Essay name: Sankalpa Suryodaya of Venkatanatha (Critical Study)
Author:
R. Laxmi
Affiliation: Karnatak University / Department of Sanskrit
This is an English study of the Sankalpa Suryodaya—an allegorical Sanskrit drama by Venkatanatha, a distinguished philosopher-poet and dramatist of the Vishishtadvaita Vedanta tradition. This work of Venkata-natha (or, Vedanta Deshika). stands out for integrating allegory to convey moral and philosophical truths. The thesis examines its place in Sanskrit literature.
Chapter 1 - Date, life and works of Venkatanatha
14 (of 26)
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poetry. It has two commentaries, one in Sanskrit by Śrīśaila Tirumalai Nambi
Rāghavārya and second in Tamil by Śriśaila Sinnamu Ranganāthācārya.
5. Śrīstuti : Consisting of twenty six verses in the Mandākrānta metre, this
hymn describes the glory of Goddess Laksmi. The Śrīstuti of Yāmunācārya is its
main source of inspiration. This hymn is much honoured by Mahācārya, the
celebrated commentator of the Śatadūṣaṇi. It has commentaries, one by Atreya
Varadācārya in Sanskrit and second by Kurichi Gopāla Tātācārya in Tamil.
6. Abhitistava : Consisting of twenty nine verses, this hymn expresses
author's devotion on Śrī Ranganatha of Śrirangam. It gives some autobiographical
touches and a clue to the chronological order of the works of Vedānta Deśika. It
is commented upon by Śrisaila Sinnamu Ranganāthācārya in Tamil.
7. Varadarāja pañcāśat: Also called Devarāja pañcāśat, it is a hymn of fifty
one stanzas on the deity Varadarāja of Kāñcipuram describing the Brahmotsavam
festivals and the glory of Varadarāja. It exposes the theology of Vaiṣṇavism with
a special reference to the doctrine of Prapatti. Hence, it has been regarded as
śāstra poem. It is commented upon by Karur Śriśaila Śrinivāsācārya.
8. Vegäsetustotram : It is a hymn of ten stanzas on the deity enshrined
in the Yathoktakārin temple at Kāñcipuram. A story behind this, is that, once Lord
Brahmā began the Aśvamedha sacrifice at Kāñci in the absence of his spouse
Sarasvati. Enraged at this, Sarasvati changed herself in the form of a river,
Vegāvati and started flowing towards the sacrificial field in order to extinguish
the sacrificial fire. But, Viṣṇu the Yathoktakärin threw Himself across the stream
and stopped the waters flowing towards the sacrificial altar. Since Yathotakārin
became the Vegāsetu or the setu to the Vegāvati river, hymn composed on him,
is called Vegāsetu-stotra. It has two commentaries, one by T.Ch.N.R.Tatācārya in
Sanskrit and second by Śriśaila Sinnamu Ranganāthācārya in Tamil.
9. Aṣṭabhujāṣṭaka-stotra : It is a hymn of ten verses on Viṣṇu or
Gajendravarada with eight hands enshrined in the Aṣṭabāhu temple adjacent to
Yathoktakärin temple at Käñcipuram. This work is written by Vedānta Desika during
his early literary career.
