The Dvandva Paddhathi of RPS : Part 2

[Guest guest]

Slokam 11 of DP/Slokam 711 of RPS

******************************************

 

The golden PadhukhAs decorating the two feet of the Lord

appear like His two Vibhoothis (LeelA and Nithya ) that are equal

in importance .

 

(Comments ) : For RanganAthA , this earth is the LeelA Vibhoothi

site . Here , he plays with the sentients and the insentients that

He created . Sri Vaikuntam is the site of RanganAthA' s Nithya

Vibhoothi , the eternal , imperishable kingdom .SaasthrAs declare

that LeelA Vibhoothi is one quarter and the Nithya Vibhoothi is

three fourth in dimension .Swami Desikan suggests that

the PaadhukhAs are like the equal division of the two vibhoothis .

 

The inner meaning is that the good fortune of obtaining a sadAchAryan

is like gaining both the Vibhoothis at the same time .

 

Slokam 12 of DP /Slokam 772 of RPS

******************************************

 

In this slokam , Swami Desikan compares the two PaadhukhAs

to Sruthis and Smrithis , which never part with each other . He says :

" O PaadhukhAs ! You have three things in common to the inseparable

sruthis and smrithis . You bring the Lord's feet directly to us for

worship ; you accompany the Lord and fit His feet in a perfect

manner and thus truly belong to Him ; you take the matching steps

with each of your paadhukhAs , when He moves around " .

 

These three activiites are known as paadha prathipAdanam

(sequential steps ) , maanOpapaddhi niyamam (belonging

to Him ) and anyOnya sangathi vaasam ( synchronized movement ) .

These three attributes also fit the Sruthis and Smrithis . They reveal

directly the Lord's holy feet to the righteous persons ;

they belong to the Lord ( mAnOpapaddhi niyamam ) and

they go in unified steps without conflict (anyOnya sangathi vaasam ) .

In view of these close similarities , Swami Desikan states that the two

PadhukhAs are the manifestations of the Sruthis and Smrithis .

 

Slokam 13

************

O maNi PaadhukhE ! When the Lord travels on you both , each of you

compete with the other to move fast for helping your Lord complete

quickly His task of protecting the righteous and destroying the wicked.

You both work extremely well together. In this regard , both of you remind

me of the divine pair celebrated as Lakshmi NaarAyaNA ; they also compete

with each other to incarnate in this world to rescue the righteous from the

unrighteous .

 

Slokam 14

************

 

O maNi PaadhukhE ! in the incarnations of your Lord as Rama and

KrishNA , you support Him as a pair of paadhukhAs to protect His feet.

Your Lord is capable of taking other incarnations , where He might have

thousand feet. Even then , you take the form of thousand paadhukhAs

and rise to the occasion .

 

Slokam 15

************

 

Here , Swami Desikan equates the two paadhukhAs to the two

sandhyAs at dawn and dusk (Praatha and Saayam sandhyAs ) .

He goes on further to say that the paadhukhAs and the sandhyAs

have a close relationship to the holy feet of the Lord (VishNu Paadham ) .

PaadhukhAs are literally united with the Lord's sacred feet ; sandhyAs

are united with skies , which are known as VishNu paadham .

 

Swami Desikan say s : " O gem-studded paadhukhAs of the Lord !

You are resplendent at the Lord's feet and take sequential steps

to carry your Lord to His destinations . You are fit to be worshipped

by the entire world and are similar to the two sandhyAs in terms of

universal adoration " .

 

The other implied meaning is that it is difficult to know , which paadhukhA

follows the other . They are both worshipped in equal measure.

Similarly , the AchAryAs , both the past and the current ones , are

worshipped with equal reverence in our Guru paramparA .

 

Slokam 16

************

 

O Rama PaadhukhAs ! I consider you both as BalA and AthibalA ,

the two manthrAs taught by sage ViswAmithrA to RamA to overcome

fatigue , hunger and thirst . You carry the Lord in a tireless manner

on many , many journeys and seem to have the qualities of the two

manthrAs . Hence , it is appropriate to consider you as

manifestations of BalA and AthibalA .

 

Slokam 17

*************

 

In this samsAram , human beings commit many sins routinely and

develop delusions about the true nature of the Self and its relation to

the body that houses it . If one has to overcome this delusion, one has

to practice Bhakthi Yogam and recognize the Self resident in the cave

of one's heart . This experience is known as JeevAthma SaakshAthkAram .

Both karma and Jnana YogAs are required to gain JeevAthma

SaakshAthkAram , a prerequisite to Moksham . Both the fruits of Karma

and Jnana yogams should be submitted passively (Saathvika ThyAgam )

to the Lord to realize Moksham . Hence , karma and Jnana yogams are

united together as a pair , similar to the pair of paadhukhAs united to the

Lord's feet . Hence , Sawmi Desikan equates the paadhukhAs to the

Karma and Jnana YogAs .

 

Slokam 18

************

 

O PaadhukhAs ! Although you are two in number , you act as one.

Hence your dual performance gives the results of a unified kingdom.

Both of you are controlled by the same VishNu's holy feet and you act

consistent with the wishes of your Lord. Hence , even if you are countable

as two separate paadhukhAs , your actions reflect that of being under a

single soverign . You both follow the same Vedic injunctions set by your

Lord and that results in a smooth and consistent operation beneficial

to your devotees .

 

Slokam 19

*************

 

O PaadhukhE ! The fruits that result from your worship are YogA

and KshEmA . To your devotees , you manifest as YogA and KshEmA .

YogA is obtaining that was unattainable. KshEmA is retaining that , which

was obtained through your blessings in the first place . Since both result

from

you , your devotees consider YogA and KshEmA are paadhukhAs themselves.

Thanks to our good fortune, you both have taken the form of YogA and KshEmA .

 

Slokam 20

************

bhaddha Haripaadha yugaLam

yugaLam tapaneeya paadhukhE ! yuvayO : I

mochayathi samsrithAnAm

puNyApuNyamaya srungalA YugaLam II

 

O Golden paadhukhE ! Your pairing ties the Lord's feet , which

in turn removes the fetters of PaapA and puNyA of your devotees

and helps them attain Moksham .

 

Swami Desikan suggests that When Lord's feet are bound in

the PaadhukhAs , it enables many to approach Him and get release

from their chains made up by the pair known as paapA and PuNyA

that bound them up until then .

 

Sri RangEsa Divya MaNi PaadhukhE ! Thubhyam nama:

Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Oppiliappan Kovil VaradAchAri Sadagopan