Sri Third kalasam of PraNavAkruthi VimAnam : Rg Vedam --part 10

[Guest guest]

Dear RanganAtha Premis :

 

In this posting , we will pay our homage to

" SRI RANGANATHA , THE RG VEDA SVARUPI "

AS REPRESENTED BY THE THIRD KALASAM ON HIS

PRANAVAKRUTHI VIMAANAM AT SRIRANGAM .

 

We will focus on nine Rg Veda manthrams

to salute Sri RanganAthA in the context of

our 18 brick kaimkaryam for His temple at

Pomona . I will focus on one manthram

from the First nine khAndams of Rg Vedam .

The Marriage manthrams came from the 10th

Khaandam and have already been covered

extensively .

 

1. THE PRIMORDIAL LORD RANGANAATHAA

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Indram Mithram VaruNamagnimAhurathO

divya sa suparNO GaruthmAn

yekam sadh viprA bahudhA vadanthyagnim

Yamam MaatharisvAnamAhu : ---R.V. I.164.46

 

(Meaning ) : He ( Sriman naarAyaNA ) is THE ONE ,

though the learned preists call Him by different

names , such as IndrA , MithrA , VaruNA , Agni ,

SuparNA , GaruthmAn , Yaman and Maatharisvan

in their Yagnams .

 

Indra here refers to His resplendent feature;

MitrA means the surveyor , the Visva Saakshi

aspect of the Lord of Srirangam . VaruNA recognizes

that He is the most venerable ; Agni covers His

adorable attributes ; He is the celestial one soaring

skyward and beyond as the well-winged GaruthmAn

( the great One ) . He is the Yaman or the ordainer

of rewards and punishments .He is the life behind

the universe (cosmic breath) as inferred from His name

as Maatarisvan . The learned preists call the Very same

Para Bhrammam by many names and yet the object of their

adoration is the ONLY ONE : Sriman NaarAyaNA .

 

The learned preists ( ViprA: ) is the equivalent of

" Inn kavi paadum parama kavigaL " saluted by NammAzhwAr.

The object of salutation is " Periyavappan "

of NammAzhwAr's Thiruvaimozhi (8.1.11 ) .He is also

called by AzhwAr as " TannoppArillappan " in

ThiruviNNagr Thiruvaimozhi and as " UlahukkOr

Taniappan " ( Grand Master of All DevAs and

their in-dweller ) .

 

2 . THE ONE AND ONLY PROTECTOR: SRI RANGANAATHA

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na tamamhO na dhuritham kuthascchana

nArAtayas titirur na dhvyAvina :

visvA idh asmadh dhvarasO vi

bhAdhasE yamm sugOpA rakshasi BrhamaNaspathE

----Rg Vedam II. 23.5

 

( Meaning ) : No one AND No power on earth or

heaven will harm the person , whom , YOU ,

the Lord omnipotent and superscient have decided

to defend and protect . Neither sin nor sorrow from

any quarter , neither sworn enemies nor hypocrites

or double dealers will ever succeed in harming

the Bhaktha ( like PrahlAdhA or GajendrA or

Draupathi ) that YOU have vowed to protect .

You with Your infinite power drive away all

trecherous and injurious harms that come their way .

 

This is the essence of Abhaya PradhAna Saaram .

" abhayam sarva bhUthEbhyO dadhAmyEthadh vratham

mama" was the declaration of the Lord in Srimadh

RaamAyaNam ( Yuddha KhAndham 18.34) . This is known

as SaraNya abhiprAyam ( the inner thought of

the Rakshakan ) .That is why Prapatthi in essence

is"Moksha Paryantha sakala purushArtha Saadhanam "

in Swami Desikan's view .

 

Swami Desikan expresses the same Vedic thought

in the 37th slokam of Sri VaradarAja PanchAsath :

O Lord VaradarAja ! Mayi RakshaNeeyE dharmAdhi

bhAhya sahakAri gavashaNEna kim vaa? -- Bhavatha

sankalpa yEva nipuNa ; sahAya : ( O Lord ! I am

an akinchanan . In the matter of protecting me ,

what is the point of seeking external help like

Nithya , Naimmitthika dharmams ? Your Own sankalpam

( determination ) is the most capable and unfailing

assistance for me . There is nothing else .

 

The prayer of KaamasikhAshtakam , " Tvayi rakshathi

Rakshakai: kimanyaI: , tvayi chArakshathi Rakshakai:

Kimanyai: " is also an echo of this sentiment .

Swami asks rhetorically , " When you have vowed to

protect one , where is the need for others? When You

have decided not to protect one , what can be the use

of other "protectors " ?

 

3. ACHAARYA BHAKTHI : RG VEDAM III.27.1

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This manthram reminds one of Mathura kavi AzhwAr ,

who rejected the Lord in favor of his AchAryA .

" thEvu maRRaRiyEn KuruhUr Nambi

paavinnisai paadit thirivEnE " is

the statement of Madhura Kavi .

 

The echoing Rg Veda Manthram is III.27.1 :

 

pra vOvAjA abhidhyavO havishmanthO gruthAchyA I

dEvAn jigAthi sumnaya: II

 

( Meaning ) : With the gifts of nourishing

and tasteful food and with butter-yielding

cows and other objects worthy of oblations ,

the worshipper (disciple) in search of happiness

(true knowledge ) approaches the enlightened AchAryAs .

 

4.INVOCATION &INVITATION TO THE LORD : RG VEDAM--IV.29.1

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Aa na; sthutha upa vAjEbhir Uthi

Indra yAhi haribhirmandasAna: I

tiras chidh aryah: savanA purUNyai

angushEbhir gruNAna: satyarAdhA : II

 

(Meaning ) : Saluted and eulogized with sacred

hymns , O Resplendent Lord , most auspicious

embodiment of truth (rutham , sathyam ) , May

Thou rush to our places of worship and work

with the speed of light and powered by the ecstasy

of Your matchless strength and protect us .

 

5. A PRAYER FOR LORD'S NOURISHMENT : RG VEDAM V.6.4

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Aa thE Agna idheemahi dhyumantham dEvAjaram I

yaddha syA thE paneeyasI samidh didhayathi

dhyavisahm sthOthrubhya Aa bhara II

 

( Meaning ) : O Adorable Lord ! We kindle Your bright ,

eternal light in our hearts so that its lustre shines

deep in our hearts . May Thou grant nourishment to us ,

who adore You .

 

The next manthram goes on salute this Lord of bright light

as the bestower of bliss and protector of the righteous .

 

6. DHRUVAM JYOTHI: THE STEADY LIGHT - RG VEDAM : VI.9.6

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vi mEh karNA pathayathO vi chakshurveedham

jyOthir hrudhaya aahitham yath I

vi mEh manasccharathi dhUraadhee:

kim svidh vakshyAmi kimu nU manishyE II

 

( Meaning ) : My ears are turned (tuned ) to hear Him

( His footsteps ) ; my eyes are straining to behold

Him ( His approaching Form ) ; The divine light shining

in my heart is also eager to know (recognize) Him .

My mind , the receptacle of distant objects , hastens

towards Him (like a sprinting deer ) . What shall I

speak (when I see Him ) ? How shall I comprehend Him

and give Him His due accord ?

 

7. THE LORD IS NEAR AND DEAR : RG VEDAM -VII.15.1

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UPASADHYAAYA MEElHUSHA AASYE JUHATHAA HAVI:

 

(Meaning ) : oh people! Offer homage to the ever-present,

adorable Lord , the grantor of boons ( VaradarAjan ) and

the showerer of auspicious blessings . Offer your homage

directly as He is available (present ) in our close proximity .

 

8. ACHALA BHAKTHI : RG VEDAM --VIII.1.1

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maa chidh anyadh vi samsatha sakhAyO maa rishaNyatha I

indramith sthOthA vrushaNam sachA suthE muhur ukthA ca samsatha II

 

( Meaning ) : O Dear Ones ! Do not offer worship to anyone

but Him , the divine One ( NaarAyaNA ). Let no grief or doubt

perturb you . Praise Him alone and sing His glories .

Eulogize Him alone , the radiant , the showerer of

sadhanugrahams . During the course of your self-realization ,

continue to repeat uttering hymns in praise of Him .

 

9. A PRAYER FOR PURIFICATION : RG VEDAM -IX.67.25

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ubhAbhyAm dEva savitha: pavithrENa savEna cha I

maam puneehi visvatha: II

 

(Meaning ) : O Impeller of auspicious thoughts !

O Light supreme! purify me by your processes of

filtration and effusion both ; purify me from

every side .

 

Sri RanganAthA , the parama pavithran is the

Purifier that we seek in the state of wakefulness

and sllep and sushpthi .

 

The very same Sri RanganAthA , the indweller of

Indran , VaruNan and others is requested by one

of the maanthrams of Sri MahA NaarAyaNOpanishad

to destroy completely al the sins committed by

a person and their family :

 

yanmE manasA vAchA karmANA vaa dhushkutham krutham I

tanna IndrO VaruNO Bruhaspathi:

SavithA cha punanthu puna : puna : MNU :I.56

 

With prayers to Sri RanganaathA to complete His own

Kaimkaryam through His BhakthAs ,

 

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan