DARSANAM

Sarvadhari, Purattasi 9, 9 th article 25-09-2008

taic[mf
Series of article collected /
published on Swami Desikan by
Sravana Samithi, Muscat during
the holy month of Purattasi.

Swami Desikan, Melkote

 In Thuppul, one gets to see Swamy Desika in the "Ammal kAlakshepa goshti"
sEvai, during Our Swamy’s Tiruavatara ten day festivals.

Let us enjoy this unique and wonderful relationship of Swamy Desika with his
grand preceptor Nadadur Ammaal.

Swamy Desikan in his Subhashita Neevi, sadaashrita paddhati, sings a shlokam. It goes
as -
Eka eva gurordRishTyA dvAbhyAM vApi labheta yat
Na tattisRibhiH aShTAbhiH sahasreNApi kasyachit

The verses of Subhashita Neevi are known for their dhvani or hidden imports. Here the
verse conveys that -

Nadur Ammal Kalakshepa Goshti, Swami

Desikan getting blessings from Acharya
SArvabhauma at the age of 5.
This scene is clicked from the painting at the
backside of Lord Varadaraja Prakaram,
Kanchi
One glance with the two eyes of an
Acharya filled with anugraham and
katAksham is so powerful that, it is not
equal to a glance with three eyes of
Rudra or eight eyes of Brahma or even a thousand eyes of Indra.

It was indeed such an anugraham on Swamy Desikan by the great Nadadur Ammal that
made Swamy Desikan an impregnable grandmaster of Ramanuja darshanam. It is said
that the spiritual journey of an aspirant begins with the grace of an acharya. Swamy
Desikan's illuminative life began with the grace of Nadadur Ammal. Swamy Deshikan's
first meeting with Nadadur Ammal at KachivAythAn mantapam is quite well known. It
was here that Ammal blessed Swamy Desikan with the famous words -

pratiShThApita vEdAntA pratikshipta bahirmataH

bhUyAstraividyamAnyastvam bhUri kalyANabhAjanam

Arana Desikan, Series of articles 9/30

2
"May you establish Vedantha on a firm footing and may you vanquish the adverse
systems. May you be adored and respected by the knowers and may you be the
recipient of all round auspiciousness"

The episode of KachchivAythAn mantapam in the corridors of Lord Varadan’s Sannadi

has been captured for posterity even to this day.
One visiting this place could see a on the roof a
beautiful painting depicting a toddling Desikan
talking to Ammal. A walk along the corridors of
KachivAyththAn mantapam would give one an
imaginative reverberation of "pratishtapita
vedantha .....kalyANa bhAjanam".

Swamy Desikan in many of his works like

Sankalpa Suryodayam and others, prays to
Nadadur ammal and remembers the choicest of
blessings that were showered by Ammal on
him.

Nadadur Ammal's anugraham on Swamy

Bhagavat Bhashyakarar offers Sri Bhashya Desikan did not end with the episode
at Simhasanam to Sri. Nadur Swami. mantapam, but remained on him
throughout his life. This is evident from the episode of Shrutaprakashika. During the
muslim invasion,
Sri Sudarshanacharya's words are worthy of mention.

" ... intha shrutaprakAshikaiyai vAsiththu pravarththippikkavENum, ithu

ummAle tazhaikkumpadi nam ammA L thiruvuLLAmAgaiyyAle ..."

It was indeed Ammal's divine prophecy that made Swamy Desikan establish Ramanuja
darshanam irrefutably.

Even to this day, on the occassion of Swamy Desikan's Thirunakshatram, Desikan

ascends the 24 holy steps to Aththigiri, but from here does not go straight to Varadan's
sanctorum. He instead comes to the eastern corridor which is KachivAythAn mantapam
to pay respects to his prAchArya Nadadur Ammal. This verse is then remembered
recited by the goshti. After Varadan Mangalashasanam, Swamy Desikan again comes

Arana Desikan, Series of articles 9/30

3
and seats himself in this mantapam. It is here that the goshti completes the recitation
of all the Srisooktis of Swamy Desikan.

At Thulasi thotam Bangalore, the shrine sanctified by ThillaisthAnam Jeeyar (Ahobila

matam) one gets to see Swamy Nadadur Ammal and Swamy Desikan in the same
sannidhi. This is the only place that has an archai for Nadadur Ammal.

It may well be said that Yamunacharya - Ramanuja and Nadadur Ammal – Swamy
Desikan are two of the greatest prAchArya - prashishya relationships.

mangaLam dEshikEndrAya mahanIya guNAya cha

chakravarththi tanUjAya sArvabhaumAya mangalam

vAzhi vyAkhyAmuddirak kai !!!

vEdAntasUri charaNau sharaNam prapadye !!!

Courtesy:- Sri Ranga Sri. Sri C.G Balaji

Nangainallur Venkatesan

Swami Desikan, Triplicane

Arana Desikan, Series of articles 9/30

4