Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya
nama: The Attractive
Acharya Apart from being a master logician and a peerless philosopher, what
distinguishes Swami Desikan from others of his genre is his undisputed mastery
over poetry. He was a Taarkika Simham, Vedantancharya and Kavi Simham, all
rolled into one. As it is, advanced philosophical or logical tenets are
difficult to express in prose?to render them into verse with lilting metres and
without sacrificing the sobriety of the matter, requires special accomplishment,
which came naturally to Swami Desikan. Especially, his descriptions of Emperuman
at various divyadesams are indeed impressive. Be it the head-to-foot depiction
of Sri Rangaraja?s matchless splendour in ?Bhagavat Dhyaana Sopaanam? or the
mouth-watering descriptions of His soundaryam and laavanyam in ?Sri Devanayaka
Panchaasat?, ?Sri Achyuta Satakam? etc., Swami Desikan is a past master in
bringing Emperuman?s inimitable beauty before our eyes, making us thirst for the
enchanting experience. Normally, it takes a beautiful person, beautiful of physique or of
intellect, to perceive and appreciate beauty in others. Going by this standard,
we wonder what Swami Desikan himself looked like. The names of certain Acharyas
conjure up before our minds? eyes certain types of figures, as we have not had
the fortune of seeing them in person. When
we think of Sri Ramanuja, for instance, we picturise him as a tall and
impressive person with an ascetic appearance, with arms reaching down to his
knees, face awash with the brilliance of deep devotion, the Yagyopaveetam
sprawling across his broad chest, his broad forehead and other parts of the body
adorned with oordhvapundram, his palms folded in typical devotion, clothed in
ochre robes signifying his sanyaasa aashramam, deep-set eyes shining with the
brilliance of blemishless wisdom and radiating boundless compassion, with the
Tridandam held aloft and resembling a flagstaff of his comprehensive victory
over opposing pseudo-Vedantic philosophers. This is how we normally picturise
the Emperor of Yatis. And when we
think of Sri Koorattazhwan, we think of him with a beard, for that is how most
of his vigrahams appear. As far as the rest of the Acharyas are concerned, it
appears to have been left pretty much to the sculptor?s imagination as to how
they must have looked. We
know Swami Desikan intimately from his numerous and instructive works. Our
respect, regard and love for him multiply themselves manifold, with every
perusal of his masterly, yet compassionate and comprehensible Sreesooktis.
However, the icons of Swami Desikan that we worship at various divyadesams do
not present a uniform picture, though they are the same as far as the basics are
concerned. For instance, the moorthy that we witness at Tiruvahindrapuram is
quite different from the one to be seen at Tooppul, or for that matter, at
Tirunarayanapuram or Tirukkudandai. All this makes us yearn for authentic
information about how Swami Desikan had looked, when he inhabited this planet.
Fortunately, we do have a reliable account of Tooppul Pillai?s looks. As
for being authentic, it couldn?t be more so, coming as it does from his
illustrious son, Sri Kumara Varadacharya. Foreseeing the need of future
generations of Srivaishnavas who, in the absence of Swami Desikan?s physical
presence, would long to know how Swami looked in his vibhava dasa, Kumara
Varadacharya has set it down in a Stotram of 15 slokas, aptly titled ?Srimad
Vedanta Desika Vigraha Dhyaanam?. Here are a few captivating glimpses from the
Stotram. We
learn that Swami Desikan was extremely fair in complexion (as in conduct)?so
much so that he resembled a shining Sun. In a slight variant, in Pillai Andaadi,
the Acharya is said to possess a golden hue??Sempon meni maaraada Tooppul Maal?.
His overall appearance was one that would instantly capture our hearts and make
us bow our heads in obeisance, says Sri Nynaracharya.
Embarking on a foot-to-head (?paadaadi kesam?) description of his
father?s delectable persona, Kumara Varadacharya tells us next that Swami
Desikan?s tiruvadis were a veritable pair of lotuses in full bloom. This is
reiterated in Pillai Andaadi??Tooppul vallal men malar adi?. The nails on his
feet were pleasingly bright, like the soothing beams of the full moon, banishing
the gloom of ignorance from the hearts of those who knelt at his holy feet. The
soles of the feet were imprinted with signs of the lotus, Chakram and Shankham,
similar to the Lord?s. His ankles were strong, akin to Cupid?s quiver,
supporting shapely knees resembling the beautiful face of oxen and thighs
similar to the tubular innards of the plantain tree (?Vaazhai Thandu?). The
slender waist was covered by a pure white Vastram. Swami?s navel was
deep. Swami Desikan?s forehead resembled the Ashtami Chandran, shapely, broad
and beautiful. This forehead was never empty, always adorned with bright Tiruman
Kaappu. His hair was straight, white and long (obviously what we have here is an
account of Swami Desikan in his advanced years). There was in Swami Desikan a
marked resemblance to Sri Nammazhwar. This is hardly surprising, for, Swami
Desikan had spent an entire lifetime in the study, analysis, preservation and
propagation of Satakopa Muni?s sreesooktis, with several works such as Nigama
Parimalam (unfortunately lost to us), Dramidopanishad Taatparya Ratnaavali,
Dramidopanishad Saaram and Paduka Sahasram, all portraying the glory of Sri
Nammazhwar. We tend to acquire the traits of the person who is constantly in our
thoughts, adopting him as our role model. It is only a natural corollary of this
maxim, that in looks too Swami Desikan grew to be like the divine bard he most
admired. Swami Desikan?s saintly face was bright and pleasant as the moon, but
without any blemish. And the Acharya had a flowing white beard, which
accentuated his scholarly and saintly appearance. This account lends credence to
the view of scholars that Swami Desikan too, like Sri Koorattazhwan, grew a
beard in his later years. The beard was long enough to touch his chest, flowing
down like moon beams, from just below his lower lip. The cheeks were neither
chubby nor shrunken, but with the right amount of flesh, and glass-like in their
beauty. His broad chest was adorned by a pure white Yagyopaveetam, while his
beautiful neck, resembling a shining white conch, was adorned with garlands made
of lotus beads. His shoulders were high and rounded, with the collar bones
appropriately hidden by fleshy cover. They were also adorned with glowing
Shankham and Chakram, acquired during Samaashrayanam. His hands were long and
sturdy, reaching down to his knees?a real ?Ajaanubaahu?. His ears were shapely
and fine-looking. The fingers adorning the hands were soft, supple, long and
graceful. His face was always adorned by a beatific smile (?thoomuruval konda
mukham?), compassionate, friendly and inviting. His beautiful lips resembled the
just-sprouted tender leaves of a mango tree, always moist and
fresh. Swami Desikan?s teeth were straight, white and bright. Despite his
advanced years at which this stotram appears to have been composed, the Acharya
appears to have had a full set of pearly-white teeth, obviously due to the
saatvic food he had been imbibing all his life. A slightly upturned and
proportionate nose, resembling the sesame bloom, with flared nostrils, adorned
the centre of his face. The nose resembled a slender creeper, from which
appeared to blossom beautiful twin lotuses, representing the Swami?s
compassionate and captivating eyes. The wide, beautiful eyes radiated compassion
and understanding. Enchanting eyebrows formed fitting overhangs for these
lotus-like eyes. The
entire tirmeni of the aged Acharya thus presented a picture of rare beauty,
asceticism, grace, enchanting elegance and captivating charm, all of which are
to be conjured up in our mind?s eye, when we recite the concluding lines of
Pillai Andaadi??Vadivazhagu aarnda van Tooppul
Vallal?. Kumara Varadacharya summarises all that has been said above about the
captivating looks of Swami Desikan, in a single slokam, with a paadaadi kesa
varnanam (reproduced below), to enable convenience of
meditation? ?Sujaata charanaambujam, sudrida gulpha jaanu
oorukam sitaantara kati thatam
subhaga naabhi vakshogalam sudeergha yuga baahukam
shubha kapola naasaakshikam mano ruchira maalikam kalaya
Venkatesam gurum? When
we worship Swami Desikan at Tooppul, his holy face appears to confirm that
whatever Kumara Varadacharya has portrayed is no exaggeration, but a mere
statement of fact. Srimate Sri Lakshminrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri
Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama: dasan, sadagopan azhwAr emberumAnAr jeeyAr thiruvadigalE saranam YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
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