Adaikala Pathu
(The ten verses on Surrender)
By
Swami Vedantha Desika
Translated by
P.R.Ramachander
( Swami Vedantha Desikan is one of the greatest teachers of Vaishnavism following Saint Ramanuja. He is well known for his divine works on Sanskrit. They are all drenched in devotion and also are the guidelines to the principles followed by the followers of Visistadvaitha. Adaikkala Pathu is one of his great Tamil works and has been taken from
http://www.prapatti.com/slokas/tamil/desika-prabandham/adaikkalappattu.pdf
.Detailed meaning and commentary of this great work is given in
http://www.sundarasimham.org/ebooks/ebook31.htm.
Adaikkalam or absoulute surrender to God has been the most important method of approach leading to God among the followers of Vishishtadvaitha. This work deals with detailed method of Adaikkalam . The God addressed here is Lord Varadaraja of Kanchipuram whose temple stands on a hill called Hastha giri ).
1.Pathi mudhalaam mavathil , pathi yenakku koodamal,
Yethisayum uzhandru odi ilaithu vizhum kakam pol,
Muthi tharum nagar ezhil mukkiyamaam kachi thannil,
Athigiri arul aalarkku , adaikaalam naan pugundhene.
Since I was not able to practice the path of devotion to attain salvation,
Like the crow which ran in all directions got very tired and fell at his feet ,
I surrendered to the blessed god Varadaraja presiding over Hasthagiri,
In the town of Kanchipuram , the greatest blessed towns,
Among the seven towns that lead to salvation.
2.Chadai mudiyan, chathur mukanendru , ivar mudhalaam tharam yellam,
Adaya vinai payanagi , azhindu vidum padi kandu,
Kadi malarial piriyatha kachi nagar athi giri,
Idamudaya arulaalar , inay adikal adainthene.
Having seen that the status of Shiva, Brahma and other Gods ,
Would dilapidate due to the karmas that they have done,
I reached the twin feet of the great God of Hasthigiri of Kanchi
From whom the goddess Lakshmi never ever separates.
3.Thanthirangal verindri thamathu vazhi azhiyaadhu,
Manthirangal thammalum , mathumulla urayalum,
Antharam kandu adi panivaar, anaivarkkum arul puriyum ,
Sinthura ver piraiyavanaar , seelam allathu ariyene.
Without finding any solutions, sticking to his position,
They chant the mantras and use the explanations available,
And seeing the differences they would salute the one who blesses all,
The Varadaraja of Kanchi , whose goodness only I know.
4.Kakam irakkadhan, mannar kadali kathira panthu,
Nagam aran ayan mudhalaa naga nakaraar thamakkum,
Bhogamyuar veedu pera ponnarul cheythamai kandu,
Naga malai nayakanar nalladi podadainthene.
Seeing that that he was giving the golden choice
Between pleasures and salvation to the crow,
The Rakshasa, the king’s wife , his royal relations, Brahma and the devas
I attained the feet of the lord of the elephant mountain.
5.Ukakkum avai uhandhu , ukava anaithum ozhinthu, thuuravu guna,
Miga thunivu pera unarnthu, viyan kavalena varithu,
Jagathil oru pugal illa thavam ariyen mathi kachi,
Nagar karunai nathanai nalla adaikkalamy adainthene.
Choosing those which are suitable , leaving out all that are not suitable,
Understanding his relation with great courage, taking him as one who guards,
And understanding that there is no greater penance than surrender to him.
I made a complete surrender to the merciful lord of Kanchi.
6.Alavudayar adaintharkkum , athan uraye kondavarkkum,
Valavurai thandhavan arule , manniya mathavathorkkum,
Kalavozhivaar amar yena, isainthavarkkum kavalaraam,
Thulava mudi arul varadar , thuvakkil yenai vaithene.
Unlike those great people who surrender or those who depend on the ,
Great teaching of others to surrender or those who depend on their teacher,
To help them complete the surrender or those who depend,
On other great devotees dear to lord to help them complete their surrender,
I have completed my surrender with the Varadan ,who gives boon of salvation.,
To all those who surrender by any of the four methods.
7. Umadhu adikal adaikendren yendru oru naal uraithavarai.
Amayum ini yenbavar pol , anjal yena karam vaithu,
Thamadhu anaithum avar thamakku vazhangiyum thaam miga vilangum,
Amaivudaya arulaalar adiyinayai adainthene.
To the one who told that he would surrender to his feet one day,
He Kept his hand on him telling him not to be afraid ,
As if assuring him that everything would be all right from that time ,
And also giving all that he has to him and he was happy by doing that,
And I reached to surrender at the feet of that great Lord.
8.Thinamai kuryamaikkum , niraikaikkum thee vinayaal,
Unmai maravamaikkum , ula mathiyil ugakkaikkum,
Thaami kazhiyamaikkum tharikkaikkukm, thanikkaikkum,
Vanmai yudai arulalar vachakangal maravene.
For not getting my faith diminished , for getting filled up with wisdom,
For not ever forgetting the truth due to the sins committed by me,
For filling up my mind with happiness due to the surrender,
For not forgetting about my disability , for continuing with this state of surrender ,
And not to feel the problems of this normal life of the world,
I would not forget the teachings of the very powerful Lord.
9.Surithi ninivu ivai ariyum , thunivudayor thoo mozhigal,
Parithimathi aasiriyar pasuram chernthu arukkanangal,
Karuthiyoru theli vaalaal kalakkam aruthathathu kiri,
Parithi mathi nayanamudai paraman adi paninthene.
From the holy words of those great people who knew ,
The Vedas and the Smruthis , from the holy pasurams,
And from the words great ones having brain as bright as the Sun,
I cut off my confusions and attained clarity of thought,
And surrendered at the feet of the God who had sun and moon as his eyes.
10.Thirumagalum, thiruvadivum , thiruvarulum, thellarivum,
Marumai ilamayum uravum, alappariya vadivarasum,
Karumam azhippu alippu amaippum , kalakkam ilaa vagai nindra,
Arul varadar nilai ilakkil , ambena naan amizhndene.
With Goddess Lakshmi, a pretty form , divine grace and knowing everything,
With easy access to devotes and good relation with them , with immeasurable form,
With the duty of creation, upkeep and destruction and standing with stability sans confusion,
Varada with divine grace is a stable aim and I attain and merge with him like an arrow.
11.Aaru payan verilla adiyavar kal anaivarukkum,
Ma ru m athan payanum ivai oru kaalum pala kaalum,
Aaru payan yenave kandu , arul aalar adiyinai mel,
Kooriya narkunai uraigal , ivai pathum kothilave.
For all those devotees who do not have any other method,
These would be useful to bring them peace ,once or forever
And after understanding that these are going to be useful,
These ten verses were told at the lotus like feet of the great god .
Kavi tharka simhaya kalyani guna shaline ,
Srimathe venkatesaya Vedantha gurave nama.
My salutations to Sri Venkatesa, the teacher of Vedas,
Who is a lion in the debates and among poets,
And is blessed with all auspicious characters.