preface

VARADARADARAJASTAVA is one of the most precious gems from the erudite pen of that most renowned all-round scholar and poet, Sri Appaya Dikshita. Appaya Dikshita along with Sri Vidyaranya and Sri Sankara Bhagavatpadacharya form the most illustrious trio that adorn the firmament of the Sanskrit philosophical literature. All these three are mighty intellectual giants of whom any country and any literature might always be proud. It has been the privilege and good fortune of Mother India this Punyabhumi-to produce three such brilliant stars of the first magnitude. All these three are deservedly considered to be divine incarnations, Sri Sankara comes first and Dikshita last in point of time. By the blessings of His Holiness the Jagadguru of Sringeri the Sri Vani Vilas Press had the unique honour and rare distinction of publishing the memorial edition of the collected works of Sri Sankaracharya. And now it has embarked on the ambitious task of publishing the works of Dikshita one after another and if by God’s grace all the works are finished then they will be issued in a collected form, in uniform handy ii

volumes. Till then each work will be made available to the public separately. Purvottaramimamsa Vadanakshatramala and Sivakarnamrita have already been issued and Varadarajastava is the third.

Varadarajastava is a short and sweet poem consisting of 105 stanzas in praise of God Varadaraja at Conjeevaram. It has been commented. upon by the author himself and hence we have the advantage of understanding it in accordance with the author’s mind. That Dikshita himself considered this to be one of the finest of his literary compositions is evidenced by the fact of his referring to this in several of his works especially in Kuvalayananda, a standard work on rhetoricsAlankarasastra. The commentary clearly expounds the various alankaras illustrated in the several slokas and we leave it to the readers to appreciate for themselves the marvellous beauty of the piece. The following two slokas are found in the manuscripts containing the text alone of this poem while they are not found in the manuscripts containing the commentary also

अक्ष्णोरसेचनमम्बुजलोचनैतद्रूपं निपीय तव तृप्तिमुपैतु कोऽन्यः । iii

अष्टाङ्गनत्यवसरेऽपि यदीक्षणाय

प्रायो बभार वदनान्यमितः स वेधाः ॥

कल्हारकैरवमुखेष्वपि पङ्कजेषु लोकेषु यत्कमलमेव तथा प्रसिद्धम् । मन्येऽभिजातभवदास्यतुलाऽस्य नेति मर्मप्रकाशनमिदं विधिनैव क्लृप्तम् ॥

It could not be explained why no commentaries are available for these two slokas. From the introduction to the 35th sloka (page 57) we understand that the soundarya of God Varadaraja has been described in seven slokas (slokas 14 to 20) but we find herein only six slokas. Hence we may safely presume that the first of the above two slokas forms one of the seven and has been somehow left out when commenting. Anyhow these two slokas from their style and diction appear to be Dikshitar’s and accordingly we have given them here in the preface. We would thank our readers to send us Dikshitar’s commentary on these if they come across the same. Similarly the 53rd. sloka (page 76) is not to be found in the manuscripts containing the text alone but since we have it in the Manuscripts with the commentary it is Included in this book. iv

We are extremely grateful to Mimamsaratna Brahmasri A. V. Gopalachariar Avl M.A., B.L., for his excellent introduction to this book. Our thanks are no less due to Brahmasri Yajnasvami Sastrigal and Brahmasri S. Subrahmanya Sastrigal for their having kindly gone through the proofs.

In the publication of this work, we had the help of two manuscripts-one sent to us by Mr. A. Sambamurti Iyer, Retired Judge and the other by Brahmasri Kunigal Rama Sastrigal from the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library, Mysore.

