Sri Stuthi-6

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Dear Friends,

 

In this post, I shall present a summary of verses 9 and 10 of the

Sri Stuthi. These verses get into the realm of abstractness of a

high degree and use excellent arguments from Shruti to establish

the Paratvam of Lord Narayana on the basis of the eternal relationship

between the Lord and his consort Sri. I am a neophyte when it comes to

the multifaceted interpretations of Shruti. Therefore, I seek

forgiveness from learned scholars in this forum for all lapses and

deficiencies in the summary.

 

9. TvAmevAhuhu KatichidaparE Tvatpriyam Lokanatham

Kim TaIranta: KalahamalinaI: KimchiduttIrya MagnaI: I

TvatsamprItyaI Viharati HaroU SammkhInAm ShrutInAm

BhAvArUDoU Bhagavati YuvAm DampatI Daivatam Na: II

 

Some consider you as the Paratatva on account of your status as

the IshvarI of the entire universe. Others are of the opinion that your

beloved husband, Lord Vishnu, alone is the Paratatvam.

These are conflicting points-of-view. Based on their beliefs, the

followers of the two schools of thought enter into arguments. Sometimes

one group emerges victorious and sometimes the other.

Your husband, Lord Vishnu, in his Leelas arising as a result of his

love for you engages in the tasks of creation, preservation and

destruction. Those Shrutis which declare this truth and glorify

you and your Lord together form the basis for my reverence only for

you both as Gods.

 

In this verse, Swami Desikan alludes to two schools of thought on

the role of Periya Piratti, Sri. One school glorifies her as

the Paratatva, whereas the other considers her to be a mere JivAtma

(i.e., Perumal alone is the Paratatvam). A third viewpoint is that

although Perumal and Thayar are two distinct entities (different forms),

in soul they are one. However, according to

Swami Desikan, both the schools of thought are incorrect. He

points out that the eternal oneness of Perumal and Thayar is responsible

for the Paratatvam. Declarations like NaranArImayO Hari:, NarayaNAtmikA

Devi point to the oneness of Lord Narayana and Sri.

Therefore, there is no difference, distinction or separation between

Lord Narayana and Sri. Thus, Swami Desikan concludes that all other

schools of thought are in violation of the Shruti doctrine which

establishes the Ekasheshitva of Lord Narayana and Sri. Just as

Lord Narayana is prominent for Ishvaratva (Lordship of the Universe,

and all pervasiveness), so too is the prominence of Sri for Ishvaritva.

The Shrutis glorify Periya Piratti Thayar as IshvarIgam SarvabhUtAnAm,

NiyantrI cha TathaishvarI, TvayA cha VishNunAchAmba JagatvyAptam

CharAcharam. Since Perumal and Thayar embody Shuddha Satva SvarUpam, the

Dosham of DvaIrAjyam (Two rulers for a kingdom)

doe not apply.

 

10. ApatrArtiprashamanaviDhoU BaddhadIkshasya VishNO:

AchakyustvAm PriyasahacharImaIkamatyOpapannAm I

PrAdurBhAvaIrapi Samatanu: PrADhvamanvIyasE Tvam

DurOtkshiptaIriva MadhuratA DugdharAshEstarangaI: II

 

The Agamas glorify Periya Piratti Thayar as "Ekamat SahacharI'. This

is due to the fact that Thayar is instrumental in pleading with

Bhagavan on behalf of those who surrender to him and securing his grace.

Therefore, She is responsible for destroying their sins and curing them

of their afflictions (on account of association with SamsAra). The

reference here is to the Lakshmi Tantram of the PAncharAtra Agama, which

extols the role of Periya Piratti in granting

SharaNagati to a Prapanna. It is my request to Sri Sadagopan to continue

his series of summaries on the work of Sri Vatsya Varadacharya (Nadadur

AmmaL) on the subject of Lakshmi Tantram.

Whenever the Lord incarnates, the AvirbhAva of Sri also takes place.

The careful use of Avirbhava must be understood in the context of verse

2 of this Stotram. Thayar always helps and support the Lord in his work

of protection (of the righteous). Her support and help for the Lord when

he is engaged in such tasks is extremely important.

One may relate this tribute to the Bhagavad Gita verse "ParitrANAya

SadhUnAm VinAshAyacha DushkritAm Dharma SamsthApanArthAya SambhavAmi

YugE YugE". Waves rise and subside in the ocean. In an analogous manner,

you are an inherent part of Lord Narayana. Just as Lord

Narayana takes various Avatarams, so too does Periya Piratti Thayar.

As a rule they are united with each other in each

Avataram. The references here are to the Avatarams of Rama,

Krishna and Srinivasa, where Sri too incarnated as Sita, Rukmini and

Padmavati. The salutation also incudes Goda Piratti. The birth of

Sita, Rukmini, Padmavati and Goda Piratti is the reason for Swami

Desikan's use of Avirbhava. The Lord's unison with his divine consort

in each Avataram is an important goal of the Avataram. It also enables

the Lord to carry out his Avatara KAryam. Testimony in support of

this fact can be seen from the Lord's assurances "Sarva PApEbhyO

MokshEshyAmi" and "Etad Vratam Mama". The support of Periya Piratti

Thayar to the Lord in carrying out his task arises from the word

Patni. The term Patni is reserved exclusively in the context of

Yajna. In the Yajna of protecting those who surrender to the Lord,

Mahalakshmi plays the role of Vishnu Patni. The doctrines of "DevatvE

Deva DehEyam ManushyatvE cha MAnushI" and "Yatra Yatra

Narayana: Tatra Tatra Lakshmi" establish that each incarnation of the

Lord is accompanied by a corresponding incarnation of Thayar and

that they are united with each other in each incarnation.

 

UllasaphallavitapAlita SaptalOki NirvAhakOrakitanEma KatAksha NIlAm

Srirangaharmyatala Mangala Deepa RekhAm Sri RangarAja MahishIm

SriyamAshrayAma:

 

Namo Narayana,

 

Muralidhar Rangaswamy

 

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