INTRODUCTION

This stotram celebrates the auspicious quality (Kalyana Guna) of Mercy (Dayaa) of the Lord of Thiruvenkatam. Of All the Kalyana Gunaas of Venkataadhri Sekhara Vibhu, His Dayaa is the most important one for the uplift of the Chetanaas. The concept of Prapatthi and Thiruvenkatamudayaan’s Dayaa to realize the fruits of that Prapatthi is the subject of Sri Venkatanatha Kavi in this “Satakam”.

The structure of this stotram containing 108 slokas (one for each of the Divya Desa Archaa Murthys of Sriman Narayana perhaps) is extraordinarily impressive even by Swami Desikan’s standards of poetic excellence. Our Acharya has used ten plus different meters to compose the ten groups of slokas, each of which houses “ ten” slokas. The numbers of slokas and their poetic meters are as follows:

1. Slokaas 1-10: Anushtup meter
2. Slokaas 11-20: Aryaa meter
3. Slokaas 21-30: Oupacchandhasikam
4. Slokaas 31-40: Maalini
5. Slokaas 41-50: Mandhaakraanthaa
6. Slokaas 51-60: Nathkutakam
7. Slokaas 61-70: SikariNi
8. Slokaas 71-80: HariNi
9. Slokaas 81-90: Pruthvee
10. Slokaas 91-104: Vasantha Tilakaa
11. Slokaas 105& 106: Maalini again
12. Slokaas 107& 108: Sardhoola Vikriditham

In the tradition of Sri Sriraama DesikAcchAr Swamy, each set of the ten slokas have the essence of the ten Patthus of Thiruvaimozhi of Nammazhwaar.

According to this tradition, every set of ten reveals a particular meaning, which together covers the Ananatha KalyaaNa GuNams of the Lord of Thiruvenkatam. The ten meanings associated with the ten sets of ten slokas have been summarized by Srirama Desikaacchaar Swamy this way:

1. The Lord of Thiruvenkatam is the one, who can give Mokshaanugraham.
2. He comprehends everything and He is capable of carrying out whatever He chooses to do.
3. He destroys the enemies of those, who surrender unto Him and thereby seek His help.
4. He is the means for attaining ALL worthwhile goals.
5. He is the fruit of ALL worthwhile endeavours.
6. He can be reached easily thru the glorious means of Prapatthi.
7. He will rush to the help of the lowest and the highest with same speed, when they appeal to Him sincerely for help.
8. He is the Supreme Principle standing on top of Thiruvenkatam.
9. He is the one, who took the incarnations of Rama and Krishna.
10. He is the one, who can offer the happiness associated with Moksha right here on this earth.

Swami Desikan goes on to describe in detail the Anantha Kalyana Gunaas of Sriman Narayana in his Taatparya RatnaavaLi and Dramidopanishad Saaram. He is thus paying his tribute to Nammazhwaar’s Thiruvaimozhi in all of these three works. We will illustrate the ten essential meanings of Daya Satakam in the subsequent sections as revealed by Srirama Desikaacchaar Swamy in the tradition of his Achaarya, Navaneetham Krishnamaacchaar Swamy of Oppiliappan Koil.

17 Mar 2012

Slokam 1

1: SALUTATION TO THE THIRUMALA

prapadhye taM giriM praayaH shrInivaasaanukampayaa.
ixu saara sravantyeva yanmuurtyaa sharkaraayitam.h..1

(MEANING):

adiyEn seeks as refuge that sacred hill of ThiruvEnkatam, which has its origin from the flow of the river of Dayaa of the Lord (SrinivAsa anukampA); that nectarine flow constituted by the sweet sugar cane juice of Lord’s KaruNaa got crystallized and has become the veritable hill of Thiruvenkatam.

(COMMENTS):

The limitless, never ceasing Dayaa of Lord SrinivAsan of ThiruvEnkatam flows as a flood towards those, who sought His protection through the performance of SaraNAgathi. This flood of Dayaa is like the rapid flow of a river of sugar cane juice. It is but natural for the cane sugar juice to densify and become sugar first and rock candy next. Similarly, the ceaseless pravAham of the Lord’s delectable guNam of Dayaa densifies to become the most enjoyable hill of ThiruvEnkatam. Quite often, poets equate the abode of the Lord with the Lord Himself and His kalyANa guNams. Swamy Desikan follows this path shown by KurEsar, who saluted and offered his Prapatthi to the hills of ThirumAlirum ChOlai, where Lord Sundara Baahu resides. The Dayaa (KaruNaa) guNam is superior to all the auspicious guNams of the Lord.Swamy Desikan visualizes the embodiment of this KaruNa guNam taking the shape as the hills of Thirumala. The KaruNaa guNam of the Lord is the most superior guNam because it forgives all the insufferable trespasses of the Jeevans. This is the noble guNam that grants all the desired wishes of the chEthanams. This guNam flows like a river in flood and drenches the adiyArs with its anugraham. It is firm and resolute like a mountain. AdiyEn performs my Prapatthi to the embodiment of the Lord’s KaruNaa, Thirumalai. The key words of this slOkam are: “Tamm Girim PrapadhyE”.
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