Sri Raghu Veera Gadhyam : Uttara Khandam

[Guest guest]

Dear Memebrs of the Bhakthi Group :

 

We went away from Sri Raghu Veera Gadhyam to

celebrate AndAL starting from the onset of Marghazhi Maasam .

We will now return to the twin tracks of the final Khaandham of

Swami Desikan's Gadhyam on Sri RamachandrA and AndAL's

Sri Sookthis during this month of Marghazhi . May the Divya

Dampathis bless us to complete this Kaimkaryam !

 

*** Introduction to Uttara Khandham

 

Swami Desikan concluded Yuddaha Khandham with the powerful

salutatons of SWAMIN ! RAGHAVA SIMHA ! JAYA ! JAYA ! He set the

tone there for the beginning of the celebration of RAMA RAAJYAM .

He used 18 namaskaraams to celebrate the Pattabhiraman sitting with

His Devi on the SimhAsanam with 18 steps in the DarbAr at AyodhyA

during this Rama Raajyam .

 

When we enjoy the Vaibhavam of Sri RamachandrA in Uttara KhAndham ,

We are reminded of the third Paasuram of ThiruppAvai ( Ongi UlagaLandha) ,

where AndAL , the avathAram of Bhumi Devi just as Sita Devi sings about

the land blessed with timely and copious rains , fertile fields yielding

abundant harvests , ecological harmony and other " Neengaatha Selvam " .

All of this are associated with the singing of the name of TrivikramA , who

reached out and measured the worlds with his ascending step . May we receive

Anna Vayal Pudhuvai AndAL 's blessings before we proceed

with our salutation to Swami Desikan's Uttara Khaandham of

Sri Raghu Veera Gadhyam.

 

We are also reminded of the salutations of the other incarnation

of Valmiki , who as Saint Thyagaraja participated in the Rama DharbAr at his

Puja Graham at ThiruvaiyAru on the banks of SRI RANGANATHA'S CAUVERI

and considered himself as a subject of Rama Rajyam in this Kali Yugam .

 

I will digress here to explain , why I term Cauveri as Sri RanganathA 's

Cauveri . River Cauveri is equated to GangA in its sacredness . GangA

rose from the holy feet of TrivikramA . That Daughter of SahyA mountain

descends as Mother Cauveri and washes the Holy feet of Sri RanganathA

before She Joins her father's house in Tamil Naadu . All along her course ,

She adores the sacred feet of Sri Ranganatha at five different Divya Desams .

 

The first one is Adhi Rangan"s temple at Sri Ranga PattiNam in KarnAtakA .

EVEN Tippu SultAn revered this Adhi Rangan .

 

The second Rangam is at ThirppEr Nagar near Lalgudi . Here Cauveri

offers Her salutation to Madhya Rangan , who rests on his bed of Adhi Seshan

as AppakkudatthAn . Next to his right hand is the vessel full of

nectar-like Appam for us( Naaliyira Divya Prabhandham ) .

 

Third Rangam : As Cauveri continues her majestic flow , She froms an island to

do

Prathkshinam for the third Rangan , Sri KalyANa Rangan of Srirangam,

who received 247 pasurams from eleven AzhwArs including the ten from

AndAL herself . Saint Thyagaraja celebrated this KalyaNa Rangan

worshipped by Sri Ramachandra at AyodhyA as Vaibhoga Rangan ,

Kaavedi Rangan in one of his Sriranga Pancha Ratnam krithis .

Natha Muni , Yaamuna Muni , RamAnuja Muni and

all the AcharyAs of his lineage lived here and offered their

Kaimkaryams at this Bhuloka VaikunTam .

 

Fourth Rangam : Cauveri MaathA continues Her journey and washes the Lotus feet

of

Hema Rangan at Thirukkudanthai (AarAvamudhan ) . Here she blessed

Thirumazhisai AzhwAr , a great devotee of Hema Rangan and KomaLavalli

ThAyAr .

 

The fifth and the final Rangan our mother Cauveri salutes is the ParimaLa

Rangan of IndaLoor , where he is resting in Veera Sayanam . This ParimaLa

Rangapathi receives with warmth the salutations of Cauveri and makes

His Kshetram ideal for TulA snAnam . Cauveri reluctantly flows on

( PiriyA vidai ) and enters her father's house ( Samudhra Rajan's ) soon after .

 

 

Saint Thyagaraja sat in his small house on Thirumanjana Veedhi of

ThiruvaiyAru and used Cauveri Theertham to perform Thirumanjanam

for Sri RamachandrA and celebrated His Rama Rajyam . Living as

a blessed citizen in the Rama Bhakthi SAmrajyam , he celebrated the

blessings of living in that Rama Bhakthi SamrAjyam in Raga Suddha

BangalA . He celebrated the fellow Bhagavathas living in that Rama

Bhakthi empire and declared : " The sight of those great souls , who

have been blessed with Rama Bhakthi itself confers supreme

BrahmAnandham . This bliss does not admit of any description

in words ; it can only be realized by self-experience ." The Rama Bhakthas

of Buffalo , New York made us experience a small part of that

BrahmAnandham through the Dhanur Maasa Aaraadhanam

and Sath Sangam there last weekend .

 

Saint Thyagaraja summed up the glory of Rama Rajyam in his

MukhAri song , " Kaaru Baaru SeyuvAru galarE ? ". He addressed

Sri Rama and stated : " O Rama ! Has there been anybody ,

who has reigned over AyodhyA like You protecting the subjects ,

exercising supreme authority and securing the happiness and

prosperity of townsmen , countrymen , and the Rishis alike ?

During Your reign did not Your subjects have the benefit of three

monthly rains ( Madham MummAri Peythida of AndAL's Third

Thiruppavai Paasuram ) , training and education in all arts

and crafts , longevity and freedom from intrigue and haughtiness ? . "

The divine bard concludes his Mukhaari Krithi with the salutation ,

" Saadhu ThyagarAja Vinutha Rama ! Kaaru Bhaaru SeyuvAAru

Galare ? " .

 

The central message of Rama Raajyam , the theme of Uttara Khandham

of Sage Vaalmiki is thus celebrated by AndAL ( Bhumi Devi out of whose

ear /valmeekam/purru , Sage Vaalmiki arose to sing Rama Keerthanams )

and Saint ThyagaraajA , an incarnation of Sage Valmiki himself.

 

Sri SitA Ramachandra ParabrahmaNE Nama :

 

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan