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 -- #65


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 all know that our Swami had the darshan of Lord HayagrIva
[pratyaksham]. Swami sees, enjoys and experiences the divine
grace, beauty of Lord HayagrIva and wants the Jivas to enjoy
the same. For the benefit of all of us, Swami gives this
wonderful description of Lord Hayagriva, thus:

"vyAkhyAmudrAm karasarasijai: pustakam shankacakrE
bibhradbhinnasphatikarucirE pundarIkE nishaNNa: !
amlAnashrIramrutavishadairamshubhi: plAvayan mAm
AvirbhooyAdanakhamahimA mAnasE vAgadhIsha: !!"

This verse is the dhyAna Sloka for Lord HayagrIva.

Swami describes that Lord HayagrIva has four lotus like hands.
He holds the discuss and the conch on the higher arms. The
lower right hand shines with the Jnana mudra - the symbol of
instruction. In the lower left hand Lord HayagrIva holds a
book as though it is an evidence for the recovery of the
Vedas carried away by an asura from the four-faced Brahma.
Lord HayagrIva is seated on a beautiful full-blown white
lotus (pundarIka) sparkling like a part of the dissected
spatikamani (marble slab). Lord HayagrIvA's glory is always
bright and has absolutely no limitations.

Swami prays for the grace of Lord HayagrIva - the first
Lord of learning. Swami also wants the Lord to reside in
his heart.

Our Swami is immersed in Lord HayagrIva's Jnana mudra as shown
by the Lord in his lower right hand. When we enjoy our Swami's
anubhavam, Adiyal is reminded of the 25th Sloka:

"chittE karOmi sphuritAshamAlam savyEtaram nAtha karam tvadIyam !
jnAnAmrutOdanjanalampatAnAm leelAgatIyantramivAshitAnAm !!"

There is a japamAlai in Lord HayagrIva's lower right hand.
This hand slightly faces down. On seeing it, Swami says that
Lord HayagrIva is ready to give Jnana-amudam to all devotees
who have great urge in acquiring Jnana. To show his willingness
to grant Jnana, Swami says that Lord HayagrIva has this hand
facing slightly down so that he can instantly take and give the
Jnana amudam.

Swami Desika compares this to a game like seesaw (leelAgatIyantra).
By its movement it raises the knowledge from the deep, like the
machine which raises water from a deep well for the benefit of
all. Just as how water can be drawn and poured out from a well
that is full of water, so also Lord HayagrIva's hand with this
appearance (full of Jnana and slightly facing down) pours out
the Jnana-amudam enormously !!!

Swami says that he does dhyAnam with this hand in his mind!

In the last Sloka of HayagrIva stotra Swami Desika advises all
of us to read the Stotra with devotion for the attainment of
mastery over words and their meanings (vaagartha siddhi).

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

...To be continued!


dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi