Ramaashtaka Krithis -- Fifth Vibakthi

[Guest guest]

In the fifth Krithi of Sri Dikshithar's Ramaashtakam,

we experience the Ananya Bhakthi of the composer.

He says that he does not know any other God other than

Sri Rama whom he worships.( Ramachandraadh

anyam na Jaaneham --Pallavi ) . He recognizes Rama as

Hari Hara Rupan . He describes Sri Rama as the amsa Bhoothan

of both Vishnu and Sivan in the rest of the Pallavi .

 

The whole Sahityam of this Samashti krithi set

in Ragam Dhanyaasi and Jampa TaaLam is as follows :

 

PALLAVI :

RAMACHANDRAADH ANYAM NA JAANEHAM SRI

HARI HARAATHMA RUPINOH

 

CHARANAM:

 

KAAMA JANAKAATH KATINA SUBAAHU MAARICHA

KARA dHOOSHANAADHI MADA HARANAARTHKA RUPINO

SAMASTHA SURA SANNUTHA SARA CHAPA PAANINO

SARASA GURUGUHA SANGEETHA TATVA BODHINO(SR

RAMACHANDRADH ANYAM NA JAANEHAM ).

 

In the Charanam , Sri Dikshithar refers to the beauty of

the Lord and recognizes Sri Rama s the father of the god

of beauty, Manmatha. He refers to the Bala Khaandam incident ,

where Sri Rama as a young prince destroyed the arrogance

of Subaahu and Maaricha , who caused havoc to the Yajnam

of Sage Viswamitra. He also refers to the later episode in

AaraNya Khaandam , where Single handedly , Sri Rama

destroyed Kara and Dhooshana as well as the 14,000

ogres that accompanied them from Janasthaanam , the seat

of Karaa , the brother of Surpanaka and RavaNaa .

 

Karaa came to avenge the disfiguration of his sister by

Lkshmana and to kill Rama . Rama met them single handedly

and shined like great flame in the middle of darkness. Sage

Valmiki describes Rama's apperance then as " BHABOOVA

RAMASTIMIREH MAHAANGNIRIVOTTHITHA : " .

 

A great Rama Bhaktha , Kulasekhara Azhwaar reacted to this

passage of Ramaynaa in his court, when Puraanikaas described it.

He was ovrcome at the thought of Sri Rama being surrounded by

14,000 ogres, he was overcome with fear for the safety of his

upasanaa murthy . In aswift reflex, he ordered his army to

accompany him and set forth on the mission to help Rama .

The ministers intervened and reminded king Kulasekara of

Kolli Naadu that Sri Rama battled the mighty assemblage of

Rakshasaas and single handedly destroyed them . Kulasekhara

was relieved and dismissed the asssembled army after hearing the

news. Such was the Rama Bhakthi of Kulasekhara , who completed

SampurNa Ramayanam in his 10 verses on Thillai Thiruchitrakudatthu

Emperumaan in his Mangalaasaasanam . The famous slokam of

Sage Valmiki that stirred Kulasekhara into instant action is :

 

CHARURDASASAHASRAANI RAKSHASAAM BHEEMAKARMANAAM I

EKASCCHA RAMO DHARMAATHMAA KATHAM YUDDAM BHAVISHAYATHI II

 

( HERE ARE 14,000 OGRES OF FEROCIOUS POWER AND DEEDS, WHILE

THE DHARMAATHMAA RAMAN IS ALONE . HOW WILL THERE BE A

FAIR BATTLE UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES ? )

 

This was the fear of Adi Kavi Valmiki that found a resonance

in Kulasekhara. Sri Dikshitar refers to this when he salutes

Vijayaraghavan as " kara Dhooshanaadhi mata haranaartha rupi " .

The devas were watching this battle . Dikshitar refers to the assembly

of Devas witnessing the Veeraragahavan' s appearnce in the battle field

with his mighty Kodhandam as " SAMASTHA SURA SANNUTHA SARA CHAPA

PAANI " . The musicc from the Dankaara dhwani of mighty

arrows leaving Sri Rama's Kodhandam adorned with seven bells

(saptha Svarams ) on top inspired Swami Desikan to compose

a moving piece in the Yuddha Khandam section of his Rghu Veera Gadhyam

that begins with " KATURATH ATANI DANKRUTHI CHATULA --- ".

In the fourth and final line of this Krithi ,Dikshithar connects the

musical sound from Kodhandam to the musical genius of

Sri Rama, who has been described by Saint Thyagaraja

as Sangeetha Sampradhayukudu and Nada Lola . This great

Sangeetha PravaNan according to Dikshithar's sahityam

is described as the one , who taught Guruguhan the intricacies of

Nija Sangeetham (SARASA GURUGUHA SANGEETHA TATVA

bHODINA: ) .

 

The ananya Bhakthi of Dikshitar to Sri Rama is the heart of this

Ashtaka Krithi , where he proclaims : " SRI RAMACHANDRADH

ANYAM (DAIVAM ) NA JAANEHAM ".

 

SRI RAMACHANDRA PARABRAHMANEH NAMA :

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan