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.

13 Mar 2012

Slokam 71

trividha chidachitsattaasthema pravR^itti niyaamikaa
vR^iShagiri vibhorichchhaa saa tvaM parairaparaahataa.
kR^ipaNa bharabhR^it.h ki~NkurvaaNa prabhuuta guNaantaraa
vahasi karuNe vaichaxaNyaM madIxaNa saahase..71

(MEANING):

Oh Dayaa DEvi! There are three kinds of chEthanams (the nithya samsAris, the liberatedones and the nithya Sooris) and achEthanams (Prakruthy, Kaalam and Suddha Sathtvam). The inherent nature (Svaroopam/ Satthaa) of these three kinds of ChEthanams and achEthanams, their sustenance (sthEma) as well as their vyApAram (Pravrutthi) are ordained by You. You are their niyAmikai (Commander). Your sankalpam cannot be interrupted by anyone (Parai: aparAhathaa). Those who recognize their powerlessness to undertake Bhakthi yOgam for Moksham choose Prapatthi yOgam. You take full responsibility to protect those helpless ones performing Prapatthi with full trust in You as their saviour. All the other kalyANa guNams of the Lord consider You as their great queen and serve You with joy (KimkurvANa prabhUtha guNAntharA:). You are ThiruvengadamudayAn’s icchA sakthi. In the form of Dayaa Devi, You do not worry about the fruits of Your action and engage in chasing away the sorrows of the suffering chEthanams. With all these vaibhavams, You engage in a daring act. You overlook my fierce sins and cast Your auspicious glances on adiyEn (math yeekshana saahasE vahasi) and accept my humble prapatthi to save me. This kind of daring act without concern for the consequences cannot be initiated by anyone else. This demonstrates Your unique SaamarTyam (VaichakshaNyam)!
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