses on the dhyAna-anubhava-janitha
sukham and blessings granted by Lord HyagrIvan.

The fifteenth slOkam salutes the effulgent white lustre of Sri HayagrIvan
and states that even half a second dhyAnam on this form yields the
greatest of Vaak siddhis:

api kshaNArdham kalayanthi yE thvAm
  aaplAvayantham visadhair-mayUkai:
VaachAm pravAhair-anivArithais tE
  MandhAkinim manadhayithum KshamanthE

(meaning): Oh Lord HayagrIvA! Those fortunate ones , who contemplate on
Thee for even half-a-moment receive the benefit of being drenched by the
spotlessly white rays emanating from You .  That cause has the effect of
the creation of the torrent of Veda Vaak in them , whose speed and flow
exceeds that of AakAsa Gangai ( MandhAkini) leaving the HimAlayan heights.

Oh Lord HayagrIva! Your upAsakAs do not need to meditate on You for more
than ardha-KshaNam .  KshaNam is a time measure of 4/5th of a second.
Hence ardha-KshaNam is 2/5th of a second . That is all it takes to receive
the immense and incomparable benefits of uninterrupted
Saarsavatha-PrayOgam for Your upAsakAs. 

During that half-a-second , the upAsakAs are drenched in the rays of
nectar emanating from Your manthra-maya sarIram . The power of that
drenching , gifts them with the speed and clarity of divine speech , that
far exceeds the velocity and force of AakAsa Gangai descending on the
plains . Indeed the speed of AakAsa Gangai pales into insignificance
compared to the speed of speech of those blessed by Lord HayagrIvan in
their debates with contestants. Their Vaak is uninterrupted ( AnivArithai:
VaachAm pravAham ).

The cause behind that blessing is the drenching of the  UpAsakAs by the
crystal clear white rays emanating from the Lord ( visadhai: mayUkai:
aaplaavayantham ). MayUkhai: means rays or KiraNams.  "Visadhai:" in this
fifteenth slOkam has echoes with "Visuddha " in the fifth  slOkam where ,
" the Visuddha Vij~yAna ghana svarUpam " of Lord HayagrIvan is linked with
the powers of blessing one with VisEsha Jn~Anam ( vij~yAna- visrANana
Bhaddha Dheeksham ). That visesha Jn~Anam is conferred on those , who
meditate on Lord HayagrIvan even for less than half a second according to
Swamy Desikan. Such a blessed one is inundated with and submerged (
aaplavanam ) in the spotless and sanctifying white beams originating from
the Lord ; he becomes the possessor of Veda Vaak to defeat all contestants
in the defense of the kula dhanam , the parama -Vaidhika Matham .

The One who is prayed to is Lord HayagrIvan .  The beneficiary of that
prayer is the UpAsakan, who meditates on the Lord even for half a second .
The prayer of the UpAsakan is captured well in the Rg Veda manthram : "
aathvA juvOrArhaNA (I.134.1):

" Oh Lord ! May Your SWIFT AND FAST DIVINE  WAVES  , bring You hither , so
that You may be the first to accept the sentiments of our devotion. May
our discriminating and sincere praises rise high to Your standards . May
Thou come with Your aura of vitality for the devotional prayers presented
to You ; Come , O Vital Lord to grant us the objects of our worship ".

The next Rk (I.134.2) starting with "mandhanthu thvA mandhinO --)"
reminding one of the celestial Ganges, MandhAkini continues with the
prayEr of the UpAsakan:

" Oh Lord ! May our devotional loving sentiments of prayer , which are
well-rendered , opportune and flowing out of our hearts in due season , be
pleasing to You .May Your divine WAVES bring You here , in this
sacrificial hall , to accept our offerings ( sadhrIchInA niyuthO dhAvEna
dhiya upa bruvatha eem dhiya:). All pious and active worshippers praise
You in this congregation with a view to obtaining Your blessings ."

Sri Hayavadhana Para BrahmaNE Nama:

(PraNavam) Vaathsalyaika VibhUshaNAyA nama:
(   "    ) SaanthAthmanE nama:
(   "    ) Kali Kaalushya NaasanAya nama:
(   "    ) Parama VaikuNtasthAya Nama:
(   "    ) Vaadhi JihvA BhadrAsana -AasthithAya nama:
(   "    ) TarkAya Nama:
(   "    ) SanAtana DharmAya nama:

Sixteenth Slokam
****************

Swamy Desikan continues with the anubhavam of the bhAgyasaalis , who
meditate on Lord HayagrIvan in the sixteenth slOkam:

SvAmin Bhavath dhyAna SudhAbhishEkAth
 vahanthi dhanyA: pulakAnubhandham
alakshithE kvApi nirUDamoolam
 angEshvivAnandhatum-ankurantham 

(Meaning): Oh Swami HayagrIvA ! A few puNyasAlis meditate on You without
let. For them , such dhyAnam is like being immersed in a flood of nectar.
Thrilled by that delightful anubhavam , they experience horripulations .
One wonders whether this great joy of experiencing You in their
hrudhayAkAsam itself has led to the effect of their hairs standing on end
. It appears that their blissful experience of contemplation on You has
developed first roots in their hearts which later sprouts externally on
their limbs as hair standing on end.

In this slOkam and the next slOkam , Swamy Desikan describes the anubhavam
of the blessed ones engaged in dhyAnam of Lord HayagrIvan . RomAnjali and
the flow of tears of Joy (aanandha BhAshpam ) are the two perceivable
effects as attested by onlookers . The sprouts of Aanandham seen on the
limbs of the upAsakAs are mapped to the roots located in their hearts.

In this slOkam and the next one , NigamAntha Mahaa Desikan addresses the
Lord in front of him as " SvAmin " with great humility and affection .  He
says that the dhyAnam on Lord HayagrIvan for the fortunate ones is like
SudhAbhishEkam ( neerAttam/ bathing in the river of nectar ).The result is
Pulaka anubhandham ( series of horripilatory experiences , one chasing the
other )seen on the exterior of the body (angEshu ankurantham ).  Where is
the root for those experiences ? Swamy Desikan answers that question by
tracing their origin to invisible portion of the heart , where such an
aanandham is rooted (sTithi padham ).

Sriman D. Ramaswamy Iyengar , a great BhakthA of Lord VaradarAjA and Swamy
Desikan reminds us of the 45th slOkam from Sri VaradarAja PanchAsath to
illustrate the blissful anubhavam of Sri VaradarAja BhakthAs that results
in similar horripilations and aanandha BhAshpams : 

bhUyO BhUya: pulaka nichithai: angairEthamAnA:
 sTUla sTUlAn nayana mukuLai:BibrathO BhAshba Bhindhan
DhanyA: kEchith Varadha Bhavatha: samsadham bhUshayantha:
 svAnthai: antharvinaya nibruthai: svAdhayanthE padham tE

Swamy Desikan describes here the frequent horripilations of the rasikAs of
Lord VaradarAjan as they enjoy His indescribable beauty  ; their eyes are
also filled with big and copious tears of joy.  Sri HaygrIva BhakthA's
dhyAna-janitha-aanandham leads to a similar experiences .

Seventeenth Slokam
******************

In the 17th slOkam , Swamy Desikan states that the aanandhAnubhavam of the
HayagrIva bhakthAs finds an outlet through their eyes in the form of
aanandha bhAshpam.The slOkam describing the state of the bhakthan with
copious flow of tears of joy is as follows:

SvAmin prathIchA hrudhayEna dhanyA:
  tvath dhyAna chandhrOdhaya VardhamAnam
amAnthamaanandha payOdhi mantha:
  payObhirakshNAm parivAhayanthi 

(meaning ): Oh My Master ! Oh Lord HayagrIvA !  The minds of few
bhAgyasAlis pull their attention from external objects , just as a
tortoise pulls its neck inwards. Their mind turns inward instead of
outwards. In that state of deep dhyAnam , they visualize Your auspicious
form . At that time , the joy experienced by their minds lifts up just as
the Ocean rises on seeing the rise of the Moon (ChandrOdhayam ). That
immense wave of aannadham could not be contained inside anymore and it
spills over like a dam that is broken .  The eyes serve as an outlet for
that paramAnandham and a flood of aanandha bhAshpam flows .

The indescribable bliss that arises out of the HayagrIva SaakshAthkAram
(Darsanam of the form of Lord HayagrIvan in their hearts by the yogis)
results in uncontrollable flood of tears of Joy associated with that
aanandha- anubhavam. These are the dhanyA: or the blessed ones. Their
focus is inward (prathIchA hrudhaya:) through Indriya nigraham (control of
senses).  They are engaged in dhyAnam of the form of their UpAsana
Moorthy.Their mental state filled with bliss is like the state of the
joyous Ocean (aannadha payOnidhi) that rises uncontrollably (amaantham) ,
when it witnesses the Chandra-Udhayam.  The bhakthan's eyes are flodded
with tears of Joy ( akshNAm payObhi: parivAhayanthi)that flow out without
interruption .

Sri KulasEkara AzhwAr's prayer to Lord RanganAthA longing for His darsanam
and his ardent desire to have his eyes filled with tears as a result of
the aanandham arising from that dharsana-janitha- sukham ( yenn KaNkaL
neermalha yenRu kolO niRkum naaLE ) is referred to by Sriman D.Ramaswamy
Iyengar in this context.

The Rg Vedic manthram section ," ChandramA manasO jaatha:-" (Rg
Vedam-Canto X.90.13) has some connection to this anubhavam . The
HayagrIva- ChandrOdhayam and its effect on the mind of the UpAsakan is
alluded to here.

Sri HayagrIva SthOthram :SlOkam 18
**********************************
The effect of Sri HayagrIva dhyAnam by the truly evolved bhAgyasAlis is
the subject matter of the 18th slOkam:

svairAubhAvAs-tvadhadheena bhAva:
 samruddha veeryAs-tvadhanugrahENa 
vipascchithO Naatha taranthi maayAm
 vaihArikIm mOhana pinchikAm tE 

(Meaning ): Oh Lord HayagrIvA ! Those Jn~Anis ( Vipascchitha:) place their
minds at Your disposal (Tvadhadheena BhAva:) and become great ones with
inherent glory (Svaira anubhavA:). They become VairAgyasAlis
(dispassionate ones) . Their minds are rooted firmly at Your feet leading
to immense strength (Samrudhda VeeryA:)and they cross then Your MayA ,
which hypnotizes the humans like the bunch of peacock feathers used by
magicians to perform their hypnotizing act .  Your anugraham permits these
Jn~Anis to cross this difficult-to-transcend MaayA of Yours effortlessly
(tE maayAm tvadhanugrahENa taranthi ).

The BhAvam and the anubhAvam of the Jn~Anis is described here. Their
BhAvam is "Tvadh adheenam " being under the power of the Lord as
charamAvathi- daasan . The resulting  anubhAvam is "svaira anubhAvam " or
matchless inherent glory as sEsha BhUthan of the Lord.

The MaayA referred to in this slOkam has nothing to do with the Maaya as
advaithins understand that term .  To them , MaayA is "yaa maa saa mAyA "
( That which is not is MaayA ). It means illusion or hallucination .  Te
VisthAdvaidhic concept of MaayA is Prakruthi or matter that is
enchantingly seductive.Our Lord Himself has decreed Prakruthi to be this
way (maayAm thu prakruthim vidhyAth maayinam thu MahEsvaram ).

AchAruya RaamAnujA has explained the term MaayA as the marvellous power of
the Lord (Asccharya sakthi) .  This MaayA has an unshakable grip and no
one can escape from that grip without the anugraham of the Lord Himself .
The observance of Bhakthi or Prapatthi Yogam melts the heart of the Lord
and that helps the bhaddha Jeevans to cross His MaayA.

Sri D.RamaswAmy IyengAr refers to a passage from AchArya RaamAnujA's
SaraNAgathi Gadhyam regarding BhagavAn's MaayA , which needs more detailed
study :

" madheeya anaadhi karma pravAha pravrutthAm Bhagaavth-
  SvarUpa tirOdhaana-kareem  , viparItha Jn~Ana jananeem ,
  svavishayAyasya bhOgya buddhErjananeem , dEhEndhriyathvEna
  bhOgyathvEna sookshm aroopENa avasthithAm ,DHAIVEEM
  GUNAMAYEEM MAAYAAM , " DaasabhUtha: SaraNAgathOsmi
  tavAsmi daasa: ithi vakthAram MAAM TAARAYA ".

Sri Sudarsana Soori's commentary as translated by Abhinava Desika Sri
UtthamUr Swamy for the above passage is:

" Oh Lord ! I am Thy servant. I have surrenderd myself unto Thee. Help me,
Thy servant , to cross over Your Moola Prakruthi (MaayA ) of three GuNAs ,
which flows like a swift current of beginningless and endless karmA, which
hides from my vision Thy natural form , and produces in me perverted
knowledge about Thee and a sense of (false) satisfaction in me regarding
the enjoyment of material things existing (in the world ) in all manner of
forms , subtle and gross -in body , senses and objects of enjoyment."

Those who perform SaraNAgathi to Lord HayagrIvan in the above fashion
cross His own MaayA and He blesses them with Para Bhakthi , Para Jn~Anam
and Parama Bhakthi and qualifies them to perform nithya kaimkaryam to Him
in His Supreme Abode, Sri Vaikuntam .Such is the result of crossing the
Lord's MaayA , which is realized only thru the practise of either Bhakthi
or SaraNAgathi yOgams .

Swamy Desikan uses the next slOkam to elaborate further on how to secure
the Lord's anugraham to enable the chEthanam to cross His MaayA .

(PraNavam) MaayA-Vikruthi kruthE nama:
(   "    ) VidhyA SahAyAya nama:
(   "    ) HrudhayEsAya nama:
(   "    ) KaarayithrE nama:
(   "    ) KaaraNAya nama:
(   "    ) SankalpathAya nama:
(   "    ) MaayAvinE nama:
(   "    ) MaayAthigAya nama:
(   "    ) Nara-NaarAyaNAkruthyA Guru-sishyathvam- 
           aasthithAya nama: 
(   "    ) Sarva Bhaya HarthrE nama:

Nineteenth Slokam
******************

In the slOkams 17 and 18, Swamy Desikan described the aanandhAnubhavam of
those who meditate on Lord HayagrIvan (RomAnjali and Aanandha BhAshpam ).
In slOkams 19-22,Swamy Desikan prays to the Lord for the conferral of such
soubhAgyam on him . We will cover the slOkams 19 & 20 in this posting .

Swamy Desikan appeals to the Lord for the boon of removal of Brahma Lipi (
talai Yezhutthu written by BrahmA on his skull ) , which interferes with
the fruition of his adoration of the Lord. He offers afresh his
salutations(prapatthi) at the powerful paadha Kamalams of Lord HayagrIvan
and to the Veda dhvani arising from the anklets adorning those charaNa
kamalams .

SlOkam 19 :How to secure LOrd HayagrIvan's anugraham ?
****************************************************** 

PrAngh nirmithAnAm tapasAm VipAkA:
  prathyagra nissrEyasa sampadhO mE
samEdhisheeran tava Paadha PadmE 
  Sankalpa chinthAmanaya: praNAmA:

(meaning): Oh Lord HayagrIvA ! It is not an easy task to be blessed with
the bhAgyam of your paadha sEvanam ( worship of His sacred feet). One
should have done austere tapas(penance) in poorva janmams( previous
births). When One worships Your sacred feet , One obtains the rarest of
rare wealths (viz)., Moksha anugrham . Beyond that supreme purushArtham ,
one can also be blessed with other worldly bhOgams . Your sacred feet in
this regard is like the ChinthAmaNi rathnam , which is said to confer all
the blessings that one seeks from it.Oh Lord HayagrIvA ! Please bless me
to have dhruva chinthanai (uninterrupted meditation of Your holy
PaadhAravindhams .

Swamy Desikan points out that the realization of Moksha siddhi is a result
of " prAngh-nirmithAnAm TapasAm vipAka:"( the fruit of austere tapas
performed in previous births ). This Moksha Siddhi is described by Swamy
Desikan as " prathyagra nissrEyas ' or a wealth that was not attained
hitherto and which is obtained from prapatthi at the lotus feet of the
Lord .  Swamy desribes the rarest of the wealths that a human being can
aspire for as "prathyagra- nissrEyas" and compares those boon giving pair
of lotus feet to  a rare chinthAmaNi rathnam of a special kind (Sampadha:
sankalpa ChinthAmaNaya:)

Overcome by the thought of the power of those holy Thiruvadi , Swamy
Desikan prays for the continous growth of bhakthi for those redeeeming
pavithra Padhams ( mE praNAma: tava Paadha padmE SamEdhiksheeran) to gain
Moksha Siddhi.Swamy Desikan points out that the PraNAmams , which really
stands for the complete Prapatthi at the Lord's holy feet , will
unquestionably secure Moksha Sukham (nissrEyas). 

Sri D.Ramaswamy Iyengar recalls the Periya Thirumozhi passage(7.6.9): "
Naanudait-tavatthAl Thiruvadi adainthEn--" to remember that it is His
blessings that gets us to His lotus feet. Regarding the Paadha kamamlams
serving as the ChinthAmani gem conferring iha-para sukhams (immai-maRumai
sukhams) , Sri D.Ramaswamy Iyengar recalls Swamy NammAzhwAr's aruLiccheyal
(ThiruvAimozhi: 3.9.9):

"immaiyum saathitthu Vaanavar naatayum 
 nee kaNDu koLL yenRu Veedu tharum "

SlOkam 20: The Power of Lord HayagrIvan's PaadhAngri rENu
**********************************************************

viluptha moordhanya lipi-kramANAm
 SurEndhra ChoodApadha lAlithAnAm
tvadhangri raajeeva raja: kaNAnAm 
 bhUyAn prasAdhO mayi NaaTa ! BhUyAth

(meaning): Oh Lord HayagrIva! It is said that Brahma Devan encodes the lot
in one's life on the skull at the time of birth (Brahma Lipi or Talai
Yezhutthu ). The chEthanan's life is laid out in those instructions .
Those lipis ( aksharams written on the skull) interfere with the pursuit
of Moksha Sukham and the performance of Tapas that would qualify one to
realize such a ParamAnugraham .The jeevan suffers from the cycles of
births and deaths (SamsAram ).  MokshAnugraham recedes farther and
farther.  The incomparable power of the sacred dust from Your lotus feet
changes however the fate of the Bhaddha jeevan .BrahmA and other DevAs
adorn the sacred dust from Your holy feet to overcome their misfortunes.
May the power of those dust from Your sacred feet (PaadhAngri rENu) settle
permanently on my head , erase the Braham Lipis and bless me with Moksham
.

The Brahma Lipi in general and the DuruksharANi ( inauspicious letters )
on the skull interfere with one's paadha sEvanam (worship of the holy feet
) of the Lord . Sri D.RamaswAmy Iyengar recalls the following  passage
from Swamy NammAzhwAr's Periya ThiruvandhAthi ( paasuram 84) in this
context:

" Vaazhthi Avanadiyaip punainthu ninn talayait-
  thAztthi iru kai koopenRAl koopAthu Paazhttha Vithi "

{ adiyEn's miserable fate will not permit me to praise Him , place with
love flowers at His sacred feet , bend my head before Him and allow me to
have anjali-bhaddha hastham ( folding of palms in a mood of supplication
)} .

That indeed is the power of Lipi Kramams.  The dust particles from the
Lord's sacred feet found on the top of the heads of DevAs and BrahmA (
SurEndhra ChooDApadha laalithAnam tvadh angri raajeeva raja:kaNA )however
have the total power to wipe out(erase) their ill effects and bless one
with MokshAnugraham.

Swamy Desikan refers to this miracle performed by the sacred dust from the
charaNAravindhams of the Lord in DevanAyaka PanchAsath (slOkam 45 ) and
obiliquely in Srimath PaadhukA Sahasram ( slOkam 50).

In DevanAyaka PanchAsath slOkam , Swamy Desikan wonders at the miracle of
the instantaneous erasure of the bad letters etched by BrahmA's own hand
on one's skull ( Vedaha: svahastha likithAni DhuraksharANI ). Swamy
Desikan is moved by the miracle of the "Padha padma paraka YOGAM " ( the
union of the dust particle from the sacred feet of the Lord with the bad
letters written by BrahmA on one's skull) and their power to destroy those
bad letters immediately without the need to perform any YOGAM. 

(PraNavam) PrayOgAyaa nama:
(   "    ) SuchayE nama:
(   "    ) Kimchith karmAnukoolakAya nama:
(   "    ) anugrahAya nama:
(   "    ) ahEthuka prEmNE nama:
(   "    ) sOka vidhAyakAya nama:
(   "    ) Bhava Bheethi vidhAyakAya nama: 

Twenty first Slokam
*******************

In the 19th slOkam , Swamy Desikan prayed for the growth of Bhakthi at the
sacred feet of Lord HayagrIvan.In the 20 th slOkam , he prayed for the
anugraham of the holy dust particles from the lotus feet of the Lord to
settle down on his head to remove all anishtams ( misfortunes ).

In the 21st and 22nd slOkams , Swamy Desikan focuses further on the sacred
feet /ankles of Lord HayagrIvan .

In the 21st slOkam , Swamy prays for the removal of the darkness of
nescience (aj~nAnam) through the lustre (oLi)of the gems enmeshed in the
sathankais ( gem-set ankle Jewelery ) adorning  those sacred feet .

In the 22nd slOkam , the sacred , Vedic dhvani (Naadham ) arising from the
movement of the bells attached to the sathankai on the ankles of the Lord
.  Swamy Desikan is the one , who wrote 100 slOkams on the Naadham
generated form the Lord's Paadhukai in Sri RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram .
In the 22nd slOkam of Sri Hayagreeva SthOthram , NigamAntha Desikan refers
to the sweet sounds raised by the ankle bells as the Lord moves towards
him and equates those auspicious sounds to the essence of nigama saaram (
qunitessenceof VedArhtams).

SlOkam 21 : Meditation on the ThiruppAdhams
*********************************************

parisphuran nUpura chithrabhAnu-
  prakAsa nirdhUtha tamOnushangAm
Padha dhvayeem parichinmahEantha:
  prabhOdha raajeeva vibhAtha sandhyAm

(Meaning): We ( HayagrIva UpAsakAs) incessantly meditate on Thy pair of
sacred feet adorning the nUpuram (Sathankai) inlaid with the most radiant
gems . The lustre arising from those gems equals the effulgence of the
multi-rayed Sun (chithra Bhaanu )and serves as the morning sandhyA ( dawn)
that drives away the darkness of nescience .  We pray for the banishmnet
of the last trace of our aj~nAnam through the scintillating lustre arising
from Your sacred feet . Just as the morning Sun has the power to make the
lotus blossom , we pray for the awakening and growth of our Bhakthi to You
. We stay focused on the dhyAnam of Your sacred feet. 

The twin benefits arising from the incessant dhyAnam of the sacred feet of
Lord HayagrIvan are:

(1) Removal of the dark clouds of aj~nAnam (nirdhUtha Tama: anushangAm )

(2) the blossoming and growth of dhivya Jn~Anam  ( prabhOdha raajeeva
vikasitham ). The Jn~Anam transfroms from sankuchitham ( shrunken state)
to vikasitham ( fully blossomed state ).

In the previous slOkam , Swamy Desikan saluted the angri Raajeevam or the
Lord's lotus feet.  He pointed out that they have the power to erase the
Brahma lipi . The effect of the removal of the duraksharANi ( the
inauspicious letters written by BrahmA on our skulls at the time of our
birth) is described in this slOkam .  Those pair of lotus feet of the Lord
removes through its radiance the last trace of aj~nAnam similar to the way
the morning Sun wakes up the sleepy (closed)lotus and make it blossom into
a state of splendor. 

Just as the nUpura Gangai ( silampAru ) washes away the aj~nAnam of
BhakthAs worshipping the Lord of ThirumAlirumchOlai , the radiance of the
gems from the nUpuram adorning the sacred feet of Lord  HayagrIvan
banishes the darkness of nescience once and for all. After that cleansing
, the lotus of Jn~Anam ( PrabhOdha raajeevam ) blossoms and grows into a
state of splendor .

The reference to PrAtha: SandhyA Kaalam ( aruNOdhyam heralding the dawn
/PrAtha: sandhyA )reminds adiyEn of the magnificent Usha: sooktham of Rg
Vedam.  The radiance of the gem is equated to the lustre of Vedic goddess
, Ushas (dawn) dispelling the darkness of aj~NAnam :

ruthAvarI divO arkairabhOdhyA
REVATHEE rhOdasI chithramasthAth
aayathImagan Ushasam vibhAthIm
VaamamEshi dhraviNam bhikshamANa:
--Rg Vedam : III.61.6

(meaning): By Heaven's illumings , one perceives Her as a bearer of the
truth (Jn~Anam and Rutham ).  She is rapturous as She comes with Her
varied lights into the two firmaments .....

Ushath Kaalam (prAtha: sandhyA or VibhAtha sandhyA ) precedes the lustre
of the morning Sun ( ChithrabhAnu PrakAsam of the PrabhOdha raajeevam
referred to in Swamy Desikan's 21st verse).

The Tatthvam of Ushas (dawn)invoked here is not the physical dawn , but
has deeper , mystic meanings in VedAs , when applied to mental and
spiritual realms .The Vedic dawn is associated with "Gou " or the
uplifting rays of the ChithrabhAnu (Aadhithya maNdala madhyastha Sri
LakshmI HayagrIvan) can also be linked to GodhA ( Gou dadhAthi ithi
GodhA).  The deliverer of dhivya Jn~Anam in this model can be considered
to be GodhA Devi serving the Lord (Chitra BhAnu) during the first crack of
the dawn ( siRRam SiRu Kaalai).Her prayer on our behalf ( UnakkE
naamAtccheyvOm , MaRRai nam kaamangaL MaaRRElO ) is very appropriate for
the banishment of Aj~nAnam and the growth of spiritual knowledge leading
to Moksham.

(praNavam): dhushkruth vinAsa VihithOdhayAya Nama:
(   "    ): Parama VaikuntasthAya Nama:
(   "    ): VisvOdhaya Sankalpa PrabhavE Nama:
(   "    ): RathnAngadhinE Nama:
(   "    ): Dhivya tEjasE Nama:
(   "    ): MukundhAya Nama: 
(   "    ): Saadhva-Saadhu-Hitha RathAyA Nama:

Slokam 22
*********

In the previous slOkam , Swamy Desikan focussed on the PrabhOdha Raajeeva
Paadams ( Sacred lotus feet of the Lord ) and the gem-studded anklets
there , which remove through their radiance , the darkness of nescience
through meditation on them. 

In this slOkam , Swamy Desikan refers to the very same gem-set anklets
generating a variety of SunAdhams, which are Veda-garbha mayam :

tvath kinkarAlankaraNOchithAnAm 
  tvayaiva kalpAnthara paalithAnAm
manju praNAdham MaNi noopuram tE
  manjUshikAm Veda-girAm prathIma:

(Meaning ): Oh Lord HayagrIvA ! It is common custom for the citizens of
the world to protect their precious jewelery in safe boxes. The Veda Vaaks
( Veda manthrams) are the SirObhUshaNams ( precious Jewelery worn on the
head ) for Your bhakthAs. You protect them (Veda Vaaks )and keep them
eternal by instructing Brahma dEvan during every kalpam . Your anklet
aabharaNam ( Thiruvadi Sathankai) houses matchless precious gems. They
raise sweet and sacred naadham , when You move about .Those naadhams are
delectable to Your BhakthA's ears. Those Naadhams instruct them on the
deeper meanings of vedic passages.  Therefore, adiyEn equates Your
Thiruvadi sathankai to a safe box that protects the precious veda Vaaks
inside it. 

Here , the Veda Vaaks are connected to the gems on the anklets that
generate sweet and sacred Naadhams. The anklets themselves are compared to
the safe box that houses the Veda Vaaks .  The anklets (sathankai/salankai
) are made up of small individual golden balls with a gem that is free to
rotate inside . At the end of each ball is also one or more gems .  These
individual golden balls are linked together to form the golden silampu
(sathankai)with gems inside and outside .  Dancers use these sathankais
(noopurams ) to keep TaaLam during their narthanam . Our Lord ,the cosmic
dancer and the YajamAnan of the veda Vaaks generates light and sound as He
goes about His sanchAram . Depending on the varieties of nadais (steps or
sanchAra kramams ) distinct and delectable Veda Naadham (dhvani) is heard
by the BhakthAs meditating on the sacred Thiruvadi of the Lord.They attain
Sumathi (divine knowledge) by loosing themselves in the naadhams geenrated
by these Veda Vaaks emanating from the anklet aabharanam  of Lord
HayagrIvA , who is the protector of the veda Vaaks ( gou:) through the
ages .

The following Rg Vedic passage gives expression to this thought :

asyadhEshA SUMATHI: paprathAnAbhavath poorvyA bhUmnA GOU: --Rg Vedam :
X.31.6

(meaning): May this most gracious and eternal life-giving divine speech
(Veda Vaak.Gou:) impart extensive knowledge to us .

The importance of the divine Speech emanting as naadhams from the Lord's
sacred feet is saluted in another Rg Veda manthram ( Rk: X.71.1):

"BruhaspthE prathamam vaachO agram yath 
 prairatha  naamadhEyam dadhAna:I 
 yadEshAm SrEshtam yadh aripram  aaseeth 
 prENA tadEshAm nihitham guhAvi: II "

(meaning): " Oh Lord of the vast Universe ! verily , that is the best part
of the Divine Speech , which for the first time has given names to the
objects and which has been uttered for the very first time.  The Veda
Vaaks are revealed through those earliest stages to those , who are best
among men , devoid of all sins. THE DIVINE SPEECH IS REVEALED IN THEIR
HEARTS WITH YOUR AFFECTION ".  

This a magnificent verse set in Trishtup metre , whose subject is
JnAnandha Maya Devan, Lord HayagrIvan and His anugraham to Brahma Devan
(and later to qulaified sages) to impart the knowledge associated with
divine speech or Veda Vaak , which leads on to the creation of Naama-roopa
prapancham . This verse has been recognized as the one singing out the
glory of the Supreme Being , who imparts divine knowledge (parama
purushArtha , Para brahma Jn~Anam ).  The naming of the objects took place
after the acquisition of this divine Vaak , which itself has been given
the names of Gau, Gauri, VaaNi , BhArathi , Sarasvathi, Sabdha , Rk , Mahi
, dhEnu et al ( NighanDu I.11 ). Each object got thus many names during
this primordial period. This period of assigning names to objects with the
anugraham of Lord HayagrIvan has been recognized as the most thrilling
epoch of human culture.

Niruktham points out that the one , who is blessed with divine speech
(Veda Vaak ) bears the mark of BhadrA LakshmI .  Divine speech keeps
concealed in it that wealth (BhadrA LakshmI ).  The words that Swamy
Desikan chose in this verse to house these thoughts are: " manjUshikAm
veda-girAm pathIma:)" . Swamy states that the Lord's auspicious salankais
are the safe box in which the Veda Vaaks ( BhadrA LakshmI) are housed.

Yajur Vedam ( Chapter: XXVI.2), " yaTEmAm VaachAm
KalyANIm --" also attests to the message of
" yEshAm vaachi BhadhrA nihithA LakshmI: BhadhrA KalyANI "
(Divine speech keeps concealed in it the auspicious wealth) .

The great NigamAntha MahA Desikan houses all these deep thoughts in his
22nd slOkam of Sri HayagrIva SthOthram as revealed to him by the Lord
seated in front of him .

From SlOkams 19-22 , Swamy Desikan was absorbed in the enjoyment of the
lotus feet of Lord HayagrIvan and their powers of anugraham.In slOkams
23-25 , the subject of this posting  , Swamy Desikan shifts his attention
to the lower right and left  hands of Lord HayagrIvan . The upper right
and left hands of the Lord adorn Sudarsanam and Paanchajanyam .

The right lower hand holds the Upadesa Mudhrai and the garland of beads
(Japa Maalai) and the left lower hand holds a pusthakam ( book ), while
embracing MahA Lakshmi . 

SlOkam 23: VyAkhyAna (UpadEsa) MudhrA & the right hand
******************************************************

SanchinthayAmi prathibhAasAsTAn 
  santhukshayantham samaya pradhIpAn
vij~yAna kalpadhruma pallavAbham
  VyAkhyAna mudhrA madhuram karam tE 

(Meaning): Oh Lord HayagrIvA ! Your right hand is resplendent with the
Jn~Ana mudhrai intended for performing Jn~Ana Upadesam for Your BhakthAs.
This Jn~Ana mudhrai is instrumental in instructing efficently all the
saarArthams ( essential and deeper meanings ) of SiddhAnthams that has to
be grasped by your devotees with sharp intellect( medhai as invoked by
MedhA Sookthi) .

In this matter , Your sacred right hand serves as the tender instrument to
kindle the wick (mEdhai) found in the lamps ( dheepams ) known as
VedArthams.  Your Jn~Ana-maya ThirumEni is the Kalpakaa tree that grants
all the boons that your BhakthAs seek during their intense
meditation.adiyEn thinks intensely of Thy sweet and creeper-like tender
right hand ( Madhura-pallavAbha hastham ) , which performs Jn~Ana-upadesam
for Your UpAsakAs .

The sweet right hand of Lord HayagrIvan holding the Jn~Ana mudhrA pose is
beautiful to behold.  It is soft like the tender shoot of a KalpakA tree
and is an embodiment of Jn~Anam . It kindles the eternal lamps of Vedic
knowledge lit with the wick ( dasAsTAn )of bright and sharp intellect
(mEdhai). This is the akhanda dheepam that is nourished and protcted by
the Lord . VyAkhyAna Mudhrai is the symbol of that act of upadEsam of the
siddhAnthams.

Sri D.Ramaswamy Iyengar invites our attention to Swamy Desikan's adoration
of the UpadEsaMudhrA found in the hand of Sri RaamAnujA ( YathirAja
Sapthathi, slOkam 24 ) , which removes the darkness of Ajn~Anam. Swamy
Desikan's own VyAkhyAna Mudhrai holding hand has been saluted by his son ,
KumAra Varadha Desikan in PiLlai AndhAthi this way : " Vaazhi VykkhiyA
muddhiraik Kai ".

SlOkam 24: The Japa MaalA found in the Right hand
***************************************************

ChitthE KarOmi sphurithAksha maalAm
  savyEtharam Naaatha Karam TvadhIyam
Jn~AmruthOnjana lampaDAnAm
   leelA gaDI YanthramibAsrithAnAm

(Meaning ): Oh Lord HayagrIvA ! I etch in my mind Thy right hand that also
holds a Japa Maalai, which resembles a ghatee-yanthram , a machine used
for pumping water from the well for irrigation purposes.  The movement of
the beads of Japa Maalai in Your right hand is blessing Your upAsakAs by
bringing up of the nectar of Jn~Anam from Your inner depths.

