SrImaan vENkata naaTHaaryah kavithaarkika kesarI.
vEdaantaachaarya varyO mE sanniDHatthaaM sadaa hRudhi
Meaning:
I surrender my soul at the sacred feet of PeraruLaaLan, who resides at the most important of the seven cities that bless their residents with Moksham. I have come to the realization that I am powerless to attain moksham through the difficult-to-practice Bhakthi yOgam as upaayam. I have hence chosen Prapatthi at the lotus feet of Varadhan as the saving grace for me and am performing saraNaagathi. This act of mine (performance of SaraNaagathi at the Lord’s feet as the helpless one with no other recourse) is like the deed of the evil-minded Kaakaasuran, who committed grave apachaarams to the Lord’s consort and was yet saved by the Lord, when he fell at the feet of the Lord as a saraNaagathan without any other recourse.
Comments:
The key passage of this slOkam is the statement: “Atthigiri AruLaaLarkku adaikkalam naann puhunthEn”. Swamy compares himself to a Mahaa aparaadhi like Kaakaasuran, who ran hither and thither and finally realized that no one can save him from the chasing Brahmaasthram and fell at the feet of the merciful Lord (yetthisayum ozhanRu Odi iLaitthu vizhum Kaakam pOl). Swamy points out that he used the difficult to practise Bhakthi yOgam as the means (upaayam) for Moksham and failed miserably to gain the Mokshaanugraham (Patthi mudalaam avaRRil pathi yenakku koodamal). Swamy Desikan states that wandering here and there practising Bhakthi yOgam, he did not succeed in his efforts to gain Moksham and arrived finally at the most important among the cities that assure moksham (Viz)., Kaanchi (Mutthi tarum nakar yEzhil mukkiyamaam Kaanchi tanil) and performed SaraNaagathy at the sacred feet of Lord Varadaraajaa and gained Moksha
Phala siddhi.
Courtesy: Sri Oppiliappan Koil Sri Varadachari Sadagopan
