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 39

parimita phala sa~Ngaat.h praaNinaH kiMpachaanaa
nigama vipaNi madhye nitya muktaanuShaktam.h.
prasadanaM anukampe praaptavatyaa bhavatyaa
vR^iShagiri harinIlaM vya~njitaM nirvishanti.. 39

(MEANING):

Oh Dayaa Devi! Vedam is like a big bazaar. All items are available there. The chEthanams desire to acquire items at the bazaar that is appropriate for their intellect. Those with limited knowledge would concentrate on mastering the vedic sections dealing with insignificant phalans for their use. You take pity on them and become concerned about them staying away from sections dealing with the way to gain the lofty fruits of Moksham as opposed to focusing on the sections that yield alpa phalans. Out of Your Dayaa guNam, You turn their attention to the sections describing the ways to attain Moksha sukham. The visitors to that market comprehends now the power of Moksham and turn their efforts to practise the upAyams designed by the Vedam to gain Moksham. Dayaa Devi! You instruct these aspirants (Mumukshus) that the One identified by the VedAs (Veda PrathipAdhyan) is the Supreme Being standing on top of ThiruvEnkatam hills. The aspirants now enjoy the Indhraneelarathnam, ThiruvEnkadamudayAn. It is only because of Your compassion that the consumers in the Vedic bazaar transformed their gaze away from their search for insignificant goals (Parimitha Phalan) and pursue instead the lofty MokshOpAyams (aparimitha phalan). Youtake them as it were by hand in the Vedic bazaar and have a guided tour to point out the particular Vedic items that yield lasting phalans.
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