Thursday, February 1, 2007

We Prostrate at His Lotus Feet

Srimath Vedantha desika prapatthi has ten verses in it- also composed by Swamy Desikan?s son Sri Nainacharyar aka- Sri Kumara varadhacharyar. This sthOthra was composed to glorify the lotus feet of Swamy Sri Nigamantha Mahadesikan. Every sloka ends divinely, musically with vEdAnthasUri CharaNaou SaraNam prapadyE? It has the rhyming words inherently found in good grammatical Sanskrit slokas. Tiger?s cub- why shouldn?t the verses be great? It is not surprising. Swamy NainAchAryar was equally adept and expert.

Sriman VenkatanAthArya

SrimallakshaNa

I bow down to Sri Kumara Varadacharyar, born in Viswamithra kulam (gOthram), who is like the victory flag of Emperumaanaar Sri Ramanuja Siddhaantham.

PithrE brahmO.. vEmkatEsaaya mangaLam
MangaLam to Swamy Desikan, whose name is VenktEsan, my father; one who
initiated Gayatri mahAmanthra(BrahmOpadEsar) to me [adiyEn]; who is my spiritual teacher; who is My God; who is the means, my refuge as well as the Goal Himself.

VidvanmadhangajaSikAparaNAya maanou
viSwAthiSAyi mahimAmbhu niDhAna bhUthou |
vidvEshivAdhi makuDIkrutha KuttAnou thou
vEdAntha sUri CharaNau SaraNam prapadyE||
[I] surrender at the divine lotus feet of Vedanthacharya which is the adorning ornament of greatest [vedic] scholars; and which is ocean of all grandest greatness above everything else in this world and above and which hit (kuttu) the heads of those opposing him, propagating non vedic or wrong vedic religions.

First line of the verse mentions sowlabhyam [easily accessible] of the lotus feet; while the second and third about talk about its Parathvam.


viSvambharAm athitharAmapi bhAsayanthou
vinyAsathO vividhasajjanathAnubAvyow |
visthArasamsruthi mahArNava karNaDhArow
vEdAntha sUri CharaNau SaraNam prapadyE||

[i] surrender at the divine lotus feet of Vedanthacharya, who [by placing his pristinely pure feet] brightens the earth; which are glorified as the mother, father, close relation by very many good people; which, like the boat man, enables [us] cross the deep samsaaric ocean of births and deaths and lets us reach the divine lotus feet of Sriman Narayanan.

Thus, prApyathvam and prApakathvam [the way and the goal] of lotus feet of Desikan are described in this verse.


viSwAntharAnDhathamasakshapaNa praveeNow
vidyOthamAna nakharEndhu mayUkhajAlai: |
viKhyAtha thAmarasa Shankha raThAnga Chinnow
vEdAntha sUri CharaNau SaraNam prapadyE||

[I] surrender at the divine lotus feet of Vedanthacharya, which dispels the darkness of everyone?s hearts with its bright resplendent nails shining like the moon; which has the marks of sankhu, chakrA, lotus etc, [which are the symbols of great people underneath the feet..]


vidhvEshamAna madhamathsara vidhvishow yow
vishNvAlayAnugamanOtthamanithyakruthyow|
vEdAnthavruDdha vihithAjjali gOCharow thow
vEdAntha sUri CharaNau SaraNam prapadyE||

[I] surrender at the divine lotus feet of Vedanthacharya, which removes completely the anger, jealousy, pride that arises out of one?s ahankara, mamakaaram (I and mine); which have the habit of going to the divya desams of Sriman Narayanan as their inherent duty; which are bowed down to by great learned scholars.


vishNvarpithAthmajana bhAgya vipAga bhUthow
vibhrAjamAnanavakOkanadhAnukalpow|
vEshAntharOpagathapallavathallajow thow
vEdAntha sUri CharaNau SaraNam prapadyE||

[I] surrender at the divine lotus feet of Vedanthacharya, which can be equal to the fruits of those prapannas (Swamy Desikan?s feet are the fruits for those fortunate who have surrendered at the divine lotus feet of Sriman Narayanan); which are like the red Ambal flowers (lily?); which [makes one wonder if they] are the personification of beautiful twin tender leaves.


vEdhOmukhairapi surai: vihithapraNAmow
vElAthilangDhi sushumA sukumArabhAvow|
vismEra kEsara lasanmrudhuLAnguleekow
vEdAntha sUri CharaNau SaraNam prapadyE||

?sarvE(S)smai dhEvA bhalimAvahanthi- says Veda.. Thus, even four faced brahma, and other devas offer themselves and bow down to this lotus feet of Vedanthacharya; which is of unparalleled beauty; which is extremely tender and soft; which has lovely little fingers at their ends- I surrender at those divine lotus feet.


vidhrAvithOthbhatavikAra rajOguNow thow
viKhyAtha bhUrivibhavEna raja: kaNEna|
viSvOpakAra karaNaya kruthAvathArow
vEdAntha sUri CharaNau SaraNam prapadyE||

[I] surrender at the divine lotus feet of Vedanthacharya, which [with their great unparalleled particles from them] remove all rajOguNas that keep changing; which appeared only in order to save the world.


vishNvanGhrinirgatha sarithpravarAnubhAvyow
vidhyAvineetha janithai: vimalai swatheertthai: |
vyAnamra sishyajana rakshaNa jaagarookow
vEdAntha sUri CharaNau SaraNam prapadyE||

[I] surrender at the divine lotus feet of Vedanthacharya, which are bowed and worshipped by offering pure holy waters like the Ganges by the great disciples [who are learned; humble ?due to their learning]; which are always protecting such sincere devoted disciples under all circumstances.


VeeThIshu ranganagarE kruthaChankramow thow
vishNoothsavEshu vidhivaasava sEvithEshu|
vidhyAvineetha janathA vihithAnusaarow
vEdAntha sUri CharaNau SaraNam prapadyE||

[I] surrender at the divine lotus feet of Vedanthacharya, which come out in the streets of Srirangam walking along with the Lord Sri Ranganathan, when the Lord Sri Ranganathan (num perumAL) gracefully comes out in the streets during festival period (Uthasvam); which are followed under all times by learned and humble BhAgawathAs bowing down to them [Desikan?s lotus feet].


viSwAsa vishNupadha bhakti virakthi soonyam
vibhrashtakruthyamapi mAm vishayEshu saktham |
vidhvathsabhAnugathiyOgyamihAdhaDhAnow
vEdAntha sUri CharaNau SaraNam prapadyE||

[I[ surrender at the divine lotus feet of Vedanthacharya, which enables even aDiyEn ? the unqualified one- [who never has mahAviswAsam- unconditional unflinching faith and devotion on EmperumAn Sriman Narayanan?s lotus feet; who never does what needs to be done in accordance with saasthrAs-] qualified to walk into and go to the great assembly of Vedic scholars fearlessly.

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