SrI: SrImathE Nigamantha Mahadesikaya namah: SrImAn venkatanAthAryaH kavitArkika kesarI | vedAntAcArya-varyo me sannidhattAm sadA hRdi || May the glorious Venkatanatha, the greatest of teachers of Vedanta, and the lion among poets and debaters, reside forever in my heart. Dearest Srivaishnavas, Let us continue to enjoy the sthOthra granthas of Swamy Desikan [in alphabetical order] Raghu-Vira-Gadya -The hero in the Raghu?s dynasty (in prose) This Stotra in prose is popularly known as Raghu-vira gadya; though Sri Desika gives it the name of Mahaa-Vira Vaibhava (the glory of the great Hero). This describes in brief the various episodes in the life of Sri Rama as narrated in the great epic Valmiki-Ramayana in all the seven Kaandas. This is in the form of ninety-five direct addresses in poetic prose to Sri Rama portraying Him as a Maha-vira in various ways as Dharma-vira, Daana-vira, Daya-vira, Yuddha-vira and SaraNya-vira as exhibited by his various lovable and charming qualities.The stotra is a pleasing composition because of its rhythm and harmony? figures of speech like metaphor and simile addresses short and long and sweet sounds and hard syllables. The ninety-five addresses describe the story of the Seven kaandas as follows; 1.Bala-kaanda 1-20 2.Ayodhya-kaanda 21-25 3.Aranya-kaanda 29-41 4.Kishkinda-kaanda 42-46 5.Sundara kaanda 47 6.Yuddha-kaanda 48-77 7.Uttara-kaanda 78-95 These addresses glorify the various qualities of Rama. The Lord in Vaikunta coming down to this world at the request of the gods to dispel their sufferings, born as the son of Dasaratha and Kausalya. His respectful obedience to preceptors like Vasishta and Visvamita and to sages like Bharadwaja and Valmiki, his love for all irrespective of their hunter-woman Sabari, birds like Jatayu and Kakasura, monkeys like Hanuman and Sugriva, always being wedded to truth, offering protection to those who seek refuge even once, treating Sugriva and Vibhishana as His equal, and studiously discharging the duties of a king and observing closely the rites prescribed for a Kshatriya and householder, listening as one of the audience to the verses of the Epic Ramayana of Valmiki, sung by lava and Kusa and finally taking with Him to Sri Vaikunta all the Jivas, moving and non-moving who had the good fortune to be born ay Ayodhya when He was in this world. There are only three verses in this composition of poetic prose, one at the beginning and two at the end. The first sloka hails Sri Rama and Sita as the Divine Couple, Bhagavan and Lakshmi. Bhagavan is the resplendent Sun on Paramapada (Sri Vaikunta) and Sita is the effulgent lustre whose manifestation brings about the destruction of the darkness (i.e. fear) of those who surrender themselves at Their feet seeking refuge. By the first of last two slokas, Sri Vedanta Desika pays homage to Sri Rama, the house-holder (grhasta) associated with Sita, the house wife, both of whom shine with their progeny-the four-faced Brahma, the son, Siva, the grandson and other deities as other children. By the last sloka which is the colophon, Acarya Sri Desika, the lion amongst poets and logicians pays a compliment to his composition,Maha-vira-vaibhavam that it is pregnant with deep and precious thoughts clothed in words hard and smooth and concludes with an appeal to men of wisdom to read it which is an infallible recipe that dispels the fears of the mortal world. Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam Regards Namo narayana dAsan kavi-tArkika-simhAya kalyANa-guNa-SAline | Srimate venkateSAya vedAntagurave namaH || Salutations to Sri Venkatesa, in whom all perfections reside, who is the teacher of Vedanta and the lion among poets and debaters _________________________________________________________________ Download games, logos, wallpapers and lots more at MSN Mobile! http://www.msn.com.sg/mobile/ ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada. http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511 http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/VkWolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: Srirangasri-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxx Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
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