Invoking Auspiciousness On ‘Father, Guru, God And Everything’
Dear Fellow-Bhagavathas,
We are in the middle of celebrating the annual Mahothsavam of Swami Desikan’s Thirunakshathram which falls on October 4. Our temple is abuzz with characteristic divine fervour and every other temple which houses the Acharya’s shrine should be experiencing similar ambience.
A good way to commemorate as legendary an Acharya as Swami Desika is to recite at least a few of his numerous works. It will be pertinent here to recall an earlier column in which it was noted that the mind should back the voice when we recite hymns/verses. The substance of Sri Vedantha Desika’s Vaazhi Thirunaamam is provided therein. Here, we shall take up the meaning of ‘Desika Mangalam’, a hymn invoking auspiciousness on Swami Desika, composed by (Kumara) Varadacharya.
Kumara Varadacharya had the great fortune of being the son and disciple of Swami Desika. He lived up to the reputation of his illustrious father/Acharya by learning all the Saasthras from him as a youngster. It is he who composed the famous Thaniyan ‘Sriman Venkata Natharya:”. His ‘Desika Mangalam’ is a signature hymn which is recited finally, that is, after the ones authored by Swami Desika.
The Sthothram comprises 13 simple Slokas which extol, in ample measure, the great qualities of Swami Desika. In the penultimate stanza, Varadacharya’s devotion reaches great heights as he says that Swami Desika was not only his father, but also his Acharya and even God. In the same breath, he declares that Swami Desika is Praapya (one to be attained — the goal) as well as Praapaka (one who is the means of attaining the goal) — an attribute of the Lord — as he invokes propitiousness.
Reciting the hymn knowing its meaning will give us a chance to enjoy better while intensifying our focus and reverence. Here we go…
Thaniyan on Swami Vedantha Desika
ஸ்ரீமாந் வேங்கடநாதார்ய: கவிதார்க்கிக கேஸரீ! வேதாந்தாசார்ய வர்யோ மே ஸந்நிதத்தாம் ஸதா ஹ்ருதி!!
May the lion amongst poets and logicians, and the great preceptor of Vedantha (Swami Vedantha Desika) reside in my heart forever.
Thaniyan on Kumara Varadacharya
ஸ்ரீமல் லக்ஷ்மண யோகீந்த்ர ஸித்தாந்த விஜயத்வஜம்! விச்வாமித்ர குலோத்பூதம் வரதார்யம் அஹம் பஜே!!
I meditate upon Sri Varadarya who is like a victory flag for the Sampradaaya founded by the greatest of ascetics Bhagavath Ramanuja, and is a descendent of the clan of sage Viswamithra.
Sri Vedantha Desika Mangalam
| 1. | ஸர்வ தந்த்ர ஸ்வதந்த்ராய ஸிம்ஹாய கவி வாதிநாம்! |
| வேதாந்தாசார்ய வர்யாய வேங்கடேசாய மங்களம்!! | |
| May auspiciousness shower on Venkatesa, that is, Sri Vedanthaacharya who is the ‘Master Of All Arts’ and a ‘Lion Amongst Poets’! | |
| 2. | நபஸ்யமாஸி ச்ரோணாயாம் அவதீர்ணாய ஸூரயே! |
| விச்வாமித்ராந்வயாயாஸ்து வேங்கடேசாய மங்களம்!! | |
| May auspiciousness shower on Venkatesa who descended on this earth from Srivaikunta on a Sravanam day in the month called in the Vedas as Nabhasyam (Purattasi) and one who was born in the lineage of sage Viswaamithra! | |
| 3. | பிதா யஸ்யாநந்தஸூரி: புண்டரீகாக்ஷ யஜ்வந:! |
| பௌத்ரோ யஸ் தநயஸ் தோதாரம்பாயா: தஸ்ய மங்களம்!! | |
| May auspiciousness shower on the one whose father is Anantha Soori, one who is the grandson of Pundareekaaksha, who observed many a Yaga, and one who is the son of Thothaaramba! | |
| 4. | வேங்கடாசாவதாரோயம் தத் கண்டாம் சோதவாபவேத்! |
| யதீந்த்ராம் சோதவேத்யேவம் விதர்க்யாயாஸ்து மங்களம்!! | |
| May auspiciousness shower on the great one who is considered whether he is an incarnation of Lord Venkatesa or a manifestation of His Divine Bell or a facet of Sri Bhashyakara! | |
| 5. | ஸ்ரீபாஷ்யகார: பந்த்தாநம் ஆத்மநா தர்சிதம் புந:! |
| உத்தர்த்துமாகதோ நூநம் இத்யுக்தாயாஸ்து மங்களம்!! | |
| May auspiciousness shower on the one who, the elders aver that, is Sri Bhashyakara himself reborn to revive his noble philosophy! | |
| 6. | யோ பால்யே வரதார்யஸ்ய ப்ராசார்யஸ்ய பராம் தயாம்! |
| அவாப்ய வ்ருத்திம் கமித: தஸ்மை யோக்யாய மங்களம்!! | |
| May auspiciousness shower on the befitting one who, as a child, was the recipient of the divine grace of Nadaadhur Ammal who became his Praacharya, and grew from strength to strength! | |
| 7. | ராமாநுஜார்யா தாத்ரேயாத் மாதுலாத் ஸகலா: கலா:! |
| அவாப விம்சத்யப்தே ய: தஸ்மை: ப்ராஜ்ஞாய மங்களம்!!மங்களம்!! | |
| May auspiciousness shower on the erudite one who absorbed all the Saasthras from his uncle Ramanujacharya of Athreya Gothram, known as Appullaar, before attaining 20 years of age! | |
| 8. | ச்ருத: ப்ரகாசிகா பூமௌ யேநாதௌ பரிரக்ஷிதா! |
| ப்ரவர்த்திதா ச பாத்ரேஷு தஸ்மை ஷ்ரேஷ்ட்டாய மங்களம்!! | |
| May auspiciousness shower on the great one who first heard the teachings of Sri Bhasyam from Nadadhur Ammal, protected the same when it was published as a book by Sudharsana Soori and streamlined its propagation in the form of Kaalakshepam through capable students! | |
| 9. | ஸாம்ஸ்க்ருதீபிர் த்ராமிடீபி: பஹ்வீபி: க்ருதிபிர் ஜநாந்! |
| யஸ் ஸமுஜ்ஜீவயாமாஸ தஸ்மை ஸேவ்யாய மங்களம்!! | |
| May auspiciousness shower on the adorable one who showed the right path to the people through his various great works in Sanskrit, Tamil and Manipravaalam! | |
| 10. | ய: க்க்யாதி லாப பூஜாஸு விமுகோ வைஷ்ணவே ஜநே! |
| க்ரயணீய தசாம் ப்ராப்த: தஸ்மை பவ்யாய மங்களம்!! | |
| May auspiciousness shower on the humble one who never aspired for fame, benefit or adulation but bowed only to Srivaishnavas! | |
| 11. | யஸ்மா தேவ மயா ஸர்வம் சாஸ்த்ரமக்ராஹி நாந்யத:! |
| தஸ்மை வேங்கடநாதாய மம நாதாய மங்களம்!! | |
| May auspiciousness shower on the one whose name is Venkatanatha and who is my Master from whom all the Saasthras were grasped by me! | |
| 12. | பித்ரே ப்ரஹ்மோபதேஷ்ட்ரே மே குரவே தைவதாய ச! |
| ப்ராப்யாய ப்ராபகாயாஸ்து வேங்கடேசாய மங்களம்!! | |
| May auspiciousness shower on Venkatesa who is my father, my teacher who taught me the Vedas right from my Upanayanam, my preceptor, my God, the one who is to be attained by me and for which is also the means! | |
| 13. | ய: க்ருதம் வரதார்யேண வேதாந்தாசார்ய மங்களம்! |
| ஆசாஸ்தே அநுதிநம் ஸோபி பவேந் மங்கள பாஜநம்!! | |
| Whoever invokes auspiciousness on the great Acharya by reciting evderyday this hymn composed by me on Vedanthaacharya will themselves become home to all good fortunes. | |
The following is the verse customarily recited finally after Swami Desika’s hymns. This was composed by Kumara Varadacharya at the time of the passing away of the great Acharya.
கவி தார்க்கிக ஸிம்ஹாய கல்யாண குணசாலிநே! ஸ்ரீமதே வேங்கடேசாய வேதாந்த குரவே நம:!!
Salutations to the great preceptor of philosophy known as Sri Venkatesa who is the lion amongst poets and logicians and one with auspicious virtues.
Meet you in the next Note.
| << Prev | Next >> |
Please feel free to let us know your views/comments about the site at [email protected]