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Swamy Desikan’s Dayaa Sathakam Slokams 41 to 60 and Meaning

SLOKAM 41:

aaj~naaM khyaatiM dhanamanucharaan.h aadhi raajyaadikaM vaa
kaale dhriShTvaa kamala vasater apyaki~nchit.h karaaNi.
padmaa kaantaM praNihitavatIM paalane.ananya saadhye
saaraabhij~naa jagati kritinaH saMshrayante daye tvaam.h..41

MEANING:

The key words in this slOkam are: “DayE! Jagathi Saara abhij~naa: kruthina: ananya saadhyE paalanE PadhmA Kaantham PraNihithavatheem ThvAm SamSrayanthE” (Oh Dayaa Devi! In this world, the fortunate ones with discriminating intellects seek refuge in You, who has appointed Lord SrinivAsan to engage in the act of protection, which is beyond the reach of all the dEvAs).

COMMENTS:

Oh DayA Devi! Brahma Devan’s position is a lofty one. He creates all beings and is the Lord of all ANDams. He is higher in rank than Siva and IndhrA. Brahman arose out of the Lord’s navel. His orders reach everywhere. He has great vaibhavam, riches and retinue. There is however a limit to all these glories of Brahma Devan. He performed austere penance, accumulated PuNyams and became eligible for this lofty rank. Once these PuNyams are exhausted, He takes on the next birth because He is a Karma Vasyan. Even while BrahmA was reigning, the asurAs stole the VedAs from Him and Your Lord as HayagrIvan had to rescue them and return them to BrahmA to continue with His assigned work of creation. If this is the helpless lot of BrahmA, we can guess the powerlessness of the other DevAs subservient to BrahmA. In this world, even the greatest of glories wane away with time. They are all asArams (not lasting and hence insignificant). VivEkis comprehend these unstable nature of these Vaibhavams Therefore, the VivEkis seek Your refuge. Why So ? No one other than Bhagavaan can protect this world. You order Lord SrinivAsa and Periya PirAtti (MahA Lakshmi) to assume the responsibilities of protection of the world and its beings. Empowered by You, Your Lord engages in the act of protection. The VivEkis understand this tatthvam. They seek Your refuge to gain everlasting MokshAnandham.

SLOKAM 42 :

prajaapatya prabhriti vibhavaM prexya paryaaya duHkhaM
janmaa kaa~Nxan.h vriShagiri vane jagmuShaaM tasthuShaaM vaa.
aashaasaanaaH katichana vibhostvat.h pariShva~Nga dhanyaiH
angIkaaraM xaNamapi daye haarda tu~Ngai rapaa~Ngai..42

MEANING:

The key words here are : “DayE! Kathichana Vrusha Giri vanE jagmushAm tasthushAm vaa janam AkAnkshan” ( Oh DayA Devi! some MahA VivEkis and Parama BhakthAs want to exist as stationary or mobile beings in the forests of Your Lord at Thirumala). Why would they (Brahma Jn~Anis like KulasEkhara AzhwAr) want such a status to be a tree or fish at ThirumalA and long for it?

It is because they are fully aware of the impermanence of the wealth of BrahmA, IndhrA and the kings of this world. They also know that these wealth and glories only end up in sorrow and is fraught with sufferings (Brahma losing the VedAs and Indhran being attacked by the asurAs). Therefore, the minds of these Brahma Jn~Anis do not hanker after these alpa sukhams and asArams. They wish to be born in Thirumala hills and dales as a river, tree, bird etc. To them the blessings of such a birth is superior to the glories of Brahma pattam. Their reasoning is that the Lord’s affectionate glances might fall on them some time along with those of Yourself (DayA Devi’s). The goal of being blessed with Both of Your KrupA KaDAksham is the driving force for their desire to be born in any form at Thirumala.

