Sri

Sri:

Sri Vaishnava Dhinasari
(commentry by Sri. U. Ve. Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan)

[This prabhandam is transliterated by Sri Parathasarathy Dileepan and Sri Sampath Rengarajan and reproduced here with the permission from Sri Ahobila Muth USA.]

Sri Vaishnava Dinasari prbhandham is dedicated to Swami Desikan's nithya AarAdhana mUrthy , Sri Varadaraajan . At home or during his travels , Swami always performed AarAdhanam to Sri VaradarAjan and Sri HayagrIvan after his daily unchivruthti .Those AarAdhana mUrthys travelled on his head in his Madisanji ( the bag made of special cloth for carrying Vasthrams , ThirumaNN petti and SaaLagramams and Aaradhana mUrthys without theetu by VaidhikAs).

Like AchArya RaamAnujA , who left for us a Sanskrit Sri Sookthi (auspicious literary work) named nithyam to instruct us on the daily observances , Swami Desikan out of his infinite mercy for us created this work called Sri VaishNava Dinasari and placed it at the lotus feet of Kanchi Sri VaradarAjan .

Structure of this Prabhandham

A day in Sri VaishNavA's life is split into five parts. Each of these five divisions in time from waking up in the morning to resting at night is allocated one observance. Thus there are five different observances for the five divisions of the time , when a Sri VaishNavan is awake . These are ordianed by SaasthrAs .The other observances known as snAnam ( bath) , Vasthra DhAraNam , Wearing of the PuNdrams ( ThirumaNN Kaappu), Sri ChoorNa DhyAanam , SandhyA vandhanam forming part of the Ushath Kaala dharmams ( rites at Dawn) are not included in the Sri VaishNava Dinasari for the sake of brevity by Swami Desikan . The manthrAs for all of these and other procedures associated with them form the heart of Ahnikam . The Ahnikam(daily observances ) is learned as formal KaalakshEpam at our AchAryan's sacred feet prior to Grantha Chathutaya KaalakshEpam (Learning of Sri BhAshyam , GithA BhAshyam , The AaRAyira PaDi of PiLLAn and Srimath Rahasya Thraya Saaram by Swami Desikan ).

The ancient five observances described for our daily use are :

(1) Abhigamanam :	The Sanskrit route , " Abhigam " means going near or to approach . This is the approaching of the Lord for permission (anuj~nai) to start the day in the right frame of mind to celebrate Him . The Sri- VaishNavan prays to the Lord to remove all obstacles that might interfere with the daily observances ordained by the Lord and seeks His blessings to ward them off .
(2) UpAdhAnam :	This sanskrit word means acquisiton or obtaining. It has two subdivisions :(a) The collection or acquisition of TuLasi, Flowers and other items needed for Bhagavath AarAdhanam . (b)Since one's purity of mind is very important for Bhagavath- AarAdhanam , one recites the Sri Sookthis of AzhwArs and AchAryAs for the purification of one's mind as one goes about collecting the SaamagriyAs (required materials) for the daily AarAdhanam .
(3) Ijyai:	This Sanskrit word arises from the root Yajj .Ijyai means worship. It has also other meanings such as the Supreme being and Union .For our purposes , we can translate Ijyai as AarAdhanam for the Supreme Being in the Saasthraic manner ordained by Paancha Raathra or VaikAnasa Aagamams .
(4) SvAdhyAyam :	This celebrated Vedic word ( Taittiriya Upanishad: SikshA Valli: Section 9; " Rutham cha svAdhyAya PravachanE cha--) means the study and preaching of VedAs and Upanishads ( Sanskritic and Tamil VedAs).
(5) Yogam:	The meditation on the Lotus feet of the Lord and the prayer for the lord to accept our head at His sacred feet during our time of sleep as well .

Swami Desikan has two Tamil Verses for each of these five divisions of the time of the day . Thus there are 10 (5X2) verses in this Prabhandham dedicated to Athtigiri AruLALan of Kaanchipuram presiding at Hasthigiri under PuNyakOti VimAnam along with PerumdEvi ThAyAr.

Paasurams 1&2 of Sri VaishNava Dinasari (Abhigamanam):

1:

varuyiruLazhivazhimanamvarumuNarvodu
karikirimaruviyakariya vanadiyiNai
parivoduparavun^aladiyavar_pazhavurai
ariyariyariyariyariyariyariyE.

The dear devotees of Sri VaradarAjan's sacred feet recite Hari, Hari, Hari,Hari, Hari , Hari , Hari (a total of Seven times )with Bhakthi immediately after waking up from sleep at dawn . This way , their mind becomes tranquil . This is an ancient prctise observed by Sri VaishNavAs.

Comments: Swami Desikan states that the darkness of sleep had enveloped us during the night and after that is chased away , we should recite with reverence and affection the name of Hari seven times .

2:

vinaivagaiyozhukiyaveRin^ilaiyadaiyavum
ninaivudain^igazhvethirn^ilain^alamaNukida
manamurai kirisaikaL magizhmaRain^eRikodu
thanimuthaladiyiNaiyadipavar thamarE.

Abhigaman Prapatthi: The just awakened BhagavathAs have nirvEdam (repentance) over the time wasted due to the power of the KarmAs and compose themselves first and then pray to the Lord to bless them with the boon of uninterrupted Kaimkaryam to Him during the rest of the day . They seek tranquility and seelk refuge at His sacred feet with Manas , Vaak and Kaayam (Mind, Speech and Body)in the Vedic manner to derive solace and joy.

Comments: The exact words used by Swami Desikan here are: " Mahizh maRai neRi kodu tani mudaladi iNai adaibhavar TamarE ". The HaridAsAs are sluted as Thamars or Bhagavathars. Their method of approach of the Lord is the Veda maargam, that generates Joy . The tools that they use to perform this Abhigamana prapatthi are their Mind , Vaak and Body.

3:

malarmakaL maruviya maRuvudaiyiRaiyavan
malaradikaruthiya manamudaiyadiyavar
malar_punalamuthudan vagaiyanavadaiyavum
malar mathiye mathala venavaRi pavarE.

UpAdhAnam :The Sri VaishNavan collects flowers , prasAdham (naivEdhyam ) and water for Thirumanjanam , arkhyam, aachamaneeyam, paadhyam for the AarAdhanam of the Lord and understands clearly that all of the SaamagriyAs acquired by him are to please the Lord and not for them (na mama).

Comments: Swami Desikan says in this context: "Malar mathi adiyavar yemathu ala yena aRibavar ". He explains that the Bhagavatha Sri VaishNavan marked by fully blossomed Jn~Anam becomes joyous over the thought that all the AarAdhana SaamagriyAs collected by him with Love is for the arpaNam to the Lord and not for him .

naRaiyudai malarmakaL nalamuRa maruviya
iRaiyavaninithuRaviniyavai yeNumavar
aRan^eRiyilane vanaNukilu maNukilar
thuRaiyalathenumoru thuRaipadukilarE.

UpAdhAnam:The dhArmic way to acquire the AarAdhana SaamagriyAs: The acquisition of the material for the AarAdhanam of the Lord has to be done by the strict ways laid out by the SaasthrAs . Following these injunctions, Sri Vaishnavan will not ever receive any offering for AarAdhanam from one , who has swerved from the righteous ways .He will not acquire the material for AarAdhanam by pursuing unrighteous ways.

Comments: Swami's words here are: "aRa neRi ilan yevan aNuhilum aNuhilar"( The Sri VaishNavan will stay far away from adharmic persons , when they approach him and offer material for Bhagavath AarAdhanam ). " thuRai alathu yenum oru thuRai paDuhilar " ( They will not travel in any path that is not righteous during their upAdhAnam realted activities ).

oLimathiyena voruthiruvuda Nnuyarpavan
naLimathi mukan^agai nalan^ilavukavukaL
theLipunala muthana sezhumathiyadiyavar
kuLimuthalkirisaikaL kuRaikilarvalavE.

Ijyai:The Sri Vaishnavan will perform Thirumanjanam for Sri VaradarAjan and offer all other upachArams according to their sakthi (ability )in the proper manner prescribed by the Aagamams and present to Him naivEdhyams ( different kinds of tasty food and drinks )that would please the heart of th Lord. Comments: Swami Desikan salutes these BhagavathAs as " Sezhu mathi adiyavar " ( The bhagavathAs with fully developed Jn~Anam). These BhagvathAs will peform "kuLi mudhal kirisaikaL " ( UpachArams like Thirumanjanam ) and offer " teLi punal amudhu " ( Sweet and pure water as well as adisil/paayasam et al ).

varuvathoruRavenavaLariLavarasena
maruvun^an maganenana vanamathakariyena
aruvilaimaNiyena vadiyavaradaipavar
arukaNaiyiRaivanaiyaru kaNaiyudanE.

Ijyai: The flood of Affection during Bhagavath AarAdhanam

When BhaagavathAs perform AarAdhanam for the Lord ,they invite Lord VaradarAjan as the dearest relative (Bhandhu) and are elated over that thought .They will offer salutations and upachArams to Him as though He is the young Prince , who rules the entire land .They will express their affection to Him as a parent , who relates to his son , who was born after a long period of penance (tapas).They will be elated like the one, who sees a majestic male elephant in rut inthe forest .They will be filled with pride like the owner of a rare and prceious gem stone.With all these joyous feelings gushing out of every fiber of their body and mind , the Sri VaishNavAs present SaamagriyAs acquired in the most sAstraic manner to their Lord and offer upachArams and NaivEdhyams. This manner of performing AarAdhanam is known as ijyA .

Comments: The moving words used by Swami Desikan to describe the Lord , who has arived at the Sri VaishNavan's house to receive the AarAdhanam is " aruhu aNai iRaivan " ( the Lord who sits right next to the BhAgavathan in response to his invitation to accept his AarAdhanam with ease and grace).

The great poet that Swami desikan is in Tamil, Sanskrit and PrAkrutham rhymes his salutation to this "aruhu iNai iRaivan" in this paasurm as

"aru vilai maNi yena adiyavar adaibhavar
aru kaNai iRaivanai aru kaNaiudanE "

Swami points out in a state of joy over the thought of the AarAdhanm performed by the adiyavars (VishNu dAsAs) and his words match beautifully. The Lord is the priceless gem ( aru vilai maNi ); He is the Soulabhyan (easy of access) sitting with grace and ease next to the Sri VaishNavan to accept his AarAdhanam (aruhu aNai iRaivan). He is the aruhil amarnthuLLa EmperumAn . Swami Desikqan rhymes further and says that the Sri VaishNavan surrenders himself at the sacred feet of the Lord with the SaamagriyAs acquired with love for the ThiruvArAdhanam ( arukaNai udan adiyavar adaibhavar).The "aruhu iNai iRaivan ' is approached with "arukanai" by the ecstatic Sri Vaishnavan during his AarAdhanam .ArukaNai means the vasthus assembled with love for the ThiruvArAdhanam (ijyai).

Until now , we covered the the three sections from abhigamanam , upAdhAnam to Ijyai. The ThiruvArAdhanam takes place after MaadhyAhnika SandhyA-Vandhanam and ends up with the partaking of PrasAdhams offered to the Lord at the ijyai by the Sri vaishnavan and his family.

We will now cover the last four verses of Sri Vaishnava Dinasari. The first two verses are devoted to the fourth section , SvAdhyAyam and the last two vrses are for Yogam .

viraikamazhmalar_kaLmikavuRu miRaiyavan
kuraikazhal kuRukiya kuLir mathimathiyodu
varain^ilaiyadiyavar maRaikaLin maRaiyeNum
urain^irai paravuvaruLama muthuNavE.

SvAdhyAyam: The Sri VaishNavAs partake the PrasAdham enjoyed earlier by the Lord and spend their time thereafter sweetly reflecting on the noble meanings of the three rahasyams ( Thiru Manthiram , Dhvayam and Charama slOkam ) as taught to them by their AchAryAs.They recognize these three rahasyams as the distilled essence of the VedAs .

thuthikaLu maRivaru suruthiyiniRuthiyin
ithayamithena muniyiRaiyavaruraikaLum
mathuramanuthaviya maRaikaLumadiyavar
vithivagai paravuvar mikavuLamezhavE.

SvAdhyAyam: Joyous spending of their time : After reflections on the three rahasyams ,the Sri VaishNavAs recite Sri VishNu Sahasra Naamams , excerpts from IthihAsams and Saathvika PurANams and the aruLiccheyaLs ( blessed Sri Sookthis ) of the twelve AzhwArs . They will recite them and will also explain their esoteric meanings to fellow Sri VaishNavAs .This aspect of Dinasari is known as SvAdhyAyam and takes place upto evening SandhyAvandhanam and thereafter.

aRivilar thalaimisai yayanadi yezhithiya
poRivagai yezhuvathOr poRin^ala mugavala
ruRuvadhu mudaiyadhu midhuvena varuvadhu
naRumalar magaLpadhi nalamuRu ninaivE.

Yogam: After SvAdhyAyam , the Sri VaishNavan engages in the fifth and the last observance for the day known as Yogam .He knows that Brahma dEvan writes on the skulls of the jeevan at birth about what that jeevan with dEham will experience(bhOgams and sorrows) as a result of his poorva karmAs . Unlike the one without VairAgyam , the mature Sri VaishNavan rejects the perishable pleasures (alpa sukhams) and goes after the lasting pleasure of attachment to the Lord's sacred feet and thereby discredits the Brahma Lipi (the writings of Brahma dEvan on his skull).These blessed Sri VaishNavaas have unceasing rememberance(dhruva smruthi) of the Lord's sacred feet and consider that experience as their joyous nourishment.They engage in Yogam on the Lord's subhAsrayam ( the meditation on the Lord's divine and auspicious ThirumEni, which chases away the sins and is easy to think about).They consider that as their ancient (pithru paithAmaham dhanam)treasure and reject the rest of the evanescent pleasures of the world .

10:

perukiyan^ala nilai perumaiyin mikumayal
urukiya nilaimanamuyar mukizhezhumudal
sorukiya vizhithigazh sudarmathi pugumiRai
karukiya vuruthigazh karikiriyariyE.

Yogam: The status achieved by the One observing Yogam : As their meditation (dhyAna yOgam ) progresses , their mind is inundated with waves of Aanandham (aanandha lahari), their mind melts ,they experience horripulation and their eyes turn inward (the height of Yogic saadhanA)and they are immersed in that ecstatic state. This total engagement in the aanandhAnubhavam resulting from the enjoyment of Lord VaradrAjA's ThirumEni is reognized as Yogam . After that practise of Yogam , they pray to Lord VaradarAjan to place His lotus feet on their heads and experience sleep until the next dawn.

adivaravu : variyiruL, vinaivagai, malarmakaL, naRaiyudai, oLimathi, varuvathu, viraikamazh, thuthigaLum, aRivilar, perukiya, eerulagai.

seeraar_thooppul thiruvEngadamudaiyaan thiruvadigaLE saraNam.

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