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Sri:

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

Dear Bhaktas,

Few years back at the command of Sri V. Sadagopan Swamin, adiyen 
started a series of postings on the Daya Shatakam for the Sri 
Vekateshwara homepages. However, after a long hiatus due to a number 
of factors, adiyen was able to resume this Kaimkaryam on the most 
sacred Panguni Uttaram day. As per the command of Sri Sadagopan 
Swamin, adiyen is sharing the series on relevant lists.

Namo Narayana,

SriMuralidhara Dasan

**********************************************************************
 

Sri: 

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha 

Anubhavam of U.Ve. Dr. V.N. Vedanta Desikan Swamin: 

Oh Daya Devi ! You intercede on our behalf, arguing thus - " All 
future time would not suffice for these people being meted out 
appropriate punishments for the sins already committed; the sins 
occur 
in chain, without an end; Time will run out before a sinner could 
completely expend the results of his sins by suffering. Even 
expiatory 
acts would not achieve anything, since in the process of exhausting 
some 
sins by an act, he gets entangled into newer sins too" Thus 
functioning 
as our defence, you have made Lord Srinivasa subordinate to You. He 
will not violate Your dictates. You this remove our fears of 
punishment 
and re-birth. It looks as though Your existence is only for our 
well-being. [As the Lord takes avataras of His own accord, Daya Devi 
too 
has taken birth for our prosperity.] 

Additional Notes (Adiyen): 

In this verse Daya Devi offers compelling arguments as she represents 
the baddha jivan in the court of Lord Narayana. Previously it was 
noted that other Kalyana GuNams such as jnAna, bala, and others 
attest to the Baddha jivan's egregious violation of the Shastraic 
Prescriptions and recommend that the baddha jivan be punished for 
these trangressions. The Lord too is inclined to mete out the 
prescribed punishment in what appears to be a straightforward case. 
However Daya Devi cleverly notes that so great are the transgressions 
of the sinner that if punishment is meted out, time itself will run 
out before the punishment runs its course and is therefore an 
exercise in futility. Somewhat mollified the other Kalyana guNams 
recommend that the sinner at least perform expiatory deeds 
(prayaschittam) for the transgressions. However Daya Devi who is now 
on a roll, eloquently debunks this suggestion on the grounds that 
performance of expiatory acts requires another birth. This in turn 
would cause the jivan to engage in acts which offers ample scope to 
add to the already mountainous pile of sins.  This would in turn give 
rise to an endless debate on the punishment to be meted out. Hence, 
it is again an exercise in futility. Therefore, the baddha jivan 
should be forgiven and graced once and for all by Lord Narayana. 

In this verse, Swami Desikan also provides valuable insight on the 
cause for the Lord's Avatarams. The reason for the Lord's Avataram is 
described in the purusha Sooktam salutation "ajAyamAnO bahudhA 
vijAyathE thasya DhIrA: parijAnanthi yOnim" 
(Meaning: He who does not have any birth takes many births. The 
secret of the Lord's births is clearly understood by the foremost 
among those possessed with keen intellect) 

The Vedic statement may appear contradictory in nature, i.e. how can 
one who does not have any birth take many births? Furthermore, how 
can this fact (thasya yonim-the secret of the Lord's birth) be well 
understood (samyak jAnanthi ithi parijAnanthi) by the foremost among 
those possessed of keen intellect (DhImathAm agrEsara: ithi DhIra:). 

The answer to these questions is beautifully provided by Swami 
NammAzhwar in the Tiruviruttham Pasurams. These 100 verses are the 
essence of the Rg Vedam. The verbatim mapping of the Sanskrit Purusha 
Sooktam salutation into chaste Tamil is  inherently beautiful 
(pirappili-one who does not have any birth=ajAyamAnO and pala piravi 
edukkirayE-you who are born many times=bahudhA vijAyathE). The Azhwar 
states that proper understanding of Pirappili is that one who does 
not take birth on account of the reasons for the birth of a common 
person. A common person's birth is on account of Karma accrued from 
innumerable previous births. Whereas, Lord Narayana is unaffected by 
Karma. His birth is solely on account of his own will (Sankalpam).  
Therefore, this establishes that the Lord has birth. Each incarnation 
of the Lord only enhances his fame, whereas for a common person each 
birth results only in the accrual of additional karma. The Vedam 
declares that "soUshrEyAn Bhavathi jAyamAna:" (Each incarnation of 
the Lord only enhances His fame). The Azhwar notes that this is on 
account of the fact that each incarnation is for the sole purpose of 
redeeming baddha jivans by terminating their seemingly eternal cycle 
of births and deaths (nam pirappai arukka).  Additional references to 
this subject can be found in the janmAdhyasya aDhikaraNa of the 
Brahma Sutras. Bhishma stuthi of Srimad Bhagavatam too documents the 
reason for the Lord's incarnation through the 
salutation "itivatirupakalpithAvithrushNA". The Lord himself declares 
in the fourth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita that he incarnates for 
protecting the virtuous and destroying the wicked (parithrANAya 
sAdhUnAm vinAshAyacha dhuShkruthAm Dharma samsthApanArthAya 
sambhavAmi yugE yugE) and again in the salutation "tadhAthmAnam 
srujAmyaham" The additional references bring out the import of the 
Vedic message in simple-to-understand terms. Swami Desikan documents 
these aspects through an almost verbatim reproduction of the Vedic 
salutation in the line "shrEyasE jAyasE na:" in this verse. Swami 
Desikan emphasizes that all the incarnations of the Lord are due to 
his own sankalpam, which is under the sway of Daya Devi-a theme that 
recurs throughout the Daya Shatakam. Not satisfied with this Daya 
Devi is always present with the Lord in each incarnation to ensure 
the upliftment of Baddha jivans. 

*Adiyen is indebted to Mahavidvan Paramapadavasi U.Ve. Sri Mukkur 
Lakshminarasimhachariar Swamin's upanyasams for the additional 
insights on the Lord's incarnations.

Namo Narayana, 

SriMuralidhara Dasan 









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