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Swamy Deshikan Thiruvadigale Sharanam !!!

Srimath Vedanta Deshika Paduka Vaibhavam

Today Swamy adorns the Venugopala alankaram in the morning and enjoys Yaanai
vAhanam in the evening.

we shall in this posting and the next, enjoy the greatness of the Padukas of
our Lord Swamy Deshika.

Flowers indeed are your sandals that wither not in time
Resounding blissfully the aphorism of servitude to mime
Uphold they firmly the twin lotuses in a way so sublime
Bestow they the wealth of sound for all hearts to chime - 1

Our Swamy's sandals are indeed like the freshly blossomed lotus flowers.
These flowers would never wither in time, as they are full of sattva gunam.
These sandals bear on their crown the twin lotus feet of our Swamy Deshika
always. In doing so, they preach to this world the maxim of bhaagavatha
sheshatvam as told by Swamy Deshika in his Paduka Sahasram, Subhashita
paddhati - "adharIkRtopi mahatA .. pAdukA rAjyam"

This conveys the essence that - Even if one is looked down upon by the great
and pious bhagavathas, one should continue to be sub-servient to them.
Though the Padukas of Sri Rama were pressed and worn by Him they yet
preferred to stay at His feet with no moment of separation. As a result of
this the Padukas were bestowed with the throne of Ayodhya that even Sri Rama
was deprived of. 

Swamy in his Paduka Sahasram says - "kalAsukAshtAmAtishtan bhUmne
sambandhinAmapi" - "One is bestowed with virtues by mere influence of people
having them". The Ghanta used for Thiruvaradhanam stays near the feet of the
Lord at all times. The Lord's lotus feet possess the virtue of being the
savior of those who seek refuge in them. As such the virtue of protecting
the surrendered has naturally come to the Ghanta also. Our Swamy who is the
manifestation of this Ghanta, no doubt propagated this doctrine of
Sharanagati to one and all. The Lord effected Deshika avataram to preach the
shastram of prapatti. Thus the lotus feet of our Swamy have the same
potential as that of the Lord's feet. These lotus feet are indeed the final
resort to all those who seek knowledge and thereby emancipation from the
mire of this samsara. They have the power to bestow one with Supreme
knowledge by virtue of which one gains the eternal bliss of Paramapadam.
Such is the greatness of these lotus feet. Since these lotus feet are always
held in their grasp by the Padukas, their glories are higher than that of
our Swamy Himself.

The Padukas of our Swamy that stay at his feet at all times also have
imbibed this power from his lotus feet. Swamy Nayanaracharya celebrates this
fact in his Deshika vigraha dhyanam by saying that His sacred feet carry the
marks of the Lotus, the Conch and the Chakram, which is the characteristic
attribute of parama uttama acharyas. They have the virtue to make one a
Brahma-jnaani just be their mere touch. Disciples, who flock to seek
knowledge from our Swamy, prefer to surrender first at the lotus Padukas and
get the sambandham of these lotus Padukas. These Padukas bequeath those in
its shade with the wealth of supreme knowledge and infinite auspicious
virtues. 

The usage 'wealth of sound...' is to be understood here properly. Sound here
implies the primordial one syllable Pranavam - the manifestation of the
entire supreme knowledge. This Pranavam is the essence of all Vedas and it
depicts the Para-brahman in his entire splendor. The Vedas are the only
authorities that show the Paraman with all his essential nature and
attributes. The essence of the Vedas is conveyed by the Pranavam. This is
indeed the beginning-less sound that envisions the Supreme soul Sriman
Narayana to seekers. This is indeed the same sound that emanates from the
hollow of a Ghanta. It implies to say that the sound of the bell is indeed
the reverberation of the Supreme truth. Swamy Deshika, who is the
manifestation of this Ghanta, bestows one with the wealth of this supreme
sound - the sound of Pranavam or infinite supreme knowledge that would ring
blissfully in the hearts of Jivans perennially.

