Sri Ranganatha PAdhukhA Sahasram (RPS ) : Naadha Paddhathi --Part 14.11

[Guest guest]

Dear Members of the prapatthi Group :

 

I will continue with the coverage of RPS slokams

after a break of few days. The last slokam we covered

was the 51st Slokam of Naadha Paddhathi . We will

cover 52nd to the 60th slokams in this posting .

 

Verse 52/RPS Slokam 432

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Swami Desikan hints here that the gems embedded

in the PaadhukhAs move as the Lord travels and they

collide with each other and generate a sweet Naadham

as a result of that happening . Swami suggests that the

sound arising from such a playful movement of the gems

reminds him of NammAzhwAr's Thiruvaimozhi paasurams ,

where the AzhwAr celebrates the Daya ( aanrusamsayam )

guNam of the Lord. The Lord"s DayA is natural (saamsiddhikam )

and without any hindrance ( niravagraham ) . AzhwAr

says at many places of his Thiruvaimozhi that Sriman

NaarAyaNA's aanrusamsayam makes us become resident of

this lokam and blesses us to enter His Niya Vibhoothi ,

when we develop attachment to Him . AzhwAr takes pity on

the samsAris , who do not appreciate the natural DayA of

the Lord and instructs them to become the object of the

Lord"s DayA in his role as our kulapathi ..

 

In this context , Swami Desikan says : " O PaadhukhE !

When Lord RanganAthA travels , the embedded gems of yours

get shaken and collide against each other. At that time , a sweet

sound emerges , which seem to broadcast the famous ,

unqualified attribute of Ranganatha known as Aanrusamsayam

to all the creatures of the World " .

 

Verse 53/Slokam 433 of RPS

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Swami Desikan states here that the paadhukhA

Naadham is same as the exhilirating sound of

Saama Vedam . He says : " O RanganAtha PaadhukhE !

Your Lord , who exists with ease as Para VaasudEvan

in His supreme abode , as AntaryAmi inside us and as

RanganAthA in Sri Rangam is sought after by the Yogis.

They recite PraNavam with all its parts and meditate on

it to attain Parama Padham . They recognize your Naadham

as the Saama Vedic recitation that leads one to your Lord's

abode in Sri VaikunTam ."

 

Thiruvaimozhi is known as Saama Vedam . Recitation of

Thiruvaimozhi of NammAzhwAr with reverence will lead us

to Sri VaikunTam according to Swami Desikan . Yoga saasthrAs

prescribe that one should recite and meditate on PraNavam to

reach the Lord. It has been stated by SaasthrAs that such Yogis

are led to the sannidhi of our Lord in Srivaikuntam with the

accompaniment of a type of Saama Gaanam . Thiruvaimozhi ,

which is AzhwAr's Naadham is the equivalent of the Saama

gaanam (Saama VisEsha Ghosham ) that will lead us

to parama padham .

 

Verse54/Slokam 434 of RPS

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In this verse , Swami hints that those think of the Lord

meditate on NammAzhwAr and with his blessings understand

the true meaning of Thiruvaimozhi Paasurams .

 

Swami Desiakn says: " O PaadhukhE ! Your Naadham excells

the sacred song of the feamale bee of Vedam .

For those yogis , who visualize your Lord in the caves of their

heart lotus , you appear as a bee , which makes exquisite music

rooted in the VedAs . You remind one of both the Vedic song of

exquisite sweetness and the black bee. When one has your

darsanam , they are blessed with the darsanam of the Lord also ,

who is standing on you . He is the one with the dark black hue

similar to the black bee. If you generate Veda Naadham , then

Your Lord is the supreme being eulogized by the Upanishads.

The siras (top portion ) of the Vedaas is the place of residence

of Upanishads and the subject of their eulogy " . Swami Desikan

points out that the AzhwAr and the Lord are inseparable .

 

Verse 55 /Slokam 435

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Here Swami Desikan refers to a service done by the

Compassionate PaadhukhAs through their sweet

Naadham ( manju Svanai : ) .

 

He says : " O PaadhukhAs of the enemy of the AsurAs !

O Mother ! When the infallible and eternal VedAs representing

You are rejected by the AvaidhikhAs ( Buddhists and JainAs ) ,

they cross the boundaries of the established teachings having

the authority of Your Lord .Out of Your compassinate nature

(SvabhAvam ) , You seem to counsel the righteous devtoees

(VaidhikAs )through Your sweet Naadham to desist from attacking

these foes of VedAs . Your sweet Naadham seems to cajole Your

devotees not to give vent to their anger " .

 

The rahasyArtham is that NammAzhwAr out of his compassion

for all addresses even those who reject Vedaas and Thiruvaimozhi

with great courtesy. He addresses such kudhrishtis with

Viparitha J~nanam this way : " veedumin , Vammin , Pulaveer ".

AzhwAr counsels us not to be angry at these AvaidhikAs and

tries to win them over with the sweet sound of his Paasurams ,

which are the essence of the Vedaas .

 

Verse 56/Slokam 436 of RPS

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Here Swami Desikan alludes to the belief that those who

breathe their last within the boundaries of Srirangam

are blessed to have the darsanam of the Lord and their

AchAryAs . Here he salutes the askalitha anukampA of

the PaadhukhAs ( NammAzhwAr ) of the Lord . The AnukampA

(trhe compassion ) of the SatakOpam is askalitham ( uninterrupted,

without let ) .

 

Swami Desikan says : " O MaNi PaadhukhE ! When those living

inside the boundaries of Srirangam scream out of fear in an

incoherent manner during the last moments of their lives ,

You rush to their side and comfort them with your unfailing

compassion . Even if these citizens do not cry out for RanganAtha

during their troubling moments , you still rush to their side

and help them face their last moments with equanimity. With

You comes Your Lord . The suffering ones hear Your sweet

sound approaching and become peaceful . Their terrors flee them " .

 

Verse 57/Slokam 437 of RPS

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Here Swami Desikan compares the PaadhukhAs as a

decorative jewelery box for the Vedas that adorn the Lord's

lotus feet . He says : " O MaNi PadhukhE ! Lord's lotus feet

have a golden hue and shine with the auspicious letters that

constitute the Veda MantrAs . The sweet sound of the ankle bells

of the Noopuram (Silambhu) match Your melodious Naadham

and together both of You surround the Lord"s holy feet . On this

occasion , You seem to take on the role of the jewel box for the

VedAs eulogising the lotus feet of Your Lord ."

 

Swami addresses the PaadhukhAs ( NammAzhwAr ) and says

that the SatAri Suri comprehends fully well the true meanings

of all the VedAs and VedAngAs as a result of the Lord's blessings

and he reveals the inner meanings of his paasurams

of Thiruvaimozhi to those , who approach him .

 

Verse 58/Slokam 438 of RPS

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Swami Desikan points out that the knowledge about the glory of

the PaadhukhAs could be acquired just by listening to the PaadhukhA

naadham . The knowledge about the VedAnthA on the other hand

is attained , if at all, after a strenous effort lasting many years.

The paadhukhA naadham in contrast distils and delivers the essence of

VedAntham as soon as one is blessed to hear it.

 

Swami says in this context : " O PaadhukhE ! Your glories are hidden

in the VedAs and are not easy to comprehend. You seem however to

reveal them to those , who approach You through the delectable

sound made by the gems and bells embedded in You " .

 

The other intrepretation is that the Naadham of the PaadhukhAs

appears to reveal its blessed status to those , who approach

them . The glory of the paadhukhAs is equivalent to the lotus

feet of the Lord and is some what unique. The uniqueness

of the glory of the PaadhukhAs and the lotus feet of the Lord that

are supported by the PaadhukhAs arise from the fact that they

alone know the glory of their Lord . Their unique glory is hidden

in the VedAs . Out of its compassion , the PaadhukhAs reveal

their unmistalable glory to its devotees through its sweet Naadham .

 

Verse 59/Slokam 439 of RPS

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Swami prays here for the blessing of the Saameepyam(nearness)

of the PaadhukhAs at the time of his last moments on this

earth . He says : " O PaadhukhE ! When I am feeble during

the last moments of my life , I will be unable to call for your

help or to fold my hands in anjali mudrA . I beg you however

to come before me at that difficult time and comfort me with your

sweet sounds , which would be the indicators of your Lord"s

arrival at my bed side . May Your Naadham surround me on

all sides , when I will be totally helpless " .

 

Verse 60/Slokam 440 of RPS

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SamrakshanAya samayE jagathAm trayANAm

yaathrAsu RanganrupathEruthasthusheeshu I

sampathsyathE sruthisukhai: maNi paadharakshE

mangaLya sooktiranagA tava manjunAthai : II

 

Here Swami Desikan reveals that the recitation of

NammAzhwAr's Thiruvaimozhi wards of all inauspiciousness

that might come the way of the Lord . The inner meaning is that

the recitation of AzhwAr's Thiruvaimozhi makes the Lord

insured against any harm .

 

He says : " O PaadhukhE ! When RanganAthA travels to protect

the saadhu Janams (Aasritha RakshaNam ) , the sweet sounds

( MangaLya Sookthi:) emanting from You at those times serve

as the faultless and most auspicious Vedic hymns

( svasthi Vachanams) hailing victory to Your Lord " .

 

Sri RanganAtha Divya MaNI PaadhukhE ! Thubhyam namO nama: I

NammAzhwAr , Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan