Maha Lakshmi Krithis of Sri Dikshithar --Part 21

[Guest guest]

Dear Members of the Bhakthi Group:

 

Sri Dikshithar has great affection for Maha Lakshmi,

especially in her form revered as Vara Lakshmi. In the three

of the seven Krithis about Maha Lakshmi, One finds him

paying special reverence to Vara Lakshmi , the deity of

celebration during the Vara Lakshmi Vratham . These Krithis

are set in Haimavathi, Sri and Sowrashtra Ragas. Vara Lakshmi

concept focuses on the Vara Dhayaki aspects of Her. Granting boons

to Her devotees in abundance is one of Her Ananta Kalyana

Gunas. As Swami Desikan observed , the riches pile one over the

other , whichever direction her side glances fall. They chase

each other to arrive first . Swami Desikan"s verse containing this

thought stream is as follows:

 

YASYAAM YASYAAM DISI VIHARATEH DEVI DHRUSHTISTVADHEEYAA

TASYAAM TASYAAM AHAMAHIMIKAAM TANVATEH SAMPADHOGAA :

 

Sri Dikshitar was a scholar , who had completed Veda Adhyayanam. He

threfore understood fully the deep meanings of the Naacchiyaar (Sri Devi)

Sambhavanaa Mantram enshrined in the Vedam . He has distilled for us the

essence of the meanings of this mantram in many of his Krithis

dealing with the Sri Tattvam. The Naacchiaar Sambhavana Mantram

begins majestically with the word Grunaahi :

 

"GRUNAAHI GRUTHAVATI SAVITAARAATHIPATYAI:

PAYASVATHI RANTHIRASAA NOSTHU "

 

and ends with

 

"VISHTAMBHO DHIVO DHARUNA: PRTHIVYAA

ASYEASAANAA JAGATHO VISHNUPATNEE "

 

This mantram reveals that She is the sustaining force of both

the Earth and the Heavens and is pervasively present in these worlds as

the Consort of Maha Vishnu . She sets in motion, controls

and directs the activities of the creatures of the Universes.

This mantram further reveals that She is the fundamental

force behind the Jivans and is of supremely lustrous form .

It recognizes the power of her glances to yield immesaurable wealth

of all kinds . It prays for the abundance of milk, ghee, curd , and

asks Her for the boon of protection of one's friends and relatives .

She is understood as the one , who by Her own power is able to

ward off all dangers through Her Abhaya Hasta Mudra . Hence this

mantram requests Her to be present in a pervasive manner everywhere

and to protect the ones that seek refuge in Her. It prays for the well being

of the Deva Guru , Brahaspathi and the all important Prana Vaayu with

Her blessings , so that they can protect the boon seekers. This mantram

concludes by stating that She is the primordial force and that the

saranagatha seeks Her lotus feet as his sole refuge to ward off all ills

and gain all types of riches.

 

When we anlayse the Vakhyaarthams of the Sahityam of

Sri Dikshitar, we will find the echoes of the above mantram.

 

Our Sampradhaayam is known as Sri Sampradhaayam, because

of the tradition of approaching Bhagavan through Her. Swami Desikan

points out in his Sri Sthuthi sloka starting with the words " UREEKARTHUM

KUSALAMAKILAM ---" THAT CLEAR MINDED PEOPLE SEEK HER GRACE

AND BANISH ALL FEARS RELATED TO SAMSARA AND ATTAIN MOKSHA SIDDHI

THANKS TO HER MERCY AND POWER.

 

Swami Desikan recognizes Her sacred feet as "Siddhi Kshetram ".

He says Her holy feet are like the most fertile land that yields many

blessings . Those , who worship them gain the boon of Moksham at the end

of their earthly existence and reside in Vaikuntam to enjoy

the sweet experience of Nitya Kaimkaryam there to the Divya Dampathis:

 

YASMINNESHANNAMIA SIRASOH YAAPAYITVAA SARIRAM

VARDHISHYANTEH VITAMASI PADEH VASUDEVASYA DHANYAA:

 

Besides being the means (Uphayam ) and fruit (palan ) of

Saranagathi, She excells Her Lord in the aspect of Purushaakaram.

(intercession ) . Swami Desikan celebrates this Svarupa Guna Visesham

in one of the Varadaraja Panchasat slokam as follows:

 

Swami says in the slokam beginning with "Paryaakulam Mahati

Dukka Payonidhou Maam ---" that Varadaraja

sees with wide- awakened eyes the

miserable plight of Swami struggling in the ocean of Samsaram and does

not make a move to come to his rescue. At that time, Maha Lakshmi,

the embodiment of mercy sitting next to Her Lord could not watch the

suffering of Her child and gives Her hand and lifts Swami out of

the fearsome Samsaric ocean and places him at the feet of Her Lord

and intercedes with Her Lord for mercy. Through Her pure affection,

She pleads with Her Lord and saves the Jivans struggling in Samsaric

Ocean thru her help as the Boat to cross that dangerous Ocean (Bhava

Jaladhi Gataanaam Potapaatri ).

 

Swami Desikan says elsewhere in Daya Sataka Slokam that She

as the Daya Devi helps some Jivans directly and some others

indirectly .In that slokam starting with " Abhimuka Bhava Sampadhaabhi --",

he compares Her to the Vedic river Saraswati , whose flow is seen occasionally

over the earth and most of the other times under the Earth. He recognizes Her

as "Nikila Loka Samruddhikari"( One who thru her flood of Mercy enriches

all the Worlds ).

 

In the next posting, I will conclude the introduction to Sri Devi"s

Anantha kalyana Gunas as a prelude to the understanding of

Sri Dikshitar"s Maha Lakshmi Krithis and then take one by one the

Seven Krithis of Dikshithar to understand the rich meanings

housed in them.

 

ASMAN MAATHARAM ASARANYAAM ANANYASARANA:

SARANAMAHAM PRAPATYEH

 

V.Sadagopan