PrakeerNa Paddhathi of Sri RanganAtha PaadhukhA Sahasram : 29th Paddhathi

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri RangarAja Padhaambhuja SevakAs :

 

By now , Swami Desikan had completed 830 slokams and

housed them in 28 paddhathis .he celebrated so far the glories

of PaadhukhAs of the Lord engaged in Yoga NidrA at Sri Rangam .

He had additional 178 slokams to complete to reach the planned

level of 1,008 slokams to be housed in the 32 paddhathis

reminiscent of the 32 Brahma VidyAs for this MahA sthuthi

of NammAzhwAr as the PaadhukhAs of the Lord . The Yaamam

was coming to an end . He meditated on BhagavAn Hayagreevan

and completed his magnum opus of this work before the time he

alloted himself . Thus was born the PrakeerNa paddhathi ( PKP) ,

Chithra , NirvEda and Pala paddhathis , which constitute the last

four chapters of this magnum opus of a eulogy on SatAri Suri .

 

In the PrakeerNa paddhathi(PKP) , Swami Desikan introduces many

embellishments ( Sangathis / PrakeerNams ) to the Naadham of

the PaadhukhAs that he celebrated earlier through the 100 superb

verses of Naadha paddhathi . One is reminded of Saint ThaygarAja

here , who introduced the concept of Sangathis to krithis few centuries

later . In his Kaamboji raaga krithi , O Ranga Saayee , he introduced

not less than twenty sangathis that reflect his joy over the extraordinary

good fortune of having the darsanam of Sri RanganAthan in the garbha

graham at Srirangam .

 

As the parama BhakthA of Thirukkuruhoor SatakOpan ,

Swami Desikan poured his heart over the joy of

eulogizing his paramAchAryan and introduced the many

sangathis in the 80 verses of the prakeerNa paddhathi .

 

The word " PrakeerNA " means also mixed or miscellaneous .

In this " miscellaneous thought s " paddhathi , Swami Desikan

combines a number of diverse attributes of the PaadhukhAs .

All of these diverse aspects are proven to unite in a consistent

manner .

 

Swami Desikan goes on to prove that the means for attaining

the fruits of observing the injunctions of the sAsthrAs result from

the power of the PaadhukhAs . He proves in PKP that the paadhukhAs

are serious objects of worship to attain all the blesings of the Lord

in this and the other world . After the Naadha paddhathi with 100

verses and the PrabhAva paddhathi with 70 verses, the PrakeerNa

paddhathi with 80 verses is one of the longest chapters of Sri

RanganAtha PaadhukhA Sahasram .

 

Slokam 1 of PKP/ Slokam 8231 of RPS

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

 

vidhou pravrutthE yadh dravyam guNa samskAranAmapi : I

Sreya : saadhanmaamnAtham tath padhathram tatAsthu mEh II

 

In the first verse of PKP , Swami Desikan salutes the wealth ,

the attributes , actions and names of the PaadhukhAs . He prays:

" May those paadhukhAs of the Lord with their diverse auspicious

attributes be the means for attaining the fruits of my spiritual

endeavours! " .

 

Just as the injunctions of the VedAs used at the different stages

of the Vedic ceremonies , just as the material things used at the

Vedic rituals such as milk , curd , ghee , food and soma juice , just as

the GuNAs like red , white and black ( Rajas , SattvA , Tamas ) ,

just as the ritualistic actions like sipping of water (aachamaneeyam )

et al , just as the diverse yajnams like Agnihotram, Jyothishtomam

et al have been prescribed by VedAs as routes to obtian the fruit of

one's spiritual endeavours , PadukhAs display such behavior

and serve as the means to acheive one's goals . The paadhukhAs

have injunctions like wealth ( dravyam/saamagriyAs ) , attributes

( GuNAs ) , observances ( samaskArAs/vrathAs ) , and naamAs

(names ) similar to the ones described above for the Vedic rituals .

 

The injunctions for the paadhukhAs are given by the Lord as to their

movements ; the wealth of the paadhukhAs are represented by the

dazzling gems adorning it; the GuNAs hold together as the white pearls,

the red rubies and the other dark colored gems ; the samskArAs are

constituted by the actions of adding sandal paste , bathing in scented

water, raising of lamps , lighting of incense etc . The various names

of the paadhukhAs are satAri , SatakOPam et al . With such diverse

attributes similar to the Vedic rituals , Sri RanganAthA's paadhukhAs

praised by PaancharAtra AagamAs hold a matchless status.

 

Swami Desikan prays to those paadhukhAs of many faceted

glories to bless him with the means of attaining his

spiritual goals .

 

Sri RanganAtha maNi PaadhukhE ! Thubhyam nama :

Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Oppiliappan Kovil VaradAchAri Sadagopan