Commentary on a hymn
V. N. GOPALA DESIKACHARIAR
Desika brings out the efficacy of self-surrender vividly in this stotra
RAGHUVIRAGADYAM: With commentary in Tamil by N.R. Sowmya Narayana Thathachariar; Copies can be had from J. Badrinarayanan, 10/25, Gopala Menon Road, Kodambakkam, Chennai-600024.
Vedanta Desika, the celebrated poet-philosopher-polymath and a great exponent of Visishtadvaita, has authored more than 120 works in Sanskrit, Prakrit, and Tamil, spanning a wide genre that include philosophical treatises, devotional literature, Kavyas (long poems), and commentaries on sacred texts.
Of the 28 stotras he has composed in Sanskrit, only Raghuviragadya, which extols Rama, is in gadya form (a form of harmonious prose that sounds poetical), the rest being scintillating poetry. Desika apparently lent this distinctive identity to this stotra as a tribute to the uniqueness of Rama; as saint Tyagaraja says: Rama has one word (truth), one arrow (to fell the enemy) and one wife (unlike Krishna!)
Ramayana is glorified as Saranagati sastra by Vaishnavites, as it preaches the efficacy of self-surrender (saranagati) throughout. Desika, the principal propagator of this philosophy, brings out this aspect vividly in this stotra.
In the opening verse itself, he signifies that the purpose of God’s incarnation as Rama was to remove the mortal fear of those who seek refuge in Him.
It is significant that Desika has chosen to cover the entire Sundarakanda in just one sentence, which occurs right in the middle of the text. Is it because Desika wanted to proclaim the uniqueness of this Kanda, which is recited daily by the devout and is adored as the bestower of all worldly benefits?
Interpretations
The book under review is replete with interesting interpretations and apt quotations from several sacred texts like Mahabharata, besides Ramayana, and will prove the connoisseur’s delight. Elucidations relating to Vibhishana’s surrender, Rama’s entreaty to the ocean-king to provide access to Lanka, and Garuda’s advent when Rama and Lakshmana were struck by the serpent-arrow of Indrajit are particularly striking and charming.
As Desika himself says at the end, this hymn is composed of both high-sounding and mellifluous words, pregnant with esoteric meanings. Two savants of the bygone centuries have written fascinating commentaries and the author has closely followed them.
The publication gives the text in Sanskrit, with Tamil transliteration, followed by word-for-word meaning and elaborate commentary.
A non-Sanskrit-knowing reader may however find the book a bit tough because of the preponderance of Sanskritised words and passages throughout. Besides, cross-references to and quotations from other sacred texts are all given in Sanskrit, without Tamil meanings, in many cases.
This commentary has to be enjoyed leisurely, savouring in depth the subtle beauties and esoteric meanings.
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