The ghatee yanthram is known as " Kavalai yERRam ".  It is a configuration
of buckets tied together with a rope over a rotating wheel. As it dips
into the well , water gets filled in the first bucket and comes up for
distribution to the irrigational canal ; at the same time , the next
bucket goes down to fill itself with water and this event repeats itself
continously . Copious amounts of water are drawn from the well  with this
simple mechanism used by the farmers. Swamy Desikan compares the movement
of the beads of the japaMaalai on the right hand of Lord HayagrIvan to the
operation of this Ghatee Yanthram. In Lord HayagrIvan's case , the nectar
of Jn~Anam is brought out from His inner depths for the benefit of His
UpAsakAs.  When we think of Sri Srirama DesikAcchAr Swamy's use of the
words ,"Muhanthu Muhanthu VeLiYil kottuvathu pOl )  one is reminded of
ANDAL's ThiruppAvai Paasuram passage praying to Aazhi Mazhaik KaNNan for
aruL Maari ( the life giving waters in the form of rain ,which is AchArya
SadhupadEsam ):

" Aazhi Mazhaik KaNNA ! --AazhiyuL pukku MUHANTHU
  kodArtthERi --thAzhAthE Saarngamudaittha Peru Mazhai
  pOl Vaazha Ulahinil peythidAi ".

Our DesikEndhran is Lord HayagrIvan and His movement of Japa MaalA in His
right hand like Ghatee Yanthram is a salutation to His Parama KaaruNIka
AchAryakathvam.  Those who are objects of Lord HayagrIvan's kaaruNyam thru
His manthrOpadesam becomes "mithunavAn " , a blessed One fit to enjoy the
bhOgams in this and the other world (iha-para sukha anubhavams).The term
"MithunavAn " is found in AruNa KEthukam  Passage in TaittirIya AaraNyakam
(22nd anuvAkam ). 

SlOkam 25:The Left hand of the Lord Holding Pusthakam
******************************************************

prabhOdha SindhO: aruNai: prakAsai:
  pravALa sanghAthamivOdhvahantham
vibhAvayE Deva SAPUTHAKAM tE 
  vaamam karam DakshiNam aasrithAnAm 

(meaning ): Oh Lord HayagrIvA ! In Your lower right hand (embracing MahA
Lakshmi ) , You adorn a book (pusthakam ).  The redddish hue of Your left
palm is spreading like jaathi pavazham (coral bead assembly )brought out
from the depths of the ocean of Jn~Anam .AdiyEn reflects always on the
power and glory of this left hand , which blesses Your upAsakAs with all
desired boons.

The red halo of the pusthakam-holding left hand reminds Swamy Desikan of
the radiance of a cluster of quality corals (semm-PavaLam )harvested from
the deep ocean of Jn~Anam .

The red halo seen emanating from the left hand reminds Swamy Desikan of
AruNOdhayam ( Jn~AnOdhyam) coming to the rescue of those , who sought the
feet of Lord HayagrIvan as refuge. AruNOpanishad (AruNamEva
PrathibhAdhyathi) and Soorya NamaskAra manthrams hailing the
Soorya-NaarAyaNa SvarUpa Sri HayagrIvan are to be associated with the red
halo associated with the pusthakam-holding left (vaama Hastham ) that is
uniquely capable (dakshiNam ) of removing the Aj~nAnam of upasakAs.

From SlOkams 26-29 , Swamy Desikan enjoys the integrated essence of the
beauty ( samudhAya ShObhai ) of the Lord , who shines in front of him as a
just-blossomed white Lotus and prays to Him for the conferral of boons of
Veda Vaak (Sarasvathi) , which will help him defeat the disputants from
other avaidhika and kudhrushti mathams and establish the glory of
Bhagavath RaamAnuja SiddhAntham .Swamy Desikan appeals to the Lord to
enthrone Himself on the tip of his tongue during these intricate vaadhams
with disputants. 

SlOkam 26 : Prayer for Visualization of the Lord 
*************************************************

tamAmsi bhithvA visadhair mayUkai:
  sampreeNayantham vidhushas-chakOrAn
nisAmayE thvAm nava PuNDarIkE 
  sarath ghanE chandramiva sphurantham 

(meaning): Oh Lord HayagrIvA! You gladden the hearts of all scholars
(VidhvAns) and destroy the darkness of aj~nAnam with the spotless , white
rays emanating from You , while being seated on a newly blossomed ,
radiant white lotus . When we have the blessings of darsanam of this
ThirumEni of Yours , we are reminded of the spotless white hue of the
sarath-kaala Chandran (autumn Moon ) removing the darkness of the night
and making the chakOra birds happy with His rays (moon beams), which is
their only food. 

Here , the VidvAns(Vidhusha:) are equated with the proverbial chakOrA
birds who anxiously await chandrOdhayam to sustain themselves with the
Moon Beams , which are their sole source of nourishment .The Lord is
compared to the autumn full Moon seated  on a freshly blossomed white
lotus radiating blemishless white beams of light from His ThirumEni. The
VidvAns are sustained by these white rays of light originating from the
Lord . The nescience of the worldis is also destroyed by those white rays
( visadhai: mayUkai:tamaamsi bhithvA). Lord HayagrIvan is like the
spotless white , autumn Moon (sarath ghanE chandramiva sphurantham )
seated on a freshly blossomed white lotus ( nava puNDarIkE sphurantham ).
Swamy Desikan states that he visulaizes the Lord in this lovely form
through his mental eye (thvAm nisAmayE). 

SlOkam 27 : Prayer for the blessings of the Power of speech
***********************************************************

disanthu mE Deva ! sadhA thvadhIyA:
  dayA tarangAnucharA: katAkshA :
srOthrEshu pumsAm amrutham ksharanthIm
  SarsavathIm samsritha KaamadhEnum 

(Meaning ): Oh Lord ! May Your dhivya KatAkshams (divine glances) imbued
with Your limitless dayA bless me with the powers of eulogizing You !  May
those sthOthrams serve as nectar for the ears of the listeners ! May Those
Sri Sookthis confer all auspiciousness on those , who recite them !  May
adiyEn be blessed with the powers of speech to compose such poems through
Your divine grace !

This slOkam is the first of the five slOkams , where Swamy Desikan prays
for the Lord's anugraham to prepare him for the debates ahead in defense
of Bhagavath RaamAnuja SiddhAntham.He prays to the Lord for the gifts of
Veda Vaak that would empower him to debate the contestants from other
mathams with clarity and strength.

The wealth requested by Swamy Desikan is the Vaak-Sampath and that is
gained by the daya-laden glances of Lord HayagrIvan falling on His
UpAsakAs. Swamy Desikan prays for the Vaak-Sampath that would generate
nectar in the ears of the listeners ( PumsAm srOthrEshu amrutham
ksharanthIm ) and also bless them to realize all their longings like the
wish-granting divine KaamdhEnu ( Samsritha KaamadhEnum SarsvathIm sadhA mE
disanthu).

SlOkam 28: Prayers for Victory over the poets & logicians
**********************************************************
visEshavith paarishadhEshu Naatha
  vidagdha ghOshtI SamarAnganEshu
jigIshathO mE kavitArkikEndhrAn
 JIHVAAGRA SIMHAASANAM ABHYUPEYAA:

(Meaning): Oh Lord HayagrIvA ! Please bless me to join the mighty battle
fields of contests , where very learned vidvAns serve as mediators
(madhyasthars) of debate between contestants!Please bless me to win over
those who belong to para mathams , who use their tricks (yukthis) to
advance their points !  Please bless me with the power of Veda Vaak to
establish the truth ! Oh Lord ! You must grant me this boon of Veda Vaak
to be used in Your service !  To succeed in my efforts to defend and
protect our siddhAntham (Parama Vaidhika Matham ) , Thou should occupy the
tip of my tongue as Your throne !

In the previous slOkam , Swamy Desikan prayed for the boon of mastery over
sweet words in his speech ; here , he prays for the power in his speech to
win in debates with master poets and logicians (kavi Taarkika IndrAn).

Sri Dindukkal Ramaswamy Iyengar mentions that many speakers at public
assembly recite this and previous slOkams prior to their speeches and
debates to secure Lord HayagrIvan's grace.  The power to succeed in
VaakyArthA debates with rival siddhAnthins is the prayer  here .  For such
success, Swamy Desikan realizes that the presence of Lord HayagrIva on the
tip of his tongue is essential and therefore he invites the Lord to sit on
a throne that he sets up for Him there ( JihvAgra SimhAsanam abhyupEyA:).

SlOkam 29 :The effect of Lord's sitting on JihvAgram
*****************************************************

thvAm chinthayan thvanmayathAm Prapanna:
  thvAmudhgruNan sabdhamayEna DhAmnA
SvAmin! samAjEshu sumEdhisheeya
  Svacchandha vaadhAvaha bhaddha Soora:

(Meaning): Oh Lord HayagrIvA ! May adiyEn meditate always on Your dhivya
ThirumEni (SubhAsrayam )!  May I thereby imbibe Your auspicious attributes
and achieve a state of oneness with You ! May adiyEn perform japam of Your
sacred manthram and through that power become a renowned warrior in the
battle fields of debate , where rival siddhAnthins take part ! May adiyEn
rise victorious with Your anugraham in these debater's assemblies and
argue with unabated strength to gain victory !

This slOkam is a description of what happens after Lord HayagrIvan
occupies the throne at the tip of Swamy Desikan's tongue. Three things
happen in quick succession : 

(1) Swamy Desikan meditates deeply on the Lord and reaches a state of
Tanmayathvam ( a state of Oneness with the Lord).

(2) Swamy Desikan performs Sri HayagrIva manthra Japam and offers his
salutations

(3) At the end of the japam , he prays to the Lord for the anugraham to
rise victorious in the debates with rival siddhAnthins through command
over their arguments with the power of Veda Vaak.

Sri D.Ramaswamy Iyengar points out that it is Lord HayagrIvA , who really
wins in these contests by using Swamy Desikan as His instrument.Two
instances where Swamy Desikan acknowledges his kaimkaryam as a mere
instrument in the hands of the Lord to defeat para matha Vaadhins are
found at the end of AdhikaraNa SaarAvaLi and DayA sathakam(slOkam 104).
These are Saathvika ThyAgams at the end of these two monumental works.

AdhikaraNa SaarAvaLi is a metrical commentary on Sri BhAshyam of AchArya
RaamAnujA , a summary of the VyAkhyAnam of BhAshyakArar on each of the
chapters of the Brahma SoothrAs . After completing this monumental work ,
Swamy Desikan acknowledges that it is really Lord RanganAthA ( thru His
HayagrIvAvathAram ), who sang the AdhikaraNa SaarAvaLi using him (Desikan)
as an instrument just as He uses His Paanchajanyam to raise PraNava
naadham (Uccha dhvani) :

padhyErathai: svahrudhyai: 
praNava Mahimavath PaanchajanyakramENa
svAdhmAtam RanganAtha: svayamithi
mukharikruthya sammOdhatE sma
--Adhikarana SaarAvaLi: SlOkam 561:Utthara Paadham

Swamy Desikna's son , Sri KumAra VaradAchAr wrote the commentary for his
father/AchAryan's AdhikaraNa SaarAvaLi and observes the Lord using Swamy
Desikan like His Divine conch:

" Paanchajanyasthu BhagavadhAdhmAnEna SabdhAyathE.
  ahamapi BhagavathA prEritha yEvaithAni padhyAni 
  vyararacham . tEna svEnaiva prEritham mAmAsthEnEshu
  mukharIkruthya sammOdhatE sma = santhushyathi
  smEthyartha:, atha:" Paanchajanyam HrushIkEsa:"
  ithivath Para paksha PrathikshEpa rUpEshu 
  samara mukhEshu maam muhurapi mukharayAncchakAra
  ithyartha: "

(meaning): Paanchajnayam sounds with the Lord's own breath filling
it.AdiyEn also was commanded by the Lord RanganathA to compose this
metrical work on Sri BhAshyam (adhikaraNa SaarAvaLi).  It is the Lord
Himself , who sang the SaarAvaLi using me just as He uses His divine conch
in the battle field .He takes delight in this leelA of His using me as His
Panchajanyam.

The famous DayA sathaka SlOkam containing the SaathvIka ThyAgam is housed
in the 104th SlOkam:

"VedAntha Desika padhE vinivEsya Baalam 
   dEvO dayaa sathakam yEthath avadhAyan maam
VaihArikENa vidhinA samayE gruhitham
   VEENAA VISESHAM IVA VENKATASAILA NAATHA:"

Swamy Desikan states here that Lord VenkatanAthan lifted a small boy like
him to sit on a great sthAnam known as " VedAnthAchAryan ".To qualify for
this sthAnam (status) , He (the Lord) composed the slOkmas of DayA
sathakam through me as part of His leelai.He used me as an instrument to
accomplish His goal. It is Like the Lord of the Universe playing on a
VeeNA to amuse Himself with the sweet naadham of the Veenai. It is not the
VeenA that raises the MangaLa naadham , but it is the skills of the Player
that is behind the sweet sounds.All the glories in the composition of the
DayA sathakam goes to the Lord and Lord alone , who used me as His
preferred instrument.

In the last slOkam of AdhikaraNa SaarAvaLi , Swamy Desikan pays direct
tribute to Lord HayagrIvan as the One composing this Sri Sookthi using him
as the instrument . A portion of Swamy KumAra VaradAcchAr's commentary on
this slOkam is as follows:

" SvAchArya roopa visishtEna Sarva VidhyA-
pravarthakEna BhagavathA HayagrIvENa virachitham , 
--SrimAN HayagrIva yEva Tath VakthA.." 

This AdhikaraNa SaarAvaLi has been created by the Master of all VidhyAs ,
Lord HayagrIvan , taking the form of the preeminent knowledge represented
by his own AchAryans .Thus , Swamy Desikan performs Saathvika ThyAgam in
the form of Sri HayagrIvArpaNam befitting his role as one, who performed
prapatthi to Him (dayA nidhim dEha- brudhAm SaraNyam , dEvam HayagrIvam
aham prapdhyE ).

In the 29th slOkam of Sri HayagrIva SthOthram , Swamy clearly states that
it is Lord HayagrIvan sitting on the tip of his tongue is the One , who
would win in all the debates that he would enter into .

(PraNavam): Kimchith KarmAnukoolakAya Nama:
(   "    ): kArpaNyAya Nama:
(   "    ): Brahma-nishtAnugraha-kaarakAya Nama:
(   "    ): Daasa-hithaika-kruthi JaagarAya Nama:
(   "    ): Vaadha-vyAkhyA-sva-sidhdAntha rakshA 
            hethu sva-manthra-dhAya Nama:
(   "    ): Svbhaktha Sthuthi SamthushtAya Nama:
(   "    ): Saathvika ThyAga Sampanna Sathkarma -
            krutha athipriyAya Nama:
(   "    ): NishkAma VathsalAya Nama:

Slokam 30
*********

In the thirtieth slOkam , Swamy Desikan engages in a sanchAri BhAvam known
as Sva-Yogya-kathanam ( description of his qualifications for receiving
the Lord's anugraham ). He points out to Lord HayagrIvan that is hapless
and helpless and hence is the most qualified to receive His DayA and
anugraham .

The thirty first slOkam is the last in the series of SlOkams addressed
directly to the Lord , which started with SlOkam Six. Here , as a
concluding appeal , Swamy Desikan prays to Lord HayagrIvan for the
anugraham of the clear comprehension of every Taathvam  relevant to the
Sri VaishNava SiddhAntham so that he can defend them competently in
debates to ensue. Lord HayagrIvan showered His abundant blessings on Swamy
Desikan to go about his (Swamy Desikan's )avathAra kaaryam . Rest is
history .

Great Sri Sookthis flowed from the tongue of Swamy Desikan . Lord
HayagrIvan drove Swamy Desikan's YezhutthANi ( writing tool for palm
leaves) to realize :

(A) Monumental rahasya granthams in MaNi PravALam such as Srimath Rahasya
Thraya Saaram , VirOdha ParihAram , Paramatha Bhangam , PradhAna sathakam
et al .

(B) Matchless Sanskrit Kaavyams like Sri RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram
,YadhavAbhuydham , Hamsa SandEsam , Sankalpa SuryOdhayam et al .

(C)Incomparable Tamil Sri Sookthis like GithArtha Sangrham ,Adaikkala
Patthu ,NavamaNi Maalai, MummaNikkOvai , AdhikaraNa Sangraham et al .

(D) Moving SthOthra granthams like DayA Sathakam , Garuda DhaNDakam ,
Gopala Vimsathi , Sri Sthuthi, GodhA Sthuthi , BhU Sthuthi,
SudarsanAshtakam , NyAsa Dasakam , YathirAja Sapthathi et al.

(E)RakshA granthams like GithArtha Sangrha RakshA , NikshEpa RakshA
,PaancharAthra RakshA , Saccharithra RakshA et al.

(F) BhAshya Granthams like SthOthra Rathna Bhaashyam , Chathus SlOki
BhAshyam , Gadhya Thraya BhAshyam , Taathparya ChandrikA ( Detailed
commentary on AchArya RaamAnujA's GithA BhAshyam )et al .

(G) Deep philosophical works like Tatthva Muktha KalApa, SarvArtha Sidhdi
(an exposition of the above Sri Sookthi) and polemical works like Satha
DhUshaNi et al. 

All in all 130 works were created by Swamy Desikan with Lord HayagrIva's
blessings. Sri BhAshya KaalakshEpam was performed thirty plus times by him
. Future AchAryAs like Kumaara VaradAcchAr and Brahma Tanthra ParakAla
Yathi I were trained and blessed to continue the siddhAntha rakshaNam.
Para Kaala matam came into being . Other AchArya Paramparais based on
Swamy Desika SampradhAyam like AhObila Matam few decades later
.SampradhAyam flourished thus due to the ParipUrNa anugraham of Lord
HayagrIvan in response to the prayers of Swami Desikan housed in Sri
HayagrIva sthOthram in general and the 30th as well as the 31st SlOkams
iin particular . 

SlOkam 30: Sva-Yogya kathanam
******************************

naanAvidhAnAm agathi: kalAnAm
 na chApi theerthEshu kruthAvathAra:
dhruvam tavAnAta ParigrahAyA:
 navam navam paathramaham dayAyA:

(Meaning) : Oh Lord HayagrIvA! adiyEn has not devoted any time to learn
the various kalais (SaamAnya and VisEsha VidhyAs) that are prevalent in
the world.AdiyEn has not accumulated puNyam by bathing in the sacred
waters (theerthams). AdiyEn has not performed intense susrUshai
(kaimkaryam ) to AchAryans to qualify for their blessings.Your grace
receives with open arms " the helpless and the hapless".adiyEn is the most
qualified candidate to be the object of Your Parama DayA due to my
limitless deficiencies. 

Swamy Desikan has eulogized Lord HayagrIvan's DayA ( DayA Nidhim dEvam
HayagrIvam ) in earlier slOkams of this sthOthram .Here , he proposes to
the Lord in front of him that no one is more qualified than him to receive
the anukampA of the Lord because he is so hapless and helpless.

Swamy Desikan follows here the path shown by PoorvAchAryAs like Swamy
AlavandhAr in his sthOthra Rathnam and Thruvarangatthu AmudanAr in
RaamAnuja NooRRandhAthi .

Swamy AlavandhAr in his moving appeal to Moksha-DhAyaka Mukundhan enlists
his deficencies and on that basis makes a case to the Lord that he is the
most qualified one to receive the Lord's anugraham :

"na dharma nishtOsmi NachAthma Vedhi
 na BhakthimAn Tvadh SaraNAravindhE
 akinchanOnyagathi: SaraNya ! 
 Tvath paadhamoolam SaraNam PrapathyE "
--SthOthra rathna SlOakm : 22

This slOkam of Swamy AlavandhAr is used by us in Bhagavath SannidhAnam to
introduce ourselves as akinchanan and ananya gathi (hapless and helpless)
seeking SaraNAgathi at the Lord's feet .

mE dayisyasE tatha: dhayaneeyas 
Tava Naatha Dhurlabha:
--SthOthra rathnam : SlOkam 50

(meaning): Oh Lord AchyuthA ! " mey ninRu kEttaruLAi adiyEN ViNNappam " .
If You do not recognize my highest qualifications as a paathram for Your
grace , You will not ever get One , who is so fit for Your grace.

tadham tvath ruthE naNaathavAn
math ruthE thvam dayaneeyavAn na cha 
Vithi nirmitham yEtham anvayam
Bhagavan paalaya maasma jeehabha:
--SthOthra Rathnam : SlOkam 51

(meaning): Oh AchyuthA , who never lets go of any one , who seeks Your
DayA ! adiyEn has none other than You as my SwAmi. You do not have anyone
more fit than me to become the object of Your compassion .  Please do not
lose this opportunity that has come Your way providentially.

Swamy Desikan also is reminded of Thiruvarangatthu AmudanAr Sri Sookthi (
RaamAnuja NooRRandhAthi : Paasuram 48) according to Sri D.Raamaswamy
Iyengar, when he appeals to the Lord HayagrIvan with the words: "aham
agathi: , anAta parigrahAyaa tava DayayA (aham) navam navam
paathram".AmudaNar appeals to EmperumAnAr in the 48th slOkam this way: "
When both would benefit from Your grace towards me , why go apart ? ".

Swamy Desikan states thus his Sva-Yogyathai for Lord HayagrIvan's DayA and
points out that no one is more qualified than himself to the anukampA (
KaruNai) of the DayA nidhi.

SlOkam 31: Fruits of Sri HayagrIvan's anugraham
*************************************************

akampaneeyAnyapaneethi bhEdhai:
  alankrusheeran hrudhayam madhIyam
sankkA kaLankA pagamOj-jvalAni
  tatthvAni samyanchi tava prasAdhAth

(Meaning): Oh Lord HayagrIva! When adiyEn receives Your anugraham , all
the doubts in my mind about our SiddhAntham will be erased. The true
meanings will dawn majestically and take permanent residence there .The
para matha scholars engaged in debate with adiyEn can not assail these
true tatthvams rooted in adiyEn's  mind even by an iota.Therefore Your
anugraham is vital to commence adiyEn's kaimkaryams in support of our
sampradhAyam.Please bless me.

Sri D.Raamaswamy Iyengar summarizes the meaning of this slOkam this way: "
Oh Lord ! By Thy benevolence , May the excellent real and true meanings
(about Tatthva thrayam) ever adorn my heart, unshaken and unshakable by
varied and various faultless forms of logic , and brightly disclosing
truth removing all traces of doubts and similar blots". 

Lord HayagrIvan as DayA nidhi responded most heartily to His
GhaNtAvathAran and blessed him to go forth into the world as NigamAntha
MahA Desikan to carry out the duties that He assigned him .

Slokam 32
**********

Lord HayagrIva"s place of residence 
************************************
The cosmology according to Sukha Brahmam ( author of Srimath Bhaagavatham)
recognizes seven dhvIpams in this Universe . One of them is Jambhu DhvIpam
of ours surrounded by salty ocean.  There  are nine divisions ( KaNtankaL)
in this Jambhu DhvIpam :

(1) ILAvrutham (2) BhadrAchalam (3) Hari Varsham (4) KethumAlam (5)
Ramyakam (6) HiraNmayam (7) Uttharakuru (8) Kimpurusham and (9)BhAratham .

Ours is BhAratha KaNTam . Lord HayagrIvan is the presiding deity in
BhadhrAsvam (BhadhrAchalam ) according to Sukha Brahmam (Srimath
BhAgavatham:5.18.3&6).  The naming of this mountainous kantam  as Bhadra -
achalam { auspicious (spatika ) mountain } for the Bhadra-asvam (sacred
Horse faced One ) is very appropriate .

There are manthrams and sthOthrams for Lord HayagrIvan in Srimath
BhAgavatham . The manthram salutes Him there  as the quintessential
meaning of PraNavam  and as a dharma svarUpi , who banishes nescience
through upadEsam on the redeeeming VidhyAs to bless one with Brahma
Jn~Anam (vide: slOkam 5 of Sri HayagrIva SthOthram ).  The Bhaagavatha
SlOkam ( 5.18.6) for the Lord of BhadhrAsvam reminds us of His avathAra
KaaraNam:

VedAn yugAntE tamasA tiraskruthAn
  rasaatalAdhyO NRY-TURNAGA VIGRAHA:
prathyAdadhE kavayEapiyAchathE
  Tasmai NamastEavitaTEhithAyatE

(meaning): At the end of the kalpam , the asuran by the name of Madhu
stole the VedAs from BrahmA and hid himself in the nether world
(rasAtalam).  Sriman NaarAyaNan took the form of HayagrIvan ( Horse's form
above the neck and a man's body below the neck) and recovered the stolen
VedAs . AdiyEn's salutations are to this Nru-turanga vigraham of the Lord
!

