Vedantacharya varyome sannidattam sadahrudi ||
Today's [25th September 2008] lecture is from the sannidhi of Swami Vedanta Desika, in Sri Devanatha Perumal temple. After crossing the dwajasthambam, we arrive at Swami Desika sannidhi. There is intimate connection between him and this temple. He lived in this Kshetram for more than 40 years and worshiped the Lord. He was confered with the title 'sarvatantra swatantrar' [ஸர்வ தந்த்ர ஸ்வதந்த்ரர்] , meaning he can do anything and knows past, present and future. Some wanted to test this power in him. That time he built a well himself, in which water never dried up.
Can a person skillful in Vedanta, build a well? Everyone was astonished. Like donating wealth to others, building ponds, wells and temples, are also important social service. People realized he was skillful in everything. We can see the well built by Swami Desika. We now worship Swami Desika.
By one hand he is preaching and in the other hand he is holding book. This idol was approved by Swami Desika himself. Like the idols of Thirumangai Alwar and Swami Ramanuja in Sriperumbuthur are famous, this idol in Thiruvahindrapuram is very famous. Swami Desika every year arrives at the top of Aushada giri to worship the Lord Sri Hayagriva, on his birthday Purattasi - Shravanam. That day he is decorated with diamond studded kavacham. Swami Desika imagined himself to be the sweet heart of Lord Sri Devanatha and composed Achyuta sathakam. It is in parakruta language. It is a derivative of Sanskrit, minus harsh sounds and suitable for ladies. He also composed another sthotra Devanayaka Panchasat. We can worship Lord Sri Rama in the temple. Swami Desika composed Raghuvira gathyam on the Lord. Similarly on Sri Krishna here, Swami Desika composed Gopala vimsati. In his 28 stotras, he has praised this Kshetram in 6. Our lecture is connected with Swami Desika. He composed a detailed commentary Tatparya Chandrika. First Swami Alavandar wrote Gitartha sangraham in 32 slokas. Next Swami Ramanuja wrote a commentary Gita bhashyam, on Bhagavad Gita. Tatparya Chandrika further explained Gita Bhashyam. Like the Moon reflecting Sun's light, we can enjoy Swami Ramanuja's Gita Bhashyam in Tatparya Chandrika. For the past one and half years or so, our lectures are based on Tatparya Chandrika. We will now see the completion of Chapter 10. We have seen the last sloka also. Gitartha sangarha gave a summary of Chapter 10. The Lord's auspicious qualities, His command over everything and His infinite property, were all listed in all the slokas. Why should anyone know His wealth or His greatness? Then only devotion or Bhakti will evolve and develop in us. Therefore, to practice Bhakti yoga we should know about the Lord. Sri Krishna tells Arjuna that in Arjuna's interest, the Lord again and again was going to mention about His greatness. Arjuna was eager to know His wealth. He wanted in detail. The Lord started telling from sloka 19 and mentioned some important groups in which He was the more important. From that what Arjuna and we should learn? In all those groups all of them and the more important mentioned, were all deriving their eminence from Sri Krishna. In the last Three slokas, the Lord concluded saying that those, mentioned and not mentioned, micro and macro matters, born and unborn, with life and lifeless, movable and stationary, everything without exception, were all in His command and control. The entire Universe was but a micro fraction of Him and was supported in creation, sustaining and destruction. This sermon should stimulate to reach the Lord. At the end of each Cjapter we have been seeing the conversation between Parvati and lord Shiva, on the magnificence of that Chapter. Parvati asked what was great about Chapter 10; and, lord Shiva narrates what Sri Narayana told Sri Maha Lakshmi. There lived one Dhirati. He was helping many devotees of the Lord. Lord Shiva told that there was a swan and it was reborn as Dhirati. Once there lived a Brahmin, who learnt everything from his master. Once, he tripped on the leg of his master who was sleeping; but, he did not express apology and so the master got angry and cursed him to be born as a Swan. This Swan was travelling many places. Swan came acrossa a pond in which five lotus flowers had blossomed. When the Swan wanted to fly over the pond, it could not. And, it fell down helplessly. The white Swan turned black. When the Swan was perplexed, a female voice was heard and it said it would tell the reason. All the Five lotus flowers in the female voice spoke. That she was called Padmini and lived a happy life; but she had a bad habit of caging birds. Her husband never approved it and once he cursed her to become a bird. This bird was a pet of some children of sages. Those children used to chant the Chapter 10 daily and the bird was listening and it got a divine woman form. She was bathing in a pond without any cloth [ We should never bathe without any cloth, according to shastras]. Seeing this Durvasa cursed her to become flowers and she existed in this pond. Swan was asked to take those flowers and offer to lord Shiva and pray. Lord Shiva got their [ lotus and swan] curses removed. That Swan was now born as Dhirati and now worshiping the Lord and His devotees. Thus the greatness of Chapter 10 was explained.
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