Chithra Paddhathi : Slokam 936

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Dear Sri Ranganatha Divya PadhukhA AarAdhakhAs :

 

This series started after hearing Sri Mukkur

Lakshmi NarasimhAcchAr Swamy recite two of

the Chithra Paddhathi SlOkams in his NithyAnusandhAnam

tape . Today , I will focus on another great

Chithra Paddhathi SlOkam known for its beauty ,

depth of meaning and the excellent illustration

of Swami Desikan's skills as a MahA Kavi and

a great AchAryA of our venerable SampradhAyam .

 

The 936th SlOkam of Sri RanganAtha PaadhukhA Sahasram

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This slOkam is an example of Eka VarNa chithram

and is made up of one Aksharam :"Ya" in this case .

It has one Svaram and hence it is called Eka Svara

Chithram .It is also called Dhvi SthAna Chithram ,

since two specific sthAnams (locations ) inside

the vocal apparatus are exclusively associated

with the recitation of this slOkam .

 

In addition to the above chithrams (patterns )of svaram

and sthAnam, there are many other geometric patterns

(Bhandhams )that qualify this slOkam to be revered as

a MahA Yamakam . The name Yamakam means twin at a

surface level . In a rhetorical sense , Yamakam means

structured repetition of aksharams/syllables in the same

slOkam , which are similar in sound , but different in meaning .

What Swami Desikan did was much more than what the rules

of the Yamakam required and constructed a MahA Yamakam

out of this slOkam .We will now enjoy this great SlOkam

revering the Sri Ranganaatha Divya maNi PaadhukhAs .

 

The SlOkam based on the aksharam , Ya

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The aksharam , "Ya" is repeated 32 times in this slOkma ,

just as the most sacred Chathush paadha Gaayathri contains

32 different aksharams . The other connections with the number

"Thirty Two" aksharams forming this slOkam are :

(1) there are 32 Brahma VidhyAs or Para VidhyAs

(2)There are 32 Paddhathis ( Vazhis or Maargams )in

the PaadhukhA Sahasra grantham . These are the 32

ways of worshipping Sri RanganAtha PaadhukhAs ,

which is equal to worshipping NammAzhwAr in 32 different

ways .

 

The text of this great slOkam is :

 

yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa

yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa yaa

 

The PadhacchEtham or division of the words in 19 parts

to bring about the meaning split along four quadrants are :

 

yaayaayaa (1) , aaya (2) , aayaaya (3), ayaaya (4),

ayaaya (5) , ayaaya (6) , ayaaya (7), ayaayaa (8),

yaayaaya (9), aayaayaaya(10), aayaayaa(11) ,

yaa(12),yaa(13),yaa(14),yaa(15),yaa(16),yaa(17),yaa(18),yaa(19)

 

The fourth quadrant is made up of 8 aksharAs (yaa),

which are the same .The three other quadrants split

differently based on the unit of EkAksharam , Ya .

The aksharam , Yaa , stands for the Lord's PaadhukhAs .

 

General Meaning of this slOkam

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The PaadhukhAs are the instruments to give one , the most precious

boon of Moksham and have joined the Lord's feet to have that

poweras the supreme sadAchAryan ( Prapanna Jana kUtasthar).

The PadhukhAs as the representative of Sriman NaarAyaNA

bring Him to people with blemishes to remove their defects and

transform them into liberated souls( muktha Jivans)through

SamAsrayaNam and BharanyAsam .This is possible because

the PaadhukhAs rarely leave the Lord's proximity .

 

We will continue with the word by word meaning for

the 19 words referred to earlier in the next posting .

We will also elaborate on the deeper meanings of this

slOkam in that posting .

 

Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradachAri SadagOpan