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Experiencing Swamy Desika -- #64


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 our yesterdays posting we saw Swami Desika's works
on Lord Devanatha. We've also had a glimpse of Swami's
vast knowledge in our earlier postings.

Swami had an in-depth knowledge of Shri yatirAjar's works
viz., Vedanta Sara, Vedanta Deepa and Sri Bhashya
(the commentaries on the Brahma Sutras), Gita Bhashya,
Vedartha Sangraha (a digest of the Upanishads) and the
three Gadyas (Saranagathy, Sri Ranga and Vaikunta).

Swami has also done an extensive study of several schools
of thought like Buddhism, Jainism, Paasupa, sAnkhya, yoga,
Vaiseshika, bhedAbheda, Advaita, etc.

Swami was a master of all scriptual texts like the Vedas,
Upanishads, AgamAs and purAnas. Swami had perfect knowledge
of mantrasastra. Even sculpture, architecture, music, dance,
etc were at his finger tips. To sum it up, our Swami was the
best in everything and there was nothing - literally nothing -
our Swami was not proficient in!!!

Swami's knowledge was so vast that one would be made to wonder
as to 'how is it humanly possible?'. But then, our Swami is no
ordinary human. Swami was an avatAra purushA! Since Swami lived
in leelA vibuthi, we do trace back to reasons of how Swami Desika
shines as an abode of knowledge. The reason is basically because
Lord HayagrIva had bestowed on Swami the nectar of knowledge
flowing from his mouth.

Of Lords different manifestations, Sri Hayagriva avatAram was one.
Lord Shri HayagrIva is the supreme God of learning. Lord HayagrIva
bestows knowledge to DakshinA-murti, Saraswathi and many sages.

Hayagriva-stotra is the first lyric composed by swami Desika on
our lord. This shows the great devotion that swami Desika had on
Hayagriva. The first Sloka of Hayagriva-stotra is:

"Gnanananda mayam dEvam Nirmala spatikAkrudim!
Aadharam sarva vidhyanAm HayagrIvam upAsmahe!!"

Swami Desika wanted his words to be successful, pleasing and
graceful always. So, Swami prayed to HayagrIva asking him to
shine in his heart always.

With the blessings of Lord HayagrIva Swami realised that a
complete knowledge of all sciences was at his beck and call.
Swami prayed to Lord Hayagriva to take his seat on the throne of
the tip of his tongue so that every word of his would be correct
and authoritative because of the divine origin and it would be
accepted by all those who had telinda jnanam.

The following Sloka was sung by Swami Desika to aid the above request.

"Vishesha vitpArishadeshu nAtha
vidagdha gOsthi samarAngaNeshu!
jigIshatO mE kavitArkikEndrAn
jihvAgra simhAsanamabhyupEyA:"

-- Hayagriva stotra (28)

"O Lord! In the assemblies of erudite scholars and in the arena
of batches of clever men, when I begin to speak with a desire to
defeat the best of poets and dialecticians be pleased to take a
seat on the throne of the tip of my tongue."

Lord HayagrIva granted Swami's prayer and always occupies
Swami's tongue. So, all the words that flowed from Swami's mouth
are pramAnam. Because of Lord HayagrIva's blessings Swami could
give convincing explanations as seen in shatadhooshanI.

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

...To be continued!

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi