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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00156 Oct 2003

 
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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]

Garuda-Panchaasat
(The fifty on Garuda)

This is a Stotra consisting of fifty-two slokas on Garuda, the vehicle and 
the emblem on the banner of Vishnu. This is written in the grand Sragdhara 
metre having twenty-one syllables in a quarter. Sri Desika says (in Sloka 
52) he wrote  this under the command of Garuda himself with devotion and 
respect.

The Stotra in five sections:

1.      Para-Vyooha-varnaka(1-8 slokas)
2.      Amrata-aaharana-varnaka(9-25)
3.      Naaga-damana-varnaka
4.      Parishkaara-varnaka(36-45)
5.      Adbhuta-varnaka(46-50)
Colophon(51 and 52)

Sri Vedanta Desika  was under the care of his maternal uncle Aatreya 
Ramanuja , who was popularly known by the names Appullar and 
Vaadi-hamsa-ambuvaaha). By the time Sri Desika was twenty years old, he had 
learnt from his maternal uncle and Acarya the Vedas, Vedangas  and all the 
other Sasthras and had mastered them. The Acarya initiated Sri Desika in the 
Garuda Mantra and advised him to go to Tiruvaheendrapuram to meditate upon 
Garuda and earn his grace. Sri Desika went there and at the foot of an 
Asvattha tree on the Oshadhi hill, began the meditation. Garuda was pleased 
even within a short time taught him the Mantra on Hayagreeva(the God of 
Learning) so that he might get greater knowledge and do service to God. 
Pleased by the devotion and penance of Sri Desika, Lord Hayagreeva appeared 
before him and by giving a mouthful of nectar blessed him with deep 
knowledge and ability to write books and give discourses for the redemption 
of all people.

In order to please Garuda who helped him to realize the Lord of Learning, 
Sri Desika composed a Hymn, Garuda-dandaka by name, in which he briefly 
described the greatness of Garuda. Later on, he composed Garuda 
Pancaasat(the Fifty on Garuda)(and that under command of Garuda) (52) 
wherein Garuda?s greatness is dealt in grater detail for the benefit of all.

The Stotra, with Para-Vyooha-varnaka as the first section, opens with the 
details about the different forms of the Garuda-Mantra and about the 
preliminary observances for recitation and meditation (Japa and Dhyana) (1). 
Then the greatness of Garuda is described in several ways; He is an 
incarnation of Ssnkarshana, one of the four Vyooha-forms of Vishnu (2). He 
is an embodiment of the Veda as the limbs of his body (3). Satya, Supana, 
Taarkshya, Garuda and Vihagesa are his Vyooha (Emanation) forms which 
preside over the five divisions of Vital air (Praana, Apaana, Vyaana, Udaana 
and Samaana(39). All this is revealed by the religious books=Paancaraatra 
Aagama,Saatvata-samhita, Paadma, Narayana and Vishvaksena  Samhitas.

The second section Amrtaaharanavarnaka(9-25) (Bringing the pot of nectar) 
describes the strength and greatness of Garuda in flying Svargaloka to take 
the nectar-pot, driving away the army of gods who came to fight and 
compelling Indra himself to hand over the pot to him. Garuda?s mother, 
Vinata, was kept in custody by the Nagas (Serpents) in the Patala-loka who 
promised to release her if the nectar is given to them. So Garuda had to do 
it to bring about her freedom.

The third section is Naaga-damana-varnaka (26-35) (the subjugation of the 
Serpents. When Garuda went to Naga-loka, the serpents there began to molest 
him. He fought and defeated all. When  he began to swallow them, the 
Serpent-king agreed to send one snake every day for his food if he would 
stop killing them.

The fourth section Parishakaara-varnaka (34-35) (The Decoration of Garuda) 
describes how Garuda adorned  himself with the great serpents Aasisesha was 
the bangle on the left hand and Gulika on the right; Vaasuki was the sacred 
thread on his body and  Takshaka his belt; Kaarkota was garland; Padma and 
Mahaa-padma he wore his  ear-rings and Ssnkhapaala  as the diadem. Each 
serpent has a sloka in this section.

The fifth and the last section is Adbhuta-varnaka(46-50) (the section on 
Wonders) describes the wonderful exploits of Garuda in the service of the 
various incarnations pf Paramatma. He is the beautiful canopy and agreeable 
fan,the glorious banner and horseless chariot in wars, a devoted servant, 
kind friend and helpful companion.

  He was the swiftest vehicle for Parama Purusha when he rushed to save the 
Gajendra from the hold of the crocodile. He was the friend who helped Sri 
Rama to nregain consciousness when he lay on the ground bound by the 
Nagastra of Indrajit.He was the devoted servant who had brought back the 
crown of Vishnu which was stolen by Virochana, the son of Prahlada when 
Vishnu was in Yoga-nidra(mystic sleep) in the milk-ocean and adorned with it 
Sri Krishn, the cowherd boy(Balagopala) in Gokula.

Sri Vedanta Desika concludes the Stotra with a prayer that Garuda should 
bestow knowledge and devotion on him to wipe off all his sins. He also 
reveals that he composed the Stotra Garuda Panchasat under the command of 
Garuda.

  The Stotra Garuda-Panchasat is of great significance for several reasons, 
since it deals with the all-round greatness Garuda and the unfailing 
efficacy of the meditation on Garuda, the deity, by the Garuda-mantra.

The first sloka is devoted to the treatment of the Garuda-mantra which has 
five letters and which is in three words. The first word is Pranava, second 
is ?Pakshi? and the third word is ?Svahaa?. By an interchange of two letters 
of the word ?Pakshi? and by a change in the order of the words, the mantra, 
is said to become four mantras.

The meditation on this mantra is to be preceded by the Bheejakshara followed 
by PraNavam and Dandakam (i.e. namah). Even before beginning the mantra 
rendering the anga nyAsam and kara nyAsam need to be performed. One needs to 
learn the mantra at the lotus feet of SadhAchAryan.

The dexterity of Swamy Desika in poetical composition can be seen in every 
sloka. In Sloka four, the forms of the relative pronoun (yah- who) in the 
singular of all cases; the numerals one to ten, thousand, ten thousand, lakh 
and infinity in sloka five; the episodes of Garuda in several slokas. 
Instead of repeating the word Garuda in every sloka, thirty five synonyms 
are used. What a great Acharya! What a poet!

Such is the intrinsic merit of Garuda Panchaasath which is the result of the 
love and devotion of Swamy Vedantha Desika for Garuda, the deity and his 
mantra as well as his fascination for Garuda?s greatness and exploits. The 
Acharya makes a prayer to garuda for protection in every one of the slokas 
of the stothra.

[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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