Raghu Veera Gadhyam--AyodhyA khAndam(Continued )

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GS 23 : BHARADWAAJA SAASANA PARIGRUHITA

VICHITRA CHITRAKOOTA GIRI KATAKA TATA

RAMYAA VASATHA ! JAYA! JAYA !

 

(meaning ) Raghu Veera who obeyed the instructions of Sage

Bharadwaaja and resided in the foot hills of Chitrakoota

mountain in a beautiful residence built by LakshmaNaa !

Hail to Thee ! Hail To Thee !

( Remeniscences ) :Sri Rama befriended the king of forest hunters, Guha

and enjoyed his hospitality and displayed His Sowlabhya

GuNam through recognizing Guhan as the fourth brother of His

besides Lakshmana , Bharatha and Satrugnaa. With Guha's help,

He crossed the river Ganga and took leave of him and reached

Sage Bharadwaja's aasramam om the other side of the river Yamuna.

The sage was surprised to see the royal travellers in hermit's dresses

and inquired about what happened . Learning the circumstances

that led to the royal party's journey through the forest,

Sage Bharadhwaajaa instructed Rama to establish His residence

few kilometers from his own Asramam at a site located on the foot hills of

the beautiful chitrakoota mountain . Rama obeyed the sage's command

and accepted the kaimkaryam of His brother LakshmaNaa , who

constructed a delightful residence according to the codes of

building construction .

 

Sage Bharadwaja in poet Kamban's words describes the

beauty of Chitrkootam as being more than the loveliness of

Indra's svarga Logam ( ViNNInum Inithaal , Devar kai thozhum

Chitthirakootam ) . He points out that Chitrakootam is so sacred that

even the Devas raise their hands in salutation .

 

In an entire section named "Chittirakoota Patalam " , poet

Kamban describes the extraordinary beauty of the mountain,

its flora and fauna in a manner similar to the descriptions

found in the 94th sargam of Ayodhyaa Khaandam. Here, Sage

Valmiki presents Rama as the describer of the divine beauty of

the Chitrakoota mountain to his beloved wife . Sri Rama

describes the auspicious peak of Chitrakoota mountain as

" CHITRAKOOTASYA KOOTOAYAM DRUSYATEH SARVATA:

SUBHA: " . Thereafter, he states : " If for my part, O Darling

Sita , I shall be able to spend this period of exile extending

over 14 years (as though in sport ) , with You . O Sita and

Lakshmanaa! adhering to the path trodden by the virtuous

and conforming to the highest discipline imposed by myself ,

I shall derive joy enhancing the piety of my race ".

 

IMAM THU KAALAM VANITEH VIJAHRIVAAMSTVAYAA

CHA SEETEH SAHA LAKSHMANENA I

RATHIM PRAPATSYEH KULADHARMA VARDHINEEM

SATAAM PATHI SVANIYAMAI: PARAI : STHITHA : II

-- Ayodhyaa Khandam , Srimad RamAyaNam : verse 27

 

Kulasekhara Azhwaar saw the Tillai Thiruchitrakootam

Divya Desam at Chidambaram as the southern Chitrakotam

and offered his mangalaasAsanam of Tillai EmperumAn and

composed ten verses serving as SampurNa RaamayaNam.

 

Sri Mutthuswami Dikshitar worshipped Tillai Thiruchittira Kootatthu

Govindarajan and offered his Naada Naivedyam to the Archaa

murthy there through four brilliant krithis set in RaagAs Rathipriyaa

(same as the 62nd Mela ragam Rishabha Priyaa) , Mesa Bhowli ,

Surutti and Mukaari .Summary of the meanings of these Krithis along

with the commentary on the Kulasekhara Azhwaar's pasurams are

contained in a book ( AravaNai Tuyinrohn ) that I had the good fortune

to publish in 1993 at Tillai Thiruchitrakootam.

 

Azhwaar describes his daasyaa state to the Bhagavathaas of

the Emperumaan of Tillai Thiruchitrakootam this way :

 

O Ramachandra! I take refuge at the holy feet of the Bhagavathaas ,

who have performed SaraNaagathi at your lotus feet. ( Pasuram 3)

 

This earth is indeed sanctified by the movement of those Bhagavathas,

who raise their hands in salutation to Sri Rama of Chitrakootam

with their Anjali mudra ( Pasuram 5).

 

I do not consider any kingdom superior to the one of having the lotus

feet of the Lord of Tillai Thiruchitrakootam on my head ( Pasuram 7)

 

My mind does not ever forget the Lord of Thillai Thiruchitrakootam.

Hence no inauspiciousness will befall me ( Pasuram 9 )

 

O Servants of the Lord ! Please recognize the archa murthy staying

forever to bless you as Vaikunta Naathan at Tillai Thiruchitrakootam

and eulogize him and perform Nitya Kaimkaryam to Him and receive

His full blessings ( Pasuram 10 ).

 

Such is the glory of Chitrakootam celebrated by Sage Valmiki ,

Kulasekhara Azhwaar, Kamban and Dikshitar.

 

Sri Chitrakoota vaasineh , Sri Ramachandra Parabrahmaneh Nama:

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan