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 31

ashithila karaNe.asmin.h axata shvaasa vR^ittau
vapuShi gamana yogye vaasam.h aasaadayeyam.h.
vR^iShagiri kaTakeShu vya~njayatsu pratItaiH
madhu mathana daye tvaaM vaari dhaaraa visheShaiH.. 31

(MEANING):

The key words in this slOkam are: “DayE! Vrushagiri kaDakEshu vaasam AasadhayEyam” (May I be blessed to live in the foothills of ThiruvEnkatam). The prayer is to Dayaa Devi. The prayer is to get to live there, while the limbs are strong and the PrANa vaayu is flowing well. If they are not in tact, it will be difficult even to climb the hills and get to the foot hills to live there at ThiruvEnkatam and enjoy the sevai to the Lord. There are many water falls in Thirumalaa and when adiyEn looks at them, it makes me wonder, whether their abundant flow is due to the flood of mercy that you represent. The water falls remind Swamy Desikan of the copious flow of the KaruNaa of Dayaa Devi.

(COMMENTS):

Swamy Desikan’s prayer is to get to live in the foot hills of ThiruvEnkatam, while his sareeram is supported by firm limbs (asmin vapushE aSiTila karaNE), his breathing and flow of oxygen is in good shape (akshatha svAsa vrutthou) and he is able to walk without difficulty (gamana yOgYe). He addresses this prayer to land in Thiruvenkatam hills to the divine consort of Madhusoodhanan (Madhu MaTana DayE).

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