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Experiencing Swamy Desika -- #51


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"!!

Swami Desika, in VairAgya Panchakam repeatedly warns
us that acquiring material pursuits is a waste
because they are temporary in nature. Swami further
emphasises that one has to slog only for the
permanent wealth - the Lord!!!!

Let us look into the penultimate Sloka of
VairAgya Panchakam,

"Shareera patanAvadhi prabhu nishevaNApAdanAth
abindhana dhananjaya prashamadam dhanam dandhanam !
dhananjaya vivardhanam dhanamudUda gOvardhanam
Su-sAdhanamabAdhanam sumanasAm samArAdhanam !!"

-- vairAgya Panchakam (4)

Swami Desika says, What is the use of acquiring any
amount of wealth? All this is used only to fill
our stomach with water and food in order to subside
hunger and satisfy jataragni. To earn this wealth,
one has to keep praising rich people till one's death.
This wealth acquired by doing servitude to some persons
till the fall of the physical body is similar to that
of a lighting in the cloud and is not permanent.

To earn this temporary wealth, one has to put in a
lot of efforts and face too many difficulties. Why
suffer so much of difficulties unnecessarily?

Swami Desika explains to us that there is one
everlasting wealth - Lord Krishna! When this wealth
is approached one gets enormous auspicious things.
This wealth enlightened Arjuna and lifted up the
Govardana Hill. This wealth is the proper means and
is the sole sAdhana for attaining all purusharthas.

Swami Desika empathetically states that When this
true wealth, Lord Krishna, is there, attempting for any
other wealth is an unnecessary effort!

Swami Desika, in this Sloka plays with the word 'dhana'.
The word 'Dhana' (wealth) occurs eleven times. It has
different meanings when taken with the preceding
or succeeding syllable or word.

Shri Dr.S. Padmanabhan has explained the usage of the
word dhana, in this Sloka thus:

"Wealth (dhana) obtained by servitude is impermanent.
Just like a lightning (dhananjaya) that appears in the
cloud (abindhana) it is perishable (dandhana). The
real wealth (dhana) is the one which nourished
Arjuna (dhnanjaya), (vivardhana) which lifted govardhana,
which is imperishable (abadhana), which is the proper
means (susadhana) and which is worshipped by wise."

The difference between the temporary wealth which is
insignificant, perishable and hard-earned and the eternal
is effectively brought out.

Swami's extraordinary knowledge of Sanskrit vocabulary
and proficiency in their use is evident in this Sloka (also).
In this Sloka we can enjoy the charming poetic aspect and
at the same time get immersed in Swami's vairAgyam.

This Sloka is a feast for our ears and food for our
thought!!


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

...To be continued!

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi