Sri Devarajaashtakam of Thirukkacchi Nambi

[Guest guest]

Dear Members of the Prapatti group:

 

On this birthday of Thirukkacchi Nambi, I am happy to

write a few words on this Ashtakam, who had the extraordinary

privelege of conversing with Sri Varadaraja PerumaL of Kanchipuram.

 

There are two Taniyans or invocatory verses for this Ashtakam by one

Ramanusappilllai , a disciple of Pillai Lokaacchaar. He composed a

work of ten verses known as "Sri Kaanchi Poorna Dasakam " to pay

his tribute to Thirukkacchi Nambi.

 

First Taniyan:

 

SRIMATHKAANCHIMUNIM VANDEH KAMALAPATHINANDANAM I

VARADAANGRISADHA SANGA RASAAYANA PARAAYANAM II

 

Here, the author says : I salute the Kaanchi Muni , who gladdened the

heart of Varadaraja. That great Acharya was involved with uninterrupted

service at the lotus feet of the Lord Of Kaanchi and was engaged in

invigorating himself with the practise of that Rasaayanam.

 

The phrase "Kamalapathinandanam " has been has been alternatively interpreted

to suggest that thirukkacchi Nambi was the son of Kamalapathi and the

son warmed the heart of the father. Since Nambi made Varadaraja happy with

his Fan service that resulted in the Lord breaking His Archa Samaadhi to

speak with nambi, I prefer the intrepretation of Kamalapathi as the Lord(Pathi)

of Perum Devi Thaayar (Kamalaa).

 

In the parlance of Ayurveda,Rasaayanam refers to a special medicinal creation

that gives the users an invigorating , disease -free life. Ramanusa PiLLai

points

out that Thirukkacchi nambi practised the Rasaayanam of devoted service to

Sri varadaraja and was specuially blessed by the Lord for that Rasaayanam

service.

 

Second Taniyan:

 

DEVARAJA DAYAAPAATRAM SRI KANCHIPOORANM UTTAMAM I

RAMANUJA MUNERH MAANYAM VANDEHAM SAJJANAASRAYAM II

 

The author points out that Thirukkacchi Nambi was the object of

the limitless mercy of Devaraja (Varadaraja) PerumaL and that

Nambi was a supreme bhakta of the Lord of Kaanchi. He says further

that Nambi was the refuge of all evolved souls and the object of

special adoration for Yatiraja.

 

VERSE 1 OF ASHTAKAM :

 

NAMASTEH HASTISILESA SRIMAN ! AMBUJALOCHANA I

SARANAM TVAAM PRAPANNOSMI PRANATAARTHIHARAACHYUTA II

 

This is a verse pregnant with meaning. Here, Nambi celebrates the five states

of the Lord known as : Param, Vyuham, Archa, Vibhavam and Antaryaamitvam.

When Nambi addreses the Lord as Hastisilesa , he salutes the Archa State of

the Lord consecrated on top of the hillock known as Hastigiri.

 

His salutation as Srima(U)n is associated with the Para Vaasudeva

state. In Vaikuntam, He isresiding with Sri Devi as Para Vaasudeva

(Vaikunteh tu pareh Lokeh Sriyaa Saardham Jagatpathi: Aasteh ) .

 

His next salutation , Ambujalochana refers to the beautiful Vibhava

state of the Lord, when He walked on this earth as Rama and Krishna.

Reference to his Lotus eyes relates to his Subhaasrayam .

 

The fourth salutation , "Pranataartihara", is associated with the

Ksheera Sagara Nilaya VYUHA state. He engages in Yoganidra

in the middle of the milky ocean and rushes to the help of his Bhaktas,

when they cry aloud for Him , during their times of distress.

 

The fifth and final salutation is "Achyutha". This Sambodhanam relates to

Antharyaami state, where he is pervasively present everywhere and does not

ever fail to give his helping hand to the Prapannas. Achyutha is the 101st

Sahasra Naamam of Vishnu. Sanskrit etymology (Nikantu) explains the

word Achyuta as " Aasrithaanaam chyuthi : yasmaat naasthi ithi Achyutha: "

( He NEVER abandons His Bhaktas and because of this act of HIs, He is

celebrated as Achyutha ). In this context, Swami desikan composed a Satakam

known as Achyutha Satakam and saluted the Lord as Natha Satyan,

Kinkara satyan to reveal his loyalty to his devotees.

 

SECOND VERSE OF THE ASHTAKAM:

 

SAMASTHA PRAANI SANTHRAANA PRAVEENA ! KARUNOLPANA I

VILASANTHU KATAKSHAASTEH MAYYASMIN JAGATHAAM PATEH II

 

O Lord full of Mercy and Grace ! O Lord with the power to protect one

and all! O Lord of the Universes! May your benovolent glances fall

on Me! May those glances shine on me ! Like Aandaal , who prayed "

SengkaN Sirucchiriteh Emmel Vizhiyaavo" (Thiruppavai verse 22),

Nambi prays for the Lord"s most compassionate glances to fall on him.

 

THIRD VERSE OF THE ASHTAKAM :

 

Here Nambi engages in Naicchaanusandhanam or Aatma Garhanam

( Self-depreceation or recounting of one"s shortcomings) .Even if the

great soul did not commit any of the Apachaaras, Nambi and other

Acharyas in this mood of Self-depreceation, they "confess " about their

"sins" in a penetent mood. This approach is taken to set a model for others

to desist from committing such sins. Alavandaar states in a similar mood

in Stotra ratna that he has transgressed the rules of Sastraas tens

of thousand times and there are not many Sins that ha has not committed.

Those Papa Karmas have ripened and are about to yield their fruits. At this

juncture, I stand before YOu , my Lord and lament about ,who is going to save

me

from disaster. Swami desikan described himself as the emperor of all

Aparaadhas at one place. Again, all such declarations by htese pure

souls is to set an example for us and to help us from committing

such apachaaraas.

 

The third Verse of Nambi wiht such thoughts of Naicchanusandhaanam is

as follows:

 

NINDITAACHARAKARANAM NIVRUTTHAM KRTYUKARMANA: I

PAAPEEYAMSAM AMARYAADHAM PAHI MAAM VARADA PRABHO II

 

Here Nambi says: " O lord,who gives all the boons that one asks!

I have the following atributes: (1) I engage in acts prohibited by

Saastraas (2) I stay away from Karmas prescribed by Saastraas.

(3) I am a great sinner, who has trasgressed the boundaries of

behavior established by scriptures and Pramaanaas. O Lord,

take pity on me and save me ."

 

Saastraas typically say "Idam Kuru, Idam Maa kaarshi " (Do this and

stay away from that forever). These are known as Vidhi and Nishedam

among Saastraas. I do not follow these rules. I am now suffering from such

wanton behavior. You are Pranataarthihara Prabhu. Please come to the help of me,

who is crying before you and protect me . This is the prayer housed in the

third verse.

 

VERSE 4 TO 8 OF THE ASHTAKAM

 

The verses from 4 to 8 form one thought module. These verses

are addresses to Achyuta saluted in the first verse. They form a

single prose order(Anvayam ) and hence the set of the 5 verses

is known as a Kulakam. Here , Nambi pleads with Devaraja to

protect him and hails him with sweet names such as Deva Raja

Dayaa Sindho , Deva Deva, and Jagat Pateh . The FIVE verses

are as follows:

 

SAMSARA MARUKANTHAAREH DURVYADHI VYAGRA BHEESHANEH I

VISHAYA KSHUTHRA KULMAATYEH DRUSHAAPAADA PASAALINI II (4 )

 

PUTRA TARA GRUHA KSHETRA MRUGA TRISHNAAMBHU PUSHKALEH I

KRUTYAAKRUTYA VIVEKAANTAM PARIBRAANTHAMITAS TATA: II (5)

 

AJASRAM JAATATRUSHNAARTHAM AVASANNAAKAMAKSHAMAM I

KSHEENA SAKTHI BALAAROGYAM KEVALAM KLESASAMSRAYAM II (6)

 

SAMTAPTAM VIVIDAIR DUKKAI : DURVASAIREVAMAATIBIH : I

DEVARAJA DAYA SINDHO ! DEVA DEVA ! JAGATPATHEH ! II (7)

 

TVATHEEKSHANA SUDHA SINDHU VEECHEE VIKSHEPA SEEKARAI : I

KARUNYA MAARUTHAANEETHAI : SEETHAIRBHISHICHA MAAM II (8)

 

(MEANING OF THE FIVE SLOKAS): O Ocean of Mercy ! O Devaraja !

O the origin and founding father of the Universe! In this samsaric life

full of sorrow and fears, horrible diseases are like the roaming tigers in a

forest; the little bushes that give way under one's feet and bury one in the

shoals

are the sensory temptations; desires are the dense trees of the dark forest;

relatives

and the personal possessions are like the mirage of desert; I roam in this

forest

not knowing what to do and what to avoid. I do not have vivekam

(discriminatory intellect). Incompetent me, roaming here and there, weakened by

this

aimless wandering, I am depleted of energy, strength and health. I am full of

debilitating anxieties. I am distressed by these undescribable calamities .

O Pranataartihara! O Achyuta ! Please moisten me with the cooling droplets

from the waves of your mercy , which have been driven by the winds of your

matchless compassion! Please bless me and protect me!

 

Thus prays Thirukkacchi Nambi and begs Devaraja PerumaL to cool him

from the scorching Samsaric afflictions through the rejuvenating shower

of mercy and concludes this beautiful and moving Ashtakam .

 

Sri PeraruLaLan , Sri Perum Devi Thayaar Thiruvadigaleh Saranam

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan

Febrauary 28, 1996.

 

 

 

addresses him by