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(Vedanta Desika is possibly one of the greatest poets of
Srivaishnavism and lived between 1269 and 1370. He was born in
Thoopul, near Kanchipuram. He was named as Venkata Natha and was
trained in the philosophy of Saint Ramanuja. This great prayer
extols Garuda, one of the foremost devotees of Lord Vishnu, who
also is his steed. This poem is written in the Dandaka meter.(
Dandakam is that poetry where some of the lines have more than
26 syllables. It very much resembles prose) An e- book
containing , this stotra and its detailed interpretation can be
had in
www.sundarasimham.org/ebooks/10GD.pdf)
Sriman VenkataNadharya kavi tharkika kesari,
Vedantacharya varyo may sannidatham sada hrudhi
(I keep in my ,mind always and dedicate myself,
Sri Venkata natha , who is the lion among poets
And who is a great teacher of philosophy.)
Nama pannaga nadhaya Vaikunta vasa varthine,
Sruthi Sindhu sudothpada mandharaya guruthmathe.
Salutations to the Lord of Serpents,
Who resides in control of Vaikunta,
Who like the mandara mountain,
Churned the ocean of Vedas,
And has the nectar of it on his legs
Garudamakhila veda needadhiroodam dwishath peedanoth
kanditha kunta Vaikunta peetikrutha skandameede swaneedagathi
preetha Rudra sukeerthi sathanaa bhoga gaado upagooda sphuratha
kantaka vratha veda vyadha vepamana dwi jihwa aadhipakalpa
vishpharyamana sphatavatika rathna rochichchata raji neerajithm
kanthi kallolini rajitham. 1
The God Garuda who uses the Vedas as his nest as well as the
seat,
who leaves Vaikunta and accompanies his Lord Narayana , who
rides on his shoulders in his endeavors to kill and destroy the
enemies of his devotees,who on his return is deeply hugged by his wives Rudrai and
Sukeerthi, who miss his absence,
which makes his hairs stand erect like thorns and hurts the
conquered serpents that he uses as his ornaments ,
which makes the two tounged serpents overcome with fear and make
them open their hoods , leading the gems in their hoods to emit
strong red light
Which in turn gives out an appearance of showing of camphor
light. which makes him shine in the wave of light.
Jaya Garuda suparna dharveekaraahara devaadhipahara haarin
divoukaspathi kshiptha dhamboli dharaa kina kalpa , kalpantha
vaathoola kalpodhayan aalpa veerayithodhya
Chamathkara dhaithyari jathra dwajaroha nirdharithothkarsha
sankrashanathman garuthman maruth panchakadeesa sathyadhi
moorthe na kaschid samasthe namasthe punasthe nama. 2
Victory to Garuda with very pretty wings, who uses huge serpents
as his food,
who stole the nectar from the devas,
which made the king of devas angry with Garuda and made Indra
throw his Vajrayudha on him ,
which in turn caused many wounds on his body , which healed
wounds today shine like his ornaments,
Who shines in the waving flag of Lord Vishnu during his war
leading to the extermination of the Rakshasas and his being
recognized as the soul of the war,
Who is the personification of truth and assumed the form of five
winds Prana, upana , Samana, udana and Vyana
There is none like you, I salute you first then again salute you
and again salute you.
Nama idham jahath saparyaya paryaya niryatha paksha anila sphala
nodhwela padhodhi veechi chapeta hadha agadha patala bhankara
samkrudha nagendra peeda sruni bhava baswan nakha srenaya chanda
thundaya nruthya adbhuhda janga bruve vajrine dhamshtraya
thubhyam adhyathma vidhya vidheya vidheya bhavaddhaasya-
maabhadhaydhaa dhayedhascha may. 3
Saluted by very many great learned men, when you fly, your wings
generate such a storm that it creates waves in the ocean,
which reach Patala (the nether world) and a great sound
resembling “Bham”, disturb the elephants who are in guard there
, who in turn try to attack you ,
and your form with your sharp nails similar to the goad used to
control elephants repulses them ,
and you look fearful to your enemies ,
with your big beak which raises terror,
your squinted eye brows resembling a look of a cobra,
and your canine teeth which resembles the Vajrayudha (weapon of
Indra),
please make the knowledge of God as mine and take mercy on me
and protect this , your slave ,
Manuranugatha pakshi vakthra spurath tharaka sthavaka schithra
bhanu Priya shekhara sthrayatham nas thrivargapa varga prassothi
para vyoma dhaman vala dweshi dharpa jwala dwalakhilya prathigna
vatheerna sthiraam Thathwa budhim paraam bhakthi dhenum jagan
moola kandhe mukunde mahananda dhogdhim dhadhidhaa
Mudhaa kama heenaam aahee nama heenanthaka. 4
Oh Bird who resides in the abode of Vishnu,
with the five syllable manthra starting with Om and ending with
the name of the wife of the fire God(Swaha) ,
you who were born to fulfill the curse of sages called
Valakhilya on the Lord Indra, fulfilled their curse,
you who are the lord of death to the base serpents that
challenged you,
you whose lord is Mukunda who is the root cause of the universe
and the great milk man constantly giving great happiness,
be pleased to bless me with discriminative knowledge ,
be pleased to bless me to be a cow constantly giving the milk of
devotion
and be pleased to blessed with joy which is bereft of ordinary
passion,
Shad trimsath gana charano nara pari paati naveena gumbha gana,
Vishnuradha dandakoyam vighatayathu vipaksha vaahinee vyooham.
This poem comprises of 4 lines , with each line having 36
groups,
With each group consisting of three syllables and follows the
rules of the poem,
And if recited is capable of driving away enemy formations
completely.
Vichithra siddhidhada soyam Venkatesa vipasschitha,
Garuda dwaja thoshaya geetho Garuda Dandaka.
This Dandaka in praise of Garuda , was composed,
In honour of The Lord who has Garuda in his flag,
By a scholar called Venkatesa and fulfill the wishes,
And grant many fold blessings to the reciter.
(Translated by
P R Ramachander)
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