PiLLai anthAdi

From the Bhakti List Archives

• September 30, 1998


                               Sri :
          Srimate  Sri Lakshmi Nrusimha Para Brahmane Namaha
                    Srimate  ShatakopAya Namaha              
               Srimate  Bhagavad   RAmAnujAya  Namaha     
               Srimate NigamAntha MahAdesikAya Namaha 
          Srimate Sri Lakshmi - Nrusimha Divya PAdukA Sevaka - 
      Srivan  Shatakopa  Sri NArAyana Yateendra MahAdesikAya Namaha      

                          PILLAI ANTHADI
          (of Sri NainArAchAryA alias Sri KumAra VaradAchAryA)          
      
          Mertric Translation in English by Sri M.K.Srinivasan                   
        (appeared in Sri Nrusimha PriyA Samputam 56 sanchikai 7)  


                            Thaniyan 

                 May VaradAyA's feet be our guide
                 Who wrote in Tamizh , rich and chaste
                 At the feet of his illustrious father,
                 The redoubtable Sree VedAnta Desika ,
                 After a deep and thorough understanding,
                 A classic called "piLLai anthAdi"
                 Which carries the quintessence of the VedAs
                 For the redemption of the entire world .

           1.    On my head lie the feet of Thooppul's son,
                 Who extols the illustrious sage RAmAnujA,
                 Who, in turn, spent his entire life
                 Joyfully, beneath the gracious shadow
                 Of mAran (or the one who was different)
                 Who eternally wore on his head
                 The lotus feet of the Lord on whose chest
                 Gladly resides His consort on the Lotus .

           2.    The Lotus Feet of the Thoopul chief,
                 Will they adorn our heads and bend them ?
                 Will our eyes be ever moistened
                 With droplets of joyous tears ?
                 Ye men of wide open world ?
                 Will our future hells ever be quashed ?
                 Will we ever hope to taste
                 The bliss of Sri VaikuNTham in this life ?

           3.    This life is of no avail at all,
                 If we sing not the glory of Thooppul Lord,
                 Who blemishless , spread the message
                 Of Sage RAmAnujA, the loving master
                 Who well and truly taught us all
                 The mystic meaning of the scriptures ,
                 (Not a whit more, not a whit less) ,
                 And explained the meaning of SaraNAgathi.

           4.    SaraNAgathi and other profound thoughts ,
                 May we always keep in mind ,
                 As explained by that highly truthful soul ,
                 Following in the footsteps of RAmAnujA,
                 Cherishing in his heart, the Sacred Form
                 of PeraruLALan , who appeared in Uttharaveedhi
                 With His fair consort on His chest ;
                 His name is Thooppul PiLLai, our benevolent preceptor.

           5.    Our benevolent preceptor is none other than 
                 A human form of the Lord of VEnkata Hills
                 Assumed to remove the ills of human race.
                 Earlier the Supreme One made the worlds,
                 Then He gave them the scriptural lore
                 But when these yielded not the fruits ,
                 He also came as Lord of VEnkata Hills ,
                 And tries to wean them all to His path .

           6.    To His path , I am wedded , for ever ,
                 As I chant the virtues of my preceptor,
                 Competent and well-versed in every art,
                 Master of VedAs , and its able exponent,
                 Born at Thooppul, due to our prayers true,
                 Perfect in every way, known as VEnkatanAthA,
                 His skillful words drives debators away ;
                 When I think of Him,I see the end of my sins .

           7.    My sins! Off you go and lodge elsewhere
                 No more can you tarry at my place .
                 No more will I bear your overtures
                 And succumb to your temptations .
                 For my mind and heart are ever filled
                 With thought of Thooppul's purest soul
                 Who followed the teachings of RAmAnujA
                 No fear have I in this transient world.

           8.    In this transient world, You crave to live
                 O men of sickly mind and petty desires,
                 Know You not that life in this world
                 Is but one step away from dreadful hell ?
                 Mark my words ! I shall tell the means
                 To get rid of this sinful world,once for all;
                 Offer unto the feet of the Thooppul-born
                 VEdAntha DesikA , Your utmost obeisance.

           9.    Utmost obeisance and humility true ,
                 Traditional values , discipline supreme,
                 Care and Concern for every living soul ,
                 These and more virtues will sure accrue ;
                 While evil company and ignorance dark
                 And sins of all shades will slink unseen
                 For them who choose the devotee of RAmAnujA
                 Born at Thooppul, as the AchAryA, to Surrender.

          10.    To Surrender at Your feet, here we are
                 O gracious Thooppul Lord and Master ,
                 We are drowning in the sea of life
                 Buffeted by desires and passions.
                 Pray remove our sins and save us ;
                 Drench us in Your cool rain of mercy ;
                 Show us Your feet, O KalpakA tree !
                 And keep us there for ever and ever.

          11.    For ever and ever will I desist
                 From flattering or praising to skies,
                 The wordly rich as wish-yielding trees,
                 Nor will I stand on mountain tops
                 Doing penances to gain other worlds.
                 O poet and Master, philosopher great !
                 O virtuos son of Thooppul land !
                 To reach Sri VaikuNTham I crave Your blessings.

          12.    Your blessings alone can see me through,
                 O VEdAnta DesikA of knowledge vast
                 O divinity of Thooppul who advented for us;
                 My mind is steeped in ignorance dark
                 And I tend to discard traditional paths
                 Shown by our forbears in their wisdom deep.
                 I know no useful means to follow
                 Except to clasp Your feet, seeking Your grace.

          13.    Seeking Your grace is the only route
                 Open to me to attain Sri VaikuNTham above;
                 No knowledge do I claim or have
                 Of the paths of KarmA, Jn~AnA and Bhakti ;
                 Nor am I inclined towards renunciation ;
                 Even easy surrender is beyond my reach
                 O Lord Of Thooppul of golden hue !
                 Rudderless, I have come to Your sacred feet.

          14.    To Your sacred feet, I donot easily bend
                 Nor am I devoted to Your followers
                 And worshippers, though they are all around;
                 I know not, therefore, what I can do
                 Except to pray in my despicable state
                 And hope that Your fount of mercy
                 Will sweep over me and make me worthy.
                 I bessech You, will You help me please ?

          15.    Help me please to shake off the inevitable 
                 Twin fruits of good and evil deeds.
                 O shining chief of Thooppul race !
                 Bereft of support, I stand before You
                 And I know not about my morrows.
                 Help me then to grasp the meaning 
                 Of the Most Sacred Eight-Syllable Word
                 Which leads to steady and intense devotion.

          16.    Intense devotion, bless me have
                 Towards the Beacon atop the VEnkata Hill,
                 Who lovingly bears on His lotus chest
                 His consort who rose from the lotus bloom,
                 Bless me also that my thoughts be pure
                 Towards those who stand and wait
                 On the Supreme Being with unshaken faith
                 O Thooppul-born  protector mine !

          17.    Protector mine! Saviour of the World !
                 Who sat at the honeyed sacred feet
                 Of AppullAr, chief of KadAmbi Clan
                 And learnt by his immense grace
                 The import of Tamil and Sanskrit vEdAs.
                 O perfect resplendent genius great !
                 We pray and seek Your gracious glance
                 O Benign Lord of the Thooppul race !

          18.    O Benign Lord of the Thooppul race !
                 Ever loving and kind, full of grace !
                 O Master of poesy and dialectics !
                 O VEdAnta DesikA handsome and fair !
                 I join my palms aloft and high
                 And make my prayer unto You
                 " May my mind be filled with devotion
                 Towards the devotees crowding at Your feet".

          19.    The devotees crowding at Your feet ,
                 May they flourish with love and reverence !
                 May Your pure and smiling face flourish !
                 May Your kind expository hand flourish !
                 O effulgent jewel of Thooppul race !
                 May the bright mark on Your face flourish !
                 Wearing the sacred thread and basil beads
                 May that immaculate form flourish !

          20.    May that immaculate form flourish
                 In the hearts of million of devotees !
                 These linked verses have I composed
                 With great humility and devotion
                 So that all may daily chant
                 His name and remember His grace
                 And bend their heads at His lotus feet
                 Which is ever in my heart and on my head.

                 Srimate NigamAntha mahAdesikAya namaha             

   namo nArAyaNA
   adiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan
   anantha PadmanAbha dAsan  
                      sarvam  sri KrishnArpanamastu