VEDANTHA DESIKA 111- Part 8.

In previous part sl.no 23 is left, and so please make them as 23,24, &25. It can be
said 25.Daya Satakam is the outcome of the ord!s Sankalpam only. Similarly I
feel my "ritin# this essay is only $IS sankalpam and the blessin#s of our
%chrya sarva bouman SrI &edantha Desikan . 'he three remainin# sthothrams in
his sthothra #rantham 2(. )aruda thandakam and 2*.)aruda vimsathi and 2+.
,thira-a sapthathi ,are discussed in this part +. %bout s"amy Desikan!s 24 'amil
prabandams "ill be continued "ith $IS Sankalpam from ne.t "eek.
2(. )%/0D% D%1D%2%3
4hen S"amy Desikan "as in 2anchipuram, a snake charmer
challen#ed him to prove his capability . $e then let loose a
deadly serpent on him . S"amy Desikan then chanted the
)aruda 3anthra for )od!s #race. )aruda emer#ed
immediately from the sky and "hisked a"ay the serpent. 'he
snake5charmer realised his foolishness and his
underestimation of s"amy and surrendered fastly before
S"ami Desikan. $e pleaded then to secure the snake as he is
completely dependin# only on that snake for his livelihood.
S"ami Desikan "ith his merciful nature thus composed )aruda Dhandakam and
pleaded for its survival. )aruda came back from the sky "ith livin# snake and
fle" after droppin# it .
S"amy Desikan!s )aruda Dhandakam is in dhandaka format "ith a ma-estic,
rhythmic style like /a#huvira )adyam. Dhandam is stick "ith stron# lon#
footin#. 'here are only seven slokas in this. 'he first one is prayer to
&ainadeyan, "ho is "ith serpents in the "hole body considered as person
responsible for 6rahma &idya . Slokas 2 to 5 are in poetic prose split into four
7uarters . Sloka ( is description on structure of Dandaka. 'he 8oncludin# sloka
is palasruthi. 'he lines of Garudamagila veda nidathi roodam ,"hen recited in
#i#antic manner is sure to capture all minds.'he concludin# lines of Garuda
dwaja doshaya geetho garuda thandaka points out that he sin#s this to please
,mberuman "ith the fla# on )aruda. )aruda!s importance of bein# hailed in vedas,
bein# the vehicle of Sriman 1arayana, bein# consort of /udra and Sukeerthy, bein# an
incarnation of Sankarshana, adornin# serpents as ornaments, "ith po"ers of blessin#
and #rantin# manthras to devotees are praised "ell in this sthothram .
2*. )%/0D% 9%18$%S%'$
4hen S"amy Desikan meditates )aruda5manthra on the same ni#ht of ord
$aya#riva!s presense before him.In very ne.t day, )aruda appeared in his
dreams and said, there are four persons Sounaka, 6ruhaspathi, 1arada and

2asyapa "ho had his direct blessin#s and the boons of his manthra, the 9ancha
&arnee. S"amy Desikan then -oined those #reat souls and a sthothram on
)aruda "as composed to benefit one and all. S"amy Desikan obeyed this $oly
order of )aruda immediately and started "ritin# )aruda 9anchasath.
Sri )aruda 9anchasath, is on &ainatheya "ith 52 slokas . 'his sthothram is
composed "ith five parts each called as !&arnakas!.
:. Slokas : 5+ ,9ra5&yuha &arnaka on )aruda!s form in Sri &aikunta in &yuha "ith
Sankarshana,
2.Slokas ; 525, %mruthaaharana &arnaka on #reatness of )aruda fetchin# nectar
from Deva oka.
3.slokas 2(535 1aa#adhamana&arnaka <Sarpanasa=on )aruda!s crushin# of
serpents in pathala lokam .
4.slokas 3(545 9arishkaara &arnaka <%lankara = on the serpents that adorn
)aruda!s person as ornaments.Description of snakes #iven here as !%udiseshan
and 2uli#an as kankanams, vasuki as sacred thread, daksha#an as "aist belt,
padma, mahapadma as ear rin#s, sankabalan as cro"n !.
5.Slokas 4(55:%dhbhutha &arnaka on describin# e.traordinary talents of
)aruda. )a-endra moksham is hi#hli#hted in sloka 4*.
9erfection and proper method of chantin# this stothra "ith trainin#
from an %charyua is #ood. >ther"ise it may yield to adverse effects.
'he sthothram be#ins "ith e.plainin# the correct method of chantin#
the )aruda5manthra. In third sloka hails various parts of )aruda!s
body .
'he fifth sloka may be termed as playin# a number #ame as Eko Vishnu,
dweediya sthree chathurvithitham panchavarni hasyam shadgunya
smerasaptha swagathi animathyashta sampavan navathma and concludin# as a
person beyond numbers "ho #ives freedom from fear bayam veeda sankyodaya
na is "onderful one.In 52nd sloka ,9alasruthi , S"amy Desikan tells that one
"ho recites this "ill be free from fear of serpents, mental afflictions, diseases,
and all their "ishes are sure to be ans"ered favourably.

2+. ?%'$I/%@% S%9'$%'$I
S"amyDesikan came to Sri9erumbudur on his "ay to
Sri/an#am and composed a sthothra called
!?athir-a sapthathi! #lorifiein# all our %charyas,
particularly Sri /amanu-a in depth and sou#ht
Sri/amanu-a!s blessin#s, on 8hiththirai5'hiruvaadhirai birth
star day of Sri /amanu-a.?athira-a Sapthathi
consists of *4 slokas si#nifyin# the number of the
Simhaasanaadhipathis, appointed by Sri /amanu-a.
S"amy Desikan "ho forms %chrya linea#e after Sri /amanu-a "hich is as
follo"s SrimanNarayana-SriLakshmi-SriVishwaksenar-SriNammahvar-
SriNathamuni -Sri !yyakondar -Sri "anakkalnambi-Sri #amuna "uni-Sri
$erianambi-Sri %amanuja . %fter Sri /amanu-a, S"amy Desikan -oined in this
linea#e. . Sri /amanu-a is referred in many names such as ?athira-a,
6hashyakarar, 0daiyavar, ,mberumanar, akshmanamuni, ,thipathi by S"amy
Desikan.
In sloka ::, /amanu-a!s physical appearance is "ell stated, as ?a-na
0paveetham in $is chest ,>ordhvapunram <'hiruman kappu in face, and other
part of body =,'ridandam in $is hand as a result of the fruit of the )ood deeds of
three "orlds, a tuft of hair on the $ead. $e also has a specialty as saviour of the
&aishnavites, #uaranteein# for their salvation,"ho surrendered unto $im. In
sloka :2 , 8hakra, San#hu, )adha, 2had#a, Saarn#ha, the ord!s five "eapons
have unitedly taken the incarnation of Sri /amanu-a and is therefore sure to
protect us "ith harsh on the enemies of our reli#ion.'he "orks of /amanu-a is
detailed from slokas :3.
In sloka 3A, Sri /amanu-a!s "orks are compared to a river furnishin# cool "aters
to a thirst5tortured traveller traversin# a dry desert. as <palar= a river of milk to
holy persona#es devoted to the study of spiritual "orks ,for sruthis as eyes of
the &edas,and form as precious #uide for interpretation ,to the activator to the
vital nerve5chord. Sri /amanu-a bein# an incarnation of the Bive 4eapons of the
ord as panchaprayuthair murare is indicated in sloka :2, as viswakseno
yathipathir in sloka 32C and as Dhaththaathreya in sloka (3. In sloka 44 S"amy
Desikan auds /amanu-a!s SriSukthis and debates as an e.cellent one and
states comparin# his "orks "ith others is like comparin# Salt and pachai
karpooram in e7ual metre as lavana vanija karpoorarkam &
In 3+th sloka , &ictory to /amanu-a for savin# the 9ara 6rahman by #ivin# a
hand lift from the clutches of other sects is "ell said. Slokas (; &*A are on
/amanu-a!s Siddhaantham placed on a 'rivedhi pedestal,and his "orks, like Sri
6hashyam to #uide us. Slokas *: &*2 are on #reatness of ?athira-a sapthathi .
Slokas *3 & *4 are palasruthi .In this S"amy Desikan prays to besto" on the
reader devotional intellect "ith leela &ibhuthi and 1ithya &ibhuthi. $e states that
those "ho learn the hymn are sure to find the ri#hteous path as clearly as a
myrobalan fruit in the palm !llankai nellikkani pola .
Durin# his lifetime /amanu-a "rote 1ava rathnan#al :.Sri56hasya, 2.&edanta5
dipa,3. &edanta5sara, 4.&edanta5sam#raha, three prose "orks <#adyas=D
5.Sarana#ati5#adya,(. Sriran#a5#adya and *.&aikuntha5#adya, + )ita5bhasya and
;.1itya5#rantha. S"amy Desikan #ot inspiration from him thou#h he "as born
about :3A years after Sri /amanu-a attained parama padam.
Stotras recitation benefits
In )ita <2.4*= 'armanyeva athikarasthe ma paleshu kathachana
It is said your ri#ht is to "ork only, 6ut not to e.pect the fruit
thereof. 6ut 4hen S"amy Desikan!s sthothrams are recited
peacefully it is sure to attain benifits automatically.
1ames of Sthothras <1umber of slokas = 6enifits
:.Shri $aya#riva Sthothram5 33 2no"led#e and proficiency E
2.Shri 3aha &eeravaibhavam5;4 $appy life
3.Shri )opala &imsathi52: Santhana ba#yam
4.Shri Dasavathara Sthothram5 :3 1ava #raha santhi
5.Shri Sthuthi 525 u.ury and comfort in life.
(.Shri 6hu Sthuthi533 Success in a cherished desire
*.Shri )odhasthuthi 52; Bree from obstacles in life
+.Shri 1yasa dasakham 5:A Sarana#athi
;.Shri 1yasa 'hilakam 532 )od!s )race
:A.Shri 1yasa &imsathi 522 6est 'eacher and student
::.Shri 2amaasikashtakam5; )ets all benefits
:2.Shri Sudarshanashtakam5; )ettin# rid of physical ailments
:3.Shri %shta 6hu-ashtakam5:A 8allin# for divine #race
:4.Shri Shodasayudha Sthothram5:; Bree from misery and
troubles
:5.Shri &aira#ya 9anchakam5( 'he "ay to salvation
:(.Shri &aradhara-a 9anchasath55: 3eritorious results
:*.Shri &e#asethu Sthothram 5:A Bulfill our "ishes
:+.Shri Sarana#athi Dheepikai 55; %void I#norence
:; Shri Devanayaka 9anchasath 553 'ruthfulness
2A.Shri %chyutha Sathakam5 :A: 3ind purification
2: Shri Dehalya Sthuthi 52+ Simplicity and social behaviour
22.Shri 9aramartha Sthuthi5:A ,liminate bad characters
23 Shri Daya Sathakam 5:A+ Source to #et blessin#s
24 Shri %bhithistahavam 52; Bree from fear
25.Shri 6ha#avath Dyana Sobanam 5:2 6hakthi for 3ukthi
2(.Shri ?athira-a Sapthathi 5*4 Success in debate
2* Shri )aruda dandakam 54 Save from poisonous creatures
2+.Shri )aruda 9anchasath55A $ealthy life "ithout "orries
To be continued.....
Arumbuliyur Jagannathan Rangarajan