Literary masterpiece
V. N. GOPALA DESIKACHARIAR
DAYA SATAKAM OF VEDANTA DESIKA: Tamil commentary by Seva Srinivasaraghavacharya; Seva Swamy Memorial Foundation, 10/2, Lakshmipuram 2nd Street, Villivakkam, Chennai-600049. Rs. 100.
Vedanta Desika, the scintillating and resplendent crown-jewel of Sri Vaishnava religion and philosophy is also a literary genius par excellence and nonpareil. He wrote nearly 120 gems of works in Sanskrit, Tamil, Manipravala (mixture of Sanskrit and Tamil) and Prakrit that span a wide genre: devotional hymns, kavyas (long poetry), commentaries and philosophical treatises.
His literary genius has perhaps not won due recognition apparently because of a misconception that his works are only difficult philosophical treatises. Desika’s literary prowess has however won enormous admiration even from doctrinal opponents like Vidyaranya, Appayya Dikshitar, Arunachala Kavirayar and Vadalur Ramalinga Swamigal— all of whom are literary giants.
Desika has written 28 hymns in Sanskrit, in praise of various forms of Vishnu. These contain secret mantras and are recited for specific benefits like knowledge, wealth and to ward off evils and diseases.
Visualisation
The Daya Satakam on the compassion of Lord Venkatesa of Tirupati is considered the crest jewel among these hymns. Desika is regarded as an incarnation of Venkatesa or His temple bell and this is especially mellifluous. Each decade in this hymn of 108 verses is chiselled in a different poetical metre, in keeping with its contents. He visualises Venkatesa’s mercy as His consort Dayadevi just as he did Ranganatha’s sandals as His consort Padukadevi and sang the Paduka Sahasram, a garland of 1008 verses. The visualisation in both cases is apt and elegant, since both Daya (mercy) and Paduka (sandals) are feminine in Sanskrit.
Earlier commentators on the Dayasatakam have correlated it with the Tiruvaimozhi of Nammazhvar. They have shown how each of the 10 decades of Dayasatakam corresponds to each of the 10 centads of Tiruvaimozhi, in describing the Lord and His auspicious qualities.
Metaphors
This whole hymn is a veritable poetic fantasy. As a literary masterpiece, this abounds in choice vocabulary, rhymes and rhapsody; and is full of similes and metaphors, proving to be a connoisseur’s delight.
As a devotional hymn, this brings out the Lord’s divine deeds and auspicious qualities, presided over by Dayadevi. As a philosophical work, this showcases succinctly the essential truths of Vaishnavism.
The late author of this versatile commentary in Tamil, popularly known as Seva Swami, was an erudite scholar and author of many works, who devoted his life to propagating Desika’s glory and his myriad compositions.
This learned commentary is in lucid, reader-friendly style and the author beautifully brings forth the finer points in the hymn, alluding to appropriate texts such as the Nalayira Divya Prabandha and the Bhagavad Gita. The text, along with the commentary, has to be savoured leisurely and slowly, and is certain to give unalloyed pleasure.
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