SLOKAM 43:

naabhi padma sphuraNa subhagaa navya nIlotpalaabhaa
krIDaa shailaM kamapi karuNe vriNvatI ve~NkaTaakyam.h.
shItaa nityaM prasadanavatii shraddadhaanaavagaahyaa
divyaa kaachijjayati mahatI dIrghikaa taavakInaa.. 43

MEANING:

Here, Swamy Desikan compares DayA Devi to be a cool pond in the body of the Lord of ThiruvEnkatam, which quells the heat of samsAric sufferings. Oh DayA Devi! The hills of ThiruvEnkatam exist as a sporting arena for You as the Queen of the Lord of Thirumala. In these hills, the Lord’s auspicious body shines as a clear, cool pond for your bathing comfort. In that pond, the naabhi kamalam (Navel lotus) stands up distinctly. The waters of the pond are of a bluish-black color (ShyAmaLa hue) reflecting the beautiful complexion of Your Lord. The darsanam of that ThirumEni of Your Lord is delectable to enjoy. It is a feast to the eyes of His bhakthAs. This fatigue removing pond to ward off the heat of the summer of SamsAram matches Your glories and is resplendent at Thirumala.

SLOKAM 44:

yasmin.h driShTe taditara sukhair.h gamyate goShpadatvaM
satyaM j~naanaM tribhiravadhibhir.h muktamaananda sindhum.h.
tvat.h svIkaaraat.h tamiha kritinaH sUri brindaanu bhaavyam.h
nityaa pUrvaM nidhimiva daye nirvishant.h ya~njanaadrau.. 44

MEANING:

The key words here are : “DayE! Aanandha Sindhum Tamm Thvath sveekArAth, kruthina: iha Anjanaadhrou nidhimiva nirviSanthy” (Oh Dayaa Devi! The fortunate ones enjoy Your Lord, the Ocean of bliss, in this world as a treasure since You have accepted Him as Your Lord). His svaroopam does not ever change. For Him. there is no change in form like insentients; there is no change in SvabhAvam as in the case of the sentients. His svarooppam will also shine as the embodiment of Jnanam.

We can not pin point Him as being limited to desa, Kaala, Vasthu parameters. He is present at all times in all things and forms. He is of the form of limitless bliss. The eternally liberated jeevans (nithya sooris) and the Muktha Jeevans enjoy Him without let. However long one enjoys Him, He is insatiable and appears in newer and newer forms. When one enjoys Him, all the other sukhams will be insignificant. The comparison is between the vastness of the Ocean and the water collected in a cavity formed by a cow’s hoof is appropriate, when one recalls the bliss of enjoying the Lord and other sukhams. Oh Dayaa Devi! You should graciously catalyze our enjoyment of Your Lord. When You accept us the chEthanams, then we become BhAgyasAlis. Such blessed ones enjoy the Lord as their treasure at Thirumala with Your help.

SLOKAM 45:

saaraM labdhvaa kamapi mahataH shrInivaasaamburaasheH
kaale kaale ghana rasavati kaalikevaanukampe.
vyakton.h meShaa mrigapati girau vishvam.h aapyaayayantI
shIlopaj~naM xarati bhavati shItalaM sadguNaugham.h..45

MEANING:

The key words here are: “AnukampE! mahatha: SrinivAsa amburAsE: kamapi saaram labdhvA kaalE kaalE Seela upaj~nam SeethaLam sath guNa Ogam ksharathy” (Oh Dayaa Devi! You have drawn from the essence of the vast ocean of the Lord and are generating in a timely manner the flood of sathguNams like Souseelyam. You are like the rain bearing cloud that derives its moisture from the vast ocean of mercy (Your Lord) and drench the world with life sustaining floods of auspicious attributes like Souseelyam, Soulabyam, Vaathsalyam et al. You make sure that these kalyANa guNams of the Lord become accessible to the chEthanams. The chEthanams get nourished from Your dayA pravAham and become rejuvenated.

SLOKAM 46:

bhIme nityaM bhava jalanidhau majjataaM maanavaanaam.h
aalambaarthaM vriShagiripatis.h tvannideshaat.h prayu~Nkte.
praj~naa saaraM prakriti mahataa mUla bhaagena jUShTaM
shaakhaa bhedaiH subhagamanaghaM shaashvataM shaastrapaaNim.h..46

MEANING:

Oh Dayaa DEvi! Your Lord stretches His hand in the form of Saasthram as support for the ChEthanams, who are always drowning in the dangerous ocean of SamsAram (Vrushagiri Pathi: bheemE bhava jalanidhou nithyam majjathAm mAnavAnAm AalampArtham Saasthra pANim prayunkthE).

He stretches His beautiful, ever present and blemishless hand at Your command (Praj~nA sAram, subhagam, anagam, Saasvatham Saasthra PaaNim Thvath nisEdhAth prayunkthE). He extends His auspicious hand, gets hold of them and lifts them out of the miserable ocean of SamsAram and places them at the abode of His safe feet. That hand of Your Lord has many glories. It is Veda saaram and is of the form of OmkAram and the manthrams of all SaakhAs. When one holds on to that hand, recite the Veda Manthrams, comprehend their meanings, follow the instructions, perform Prapatthi, they get release from SamsAram and enjoy Moksha Sukham.

SLOKAM 47:

vidvat.h sevaa kataka nikaShair.h vIta pa~NkaashayaanaaM
padmaa kaantaH praNayati daye darppaNaM te sva shaastram.h.
lIlaa daxaaM tvadanavasare laalayan.h vipra lipsaaM
maayaa shaastraaNyapi damayituM tvat.h prapanna pratIpaan.h..47

MEANING:

Oh Dayaa Devi! Your Lord blesses us with Bhagavath Saasthrams like PaancharAthram as source material to help us understand the cryptic Veda Mantrams. With the help of these Bhagavath Saasthrams, the chEthanams get rid of their doubts and see You clearly. These Bhagavath Saasthrams arose because of Your command and eulogizes Your glories. It is like a mirror to see You clearly. The BhAgavathAs also get a clearer understanding of the Lord’s glories through these Bhagavath Saasthrams. All of these were made possible because of your compassionate intervention. Your Lord also creates some mOhana Saasthrams to cheat the enemies of His BhaagavathAs. These are for causing delusion in the minds of the enemies of Your Lord’s dear ones and cause destruction to these enemies. These are the sports of Your Lord to misdirect the enemies of the BhAgavathAs and land them in narakam for a very long time. This is a way of punishing them. You are not involved with the birth of these Mohana Saasthrams.

SLOKAM 48 :

daivaat.h praapte vriShagiri taTaM dehini tvan.h nidaanaat.h
svaamin.h paahItyavasha vachane vindati svaapamantyam.h.
devaH shrImaan.h dishati karuNe driShTi michchaMs tvadIyaam.h
udghaatena shruti pariShadaam uttareNaabhi mukyam.h..48

MEANING:

Oh DayA Devi! A chEthanan, who gets to ThirumalA must be a BhAgyasAli. That bhAgyam is gained through Your anugraham. Suppose such a man, who has arrived at Thirumala dies, two words (Raksha Maam) come out of his mouth. DayA DEvi! You are responsible for that happening as well. The chEthanan did not utter these two words with deliberation. His limbs are in a state of diminished power and he is in a state of stupor. Inspite of that pitiable state, these two words come out of his mouth. The dying chEthanam receives comfort now. The result is that Your Lord with His Devis appear before the chEthanam during his last moments generating the sound of OmkAram. The meaning of OmkAram is the pledge that He will perform the act requested. That OmkAra dhvani becomes the karNa manthram for the dying jeevan. Why does He engage in this act ?

It is because of His awareness that performing that upakAram will please Your (DayA DEvi’s) heart and that would lead to Your merciful glances falling on Him. Thus casting the body at Thirumala leads to Moksham with Your help.

SLOKAM 49:

shreyaH sUtiM sakridapi daye saMmataaM yaH sakhIM te
shItodaaraam.h alabhata janaH shrInivaasasya driShTim.h.
devaadInaamayamanriNataaM dehavatve.api vindan.h
bandhaan.h mukto balibhir.h anaghaiH pUryate tatprayuktaiH..49

MEANING:

Swamy Desikan stresses here that Dayaa Devi’s help is indispensable for gaining the katAksham of Lord SrinivAsan. When the Lord’s glances fall on a just born child, it is called JaayamAna KadAksham. Poorva Janma sukruthams make this possible. When the Lord’s KatAksham falls on the just-born child, its satthva guNam becomes ascendant and it gains AchArya Sambhandham and AchArya UpadEsams. Next, the ChEthanam performs Prapatthi and is saved. He gains Moksham, once his body falls down during the last moments. If the chEthanam is to get this highest PurushArTam, the Lord’s glances should fall on it at the time of birth and that can happen only with Your intercession. Without Your active involvement, the Lord’s glances will not fall on the chEthanam. After the Lord’s glances fall on the ChEthanam and it completes the Prapatthi anushtAnam, it is freed of the three kinds of debts (DEva RuNam, Rishi RuNam and Pithru RuNam). The debt to the DEvAs is cleared through the performance of Yaagams and Yaj~nams. The debt to the Rishis is cleared through VedAdhyayanam. The debt to the Pithru dEvAs through acquiring progeny. All the three kinds of debts are covered for that chEthanam through the power of Prapatthi. Lord’s katAksham performs miracles and it becomes clear that You (Dayaa Devi) are the one who works behind the scenes to have the Lord’s KatAkshams fall on the appropriate people, who reach higher and higher plateaus of spiritual accomplishments.

SLOKAM 50 :

divyaapaa~NgaM dishasi karuNe yeShu saddeshikaatmaa
xipraM praaptaa vriShagiri patiM xatrabandh.hvaadayaste.
vishvaachaaryaa vidhi shiva mukhaaH svaadhikaaroparudhdaaH
manye maataa jaDa iva sute vatsalaa maadrishe tvam.h..50

MEANING:

Oh DayA Devi! You have taken the form of SadAchAryAs. You perform upadEsams for the Chethanams in the role of an AchAryan and bless them with Sathgathi. Those chEthanams, who perform SaraNAgathy pursuant to Your upadEsam reach Your Lord at ThiruvEnkatam and are blessed with Moksham. It is like Kshathrabhandhu, who gained an AchAryan to achieve Moksham. Even the sinners receiving Your karuNA KatAkshams perform Prapatthi and thereby gain Moksham in the current birth already. If the chEthanam does not have the benefit of Your merciful glances, it will never attain Moksham, even if it has the best of credentials. For instance, Brahma, Sivan et al have not yet attained Moksham inspite of their high ranks because they have not been blessed with Your Kataakshams. They are bound by their KarmAs associated with their positions. Until they have these positions, they can not attain Moksham. When their term is over as BrahmA or Sivan, they can undertake the upAyam of Prapatthi, gain your katAkshams and thereafter attain Moksham. The king Kshathrabhanthu was a great sinner but he gained MokshAnugraham because of the power of a SadAchAryan. BrahmA has Jn~Anam and anushtAnam and yet did not gain Moksham. There is a world of difference between them.

In the world, a Mother showers her special affection on the child of hers, which is not very bright and does not have much Jn~Anam. Kshathrabhandhu was one such chEthanam, who committed many aparAdhams and did not have Jn~Anam or Sakthi. He like us was an akinchanan. You take pity on our helpless state and correct us to be qualified to stand before Your Lord and perform Prapatthi for us. ThiruvEnkatamudayAn grants the boons that You request on behalf of us. This is a wonderful feat! These auspicious events happen because of the glories of Your KatAkshams.

SLOKAM 51 :

ati kripaNo.api jantur.h adhigamya daye bhavatIm.h
ashithila dharmasetu padavIM ruchiraamachiraat.h.
amita mahormi jaala matila~Ngya bhavaambu nidhiM
bhavati vriShaachalesha pada pattana nitya dhanI..51

MEANING:

In this world, a poor man wishes to acquire MahA Iswaryam. He has to cross the dangerous ocean to amass that immense wealth. How can he overcome the dangers of the great waves that would destroy his boat? There is a king, who has built a dam across the ocean to reach the destination, where the wealth can be amassed. The poor chEthanan travels safely over the dam, reaches the city across the ocean, becomes immensely rich and enjoys his life in that adopted city. The chEthanam has nothing to his credit. He has not mastered the Karma or Jn~Ana or Bhakthi yOgam. He does not have the inherent skills or power to engage in these yogams. He does however have intense desire to get close to the sacred feet of the Lord, who is the embodiment of dharmam. For the Mumukshu (one who desires Moksham) without any wherewithal and facing the perennial dangers of SamsAram, he performs SaraNAgathy to You to fulfill his ardent wish. You become the safe dam over the samsAric ocean for him to travel on to arrive at Your Lord’s sacred feet. Those auspicious feet become his great raajadhAni. He is blessed with the eternal wealth of nithya kaimkaryam to the Lord. Thus You redeem all those, who have performed SaraNAgathy to You.

SLOKAM 52:

abimukha bhaava saMpad.h abi saMbhavinaaM bhavinaaM
kvachidu palaxitaa kvachida bha~Ngura gUDha gatiH.
vimala rasaavahaa vriShagirIsha daye bhavatI
sapadi sarasvatIva shamayatyaghaM apratigham.h..52

MEANING:

Oh DayA DEvi! You are like the auspicious river Saraswathy, which is seen externally at some places (BahirvAhini) and at other places it flows underground (antharvAhini). Those who immerse in Her, where she comes out of ground are fortunate and all their sins are washed away. Oh DayE! You are like the river in that You drench all janthus with Your love flowing like an undrying stream. For some, You elect to help in a transparent fashion. For others, Your blessings are received indirectly. Those who follow Your Lord’s Saasthrams are recipients of Your Lord’s anugraham. On them, You confer all types of SoubhAgyams and Mahaa-aiswaryams publicly. For others, who break the codes of conduct of Your Lord, they become objects of anger of Your Lord. You Help them indirectly through recommending appropriate PrAyaschitthams or giving them light punishments to make them pure. These light punishments may look harmful and thus may be considered by a few as inappropriate. Your administration of Praayaschitthams and punishments turn out to be a hidden help to purify the SamsAris of their karmAs. Now the samsAris become anukoolars instead of being on the side of Prathikoolars. Oh DayA DEvi! You are responsible for realizing this transformation and preparing them for performing Prapatthi that lands them in SrI Vaikuntam.

SLOKAM 53:

api karuNe janasya taruNendu vibhUShaNataam.h
api kamalaasana tvamapi dhaama vriShaadri pateH.
taratamataa vashena tanute nanu te vitatiH
parahita varShmaNaa pari pachelima kelimatI..53

MEANING:

Oh Dayaa DEvi! Your vast and everspreading compassion touches all the ChEtanams and makes them auspicious. You respond according to the agenda of Karma that they bring to You to receive the fruits that they have earned. There is not a Phalan that we can not acquire from You. You are the veritable KaamadhEnu, when it comes to your munificence. If one desires the sTAnam of Sivan or Brahmaa, Oh DayA DEvi, You bless them with that position. If some one does not care for the sTAnam of Siva or Brahma and only longs for the eternal sukham of Moksham, You bless them with that Supreme boon as well. First, You encourage them to perform Prapatthi at the sacred feet of your Lord and make them eligible to gain Moksha Sukham.

SLOKAM 54:

dhrita bhuvanaa daye trividha gatyanukUlataraa
vriShagiri naatha paada parirambhavatI bhavatI.
avidita vaibhavaapi sura sindhuri vaatanute
sakrid.h avagaahamaanam.h apa taapam.h apaapam.h api..54

MEANING:

The key words here are: “DayE! sura sindhu: iva, sakruth avagAhamAnam apa tApam, apApamapi AatanuthE” (Oh DayA DEvi! Like the celestial river Ganga, You free all of their tApams and pApams even if they immerse in You once. The waters of Ganga flow in three places: Sky, BhUmi and the nether world (PaathALam). Since Ganga arose from the sacred feet of the Lord of ThirumalA, when He incarnated as Thrivikraman, it has the links (Sambhandham) to the sacred feet of ThiruvEkatamudayAn. Ganga has threefold sambhandham: Dharmam, SivA’s head and the hills of ThiruvEnkatam. Even if one does not know about these three fold glories of Ganga, it is enough for one to immerse in the flood of Dayaa Devi to banish all tApams and pApams. You are in this matter similar to the Deva Ganga. You also spread like Ganga all over the world and protect the chEthanams. You grant the fortunate ones anyone of the three kinds of Phalans as per their desires: Iswaryam, Kaivalyam and Moksham. When the chEthanams fall at the sacred feet of Your Lord, You as the KaruNA residing there flow out with joy to bless them. You have thus links to Your Lord’s Thiruvadi as Ganga always. With the power of that sambhandham, You grant the Prapannan the boon of Moksham.

