Swami Desikan"s Bhusthuthi

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Dear Members of the Prapatti Group :

 

Sri Bhumi Devi is the consort of Sri Oppiliappan

in Thiruvinnagara Kshetram. Sri S.Rengarajan

has described at length about Her Vaibhavam in the

recent postings on the Sthala Puranam of Thiruvinnagar.

I will focus here on some of the slokas of Swami Desikan"s

Bhusthuthi, where he explained to us about Her special role.

 

If Sri Sthuthi was an elaboration of Sri Suktham ,

Bhusthuthi is an elaboration of the concepts

covered by Bhusooktham.

 

In thirty three slokas, Swami offers his homage

to Sri Bhudevi , as the Dharma Patni of

Yajna Varaha Murthy , who fought with the Asura

known as HiranyAksha to bring back the stolen

Bhumi Devi from under the ocean. Our Acharya

points out here that She is easy to approach by Chetanas

and She is the sustenance of the Chetanas. He states

that Sriman Narayana is enriched by His association

with Bhumi Devi. The seventh Sloka covers his

thoughts on this aspect of Bhumi Devi.

Through the latter half of this verse , he proclaims:

 

TVATH SANGAMAATH BHAVATHI

MAADHAVI LABDHAPOSHA :

SAAKA SATAI : ATIGATHO

HARICHANDANOSOW

 

Here Swami Says that Sriman Narayana , who is

like a Harichandana tree (a variety of Kalpa Taru ) ,

gets His nourishment by His association with

Sri Bhumi Devi and thereby becomes empowered

to perform His duties as praised by the hundreds of

branches of the Vedas .

 

Swami desikan"s reverence for Bhumi Devi is revealed

in the sixth sloka , where he recites Her many names

to provide an unambigous describtion of Her and

dwells on Her many glories as the dear wife of the Lord.

His choice of words are Sarvam Sahaa , Avani, Viswambhara,

Achalaa, Vipulaa, Vasumdharaa, Ananthaa, PruthvE et al.

By the holy name of Sarvam Sahaa, he points out that She

represents Her infinite patience with us and putting up with our

many trespasses. By the name Avani, She indicates Her

functions in protecting the universe; by the name Achalaa,

She represents Her steady resolve in helping the

Prapannaas to receive the mercy of Her Lord ;

by the name Viswambharaa, She hints at Her duties

of bearing the Universe; by the name Vipulaa , she

points out to Her Immesaurable auspicious qualities;

by the name vasundharaa, She reveals Her enormous wealth.

 

To show the unique distinction of Bhuma Devi and Her special

place in the affection of Sriman Narayana , Swami states that

Bhagavan carries Sri Devi only in His chest , where as He carries

Bhuma Devi on His thousand heads in His role as Adisesha:

 

VISWAMBHAREH MADHURIPU: PRANAYAANURODHAATH

SESHAATMANAA TU BHAVATHEEM SIRASAA DHADAATHI

 

In resonance with the first Rk of Bhoosooktham,

Swami Desikan states that She enriches and nourishes

the Earth and makes it produce all riches including food

and minerals .The First Rk of Bhoosuktham is as follows:

 

BHUMIRBHOOMNAA DHYAURVARINAANTHARIKSHAM MAHITVAA

UPASTEH TEH DEVYADHITEHAGNIMANNADHAMANNAADHAYAAYAADATEH

 

In this Taitiriya samhita mantram, the invocation in

honor of Bhumi Devi is referred to. The meaning of this

Mantram is as follows:

 

O Bhumi Devi! You are Immeasurable in Your dimensions;

it is not posisble to asses your expanse. You shine forth in

a manner that is respected by every one. Your qualities of

compassion and forbearance elevate You to dizzying heights;

You can not be divided into finite pieces by anyone. We offer

the Agni that is capable of consuming the Havis for You in

appreciation of our recognition of You producing the food

that nourishes us.

 

Swami Desikan"s twelfth slokam of Bhusthuthi echoes the

sentiments of the above Bhusooktha Mantram. It begins

with the words: Bhutheshu Yath -----

 

Here , Swami says that those living beings ,

which are the object of the mercy of Bhumi

Devi get nourished through Her blessings

very well ;he also says that among the five

elements ( Pruthvi, Water, Agni , Vayu

and ether) , only Pruthvi, the amsam of Bhu Devi

has the five qualities such as Taste , Fragrance ,

Shape, Touch and Sound . The rest of the four

Pancha Bhoothams have one or two of the above

attributes only.As a rsult, Bhoomi Devi is the

embodiment of the mighty riches.

 

In the twenty eighth slokam of this Sthuthi, Swami

addresses Her as Kshameh and goes on to describe

Her influence with Her Lord to help chetanas approach Him.

Our Acharya says that She is like a ladder

(Svargaapavarga Saranim ) for Svargam and Moksham.

In yet another verse, Swami describes Her as the possessor of

blemishless quality of Mercy (Anapaanukampaa) .She prepares

therefore the fearing Jivans to approach Her Lord .The chetanas

are bent down by the fear that their enormous sins can not be

expiated by any amount of Praayaschittam . They are sacred to

experience the fruits of their accumulated sins through

prolonged residence in Narakam. While they are in the grip of

such terror, they pray to You and You out of your infinite

compassion take pity on them and use Your influence

with Your Lord to get the boon of entering Srivaikuntam.

 

Swami Desikan concludes the Bhusthuthi

with a splendid word picture enshrined in

the Dhyana slokam.Here, he describes Her as the

Adivaraha Mahishi seated on the immense tusk of her Lord

(Bhuvaraha Murthy ) arising out of the Pralaya waters :

 

PATHYUR DAKSHINA PAANI PANKAJA PUTEH

VINYASTHA PAADHAAMBHUJAA

VAMAM PANNAGA SAARVABHOWMA SADHRUSAM

PARYNKAYANTHEE BHUJAM

POTHRA SPARSA LASAT KAPOLA PALAKAA

PULLAARAVINDHEKSHANAA

SAA MEH PUSHYATU MANGALAANYANUDHINAM

SARVAANI SARVAM SAHAA

 

The above verse is set inthe majestic

Sardhoola Vikriitham meter in contrast to

almost all of the other slokas of this Sthuthi ,

which are set in the lilting Vasantha Tilaka meter.

 

In the above Dhyana Slokam, Swami describes the

beautiful vision of Bhumi Devi resting both of Her

Lotus feet on the right palm of Sri Varaha Bhagavan

and placing Her head on His Cheek, while being

embraced by His left hand . Our Acharya says that

the intimacy of Her cheek touching the cheek of Her Lord

made Her experience the sensation of horripilation. Our

Acharya prays that Sri Bhumi Devi in that

state of auspiciousness(Romanjali) and the enjoyment of

the proximity of Her Lord"s presence(Saamepyam )

to confer on us all blessings every day.

 

Sri Bhumi Devi Sametha Sri Bhuvaraha PerumaaL

thiruvadigaLeh Saranam.

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan