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 begin to enjoy the sthOthra granthas of Swamy Desikan [in alphabetical order]
Bhoo-stuti is a hymn in thirty-three slokas on Bhoomidevi (Mother Earth).She is a divine consort of Bhagavan. There is a Puranic reference that a demon Hiranyaksha, by name, abducted Her and kept Her under sea. In order to rescue Her, Bhagawaan assumed the form of a Boar (an animal which is not frightened by water or slush) went to the nether world, killed the Asura and brought Her back and married Her. It is also narrated that he placed Her on His shoulder as on a throne and performed Her coronation as the Supreme Deity of the Earth. His love for Her is so great that He as the serpent, Adisesha, supports Her always with His head. Sri DEsika mentions several names of the Bhoomi-Devi which indicate Her qualities of mercy, compassion and forbearance. She is Saravamsahaa(All-enduring) Avani(the saviour), Vipulaa(All-pervading) Kshamaa(Forbearance). She is Visvambharaa(world-supporter) if the Lord is Visvambharaa. She is Vishnu-patnee if He is Bhoopati. Thus She is His equal in all respects in the possession of auspicious qualities and greatness.
The mutual love of Bhoomi-Devi and Varaha-Bhagavan, the Divine couple, is beautifully portrayed by Sri Desika in the penultimate sloka(32) as follows:
?With Her lotus-feet placed on the lotus-like right hand on Her Consort, Varaha, and gracefully reclining as on a couch on the left arm which is like the body of Adisesha. With Her cheeks shining with the pleasing touch of the face of Varaha and eyes like full-blown lotus. May the All-forgiving Bhoomi-Devi bless me with all auspiciousness. In conclusion Sri Desika declares that a devout study of the stotra will help a man realize all his desires. [From the Life and works of Sri Nigamantha Mahadesikan- by Prof Sri A Srinivasaraghavan]
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
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