Our Swamy12

DARSANAM

taic[mf Series of articles on Swami Desikan collected / published by Sravana Samithi, Muscat during Sarvadhari Purattasi

2008

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OF ARTICLE

12 /30

8 -0 9-20 08

Sri Devanayaka-Pancaasat (The Fifty on Sri Devanayaka the Lord at Tiruvahindrapuram) Sri Devanayaka- pancaasat is a Stotra in 50+3 slokas on Sri Devanayaka, the Lord at Tiruvahindapuram.He is also known by the name of Devanatha. Sri Desika begins the Stotra paying homage to Bhagavaan and Lakshmi (1-4), describes the Sacred Hill Aushadaadri and the holy river Garuda-nadi and other sanctifying waters, (ii) the Lord adorned with ornaments and weapons which are really deities that preside over the various Tattvas (Reals). In thirty

slokas

the

various

parts of the body from head to foot of the Lord are described. Towards the end, he mentions

Bhakthi

and

Prapatti which are the means of emancipation. Echoing the Devanathan, Ratnangi

song of the Alwar, Bhagavan is referred to as Daasa-satya (Adiyavarku-meyyan)

concludes by saying that true to His name, the Bhagavan

and

has made Sri Desika,

Satyavaadi (speaker of truth). The detailed description of the Lord is made as follows(with the number of sloka in brackets)-The crown (16); Curly locks of hair(17); face (18);forehead(19); ears(22); eyebrows (23); eyes(24)(25);nose

and cheeks (26);

lips(27); neck(28); arms(29); chest(32); stomach(35); navel(36); thighs(38); knees (39); shanks (40); feet(41); toes(42); nails(43); marks on the sole of the feet(44).

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A comparative study of description of Lord Deva-nayaka herewith that of Bhagavan Narayana as enjoyed by the Mukta-atma (Release soul) in Vaikunta given in the last section (Praaapti-parva) of Paramapadasopana by Swami Sri Desika will be of great interest to scholars and of great enjoyment to soft mind devotees. There is clear internal evidence in the works of Acharya Sri Desika from which it is determined that Bhagavan Deva-nayaka had installed Himself in the Archaa-form in Tiruvahindrapuram centuries before in anticipation of the birth of Sri Desika in Toopul near Kanchi and his pilgrimage to this shrine for stay and worship of the Lord and service to the cause of Vaishnavism. Sri Desika too, impelled by the divine will came to Tiruvahindapuram where he stayed for several years. As commanded by the Lord, he composed several works-one in Sanskrit, one in Prakrit (the

language

of

the

queens in the harem); and seven songs in Tamil verse have been composed by him in which Sri Desika (Venkatanatha)

finds

himself transformed as the bride

(Venkata-nayaki)

and sings in the states of union

and

separation

Swami Desikan, Nayika Alankaram, Toopul

depicting her extreme love for the Lord who is the lover. The Lord also reciprocated the love for Venkatanayaki, the beloved. He also showered His love and blessings on Sri Desika and made him one of the foremost Acharyas in our Vaishnava Sampradaya. Sri Desika also did yeomen service to the cause of our religion and philosophy by writing more than a hundred books in poetry and prose, epic and drama, in Sanskrit, Prakrit, Tamil and Manipravala. [From the Life and works of Sri Nigamantha Mahadesikan - by Prof Sri A Srinivasaraghavan].

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Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam kavi-tArkika-simhAya kalyANa-guNa-SAline | Srimate venkateSAya vedAntagurave namaH Courtesy : Sri Madhavakannan Swamy, ingapore. Nangainallur Venkatesan

Swami Desikan residence, Tiruvahindrapuram

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