T. K. Balasubramanyam. INTRODUCTION.

a

E consider it a high privilege to pay our respectful homage in this foreword to the illustrious author of this work which it is the good fortune of the Sri Vani Vilas Press to give out to the world. The poem of Varadarajastava has been well known to the Sanskrit world for a long time. The author appears to have had a great partiality for the work and held it as a favourite. He quotes several slokas from this poem in his Kuvalayananda to illustrate some Alamkaras. In his enumeration of his principal works, he makes prominent mention of the Varadarajastava, short as it is. The reference to the poern as ’the description of the celestial figure of Varadaraja of Kanchi ‘कांची वरदराजस्य दिव्यविग्रहवर्णनम्’ is indicative of the poet’s high appreciation. Mention is made of the author’s commentary also in the next line ‘व्यारव्या तस्य च संक्लृप्ता नातिसंक्षेपविस्तरा’ A commentary has also been written therefor which is neither too short nor too long.’ It is very seldom that we have a commentary written by the Poet himself. vi

Desikar has written commentaries himself on some of his Sastraic poems. Our author has written commentaries on some of his poems which are synopses of Vedantic systems in sweet and learned verses. This poem has excellent merit as a work of poetry and it is very lucky that we are given a full insight into the poet’s heart, Kavihridaya by a complete exposition from his own pen. The author of the Rasikaranjini, a commentary on the Kuvalayananda appears to have had access to this commentary. His commentary on the mangala sloka of the Kuvalayananda which is the first sloka of this poem is a verbatim copy of the poet’s commentary. The author of the Rasikaranjini belonged to Dikshitar’s family and must have read this work.

In our life of Dikshitar printed in 1909 as an introduction to the second volume of Yadavabhyudayam we voiced our high admiration for his great catholicity. This poem and the commentary not only confirm what we have said in that direction, but also make us feel that We have not given enough praise. In these days of bitter communalism and fanaticism, it is certainly very refreshing to find such noble examples of genuine and generous catholicity as vii

our author. Dikshitar, no doubt, had Vaishnava blood running in his veins. He takes as much pride in the Vaishnava maternal ancestors of his father Srirangaraja as in his paternal ancestors of Saiva predelictions. The Vedas, Itihasas and Puranas abound in passionate and reverential praise of both and unmistakebly show that the great Rishis worshipped both forms as those assumed by the Godhead. Dikshita’s culture was at once profound, liberal and wide and we would ascribe the merit of his catholicity to his culture more than to his paternal grandmother’s Vaishnava birth. His characteristic impartiality never failed him even in his out and out militant works. No reader can fail to be struck by the refreshing candour and courageous impartiality of the following passage in the author’s Anandalahari where he declares it as his settled conviction that Sri Narayana was also the God-head and that it was nothing short of heresy to call Him a jiva.

वेदविभागार्थमेवावतीर्णेन सकलवेदतात्पर्याभिज्ञेन सर्वशशिखामाणना वेदव्यासेन पुलस्त्यवरदानलब्धदेवतापारमार्थ्यवेदनेन श्रीपराशरण अन्यैश्च महर्षिभिर्वेदोपबृह्मणार्थं प्रणीतेषु श्रीमहाभारतविष्णुपुराणादिषु निश्चितपरब्रह्मभावस्य सद्भिः सर्वैरपि अविभागेन परब्रह्मेत्येव पूजितस्य श्रीनारायviii

णस्य कचित्कोणे निविष्टमन्त्रार्थवादपुराणवचनादिलेशमवलम्य जीवभावं वक्तुं नास्मज्जिह्वा प्रवर्तते । तथा चेन्मूर्धा च शतधा भवति । वेदवैदिकद्रोहो देवताद्रोहश्च जायते । अतो नारायणः परब्रह्मकोटिरेवेत्यस्माकं सिद्धान्तः ।

“Our tongue would not rise to assert on the strength of a few mantras, arthavadas and puranic texts found in some corner that Narayana who has been settled to be Parabrahman in the Mahabharata Vishnupurana and other works which have been written with the sole purpose of expounding the heart of the Vedas by great sages like Vedavyasa who descended into the world for classifying the Vedas and analysing them; like Parasara who was blessed with knowledge of the truth about the ultimate Deity by Pulastya’s boon-that Narayana who has been unanimously worshipped by all Sadhus as Parbrahmam is a jiva. If we attempted anything like that our head would burst into a hundred pieces and we should be guilty of treachery to the Vedas, Rishis and the Deity itself.” The above words deserve to be engraved in letters. of gold. It is earnestly hoped that this rare liberal spirit may be imitated and copied by the whole religious world. In the Sivatatvaviveka, Dikshitar suggests and develops several ways of approach

between the rival views. A close study of Dikshiix

tar’s work is bound to inspire Vaishnavas of all schools with love and respect for his greatness and impartiality and may even unconsciously lead them to adopt and cultivate a similar middle attitude. Dikshitar’s contributions to the systems of Ramanuja, Madhva and Srikantha are invaluable. The publication of his Naya-mayukhamalika which is an elaborate commentary on the Brahmasutras on the lines of Sri Ramanuja has revealed his greatness and unrivalled learning to the Visishtadvaita Pandits. Sri Ranga Ramanuja, the Visishtadvaita author of the Upanishad Bhashya and various great works, has acknowledged his high respect and admiration for Dikshitar by copying verbatim the expositions of Dikshitar in his own Visishtadvaitic commentary on the Brahmasutras which is known as the Sariraka Sastrartha Dipika. A close comparison of the two works will show clearly how freely Rangaramanuja copies from Dikshitar. In his elaborate commenatry on the Srutaprakasika, he quotes appreciatively and at length from Dikshitar’s Parimalam and Nyayarakshamani although the absence of any reference by name to the work or author quoted from, may leave the reader in ignorance of the source. A publication of Dikshitar’s exposition of all the four Vedantic systems known as the ChaturmaX

talesasangraha is long overdue and it is earnestly hoped that the work will be taken up at once. His exposition of the Visishtadvaita system which is a part of the whole work has been published by an orthodox Vaishnava Pandit along with the Sariraka Sastrartha Dipika. His exposition of Srikantha’s system has been published by the late Halasyanatha Sastrigal in his publication of the Sivarkamani Deepika. His expositions of the Madhva and Advaita sytems have yet to be published. In the beginning of the work he declares that the three other systems are quite near to the system of Sri Sankara which he pronounces to be his own. He says

आनन्दतीर्थमुनिलक्ष्मणदेशिकेन्द्र - श्रीकण्ठयोगिपद्वीरवीयसीनः । enariyiçerfor a faferer arg संगृह्यते मतचतुष्टयसारलेशः ॥

The expression are: appears to have been taken by Dikshitar from Desikar with whose works no one was more familiar than he and for whom he had a genuine and warm regard. If Desikar claimed the system of Sri Madhva as quite near to his and called it संनिकृष्टमत (& near faith) Dikshitar went very much farther in the xi

direction of tolerance and declared that all the systems were not far from Advaitam. If Desikar composed 50 slokas in praise of Varadaraja of Kanchi, Dikshitar composed more than double that number in honour of the same Deity.

The city of Kanchi was a famous seat of learning for a long time. It was the premier city of the Tundira Mandalam. We are told by Dikshitar that the kingdom was named after king Tundira who by the command of Lord Siva established throughout his dominions institutions for Vedic and Sastraic culture. Desikar refers to the Tundira Mandalam in his Hamsa Sandesam. He took a great patriotic pride in the land of his birth and in all the holy shrines there including the famous Saiva shrine at Kanchi. The Brahmotsava of Kanchi Varadaraja appears to have attracted the Royalty of the Kingdom of Vijayanagar. Dikshitar’s birth-place was not very far from Kanchi and he appears to have felt a patriotic pride in the holy temples in the city including Varadaraja’s. The large parties of Vedic chanters following the Deity in His rounds must have had a peculiar charm for our author who was an ocean of Vedic learning. We have heard that his illustrious descendant, the late Mahamahopadhyaya xii

Sastrigal of Mannargudi of revered memory, used to go into raptures while worshipping Sri Rajagopala in His utsavas and that in his last days he had Sri Bhagavatam read and expounded by the late Paruthiyur Krishna Sastrigal of world-wide fame to rivet his Dhyanam upon Sri Krishna. That Dikshitar had a passionate love for Varadaraja is evident from this stotra which is permeated by the deepest feeling. There is abundant proof that the Poet’s heart was stirred to its depths. The auther with his characteristic thoroughness studied all the Sthala Puranas and other literature about the shrine and the local tirthas. His knowledge of the local traditions is in no way less than that of the Vaishnava Gurus who have sung of Devaraja. In fact his poem contains a wealth of details. put to fine and sweet uses which we do not find in the other poems on the same theme. Our poet appears to have had in mind amongst others the Vishnupadadikesanta stotra of Sri Sankara and the Varadaraja Panchasat of Desikar. The first sloka of this stotra is a very favourite sloka of the author and is adopted by him as the Mangalasloka of some of his great works such as the Nyayarakshamani and the Kuvalayanandam. Although he does not refer to Varada by name he appears to have treated Mukunda as synonymous with Varada. xiii

Mukunda is the giver of Moksha and Varada is the giver of the best. Is not Moksha undoubtedly the best? Does not the Taittiriya Sruti say that the knower or realiser of Brahman attains the best or the Highest? As the opening Mangalasloka of a work is usually an invocation of one’s Favourite Deity (Ishtadevata), the conclusion is easy that Sri Varadaraja is an Ishtadevata of the Poet.

The Varadarajastava and its learned commentary are works of a very high order and would do credit to the greatest of the Vaishnava writers. To give an idea of the loveliness and sweetness of the poem and the learning and research found in the commentary, we select a few slokas and give their substance and offer our observations on them.

The first sloka has an indescribable charm and comes from the heart of a true yogi. The author prays for the best from the hands of Mukunda. The trained yogi is able to uncover and open the mind and free it from all restraint and limitation and get face to face with the Light Infinite. Mukunda also means a Nidhi or treasure which is buried in the bowels of the earth and discovered and opened out by mining experts. The commentary brings out beautifully the truth that V. I. 2 xiv

Isvara though meditated upon by the limited as of a limited form discovers Himself to the Devotee in His Infinite grandeur and glory. Various passages in the Sruti are cited to demonstrate this truth. The Taittiriya Sruti which first speaks of meditation on the God-head as centred in a thin line of light brilliant beyond compare immediately describes Narayana, the object of meditation as pervading the whole Universe both within and beyond. Although the object of meditation may not be infinite owing to the obvious limitations of the meditating mind, the Deity will spontaneously lay itself bare to the devotee in its true nature of Infinity. The Daharavidya of the Chhandogya which inculcates the meditation of the most minute Brahman within the infinitesmal ether (Daharakasa) inside the subtle lotus-like mind, says in the next breath that the space within the little mind is as limitless as the space outside. The Sandilya Vidya which speaks of the Brahman within the soul as smaller than the smallest says at once that it is greater than the Heavens, the skies, the earth and the entire Universe put together. The Mundaka says the Purusha in the centre of the mind who is Angushtha Pramana is the warp and woof of the Heavens, the earth and the skies. The limited character of the form meditated upon XV

is assumed or Aupadhika whereas the infiniteness which is realised is real. There is therefore no real contradiction between the assumed finite Form and the Infinite Reality. Another explanation is also given by way of reconciliation of the apparent contradiction. The Infinite by its miraculous power may compress itself and in that little form may be imbedded the whole Universe. Was not the whole universe seen by Yasoda within the little inouth of baby Krishna? The same explanation is given as a possible one by Desikar in his Tatparyachandrika. This explanation is developed at great length by Vaysaraya in his Chandrika. Dikshitar gives out here his conviction that whichever favourito form may be meditated upon by a devotee, the object of meditation will in the hour of fruition lay itself bare in all its infinite greatness and splendour, formless and unlimited. True yoga knows of no narrowness, bigotry, bias or limitation. It aims at universality, boundless tolerance and the breaking off of all barriers. Patanjali says 6 quifungua’ ‘Any form which may be pleasing to the devotee’s fancy may be meditated upon.’ Badasiva Brahinendra, the great yogi, in his commonlary on the Sutra says यथेष्टं यद्यच्छास्त्रार्थ दैवं रूपं तयानावित्तमच सवेकामतां लभत इत्यर्थः । Dikshitar’s xvi

use of the expression

is evidently a reminder of the Yoga Sutra although he does not specially point it out in his commentary. The true Yogi rises above all bias, prejudices and distinctions and views all life alike and himself as one with it.

The second sloka is first half is distinctly taken विष्णो जायमानो न जातो देव

simply exquisite. The from the Sruti महिम्नः परमं तमाप । &S

he commentary points out. The Sruti with its unquestionable liberty puts the ’to be born’ before ’the born’; the poet adopts the natural order. The Sruti may call in aid the Mimamsa Nyaya of the precedence of the Arthakrama over the Padakrama for its correct interpretation. The third Pada is distinctly after the manner of the 3rd Pada of the second sloka of Desikar’s Varadarajastavam given below.

यस्यानुभावमधिगन्तुमशक्नुवन्तो मुह्यन्त्यभङ्गुरधियो मुनिसार्वभौमाः । तस्यैव ते स्तुतिषु साहसमश्नुवानः

क्षन्तव्य एष भवता करिशैलनाथ ॥

The words तस्य स्तुतौ तव तरङ्गितसाहसिक्य: of

the 3rd Pada here are so closely alike those of the 3rd Pada above that there can be no doubt that xvii

Dikshitar was very familiar with Desikar’s stavam. If Desikar would adopt the Bhagavatic word

मुह्यन्ति found in the opening Sloks मुह्यन्ति यत्सूरयः

Dikshitar points out in his commentary that the last Pada of this Sloka has the idea underlying the famous Bhagavata Sloka

स वाग्विसर्गो जनताघविप्लवो यस्मिन् प्रतिश्लोकमबद्धवत्यपि । नामान्यनन्तस्य यशोऽङ्कितानि शृण्वन्ति गायन्ति गुणन्ति साधवः ॥

Would not the poet who attempts the impossible viz., the description of the immeasurable and the unspeakable, become the laughing stock of the wise? This is the first interpretation given in the commentary adopting the reading बुधजनस्य. The poet then gives a beautiful turn by adopting the reading. The good would not deride the words of the meanest poet on God however absurdly ridiculous they might be, but would treasure them and sing them with joy. Fools who may not understand the duty to praise all words in praise of the Infinite, however inartistic and uncouth, may scoff at them. This interpretation may not have occurred to us if the poet himself had not brought it out in the commentary. xviii

In the 3rd sloka the poet says the goddess of speech sits on the tongue of great poets and uses them as the instrument for her praising the Lord Varada so as to shove the responsibility for the inevitable faults in the attempted composition on the head of the medium. If the attempt is too difficult even for Sarasvati, why should Dikshitar make the attempt? The answer is very finely given in the 4th Sloka. “True devotees of the Lord would not mind any censure of their involuntary words of praise and acts of piety. They may sing any nonsense without any sense of shame. Does

not Suka say ‘गायन् विलज्जो विचरेदसंग: ? I am covetous of the sweets of loving and close meditation of your holy name, your ravishing beauty and your priceless virtues. Cavil and ridicule cannot deter me.” The words

वैकुण्ठ वर्णयितुम स्मि भृताभिलाषः त्वन्नामरूपगुणचिन्तनलाभलोभात् ।

have a pathetic and sincere ring.

The poet goes one step farther in the fifth sloka and says that his dulness and want of quickness are an advantage to him because by having to be slow in his composition he can indulge longer in the thought of Divinity than quicker poets. xix

Kalidasa regrets he was मन्द in the sloka - मन्दः कवियशःप्रार्थी Our author uses similar words कवितातिमान्धात् intended to be reminiscent of Kalidasa’s sloka and affirms that far from regretting his dulness he congratulates himself upon it as he can dwell longer on the various parts of the Lord’s iniage.

With the sixth sloka, the regular stotra begins. If the town of Kanchi is a jewel (a golden belt) of the earth, Varada’s lovely image shining like a Brilliant on the top of the Elephant-hill is a gem in that jewel. The commentary here quotes profusely from the Puranas about the greatness of the city and of Varadaraja.

It is interesting to note that the 4th pada in many of the slokas tersely sums up the Phala or coveted fruit. The following last Padas may be cited by way of illustration.

धामत्रयेऽपि कुतुकं विजहाति विद्वान् (७) दृष्ट्वा जनो न पुनरेति भवान्तरार्तिम् (८) गन्धं रसं च गरुडध्वज ते लभन्ते (९) पश्यन् भवन्तमुपयाति भवाब्धिपारम् (११) प्राप्तस्त्वदाकृतिविलोकनज : प्रमोदः (१२) XX

आश्चर्यमेतदिति निश्चयमावहन्ते (१३) भूयात्सदैव मम भूतिकरं मुरारे (६१) पश्यामि देव परमं पदमेव साक्षात् (६३)

Evidently the poet wishes to emphasise that even one sloka, although only a part-description, will give Purnaphalam.

The 8th sloka attempts by various signs to identify Varadaraja with the Lord of Vaikuntha.

The poet’s comparison of the Palar, the river of his place with the Viraja in the 9th sloka indicates his patriotic love for his native river. The commentary points out that the Heavenly river commonly known as Viraja is called Vijara in the Paryanka Vidya of the Kaushitaki Upanishad and the etymology of the word is explained as making Vijara f him who bathes in its waters. The poet suspects that Vijara may be the more appropriate name and the better reading and says that that reading may be adopted for his own sloka.

In the 10th sloka Varadaraja in the centre of the sanctum sanctorum surrounded by a series of enclosures is said to be like the Purusha of the Anandavalli in the centre of the innermost of the kosas. The tolerant spirit of the author appears xxi

clearly in his commentary on the sloka, where he says that the Anandamaya might be the outermost Kosa as Sri Sankara would say or might be the innermost Brahman itself as Sri Ramanuja would

say.

In the 11th Sloka the Poet makes very fine use of the fact that there are 24 steps to be ascended to reach the shrine containing the Lord’s image. He says that the 24 steps are the material tattvas which have to be transgressed before reaching the Lord. In the 12th sloka the poet makes use of the name of Punyakoti given for the Vimanana and asks finely ‘How can you be reached without attaining Punyakotis (a crore of Punyas)? Did not Brahma (Hiranyagarbha) born of the navel-lotus find it impossible to get sight of you without earning the Punya of Asvamedha ?’ This sloka is perhaps reminiscent of Desikar’s sloka यं चक्षुषामविषयं ह्रयमेधयज्वा द्राघीयसा सुचरितेन ददर्श वेधाः । तं त्वां करीश करुणापरिणामतस्ते

भूतानि हन्त निखिलानि निशामयन्ति ॥

The 16th sloka is simply beautiful although there is a little slesha (pun) on the word Pratyak. The word means both the innermost as Atman and xxii

known as

the Western direction. Varadaraja faces the West. The worhipper must obviously face the east to get a full vision of the Lord. People who direct their eyes towards the inner Atman are Pratyangmukhas and they by looking inward are able to realise the true beauty of the Lord and sink into wonder and amazement at the sight. It is not to be wondered at that one who is Pratyangmukha (facing the West) should have a clear vision of you who are facing the West!" We are reminded of Desika’s sloka in the Sankalpa Suryodaya which makes a similar fine pun on the word Pratyangmukha.

प्रत्यङ्मुखीं सुमति दीप्तिमिह प्रचिन्वन् । भास्वानसौ भजति विष्णुपदं विवेकः ॥

The 14th Sloka is superbly fine. ‘No hyperbole is possible, because no praise however extravagant can be an exaggeration-nay it must fall far short of the reality. All comparisons become inferior Upamas. Svabhavokti is impossible. How can I beautify you by my description! The word

is frequently used by Desikar and he uses it in regard to Varadaraja’s loveliness in his sloka. निरन्तरं निर्विशतस्त्वदीयं अस्पृष्टचिन्तापदमाभिरूप्यम् ।

The 15th Sloka which enjoys the incomparaxxiii

ble beauty of the Lord is itself of incomparable beauty. ‘You are beloved of Lakshmi; you are the father of Cupid who is the author of all love; you are the presiding Deity of the Love Rasa (Sringara); you are the repositary of the highest virtues so that the highest moral beauty is also yours; who could outline your extraordinary beauty which baffles all description ?

In the next sloka he compares the Lord to Mount Meru and uses the word for both.

The Meru is the northern most and the Lord is the best of all. A similar pun on the word is made bv Desikar in the following Sloka in the Stotra of Andal of Srivilliputtur.

दिग्दक्षिणापि परिपक्रमपुण्यलाभात् सर्वोत्तरा भवति देवि तवावतारात् ॥

“The South which gave birth to you became Sarvottara (the northernmost or the best).’ The 17th sloka is a very fine piece of poetry. The worshipper while looking at one limb forgets all that ho saw of another limb before and has no desire to proceed to another limb just like a soul migrating from one birth to another. The words

येष्वेकमाप्य न पुराधिगतं स्मरन्ति वाञ्छन्ति नान्यदपि लब्धुमदो विहाय । XXIV

have a simplicity and charm of their own. In the 19th sloka the poet imagines that Varadaraja conceals Himself on the hill-top having robbed the minds of those who have an eye for beauty. It is no wonder, says the poet, that people who entrust their minds to such a cheat do not get them back as they become Muktas. We are reminded of the cry of the Gopikas in the Brindavana in thei: search for Krishna that he had run away after stealing their minds.

दृष्टो वः कञ्चिदश्वत्थ लक्षन्यग्रोध नो मनः । नन्दसूनुर्गतो हृत्वा प्रेमहासविलोकनैः ॥

Sloka 20: To dispel the Moha of mortals is the primary object of Divinity in assuming a lovely form; but alas! the contrary is the result. The charms enhance our bewilderment.

Sloka 21: The well-known saying that close and continuous look at an object insures clearer knowledge and dispels all doubts is falsified by you. The more we gaze on your beauty, the more do we get puzzled.

Sloka 23: Here there is a very lovely pun on the word Kumbhaka which means a pot and that process of Pranayamam which represses the breath by stopXXV

ping both inhaling and exhaling for a time. ‘Yogis who enter into contemplation on your form with the help of Kumbhaka (a pot) surely do so for diving into the ocean of the loveliness and grace of your limbs with their surging waves of charms.’ The commentary here informs us that concentration of Vishnu seated in the heart should be by Kumbhakam and that upon Isvara seated in the forehead (Lalata) should be by Rechaka.

नाभीचक्रस्थितं ध्यायेत् पूरकेण पितामहम् । हृदयाब्जगतं गतं ध्यायेत् कुंभकेन जनार्दनम् । ललाटस्थं शिवं ध्यायेत् रेचकेन महेश्वरम् ।

Sloka 24: You bear the Lakshmis born of the milk-ocean on your bosm only; whereas you bear the Lakshmi of the ocean of beauty on every part of your body. You seem therefore to have more fondness for the latter.

Sloka 25: The lustre proceeding from your whining limbs looks like the Jumna stream which in emulation of the Stream of Sarasvati flowing from your mouth and the Ganges river proceeding from your foot appears to flow from the whole of your body. This idea appears to have been suggested by the following sloka of Sri Sankaracharya. xxvi

मालालीवालिधाम्नः कुवलयकलिता श्रीपतेः कुन्तलाली कालिन्यारुह्य मूर्ध्नो गलति हरशिरः स्वर्धुनीस्पर्धया नु ।

Sloka 27: The Lord is declared by the Agamas to be pure white and that colour is the most appropriate, He being wholly Satva in His essence. He appears as dark-blue on account of the thick colour of the waters of compassion flowing profusely from His heart. Does not the white cloud appear dark when charged with water? The commentary informs us that the daily quoted Dhayna Sloka

शुढाम्बरघरं विष्णुं शशिवर्णं चतुर्भुजम् is taken from &

dialogue between Isvara and Raghava.

After the 34th sloka, the commentary analyses the previous Slokas and gives their total number as 35. The 35th sloka found in the edition of the text but for which the author’s commentary is not available appears to be genuine.

Slok& 36: The poet’s expert knowledge of Jaimini’s Sutras is here and there put to fine and humorous uses.

Sloka 37: The poet here voices the Vaishnava doctrine of Saranagati.

धन्याः प्रपद्य सकृदीश भवन्ति मुक्ताः । xxvii

The word Isa is very suggestive. Can absolute deliverence be the reward of a momentary feeling of self-surrender? Who can question the pleasure of Isvara, the ultimate Lord whom no one can dare question? Varada would not be Varada if He does not give the best and if he does not give it quickest, i.e., for the first asking.

Sloka 56: This sloka is grand and sweet. What in the world will compare with the lovely thighs of the Lord? The right thigh may compare with the left and the left with the right. Urvasi, the best of the celestial nymphs, is a creation of theirs. How can Rambhas (plantain-stems) compare with them?

Sloka 63: The Lord’s bosom is compared to His celestial abode. It is above the navel, the birthplace of Brahma; it is beyond the tamas produced by the ; it is studded with Muktas (pearls).

Sloka 64: The Lord’s bosom is very finely described as the harem of the Ocean-King’s daughter अन्तःपुरं जलधिराजकुमारिकायाः ।

As the poet is drawing towards the end of the stora, he seems to experience flashes of light and exclaims in the beginning of slokas 78 and 82.

It is interesting to note that his last sloka comin.g out from his most holy lips in his last moments xxviii

at Chidambaram before entering into the Lord’s shining Sabha of gold also begins with the word The Poet’s experience while enjoying

Varadaraja appears to have been akin to his last experiences when he was throwing off his mortal coil.

Sloka 81: The idea in this sloka is original and charming. Varadaraja does not bear the Varadanamudra. Why? Does not His name itself bear the impress of Varadana. When express speech itself conveys the idea, is it not superfluous to suggest an inference of the same idea by mere linga (sign)?

Sloka 97: The Devotee rising up slowly from the Lord’s feet reaches the lovely aud cool moonlike light of the Lord’s smile and is purified and refresh ed after his ascent. The Poet points out in his commentary that the Bhagavatam emphasises the enjoyment of the Lord’s smile while contemplating His lovely image.

पादादि यावद्धसितं गदाभृतः ।

What if the Lord bears the Gada? Will He not smile in all grace upon His Devotee? The Poet seems to suggest that the smile is the dawn of the Lord’s pleasure and grace and the reward for the xxix

Dhyana-ascent.

The devotee had journeyed long on an ascending excursion. Should he not be refreshed by the cool moonlight of the smile ?

Sloka 101: Can the lotus, lovely though, compare with the incomparable beauty of your eyes? How does the all-knowing Veda compare your eyes with the Lotus? How can it be helped? Is not the Veda constrained to compare the unlimited with the comparatively limited Ether to give us poor mortals an idea of the greatness of the Infinite?

Sloka 105: The idea here is very lovely. The finest black gems on the Lord’s crown filled with priceless gems of all colours are not precious stones really; but they are the bees, which breathing the sweet fragrance of your dishevelled hairs, absorb themselves there.

Sloka 100: The last sloka in the peroration is distinctly after the manner of Sri Sankara’s peroration on a similar theme,

आपादादा च शीर्णो वपुरिदमनघं वैष्णवं यः स्वचित्ते भत्ते नित्यं निरस्ताखिलकलिकलुषे संततान्तःप्रमोदः ।

The 3rd Pada reminds us of Desikar’s appeals to Varada at the end of his Stavam. वरद सतत मन्तर्मानसं संनिधेयाः । मातङ्गाद्रौ मरकतरुाचं पुष्णती मानसे नः भूयः श्यामा भुवनजननी देवता संनिधत्ताम् ।

If the Poet considered the beauty and greatness of Varadaraja as bafiling description, we decidedly entertain the same opinion of his Poem, which is beyond all praise. If we by our humble words of appreciation succeed in throwing some light on the catholic and liberal spirit of one of our most orthodox saints and in creating a desire to emulate hat cominendable spirit, we should be proud of the achievement of a piece of true religious service.