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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00009 Sep 2003

 
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Swamy Deshikan Thiruvadigale Sharanam !!!

Swamy Deshika in his masterpiece Raghuveeragadyam (a.k.a
Mahaveeravaibhavam), uses the word "Raaghavasimha" when addressing Sri Rama.
This popular sobriquet suits the crown prince quite well. This Lord was
perhaps the only Singam that Threthayugam saw. But when it comes to
Kaliyugam, the thunderous roar of another Lion often reverberates under the
skies of Vedantha. This Lion is none other than our very own
Kavitaarkikasingam (Swamy Deshika) which has the capacity to outbeat
anything and everything under the sky. After the advent of this Lion, the
sobriquet "Raaghavasimha" is perhaps a fading shade of yester epochs.

Now comes the question. How could a monacrch like Sri Rama, with such vivid
and vibrant looks be compared to a preceptor of the monastic order like
Swamy Deshika? Our Achaarya Swamy Deshika is no way less comparable to Sri
Rama. He may in fact be compared with every embellishment befitting Sri
Rama.

Sri Rama is Chakravarththi Thirumagan, the crown prince of the Kingdom of
Ayodhya. He is the royal heir to the throne. He dwells in the luxurious
palace of the kingdom of Ayodhya that is comparable to Sri Vaikuntam.

Our Swamy Deshika, is the jnaana putra of Sri Ramanuja who is the King of
ascetics. He seats himself on the throne of moksha samrajyam in the kingdom
of Ramanuja Siddhantham. He dwells in many of the palaces built on holy
lands sung by the mystics or Azhwars (divya-deshams). To be heir to the
throne is indeed a reserved right for one who is in the familial lineage. To
have inherited one throne is in itself a big wonder. But, Deshika, with no
effort on his part was chosen as the simhasanadhipati of not one but two
thrones (Ubhaya Simhasanadhipati). 

When we speak about Sri Rama, the sovereign, one gets a mental picture of
Him decked with the choicest of jewels, adorning velvet attire with a crown
and armour. 

Our Swamy Deshika is also a sovereign. He is the sovereign amongst acharyas.
He is decked with the jewels of jnaanam and vairaagyam. Detachment and
austerity are his strengths while purity of mind and deed are his robes.
Humility is his armour, his disciple-fold remain at his feet like his
sandals. The knowledge of the supreme are his senses and constant meditation
on Paraman his fervent thought.

Speaking of Sri Rama, one would also get the picture of Srirama holding a
bow with a quiver full of arrows strung to his back and striding on a golden
chariot. 

Our Acharya holds weapons but those are nothing but the tatvams that he
would impart to his disciples. His bow is nothing but his scholarship and on
this, he sets the works of Ramanuja and other poorvacharyas as arrows. He
strides along the path leading to beatitude with the poorvacharyas as his
horses, Ramanuja as his charioteer and with the Vedas and Prabandhams as the
wheels of this chariot. Deshika's charioteer who was Ramanuja, not only
drove his ratham but also his manoratham. The benevolence of Sri Ranganatha
Paduka is nothing but the roof of this chariot with sanctity and
spirituality wavering on top of this as his victory flag. His ultimate
proclamation is Prapatti, which is the ultimate means to attain deliverance.

Lord Sri Rama had the most handsome stature or thirumeni azhagu.

Deshika too, was one of the most charming in looks. Swamy
Nayanaracharya says in his Deshika vigraha dhyanam - "His colour is like the
shining Sun, His feet are like freshly bloomed Lotus, His strong ankles,
knees, thighs, white cloth around the waits, the navel, strong broad chest,
neck, the two long hands, beautiful soft cheeks, nose, the beautiful lotus
bead garland and thuLasi garland around the neck- Oh mind! Think of AchArya
saarvabhouman always in this charming form. (This slokam describes the
beauty from the lotus feet to Head)"

Lord Sri Rama was apunyajana baadhaka. Though He was the noblest
among men during his avataaram, yet, he inflicted pain on others who were
unjust and wicked (Vaali, Raavana et al).
Our Swamy even out of his own accord cannot inflict pain on others.

Lord Sri Rama has in his servitude bhagavathas like Lakshmana.

The greatness of Sri Rama increased manifold due to the greatness of
Lakshmana. Sri Rama had Lakshmana as his shesha (servient) while our Deshika
had Lakshmana as his sheshi (master). Ramanuja who is none other than the
incarnate of Lakshmana was the sarva-sheshi of Swamy Deshika.

Lord Sri Rama is 'nirupAdhika swAmy' to one and all. He the Supreme Master
with no limiting adjuncts or binding reasons.

Deshika is indeed the 'nirupAdhika AchArya' with no binding reasons or
limiting adjuncts. He is the Supreme Universal Preceptor to one and all as
he showed to the world, with his profound knowledge, the Lord Himself, who
lay embedded in the terse passages of the shruti. Deshika is indeed the
light with which one can really see the Supreme Lord.

Lord Sri Rama is 'prapanna jana samrakshaka'. He uplifted and protected
those who surrendeed at his feet.
Deshika is also 'prapanna jana samrakshaka'. He performed 'AtmoddhAram' of
those who sought refuge at his Lotus feet and effected their spiritual
upliftment. He protected them from the vicious influences of internal
enemies (shAdguNyam), ajnaanam and viparIta jnAnam by imparting to them the
esoterical purports of Ramanuja siddhAntham.

One twang of the bow-string of Sri Rama would send waves of terror amongst
his enemies. Arrows set from the bow of Sri Rama were amogham. They knew not
to return.

One 'hUmkAraM' of our Acharya Swamy Deshika that is in the form of Ghanta
ghosham is sufficient to drive the para-mathavAdins to the end of their
wits. His words that were like arrows, struck terror in the hearts of
para-matha-vAdins and slayed the ajnAnam in them making them adopt the path
of parama-vaidika-srI-sampradAyam. His garjanam would also drive away all
the internal enemies like kAma, krOdha, lObha, mOha, mada, mAtsarya
(shAdguNyams).

Lord Sri Rama had great disciples and brothers like Sri BharatAzhwan, who
considered the thiruvadi nilai or Padukais of Sri Rama as his greatest
asset. Lord Rama had in his servitude, noblest among bhagavathas like
Hanumar, Guhan, Vibhishanan, JAmbavan et al.

Our Deshika sung a thousand verses on these Padukais of Sri Rama, by virtue
of which the greatness of Sri Rama and his Padukais increased several-fold.
Deshika had disciples who considered the vicinity of his padukas to be many
more times superior to Paramapadam. Deshikan also had in his servitude the
noblest among bhagavathas which included ascetics and imperials.

When Sri RamappirAn was deeply immersed in sorrow, he sent a word to his
never to be separated divine consort, Sri Sita, a word of abhayam and
assurance through Deshika's work Hamsa-sandesham.

Lord Sri Rama protected the yajnas of Rishis by slaying demons like thATaki
and others. Lord Sri Rama conferred upon Vibheeshana, the wealth of his
fore-fathers which was the Sri Ranga VimAnam. This was consecrated at
Thiruvarangam.

Our Lord, Deshika protected this Lord Sri Ranganatha from the onslaughts of
Advaitins by means of his masterly works like ShatadUshaNi,
tattvamuktAkalApam and others. He, by means of his scholarly elucidations
defended the divya prabandham recitation at Thiruvarangam and arranged for
the nityaradhanam of Sri Ranganatha to be conducted free of impediments. 

Swamy Deshikan in his Paduka Sahasram - Shesha paddhati says -
"dasharathatanayassan ranganAthastvamEva" - intending to say that the son of
Dasharatha is none other than Sri Ranganatha. By having arranged for the
regular performance of ThiruvArAdhanam to Thiruvaranga, Deshika has infact
made sure that the daily thiruvArAdhanams to Lord Sri Rama are conducted as
per the shastras and AgamAs.

With all these qualities befitting a monarch, is our Achaarya Sri Swamy
Deshika KavitArkika Singam any less than a sovereign chakravarti like Sri
Rama? We in fact see him one pedastal above Lord Sri Rama Himself.

vAzhi vyAkhyAmuddirak kai !!!
vedAnthasUri charaNau sharaNam prapadye !!!




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