Dinachari

Swami Desikan has two Tamil Verses for each of these five divisions of the time of the day.

Thus there are 10 (5 x 2) verses in this Prabhandham dedicated to Atthigiri AruLALar of

Kaanchipuram presiding at Hasthigiri under PuNyakOti VimAnam along with PerumdEvi

ThAyAr.

Sri Vaishnava Dinasari prabhandham 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 traveled on his head in his Madisanji (the bag made of special cloth for carrying Vasthrams, ThirumaNN petti and SaaLagramams and Aaradhana mUrthys without theettu 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 ordained 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 Chathushtaya 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 acquisition 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 aradhana for the Supreme Being in the Saasthraic manner ordained by Paancha rathra or vikanasa Aagamams .

4. SvAdhyAyam: This celebrated Vedic word (Taittiriya Upanishad: SikshA Valli: Section 9; “Rutham cha svAdhyAya PravachanE cha–”) means the study and preaching of VedAsand 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.

in the Saasthraic manner ordained by Paancha rathra or vikanasa Aagamams 

Vari irul azi vazi manam  varum unarvodu

Kari giri maru  viya kariavan adi yinai, 

Pari vodu para vunal adiyavar paza urai 

Ari ari ari ari ari ari ariye....1.

Vinai vagai ozugiya veri nilai adaiyavum 

Ninaivudai nigazvidir nilai nalam anugida 

Manamurai kirisaigal magizmarai neri kodu

Tani mudal adiyinai adaibavar tamare..2

Malar magal maruviya maru udai iraiavan

Malar adi karudiya mana mudai adiyavar

Malar punal amududan vagaiyana adiyavum

Malar Madi emadala Ena aribavare...3

Narai udai malar magal nalam ura maruviya

Iraiyavan inidura inaiavai enum avar 

Araneri ilan ivan anugilum anugilar 

Turai aladenum oru turai padugiare..4

Oli madi Ena oru tiruvudan uyarbavan

Nalai madi muga nagai nala nila ugavugal

Teli punal amudana sezu madi adiyavar 

Kuli mudal kirisaigal kurai gilai valve.. 5

Varu vadoruravena valar ilavarasena

Maruvunan magan ena vana mada kariena

Aruvilai maNi ena adiyavar adaibavar

Aruganai iraivanai aru kanaiyudane...6

Virai kamaz alarmagal mia urum iraiavar

Kurai kazal kurugiya kulir madi madiyodu

Varainilai adiyavar maraigalin maraienum

Urainirai para vuvar ulam amudunave..7

Tudigalum arivaru surudiyin irudiyin

Idayam idena muni iraiyavar uraigalum

Maduraman udaviya maraigalum adiyavr

Vidivagai paravuvar migaulam ezave..8

Arivilar talaimisai Ayan adi ezudiya

Pori vagai ezuvador pori nalam ugavalar 

Uruvadum udaiyadum iduvena vauvadu

Narumalar magal padi nalam uru ninaive..9

Perugia Nala nilai perumaiyin migumayal

Uruguay nilai manam uyarmugiz enumudal 

Sorugiya vizitigaz sudarmadi pugumirai

Karugiya urutigaz karigiri ariye...10

Sri vaisnava dinasari mutritru..