Simplicity is his hallmark
SUGANTHY KRISHNAMACHARI
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Vedanta Desikar's Thirunakshatram falls on October 12. A tribute to the acharya who touched the common man.
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Vedanta Desikar.
To say that a couple has been blessed with a child is cliché. But was ever a couple more blessed than Anantasuri and Thotarambha, who in 1268 AD became the proud parents of Venkatanatha, later to become famous as Acharya Vedanta Desikar?
The seeds of greatness were evident in Venkatanatha, even when he was a child. The great Acharya Nadadur Ammal could visualise the heights the child would scale.
Venkatanatha became the student of his maternal uncle, Kidambi Appullar, and by the time he was twenty, he had mastered all the sastras.
He was conferred the title Vedanta Acharya by Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam. Not to be outdone His consort Sri Rangayanaki conferred on Desikar the title Sarvatantra Swatantra.
Prolific writer
Desikar was a prolific writer, whose writings were always exquisitely phrased, whether he wrote in Tamil, Sanskrit, Prakrit or Manipravala. His output included stotras that can easily be recited even by children. Foremost among these is the Hayagriva Stotram.
How difficult it is to write a play where qualities like viveka, kama, krodha, etc., are the dramatis personae! Desikar's `Sankalpa Suryodayam' is an allegorical drama, which shows the conflict between different human qualities.
This is a conflict played out in every individual's mind, as one struggles to suppress baser instincts and let the noble ones surface. That Desikar chose to portray this inner struggle on a broader canvas is testimony to the uniqueness of his genius.
By writing in both Tamil and Sanskrit, Desikar gave a practical demonstration of the Ubhaya Vedanta culture. He points out that a study of works of the Azhwars is like reading a commentary on the Vedas. Just as the Azhwars did great service for the Tamil speaking people, Desikar presented to those not familiar with Tamil, the essence of Nammazhwar's Tiruvaimozhi in Sanskrit as Dramidopanishad Saaram.
Desikar Avatara Day
Desikar takes pride in calling himself Sandamigu Tamizh Maraiyon. Is it any wonder then that Desikar's avatara day (Purattasi Sravanam, October 12 this year) is described as Vakulabharana Perumal Tamizhin Vaasi Arindidu Naal — the day on which people began to be aware of the greatness of the Tamil works of Nammazhwar — who is also known as Vakulabharana Perumal?
Aesthetic appeal, unassailable logic, technical perfection in the handling of a language — yes, all these are obvious features of Desikar's works.
Seekers after truth are not a homogenous lot, and Desikar knew that each of us needs to be taught according to our capacity to understand.
For young aspirants
For the stumbling young aspirant, just beginning to make faltering, tentative attempts to understand the doctrine of Prapatti, Desikar gives the Nyasa Dasaka. He then leads the aspirants to Nyasa Vimsati, Nyasa Tilakam and Saranagati Deepika and so on.
Not being content with being compassionate himself, he sought to instil the spirit of compassion in his followers. In his gentle guidance of his devotees, we see in Desikar a mother. In his gentle and yet firm grip on his devotees through his prescriptions and proscriptions, we see a father. In his explanation of the scriptures and sastras he is a guru.
In performing impossible feats like composing Paduka Sahasram in one night, he demonstrates his divinity. Desikar then is mata, pita, guru, deivam all rolled into one, a distincition not many can boast.
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