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Experiencing Swamy Desika -- #47


SrI:
Shrimate Shri Lakshmi Nrusimha Parabrahmane Namaha:
Shrimate Shri Seetha Ramachandra Parabrahmane Namaha:
Shrimate Shri Ramanujaya Namaha:
Shrimate Nigamantha Maha Desikaya Namaha:
Shrimate Shrivan Satagopa Shri Narayana Yateendra Mahadesikaya Namaha:

"SrimAn VenaktanAthArya: kavithArkika kEsarI!
VedAnthAchArya varyO mE sannidhatthAM sadhA hrudhi"!!

We saw in our 24th posting, the first Sloka of
Shri Alavandar's Gitarthasangraha :

"swadharmagjnAnavairAgya sAdhyabhaktyekagOchara: !
nArAyaNA: param brahma geethashastre samIrita: !!"

We also saw Swami Desika's tamil equivalent:

"Karumamum jnanamum ..."

Shri Alavandar states that devotion has to be
accomplished by the performance of ones Svadharmam.
This leads to knowledge through vairAgyam.

Now, what is vairAgyam?

Swami Desika himself defines this in his
commentary, thus:

"VairAgyam paramAtmavyatiriktEshu sarvEshu virakti:
paramAtmani yo rakta: virAkto paramAtmani"

Swami Desika says that vairAgyam is detachment
or a strong dislike in matters other than the
supreme Lord. It is said that if one is completely
devoted to Sriya:Pathi - the Supreme Lord, then
all other objects look worthless thereby creating
a strong dislike.

Swami Desika, as we all know was highly devoted
to Lord VaradarAja, hence it was natural for
Swami to have a strong dislike towards everything else.

When Shri Vidyaranya sent a message stating that
Swami Desika could also be part of Royal patronage,
our Swami politely declined and replied to the letter
thus:

"shONIKONashatAmsha pAlanakalA durvAra garvAnala -
shumyatshudranarendrachAturacanAdhanyAn na manyAmahE !
devam sevitumeva nishchinumahe yOsau dayAlu: purA
DhAnAmushtimuche kuchelamunayE dattE sma vittEshatAm !!"


Swami states that he does not consider those persons
who are favoured by the kings and extolled by
them as blessed. He says that they spend their life
flattering petty chiefs of small states, who are
proud of their rulership of the one-hundredth portion
of a corner of the earth.

We also see Swami's strong conviction in stating that
he has resolved to worship and render service to the
supreme Lord alone, who is compassionate and who bestowed
wealth equal to that of kubEra to poor kuchela who
offered him just a handful of parched rice.

In this verse, Swami Desika exhibits his lack of
interest in acquiring wealth, by praising the mortal
kings.

It needs tremendrous vairAgyam to send such a message,
and it was only our Swami, the vairAgya nidhi who
did it!


"Kavi Taarkika Simhaaya Kalyaana guna SaalinE!
SrimatE VenkateshAya VedAnta Gurave nama !!"

...To be continued!


dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi