PaadhukhA Sahasra Slokam :935 ( AchArya Mahimai ): Part 2

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Dear BhakthAs :

 

This slokam from Chithra Paddhathi is another

tribute to the versatality and genius of Swami

Desikan .The slOkam is as follows :

 

tathAtatthA thithatthEtataathA

thathatheethEthithaathithuth

thatthathatthaa tathithathaa

thathEthaathEtha thaathuthaa

 

The split and stops of this slOkam , which

makes it sound like jathisvaram of a classical

Bharatha Naatyam piece are :

 

thathaathatthA athitatthEthaa thaathathi

ithEthithaathithuthatth I

thatthathatthathatthAtha thithathathathaa

thathA ithAthEthathaathuthaa II

 

When one hears this slOkam recited by

MukkUr Swami , one gets RomAnjali .

 

This slOkam is set in what is known as

Ekahalka Bhandham .This verse contains one

"hul" sound . Hence , it is classified as

Ekahulka Bhandham .The name of Ekahulkam

derives from the Sanskrit grammar elaborated by

PaNIni's system . " Hal" is a technical expression

for all consonants in general or for a single

consonant . This slOkam contains only one

consonant ( Tha ) and therefore is understood as

Ekahalkam .

 

The general meaning of the slOkam :

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

 

The PaadhukhAs of the Lord are known for their

long strides and are known for their readiness

to travel at any time , any where. Since these holy

paadhukhAs are most enjoyable and attainable , they

exceed even the status of Brahmam denoted generally as

"Thath " . These padhukhAs through their power destroy

the afflictions of the samsAris . They are expansive

as a result of the rows of objects and people under

its suzeranity. They are surrounded by many musical

instruments such as VeeNA , Mrudhangam et al, which

praise their glories .They are the property of the father

of manmathA and act as a Father would to his children .

 

The more elaborate meaning of this slOkam :

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

 

Why do the PaadhukhAs ( SadhaachAryAs ) plead

for us ,the MahA Paapis , who are spurned by

the Lord and the world ? Why do they acquire for us

the DayA of the Lord and then give us good counsel ,

protect us through the upadEsam to seek refuge at

the Lord's sacred feet ? That is a dirct result of

the limitless DayA of the PaadhukhAs( SadhAchAryAs ).

That dayA blossoms in to Vaathsalyam for us , the undeserving

ones .What does that Vaathsalyam do ? The PaadhukhAs act

like a Cow in search of its young calf and search for

the JeevarAsis to protect them and roam all over

in such an effort (vyApAram ).The PaadhukhAs

demonstrate that they are parama prApyam because of

the Jeevan's clear comprehension about their true

nature : Interceder (purushakAram ) with BhagavAn

for our upliftment( ujjIvanam ). In this regard ,

the PaadhukhAs ( sdahAchAryAs ) recognize that they are

more powerful in attracting and holding the Jeevans

than the Lord Himself -who gave up-and at the same time

more enjoyable than the paramAthmA Himself .The pair of

PaadhukhAs of Sri RanganAthA act like Him as

described by the following Srimadh RaamAyaNa slOkam :

 

vyasanEshu manushyANAm bhrusam bhavathi dukkhitha:

uthsavEshu cha sarvEshu pithEva parithushyathi

 

The PaadhukhAs like their Lord becomes sorrowful , when

those who seek refuge experience sorrows and are joyous,

when the SaraNAgathAs experience Joy ; in this regard ,

they demonstrate Vaathsalyam like parents for their

dear children .This is one of the rarest kind of

Vathsalyam !

 

SadhAchAryAs ( PaadhukhAs ) out of their Vaathsalyam

seek out the suffering samsAris and protect them through

their timely intervention .They reveal to these samsAris

their rare (adhisayitha ) prApyathvam and bhOgyathvam

( enjoyability ) through the example they set by their

Saasthra-sampradhAya anushtAnams .They do all the hithams

through their care and involvement .The SadhAchAryAs stay

as Sarva vitha Bhandhus and help us acquire sakala purushArthams .

Through their madhura bhAshaNam and Brahma tEjas , they attract

us.They do not need anything in return for their upakArams

to us. They act like the caring parents in empathizing

with us and responding to our needs with alacrity .

 

PaadhukhA Devi like Sri Devi, BhUmi Devi , NeeLA Devi

and DayA Devi intercedes on our behalf with

the Dhandha dharan , the Lord , who gets angry at

us for trespassing His saasthrAs . PaadhukhA Devi like

the other four Devis follows the dictum :

"apichEth sudhurAchAra: ,Kshipram Bhavathi DharmAthmA".

Through Her intercession and pleading , the PaadhukhA Devi

wins the case on our behalf with the erstwhile angry Lord

and removes our sins , acquires for us the Lord's anugahams

and makes us quickly ( Kshipram ) the righteous ones

( DahrmAthmAs). With alpa vyAjam , She intervenes and

recommends and makes us parama sukruths and parama

BhAgyasAlis .

 

The multiple meanings based on variations of one consonoant

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

In this Ekahalka Bhandha slOkam centered around the single

consonant of " Tha " , the sandhis yield a variety of amazing

meanings summarized above.We will cover only a few of them below:

 

thatha = visthirutham or covering extensively

( Steps of the PaadhukhAs are referrd to here )

 

athatthathaa = That which has the attribute of

tavelling every where ( the reach of the PaadhukhAs

of the Lord is referred to here )

 

tatth = Brahma sabdham

 

athithuth = one that banishes completely

 

ithAtha = father of manmathan

 

thaathathi = becomes the Father

 

The sharing of the duties of PaadhukhA with the other Devis

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

 

This slOkam is an echo of the 7th slOkam of the Dvandhva

Paddhathi of Sri RanganAtha PaadhukhA sahasram :

 

paarsvayO; sarasijA VasundharE

PaadhayOsccha MaNipaadhukE ! YuvAM

sannikarshatha na chEth madhu Dhvisha:

kim karishyathi kruthAgasAm GaNa:

 

(Meaning ): What can the assembly of sins do ,

when Sri Devi and BhU devi are on both sides

of the Lord and You , Oh PaadhukhE are at His

feet ? If all the three of You are not at

Your special sthAnams , what will indeed

happen to our sins ? Without Your intercessions

for us , the MahA Paapis , there will be no

deliverance from our Paapams and there will

be no redemption for us .

 

This is the thought that Sri PoundarIkapuram

AchAryan covered at the end of his UpanyAsam

on "PirAnum PirAttikaLum " that we could not hear

fully due to line problems on the tele-bridge.

 

In summary ,the AchArya PrabhAvam is saluted

in this Chithra Paddhathi SlOkam by Swami

Desikan , while he symbolically pays homage to

the divya MaNI PaadhukhAs of Sri RanganAtha

Para Brahmam .

 

Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

Oppiliappan Koil VaradachAri Sadagopan