Seetha Rama Kalyana Mahotsavam : Part 1

[Guest guest]

Dear Members of the Prapatti Group and the

Dakshina sampradhaaya Bhajana group of Buffalo:

 

It is a great honor for me to participate in the Kalayana

Mahotsavam of Sri Janaki Maata and Sri Rama Prabhu,

even if it is in a vicarious fashion..

 

This most auspiciuous event has been CELEBRATED by

great poets and Bhagavathas such as Sri Valmiki in

Srimad Ramayanam, Sukha Brahmam in Srimad Bhagavatham,

Our Azhwaars in Divya Prabhandham ,Adi sankara in

Raghavaastakam, Vaishnavite Achaaryaas like

Sri Vedanta Desika in Raghu Veera Gadhyam,

Kambha Nattazhwaar in Kambha Ramaayanam, Tulasidas

in his Ramacharitamanas ,Samartha Rama Das of Maharastra

and Shivaji"s guru in his Daasa Bhodha , Kabir Daas,

Sri Narayana Bhattadhiri in Srimad Narayaneeyam,

Bhakta Ramdas of Bhadrachalam , the Aparaavathaara of Valmiki,

Saint Thyagaraja in many of his krithis, Sri Mutthuswami Deekshitar

in Sri Ramaashtakam , Arunaachala Kavi Rayar in

Rama Natakam, OOthukkadu Kavi in his Kalyana Vasantha

krithi and many other Bhkthas and Bhagavataas .

 

I will use this opportunity to reflect on their works and

prepare myself for the Sri Rama Navami of Dhatu Samvatsaram.

 

We will start with a question and answer verse of Stotra Ratna of

ALavAnDAr to understand the significance of Seetha and Ramaa.

Our Acharya asks the question and then explains the eternal

and sacred principle of the Divya Dampathis this way:

 

KA SRI: SRIYA: ? PARAMASATVA SAMAASRYA : KA: ?,

KA: PUNDAREEKA NAYANA:? PURUSHOTTAMA: KA: ? I

KASYAAYUDHAAYUTHA SATAIKA KALAAMSA KAAMSEH

VISWAM VICHITRA CHITACHIT PRAVIBHAGA VRUTTHAM ? II

 

ALavandhaar asks: " Who is the Lord of Sri Devi? What is the

resting place of Satva Gunas? Who is the Lotus eyed Lord?

Who is called the Purushottaman by the Smrithis and Sruthis?

Who is the one in whose crore of a part the entire universe

with its Chetanas and Avhetanas find their dwelling? He answers

these rhetorical questions subaequently and says :

O Narayana! Tvadhanya: Ka: . There is no one

besides You that deserves these Naamas and attributes. That

Narayana took the incarnation of Rama and was born as the

son of Dasaratha. The Devas at the end of the destruction of

Ravana in the battle field offered their saluttions to VIJAYA RAGHAVAN

and acclaimed Him as " Bhavaan Narayanoh Deva: ". He replied

modestly this way concealing His Narayana Swaroopam :

"Aatmaanam Maanusham Manyeh, Ramam Dasarathaatmajam ."

Thus we know that Rama is Narayana and Narayana is Rama .

We also know by deduction that Sita Devi , Rama"s consort is none

other than Mahalakshmi (Sri Devi ). The story of marriage of Sita and

Rama is therefore very sacred for us to reflect and benefit.

 

We will undertake Pratakshina Yaatra of Bharata Desa following the

sign posts established by the above Bhaktas and Bhagavatas and

offer our own Deepa Pratakshinam in the Bhajana Paddhati around the

illustrious ,Svayam Jyothi of the Divya Dampathis .

 

Kabir Daas the weaver uses the metaphor

of the warp and the woof to explain the Rama

principle , which we are celebrating today this way:

 

" Weaver, weave the name of Hari, on which Gods,

Men and Munis(sages ) are meditating .He stretched the

warp and took the shuttle. The four Vedas are the wheel.

One Beam is RAMA NARAYANA fulfilling the proposed work.

He made the ocean of the world a trough; therein , he kneads

the starch--- Moon and Sun , they are two treadles; in mid-ocean ,

the warp is made. As the Lord of the Thirubhuvana (thre worlds)

brushed on the starch, Syama joined the broken ends. He set

the pegs,and when he took the reed, then RAMA was bound.

As the reed beats up the warp, the three lokaas were bound.

None he left free.The three lokaas were made one loom.

The warp worked up and down.The eternal purusha made

me to sit beside him; Kabir entered into light."

 

We will offer our salutation to RAMAA , the consort of RAMA

a la Saint Thyagaraja before we participate in the Vivaha

Mahotsavam of the divine couple.

 

1.Sriranjani Kriti of the Saint: Sariy ev vareh? Sri Janaki Nee.

 

Here the Saint says: "O Janaki Maata! There is no one to

match your auspicious qualities. You have qualified yourself

perfectly in associationg with Paramaatmaa Sri Rama to serve Him

by constantly keeping Him in prosperity . You chose to follow Him

in the fearsome forest and offered Him royal comforts and pleasures

there. Who can match your Kalyana Gunaas? "

 

2.Kalakanti Krithi of the Saint: Sri Janaka Tanayeh! Sritha Kamalaalayeh!

 

"O Daughter of King Janaka! the Goddess of fortune to

those, who resort to You! O Consort of Sri Raghu Rama,

bedecked with shining jewels and ornaments !

Pray Protect me always. You are the wind that destroyed

the clouds of demons like Ravana.You are the indweller

of the hearts of devotees( Natha Maanava Maanasa

satsadaneh ).Your feet shine with the lustre of gems

set in the crown of Indra."

 

3.Sahana Kriti of the saint: Dehi Tava Padha Bhakthim Vaidehi!

 

Here he asks Vaidehi, the redeemer of the fallen to

vouchsafe him constant devotion at Her Lotus feet !

He says: " Oh ,the giver of temporala nd spiritual

beenfits and the mothe rof Brahma and Manmatha!

Oh, Devi born of the milky ocean, adorned with golden

jewels and delighted by the musical chanting of Agasthya!

Oh, The consort of Sri rama! The whole universe is your

form(Akhilanda Rupini) ! Your hair is beautifully black

like the bumble bee (Alikula nibha Veni) . You ar ethe queen

of the protector of the Yaga of Viswamitra. You are the cause

of my fortune(Mama Bhagya Karini). You protect those, who

take refuge in You (Saranaagatha Paalaneh). You are the

destroyer of the arrogance of the ten-headed Ravana.You have

beautiful ,red lotus eyes and you reside in the heart of Thyagaraja .

 

4. Kambhoji Krithi : Maa Jaanaki chetta Bhattaga-maharaja Vaidevi

 

Here , Saint Thyagaraja reveals the secret behind the glory of

Sri Ramachandra. He says: " Oh, Rama! You have become great

and famous by taking the hand of our Sita in marriage . You have

acquired as a result the glory of bearing the name as the vanquisher

of Ravana. She accompanied You to the forests , as ordined by You ,she

left Her real form beside Agni (the fire) and tooka Maya form to follow

the Rakshasa, Ravanaa. She stayed in the Asokha Vanam waiting for you

to rescue Her. Though She was offended by the words of the evil

Ravanaa, She desisted from killing him (by Her indignant look ) and

wanted to leave the credit of killing him to You. Oh, Rama! You have

became famous and great by marrying our Sita . "

 

We will now move on to celebrate the Seetha Rama Kalyaanam .

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varachari Sadagopan