Inview of His incomparable help to Brahma dEvan in recovering VedAs , He
is saluted as: " KalpAntha gUDa nigamOtthAraNa PraveeNan ".  His auspicous
(Bhadra) ThirumEni is therefore saluted in the context of His residence in
the sacred BhadrAsvam or BhadrAchalam in Sri LakshmI HayagrIva Sahasra
Naamam :

(PraNavam) Bhadra Srivathsa HaarAya Nama:
(PraNavam) Bhadra BhaavayithrE Nama:
(PraNavam) Sriman NaarAyaNAya Nama:
(PraNavam) VaasudEvAya Nama:
(PraNavam) VishNavE Nama:
(PraNavam ) SrimathE HayagrIvAya Nama:

DhyAna SlOkam for Lord HayagrIvan : SlOkam 32
**********************************************

From Slokam 5 to 31 , Swamy Desikan used UpajAthi metre in his direct
conversation with Lord HyaagrIvan , who presented Himself before Swamy
Desikan on the top of the hillock (Oushadha Giri ) at ThiruvahIndhrapuram
.  In the 32nd slOkam , Swamy Desikan shifts to the slow moving , majestic
MandhAkrAnthA metre for deep meditation on the ThirumEni of the Lord :

vyAkhyA mudhrAm kara sarasijai:
 pusthakam Sankha-chakrE
Bhibrath-bhinna spatika ruchirE
 PuNDarIkE nishaNNa:
amlAna SrI: amrutha visaddhair-amsubhi:
 plAvayan maam
AavirbhUyAth anaga mahimA 
 manasE VAAGADHEESA:
--Sri HaygrIva sthOthram : slOkam 32

(Meaning ): In His beautiful , lotus soft four hands , Lord HayagrIvan
sports Sudarsanam , Paancha-janyam , Jn~Ana Mudhrai and a Book .He is
seated on a freshly-blososmed White Lotus and reminds the UpasakAs of the
whitest-white fragment of a freshly cleaved spatikam .His lutre never ever
fades.There is no limit (boundary )to His blemishless glories.May This
Lord of Vidhyais shower on adiyEn His nectarine ,white and cool rays !
May He reside and preside over my HrudhayAkAsam in this manner !

The embedded namaskArams here are:

(PraNavam) vyAkhyA mudhrA samEtha KarAya Nama:
(PraNavam )Sankha Chakra HasthAya Nama:
(PraNavam) Bhibrath bhinna Spatika RoopAya Nama:
(PraNavam) Ruchira PuNDarIkE nishaNNaYa Nama:
(PraNavam) amlAna SrimathE Nama:
(PraNavam) amrutha visadhai: amsubhi: bhaktha Janam
           plAvayAmAnAya Nama:
(PraNavam) anaga MahimAya Nama:
(PraNavam) VaagadhIsAya Nama:

The first slOkam ( Jn~Anandha mayam dEvam--) and this MangalA dhyAna
slOkam are very important for our daily prayers. The recitation of the
entire sthOthram is recommended for all , who can find the time to recite
daily to be blessed with Superior Saarsavatha Vaak and Brahma Jn~Anam . If
the recitation of the entire slOkam is not possible for whatever reasons ,
the First and the 32nd DhyAna slOkam should be recited for srEyas and
prEyas.

Sri HayagrIvan was one of the NithyAraadhana Moorthy of Swamy Desikan
along with Lord VaradarAjan. That is why , Sri HayagrIva Vigrahma is
joined with Swamy Desikan during prathishtais at Desikan Sannidhis at our
temples.  Swamy Desikan can not be without Lord HayagrIva Varadhan in his
sannidhis at dhivya dEsams. 

SlOkam 33: Phala Sruthi SlOkam in AaryA Metre
**********************************************

vaagarTasiddhi hEthO: paDatha 
HayagrIva Sthuthim BhakthyA 
Kavi-tArkika kEsariNA 
VenkatanAthna VirachithAm yEthAm

(Meaning): Oh AaasthikAs of this world ! Oh SumathIs !  This sthOthram on
Lord HayagrIvan was composed by the Lion among the poets and logicians
(elephants) with the name of VenkanAthan . May You all recite this sacred
sthuthi to be blessed with the powers of composing poetry and special
jn~Anam about the true meanings of Tatthva-Hitha-PutrushArthams.

Swamy Desikan declares  that one should recite with devotion the HayagrIva
SthOthram  composed by VenakatanAthan ,who is a Lion among poets and
Logicians for obtaining the blessings of Veda Vaak impregnated with
auspicious meanings ( VaagarTa Siddhi:).Swamy points out that this
HayagrIva SthOthram is no Sthuthi , but is a Samsthuthi ( most auspicious
adoration of the Lord ). The reciters will be blessed with sound (Vaak )
and artham( sense) in an inseperable manner through the anugraham of the
DayA Nidhi , Lord HayagrIvan.

Swamy Desikan is the proof positive for becoming Kavi-Taarkika
Kesari.Unflinching Bhakthi for Lord HayagrIvan is an absolute prerequisite
for such anugrahams.

The reference is to Sri LakshmI HayagrIvan in the HayagrIva Sthothram as
indicated by the choice of words " Vaagartha Siddhi" .Vaak and Artham are
conjointly mentioned . Sri D.Ramaswamy Iyengar quotes the following two
passages from VishNu PurANam and Swamy Desikan's own Thirucchina Maalai:

(1)" ArthO VishNum  iyam VaaNI "(VishNu PurANam : 1-8-19) Here the Lord is
equated to the meaning (artham) and LakshmI to Vaak ( word , VaaNI ).The
passage from Sri GopAla Vimsathi: " Vaacham nijAnga RasikAm
PrasameekshamANa:" can also be reflected upon here.  The " DayA
tarangAnucharA: KatAkshA :" of Lord Hyagrivan on the Suddha satthvA: makes
them " VyapadEsya Vaacha:" ( known for their auspicious speech ).   

(2) " Thiru uRayAit-thAm poruLAi niRpAr VanthAr ThAmE " Here Swamy Desikan
in his tribute in Thirucchinna Maalai to the Lord of Kaanchi VaradarAjan
salutes LakshmI as the sapdha- SvarUpi and the Lord as the Meaning of
those Vaaks . 

Lord HayagrIvan is revered as UdhgItha PraNava- svaroopan.It is in this
context that the second slOkam of ThirucchinamAlai explaining the
Rakshakathva artham of akAram in PraNavam has special significance to Lord
HayagrIvan :

arumaRayai oozhi tanil kaatthAr VanthAr
  athu tannai anRu Ayanukku aLitthAr VanthAr
Dharuma Vazhi azhiyAmal kAppAr VanthAr
  ThAmaraiALudan ilangum tAthai vanthAr
THIU URAYAAYAIT-THAAMM PORULAAI NIRPAAR VANTHAAR 
  tHIRUVARUlaL SEZHUM KALAIKAl TANTHAAR VANTHAAR
maruvalrkku mayakkuraikkum MaayOr vanthAr 
  VaanERa Vazhi TanthAr vanthAr thAmE
--Thiruchina Maalai: 2

Sri Lakshmi(VidhyA) HayagrIva Tatthvam is very much embedded in this
Desika Prabhnadham . The references to the many glories of Lord HayagrIvan
celebrated in the first sthOthram of Swamy Desikan are all here:

(1) First Two lines: Varadhan is the One as HayagrIvan blessed BrahmA with
the rare Vedams during PraLaya Kaalam     and protected (restored ) them ,
when they were stolen and performed UpadEsam for BrahmA .

(2) Third and Fourth Lines : HayagrIva Varadhan  is the One , who engages
in Dharma samsthApanam thru His many avathArams along with MahA Lakshmi
from whom He is never separated .  

(3) Fifth and Line: HayagrIvan is the Lord , who is artha svarUpi , while
MahA LakshmI is present as Sabdha SvarUpi (Vaak )in an inseperable manner
( ahalahillEn yenRu urayum AlarmEl ManagaI).

(4) Sixth Line : Lord HayagrIvan took His avathAram for illustrating the
VedArthams and for creation of Dharma Saasthrams , Saathvika PurANams and
IthihAsams through the efforts of Maharsishis (VyAsadaya: VyapadEsya
Vaacha:) like Paraasara, VyAsA and Vaalmiki .

(5) Seventh Line: Lord HayagrIva Varadhan is the One who plunges
naasthikAs without bhakthi for Him into narakams through many mOhana
saasthrams and deludes them.

(6) Eighth Line: Lord HayagrIva Varadhan is the Saasthra PaaNI , who
instructs the AchAryAs with Bhakthi-Prapatthi maargams to bless the
Bhaddha Jeevans with Moksha Siddhi through them .

As adiyEn mentioned earlier , Lord VaradarAjan and Lord HayagrIvan are
Swamy's nithya aarAdhana moorthys.  The Vara DhAyakan , HyaagrIvan ,
becomes Varada Raajan as revealed from this Thirucchinna Maalai paasuram.

The manthra Maya sarIram of the Lord arising out of the Utthara Vedhi
under PuNya kOti vimAnam is equally applicable to Lord HayagrIvan as per
the 10th slOkam of Sri HayagrIva sthOthram (agnou samiddhArchishi--),
which is a summary of Smruthi Vaakhyam :" aham hi sarva yaj~nAnAm bhOkthA
cha PrabhurEva cha ".

May Lord Lakshmi HayagrIvan confer His choicest blessings on every one ,
who studies His sthothram composed by Swamy Desikan every day !

AdiyEn's anantha kOti PraNAmams to Lord LakshmI HayagrIvan on the eve of
Swamy Desikan's avathAra dinam . May the divine couple bless us all with
sarva MangaLams !

Further Reading: External Links


Spelling: