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.

16 Mar 2012

Slokam 60

mR^idu hR^idaye daye mR^idita kaama hite mahite
dhR^ita vibudhe budheShu vitataatma dhure madhure.
vR^iShagiri saarvabhauma dayite mayi te mahatIM
bhavuka nidhe nidhehi bhavamUla haraaM laharIm.h..60

(MEANING):

Oh Dayaa Devi! You have a tender heart (Mrudhu hrudhayE!). You will not put up with even the smallest sufferings of those, who have performed Prapatthi at Your sacred feet. You protect the DevAs (dhrutha viBhudhE!) and grant them their desired wishes. You shower Your blessings on those, who have conquered their desires and are filled with VairAgyam (mrudhitha-kaama hithE!). You grant them the everlasting bliss of Moksham, when they perform their Prapatthi. You direct these VairAgyasAlis to SadAchAryAs to prepare them for Moksham (BhudhEshu vitatha Athma dhurE!). You hand over this responsibility to knowledgeable SadAchAryAs. They perform upadEsams on Sath SampradhAyam, initiate them into the knowledge about the three Tatthvams, three rahasyams and arTa panchakam. These SadAchAryAs at Your command grow the desire for Moksham in these BhAgyasAlis. Finally, they perform Prapatthi for them at the sacred feet of Your Lord, who is very pleased with the help that You have provided through His SadAchAryAs. You become very dear to Him for these reasons. Oh Dayaa Devi! You are the abode of all auspiciousness (bhavukanidhi). You are a delight to the chEthanams (Madhuram) because You bless them with all soubhAgyams. You are hailed by all (mahithE!). Oh Devi! Please drench adiyEn with Your huge waves that tear apart the root of the tree of SamsAram, which keeps on growing. All the visEshaNams (Qualifiers) that Swamy Desikan used here are equally applicable to SadAchAryans.
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