Raghuveera Gadhyam of Swami Desikan : part 2

[Guest guest]

In this section , we will cover the following items :

 

1.When to read Srimad Ramayanam& Raghuveera Gadhyam?

2.Where to read Srimad Ramayanam& Raghuveera Gadhyam ?

3. What are the procedures to follow before Reading either ?

4.What are the fruits/benefits of reading either ?

5. How do they compare in size and structure ?

 

RAAMAAYA RAMABHADRAAYA

RAMACHANDRAAYA VEDHASEH I

RAGHUNAATHAAYA NAATHAYA

SEETHAAYA: PATAYEH NAMA: II

 

( My salutations to Veda Purusha Sri Rama, who is

celebrated as Ramachandra, Ramabhadra,

Raghunatha and the Lord of Sita Devi )

 

AAPADHAAM APAHARTHAARAM

DHAATHAARAM SARVA SAMPADHAAM I

LOKAABHIRAMAM SRI RAAMAM

BHUYOH BHUYOH NAMAAMYAHAM II

 

(I salute again and again Sri Rama , the delight

of the whole world, the reliever/ banisher of every

suffering and the bestower of all riches)

 

1.WHEN TO READ BOTH ?

 

The Aadhi Kaavyam (epic poem ) composed by sage

Valmiki (Srimad Ramayanam) consisting of seven

books (Khaandas) and 645 Cantos (Sargas) is

recommended for reading in a nine day stretch

(Navaaham ) or in a 27 day stretch . The nine day

reading with starts and stops at particular chapters is

recommended for the months of Chaitra, Maagha

and Kartika during Sukla Paksham (5th day to the

the thirteenth day) . The 27 day reading is to be carried

out starting from the day, when the constellation of

Punarvasu is in ascendance to the day , when Aardhraa

constellation is in ascendance. There are elaborate

procedures for reading Srimad Ramayanam( Sankalpam,

Acharya Vandanam , Dhyaanam , Nyaasam (Anganyaasam

and Karanyaasam ) and Viniyogam for each of the Khaandams .

 

The procedures for reciting Swami Desikan's Raghuveera

Gadhyam are few and simple.One can recite it every day.

One recites at the beginning and ending of the stotram

" NEELA KOMALA RUCHIM RAAMAM BHAJEH SYAAMALAM "

(I meditate on Sri Rama of cerulean hue possessing

the soft lustre of the blue lotus ). Next one recites

Acharya Dhyanam :

 

SRIMATHE NIGAMAANTHA MAHA DESIKAAYA NAMA:

 

SRIMAAN VENKATANAATHAARYA: KAVITHAARKIKA KESARI I

VEDHANTHAACHAARYAVARYOH MEH SANNIDHATTAAM SADHAA HRUDHI II

 

This is followed by the recitation of the entire Raghuveera Gadhyam.

 

A the conclusion , one salutes again the composer of this stotram:

 

KAVITHAARKIKA SIMHAAYA KALYAANA GUNASAALINEH I

SRIMATHEH VENKATESAAYA VEDAANTHAGURAVEH NAMA : II

 

Finally, the Mangala slokam for Sri Rama is recited :

 

MANGALAM KOWSALENDRAAYA MAHANEEYA GUNAATHMANEH I

CHAKRAVARTHI TANUJAAYA SAARVABHOWMAAYA MANGALAM II

 

2.WHERE TO READ ?

 

One can recite both in front of a Salagrama murthy , Tulasi

plant or in a temple or at the puja graham of one's own home.

If the recitation is done in front of SaLagramam , One should bathe

the Murtham in milk , dry it and then start the recitation.

(Sri M.S. Krishnamachar's monograph released by Visishtaadvaita

PrachariNi sabhaa contains enormous details on the types of

SaaLagrAmAs . Lakshmi Narasimha , Lakshmi Narayana ,Seetha Rama

and Lakshmi Hayagreeva SaaLigrAmams are particularly welcome to

be used in the PaarayaNam ).

 

3 .PUROSES OF READING

 

Those wishing progeny read BalaKhandam ; those who

seek wealth read Ayodhyaa Khaandam ; those wanting to

secure a friend or wishing to secure back lost wealth read

Kishkindhaa Khaandam ; those wishing fulfilment of their

desires (Kaamyaarthi ) read Sundara Khaandam; Yuddha Khandam

is read by those wishing the destruction of their enemies/obstacles ;

Uttara Khaandam is read by those , who wish liberation

from the cycles of births and deaths (Moksham ). This is for

reading of the individual Khaandams of Valmiki Ramayanam.

 

The reading of Raghuveera Gadhyam confers all of the

above blessings on the reciter . Both Srimad Ramayanam

and Sri Raghuveera Gadhyam are considered

as the unsurpassed form of Gayatri Mantram.

 

4. A COMPARISON OF SIZES

 

Simad Ramayanam has 7 Khaandams; Sri Raghuveera

Gadhyam has the summary of 6 Khaandams . Latter does not

include Aaranya Khaandam. You might also note that the previous

section on "purpose of Reading" omitted Aaranya Khaandam .

 

Valmiki Ramayanam(VR ) has 645 Cantos (Sargams ) housed in its

six books (Khaandams ); Sri Raghuveera Gadhyam has 92

salutatations in 6 sections . The Book by Book comparison is as follows

with Raghuveera Gadhyam related information in paranthesis :

 

Bala Khaandam --- : VR 77 (18)

Ayodhyaa Khaandam---: VR 119 (21)

Aaranya Khaandam --: VR 75(0)

Kishkindaa Khaandam--: VR 67(5)

Sundara Khaandam---: VR 68(1)

Yuddha Khaandam --: VR 128(29)

Uttara Khaandham--: VR 111(18)

 

TOTAL CANTOS : VR 645 / (92 WITH THE EXCEPTION OF

PRELIMINARY SALUTATON AND CONCLUDING

PORTIONS OF RAGHUVEERA GADHYAM) .

 

SRI SITA LAKSHMANA BHARATA SATRUGNA

SAMETHA SRI RAMACHANDRA PARA BRAMANEH NAMA ::

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan