Hamsa Sandesam& Ishvaku Kula Daivatham

[Guest guest]

Dear Members of the Prapatti Group:

 

I want to share with you the tribute that

Swami Desikan paid to Sri Ranganatha

through one of his Kavyams known as

Hamsa sandesam. The other Kavyams

of Swami Desikan are : Subhashitaneevi,

Yadavaabhudhyam and Padhuka Sahasram .

 

Hamsa Sandesam is what is known as a

Sandesa Kavyam. This Kavyam follows the

style of AandaaL and Nammazhwar, when they

requested clouds, Birds and bees to take a message

to their Lord and asked them to help in uniting them

with their beloved Lord. In more recent times,

Poet Kalidasa Composed Megha Sandesam ,

where he asks the hurrying clouds to take a

message to his beloved one in the Northern

region.

 

Swami Desikan sets Hamsa Sandesam as

a Kavyam, where Sri Ramachandra languishing

from the sorrow of seperation from His beloved

Sita sights a Raja Hamsam and implores it to

take a southward journey to Lankapuri and asks

the hamsam to convey to Sita his sense of anguish

and inconsolable desolation. There are 110 slokas

in this Kavyam set by Swami Desikan in the

Mandaakrantha Meter.

 

Sri Rama points out the landmarks that the hamsam will

fly over in its southward journey. In this Kavyam, we get

a glimpse of the Sarva Tantra Swatantrar"s extraordinary

knowledge about the geography of Bharata Desam .

 

His choice of hamsam as a messenger to convey Sri Rama"s

pangs of seperation is very similar to the Vipralambha Mood

of seperation experienced by the Nayakis such as Parakala

and Paraankusa Nayaki . The mood is very similar to that we

experience of Parakala Nayaki (Thirumangai Azhwaar) in the

Thirupullani Pasurams( Periya Thirumozhi 9.4 ) and

Paraankusa Nayaki"s Pasurams(E.G: Thiruvaimozhi 9.9 ).

Paraankusa and Parakala Nayakis have begged

the cranes and parrots to convey their sense of

forlornness an despair , while possessed by

the mood of Vipralambha Sringaram.

 

This Kavyam has both poetic majesty as well as

philosophical message in the form of Rahasyaartham.

Swami Desikan"s reverence for Sri Ranganatha ,

the family deity of Sri Ramachandra is also

brought out in number of Slokas of this Kavyam.

Swami Desikan describes the majestic flight of

the Messenger of Rama over the Thiruvenkatam hills,

Kanchipuram, Chola Desam . The Hamsam follows

aerial course along the banks of Cauveri river. Sri Rama

then points out to the expectant swan the sights it will

see in the southern journey . He says that you will see

an island formed by Cauveri and in the middle of it ,

you will see Chandra Pushkarani and the sacred Sesha

Peetam. On that Peetam, You will see the FUTURE site

where Sri Ranga Vimanam and Sri Ranganatha are

going to rest. Rama asks the hamsam to offer

its salutatons to the deity sacred to the Ishvaku dynasty.

The second half of the 44th slokam describes the sighting

of the Chandra Pushkarini by the hamsam:

 

TEERTHAIRANYAIRAPI PARIGATHAAM

SUDDHIHETOH SAMANTHAATH I

CHANDROLLAASAPRATHITA YASASA:

SAMPATAM PUSHKARINYAA: II

 

Sri Rama says that you(hamsam ) will see

the holy Pushkarani , which will have the

beautiful lustre of the Moon and you will

recognize its holiness by the fact that many

theerthams (waters) are resting next to

this Pushkarani to attain holiness for themselves

by situating themselves in the proximity of the

Chandra Pushkarani. You will also witnesss the

richness and sampath associated with Chandra

Pusharani all around it. The prosperity or

the Eiswaryam that he has in mind is described

by him in the next verse:

 

TEEREH TASYAA VIRACHITAPADHAM

SAADHUBHI: SEVYAMAANAM

SRADDHAA YOGAATH VINAMITA TANU:

SESHA PEETAM BHAJETHAA: I

YASMIN ASMATH KULADHANATAYAA

SOWMYA SAAKETA BHAAJA: I

STHAANAM BHAVYAM MUNIBHIRUDHITAM

SRIMATHO RANGADHAAMNA: II

 

Sri Rama says to the hamsam that it will see

on the banks of Cauveri, the Sesha Peetam that is

worshipped from time immemorial by the Yogis and

Bhagavathaas. He asks the hamsam to bow deeply

before the Sesha Peetam. Sri Rama reveals to the hamsam

that sacred site will be the future site of Sri Ranganatha"s

Pranava Vimanam with Para Vasudeva at its crest .

 

At this point, Sri Rama reminesces about the

Aprameya Swaroopam that is resting under the

Sri Ranga Vimanam that he worshipped every day at

Ayodhyaa. His thoughts now return to his capital ,

while he is talking to the hamsam at the pool side

in Dandakaaranyam. Overcome by the thought of the

beauty of Sri Rangaatha, Sri Rama says that His family

heirloom is visible as a Superior , matchless emerlad

gem enshrined on the holy seat on top of the Sesha

Peetam. The sloka celebrating Sri Ranganatha"s glory is

as follows:

 

SATTVEH DIVYEH SVAYAMUDHAYATAS

TASYA DHAAMNA : PRASANGHAATH

MANJUUSHAAYAAM MARAGATAMIVA

BHRAAJAMAANAM TADHANTA: I

CHETO DHAAVATUPAHITA BHUJAM

SESHABHOGEH SAAYANAM

DHEERGAAPAANKAM JALATHI TANAYAA

JEEVITAM DEVAMAADHYAM II

 

Her Rama reveals that the Sesha Peetam is

made up of Suddha Sattvam , free from the

trigunaas. On top of that Sesha Peetam , Lord

Ranganatha emerged as the Svyam Vyaktha

(self-manifest ) Mahaa Purusha . He appeared

there of his own volition. There, He is resting on

Adi Sesha and is placing His head on his right

hand, while looking at Maha Lakshmi, worshipped

at this Kshetram as Sri Ranga Nayaki. The describtion

of the land marks continue and includes Kshethrams

like ThiruveLLarai as he points the road map to the

attentive Hamsam. The Kavyam ends with Rama"s

blessings to the hamsam for undertaking such an

important journey.

 

Swami Desikan Thiruvadigaleh Saranam,

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan

[Guest guest]

1.I just wanted to make a note for the interested readers that

The kOthaNda Raamar sannidhi is situated on the banks of this PushkaraNi inside

the temple.

2. There are two vimaanams that are referred to for the temple as such and they

are praNava viMaanam and praNavakrithi vimaaNam.

 

 

Dear Sir,

I learnt already a lot from your post . Especially when you mentioned the name

suyambu jyothi in your note for my two articles on Srirangam. I derived more

from the grace of this suyambu Jyothi on those three paasurmas of Swami Desikan

on PaaNar ! ie more than what has been translated as literal meaning in my post

and more than what they were indirectly meant for. SInce every such Slokam and

paasuram has three such meanings or implications, Depending on the degree of

one's devotion to the Lord and the Authors, one will automatically be put to

discover all the three layers of such meanings. The lirteral first layer is

generally the physical outlet and may look often suiting the "time" of the

delivery of such slOkam and paasurams. The second layer is what is meant for

indirect meaning that is mostly relaised by the soul and the third is generally

the identification of the path to Param embedded deeply in it so that a

realised soul (meaning the one understood the second layer) can easily adapt

it. These are similar to the physical body, soul and param of the human

perception. Though I and many others who contribute to the forum, want to spend

most of the energy in parting valued information to the forum, at times there

seems to be a necessity to clear some of the doubts and while doing so also I

would like to part with some of the informaion that I know. In such an attempt

and referring to the forum, In one of the discussion on the literal

meanings of the paasurams a learned member (he also provided the second layer

of meanings for that paasuram) described that no amount of translation will be

considered sufficient and that one can get the indepth meanings by seeking the

guidance of an achaaryaaL.

 

It is 100 % true. If one is not ready to seek an already available achaaryaa,

for their own personal reasons, he or she can assume the Lord HIMself as the

acharyaa and seek HIS guidance,

which HE will be provide in due course. It is understandable that often

literal

meanings of one time ie the time these literatures were delivered (ie centuries

earlier), may look obsolete for the other time (ie the present time) where

human civil laws that are governing are different. One example is that when

Koorath aazhwaar disobeyed chOlan his eyes were gouged. For chOlan it was the

law in plcae that time for disobeyal of a King and as per the current charter

of rights civil disobeyances are not punished to this extent as what

koorathaazwaar was punished, as freedom of expression in many countries upholds

individual right to express even disobeyal in an non violant manner. If

beheading was a punishment and common practice of execution for committing a

murder at the time of aazwaars then quoting "such a treatment at that time" for

an "equally offensive crime of that time" was justifiable in a literal

translation. Please note that the barbaric act (as per current codes of

punishment) of gouging the eyes took place more or less the same time this

"raamaanuja nooRRanthaahi" was also delivered. (However at that time, the KIng

was partial as he was misguided by his advisors and hence was not worth to be a

King and that this particular event was not justified and was a disgrace.

However for anyother person who had disobeyd the King on some other count, he

would have also been punished by such Kings with such punishment of the olden

days).

 

 

However, our ahcaaryaaLs had advised us that it is not worth to skim

and dwell

on such offensive literal meanings at a different time and instead one must

attempt to look at the core and indepth meanings that were conveyed in such

paasurams. "Core" thaththuvams that are implied in the old "physical or literal

outlet" are valid beyond time and there is no need to attempt to rewrite them.

If possible what we can do is we can invest our material intelligence and

"abilities" and we can attempt to derive the core and indepth meanings also for

such visually unacceptable (for the current or futre time) literal translations

either with the help of an achaaryaaL or inituitively as guided by the LORD

HIMslef, and ask the readers to read such verses with the indepth meanings so

that any geniune literal translation of the current or future time, may not

mislead the seeker. For reasons, though such core meanings are known to our

ahcaaryaaLS and many others, they were not discussed sometimes in an open

forum. However, if one is seeking such indepth knowledge and attachment they

may pray to the achaaryaal or The Lord to provide them such core meanings

intuitively to them atleast.

 

However, one must prevail their faith that there are three layers of meanings

available for some of the "core" thathtuvams and what we mostly see and discuss

are the outer most layers only. I want to share my own experience that Some of

the upadEsams I had from "...." through

my mentor from Valmeeki Raamaayanam had had simple "passages" (first it looked

like it had one inner meaning and was later found that there were two such

inner layers of meanings that were available to it) and when I attempted to

realise it with faith, and in a matter of a split second I was able to

understand the innner meanings of those thathtuvams and I was rejoiced with

that. Having known the concept of the inner meanings, I think most of us will

accept that reading the outer most layer of our thaththuvams and charecterising

them in any way (example "outmoded forms") is somewhat a "closed mind (not

close minded)", than many of those (who are not "closed minds", and it may

appear in an electronic forum where words are not spoken, that such sentiments

of eka viswaasam may look to be close minded though these souls had either

excercised the other options already and chose this path or realised

intuitively this path of eka viswaasam) who are trying to provide atleast the

unavailable meanings of many thathtuvams with eka vishawaasam as their only

ilakku.

 

I think that the existance of three core indepth meanings may also be possible

for some of the verses (which looked offensive for our present time) quoted

literally from the text of our holy literatures by Sri Anbil Ramaswamy and I

may request him to provide such meanings also if he is currently aware of the

same. And that if such meanings are unavailable at this time, Sri Anbil

Ramaswamy may want to consider adding a few lines in his book explaining the

difference in nature of the civil codes and ethos for time of deliverace and

the date, and leave open the possibility of existance of inner meanings and

that one may seek to it with the help of the Lord or Achaaryaals, themselves.

 

to Dr sadagopan again,

Now, your article on Hamsa Sandesam was more thought provoking. Thanks for an

excellent post.

 

Regards

Sampath Rengi