RPS Naadha Paddathi : part 14. 13

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Dear Members of the Prapatthi Group :

 

I will cover slokas of RPS from 451 to 460 in this posting .

 

Verse 71/Slokam 451 of RPS

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Sage NaradA is known as a great expert in playing

the VeeNA for Hari Nama Sankeerthanam . Here Swami

Desikan states that the Naadham generated by the PaadhukhAs

is superior to the Naadham arising from the VeeNA of NaradA .

Swami says : " O PaadhukhE ! Your Lord offers his exclusive

audience (EkAntha SevA) to His grandson NaradA . On such an

occasion , He sends away His retinue and servants and moves

around in novel and delightful steps. The extraordinary music

generated by you in response to the Lord's desire to please His

grandson makes latter(NaradA) stop his veeNA playing and listen to

your sunAdham .NaradA feasts his eyes on the His grandfather,

the Lord and fills his ears with your incomparable music " .

 

The inner meaning of the slokam is that Deva Rishis like NaradA

listen with pleasure and reverence to NammAzhwAr's Sri Sookthis .

 

Verse 72/Slokam 452 of RPS

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In this verse , Swami Desikan compares the Naadham

raised by the PaadhukhAs to those raised by the bangles of

the ladies of Srirangam and explains that sambhandham .

 

When the ladies of Srirangam hear the naadham of the PaadhukhAs ,

they rush out from the interior to the front portion of their houses.

At that time , their golden bangles inlaid with precious stones

move around and collide and create a naadham that appears like

the response of the ladies to the PaadhukhA naadham . Reference

to the gem-studded bangles suggest rich women in prosperous

households . Swami seems to suggest that the rich people

are also eager to hear the Sri Sookthis of AzhwAr ( PaadhukhA Naadham ) .

 

Verse 73/Slokam 453 of RPS

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Swami Desikan compares the Naadham generated by

the PaadhukhAs to the different naadhams heard during

Soma YagAs . The key steps of Soma YagAs are the three savanAs

( Squeezing and offering of SomA juice at dawn , noon and evening ) .

During the performance of a Soma YagA , sthothrAs are sung by

priests ( SomayAjulus ) proficient in rendering Sama GAnam .

Another class of specialists known as Hothrus recite sasthrams

(not Saasthrams) at the same time . Sasthrams unlike sthotrams

do not have sama vedic recitations (GAnam ) . SasthrAs are

straightforward recitations of appropriate Veda ManthrAs .

Both SthothrAs and SasthrAs announce as to whom

the havis (offering ) is intended .

 

Swami Desikan says that the Naadham generated by

the PaadhukhAs are like the sthothrAs

and sasthrAs recited during the savana portion of a soma yagAm.

He states : " O PaadhukhE ! When RanganAtha enters the Yaga saalA

to receive the offerings (Havis) of those performing the Yagams , you

are followed by the VedAs. You transport RanganAthA on your back to

the Yaga SaalA . The Naadham arising from your movements

during those occasions sounds like the eulogies (sthothrAs)

and attribute descriptions (SasthrAs ) associated with the three

savanAs at the Yajna Vaatams (Yaga SaalAs ) " .

 

The inner meaning is that the yajamAnAs of the YajnAs

address the Lord and invite Him to accept the Havis ,

since He( Ranganatha ) is the Devathi Devan . SthotrAs and

sasthrams are used during the thre SavanAs of the YagAs.

They describe and sing about the anantha KalyANa guNAs

of the Lord . AzhwAr"s Thiruvaimozhi deals with the limitless

auspicious attributes of the Lord , which is also the topic of

coverage of the sthothrAs and sasthrams .

 

Verse 74/Slokam 454 of RPS

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In this slokam , Swami Desikan states that the AzhwAr"s paasurams

instruct us that Sriman NarAyaNA is the sole protector of all the jeevans

of this universe and that the VedAs preach the same doctrine of

Sarva Rakshakthvam of the Lord . The slokam is a beautiful one:

 

charaNa kamalam yethath RanganAthasya Nityam

saraNamithi janAnAm darsayanthee yathAvath I

prathipadhamapi hrudhyam PaadhukhE ! svadhubhAvAdh

anuvadathi param teh Naatham aamnaya pankthi: II

 

" O PaadukhE ! VedAs follow the Lord and serve as an accompaniment

to the Naadham generated by you . During your travels with the Lord , Your

Naadham instructs the people that the Lord"s lotus feet are the only source

for their protection and salvation . VedAs endorse your lofty message at each

step of their journey , as they follow you and your Lord ".

 

Verse 75/Slokam 455 of RPS

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Swami Desikan refers to a tradition in Srirangam in this

slokam . When Lord RanganAthA leaves His Garbha Graham

on uthsavam days , he steps down by the "Melappadi " and turns

in the northern direction .Only after that turn , the MangaLa Vaadhyams

start their service . Swami Desikan hints here that the Naadham

of the MangaLa Vaadhyams at Srirangam are the prathi Dwani

(echo ) of the MangaLa dwani of the Naadham (AzhwAr's Thiruvaimozhi )

originating from the Lord's PaadhukhAs .

 

Swami says : " O PaadhukhE ! When RanganAthA leaves His bed

of AadiseshA and travels with you to protect His devotees , your naadham

is heard first by the waiting devotees. The naadham of other musical

instruments are heard thereafter. RanganAthA's conch (Paanchajanyam )

follows and amplifies your naadham next . The other instruments

sound afterwards " .

 

Verse 76/Slokam 456 Of RPS

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In this slokam , Swami Desikan reveals the links between

the VedAs and NammAzhwAr's Thiruvaimozhi . He says :

" O PaadhukhE ! You have taken the form (body ) of NammAzhwAr

( vakuLa dhara Tanu: tvam ) and are blessing the world with

Thiruvaimozhi , which has the eternal fragrance of the Lord's

lotus feet as a result of your union with them . When I listen to

the Naadham generated by every one of your steps , I recognize

that the VedAs dwell on the upadesam that you give (viz).,

Sriman NaarayaNan is Sarva Veda PrathipAdhyan, Jagath

KaaraNan and sarva Rakshakan . The meaning of the Vedic

passages are made clear through your delectable naadham

(RamaneeyA ninAdhA : ) and you help the ancient VedAs in

this manner to describe the divine fragrance of the Lord's

lotus feet ( Hari CharaNa Saroja Aamodha : ) for the benefit

of the devotees of RanganAthA ".

 

Verse 77/Slokam 457 of RPS

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In this slokam , Swami Desikan refers to the Adhyayana

uthsavam at Srirangam during the autumn (saradh Kaalam ).

Many eminent sanyAsis(Raja Hamsams ) assemble at Srirangam

at that time to hear the Naalyira Divya Prabhandham . AchAryALs are

present as well . They serve as the disciples of the PaadhukhAs

( NammAzhwAr /SatAri Suri ) during that occasion .

 

Swami says : " O PaadhukhE ! When RanganAthA starts on His

journey in the autumn season after Hari Sayana UtthAna ekadasi

to control the enemies of the DevAs , He travels on your back .

The naadham generatd by you at this time attracts many king swans,

which normally reside on the lake Maanasa Saras in distant

HimalayAs . They leave their traditional home on hearing your

Naadham and flock to your side on the banks of Cauveri to receive

instructions from you on the doctrines of VedanthA dealing with

the glory of the lotus feet of your Lord " .

 

Verse 78/Slokam 458 of RPS

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Here Swami Desikan compares the PaadhukhAs to

a strict AchArya , who instructs the disciples with rigor.

He visualizes the PaadhukhAs as wearing the dazzling

white utthareeyam ( upper garment ) , a formal symbol of an

Acharyan and AchAram . The uttareeyam is the resplendent

white nails of the Lord shining above the paadukhAs .

The paadhukhA as an Acharyan is visualized as the strict

Acharyan firmly instructing and chastising erring

students , who have difficulty grasping the instructions.

The reference is to NammAzhwAr 's Thiruvaimozhi

passages , where He instructs us not to engage in

deeds not sanctioned by saasthrAs .

 

Swami Desikan says : " O PaadhukhE ! During your travel

with your Lord , you seem to be wearing the dazzling white

effulgence of Your Lord's toe nails as the upper clothe of

( Uttareeyam ) your body . That appears like the formal pose of

AchAryAs ,when they are engaged in instructing and

correcting the students receiving instructions on

VedAs and VedAnthA from You . The naadham arising from

the movement of your gems sound like your voice

engaged in the act of an AcharYan intent on giving

instructions and correcting strictly the mistakes of

the disciples (Raja Hamsams residing in the ponds)

seated near you " .

 

Verse 79 /Slokam 459 of RPS

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Here Swami Desikan compares the Naadham of

the PaadhukhAs to the Aaloka Sabdhams used

at Srirangam , when the Lord returns to His aasthAnam

(sanctum sanctorium ) after particiating in His darbhAr

to listen to the devotees .

 

Swami Desikan says : " O PaadhukhE ! When RanganAthA

returns to His inner chambers after His darbhAr to join His

consorts , You announce His arrival through your naadham

and perform the aaloka sabdhA service " .

 

Aaloka sabdhA services consists of the utterances to

guide the way of the Lord . Jaya Vijayee Bhava , Swami

Yethsarikai " ar some of the Aaloka sabdhAs that are used,

while the Lord is transported on Kaitthalam . The intent is to

avoid any jolts to the Lord during that kaitthala sevai .

 

Verse 80/Slokam 460 of RPS

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Here , Swami Desikan reveals that it was the paadhukhA naadham

that blended with the VeNu ghAnam of KrishNA to captivate the hearts

of the Gopis on the sand banks of Yamuna river at Thiru AaipAdi .

He points out that it was not the VeNu GhAnam of KrishNA alone

that won the hearts of the Gopis that rushed to the banks of the

river inspite of the objections of their elders .

 

Swami Says : " O PaadhukhE ! KrishNA the charming cowherd

played on His flute and thousands of Gopis followed Him to

the banks of YamunA even when they were strictly forbidden

by their brothers and fathers not to join KrishNA . It was the Naadham

arising from you that intoxicated the minds of the Gopis to run

after KrishNA's veNu ghAnam .Your Naadham entered His flute

and emerged as the music generated by Him to attract the Gopis

to His side effortlessly " .

 

The inner meaning is that he jeevan fails to recognize

due to its avivekam that there is an eternal Iswaran ,

who exists as the Jagadh Rakshakan . When the Jevan

due to some sukrutham (good deeds of the past) recognize

Iswara Svarupam and wish to offer homage , the elders discourage

the jeevans from such pursuits. These elders themselves are

lax in their aacharams and anushtAnams and do not engage

in Bhagavadh anubhavam . When the blessed jeevan learns

Thiruvaimozhi from a proper AachAryan , the jeevan jumps

over the hindrances of the obstructors and reach the side of

the Lord very quickly .

 

Sri RanganAtha MaNi PaadhukhE ! Thubhyam nama:

Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan