PrakeerNa paddhathi : Part 5 ( Slokams 861-870 )

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Dear Sri PadhukhA SevakAs :

 

Slokam 861 of RPS/ Slokam 31 of PKP

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Here , Swami Desikan summarizes the services that

the PaadhukhAs render to Bhumi Devi . He says :

Oh, PaadhukhE ! You seem to present new dresses to

Bhumi Devi through the weaving of the myriads of your

colorful rays ( VasundharAyA : rathna BhAsA varNamsukam

Vitharasi ) . You remove Her burden of carrying the demented

scholars with incorrect views on your Lord's primordial nature

and auspicious attributes .You clear the world of such "scholars "

causing mischief and lighten Bhumi Devi's burden . This way ,

you offer kaimkaryam to Bhumi Devi , who carries your weight

and also thank Her for Her help through the presentation

of the colorful new dresses woven out of your colordul rays .

 

Slokam 862 of RPS/ Slokam 32 of PKP

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In this slokam , Swami Desikan visualizes the PaadhukhAs

as the integrated effulgence of three distinctly different jyothis :

SuryA , Agni and the Moon . He says : " Oh , PaadhukhE ! Through

the assembly of the multicolored effulgence of your gems , You are

recognized as ChitrabhAnu or SuryA . Through your purity and glory ,

You are recognized as Agni . Through your own golden hue , You also

shine like ChandrA . You thus become the integrated essence

of the above three Jyothis and remove all of the darkness of

the Universe. You serve as the integrated and extraordinary

Jyothi that banishes the darkness of our Aj~anam .

 

The inner meaning is that the SadAchAryAs shine like the Sun

through their mastery of Saasthra Jn~nams ; through their

sadAchAram , they are pure and resplendent as Agni

( Paavakthvam ) ; through their compassion and anugraha

visEsham , they delight the hearts of their disciples like the cool

lustre of the Moon . Through the combination of all the three

types of lustre , they drive away the darkness of aj~nam and

Vipareetha J~nanam .

 

Slokam 863 of RPS/Slokam 33 of PKP

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Swami Desikan compares here the PaadhukhAs to

the early evening sky , when the partly red sky is illuminated

by the stars and the Moon . He says : " Oh, RanganAtha

PaadhukhE ! With your red corals , you become the beautiful

object of worship of the people . With your golden sheen ( golden

color of the Moon ) combined with the lustre of your shining

pearls , You are like the early evening sky decorated by

the stars and the Moon . In this blessed state , you remove

all of the sufferings of your devotees " .

 

The suggested inner meaning is that the SadAchAryAs

delight the hearts of their devotees through the combination

of their sathva GuNAs , sharpness of intellect and serve as

the holy sandhyA kaalam that banishes the sorrows of their

devotees .

 

Slokam 864 of RPS/ Slokam 34 of PKP

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Oh, MaNi PaadhukhE ! When the Lord travels on the raja

Veedhis of Srirangam , You make the most beautiful and soft

feet of your Lord travel in comfort by spreading affectionately

in His path the tender petals of lotus , white and blue lillies

through your multicolored rays and announce His arrival

majestically with your delightful Naadham arising from the

movement of your gems .

 

The suggested inner meaning is that the great devotees of

our Lord like NammAzhwAr include in their divya Sookthis

many fragrant and soft (easy-to-absorb) concepts for

the benefit of the easy travel of the Lord in the hardened

hearts of populace and win them over.

 

Slokam 865 of RPS/ Slokam 35 of PKP

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Oh, PaadhukhE ! When you travel with the Lord in

the inner chambers of His palace , the lustre

arising from Your rays and the naadham generated

by your enachanting movements grow further the special

affection that the consorts of the Lord have for Him .

The Devis equate your lustre and the naadham to

the act of Manmathan engaged in sharpening

his arrows on a grinding stone ( SaaNaikkal ) .

 

Slokam 866 of RPS/ Slokam 36 of PK

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In the 854th verse , Swami Desikan compared the PaadhukhAs

to the sacred feet of the Lord. Here , he takes that comparison

one step further. He says : " Oh , MaNi PaadhukhE !

Sri RanganAthA's holy feet have white toe nails that shine like

the pearls on You . Those sacred feet shine with a lustre similar to

the rubies on You. They contain lines and patterns , similar to

those seen on You . Therefore , You become equal in status

to the sacred feet of your Lord and become the object of worship

of one and all . Your devotees celebrate and salute your lovely

steps and gait and recognize their equality with Your Lord's feet .

 

The inner meaning is that the SadAchAryAs resemble the Lord's

sacred feet and are worshipped by their devotees and confer

the boon of Moksham through their special relationship

with their Lord .

 

Slokam 867 of RPS/ Slokam 37 of PKP

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Oh, MaNi paadhukhE ! The red rays originating from

your rubies grow multifold after Your sacred bath

( Thirumanjanam ) and spread around the boundaries

of the city of AyOdhyA to form an encircling wall of fire

( Mathil of Agni ) to defend it from any enemy .

 

The inner meaning is that SadAchAryAs through their

presence in one location protect the populace from

calamities through their Brahma tEjas and AnushtAna

balam .

 

Slokam 868 of RPS/ SLokam 38 of PKP

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Oh, Raaghava PaadharakshE ! The brilliant red rays associated

with your rubies as you sit on the throne of Raghus appear

like the tongues of fire remeniscent of the parAkramam (valor )

of BharathA , who soundly defeated the enemies of the kingdom

of AyOdhyA ruled by You .

 

The inner meaning is that the establishment of a SadAchArya

on the throne of illustrious poorvAchAryAs create a lustre (tEjas)

in their devotees and endow the SadAchAryA as well with

a special lustre that enables them to defeat the enemies of

the injunctions decreed by the Lord .

 

Slokam 869 of RPS/ Slokam 39 of PKP

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Oh, MaNi PaadhukhE ! Through your auspicious sounds

(Subha PraNAthA ) , you seem to serve as the sister of

the bridegroom , your Lord, in His wedding with His brides,

the VedAs . During that wedding , you perform the ceremony of

tying the wedding thread ( Maangalya soothram ) around

the necks of the VedAs taking the form of the brides of your Lord.

Although He ties the Maangalya Soothram as the bridegroom ,

you assist Him as the traditional sister (NaathanAr ) of the groom ,

who has to assist in the tying of that knot.

 

The inner meaning is that the SatAri Suri (NammAzhwAr )

established in his divya sookthis that the Lord alone is

the subject of the VedAs and thereby preserved

the sambhandham between the Lord and His VedAs .

 

Slokam 870 of RPS/ Slokam 40 of PKP

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vichithra varNA sruthi ramya sabdhA :

nishEvyasE naakasadhAm sirObhi : I

mMadhudhvishastvam maNi paadharakshE !

SrEyaskaree sAsana pathrikEva II

 

Oh, MaNi PaadhukhE ! with your enchanting colors

of your gems and the delectable sounds associated

with your diverse movements , you have a status like

the auspicious VedAs and confer your blessings on

one and all . With all these attributes , you appear

like the document containing your Lord's commandments,

which are worn on the heads of the DevAs with

utmost reverence.

 

The inner meaning is that the Sri Sookthis of NammAzhwAr ,

which is a blend of sacred letters ( SukhAksharams) and

auspicious sounds ( Subha Dhvanis ) are like

the commandments of the Lord Himself and hence

are borne on the heads of BhagavathAs with

great reverence .

 

Sri RanganAtha PaadhukhE ! Thubhyam Nama:

Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Oppiliappan Kovil VaradAchAri Sadagopan