DipAvaLi Day Thoughts on Ganga Snaanam

[Guest guest]

Dear members of the Bhakthi group :

 

On this auspicious day , when taking oil bath

in the early morning and observing Dipawali

celebration and wearing new clothes are

considered the equivalent of dipping in

the sacred waters of River Ganga that originated from the

holy feet of the Lord during TrivikramaavathAram .

 

People in south India greet each other on the morning of

DipavaLi and query " Gangaa Snanam Aacchaa ? "

( Have you had Ganga SnAnam) on this DipavaLi day

that celebrates the destrucion of unrighteousness

embodied by NarakAsura by Sri Krishna ParamAtmA .

 

NarakAsuran was the son of Bhu DEvi and had caused

havoc to Indra and many kings . After his destruction in

the battle with Lord Krishna , his mother ,Bhu Devi requests the Bhagavan

a boon . She asked Him for people to remember the day

of the ascendance of righteousness as a win for the forces

of light over darkness . Bhu Devi's prayer to the Lord prior

to requesting her boon is contained in the 59th chapter of

Dasama Skandam of Srimad Bhagavatham :

 

NAMA: PANKAJA NAABHAAYA NAMA: PANKAJA MAALINEH I

NAMO BHAGAVATEH THUBHYAM VASUDEVAAYA VISHNAVEH II

PURUSHAAYA AADHI BHEEJAYA PURNA BHODHAYA TEH NAMA: I

AJAAYA JANIYATRESYA BRHAMANEH ANANTHA SAKTAYEH I

PARAAVARAATHMAN BHUTHAATHMAN PARMAATHMAN NAMOSTHU TEH II

 

meaing ) : " salutations to the lotus-navelled ! salutations to

the lotus-eyes! Salutations to the lotus-footed! I salute Vasudeva,

the support of all! I salute Vishnu , the pervader of all! I salute

Him who is the ultimate source of every thing ! I salute Him who is all

intelligence ! Salutations to Him who manifests both as the cause

and the effect ! Salutations to Him who is ever existent ! Salutations

to Him who is the supreme soirit ! Salutations to Him who is the infinite

power ! Salutations to Him who is the greatest being ! Salutations to

Him who is the father of the worlds! Salutation to Him who is birthless! ".

 

She concludes her prayer by acknowledging that there is NO ONE

who is equal or superior to the Lord . Bhagavad DhyAnam of this type

is what Sadguru Thyagaraja practiced and declared that such DhyAnam

is superior to dipping in Sacred Ganga or KshethrAdanam . I will refer to three

krithis of this Maha Rama Bhaktha about Ganga SnAnam . In his DhanyAsi

raga Krithi , " DhyAnameh varamaina GangA snAnameh; manasaa" ,

Sadguru points out that the Rama DhyAnam is itself the most efficacious

GangA snAnam. In a companion piece set in RagaThodi , " Koti Nathulu

Dhanushkotiloh nuntaka Yetiki tirigetaveh ? O manasA !" Here the Great

Rama Bhaktha who had saakshatkAram of Sri Ramachandra says :

 

" O Mind! Listen to the counsel of Thyagaraja , the great devotee of

Sri RaghunAtha. For those fortunate souls who constantly and

directly see the beautiful form of Rama ,crores of holy rivers are present

at Dhanushkoti (the tip of Rama's bow ) itself . Rivers like Ganga with its

origin

from the Lord's feet and Kaveri deriving its glory from Sri Ranganatha

are found there. why should one wader from place to place on Theertha Yatra ? ".

 

The anupallavi and charana vakhyams of this krithi made famous by

Sangeetha Kalanidhi Ariyakudi RamAnuja IyengAr are as follows :

 

SUTIKA , SHYAMA SUNDARA MURTHINI

MAATI MAATIKI JUCHE MAHARAAJULAKU

 

GANGA NUPURAMPUNANU JANIJANU

RANGANI KAVERI GANI RAAJILLANU

PONGUCHU SRI RAGJUNAATHUNI PREMATHO

BHOGATEH THYAGARAAJU MANAVI VINAVEH

 

In yet another great krithi set in Raga Rithigowlaa ,

Saint Thyagaraja states emphatically that his meditation

of Sri Raghunaathaa"s lotus feet is the holy Ganga water

for the Abishekam of the Lord. Here he requests Sri Rama's

protection three times in Pallavi Vakhyams :

 

Pallavi :

 

Paripaalaya Paripaalaya Paripaalaya Raghunaatha

 

CharaNam 3 : Supadha DhyAnamu GangA

jalamouraa RaghunAtha

 

The gist of this magnificient Krithi is worthy of our

reflection on this auspicious DipAvaLi day :

 

" My body is Your favorite abode, my steadfast mind

is the golden throne (Aasanam ), my meditation of

Your blessed feet is the holy Ganga water(for Abhishekam ),

my loving devotion is the garment (Vastra) for You , my praise

of Your great glory is sweet-smelling sandal paste(gandham )

for You , my chanting of Your sacred name is full blown lotus

flower(Pushpam ) , the effect of the past misdeeds is the burning

of the incense before You (Dhupam ) , my devotion to Your holy

feet is the all-day light before You (Akanda Deepam ) , the fruit of my

devout worship is the offering (Naivedyam ) for You , Your darsana

is itself DeepAradhanam (waving of the light ) . This is the true

worship done by Thyagaraja ."

 

Sri Sadguru Swamineh Nama:

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan