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
12 (of 26)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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It presupposes other works of its type like Āgama-prāmāṇya of Yāmunācārya and
the works of Parāśarabhaṭṭāraka, Kṛṣṇamuni and so on.
3. Saccāritrarakṣ�: This is another work of Vedānta Deśika explaining the
ritualism of initiation into Śrīvaiṣṇavism.
4. Dramiḍopaniṣatsāra : It is one of major works of Vedānta Deśika,
written in the Sragdhara and the Sikhariṇi metres. The Dramiḍopaniṣatsāra
expounds the majesty and the grace of the Supreme God. This is a Sanskrit
version of the Gāthās or the Tamil songs of the saint Nammāḷvār.
5. Dramiḍopaniṣattātparya-ratnāvaḷ� : It runs in one hundred and thirty
Sragdharȧ verses divided into ten sub-sections. All these verses are based on the
songs of the great Nammälvår and contain the essence of the doctrine of self-
surrender.
6. Rahasyatraya-sāra� : It is magnum opus of Vedānta Deśika. It
embodies the secrets of Śrīvaiṣṇava esotericism. It is considered to be the great
Prapatti sāstra of the Vaḍagalai Śrīvaiṣṇavas.
7. Bhūgola-nirṇaya : Running into nine verses, it aims at describing all
parts of the globe following the Purāṇas.
8. Silpārthasāra : This is said to have been written by Vedānta Desika on
the art of sculpture with special reference to Iconography. It contains the 'Ācārya
Mudra' executed by him. This can be seen in the Deśika shrine at
Tiruvahindrapuram even today.
III. Devotional and Didactic Poetry :
A good number of devotional and didactic poems is credited to the
academic genius of Vedānta Deśika. Poetic faculty and religious spirit of Vedānta
Desika are clearly reflected in his poems. Being inspired by the songs of the
Āḷvārs, he wrote these poems which are as below:
