Sri Ranganatha PadhukhA Sahasram --Part 10 : SringAra Paddhathi

[Guest guest]

Dear Members of the Prapatthi Group :

 

Towards the end of the previous paddhathi , Swami Desikan

described Sri Ranganatha"s travel to the inner chambers of

His palace to join His consorts for the night . In this section

known as SringAra Paddhathi , Swami refers to the union of

the Lord with Devi PadhukhA before and after His visit to

the quarters of His consorts . Through the union with her Lord ,

Devi PadhukA confers on the Lord His beautiful gait and beats

time with her musical sounds . This way , Devi PadhukhA

enhances the sringAram (passion and emotional attachment )

of the Lord towards His consorts. There are ten verses in

this Paddhathi . It is not easy to translate this section ,

where Swami Desiakn's poetic skills are in full bloom .

 

The first verse is as follows :

 

sowrE : srungAra chEshtAnAm prasuthi paadhukhAm bhajE I

yAmesha BhunkthE suddhAnthAth purvam paschaadhapi Prabhu : II

 

(Meaning and comments ) : We meditate upon the PadhukhA Devi ,

whom Sri Ranganatha enjoys through union before and after His visits to

the antha: puram . The same paadhukhA Devi is the root cause of His erotic

plays with His consorts . Swami Desikan suggests that Ranganatha as

the master takes the role of DakshiNan , Anukoolan to enjoy Devi PaadhukhA

who in turn takes the roles of VallabhA ,VaasakA , sajjikA et al . In erotic

play ,

the master and the Mistress take different roles to enhance the enjoyment

of their union. Swami hints that the inspiration for the Lord's sringAram

with His consorts originate from His playful involvement with Devi PadhukhA .

 

In the second slokam , Swami visualizes another scene associated with

the union of the Lord with Devi PadhukhA . He says : " O PadhukhE !

When the DevAs and their king , IndrA prostrate at Sri RanganAthA's feet ,

honey and pollen present in the flowers from their garlands decorating their

heads mix together . They form a paste and that paste attaches itself to

the Lord's feet . When the Lord unites His feet with you , it looks as though

it is like the erotic play in which the master smears vermillion and sandal

paste on the limbs of his mistress.

 

In the third slokam , Swami Desikan describes a tender scene . After

description of the smearing of the sandal paste , Swami elaborates on

the Lord's state of preparation for union with the PadhukhAs . The imagery of

Lord RanganathA in His wet clothes after His bath and His wearing of a necklace

with loosely-knit pearls after that bath comes before Swami"s mind. He relates

this imagery to the mood and appearance of the Lord before His union with

Devi PadhukhA . He equates the single wet garment to the cloth sprinkled with

rose water in anticipation of the pleasurable union. He relates the pearls in

the necklace adorning the upper portion of the body to beads of sweat arising

from the excitement over the approaching union . Swami Desikan says that

he meditates upon that indescribable tender scene .

 

The fourth slokam , Swami Desikan describes the contest between

the PadhukhAs and the consorts of the Lord for His attention. Swami says :

" O PadhukhE ! In the halls of the inner chambers , the Consorts of the Lord

offer their salutation to You and the Lord , when they witness His preference

for

union with you over them . They enjoy the beauty of the Lord's gait , while

being

united with you . Their affectionate gazes at both of you appear like their

worship

of You with flowers in celebration of your union with their Lord. Gracefully ,

they

concede their defeat at the game of attracting their Lord .

 

In the fifth slokam , Swami Desikan describes the times in which

the prince of Srirangam is separated from Devi padhukhA , while

He is united with His consorts . Swami says that the eternally mischievous

youth of Srirangam is never far away from Devi padhukhA even during

the time of union with His consorts. At those times , Swami states that

Devi padhukhA enjoys the splendour of the beautiful body of her Lord

bereft of His ornaments. Swami Concludes this slokam by suggesting that

Devi padhukhA has a great joy in being close to the Lord even in those times,

when she loses the game with the consorts of the Lord .

 

In the seventh slokam , Swami Desikan gives an explanation for

Devi padhukhA being the senior consort among all of His consorts .

He says : O PadhukhE ! when your Lord sleeps , you stay very close

to His lotus feet with great affection . During the dawn time , when

the VaithAlikAs wake Him up , His first glance falls on you

befitting your rank as the first among His consorts . Your stature as

His foremost consort is therefore unquestioned .

 

In the eighth slokam, Swami Desikan describes

the PadhukhAs as having the eternal fragrance of

the VedAs (Nityam Nigama ParimaLam ) . Swami has

blessed us with a work known as Nigama ParimaLam . Here he

connects the PadhukhAs to the esoteric doctrines covered by that work .

 

In the tenth and final slokam of this paddhathi , Swami Desikan gives one

more reason for the PadhukhA's title as the first among the Lord's consorts .

He says : O PadhukhE ! Sri RanganAtha has a lot of travel to undertake.

You carry Him on all of those occasions. Depending on the nature of

the business at hand , you adopt an appropriate gait. Some times you

rush fast to get your Lord to His desired destination quickly . At the other

times , you move slowly. There are thus many variations in your gait , which

are enjoyed by the Lord during His union with you. None of His other consorts

have your good fortune to enjoy their Lord in so many moods and contexts .

Hence , I am convinced that You are the foremost among His Devis .

 

Sri Rangantha Divya MaNi PadhukhE ! Thubhyam Nama :

Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam .

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan