SrimalLakshmana Yogindra Siddhanta Vijayatvajam |
VishvAmitra kulotbhutham VaradhAryam Aham Bhaje ||Sarvatantra swatantrAya Simmhaya KavivAdhiNAm |
VedantAchArya varyAya venkatesAya Mangalam ||
When we are asked to write the meaning of this thaniyan, we will answer it in a single line “Sri Varadha Desikan, The Victory Flag of Sri EmperumAn darshanam and born in Viswamithra Gothram, adiyen is paying my obeisance”. Similarly for other slokams in Sri Desika Mangalam, we will tell the meaning in one line. No doubt! it’s correct interms of the understanding the slokam. But when we were asked to explain each and every word. Why that word? What is the indepth meaning it conveys? Why Brahmatantra Swatantrar chose those words? Why Brahmatantra Swatantrar chose Varadhachar as acharyan? What are the ways one has to pay respect to acharyan? Similarly KumAravaradhar’s anubhavam of desikan if asked word by word with in depth meaning, are we all able to answer with pramaanaas?
Yes you can… if you read the Srimath Vedantha Desika Mangalam by Abinava Pathanjali Swami Sri U Ve Srivatsangachar published on Swami’s Thirunakshatram held recently.
The swami “SCULPTED” each and every word with indepth adhyadhbutha vishesha arthams and with various pramaanaas. Swami’s masterpiece is shown in each and every word. (the other beauty is the way swami showed “PRAMAANAAS”)
For example: The following indepth meaning will be learnt from this pustakam about acharya bhakthi
1. Why Brahmatantra swami chose Kumaaravaradhaachar as Acharyan?
Shastraas enjoin that one should also have the same respect towards acharyan kumaarar/Kumaari’s. Thus Jeeyar chose Varadaguru as his Bhagavat Vishayam Acharya. Our swami explains it with pramaanaas.
2. What are the ways one should worship acharyas?
Swami quotes with pramaanaas and says there are of four types
1. Composing a thaniyan (samskrit/tamil) and reciting it everyday with pratipaththi – SATVIK
2. Giving a finger (as ekalayva did) – TAMASIC
3. Tatooing Acharyas name – TAMASIC
4. Keeping his name and saying that you are his Dhaasan – Ramanuja dasan etc – SATVIK
Since we srivaishnavaas have to take only satvik practices enjoined by shastras, we should adopt 1 and 4. So Brahmatantra Swatantrar and Kumaaravaradhaachar (all our acharyaas) adopted 1 and 4.
3. Now coming to vyakkyaanam… why Lakshmana padham is used in srimalLakshmana? Why not Ramanuja (Rama+Anuja)?
Swami beautifully narrates the role of Lakshmanan (Adiseshan) in doing various kaimkaryam to Emperumaan. Valmiki’s way of portraying Lakshmanan. The reason why Swami Ramanuja was named after Lakshmanan etc along with various pramaanaas and then concludes the beauty behind the name Lakshmana.
Similarly, for “EACH AND EVERY WORD” swami gave the words speciality, the reason behind keeping such name and all vishesha arthams… SIMPLE YET VERY SCHOLARLY.
So one will learn a lot of sampradhaaya vishayams along with sri desika mangalam (see in the above example too we learnt how to treat acharya kumaarars/kumaari’s, how to show our respect to our acharyas in satvik ways as enjoined in shastra, before we started with the thaniyan)….
One would be mesmerized studying the thaniyan and its avathaarikai itself. The explanation for the thaniyan itself goes for 11 pages along with detailed explanation for each slokam. This book has desikan mangalam along with saptati rathna maalika (6 slokaas) + Dindima Kavi’s 1 sloka vyakkyaanam (which we daily recite in our anushantaanam).
Its a very unique and beautiful book. At the end of this book all desika bhakthas (novices to scholars) will understand word by word meaning of Desika Mangalam, word by word vishesha arthams, the avathaarikai and pramaanaas. It is a rare opportunity to learn such wonderful vyakkyaanams in a simple langauage.
Priced at Rs. 150/-, this book can be purchased from the following Swamins at…
CHENNAI
Shri Paiyampadi S Raghavan Swami at raghavan2963@gmail.com or
Address:
D-200, HINDU COLONY, 26TH CROSS STREET, NANGANALLUR, CHENNAI 61
CONTACT NO: 044-222 44 640, 91765 33500, 91715 33536
BANGALORE
Shri Sudarshan Swami (Malleshwaram) at +91 97316 33664 or sudarsana.prasad@gmail.com
Book Review Courtesy: Sri Aasuri Lakshmi Narasimhan