SLOKAM 55:

nigama samaashritaa nikhila loka samridhdi karI
bhajadagha kUla mudrija gatiH paritapta hitaa.
prakaTita hamsa matsya kaThaadhyavataara shataa
vibudha sarichchhriyaM vriShagirIsha daye vahasi..55

MEANING:

Oh the Dayaa of ThiruvEngatamudayAn! You have the vaibhavam that matches the fame of Deva Ganga. She (Ganga) is eulogized by the Vedams. Through Her floods, she nourishes the nations. Its flow touches both the banks in its eagerness to enrich the lives of the people. It has hundreds of bathing ghats (thuRaigaL). She removes the taapams of all, who immerse in Her. In Her pravAham, the species like the swans, Fishes and tortoises are born and thrive. Oh DayA Devi! Like the river Ganga, You are eulogized by the VedAs. You bless those, who seek refuge in You with boons in this and the other world. You destroy the PuNyam and Paapam of the PrapannAs and set them free from their karmAs. You reduce the heat associated with SamsAric taapams for the bound jeevans. Your Lord incarnates as Hamsam, Mathsyam and VarAham following Your command. The world benefits from all of these benevolent activities of Yours. Thus You match Deva Ganga in every way.

SLOKAM 56:

jagati mitaMpachaa tvaditaraa tu daye! taralaa
phala niyamojjitaa bhavati santapanaaya punaH.
tvamiha nira~Ngusha prashakanaadi vibhutimatI
vitarasi dehinaaM niravadhiM vriShashaila nidhim.h..56

MEANING:

The key words of this SlOkam are “Thvam nirankusa prasakanAdhi vibhUthimathee iha dEhinAm niravthim Vrushasaila nidhim vitharasi” (Oh Dayaa Devi! Your sakthi and Iswaryam flow without interruption. You bless all embodied souls on this earth with the treasure on top of Thirumala). All other dayAs such as those of Indhran, BrahmA and other DevAs as well as the kings in this and celestial universe are not comparable to Your Dayaa. Their dayaa can only yield insignificant fruits. They are not of the lasting nature like Your Dayaa. Their Dayaas will come and go. Their dayaa will turn some times into anger, when the recipients make a mistake and cause a lot of sorrow. You are Lord SrinivAsan’s Dayaa. Your glories are matchless in its auspiciousness and durability. No one can stop Your sakthi and sankalpam. You stand firm without wavering. You will never fail to bless those who take refuge in You. The chEthanams never ever doubt about Your steadfastness in blessing them. What kind of phalans do you grant ? You give the boon of the mighty treasure standing on top of Thirumala. Thanks to You, that incomparable Iswaryam comes under the control of the PrapannAs. It is for all these reasons the dayaa of the dEvAs and the kings are not fit to stand before Your dayaa.

SLOKAM 57:

sakaruNa laukika prabhu parigraha nigrahayoH
niyatim.h upaadhi chakra parivritti paramparayaa.
vriShabha mahidharesha karuNe! vitara~NgayataaM
shriti mita sampadi tvayi kathaM bhavitaa vishayaH..57

MEANING:

The intelligent people of this world know that the wealthy grant special favors to those, who are submissive to them. When such people go against their wishes, they turn around and punish them. Can we then say that they are without dayaa? No. They respond to the way in which the people behave. They reward the janmas when they please them and punish them, when they go against them. Their behavior is changing like a rotating wheel. You are celebrated by the VedAs (Sruthi mitha sampadhi). No one doubts your Dayaa in granting the appropriate boons without erratic behavior like the wealthy kings of the world. You grant visEsha anugraham to those who are anukoolars. You confer appropriate punishment for those who are prathikoolars in a manner that fits with the magnitude of their trespasses. Even this punishment You mete out to correct them and cleanse them of their dhOshams to prepare them for surrender at Your Lord’s sacred feet. Knowledgeable people thus have no doubt about Your fair treatment of them in a consistent and fair manner Such is your Vaibhavam!

SLOKAM 58:

vriShagiri krishna megha janitaaM janitaapa haraaM
tvadabhimatiM suvriShTim.h upajIvya nivritta triShaH.
bhahuShu jalaashayeShu bahumaanam.h apohya daye
na jahati satpathaM jagati chaatakavat.h kritinaH..58

MEANING:

Oh DayA Devi! The fortunate (blessed) ones remove their dependence on the unintelligent ones and depend on the dark rain cloud at ThiruvEnkatam to remove their afflictions from the scorching SamsAric heat. They anticipate your auspicious downpour to cool themselves and to remove their thirst. In this context, they are like the legendary ChAthakA birds, which depend only on the water from the rains coming down from the sky and stay away from water collected on ground at ponds and lakes. The Chathaka birds hover in the sky in anticipation of the nourishing rain waters. So do the fortunate devotees of ThiruvenkatamudayAn, who await Your drenching downpour of Dayaa.

