SRI:
SrImathE Nigamantha Mahadesikaya nama:
Dearest all
On this most auspicious day of Purattaasi ThiruvONam, Swamy Desikan
Thirunakshathra mahotsavam, it is our duty to talk in praise of and contemplate
on the glories of our Acharya saarva bhouman Kavithaarkika simham,
Sarvathanthra swathanthran, Vedanta Acharyan Swamy Desikan.
The more one learns under an AchAryA and/or reads the immortal works of such
avatAra purushAs, the more they realize the divine glories of such mahAthmAs.
adiyEn who cannot even read Sanskrit properly can hardly understand anything
about the vast glories and great blessings through
various granthAs of the most merciful AchArya sArvabhoumA SwAmi nigamAntha
mahAdesikan, the ghantAvatArA of Sriman nArAyaNA.
But adiyEn would nevertheless like to pay tributes to our dearest Thooppul
PiLLai. Who can pay such tributes better than SwAmi
Desikan's own son and dear disciple Sri NainArAchAryA alias Sri KumAra
VaradAchAryA?. Let us enjoy the insatiable nectar - PiLLai anthAdi
Sri Nainacharyar, the only son of Swami Vedanta Desikan, was born on AvaNi
Rohini (the same Nakshathram of Kutti KaNNan)- (today..) He is also known as
Kumara Varadacharya. He studied Vedas, and other traditional literature from
his revered father and acharyan, along with Brahmatanthra Jeeyer, who later
established the Parakala Mutt at
Mysore.
After Swami Desikan attained Paramapadham, his son, went all over India, and
defeated several scholars of other faiths in debate, clarified doubts in
practice in certain temples and helped propagate and recite Swami Desikanâs
works on appropriate occasions. He is credited to have performed miraculous
deeds to win against magicians and evil-minded persons.
Sri Nainacharyar wrote several works such as âPillai Anthaadhiâ (Tamil),
Adhikara Chinthamani, Sri Desika Prapatthi, Sri Desika praarthanasathakam, Sri
Desika Vigrahadhyanam, Sri Desika Mangalam, etc.. (in Sanskrit). Pillai
anthaadhi is 20 verses of Tamil Prabhandham..
A great one, where he pours out his indebtedness and bhakti to his father and
AchArya Swami Desikan in high lyrical terms. Scholars claim that it is in the
lines of Ramanuja NooRRandhaadhi.
Englisg translation of these twenty verses is based on Oppiliappan Koil
Swami U Ve Sri Ramadesikacharyarâs Tamil commentary..
Before we start off:
Thaniyan (Dedicatory verse) on Sri Nainacharya (Sri Kumara Varadcharya):
seeraar_thoop puRpiLLai yandhaathi yenRu sezhundhamizhaa
NnEraaga vEdhaantha dhEsigar thaaLiNaik keezhmozhindhaa
NnEraar maRaipporu Lellaa medutthiv vulaguyavE
seeraa giyavara dhaariyan paadhan^ thuNain^amakkE.
Let Varadacharyaâs Feet be our guide, who wrote in Tamil, at the Lotus Feet
of his great father, the unparalleled Swami Sri Vedantha Desika, a
prabhandham called â Pillai anthaadhiâ.
1. The Feet of Thooppul PiLLai (Swami Desikan) lie on my head. He extols the
illustrious Sri Ramanuja, who had spent his whole life blissfully at the lotus
Feet of MaaRan NammAzhwAr), who, in turn had worn on his head always the Lotus
Feet of the Lord (in whose chest stays or resides the Divine Goddess
MahAlakshmiâ
2. The Lotus Feet of Thoopul thalaivan (Master), - will They adorn our
heads? Will our eyes be with joyful tears? Oh worldly people! Will our
paapams be destroyed? Will we get a taste of SrivaikunTam in this life (by
wearing the Lotus Feet of AchAryan)?
3. The whole of ours is not of any use, if we donât sing in praise of
Thooppul PiLLai, who spread the message of Sri Ramanuja, the greatest
AchArya Saarvabhoumar, who had in tun taught us the inner meaning and
correct interpretation of sruthis.. and explained the path to attain
mOksham.
4. Let us have in our minds the greatest truths and doctrines taught and
explained by that greatest soul (Thooppul PiLLai), following the footsteps of
Sri Ramanuja.. , keeping and enjoying the Most beautiful Form of PeraruLaaLan
Varadan, who appeared in Utthara Veedhi, with Periya PiraaTTi, PerundhEvi
Thaayaar on His Chest.
5. anRiv vulaginai yaakki yarumporu Noolviritthu
ninRuthan NneeLpugazh vEngada maamalai mEviyumpin
venRip pugazhtthiru vEngada naadha Nnenunguruvaay
ninRu nigazhndhumaN mEninRa nOyga davirtthananE
Our AchAryan is none other than a human form of the Lord of Seven Hills. He
took this form to remove the sorrows of people. Those days, The Lord had
created the worlds. Then He gave the world all the saastras. But all that
didnât help. He came as the Lord of Thirumala to take us all..
6. I am tied (married) to his path. As I utter the greatness and guNAs
of my AchAryan, who is competent and quire well versed in each
and every art, who is a master of Vedas, who is born in thooppul,
called â Venkata Nathanâ. His arguments and words the
opponents away. When I actually think and meditate on Him, I see
the end of my paapams completely.
7. Oh Paaapams! Go somewhere else! You can not stay anymore here
at my place. I will not bear any more your stunts and I wonât
yield to your temptations. Because my mind now is filled with
thoughts of Thooppul Pillai, who followed the teachings of
Sri Ramanujacharya. I have no fear now.
8. In this transitory life, transient world, you all crave to live, Oh
worldly people! Do you not know that this life is just a stoneâs throw away
from the fearful hell? Listen to me.. Note my words.. Pay attention! I will now
tell you all the means to get rid of all this sinful life, once for all..
Offer yourself and your obeisance to the Lotus Feet of Thooppul Vedanta Desika.
9. Paapams of any kind will go away if one chooses the devotee
of Sri Ramanujacharya, Sri Vedanta Desika, born at Thooppul, as his AchArya
with utmost greatest humility, obeisance. Such a person, will be blessed to be
stuck to the traditional values and strict discipline in anushtanams; have care
and concern for every living jIvAthmA; bad companies and darkness
will be dispelled.
10. adaipavar theevinai maaRRi yarudarun^ thooppulaiya
vidar_tharu mippiRa vikkada Ranni lamizhndhavennaik
kadaiyaRap paasaNG kazhaRRin^in RaaLiNai kaaNUmvaNNa
mudaiyava NnEyaru LaayuNarn^ dhaar_thangaL kaRpagamE.
Oh Most graceful Thooppul AchAryA! Here we are surrendering at Your Feet. We
are drowning in the ocean of samsaaram. Pulled by pleasures and desires. Please
remove our sins and save us. Please immerse us in your coolest rain of dayA and
mercy. Show us Your Feet, Oh KaRpaka maramE (tree!)Keep us there for ever and
ever!
11. I will not flatter and praise the worldly people to sky high; as
KaRpakam, etc.. I will also not stand on top of the mountain and perform
thapas. Oh Thooppul PiLLaiyE! Please bless this adiyEn. That is what I crave
and just long for.
12. My mind is full of darkness and anjnAnam. I am in darkness. Oh Vedanta
DesikA!.. I tend to discard the traditional paths, as put forth by our Poorva
AchAryars. I know no other means and ways to follow but hold Your Feet, seeking
Your kataaksham. You alone can see me through.
13. I have no jnAnam. I donât claim even. I have no knowledge /capacity to
perform Karma, jnAna and Bhakti Yogam. I am not inclined towards sanyasam. Even
easy saraNAgathi is beyond my reach. Oh Lord of Thooppul! I have just come to
Your Feet! Your grace is the only route to attain the Goal.
14 I donât bend or bow down myself to Your Feet even. I am not devoted
sincerely to Your disciples even though they are all around me. I donât know
as to what I need to do and what can I do now (with so many apacharams), but to
pray in this condition of mine, and hope for Your merciful glance. That will
make me more worthy. Will you please bless me?
15. un aruLanRi yenakkoru naRRuNai yinmaiyinaa
lenniru valvinai neeyE vilakki yidhangaruthi
manniya naRRiru mandhira mOdhum poruNilaiyE
ponnaru Laalaru Laaypugazh thooppuR kulaviLakkE.
Oh Shining Chief of Thoppul! I stand here before You. Please help to remove and
evil and good deeds and their actions/fruits. I donât know what is in store
for me for my future. Please bless me to understand the meaning of Thiru
ashtAksharam which will lead me to Parabhakti, ParajnAnam and Parama bhakti.
16. Oh Thooppul PiLLaiyE! Please bless me to have intense Bhakti towards
ThiruvEmkatamudiayaan, who most lovingly had Periya PiraaTTi AlarmEl Mangai
Thaayar in His Chest, (born of Lotus flower); Please also bless me to have most
purest thoughts and devotion towards The Bhagawathas who have intense bhakti to
towards the Sriya: Pathi.
17. Oh My Saviour! My protector! Who sat at the Feet of AppuLLaar! (Chief of
Kidambhi lineage). Oh Thpooul Pillai, who had the grace of AppuLLaarâs grace!
Who had learnt from him, the essence and meanings of Sanskrit and Tamil Vedas!
Oh Perfect great genius! We pray for Your grace and kataaksham!
18. Oh Lord of Thooppul! Oh Most Merciful, most affectionate, and kind
AchAryA, full of grace! Oh Great Poet! And master of all languages! Oh Most
handsome Vedanta DesikA! I am here praying to You with folded hands, palms
glued to each other, asking You âMay my mind ever be filled with bhakti
towards the Bhagawathas at Your Feet!â.
19. The Bhagawathas- at Your Feet, who enjoy being at Your Feet,- May Those
Feet of Yours long live! May Your smiling face and Your Pristinely pure face
long live! May Your kind hand long live! Oh shining jewel of Thooppul! May that
Oordhva pundram (ThirumaN) on Your lustrous face long live! May that most
beautiful immaculate Form with Sacred thread (PooNool) long live!
20. vadivazha kaarndhavaN tooppulvaL Lanmen malaradimE
ladiyava rOthavan^ dhaathi yirupadhu maayndhuraiththEn
Ridamuda Nneedhaith thinandhoRu maadharith thOdhumanbar
mudiyidai nEr_padun^ thooppulam maanpadha maamalarE.
May Your Most Beautiful Form long live in the hearts of million Bhagawathas (at
Your Feet) I composed these slOkas with bhakti and great humility so that those
who read these slOkas (or their meanings) will meditate His (Swami Desikaâs)
name and remember His graceful Form, bend their heads at His Lotus Feet, (which
are always in my heart and on my head)
Acharyan is the dispeller of all sins. He removes the darkness from our
minds and removes ignorance. He gives us new birth (vidya janmam); He is the
Father and the manthram (which He initiates us with) is the Mother. This birth
places us on the path which leads us to an end to all future births and deaths.
He endows us with divine vision. He has infinite amount of compassion towards
us. He always is interested in our welfare. On account of all of these, He is
always to be worshipped as the Lord Himself. One should never harbour any
feeling that he is doing a good return for what Acharya has done by paying few
dollars. It is only as a token of our gratitude.
Acharyan ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam
Regards
SrImathE Nigamaantha MahAdhEsikaaya nama:
Namo narayana
Acharyan thiruvaDi
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