Blessed were those who drank the nectar from your sandals
Stayed they impregnable as progenies born of lotus petals
Engulfing the myths and disdains with their worded tidals
Stood they bedecked in your woven finery as their bridals - 2

This verse glorifies the disciples of Swamy Deshika who are also extolled as
the Padukas of Swamy Deshika. They have the direct association with the twin
lotus feet of Swamy Deshika. Blessed indeed are these disciples who drank
and imbibed the essence directly from the lotus feet of Deshika. This
essence was none other than the stream of Srimath Rahasyatrayasaaram
comparable to the stream of the holy Ganga. They excelled and stood
embellished with sobriquets by their master, Swamy Deshika. They stayed
unbeatable and shone like lotus born. They were lotus-born as they were the
jnana santati of Swamy Deshika and had the direct association with the lotus
feet of Swamy Deshika.
 
They based their writings and elucidations on those of Swamy Deshika and
engulfed and drowned the mayavadins or adversaries and their likes
completely to establish the parama vaidika Srivaishnava sri sampradayam
irrefutably. 

They considered the vicinity of the Padukas of Swamy Deshika as their final
goal of attainment or purushartham and would even not desire for moksham.
They had devata vishvasam towards Swamy and considered themselves wed to his
lotus feet. They chose to deck themselves with the Srisooktis of Swamy
Deshika as their bridals. Just as how Swamy Deshikan says -
"yatIshvarabhAratI rasabhareNa nItam vayaH" and "yatisArvabhouma vachasAM
Avrittibhir yauvanam" - They spent their whole lives by immersing themselves
in the nectarous works of Swamy Deshika and their youth was well spent
amidst the lively companionship of Swamy's magnums.

Bow we down to the twin lotuses, whose fragrance flies till the cosmic skies
Impart they wealth in its shade plunging the head high down the gloomy
trench - 3

This verse upholds the prabhavam or the greatness of the Padukas of our
Swamy Deshika. Oh Swami Deshika! We would prefer to place our bharam at your
lotus feet, whose fragrance is powerful enough to reach the cosmic skies. It
is indeed the fragrance of knowledge that captivates Jivans to free them
from the unending cycle of transmigration. Swamy who always stays close to
the Lord shares the common scent of Brahmagandham with Him. This scent is
also found emanating from Swamy's works. More importantly the works composed
on Swamy by his disciples continue to emanate the same scent of
Brahmagandham.

Swamy Deshika in his Paduka Sahasram Prabhava paddhati says - "unnatAnAM
avanatiH natAnAM yatra chonnatiH" - The twin sandals of Sri Ranganatha
awards a rise to those who have bend and bow to it, while they make the head
high tumble down and fall. 

The same saying is quite apt when referred with the lotus sandals of our
Swamy too. Our Swamy's sandals bestow the wealth of knowledge to those who
have surrendered to them and to those who prefer to remain in its shade.
Those who have the audacity to lift their heads sky high with temerity are
sure to go down the aisle of nescience. They for sure are unpleasant
subjects of the Lord and of Ramanuja as rightly told by Prativadi
Bhayankaram Annan in his Saptatiratnamalika - "gurau vAdihamsAmbudArya
shishye ... vArtAhi tAdRigvidhAnA" 
Those who are devotionless towards Vedanta Deshika, the noble disciple of
Vadihamsambudacharya are sure to become recipients of Yatiraja's unpleasant
grace. Being the unloved subjects of Yatiraja would make them far from the
merciful glances of the Lord. What to speak of mukti for such souls?" 

Stood thy consort to your measure in virtues inherent
Stayed she ever in your servitude as sweetness in sugar
Anklets indeed she is who adorns your sandals pristine
Pray we for her benevolence to shower on us forever - 4

This verse celebrates the consort of Swamy Deshika, Thirumangai Kanakavalli
Nachiyaar as the manifestation of the sandals of Swamy Deshika. 

She was in every way a worthy consort to Swamy Deshika. She stayed ever in
the servitude of Swamy Deshika as sweetness to be found in sugar but is
never be separated from it. Such was their inseparable association or
apruithak-siddha sambandham. The disciples of Swamy Deshika have prayed at
her feet eulogizing her as their mother and have sung about her inherent
virtues in their srisooktis. The Guru-parampara prabhavam composed by the
second Jeeyar and the third Jeeyar of Parakala matham have respectfully
acknowledged her as "samAnAtmagunasampanna dharmapatnI" and have placed her
on the same pedestal as Swamy Deshika in terms of auspicious and inherent
virtues. 

She was like the anklets adorning the gem-studded sandals of our Swamy. The
jingles adorning the gem studded Padukas of Swamy rejoiced more than those
tied to the gem studded sandals of the Lord. It is natural for jingles to be
tied to bells and they enjoy a common association with each other. The
jingles in the sandals of our Swamy enjoyed this natural association, as our
Swamy is indeed the manifestation of the bell of the Lord of seven hills.

Swamy Deshika in his Paduka Sahasram, Prakirna paddhati celebrates Piraatti
to have assumed the role of the Lord's sandals during Nrusimhavataram -
"miktAMshukEsaravatI ... narasiMhamUrteH"

Here Piraatti is celebrated as the incarnation of the Lord's sandals and is
eulogized to be appropriate to the Lord in everyway. In a similar way our
mother Thirumangai Kanakavalli Nachiyaar is indeed the manifestation of the
anklets that adorn the lotus sandals of Swamy Deshika. We pray at her lotus
feet to shower her merciful benevolence on us always and to act as
purushakaram in making the benevolent grace of our Paramacharya Swamy
Deshika, to be on us forever and to make us worthy recipients of the wealth
of bhagavatha sheshatvam, jnanam and vairagyam from Swamy Deshika. 

Thrust by his disciples into the trench of transgression
Came down a devout seeking deliverance and forgiveness
Partook he the water consecrated from thy feet like lotus
Begot he his wish transpiring from the murky gloom of sin - 5

This verse upholds the greatness of the Sripaada teertham of Swamy Deshika.

A devout Srivaishnava acharya by name Kandaadai Lakshmanacharya was once
passing through the maada veedhi of Arangam along with his disciples that on
looked the residence of Swamy Deshika. Swamy Deshika who was deeply
engrossed in his composition did not take notice of this. At this the
disciples of Lakshmanacharya were totally enraged and felt offended. They
performed the gruesome sin of bhaagavatha apacharam and manhandled Swamy
Deshika causing him physical damage. Swamy Deshika out of his bhaagavatha
sheshatvam came down to Lakshmanacharya and apologized for the unintended
transgression and left Arangam and went to Sathyakalam. 

But, the fruits of the sin of the disciples found their way to the teacher.
Lakshmanacharya started suffering from some skin disorder and was left
progeny less. When Lakshmanacharya learnt that his disciples had caused
physical harm to Deshika and so the latter had left Arangam, he felt deeply
hurt and soon realized the reason for his ailment. He immediately along with
his wife left for Sathyakalam and fell at the feet of Swamy Deshika. Swamy
out of his parama karunyam welcomed his guest who stayed with him from that
day. 

As an act of remorse for his sin, Lakshmanacharya partook the consecrated
water from the lotus feet of Swamy Deshika, everyday. Within a year he was
fully cured of all his ailments and was blessed with a son. Lakshmanacharya
named his son as Teertha Pillai for he was one who was born with the grace
of the Sripaada teertham of Swamy Deshika. Such is the greatness of the
Sripaada teertham of Swamy Deshika, for it has the capacity to deliver one
from the clutches of nescience and bestow him with the bliss of supreme
knowledge that would make him adopt the path of prapatti in due course and
attain the celestial abode of the Supreme Narayana.

Our Swamy, by means of his actions and teachings has preached that the most
gruesome of sins is bhaagavatha apacharam - sin towards the devotee of a
Lord. It is to be avoided at all costs. Swamy Deshikan in the Purushartha
Kaashtadhikaram of Srimath Rahasyatrayasaaram says "bhagavat sheshatvattin
ellainilam bhAgavathasheshatvam" - "The culmination of devotion towards the
Lord is devotion towards his devotees". One should be watchful of his
actions for the fear of committing bhaagavatha apacharam. Bhagavad Ramanuja
when delivering his final sermons says that being in the servitude of
bhagavathas is the characteristic attribute of uttama Srivaishnavas. Swamy
Deshikan elaborating on the same objective says -
"jnAnAvalambakAH kechit kechit karmAvalambakAH | vayantu haridAsAnAM
pAdarakshAvalambakAH" 
A few depend on their deeds while a few depend on their wisdom, while we
ever depend on the sandals of the devotees of the Lord of Sri. Such should
be the devotion towards fellow bhagavathas as shown by our Swamy.

To be continued...

mangaLam dEshikEndrAya mahanIya guNAya cha 
chakravarththi tanUjAya sArvabhaumAya mangalam

vAzhi vyAkhyAmuddirak kai !!!
vEdAntasUri charaNau sharaNam prapadye !!!


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