SRI RANGANATHA PADHUKHA SAHASRAM (RPS0 : PART 14.6(CONTINUED )

[Guest guest]

Dear Memebrs of the Prapatti Group :

 

I will add the inner meanings and the special words

chosen by Swami Desikan in the last 5 verses covered in

the previous posting here .

 

Verse 36 of the Naadha Paddhathi/RPS 416

 

He describes his status at the time of initiating his

sthothram of the holy PadhukAs as " Ajasram vyAsajyamAna KaraNam

maam " (i-e) , one who was deeply immersed in the enjoyment of sensual

pleasures associated with the uncontrolled activities of the

five IndriyAs . He says : " That was my status. I started to eulogise you.

I did not understand the loftiness of the subject matter. You out

of your infinite compassion reminded me not to engage in the earlier,

empty activities and encouraged me to compose this Kavyam

on you . How did you do it ? You used the Naadham coming from the

gems deeply embedded in you to send that message and deflected me

from the fruitless activities of mine that I was engaged until then.

You are the favorite object of praise by the VedAs . Your natural

attribute is DayA ( Sahaja anukampA tvam ) . You remind me often as

my recidivism reasserts itself and atthose times, you gently deflect me back ."

 

The inner meaning is that NammAzhwAr (Lord"s PaadhukhA )

repeatedly reminds the jeevans suffering from the afflictions

of Samsaaram to think of the Lord and get relief from the scorching

heat of the worldly experiences associated with the little pleasures

of life that do not last .

 

This verse reminds me of the 62nd slokam of the 18th chapter of

Srimadh Bhagavadh GitA :

 

tameva saraNam gaccha sarva BhaavEna Bharatha I

tathprasAdhAth parAm saanthim sthanam prApayasi Saasvatham II

 

(Meaning ) : " Take refuge in Him with all thy heart , O BharathA ; by His

grace shalt thou attain supreme peace (and ) eternal abode ."

 

Verse 37/RPS 417

 

Here Swami Desikan specifically addresses the PaadhukhAs

as MaNi PaadharAKSHE . The Lord's PaadhukhAs are visualized

as the protector of the Lord's lotus feet and are saluted as

" dhAnava ripO: devasya prasthAna mangaLa vidhou prathipanna

naadham ". Lord is the enemy (Ripu ) of the asurAs (Dhaanava: ).

He engages in the journeys (PrasthAnam ) . The PadhukhAs

engage in travelling with Him and protect his holy feet during

these purposeful travels and generate the Naadham to announce

her duties . Swami goes on to say that the righteous (Saadhava

equate that Naadham raised by the PaadhukhAs during those occasions

as though the PadahukhAs are declaring to them , " Maa Bhaishta "

( Do not be afraid ) in the mood of Abahya PradhAnam . The choice

of words " Maa Bhaishta : " by Swami Desikan is the echo of the Lord"s

own use of the words in the Sarama Slokam , " Maa sucha: , aham

tvAm sarva PaapEpyO mokshayishyaami ".

 

The inner meaning is that NammAzhwAr incarnated for protecting

the samsAris and reminded us through the many verses of his

Thiruvaimozhi for to seek refuge at the holy feet of the Lord

to attain Moksham , the lasting purushArtham .

 

Verse 38/RPS 418

 

Here Swami Desikan describes the exalted status of the PaadhukhAs,

which are assoicated with " Parasya Pumsa: svacchndha vibramagathou

paadhAravindham ( the supreme Lord's lotus feet engaged in playful

travel out of His own sankalpam ". PaadhukhAs are thus fortunate and

raise a joyous Naadham ( svanA ) from that blessed status. What does the

PaadhukhA do under those circumstances ? At every step of the Lord ,

the PaadhukhAs recite (japam/ uccharaNam ) an indescribable mantram

(Sooktham ) to chase away the armies of the enemies of the Lord

(Vairi varoothineenAm vidhrAvaNam Sooktham prathipadham japasi ) .

 

The inner meaning is that NammAzhwAr reflected on the holy

feet of the supreme Lord and banished Kama , KrodhA et al

and blessed us with Thiruvaimozhi to chase away the ills arising

from the six adveraries of ours such as desire , anger , jealousy

and other three bad attributes. These six enemies are known as

Aandhra satrus (internal enemies )as opposed to Bahi Satrus .

When one is blessed with the grace of AcharyAs

and BhagavAn to understand the deep meanings of the Sri Sookthis

of NammAzhwAr , the enemies like Kama , Krodhaa leave us totally.

Swami indicates that we should not only recite the paasurams

of Thiruvaimozhi , but understand their profound meanings through

kaalakshEpam with a SadhAcharyA and reflect on them and be

affected by them to attain salvation .

 

Verse 39/RPS 419

 

Here the reference is to the Saayana UddhAna Ekadasi in

the month of Iyppasi , when the Lord is recognized as

awakening from His Yoga NidrA at Srirangam . This

is autumn time. He gets up to perform His duties of

protecting those , who sought refuge at His holy feet

(aasrtitha Janasya RakshArtham ) . He gets up from

His serpent bed ( Sesha Bhujanga talpAth samujjihAnE )

constituted by AdhisEsha . He gets into His PaadhukhAs

and the sound raised by this association is sweet to the ears

of the VedAs ( Sruthi: sukhA : tava NaadhA : ) . Those

sweet sounds precede that of Paanchajanyam , which

sounds at the commencement of the Lord"s travel

to protect the PrapannAs .

 

The inner meaning is associated with an evocative picture

witnessed during the sanchAram of the Lord on the Raja

Veedhis of RangaraajA at Srirangam on an autumn day.

The time is Vishnu UddhAna Ekaadasi . The Lord gets up

awakened by the court bards. He unites with His PaadhukhAs

and travels to the main streets of His rajadAni. There the prapannAs

water the streets to quell the dust , make kolams, offer Taambhoolam

and upahAram , sandal paste, fruits , rock candy to the SarNyan and

enjoy the Lord's divya Sevai withthe Ghoshti reciting

NammAzhwAr's Thiruvaimozhi . At that time , the AdhyApAkAs

reciting the Sri Sookthis of the AxhwAr (SatAri Suri ) precede

the mangala Vaadhyams in the procession of the Lord.

 

Verse 40/RPS 420

 

Here Swami Desikan refers to the belief followed

in our sampradhAyam , where the Lord of Srirangam

is visualized as being seated on his SimhAsanam

wearing His maNi PaadhukhAs. He is never without

the paadhukhAs on thse occasions. ( The same tattvam

is demonstrated by Maalola Narasimhan wearing His PaadhukhAs

as he travels with the Jeeyarsof Ahobilam ). The inner meaning

is that the Lord is never without the AchAryAs. When the Lord

arrives at the side of PrapannAs , he does so at the behest

of the compassionate intercession of the AchAryAs. The slesha

(double entendre ) arising from the use of the words ,

Ghosha Vibhavam is very enjoyable. This means that the Lord has

the association with the Cowherdess (GopikAs ) in His role as

THE GopA as well as the PaadhukhAs famous for evoking

the auspicious Naadham at the time of sanchAram of the Lord.

 

Sri NaMMazhwAr ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan

[Guest guest]

It is a treat to be following the RPS posts of Sri.Sadagopan.

The subject post is an especially enlightening one and my thanks to him.

 

The RPS, as we all know, is not at all an easy work to translate and

explain. Rich Sanskrit poetry and many times richer philosophy together

form a formidable admixture that often proves too much for the weak powers

of critical appreciation of lay-students.

 

It is through offerings on the "list" such as Sri.Sadagopan's that lay

interest, such as mine own, is gradually kindled to strive for the greater

treasures of the original works of Swami Desikan.

 

Many thanks, again, Sri.Sadagopan.

 

sudarshan.