Copy of: Sri Raaga pancharathnam of Saint ThyagarAjA : Greatness of BhagavathAs

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DATE: 1/23/98 9:16 AM

 

RE: Copy of: Sri Raaga pancharathnam of Saint ThyagarAjA : Greatness of

BhagavathAs

 

Isvara samvathsaram ,Thai 10th day

Friday , KrishNa paksha dasami

Anusha Nakshathram

Jan 23, 1998

 

Dear NaadhOpaasakAs & Raama BhakthAs :

 

Saint ThyagarAjA used PottaNNA Bhagavatham and

Srimadh RaamAyaNam for pArAyaNam every day .

His reverence for BhagavathAs was rooted in

the following slOkam of Srimadh Bhagavatham :

 

naishAm mathisthavadhurukramAngrim

sprusathyanarthOpagamO yathartha : I

maheeyasAm PAADHA RAJOBHISHEKAM

nishkinchanAnAm cha vruNeetha yAvath II

 

In the spirit of Thondardipodi , who followed the

Bhagavatha dharmam and named himself the dust

of the holy feet of thondars of Sriman NaarAyaNA ,

Saint ThyeagarAjA had the highest reverence for

the BhagavathA's ( maheeyasAm ) paadha rENu

( paadha rajObhishEkam ) . Wearing the dust of

BhagavathA's feet , Saint ThyagarAjA went about his

life with the support of Unchivrutthi and nAma

sankeerthanam of the Lord's rUpa ,GuNa mahimAs .

 

The above Bhagavatha slOkam providing the frame work of

reference for the lives of Saint ThyagarAja and Thondardipodi AzhwAr

and a host of others states : " There is only one sure way to

destroy the sins accumulated by the human beings in their

life time. That is to wear on one's head with reverence the dust

from the feet of the BhagavathAs , who have discarded the pursuit

of material wealth and are humble and happy in service to

Thrivikrama NaarAyaNan . Only then , they can comprehend

the glory of the Lord and His celebration of His BhagavathAs .

The Lord's blessings can not be realized unless one offers

the salutations to BhagavathAs and wear their PaadhAngri rENu .

These are the MahAnubhAvAs , who are the means for our salvation .

 

Yet another slokam points out the importance of Bhagavatha

Kaimkaryam ( Sath sEvA ) and links to AchArya Vandanam :

 

sath sEvA guru sEvA cha dEva bhAvEna chEdh bhavEth I

tadaishA Bhagavadh Bhakthi : labhyathE kvachith II

 

( Meaning ) : Bhagavadh anugraham is realized only by

those , who revere BhagavathA MahAnubhAvAs and AchAryAs

and perform kaimkaryams to them and recognize them as

walking Gods . No other means lead to Bhagavadh katAksham .

 

Saint ThyagarAjA recognized the central and supreme importance

of Hari DaasAs as revealed by the Vedams , PurANams , Agamams ,

Upanishads , AzhwArs and AchAryAs . As a Parama VaishNavA ,

he practised , what the scriptures , IthihAsAs and PurANAs

taught him and has celebrated the greatness of Bhagavatha

GhOshtis and singled out Bhagavatha LakshaNms in many

of his krithis . Supreme among them is the Pancha Rathnam

set in the auspicious Sri Raagam , EntharO MahAnubhAvu " .

Here , he estalishes the necessity of Bhagavatha sathsangam .

We will cover as prelude the Saastraic passages celebrating

Bhagavatha Mahimai before taking the Saahithya Vaakhyams

of this illustrious krithi .

 

SaamaVEdam's UttarArchika Rks & Bhagavatha Mahimai

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

 

Saama vEdam grows our Jn~Anam with GhAnam and in many

of its rks , celebrates the special relationship between the Lord

and His BhagavathAs . Sama Veda rks are the most beautiful

ones celebrating the greatness of BhagavAn and His BhagavathAs .

Let us enjoy the salutations of Saama rks to BhagavathAs:

 

utha svarAjO adhithirabhdasya vrathasya yE I

mahO raajana eesathE II

 

( Meaning ) : Those mahAnubhAvAs with unblemished

character , who are resplendent through their tapas

( penance/soul-force ) by observing the inviolate laws

of the Lord become fit to rule over others through their

supermacy as BhagavathAs of the Lord .

 

These MahAnubhAvAs observe strict nishtai and are of

spotless character following dAsa maargam . Another

Saama rk celebrates their austerity and their spreading

their nourishing warmth to the ones shivering in the cold

of samsArA :

 

kaNvA iva bhrugava: SooryA iva visvamiddheetamAsatha I

Indram sthOmEbhirmahayantha ayava: priyamEdhAsO asvaran II

---UttarArchika Saama rk : 1363

 

( Meaning ) : The tapasvis (austere learned people ) are like

the rays of the Sun and these MahAnubhAvAs enjoy the world

through their force of knowledge and meditation . These BhagavathAs

with refined intellect recite Vedic verses and worship God with

songs of praise .

 

AzhwAr's paasuram is an echo of the above Saama veda rk :

 

" naatthazhumbezha NaaraNAvenrazhaitthu

mei thazhumbhat thozhuthEtthi , inburum

Thondar sEvadiyEtthi vaazhtthum yennenjamE "

 

This passage of paasuram connects very well the

Bhagavatha ArAdhanam with Bhagavadh ArAdhanam .

AzhwAr states that his mind runs after the BhagavathAs ,

who are in a state of bliss resulting from their calling

the Lord's name ( NaarayaNA , NaarAyaNA ) and during

that process get their tongues thick with such an exercise .

These are the ones , who reject sillundi gods ( siru dhaivam

sErEn ) and have attached themselves to the sacred feet of

Sriman naarAyaNA . These MahAnubhAvAs are like light houses

in the stormy night , when the strayed one can not find his way

to the shore . These mahAnubhAvAs are maarga darsis and

through their practise of AhimsA , sathyam , AsthEyam ( not

stealing ) , Brahmacharyam , Aparigruham ( not coveting

other's properties ) , Soucham ( body cleanliness) ,

Indriya Nigraham ( Control over their senses ) . These

uttama BhagavathAs are the ones for us to approach and

perform Bhagavatha Nishtai as the SaraNAgathi maargam

and attain salvation .

 

Two other Saama rks in support of Bhagavatha Nishtai are :

 

yesha pavithrE aksharan sOmO dhEvEbhaya: sutha: I

VisvA dhAmAnyAvisan II

 

sushamiddhO na aa vaha dhEvAm AgnE havishmathE I

hOtha: Paavaka: Yakshi cha II --- Saama Rk 1347

 

The first Saama Rk asserts tha BhagvAn manifests Himself

to the wise , learned persons ( BhagavahtAs ) and is realized

in various beautiful forms . The Lord pervades all places .

 

The second Saama rk makes the following prayer to the Lord :

Oh Paramathman with Svayam jyOthi ! BhagavathAs are very

dear to You . Oh Lord , who grants all the boons to Your devotees !

Please kindle and grow the flames of Bhagavatha Bhakthi in

our hearts and grant us the blessings of Sathsangam . Please

link us with the Bhagavatha ghOshti .

 

Yet another Saama rk celebrates the role of BhagavathAs :

 

sa punAn upa sUrE dhadhaana ObhE aprA rhOdasee veesha: aava: I

priyA chidhyasya priyamAsa uthi sathO dhanam kAriNE na pra yahumsath II

-----UttarArchika Saaman : 1358

 

( Meaning) : The BhagavathAs through their austerity and

unconditional loyalty to the Lord meditate profoundly .

Their tapas fills both the literate and the illiterate with

the glow of true learning and disclose various sorts of

knowledge about the greatness of the Lord . The pure

and noble desires of the BhagavathAs are the shields for us

against fears and debacles . May He grant us the excellent

wealth of spiritual knowledge , as to His BhagavathAs

through sathsangam .

 

The above rk prays for a blessing similar to that attained

by BhagaavthAs . ThiruvaLLUvar has pointed out in his

illustrious work , ThirukkuraL that Bhagavatha aasrayaNam

and service to them will yield without doubt the blessings

of the Lord . He salutes the BhagavathAs as , " yEnthiya

koLhaiyAr " , those with avowed dedication to Bhagavatha

Dharmam as the noble doctrine in the following KuraL :

 

" yEnthiya koLhayAr seeRin idai murinthu

vEndanum vEnthu kedum "

 

The KuraL asks not to committ BhagavathApachAram and

end up in the wrong way .

 

In the next posting on Sri Raaga Pancharathnam , We will

enjoy how our great AzhwArs have celebrated the glories of

BhagavathAs . They have very clearly stated that Bhagavadh

PrAvaNyam ( true attachment to the Lord ) will not happen

unless one becomes Bhagavatha PravaNar ( sincere devotion

to His BhagavathAs ) . This is their ringing endorsement of

Bhagavatha Nishtai , as one of the four accepted routes of

SaraNAgathi .

 

Sri Sadh GuravE Nama:

Sri Raamachandra parabrahmaNe Nama:

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan