1

Course for Kids)
Grade 1 for Beginners
(Based on the originals in Tamil "sampradAya pADa thiTTam"
by Sri Seva Swamigal)
Lesson 20: Sri Vedanta Desikan
(Anbil Ramaswamy)
=====================================================================================================================================Of
the seven DivyadEsams reputed to secure Moksham, the most
important is KAnchipuram (mukti tharum nagarEzhuL mukkiamAm kachi).
There is a temple of "ViLakkoLi perumAL" (deepa prakAsar, in
Sanskrit) in the nearby hamlet of "TiruthaNkA". Adjacent to this
temple is the famous Thooppul, where our Swami Desika was born in the
year 1268 to one Ananthasoori and ThOthAramba.

Of the various AvatArams taken by the Lord so far,
this "DesikAvatAram"stands last but not the least in importance. This
is a complete AvatAram in which both the Vibhava and Archa have
merged; this is also the "AchArya AvatAra"(the Lord appearing as the
preceptor); this is the AvatAram, which established firmly the way of
the Vedas (Veda mArga prathishTapanam)

Hailed as "Sarva Tantra Swatantrar" (Independent master of all arts
and crafts), "Kavi ThArkika Simham" (Lion among poets and
dialecticians) and "VedAntAchArya" (Preceptor of the Vedas), Swami
Desika was a prolific writer in establishing SaraNAgathi SAstras and
in redeeming millions of SamsAris entangled in worldly life.

 When the way of the Vedas enunciated by the great Rishis
disintegrated
 when VarNAsrama Dharma came to be shattered,
 when the theory of illusion enveloped the religious horizon,
 when due to the degradation of Kaliyuga nihilism was posing a
mortal threat to the Vaideeka matham,
- Lord of Tiruvenkatam deputed his temple bell to don the garb of a
human in the form of Swami Desika - to salvage and protect Dharma.

The word "Pankajam" literally means "that which is born out of mud".
Though there are so many others that are so born, the word is
understood to mean only the lotus; Similarly, the word "Desika"
though literally means "a preceptor", it is regarded as referring to
ONLY Swami Desika. Indeed, and without any doubt, he was "preceptor
par excellence" in every sense of the word.

He wrote in Sanskrit, Tamizh, MaNipravALam (a mixture of both) as
well as in PrAkrit (a crude colloquial form of Sanskrit used by
ladies and people belonging to the lower strata of society). Such
prolific writing makes him an outstanding author, one of a kind. It
is our good fortune to have been blessed with such an AchArya ?
privileges other do not enjoy.

Let us take justified pride in this and ask "Who can equal us on this
earth?" (Namakku yaar nigar naanilathE).

Just as he has three honorific as mentioned earlier, he has three
Taniyans (Dedicatory verses) composed on him commencing with the
words
"SrimAn VenkaTa nAthArya", "RamAnuja DayA pAtram" and "Seeronru
Thooppul".

 Vedanta got resuscitated;
 SiddhAntam sprouted again;
 Lord's supremacy got re established;
 Aagamas got back their due respect;
 AachAra and AnushTAna came to occupy the pride of place;
 Esoteric of Rahasyas got reaffirmed;
 The really learned ones rejoiced;
 The world of poets felt an ecstasy never heard of before;
 SaraNAgathi Dharma took firm roots;
 AruLicheyals of AzhwArs regained due recognition once again.
 Countless StOtras of invaluable potency appeared again;
 The philosophy of Srivaishnavam spread far and wide through
popularization of Prabandhas in Tamizh.
 "Ubhaya VedAntam"- the dual aspect of VedAnta (in Sanskrit and
Tamizh) reappeared.
 The eternal reals (tattvams) acquired a new expression and a novel=
experience.
 The way of the Vedas that is `Srimath"- blessed by the divine
couple got firmly established.

It is our bounden duty to read the works this greatest Swami Desika.
It is our duty also to teach and propagate "Swami Desika Darsanam"
throughout the World.

There can be no greater eulogy than the one by Pillai LokAchariar,
who said "Even one short sentence from his prodigious works is more
than sufficient to lift us up to the High Heavens"
"Seeronru Thooppul TiruvankatamudaiyAn
Paar onra sonna Pazhamohiyul
Oronru thAne amaiyAtho! TharaNiyil vAzhvOrkku
VaanErap pomaLavum Vazhvu"

Extolling the greatness of Swami Desika, there is a PAsuram
in "PiLLai AnthAdhi" which reads as follows:
"Anru ivvulaginai aakki arum poruL nool virithu
Ninru than neeL pugazh vEnkatamAmalai mEvip pinnum
Venrip pugazh tiruvEnkaTanAthan enrum guruvAi
Ninru nigazhndhu maNN mEl ninra nOigaL thavirthananE"
=========================================================================================QUESTIONS
1. Whose AvatAram is Swami Desika?
2. What are the 3 honorific bestowed on Swami Desika?
3. What are the 3 Tanians dedicated to Swami Desika?
4. Why do we call him the greatest one?