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Abheetistava – meaning with emphasis on Sanskrit

Abheetistava is a stuti on Bhagavan Ranganatha of Srirangam by Swami Vedanta Desika, at a time when the entire country was suffering from the invasion of Mughals and Turks. Srirangam, in particular was devastated; the archa murti of Ranganatha had to be carried away to far and safer places. Lot of Srivaishnavas wer killed and Swami Desika had to escape to Sathyagala, a scenic kshetra on the banks of Cauvery near Mysore with a responsibility to protect the Sampradaya by passing on the knowledge to sishyas. This verse was written during by Desika during his stat in Sathyagala in which he prays to Ranganatha to instill fearlessness in the minds of devotees. He requests the Lord to destroy the evil that has befallen the society and which has caused tremendous fear in the people. The metrical formation is a very good one to chant. There are 29 verses in all. Adiyen is attaching the links that cover the meanings in parts and also a youtube link in which adiyen has rendered the stotra alone.

Verses from 1 to 6 that includes the introduction

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Wnb2X-cxyoAoYZDE5LIU8gC5VOXgFuN_

verses from 7 to 12

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1XDJ-cTCgXr8_4eXX6jl0g0198a4QgscC

verses from 13 to 18

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gdabBmhzXXZufkCwTP4svQ4WK2P6AvU6

verses from 19 to 24

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-fyWoZYDXGfFChLSS4r6alvyqk2Ld0VM

verses from 25 to 29

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1JrYq1tmsYDyVp4qfecYxJJnzCAtdZyfZ

the link to listen to the recitation is as below. Dasan.

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Sri Dasavathara Stotram – meaning with emphasis on Sanskrit

Sri Dasavathara Stotram is a composition by Sri Vedanta Desika on the ten avatars of Sriman Narayana whose archa forms adorn the Dasavatara Sannidhi in Srirangam. In the first verse Swami Desika sings in praise of Bhagavan Ranganatha and his divine consort Ranganayaki, the divine actor-couple who adorn the ten avatars so as to bestow auspiciousness on all the Jivatmas. There are thirteen verses in all. The ten avatars are praised from the 2nd to the 11th. The thirteen summarises all the ten avatars with beautiful names invocatory names of the Bhagavan, praising the significance of his divya nama. The thirteenth verse mentions the phala stuti.

The recordings are available in parts and they are provided in the links below

Introduction to the 4th sloka

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ZA79FHEK2iuO-_uUWsh-I_uAhkDaGFKf

5th verse to the 8th verse

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ZEgVzilF5OoOK1po_AsPdyhp3In9Me4L

9th verse to the 13th verse

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1axW8aQWkET2I4yIz_0eNs6iDsa0Q184T

Dasan

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Sri Dehaleesha Stuti – meaning with emphasis on Sanskrit

Vamana transforming in to Trivikrama in the fingers of Sri Keshav

Sri Dehaleesha Stuti, consisting of 28 verses is a beautiful piece of poetry on Sri Dehaleesha, the presiding deity of Thirukovalur located on the scenic banks of Pennaiyaar. The right leg of the Emberumaan goes up to the space while his left leg is well placed on the earth. The usual places of his conch and discus are also interchanged. This is the kshetra wherein the Emberumaan rejoicing in the very close company of the first three Alwars – Poigai Alwar, Bhudat Alwar and Peyalwar, blessed them and made them sing the first three thiruvanthathis out of the unbound bhakti towards Him.

Besides narrating the scenic beauty of the place, the birth of Ganga, the coming together of the three Alwars on a rainy night in a dehali (threshold of a house) and the divine leela of Emberumaan with them, the transformation of Vamana in to Trivikrama etc, Desika very nicely discusses the aspects of prapatti and the outlook of a prapanna in general.

The meanings of the verses have been rendered in Tamil with a special focus on Sanskrit (to help beginners) and the recordings are shared in parts in the following links,

Introduction and the first six verses

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ARtgbP-RmlLqWUPoh4ESmAgg57TZEq3l

verses 7 to 12

https://drive.google.com/open?id=15eJ3Ml1jCZdXQYwdOvAHOQweFMd1cBJM

verses 13 to 18

https://drive.google.com/open?id=171KLheAbHpusj2bIKK-zilOdZjKSCd8v

verses 19 to 24

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1AJ9r0dCupuC-MJ9zdNCP5cLIpjj2-nUW

verses 25 to 28

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1AUA4JeQwPznYp89eGDFUTxMRM2UfMLAT

Acharya Krupa

Dasan

Sreeram.

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Sri Mahaveera Vaibhavam – meaning with emphasis on Sanskrit and citations from Srimad Ramayana

Sri Raman with Sita Piratti, Ilayaperumal and Siriya thiruvadi at Thiruvendipuram

Sri Mahaveera Vaibhavam or Sri Raghuveera Gadyam is a prose-stuti or gadyakavya of Sri Nigamantha Mahadesikan. Sampradaya says this stuti was composed by Sri Desika on the archa murti of Sri Rama of the divya kshetra Thiruvendipuram. Consisting of 94 churnikas the stuti begins with the words ‘jaya jaya mahavira’. Swami Desikan has himself named this stuti as Mahaveera vaibhavam vide the line ‘pathata mahaveera vaibhavam sudhiyah’ in the concluding verse of the work.

Adiyen, with whatever meagre knowledge in Sanskrit that has been acquired, has attempted to narrate the meanings of this wonderful piece of prose-poetry with special emphasis on the basics of Sanskrit.

The recordings are done in parts. The link to the audio file of the first part that contains the introduction and meanings of the first 19 churnikas is as below

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Mkvn83oOMquFMYsVta7Vjpg-hMy0FjkB

The link to the audio file of the second part that contains the meanings of the choornikas from 20th to 36th is as below

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1hiERohtssihfHjwr_Fi_XiczgKICynLH

The link to the audio file of the third part that contains the meanings of the choornikas from 37th to 54th is as below

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1D_jycYrxdBLzLxqFAgEXvlBlsZjodMKo/view?usp=drivesdk

The link to the audio file of the fourth part that contains the meanings of the choornikas from 55th to 76th is as below

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1KYMseJInj4hU9EpdWhw685Cat_Bf4byW

The link to the audio file of the final part that contains the meanings of the choornikas from 77th to 94th (the last) and the two slokas thereafter is as below

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1HotynXxoDuhUz4M8lVBfb9zCcFb10T6F

Please find below the YouTube link to adiyen’s recitation of Sri Mahavira Vaibhavam

Adiyen’s recitation of Sri Mahaveera Vaibhavam

DAsan

Sreeram.

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Sri Devanayaka Panchashat – meaning with emphasis on Sanskrit

A view from the entrance of Sri Vedanta Desika Thirumaligai at Thiruvahindrapuram

Thiruvahindrapuram is one among the 108 divyadesams wherein Lord Sri Devanayaka presides over with his divine consort Sri Hemambhujanayaki in the shrine opposite the famous Aushadhagiri. The Lord is also known as  Devadhinatha or Deivanayakan (in Tamil). However His unique name is Natasatya (in Sanskrit) or Adiyavarkku meyyan (in Tamil) that glorifies His nature of being true to his devotees.

The kshetra assumes even more significance as the Acharya Sarvabhauma Sri Nigamantha Mahadesika did penance atop the Aushadhagiri and had vision of Hayagreeva murthi by chanting the Garuda mantra. He lived in this kshetra for many years. The house that He lived in stands even today (please see the picture atop this article) as a testimony and it has a well which the Acharya is said to have constructed with his own hands!

The stotra, Sri Devanayaka Panchashat, composed by Sri Vedanta Desika, contains 53 verses in all that glorify the form and qualities of the Lord Devanayaka. It also describes the punyatirthas among many other aspects about the kshetra.

Adiyen, with whatever limited intellect bestowed upon, has tried to render the meanings of the verses one by one with some emphasis on the basics of Sanskrit so that listeners can appreciate the beauty of the verses.

The link to the audio files in parts are as below.

The first part that contains the introduction and meanings of verses until the 7th verse is available in the link below

https://drive.google.com/open?id=19IR606EV1X9DnHKMvSBGWiABYOBLSwtT

The second part that contains the meanings of verses from 8th until the 15th verse is available in the link below

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1lmHLxwtOsShlsUNGrsHUsVFwteeQ8lwp

The third part that contains the meanings of the verses from 16th until the 25th is available in the link below

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1YOWevte-bpqPuZVdCsjO0xzLdTTKjH7c

The link to the fourth part that contains the meaning of verses from 26 to 31 is as below

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1isKDBWvAgdl-LOP5JkW5RT8Sv_LtkZxK/view?usp=drivesdk

The link to the fifth part that contains the meanings of verses from 32nd to 37th is as below

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gkcTlJiau4VSj0OqRKEmpbxYmcC0U_bF

The link to the sixth part covering meanings of 38th to 44th is also below

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sQLx7qR3D5ZNGxTqW2Oce5Nfzrhsl5nJ/view?usp=drivesdk

The link to the seventh and final part that covers the meanings of 45th to the 53rd (last) verse is as below

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1FQcoWB_5a_yGMFMkby9gvjcFTpzlnqmH

DAsan

Sreeram.

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Srimad-Rahasyatraya-Sara-adhikara-namavali – a metrical composition

Swami Desika – a pencil sketch by adiyen

Srimad Rahasyatraya Sara, considered to be the magnum opus of Sri Nigamantha Mahadesikan, is a comprehensive work in manipravala, a mix of Sanskrit and Tamil, and is about the three rahasyas or mantras that are very central to the philosophy of Vishishtadvaita. There are 32 adhikaras or chapters in this work. Adiyen was requested by a bhagavata to compose a metrical work mentioning the names of those 32 adhikaras in anushthup metre (sloka metre) so that bhagavatas can easily memorise and remember them. There should be a work available already in this regard already composed by our poorvacharyas. Adiyen has also done one, whatever be its worth. The link to the document is as below:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1IclyoR1cFZANGRVBK7uk4JhbDnnFacNh

DAsan

Sreeram.

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Sri Varadaraja Panchashat – meaning with emphasis on Sanskrit

Sri Varadaraja Panchashat is one of the most mellifluous stotras composed by Sri Vedanta Desika on the Lord of Kanchi, Sri Varadarajan, also hailed as Devadhirajan, Devarajan, Perarulaalan etc, his ishtadevata so to say. There are 51 verses in all, most of them are composed in Vasantatilaka metre. He briefly describes in the first sloka how the Paramatma descends to Kanchi, also known as satyavrata kshetra in archai form. Then he begins his stuti proper by expressing his naichyanusandhana in the next 5 verses.

He then describes the beauty of the Lord in para, vyuha, vibhava, antaryami and lastly in the archa form. The glory of Lord Varadaraja, the description of his Brahmotsavam, the processions etc are all brought out beautifully in some of the verses. Swami even claims that he is not interested in moksha, i.e attaining Sri Vaikuntha instead continue to live in Kanchi enjoying the archanubhava.

Finally the 50th verse describes the archa form of Lord Varadaraja and the 51st verse, the final one, is phalastuti.

With limited intellect, adiyen has tried to give the meanings of the verses in Tamil in short recordings with some emphasis on Sanskrit so as to assist beginners to enjoy the anvaya and pratipadarthas.

The consolidated recordings of the audios are shared in parts.

The first part of the recording that contains the introduction and meanings of the first 5 verses is as below.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=125LHvFbZZNZyDi0Pyupouvcz4c6Zi005

The second part of the recording that contains the meanings of verses from  the 6th to 11th is as below.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=14firzk2eH01bbPmi9gqDpqNZrmE_BHHv

The third part of the recording that contains the meanings of verses from the 12th to 17th is as below.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SyeYqPMQsqh0HV4ENg_UuHK5fWBc48iJ

The fourth part of the recording that contains the meanings of verses from the 18th to 23rd is as below.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1AG1UXCK3WW-MgrHtAmqg7hf5oknHhmGr

The link to the fifth part of the recording consisting of the verses 24th to 30th is as below:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xOMa_5JHEj0onjThFWtSCtX_wU0aMvyL/view?usp=drivesdk

The link to the sixth part of the recording consisting of the verses 31st to 37th is as below:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ywlaLPPqdqcLdtICfFPezDuhGhjVtl_D

The link to the seventh part of the recording consisting of the verses 38th to 44th is as below

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Xdpl8hi6kYapFcML5u7qyCgb9lMEapPG

The link to the audio of the final part that covers the meanings of verses from 45 to 51 is as below:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aCmMgqKlParlnPqHQilsoxD8N4Z030Sx/view?usp=drivesdk

regards

Dasan

Sreeram.

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Sri Gopala Vimshati – meaning with emphasis on Sanskrit

Sri Gopala Vimshati is one of the 28 stotras composed by Sri Nigamantha Mahadesikan. It has twenty one verses in all, the last one being the phalastuti. In the 20 mellifluous verses, Desikan brings out his anubhava of the beautiful form of the naughty Balakrishna that are rich in sabda alankara as well.

The link to the consolidated audio file of the introduction and the first seven verses is as below.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-sH0zIm4Kan-bDZ3mWOSJiQpVHR-T5nL

The link to the consolidated audio file of the next 7 verses – from the 8th to 14th is as below.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1chCHnkRzRL-SUEhMs-fv5sinHF1v9KAp

The link to the consolidated audio file of the last 7 verses – from the 15th to 21st is as below.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1A5cqWKUsnxArphV9tvErL85gyJobe0lN

Dasan

Sreeram.

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आचार्यस्तुतिपञ्चदशी सार्था – Acharya-stuti-panchadashi with meaning

HH 46th Jeer Sri Ahobila mutt

The 63rd Thirunakshatra celebrations of the present Jeer of Sri Ahobila mutt, H.H. Sri Ranganatha Yateendra Mahadesikan (46th Srimad Azhagiyasingar) was celebrated on the 18th of June 2018 in a grand manner at Sri Ahobila mutt, Selaiyur by Sishyas with great fervour.

The Srikaryam Swami of the mutt commanded adiyen, his shishya, to compose a stuti suiting the occasion. This is indeed Acharya anugraham as there are many vidvans who are capable of composing excellent padyams.

The link to the stuti and its meanings is as below; please click on the link to read and enjoy.

http://nakulasya-sughosha.blogspot.com/2018/06/acharyastutipanchadashi-with-meaning.html

Adiyen is still a beginner to Sanskrit poetry and is yet to transform in to a traditional poet. Ideas seem to be a bit modern in perspective.

Feedback is welcome on the correctness of word formations and meanings!

Dasan

Sreeram Jaganathan.