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Experiencing Swamy Desika -- #49


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"!!

In the subsequent Sloka of VairAgya Panchakam,
Swami Desika says:

"jwalatu jaladhi krOda kreedat krupeeda bhava prabA
 prati-bhata patu jwAlA mAlA kulO jatarAnala: !
 thrunamapivayam sAyam sam pulla malli matallikA -
 parimala muchA vAchA yAchA mahey na maheeswarAn !!"

-- vairAgya Panchakam (2)

There is a fire in the middle of the ocean which
sucks the excess water that flows into the ocean.
This is the reason for the waters to stay within the
boundary. Similarly, there is a fire in our stomach
called jatarAgni. This takes all the food that we
consume and digests it. As this agni glows, it
creates hunger.

Swami says, Let this agni glow with fierce flames,
let the hunger increase to whatever extent possible,
we will still not beg the king even for a straw-piece.
Is not our words sacred? It is as sweet as the jasmine
flower blooming with fragrance to the music of the
evening breeze. Just as the jasmine flower is only
worthy of adorning the Lord, so also our tongue is
meant only to praise the Lord and no earthly being.

Swami Desika firmly states that even a straw-piece
will not be obtained by using these words to praise
earthly being's.

Swami instructs us that whatever be the circumstance,
we should resort only to our Supreme Lord.

The same point is communicated in the 28th Sloka of
Nyaasa Tilakam, thus:

"tvayyekAnjalikinkare tanubrutAm nirvyAjasarvam sahe
kalyaaNAtmani ranganAtha kamalAkAnte mukunde sthite !
swAmin pAhi dayasva dehi kushalam jiva prabho bhavaye
tyAlApAnavalepishu pralapitum jiheti jihvA mama !!"

-- Nyaasa Tilakam (28)

Swami Desika starts off with a mention about the
innumerable kalyAna gunAs of Our Lord Viz. Lords shamA,
His auspicious nature, He being Sriya:pathi,
He being MukundA and He being the conferor of Bhoga and
moksha.

In the later part of the same Sloka Swami states
that our Great Lord, with all his Sowlabyam waits to
for a call from the persons who have made an Anjali
(symbolises Prapatti) to Him. He is ready to help us
out. So, we as prapannas should feel ashamed to seek
the help of other human beings by appealing to them for
protection after praising them in meaningless jargon.

Swami states that it is not just his eyes that is ashamed
to look at persons regarding themselves as wealthy and
looking on others with contempt, even his tongue shivers
to pray to such persons for help.

One's words and expressions would become meaningful
and purposeful only by praising the Lord and not any
other person. The fact that one should not resort to any
body other than the Supreme Lord for anything is well
portrayed here.

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

...To be continued!

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi