Devotional and Didactic Poetry

A good number of devotional and didactic poems is credited to the academic genius of Vedanta Desika. Poetic faculty and religious spirit of Vedanta Desika are clearly reflected in his poems. Being inspired by the songs of the Alvars, he wrote these poems which are as below:

13 1. Hayagrivastotra: It is a small poem containing thirty two verses in the Upajati metre. It is written on Lord Hayagriva, the Srivaisnava deity of light and learning. This is sung by the Srivaisnavas of Tiruvahindrapuram during the Brahmotsavam festivals. The Vadagalai Srivaisnnavas have reverential regard for this hymn as they take it to be the poetic idealisation of the esotericism of Hayagriva mantra. This poem is commented upon in Sanskrit by Velamur Srinivasacarya and Srisaila Tirumalai Nambi Raghavarya. And Kurichi Gopala Tatacharya and Gargya Venkatacarya interpreted this poem in Tamil. 2. Dasavatarastotra: This hymn describes all images of the incarnations of Sri Visnu. It contains thirteen verses in the Sardulavikridita metre. Most of the stanzas of this stotra have been repeated in Act VII of his drama, the Sankalpa-suryodaya. It has three commentaries, of which, one in Sanskrit by Srisaila Tirumalai Nambi Raghavarya; and two in Tamil, by Kurichi Gopala Tatacarya and by Gargya Venkatacarya. 3. Bhagavaddhyanasopana: This devotional poem containing twelve Mandakranta verses, speaks of poet's heart melting in Divine love. Describing the limbs of the images of Ranganatha, this poem presents the sublime sense of Prapatti. It echoes forth the lofty ideas of the Tamil songs of Muni Vahana, a great Tamil saint. This hymn is commented upon by -i. Anvil Venkata Gopaladasa, ii. Srisaila Tirumalai Nambi Raghavarya, iii. Srisaila Vedanta Ramanuja, iv. Srisaila Sinnamu Ranganathacarya (in Tamil) and V. Gargya Venkatacarya (in Tamil). 4. Gopalavimsati: Written in a variety of metres, this hymn containing twenty one verses deals with the faith and philosophical idealisation concerning Lord Krsna. Some of fine stanzas are incorporated in the XV canto of the Yadavabhyudaya. Appayya Diksita though a Advaita scholar, has appreciated Vedanta Desika as the great Krsna bhakta, capable of the highest flights of Krsna-

14 poetry. It has two commentaries, one in Sanskrit by Srisaila Tirumalai Nambi Raghavarya and second in Tamil by Srisaila Sinnamu Ranganathacarya. 5. Sristuti : Consisting of twenty six verses in the Mandakranta metre, this hymn describes the glory of Goddess Laksmi. The Sristuti of Yamunacarya is its main source of inspiration. This hymn is much honoured by Mahacarya, the celebrated commentator of the Satadusani. It has commentaries, one by Atreya Varadacarya in Sanskrit and second by Kurichi Gopala Tatacarya in Tamil. 6. Abhitistava : Consisting of twenty nine verses, this hymn expresses author's devotion on Sri Ranganatha of Srirangam. It gives some autobiographical touches and a clue to the chronological order of the works of Vedanta Desika. It is commented upon by Srisaila Sinnamu Ranganathacarya in Tamil. 7. Varadaraja pancasat: Also called Devaraja pancasat, it is a hymn of fifty one stanzas on the deity Varadaraja of Kancipuram describing the Brahmotsavam festivals and the glory of Varadaraja. It exposes the theology of Vaisnavism with a special reference to the doctrine of Prapatti. Hence, it has been regarded as sastra poem. It is commented upon by Karur Srisaila Srinivasacarya. 8. Vegasetustotram : It is a hymn of ten stanzas on the deity enshrined in the Yathoktakarin temple at Kancipuram. A story behind this, is that, once Lord Brahma began the Asvamedha sacrifice at Kanci in the absence of his spouse Sarasvati. Enraged at this, Sarasvati changed herself in the form of a river, Vegavati and started flowing towards the sacrificial field in order to extinguish the sacrificial fire. But, Visnu the Yathoktakarin threw Himself across the stream and stopped the waters flowing towards the sacrificial altar. Since Yathotakarin became the Vegasetu or the setu to the Vegavati river, hymn composed on him, is called Vegasetu-stotra. It has two commentaries, one by T.Ch.N.R.Tatacarya in Sanskrit and second by Srisaila Sinnamu Ranganathacarya in Tamil. 9. Astabhujastaka-stotra : It is a hymn of ten verses on Visnu or Gajendravarada with eight hands enshrined in the Astabahu temple adjacent to Yathoktakarin temple at Kancipuram. This work is written by Vedanta Desika during his early literary career.

15 10. Kamasikastaka: A hymn of nine stanzas on Visnu in the form of Narasimha, enshrined in the Kamasika temple at Kancipuram, it describes the glory of Lord Narasimha. 11. Paramartha stuti : It is a hymn of ten verses on Visnu in the form of Rama or Vijayaraghava or Samarapungava installed in the shrine near Tirupputkuli. It is commented upon by I.R.Sheshadryacar in Sanskrit and by Agnihotram Chakrapani Pattararya Dasa in Tamil. 12. Saranagati-dipika: It is a hymn of sixty verses on the deity Dipa Prakasa consecrated in the Dipa Prakasa shrine at Kancipuram. It shines like a lamp showing to us the inner recesses on the heart of Vedanta Desika, a saranagata. It also explains the tenets of Ramanuja Philosophy and Religion. It has three commentaries, of which, the first and the second by Srisaila Tirumalai Nambi Raghavarya and by Gargya Venkatarya are in Sanskrit and the third by K.M.Rajagopalacarya is in Tamil. 13. Devanayaka-pancasat: A hymn of fifty-three verses in Vasanta-tilaka metre is dedicated to Devanayakja, the deity of Tiruvahindrapuram. The ideas of the songs of great Tamil saint Nammalvar are reflected in this poem. It is commented upon by Srisaila Tirumalai Nambi Raghavarya in Sanskrit and by K.M.Rajagopalacarya in Tamil. 14. Acyutasataka : It is a devotional poem in Prakrit containing one hundred and one Gathas on Devanayaka or Acyuta. Being the quintessence of Ramanuja Philosophy, this work shows each and every facet of the saint Nammalvar. It has five commentaries such as: i. by T.Ch.N.R. Tatacarya (in Sanskrit) ii. by T.V.Desikacarya (Grammatical) iii. by Sri Saila Sinnamu Ranganathacarya (in Tamil) iv. by Taiylar Vangipuram Desikacarya (in Tamil) v. by S.T.A.T. Kumara Tatarya (in Sanskrit)

16 15. Dehalisa-stuti : It is a devotional poem of twenty eight stanzas dedicated to Dehalisa, the deity at Tirukkoilur. It consists of the story of the coming into being of Munitraya Sampradaya of Srivaisnavism, to which Vedanta Desika belongs. It has two Sanskrit commentaries one by T.Ch.N.R. Tatacarya and the other by Sri Saila Sinnamu Ranganathacarya. Also P.I. Laksminareshacarya wrote Tamil commentary on it. 16. Nyasa-tilakam: It is a hymn of thirty two stanzas on Sri Ranganatha of Srirangam. As the name suggests this work deals with the Nyasa or selfsurrender. It has been commented upon in Sanskrit by Nainaracarya, our poet's own son and by Sribhasyam Srinivasacarya. A Tamil commentary also by Kurichi Gopala Tatacarya is available. 17. Raghuviragadya : It is a prose-poem on Sri Rama and closely resembles the Rangagadya of Ramanuja. It is a beautiful poetic epitome of the Ramayana of Valmiki. 18. Bhustuti: It is a devotional poem of thirty three verses dedicated to Bhu or the Goddess Earth. It reads like a poem on the glory and the grandeur of Bharatavarsa also. It suggests poet's mystic speculations on the earth, a mode of the Divine. It has been commented upon by Sri Saila Tirumalai Nambi Raghavarya in Sanskrit and by K.M.Rajagopalacarya in Tamil. 19. Sodasayudha-stotra: It is a hymn of eighteen stanzas in Anustub metre on the sixteen weapons accompanying the Sudarsana of Sri Visnu installed in the Srirangam temple. It is written on the lines of the Astradhyaya of Visnupurana. It is commented upon by Tenbarai Rajagopalacarya in Sanskrit and by Kurichi Gopalatatacarya in Tamil. 20. Sudarsanastaka : It is a hymn of eight verses on Sudarsana or Visnu's disc. It has Sanskrit commentary by Tenbarai Rajagopalacarya and by Kurichi Gopala Tatacarya in Tamil. 21. Garuda-dandaka: It is a hymn on Garuda in the Dandaka metre. The use of Dandaka style is said to have been influenced by similar usage in the

17 Prabodhacandrodaya of Krsna Misra. Vedanta Desika is said to have invoked Garuda with this Dandaka and defeated the snake charmer who had challenged Vedanta Desika to show that he was Sarva-Tantra-Svatantra. This work is incorporated in the X Act of his Sankalpa-suryodaya. It has a Sanskrit commentary by Tenbarai Rajagopalacarya and Tamil one by K.M.Rajagopalacarya. 22. Garuda pancasat : A hymn written in Sragdhara metre is addressed. to Garuda the presiding deity of wisdom and reason. The Srivaisnavas regard it as the embodiment of the Garuda Mantra. This is included in the tenth Act of the Sankalpa-suryodaya. 23. Yatiraja-saptati : A hymn of seventy four verses on Ramanujacarya, the great founder of Srivaisnava cult, expresses Vedanta Desika's deep sense of devotion to his preceptor. 24. Dhati-pancaka: This is another work of five stanzas in honour of Ramanujacarya. It glorifies the Acarya as great conquerer of rival religionists and the rival schools of philosophy. 25. Divya-desa-mangalasasana-pancaka: It is a poem of five stanzas describing the holy places like Srirangam, Tirupati, Kancipuram Tirunarayanapuram. · and 26. Paduka-sahasra : It is a long hymn of one thousand and eight verses in thirty two padyas or sections on the Padukas of the deity Ranganatha of Srirangam. As depicted in the life sketch of Vedanta Desika, this was written in a single night challenge to the Padakamala-sahasra of Tengalai scholar Alagiya Manavala Perumal Nainar. Since Vedanta Desika won the competition, he was honoured with the title Kavitarkika-simha. The Advaitic scholar Appayya Diksita also is said to have commented upon it. Both the Vadagalai and Tengalai Srivaisnavas adore it for its poetry and philosophy. 27. Subhasitanivi : Vedanta Desika is said to have composed this book of didactic poetry for Sarvajna Singappa Nayaka of Rajmundry who sought moral and religious instruction from him. Some of the stanzas are found in the

18 Sankalpa-suryodaya. A Sanskrit commentary viz., Ranapetika by Srinivasa, is available.