Abhitistavam — Praise of Fearlessness by Sri Vedanta Desika
In 13th century, Forces of Malik Kafur were breaching one city after other and reached the gates of Tamilnadu. The Utsavamurthi / procession Idols were moved out of the respective shrines (Srirangam, Madurai) to the kannada pradesha.
There is an apocryphal story told in the Aasthika circles with relevant to this context: Then the great seer, Sri Vidyaranya, who had helped to establish the Vijayanagara Samrajya, reached out to his friend, Sri Vedanta Desika with a request. And, it might have run something like this :
My Dear Venkatanatha (original name of the Guru) , the evil forces from Delhi are in south and will be knocking the doors of our kingdoms. People are in fear and need your help to assuage their fear. Please pray to the favourite deity of yours.
In response, Sri Desika composed the famous hymns of “Abhitistavam” (Abhiti — Fearlessness, Stavam — Praise). It can be divided into three parts
1. The glorification of the presiding deity of Srirangam, Lord Ranganatha
2. Details of the famous doctrine of Ramanuja Sampradaya — Saranagathi / prapatti (we will see that in detail, later)
3. The historical significance of those times
In the 3rd part of the slokas, he explicitly prays to Lord about the imminent danger from Bauddhists, Atheists, Turushkas (Muslims) etc and seeks the protection of Lord, his consorts and other accompanying Devathas like Anantha, Garuda…
Sloka 22:
कलि प्रणिधि लक्षणै: कलित शाक्य कलोकयतै:
तुरुष्क यवनादिभिर्जगति ज्रुम्भमाणम् भयम्!
प्रक्रुष्ट निजशक्तिभि: प्रसभमायुधै: पन्चभि:
क्षिति त्रिदश रक्षकै: क्षपय रंगनाथा! क्षणात्॥
Meaning:
I Pray to the Lord of Srirangam! Equivalent to kalipurusha, the sakhya (Bauddhas), Atheists
(Who are in cahoots with) Muslims, Yavanas and generated fear because of their violent actions.
Kindly deploy your pancha-ayudhas (five weapons : Sudarsana — Chakra, Panchajanya — Conch, Kowmedaki — Gadha/Mace, Nandaka — Sword , Saranga — Bow) to protect us from the fear arising out of such people
This also underlines the combined efforts of all the sects of our dharma to stem the onslaught of Asuric forces. It is the need of the hour then and now too.
