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Experiencing Swamy Desika -- #70


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 saw that both Goddess GodA and Goddess Lakshmi are on either
side of the Lord requesting Lord to relieve the Jivas from the
repeated cycles of births and rebirths. Both of them are
extremely compassionate to the Jivatmas. Thus the objective of
Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess GodA is the same!

Goddess Lakshmi has a very special place in our Philosophy.
The attributes of Goddess Lakshmi are as innumerable as those of
Lord Vishnu. Our ultimate objective is Moksha and the Divya Dampati
together constitute it. They are always united. The divine couple
together create, preserve and bless the universe.

Goddess Lakshmi does not know to punish any body. This is not the
case with our Lord. Our Lord does punish us in order to correct us.
SrI is full of mercy to us. The mere sight of Goddess Lakshmi is
sufficient to bring in prosperity!

In the vAmana avatAram, our Lord wanted to take back the worlds
from MahAbali. Our Lord could not achieve this by nigraham because
MahAbali was a descendant of Prahlada and out of consideration to the
great devotion of Prahlada, the Lord had promised him that he would not
slay any of his descendants.

That is why in dasAvatAra stotram also Swami uses the term "rakshA
vAmana" - In vAmana avatAram Lord protected every body including
MahAbali!

So, our lord went as a Brahmachari to achieve this objective. SrI is
always in his chest and our Lord knew that the mere glance of SrI was
sufficient to grant MahAbali all prosperity. The alternative of coming
without Lakshmi is inconceivable as Lakshmi would never entertain
the idea of leaving the Lord's chest even for a second. The only
alternative therefore was to keep Goddess Lakshmi hidden. Our Lord
used the Krishnajinam for this purpose.

Swami Desika enjoys these leelas of the Lord in the 11th Sloka of
Dehaleesa stuti:

"bhikshOchitam prakatayan pratamAshamam tvam...."

Now that Lakshmi was not visible in our Lord's chest nobody expected
the Brahmachari to be the Supreme Lord!

But, when our Lord took the trivikramAvatAra, Goddess Lakshmi was visible
to every body on his chest between his protecting arms. At once every one
realised that He was the Supreme being - the consort of SrI - Sriya:Pathi !

This amply clarifies that being Sriya:Pathi is the hall-mark of Parabrahmam.
This is embodied in Swami's SrIstuti also.

"yatsankalpAdbhavathi kamalE yatra dEhinyamIsham
janmasthEmapralayarachanA jangamAjangamAnAm !
tat kalyAnam kimapi yaminAmEkalakshyam samAdau
poorNam tEja: spurati bavatI pAdalAkshArasAngam!!"

Several Vedic concepts of the Supreme Lord is brought in by Swami Desika
to establish who he is! Swami says that the Lord is the  soul of all
animate and inanimate things, all the worlds originate, sustain or face
destruction by Lord's will. The Supreme Lord cannot be described, and He
is effulgent and auspiciousness incarnate. And He is the soul aim of Yogis
in meditation!

But some of these Vedic descriptions qualify a few other demi Gods also. So,
how are we to categorically declare that the Vedas refer to Lord Vishnu
alone as the Supreme Brahman? Swami Desika states in the above Sloka that
the red coloured marks of Goddess Lakshmi's feet is visible on Lord's chest.
Swami says that this confirms that our Lord is the One whom all the Vedas
adore and worship as the supreme God.

So, Goddess SrI, not only gives our Lord an identity but also glorifies the
Lord's complexion by her red prints on his sapphire - blue form !

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

...To be continued!

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Praveena nAmni Ramanuja dasi