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Dayaa Sathakam (101-108)

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Skswami • August 9, 1998 


                     Srimaan Venkatanaathaaryaha kavithaarkika kesari|
                  Vedanthaachaaryavaryome sannidhaththaam sadhaa hrudi||


Dear Bhaagavathaas,

"Daivaadheenam jagathsarvam". God is the basis of all. And Love  is the basis
of God. How beautiful, blissful and peaceful it is to experience this love!
Our dearest Swami Desikan gives a glimpse of his experience in Daya Sathakam.
With my most humble and loving  namaskaarams to the achaarya and to Sriya:
pathi, may I share the following summary translation with you, in postings
comprising about ten slokas at a time. (This posting includes slokams 101-108
and completes this humble effort. It is the Love of the Lord that prompted
this effort, guided  and concluded it.)

The translation is based on the commentary and explanations by Sri Srinivasa
Raghavacharyar Swami, published in the Tamil book, Daya Sathakam, by the Sri
Desika Dharsana Sabhai, Villivaakkam, Madras. Sri Srinivasa Raghavacharyar
Swami says that the Daya Sathakam is a sastra, sthothra, poem, painting, an
endless spring of water and an illumining light. My prayers to Sriman Narayana
for everyone of us to follow in the footsteps of our acharyas,  practice what
they illustrated with their conduct and experience the Love of the Lord
(rasovai saha) that they experienced.

All errors are your humble servantÂ’s.

Daasan
Sundararaghavan Krishnaswami Sarma
---------------------------------------------------------------

                                                 Dayaa Sathakam
                                                (Slokams 101 - 108)


101.   O The Love of Lord Venkatesa! You are the queen of all the attributes
of the Lord. The Lord has infinite attributes, but without paying heed to
them, I have been extolling your supremacy only. All the gunas, probably
miffed at having been left out, do eventually nod in agreement that Love is
Truth. Without your strength, how could the Daya Sathakam have taken shape?

102.  O The Love of Lord Venkatesa! I began extolling you! this is really not
a new activity but have been in vogue since time immemorial. The Vedas praise
you. But, all the praises are just a beginning only, and do not have an end.
No one can really capture your greatness completely. You must pardon and bear
the unfinished  effort to do the impossible.

103.  O The Love of Lord Venkatesa! You are as the vast ocean whose depth is
immeasurable. Sages like Valmiki were aware of this and did not venture to
dive in to the ocean. Where they stood on the shore, I ventured  to dive in
and attempted to scale the depth. But, I could not reach the sea-bed and came
back up from the depths. Both the Lord and His consort are amused at my
attempt and smile teasingly. In spite of this teasing, because I made them
laugh, even though I attempted the impossible, you must protect me. 

104.  The Lord Thiruvenkatamudaiyaan has placed me in the Vedaantha Desika
peedam and brought out the Dayaa Sathakam. It is He who has sung this. He is
the Veena player and I am the veena in His Hands. He has sung not Srinivasa
Sathakam but in praise of His life-force, Love. He has used me, the son, to
sing the praise of the mother.

105.  This sthothram has come about because of the Love of Lord Srinivasa. And
it talks about only that. All that is said in this sthothram is true. The
world will benefit from this sthothram which  is without flaws. This sthothram
is ever present in the hearts of sathwic people.

106.  This Dayaa Sathakam is udhaaram. The Daya Devi graces those who recite
this sthothram. Her dheerga kataaksham falls on these people and she coronates
the devotees victorious and removes all their enemies.  

107.  The poet, Lord Venkatesa, has painted this praise of Love. He was
prompted by the three objectives  of Love. One is to protect all, the second
is to grant the heaven to those who seek it, and the third is to grant moksham
to those who seek it.

108.  The slokams of the Daya Sathakam may have errors and deficiencies. Let
it be! The hundred slokams are clear , and do offer clarity to a confused
mind. Some may point out the errors in these slokams. But the boisterous
enthusiasm of the Divine couple who are on the Thirumala Hill that has the
roaring falls, suppress their complaints.
                                             ________________________
            
                                  Kavithaarkika simhaaya kalyaana guna
saaline|
                        	  Srimathe Venkatesaya vedaantha guravennamaha||