Sri Swami Desikan's Thirunakshatram

 

Today is Vijaya Dasami and also the avathara dinam of Sri Swami Vedanta Desikan. The Mahanavami day is celebrated by Sri Vaishnavas by worshipping Lord Hayagreeva. Is it a wonder that Sri Swami Vedanta Desikan’s thirunakshatram coincides with Vijaya Dasami day after the worship of Swami’s ishta deivam Sri Hayagreeva Perumal!
I am sharing a short post on Sri Swami Vedanta Desikan based on the Thiruppavai Upanyasams by HH Thirukkudanthai Srimath Andavan and Sri U.Ve NadAdur Villur KaruNAkarAcchAr Swamy.
Elle ilam kiliye innam urangudhiyo
chil enru azhaiyen min nangaiyeer podharuginren
vallai un katturaigal pande un vaay aridhum
valleergal neengale naane thaan aayiduga
ollai nee podhaay unakkenna verudaiyai
ellaarum pondhaaro pondhaar pondhu ennikkol
val aanai konraanai maatraarai maatrazhikka
vallaanai maayanai paadelor embaavaay
Who is this parrot awakened by Nachiar in this pasuram? Most people would say it is Sri Thirumangai Azhwar but, this pasuram also makes reference to Swami Desikan; the parrot in the hand of Goda Piratti. The 15th Thiruppavai pasuram is suitable for Swami Vedanta Desikan as he is the only Acharyan who composed Achyutha Satakam in Nayika Bhavam like the Azhwars.
Swami Desikan has referred to himself as the parrot in many of his Sri Sukthis. In Srimad Rahasya Traya Saaram, Swami Desikan states that his acharyans trained him in the same manner in which parrots are trained to say Bagawath Naamam like “Ranga”. Swami Desikan is the incarnation of Lord Srinivasa, the divine bell and Swami Ramanuja. Despite being a prodigy who did not have to study to imbibe knowledge, Swami Desikan was the epitome of acharya bakthi. It was this devotion to his acharyans which made him think of himself as a parrot in the hand of his acharyans.
He once again compares himself to a parrot in the Devanayaka Panchasat slokam.
SamrakshaNIyam amarAdhipathE Thvayaivam
dhUram prayAthamapi dhusthyajya-gADabandham
aakrushtavAnasi BhavAn anukampamAna:
soothrAnubhaddha sakuni-kramatha: Svayam mAm

Swami says, like the owner of a parrot who tied a long rope to the parrot's leg before letting it fly away so that it may think it is free but pulls the rope to bring the bird home when it has reached the end of its tether, Lord Devanayaka has pulled Swami towards him. Swami Desikan states that even though he wishes to leave, he is unable to because he is attracted by Lord Devanayaka.
Swami has not only called himself a parrot but he also states that he is a “balan” in Daya Shatakam.
Vedanta-Desika-pade vinivesya baalam
Devo Daya-satakam etat avaadayat maam
Vaihaarikena vidhinaa samaye grheetam
Veenaa-viseshamiva Venkata sailanathah
Swami Desikan states in the above slokam that he is only a child and whatever slokams he has sung are words made to come out of him by Lord Srinivasa. If someone plays the veena, is the credit given to the musician or the veena?
Swami Desikan is the ilam kili – the baby parrot. The following anecdote about child Desikan also shows him as the young parrot. At around the age of five, Swami Desikan wished to accompany Sri Apullar to attend the kalakshepam of Sri Nadadoor Ammal. Sri Apullar arrived at the venue with Swami Desikan a little after the kalakshepam had started. Sri Nadadoor Ammal paused to inquire about the child. After a few minutes when he had to continue with the kalakshepam he couldn’t recall the verse he should continue with. None of the other disciples gathered there could recall the verse either and to everyone’s amazement, child Desikan mentioned the last verse Sri Nadadoor Ammal had uttered before taking a break. Sri Nadadoor Ammal blessed Swami Desikan and proclaimed that he will be a great Vedanthacharya. Sri Nadadoor Ammal blessed him saying that ‘Pratishtapita Vedaantah Prati- Kshipta Bahir Mathaa Bhooyaah Traividyaa Maanyas Tvam Bhoori Kalyaana Bhaajanam’. The above verse meant that Swami Desikan would establish the Vedanta Shastras, remove the doubts sown by atheists and people trying to twist the meaning of the Vedas and that Swami Desikan would be revered by the Vedic Scholars who have learnt the three Vedas.
Sri Swami Desikan’s magnum opus was Srimath Rahasya Traya Saram. Sri Swami Desikan also composed the Sri Ranganatha Paduka Sahasram a grantham with 1008 slokams in the last quarter of the night. There are 32 Paddhathis in this grantham and the Chitra Paddhathi especially highlights the genious of Sri Swami Desikan. Those who are interested can view the following animations on a few Chitra Paddhathi slokams; Knight’s tour problem, Garuda Gathi, 16 Petalled Lotus

https://youtu.be/qFLI830n3Kc animation of Garuda Gathi
animation of slokam 939 16 and 8 petal lotus https://youtu.be/LskOnvJm3tM and https://youtu.be/mcaYGSjq54g
animation of chitra padhathi slokam 929 and 930, solution to Knight’s Tour chess board Problem problem https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ro5ht1GERc...
Below is slokam 936 from Sri Ranganatha Paduka Sahasram.
यायायायायायायाया यायायायायायायाया
यायायायायायायाया यायायायायायायाया
யாயாயாயாயாயாயாயா யாயாயாயாயாயாயாயா
யாயாயாயாயாயாயாயா யாயாயாயாயாயாயாயா
The beauty of this slokam is that it is composed entirely of only one letter! The letter या யா is repeated 32 times. It is a very easy slokam to memorise for people like me!
Short meaning a translation of HH Therazhundur Srimath Andavan’s commentary is given below. Will cover the details of this slokam in a subsequent post.
I pray to Lord Ranganatha’s paduka that ruled the Kingdom of Ayodhya while Lord Rama was sojourning in the forest, that Paduka that confers gnanam and auspiciousness, that paduka that destroys our enemies, that Paduka that helps us to unite with Perumal to protect us.