You are here: SriPedia - ebooks - Vedanta Desikan - Experiencing Swami Desikan

Index - Articles: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108

Experiencing Swamy Desika -- #48


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"!!

Inspite of Swami's persistence Shri Vidyaranya insisted
on Swami coming to the King's court. Swami retorted in
his inimitable way - with 5 Slokas, the VairAgya Panchaka.

While there has been enough learning for us - the Jivas -
on why we should not go in pursuit of wealth, Swami's
Vairagya Panchakam tops on the subject, giving us clear
'instruction' that we should not be going behind material
wealth. Also, Swami makes it clear that the only wealth
that we should be seeking is the Sriya:Pathi.

As our Swami advises Shri VidyAranyar, he actually gives
us a clear message - "stay away from material wealth;
lead a simple life". In the very first Sloka of
VairAgya Panchakam, Swami Desika says:

"silam kimanalam BhavEt analamaudaram bAdhitum
paya: prasrutipoorakam kimu na dhArakam sArasam !
ayatnamalamallakam pathi pataccaram kajcaram
bhajanti vibudhA mudhA hyahaha kushita: kushita: !!"

-- vairAgya Panchakam (1)

In the above Sloka Swami goes on to substantiate thus:

Is not the scattered grains on the field enough to
 satisfy one's hunger?
Will not the water taken in the cup of two hands,
 quench one's thirst?
Will not a piece of dirty cloth obtained be used to
 cover oneself?

Swami adds that just water could be taken in as food
and goes on to wonder, when our Lord's arrangement of
life is so simple, why [even learned] Jivas should run
around to acquire material wealth. Swami pities such
Jivas.

Swami Desika is a role model for all of us. Even though
Swami was a house holder, he lived the life of a great
ascetic. Swami practiced a life of simple living and
high thinking.

Swami Desika had the complete belief in our Lord that
HE had been taking care of him (Swami Desika) and will
continue to take care of him. So Swami had no necessity
to think or worry about anything else.

While we learn and enjoy the glory of our Swami, it
makes it important that we too practice what our Swami
had established. Isn't it the basic duty of a
disciple to follow the Guru?

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

...To be continued!


dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi