Swamy Vedanta Desika
Desika is a Sanskrit word which means “Acharya”. In our
srivaishnava sampradayam there are numerous acharyas starting from
Nammazhvar to present day acharyas, it is only Swami desika is
addressed respectfully as “Desika”. This is like calling srirangam
perumal as nam perumal (in English Our Perumal) and addressing
shatakopan as nam azhvar.
Sri Desika’s original name was Venkata natha. His parents have
choosen this name since Desika was born on a sravanam day, which is
the birth star of Thiruppathi perumal, Lord Srinivasa.
Sri Desika was born in the year 1268 CE(Common Era) about 130 years
after Bhagavad Ramanuja attained parama padam. Year 2018 thus
marks the 750th year and is being celebrated all
across the Globe . His parents were Sri
Ananthasuri and Smt Thothaaramba.He was born in a place called
Thoopul near Kanchi puram.Swami desika’s parents were childless for
long time and one day Lord Srinivasa of Seven Hills,Thiruppathi has
ordered them to go for a pilgrimmage to Thiruppathi.
Those days there were no buses or trains to travel so Sri Anatasuri
and his wife walked from Kanchipuram to Thiruppathi and climbed the
Hills and had the darshan of the Perumal.That night they were
resting in a Mandapam near temple. The Lord Srinivasa appeared in
their dream as a small vaishanva boy and gave smt Thothaaramba a
golden bell and she swallowed the bell in the dream. Next day the
archakas did not find the bell in the perumal sannidhi and they
were worried and started searching for it. Perumal told in a
heavenly voice that the bell has been given to Smt Thothaaramba and
she will deliver a son who will be a great scholar like Bhagavad
Ramanuja, who will firmly re establish the supremacy of our
srivaishnava sampradayam. To remind us this incident, even today
there is no bell in the perumal sannidhi.Only the huge bell
suspended in the front hall is used while doing
thiruvaradanam.
Birth and Younger days:
After Sri Desika was born , he was named as Venkatanatha by
his maternal uncle Sri Appullar. Sri Appullar is his acharya too.
When Sri Desika was a small boy of five years old he was taken to
Kanchi Varadarajar Temple where one acharya was giving lecture on
Ramanuja’s Sri Bhashyam. Sri Appullar and the young boy desika went
and prostrated to this scholar and he has stopped the lecture and
blessed them. Sri Appullar and desika was about to leave and the
acharya wanted to continue his lecture but he forgot where he has
stopped. Although desika was mere a boy of 5 years he reminded Sri
Nadadhur Ammal the vaishanva scholar who was giving lecture and
every one assembled there were astonished at the brilliance of
Desika at this tender age. Sri Nadadhur ammal blessed Sri Desika
and he told every one that Sri Desika will be a great scholar who
will firmly establish the supremecy of our sampradayam following
the footstep of Bhagavad Ramanuja. He also instructed Sri Appullar
to teach desika all vedas, divya prabandham and other sastras. Even
today we can see a painting in the varadaraja temple reminding us
this incident.
At the age of 7, after upanayanam Sri Appullar started teaching the
Vedas, Sastras,Sri bhashya and divya prabandham. He was surprised
at the brilliance of swami desika as he has grasped in no time what
ever taught to him.The elders were wondering whether Sri Desika is
the combined re incarnation of earlier acharyas like Ramanuja,Natha
muni and Alavandar. At the age of 20, Sri Desika has mastered all
the sastras and became a scholar.
At the age of 21, Sri Desika was married to a beautiful girl called
Thirumangai or Kanaka valli.Sri Appullar taught Desika the sacred
Garuda mantra. Sri Desika has started his family life as ordered in
the Sastras. He was strictly performing all the duties required by
a Srivaishnava and living on uncha vritti.ie their daily supply of
rice and vegetables will be given by his disciples.A brahmana was
supposed to do Veda adhyayanam and teach every one in the
village.They will not go to work as we do these days.Their needs
will be taken care by his students who learn from him.This is the
system which was in place 500 years back in India.
Desika in Thiruvaheendra puram:
After the death Sri Appullar Swami desika wanted to chant the
garuda mantra taught to him for many days without food and sleep to
receive the blessings of the divine bird Garuda on which Sri
Narayana travels. It is said in Scriptures that the Garuda is Veda
swaroopi. Desika went to Thiruvahendra puram and climbed the small
hill there and started chanting the mantra. Garuda was pleased with
the devotion of Desika and blessed him with Hayagreeva mantra and
instructed him to chant the Hayagreeva mantra continously to
receive the blessings of Haygreeva. Then Lord Hayagreeva appeared
before desika and blessed him with the nector flowing from HIS
mouth. Lord Hayagreeva took the seat of Swami Desika’s tip of the
tounge as prayed by desika. Also Hayagreeva gave an idol of himself
for desika’s daily worship. This idol or vigraha is still being
preserved in the Devanatha temple in Thiruvaheendra puram. Swami
desika composed famous Haygreeva stotram, Devanayaka panchashat in
sanskrit and achchutha shatakam in Prakriut and Mummanikkovai and
Nava mani maalai in Tamil.
Swami desika had a special liking to this divya desam and he came
once again after touring to Kanchi, Srirangam,Thiruppathi and other
shrines in North India. We will see these incidents
later.
Desika in Kanchipuram:
Sri Desika came back to Kanchipuram and composed various stotras
explaining the concept of prapatti or surrender.The stotras are
Nyasa vimshati,Nyasa dashakam and Nyasa tilakam in sanskrit and
Adaikkalappaththu and artha panchakam in Tamil.
Swami desika was mesmorised at the beauty of Varadha raja perumal
of Kanchi and composed fifty slokas on HIM.He also wrote stotras of
various perumals visiting the temples in and around Kanchi
puram.
In the Year 1317CE,in the Tamil month of AvaNi, Sri Varadha raja
perumal blessed swami desika with a son who was name as
Varadhacharya. His birth star was rohiNi which is the same as that
of Lord Krishna.His son followed the footsteps of Swami desika and
shined as his father.
Swami desika then went to Thiruppathi and here he composed the
beautiful stotra called Daya shatakam. Lord Srinivasa has blessed
swami desika conferring the title Vedantaacharya.Then swami desika
went to Badri,Ayodhdhi, kaasi,Nepal and other places in North India
on foot to visit the temples over there.
Sri Desika in Sri rangam:
All the Srivaishnava acharyas have special love to Srirangam lord
Sri Ranganatha. Sri Ramanuja stayed here for long years. Swami
desika was asked to come to Sri rangam by other acharyas, for a
debate to prove the correctness of Our sampradayam which is
strictly in accrodance with the scriptures. Swami desika came to
Srirangam and on the way he halted at Sri Perumpudhur the birth
place of Bhagavad Ramanuja and composed a stotra on Sri ramanuja to
seek his blessings to win in the debate. This slokam is called
Yatirja saptati which glorifies all our acharyas and Sri Ramanuja
in particular.
In Sri rangam the debate with schloars of other sampradayam went
for 7 days and finally Sri Desika demolished every argument of the
opponents. The scolars who have debated with Sri Desika have
accepted the defeat and become his disciples. This discussion has
been compiled as Satha dhudhaNi.
Lord Ranganatha was pleased with their beloved child Sri Desika’s
intelligence and conferred him the title of “ Vedanta Desikan” Sri
Ranga naayaki thaayaar conferred the title of “ Sarva tantra
swatantrar” which means that he is master of all arts, crafts. The
other acharyas assembled there were pleased with this and declared
that Sri desika is indeed deserved of this honorory
titles.
Swami’s visit to Melkote, Karnataka.
In the year 1327, Srirangam city was invaded by Muslims. Malik
kafur the General of Allauddin, Sultan of Delhi came to Srirangam
to rob the temple and kill the satvic devotees. Fear gripped in the
minds of every one and they afraid how to preserve the glory of the
temple. It was decided that Swami desika will travel to Karnataka
along with the manuscripts of Sri Bhashya commentry along with the
sons of Sri Sudarshana bhattar, a great acharya who wrote commentry
for Sri Bashya. Other acharyas left to Thiruppathi with the idol of
Ranganatha. The temple was closed and many bhagavathas were killed
by the brutal invaders and even Swami desika has to hide among the
corpses (dead bodies) for one night before travelling to
Karnataka.
Swami desika while at Karnataka composed a stotra called “abhithi
sthava” praying to Sri Ranganatha to restore the glory of Sri
rangam. Swami was crying for the death of many acharyas and
bhagavathas by the ruthless invaders.We can even see the place
where he stayed in Karnataka and here the vigraham of Swami desika
is unique as he is in standing posture as if he was on his toes
ever ready to travel back to Srirangam.
After 12 years when the muslims were thrown out of Srirangam Swami
desika came back to Srirangam.
Back at Srirangam:
Swami came to srirangam and it was time for yearly utsavams when
the entire divya prabandham will be recited in 20 days. The first
ten days the utsavam is in the day and the next 10 days in the
night. Since this utsavam was stopped for many years due to Muslim
invasion, the orthodox people objected to recitation of Divya
prabandham since it is in Tamil and only Sanskrit vedas should be
recited. They also objected to install vigrahas of Azhvars because
they were just human beings and many of them were not even
Brahmins. Swami desika argued with them at length proving that the
divya prabandham is nothing but the essence of Vedas and Upanishads
and the Azhvars are great devotees of Sriman Narayana and they are
fit to be worshipped in side the temple. Finally the orthodox
devotees agreed with Sri Desika and the utsavam has been celebrated
in a grand manner. Swami was pained to see the objections and to
make sure no such problems in the future he has got the details of
the utsavam written in a stone and installed in the temple. Sri
Ranganatha was pleased with this and commended that the Thaniyan
glorifying swami desika “Ramanuja daya patram..” should be recited
every day in the temple before starting the prabandham
recitation.
While at Sri rangam swami has composed the famous Bhagavad dyana
sopanam glorifying the beauty of the Sriranganatha from the feet to
the head. This stotra is like Amalanaadhi piran of
Thiruppaanaazhvar.
Some vidhwans challenged that whether swami desika can compose 1000
hymns in praise of Lord Ranganatha in one day. Swami has accepted
the challenge and he prayed to Ranganatha to bless him to compose
1000 stotras and the Lord has commended that sri Desika should
compose the stotra on the Divine Sandals (padhukas). Swami did not
write anything in the day as he was busy in teaching etc and in the
night also he slept till 4 O’clock in the morning. Then he started
writting down the stotras and in less than 3 hours he has composed
1008 stotras on the padhukas. Even a fast recital of the entire
stotras will take more than 6 hours and swami has composed them in
such a short time since he was “Kavitarkika simham” which means
lion among the poets.
Swami at Srivilliputtur:
Swami desika went on a pilgrammage to South and visited many divya
desams in Kerala and Madurai and while he was at Srivilliputtur he
has composed the famous Godha sthuthi. Swami had special bhakthi to
Andal and this stotram glorifies Andal.She has commended that this
stotra should be recited during her utsavam along with divya
prabandham.
Swami’s Vairagyam:
Some of the local people in Kachipuram felt bad that a great master
like Sri Desika is doing uncha vrutti ie begging for grains. They
thought of mixing gold coins along with rice and offered him since
Desika won’t accept money or Gold if given separately. Sri Desika
did not notice this trick and came home and gave the rice to his
wife for making prasadam. She is also a simple maiden and never
seen gold coins in her life.She called Desika and asked what the
glittering coins are. Swami desika was suprised at this and told
her that they are vermins and separated them by a dharpa grass, as
he did not even want to touch the gold coins.
One of Swami desika’s friend (Vidyaranya) during their school days
became the minister of Vijayanagara kingdom. He heard about the
poverty of Sri Desika and wanted to help him.So he has sent in a
message asking desika to come to the Kingdom to receive gifts from
the king.Swami desika has refused to this request and sent him the
reply in a poem called Vairagya panchakam.
Swami’s bhakthi:
Once a young boy wanted some money for his marriage and approched
the wealthy people in Kanchipuram.They were jealous of Sri desika’s
simplicity and not seeking any financial help from them. Just to
embarraas our swami they have told that only desika can give lots
of money because he is rich.The boy did not know the evil intention
of the jealous people and went to swami desika for financial help.
We all know that desika is not having any money but he took the
young boy to the Thayar sannidhi and started reciting Sri Stuthi
and lo and behold..
It has started raining and rain of gold coins from the sky. Swami
desika thanked the thayar for her mercy and told the boy to take as
much he wants and he did not take any coin for himself. The jealous
people were shocked at this incident and came running to seek the
pardon of swami desika.
Once a snake charmer came and challenged desika that whether he can
control his poisonous snakes and sri desika drew a chalk line on
the ground and recited some mantra. None of the snake could cross
over the line drawn by swami but one ferocious snake crossed over
to harm swami.Sri Desika recited the Garuda mantra and instantly
Garuda came and took away all the snakes. The Snake Charmer begged
to swami desika to give back his snakes since it is the only lively
hood of him. Swami desika again prayed to Garuda and it brought the
snakes again.
One magician confronted with swami and drank the water from the
pond. With his magic he made swami’s stomach to bulge as the
magician drank water from the pond. Swami was feeling extreme pain
and understood the reason quickly. Desika just scratched the pillar
near by with his fingernails and the water flowed out of the
pillar. The magician was astonished with the super magic of Desika
and begged his pardon.
Swami Desika as Sarva tantra (Master of all arts,
crafts):
There are many incidents in Swami desika’s life which prove that he
is not just an acharya or poet.He was well versed with many other
crafts and the following three incidents prove this
point.
Once a mason challenged swami desika whether he can construct a
well with the bricks supplied by him. Swami desika accepted the
challenge and the mason gave broken and irregular shaped bricks to
swami but he nicely arranged them and finished the well
construction. This well is still existing in
Thiruvahendrapuram.
Once a sculptor challenged swami whether he can make an idol of
himself and fitted in the pedastal that was made by the sculptor.
Swami made an idol and the sculptor tried to fix it in the pedastal
and could not do so.He thought that the idol was wrong and tried to
chisel some part of the idol to fix it. Blood flowed out of
desika’s corresponding part of the body where he chiseled out. The
sculptor accepted that the pedastal is of wrong size and then swami
desika corrected the pedastal and installed the idol on it. This
image is even today available in Thiruvahendara puram.
Once a shoe maker challenged that whether desika can mend his
sandal and swami accepted this challenge and to every one’s
surprise he made the sandal quickly as if he was a original shoe
maker.People are astonished at swami desika’s knowledge in various
crafts.
Swami’s last days:
Swami desika lived 101 years and he felt the time has come for him
to go the spritual abode of Narayana. He went to Sriranganatha and
took his permission. His disciples and his son were feeling the
pain of his separation and cried. Swami desika consoled them and
instructed them to continue their divine works and follow the
ramanuja dharshanam. In the year 1369 he kept his head in the lap
of his son Kumara varadhachariar and left his mortal coil while
listening to the chanting of thiruvaymozhi and
Upanishads.
Later Sri Ranganayaki thayar ordered that a sannidhi should be made
for Swami desika close to her sannidhi inside the temple. Also it
is believed that she ordered that no other acharya sannidhi will be
made hereafter inside the temple as a mark of respect to this great
acharya, which is being followed to this day.One can see the
desikan sannidhi in front of the thaayaar sannidhi in
Srirangam.
Thaniyans on Swami desika:
A number of 'Thanians ' (laudatory dedication verses) were
dedicated to him.
(1) His son Kumara Varadacharya has composed a thaniyan on swami
desika. We are reciting this thaniyan before reciting any sanskrit
stotra of swami desikan.
"Sriman Venkata Natharyah Kavitarkika Kesari |
Vedantacharya Varyo Mey Sannidhattam Sadaa Hridhi ||"
The meaning of this verse is” "the great lion of poets and the
great preceptor of Vedanta (that Swami Venkatanatha was) should
reside in his heart always."
(2) Another one was by his disciple Brahma Tantra Swatantra which
says:-
"Ramanuja Daya Patram Gnana Vairaghya Bushanam |
Srimad Venkata Natharyam Vande Vedanta Desikam ||"
We recite this taniyan before starting divya prabandham.The meaning
of this taniyan is "I salute the great Venkata Natha also called
Vedanta Acharya and Lion among poets and logicians and who was well
adorned by both Knowledge and discretion and who well deserved the
grace of Srimad Ramanuja":
(3) There is another taniyan on Swami Desika which is recited
before reciting any of the desika prabandham
"Seeronru Tooppul Thiruvenkata mudaiyan
par onra chonna pazhamozhiyul- OronRu
thane amaiyadhO Dharaniyil Vazhvorkku
Vanerap PomaLavum Vazhvu ||"
The meaning of this taniyan is " For a person who desires to ascend
up to the Heavens, even a single statement of the great Acharya,
Tooppul Tiuvenkadamudaiyan (Vedanta Desika) uttered by him for the
benefit of humanity would be sufficient to lift him up to his
desired goal
Conclusion:
Swami desika was a poet, philosopher, logician and he took the task
of upholding the concepts preached by Sri.Ramanuja. It is because
of him the Ramanuja dharshanam is being recogonised by the world.
Even the critics of Swami desika have suprised at his knowledge and
logical reasoning and praise him for his masterey in every form of
work be it drama, poetry or commentry in either Tamil, Sanskrit and
Mani pravala.It is told that he was proficient in 8
languages.
No acharya among the followers of Sri Ramanuja fought for the
rightful place for Divya prabandham as did swami desika. It was he
who re established the recitation of divya prabanhdam in Srirangam
and other temples.
Swami desika has composed more than 100 works and even if one wants
to read all of them it will take more than 100 years. His Sanskrit
is considered to be most sweet only after to Maha kavi
Kalidasa.
His Tamil prabandhams are equally sweet and he has brough the
essence of Vedas to his simple Tamil prabandhams and translated the
tamil pranbadham Tiruvaymozhi to sanskrit.
Let us pray to this great acharya and seek his blessings to read
and understand his works/Storas, which will be the most pleasing
kaimkaryam to Perumal and Thayar.
To name swAmi dESika's unparalleled and unsurpassed works (SrI
sUktis),
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VEdanta granantams
sESwara mImAmsa
SatadhUshaNi
adhikaraNa sArAvaLi
tattva tIka
nyAya pariSuddhi
nyAya sidhdAnjanam
tattva muktA kalApam
nikshEpa raksha
saccharitra raksha
vaditraya khaNDanam
dramidOpanishath tAtparya ratnAvaLi
dramidOpanishath sAram
vyAkyA grantams
chatuSSlOki bhAshyam
stOtra (ratna) bhAshyam
rahasya raksha
gItArtha sangraha raksha
tAtparya chandrikA
ISAvAsya-upanishad bhAshyam
sarvArtha sidhdi
adhikaraNa darpaNam
nAtaka grantam
sankalpa sUryOdayam
kAviya grantams
SubhAshita nIvI
yAdavAbyudayam
pAdukA sahasram
hamSa sandESam
anushTAna grantams
bhagavath AarAdhana vidhi
yagnyOpavIta pratishTA
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Rahasya grantams
sampradAya pariSudhdi
tattva padavI
rahasya padavI
tattva navanItam
rahasya navanItam
tattva mAtrukA
rahasya mAtrukA
tattva sandESam
rahasya sandESam
rahasya sandESa vivaraNam
tattva ratnAvaLi
tattva ratnAvaLi pratipAdya sangraham
rahasya ratnAvaLi
rahasya ratnAvaLi hrudayam
tattva traya chulakam
rahasya traya chulakam
abhaya pradAna sAram
rahasya SikhAmaNi
anjali vaibhavam
pradAna Satakam
upahAra sangraham
sAra sangraham
muni vAhana bhOgam
madhura kavi hrudayam
paramapada sOpAnam
paramatha bhangam
hastigiri mAhAtmyam
SrImath rahasya traya sAram
sAra sAram
virOdha parihAram
nigama parimaLam
tirumudi adaivu
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Tamizh prabandams
amruta ranjani
adhikAra sangraham
amrutAswAdini
parama pada sOpAnam
para matha bhangam
mei-virata mAnmiyam
adaikalappattu
aruttapanchakam
SrI vaishNava dinachari
tirucchinnamAlai
panniru nAmam
tiru-mantra churukku
dwaya churukku
charama SlOka churukku
gItArtha sangraham
mumkaNi kOvai
nava maNi mAlai
pantu
kazhal
ammAnai
Uusal
Eesal
prabanda sAram
AahAra niyamam
StOtra grantams
SrI hayagrIva stOtram
daSavatAra stOtram
bhagavath dyAna sOpAnam
gOpAla vimSati
SrI stuti
bhU stuti
gOdA stuti
nyAsa daSakam
dayA Satakam
abhIti stavam
dEva nAyaka panchASath
varadarAja panchASath
yatOktakAri stOtram
ashTabhujAshTakam
kAmASikAshTakam
paramArtha stuti
SaraNAgati dIpikA
acchyuta Satakam
dEhaLISa stuti
nyAsa tilakam
mahA vIra vaibhavam
sudarSanAshTakam
shOdasAyuda stOtram
garuda dandakam
garuda panchASath
yatirAja saptati
vairAgya panchakam
nyAsa vimSati
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