(COMMENTARY): The Key passages from this SlOkam are: “Kruthina: sathpaTam na jahathy” (The fortunate ones never leave the path of the righteous (never leave the sky as in the case of the ChAthakA birds). They are like the ChAthaka birds (ChAthakavath) in this matter. The double meaning of SathpaTam is employed here by Swamy Desikan. They stay away from the many ponds and lakes, where rain water collects (Kruthina: bahushu jala AaSayEshu bhaumAnam apOhya) and depend only upon the dayaa pravAham created by the dark rainy cloud standing on the top of Vrushagiri (Vrushagiri KrishNa mEga janithAm) that quenches the samsAric heat (jani tApaharAm). What does that dark rainy cloud with the sacred name of ThiruvengatamudayAn do ? He pours down the rejuvenating rain named Dayaa to banish our scorching samsAric afflictions and cools us (Jani tApa harAm Thvath abhimatheem suvrushtim). The fortunate ones make use of the nectarine rain (upajeevya) and quench their parching thirst (nivruttha thrusha:) and do not depart from the path established by the SadAchAryAs (sathpaTam na jahathy). The word “abhimathim” and “kruthina:” are noteworthy. “kruthina:” refers to the PuNyasaalis, who have the benefit of being drenched by the downpour of the Lord’s Dayaa. They perform Prapatthi and receive as a result the blessings of the Dayaa of the Lord. After their Prapatthi, they do not look at other “dhaivams” for their rakshaNam just as the ChAthakaa bird does not look at any water resources except falling rain water. Those who have performed Prapatthi are dear to the Lord (abhimatha janam) to receive the shower of His Dayaa. These prapannAs spend their remaining time on this earth by performing the Bhagavath/BhAgavatha Kaimkaryams and journey around like the ChAthakA birds traversing the skies.

SLOKAM 59:

tvadu daya tuulikaabhir.h amunaa vriShashaila juShaa
sthira chara shilpinaiva parikalpita chitra dhiyaH.
yatipati yaamuna prabhritayaH prathayanti daye
jagati hitaM na nastvayi bharanyasanaad.h adhikam.h..59

MEANING:

Oh Dayaa Devi! Your Lord at ThiruvEnkatam is a great sculptor, who creates the vast array of the sentient and insentient beings. He is an expert at His task. He specializes particularly in drawing everlasting pictures on the minds (uLLam) of the special sentients like BhAshyakArar, Swamy AlavanthAr and Naatha Muni. On the walls of their Buddhi, Your Lord drew the paintings to archive the meanings of the Tatthva Thrayams. As a Master painter, Your Lord needs a painting brush. Oh DayA Devi! You serve as His painting tool. The gushing of Your KaruNa act as the brush strokes to draw the paintings on their buddhhis (VisEsha Jn~Anam imprinted on their minds). The AchAryAs receive thus the auspicious and clear knowledge (mathi nalam) form Your Lord using You as His tool so that they can spread His UpadEsams on SiddhAntham through their Sri Sookthis to successive generations of sishya paramparais. The essential message that you are communicating to us through our AchAryAs is the power of Prapatthi to reach Your sacred feet for us, the asakthAs, who can not engage in the pursuit of difficult-to -practise Bhakthi yOgam. Your AchAryAs stressed this important message of Yours.

(COMMENTARY): The Lord residing in Vrusha Sailam is saluted as the great sculptor of the Charam and the acharam (insentient bodies): “Vrusha Saila sTitra chara Silpi”. He paints with the waves of Your dayaa (Thvath Udhaya thUlikAbhi: parikalpitha chithram) on the walls of the minds of AchAryAs like RaamAnujA, AlavanthAr and NaaTa Muni (Parikalpitha chithra dhiya: Yathipathy, Yaamuna Prabhrudhaya:). Those AchAryAs through Your upadEsams (messages in the form of the paintings on their minds) reveal that there is no upAyam that is better than Prapatthi to gain Moksha Sukham in this world.

SLOKAM 60:

mridu hridaye daye mridita kaama hite mahite
dhrita vibudhe budheShu vitataatma dhure madhure.
vriShagiri 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 (bhavuka nidhi). 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.

Swamy Desikan’s Dayaa Sathakam Slokams 41 to 60 and Meaning

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