Dikshitar"s Krithi on Maha Lakshmi --Part 2.2

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Sarana Vaakhyams:

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Adi Sankara offered his eulogy to Maha Lakshmi

by describing Her as " Naarayana Pranayini ,

Purshottama Vallabhaa, Saarngaayudha Vallabhaa,

Damodhara Vallabhaa and Nandhaatmaja Vallabhaa .

Dikshitar followed this line of thought and saluted

Maha Lakshmi as " Varadaraja Gopala Hrudhya

Sarasija Gruhayaa " in the first line of the Charanam.

He recognized Her as the resident in the heart lotuses of

Archaa and Vibhava murthis such as

Varadarajan and Gopalan.

 

He announced that Maha Lakshmi gave him Darsanam

while attired in a dress that is a mixture of Yellow and Red colors.

He describes Her as : " Haridraa Kumkuma Vastraalankruta

Vigraham ". He confesses that he has been blessed by that

Mangala Vigraham. He recognizes Her as " Daridhra Dukkahdhi

Moordhanyaasiva nigrahayaa bahumanithoham ," He points out

that She as the embodiment of auspiciousness and Wealth

removes all poverty, misery and worries. He also salutes Her

as the most merciful One , who confers Her Anugrahams to Narayana,

Sivaa and Her other devotees . The corresponding Sahitya

words are: Vara Lakshmyaa , Hari Hara Bhakthaanugrahayaa

Bahumaanithoham ".

 

In the rest of the Charana Vakhyams, he recognizes Her

as the one , whose lotus feet are worshipped by the Devaas

(Suraarchita Padaambhujayaa ) , as the one , who was born as

the daughter of the milky(Nectar) ocean (Sudhaa Saagara

Aatmajayaa ) and as the one , who is celebrated by the Devaas as

the Victorious sister of Siva ( Sura Vinutha Siva Anujayaa, Vijayaa),

Vijaya Lakshmi.

 

The last Charana Vakhyam is Mayaa Bhijayaa Tvayaa

Bahumaanithoham ". She is saluted by Dikshitar as

Vishnu Maayaa , who destroys the false knowledge.

The Bhija Mantram (Seed Utterance) for Maha Lakshmi

is Lakshmi Bhijam or Maayaa Bhijam (SREEM ).

 

The mula manthram for Saraswati is Vaak Bhijam;

Sri Lalithaa"s mula mantram is Sakthi Bhijam;

Maha Lakshmi"s mula Manthram is the Maayaa Bhijam.

 

Sreem is that Maayaa Bhijam, which can be split in to

four parts (S* ,ra, EE, Im )

S* represents Her transcendent divinity of Fortune and Wealth.

"R" stands for Her immeasurable riches. "EE" stands for the

contented state arising from the acquisition of immeasurable

wealth through Her blessings. The nasalization "IM " represents the

removal of poverty , AmangaLam and miseries due to the

act of worshipping Her. Sri Sooktham states that the recitation

of the Mayaa Bhijam results in the banishment of hunger, thirst,

the afflictions caused by the five senses, and all the Amangalaas

caused by Jyeshtaa Devi :

 

KSHUTHPIPAASAAMALAAM JYESHTAAM ALAKSHMEER

NAASAYAAMYAHAM

 

Swami Desikan eulogized Her in Srirangam and created a

rain of gold coins for the benefit of a poor bachelor. Adi Sankara

created a rain of golden Nellikkais by saluting Her through

Kanaka Taaraa Stotram.

 

Dikshitar praises and thanks Maha Laksmi for the special

Anugrahams . Dikshitar was poor most of his life. He actually

spurned wealth . He refused to approach rich men for favors.

One wonders why he was thanking Maha Lakshmi for her

Bahumaanams (special blessings). This mystery can be

resolved as one contemplates on the meaning of another

Sri Sooktha Rk :

 

MANASA: KAAMAMAAKUTHIM VACHA: SATYAMASEEMAHI

PASUNAAGUM RUPAMANNASYA MAYI SREE: SRAYATHAAM YASA:

 

The above mantram states: O Maha Lakshmi of great auspiciousness!

Please bless me not only with wealth as Your devotee , but bless me to

have the greater good fortune of worshipping You every day and

the blessings and fame that arise from such a worship ".

Worldly wealth is given a second place here. The good

fortune and the fame resulting from worshipping Her is given the

first place. Dikshitar belonged to this category of worshippers of

Maha Lakshmi. He did not pray to Her for perishable wealth .

 

There is an incident in Dikshitar"s life that was the cause of the

creation of this Krithi. Dikshitar had two wives. His first wife was

dark in color. Dikshitar"s father though that his son was not interested in

the life as a married man because of dissatisfaction with the

dark hue of his first wife. Therefore , he found another wife,

who was fair complexioned . Even then, Dikshitar was deeply involved

in Sri Vidyaa worship and Puja and did not pay much attention to

conjugal pleasures. His second wife felt that her husband should

go to the court of Tanjore king , sing there and bring wealth home so

she could wear a lot of Jewelery and golden ornaments. When she

shared her thoughts with Dikshitar , he was very upset and

during the evening puja composed a krithi in raga Lalitha

" HIRANMAYEEM LAKSHMEEM SADHAA BHAJAAMI, HEENA

MANAVAARAYAM TYAJAAMI ". He went to bed thereafter. During

that night , Maha Lakshmi appeared as Sarvaalankara Bhooshanai

in the dream of the second wife and asked , " O Dear Child! Is this

much of Jewelery sufficient for you? ". The second wife woke abruptly

from her sleep and fell at the feet of Dikshitar and said to him that all of her

 

infatuation with gold and jewelery were removed by the auspicious

darsanam of Maha Lakshmi and Her offer of untold wealth . Dikshitar was

immensely grateful for the blessings of Maha Lakshmi in curing his

wife's preoccupation with gold and jewels . As a token of his gratefulness,

Dikshitar composed the Dhanyasi Krithi during the mid morning Puja,

" Mangala Devathayaa Tvyaa Bahumaanithoham " and offered it at the

feet of Maha Lakshmi.

 

May Her Blessings be with Us always,

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan.

Dikshitar and asked her: " Desa