Vedaanta Desika

PROF. K. R. RAJAGOPALAN

There have been many centenary celebrations in the recent past; but one which has, perhaps, not been so widely known is the sapta-centenary of Vedanta Desika which was celebrated in 1968. Even during 1968, college students did not know who Desika was–as brought out in a Quiz programme that year. The purpose of this short article is to acquaint the readers with this illustrious son of Tamil Nadu who lived seven hundred years ago.

The town of Kanchi has become famous in history for many things–it has been called -----(Nagareshu Kvanchi–bestof the cities) by the Sanskrit poet Bhaaravi. It also had the good fortune of being the birth-place of Vedaanta Desika also. Desika was born under the star “Tiruonam” (Sravana) in the month of Purattasi (Sept.-Oct.)–an asterism which is ascribed to Sri Venkatachalapathy himself. His achievements are quite a few and he easily ranks as one of the intellectual stalwarts of his time–nay of all times too! As a dialectician, his fame spread far and wide and he is reported to have acted as a referee in an intellectual duel between two leaders of different religious sects. He was an author and a playwright, who, following in the footsteps of such a great Savant as Kaalidaasa, composed author Sandesakaavyaon the model of Meghasandesaand an epic poem on the model of the Raghuvamsam. He has many other works in Sanskrit. In Tamil also he has written a number of works of no mean merit and it is said that there are very few metres which have not been handled by him. He lived an exemplary life, living in the highest of Brahminical traditions–going on his Unchavrittior voluntary alms-mission everyday, accepting just what was necessary. He is reputed to have travelled almost all over the country. As if all this was not enough, he lived to the full Vedic span of a hundred years and passed away on 14th November, 1369.

All groups of Hindus derive their authority from the Vedas, so too Sreevaishnava Siddhaanta (as it is locally called in Tamil Nadu) or Visishtaadwaita Siddhaanta. The Aalwaarsof this land gave the quintessence of the Vedic Dharma in Tamil verses called Naalaayira Prabandham. These ideas were codified into a philosophy and a way of life by Aachaarya Raamaanuja who lived in the 11th-12th centuries. This scheme of rivivalism got an impetus from the revered Vedaanta Desika who systematised the daily life of a Sreevaishnava; elucidated many of the earlier writings by his commentaries; served as a rallying point in times of theological stress and strain; and gave the followers of Sree Raamaanuja his immortal grantha Rakasya-traya-saara, in which the concept of prapattior surrender is fully explained. His influence has been so profound that he is referred to one of the trio–Aalwaars, Sree Raamaanuja and Desika.

His Life

Vedaanta Desika was the only son of a very pious and devout couple in the picturesque village called Tooppul near Kaancheepuram. His father Anantasoori named him Venkatanaatha–after the Lord of the Tirumalai Hills with whose graciousness the child was supposed to have been born. His mother was Totaarambaa. Venkatanaatha had his Upanayanamat an early age and started his education under his maternal uncle Appullaar or Aatreya Raamaanuja. Before he was twenty, he learnt all that was possible and became quite proficient in expounding the Sree Bhaashya–the magnum Opus of Aachaarya Raamaanuja. He married Tirumangaiyar perhaps in 1289 and lived the life of a Grihasthain the traditional manner. This couple had an only son– Varadaacharya who was born when Venkatanaatha was 46 years old. He lived mostly in Kaanchipuram, Sreerangam, Tiruvaheendrapuram (near Cuddalore ) – going from one place to another in response to the invitations of the residents either to give learned discourses or to conduct dialogues with people professing other faiths. When Mohammedans invaded Sreerangam and desecrated the temple there, Venkatanaatha went to Satyamangalam (in the Mysore State). He also travelled widely, visiting Tirupati, Tirukkoilur, Melkote, Madras-Triplicane, Sholingapuram, Sreeperumpudur in South India. He is reputed to have made a journey to North India. He also and visited Allahabad, Brindavan, Ayodhya, Badari and Saligram. He gave as many as thirty discourses on Sree Bhaashya of Aachaarya Raamaanuja. After composing a very large number of works, after being respected and revered in his own time, after a full and fruitful long life he reached the feet of the Lord in 1369.

Like many of the other great personages in history, he too is credited with having worked a number of miracles–but his greatness does not rest on them. Quite a large number of stories and anecdotes have been wound round his name and works; but we would not go into them here.

His Works

The mere cataloguing of his works would be an exercise in itself–his output is so large and varied! He has compositions agalore in Samskrit, Praakrit and Tan1il–besides ManiPravaalam, an admixture of Samskrit and Tamil. His Tamil works are affectionately referred to as Desika Prabandham (as a sequel to the Naalaayira Prabandham of the Aalwaars).

He is reputed to have composed 119 works all of which are not now available. They may be classified into the following six headings–manuals of Sree Vaishnava religion and esoterism; theses on Sree Vaishnava theology and ritualism; devotional and didactic poetry; literary works; original philosophical treatises; and commentaries.

For popularising the ideas and ideals of Sree Vaishnavism and spreading the religion and philosophy of the Aalwaars and Aachaaryas, Venkatanaatha wrote a number of manuals of which the following may be mentioned–Nyaasa Dasakam, Vaishnava Dinacharyaa, Vairaagya Panchakam, Sampradaaya Parisuddhi and Paramapada Sopaanam–in sanskrit, Tamil and Manipravaalam. Out of these, the first mentioned small work of ten stanzas explains in simple language the concept of Saranaagatior complete surrender of oneself to the Lord. A free translation of one them is: “I, whom am bereft of anything tangible, with no other refuge, in full faith and confidence that You will protect me, pray to You, the giver of all, to accept my bondage to You.”¹ This exemplifies all the five Angasof Saranaagatior Prapatti. The Vairaagya Panchakam contains the following famous words: “I do not have any legacy left by my forefathers; neither have I earned anything (in my life); at the top of the Hastigiri (Kaanchi temple) is my family treasure.”

The characteristic features of Sree Vaishnavism are sought to be explained in the following works of his–Nikshepa Raksha, Rahasyatraya-saara. The latter is his magnum opus, written in a highly Samskritised Tamil with a number ofSamskrit slokas interspersed and explains the full significance of Visishtaadwaitic thought, philosophy and religion. This work is held in very high esteem and is studied only with the help of one’s Aachaarya.

Rahasya-traya-saaramis an exposition of the three Rahasyas which form the essence of teaching to the Sishya from the Guru. They are: (i) the Moolamantraviz.,  (Sreemate Naaraayanaaya Namaha); (2) the Dwayamantraviz.,  (Sreeman Naaraayana Charanow Saranam Prapadye Sreemate Kaaraayanaaya Namaha) and (3) The Charama sloka viz.,

            Sarva Dharmaan Parityajya Maamekam Saranam Vraja
            Aham twaa Sarvapaapebhyo Mokshayishyaami Maasuchaha.

These are to be learnt direct from the Guru alone with his blessings and hence the Guru. nay, the Guruparampara itself, is held in very high esteem in Visishtaadwaitic thought and religion.

Vedaanta Desika has expounded and explained the concept of Saranaagati(Complete surrender to the Lord) in the above work which is in a highly Samskritised Tamil interspersed with Samskrit stanzas. A few are given below:

[Moolamantraadhikaaraha-stanza I]

            Taaram Poorvam Tadanuhrudayam Taccha Naaraayanaayet
            Aamnaayoktam Padamavayataam Saarthamaachaarya Dattam
            Angeekurvan Alasamanasaamaatmarakshaabharam Naha
            Kshipram Devaha Kshipatu Nikhilaan Kinkaraiswarya Vighnaan

The Moolamantra is praised as follows–(It) has Pranava(Om) in the beginning, then Namahain the middle and Naaraayanaaya who is revered in the Vedas at the end; may the Lord accept the burden of us who have learnt the meaning of this Mantra through the (kindness of) Guru and may He remove the impediments in our attaining the wealth of service to the Lord.

The second of the Rahasyaas, the Dwayamantra is spoken of the next stanza viz.,

(Dwayamantraadhikaaraka- last stanza)

            Ekam Dwayam Tryavayavam Sukhalabhyaturyam
            Vyaktaartha Panchakamupaatta Shadangayogam
            Saptaarnavee mahimavadvivritaashta Varnam
            Range Sataamiha Rasam Navamam Prasoote.

A free translation would be–“This has only one sentence but is of called Dwayam or two-fold;has three sub-sentences; can give you easily the fourth sukha (Dharma, Artha, Kaama, Moksha); explain. the five-fold meanings; gives one of the six ways of the Prapattiyoga; is as famous as the seven oceans; expounds the Ashtaaksharam or the eight-syllabled Mantra; and gives the ninth Rasa (viz. Saanti) to those in this world.

The stringing together of the numbers from one to nine in this sloka is to be specially noticed.

The next quotation is from the Charamaslokaadhikaaraha, to explain the excellence of that stanza:

Sree Krishna is near the Upanishads, and is the embodiment of the vast world of kindness; from Him the Charamasloka came out by itself and it removed the sorrows of the common men (Janata) of this world; we, due to our good luck, have got Krishna as our saviour and (so) we shall have no doubts or fears regarding our salvation; but, having been freed of our sins, we shall live (always) in happiness.

His poetic exuberance found expression in a series of verses composed in praise of the Lord in His manifestations in various forms and in various places. To mention only a few: We have the Kaamaasikaastakamon the Nrisimha shrine in Kaanchi; the Hayagreevastotraon the diety at Tiruvaheendrapuram ; Bhagavaddhyaanasopaanamon Sreerangam; Varadaraaja Panchaasat, a string of fifty verses on Varadaraaja of Kaanchi; Dayaasatakam, a garland of hundred verses on Venkatanaatha, the Lord of the Seven Hills. His imagery is indeed very much different from that of many others, who also have sung similar poems. Venkatanaatha has composed Dasaavataara Stotram on the die ties of the unique temple in Sreerangam in which the ten Avataaraas of Vishnu are depicted as Moolavigrahaas. The stanza in which he combines all the ten Avataaraas is indeed representative of the individualistic way of presentation:

God assumed the Matsyaform due to the desire ( ) of enjoying a sojourn in the waves; the Kurmafonn for playing (  ); the Varaahaform is noted for its size, as the entire earth had to be lifted out of the ocean by the Varaaha; God took upon the Nrisimhaform “just like that”–had not made preparations before evidently. The Vaamanawas for protecting the pious; Parasuraamawas noted for his quick anger; Daasarathi Raama for his Karuna naturally and Balaraamafor his plough; Krishnawas the embodiment of frivolity and playfulness and Kalki made Kalkan (sins) itself as a horse-indicating that the sins that one commits could themselves be instrumental in the individual’s ruin.

Many of these stotras are being recited everyday in many homes: these form the introduction of the children to Vedaanta Desika. His Garudadandakamin Dandakameter, a rythmic prose piece and Raghuveera Gadyam in poetic prose are also famous as pieces to be set for recitation; he has an Achyuthasatakamin Praakrit too; containing 101 Gathas.

There are other longer works of his also Paadukaasahasramis a long poem of 1008 verses traditionally said to have been composed within three hours of the night.

These verses sing the glory of the Paadukaaof Sri Ranganaatha [who, according to Desika, assumed the ten Avataaraas]. It has been said that this poem “is a study into the Raamaayanaof Vaalmeeki bringing out all its niceties as an epic poem of love and devotion.”

   Yaadavaabhyudaya is a Mahaakaavya on the lines of Raghuvamsamcontaining 24 cantos describing the Yadu race, Krishna’s birth and his Leelaas. This work has been commented upon by Sree Appayya Deekshitar a noted scholar of the 16th century belonging to Sankara’s school. Deekshitar is all praise for Desika. Samkalpasooryodayais an allegorical play in 10 acts, explaining the power of Divine grace to assist and save the soul in the conquest of ignorance and in the faith to God-realisation. It also contains a number of autobiographical details. Even though the play is mostly poetic, rather than dramatic, it has been staged in a reverential way by Desika’s followers; so too has his Hastigiri Mahaatmyam been staged as a dance drama in Madras in 1968.

On the model of Meghasandesa, Desika has a Hamsasandeshacontaining 110 verses in two parts. The first thereof describes the places over which the swan is to go to convey the message of Rama to Sita who is held in captivity in Lanka. The second part deals with the intense love of Rama to Sita–bringing out the

Soul’s outpourings to the Divine from whom it has been separated and is pining to be reunited.

In addition to the above, Vedaanta Desika has written original philosophical treatises and commentaries also. Nyaayaparisuddhi, Tatwa-muktaakalaapa (which is quoted by Maadhavachaarya Vidyaaranya in 13th century) and Adhikaranasaaraavalian exposition of Brahmasutraare some of them. Of no less importance are his commentaries –Tatwateeka, an exposition of the Sree Bhaashya; a supercommentary called Taatparya Chandrika on the Geetaa Bhaashya of Sree Raamaanujaachaarya; one in Samskrit and another in Tamil, on the Geethaartha Sangraha of Yaamunaachaarya and on the three Gadyasof Sree Raamaanuja.

He was respected and revered even during his time; later too, other poets and scholars have referred to him in very appreciative terms. Venkataadhwarin a writer of 17th century states in his  Viswagunaardarsachamputhat Kaanchi derives its glory due to its being the birth-place of Vedaanta Desika, who was an ideal man of all times. He was conferred such honorifics as sarvatantraswatantra(master of all arts). Kavitaarkikasimha(Lion of logic), Vedantaachaarya, Vedaanta Desika. Even as early as 1350, he was considered good enough to be quoted upon in Maadhavaachaarya’s Sarvadarsanasangraha, as an authority for Raamaanuja’s philosophy. Doddaacharya in 16thcentury has written a biography of Desika called Vaibkavaprakasika. Pillai Lokaacharya, a contemporary of Desika, was instrumental in saving the Utsava idol of Sree Ranganatha of Sreerangam from Muslim vandals; he is credited with a benedictory verse on Desika. Today, Desika is almostdeified by his followers–his name is invoked before doing any important religious festival in many families. Perhaps this has not been without its bad effects–his exemplary life and austere habits have been almost forgotten and onlypooja to his idol is being performed!

Venkatanaatha performed the duties of a Sreevaishnava with great devotion; he discharged his obligations including that of teaching his Son Varadaachaarya. He lived up to his teachings–a saying which could be mentioned with regard to few people.

Such an illustrious personage is likely to make an appearance once in several centuries only. “He was an institution in himself and his philosophy a mission.”

¹