AparyApthAmrutha DhyAna sOpAanam : SlOkam 10

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Dear BhakthAs :

 

In this posting , we will cover the tenth slOkam

dealing with the resplendent , bejewelled crown of

the Lord of Thirukkudanthai .Sri GopAla MahA Desikan

lingered for quite a while enjoying the SaamudhrikA -

lakshaNam filled face of AarAvamudhan .Then he reluctantly

moved his gaze to the Kireetam that is symbolic of

the Lord's status as SarvEswaran . This slOkam is as follows :

 

naanA rathna prathitha mahimA srimadhApeeDanaddha:

sarvEsathva prakaDana chaNO nirmithO thulya hEmnA I

mAlyOnneetha sthira ParimaLO vaidhikAkhyE vimAnE

vaasasthAnE hrudhi lasathu mE SaarngiNa : tath kireeta: II

 

The emphasis here is on the last two words of that crown

of the Lord of Thirukkudanthai , who holds the bow named

Saarngam in His hands ( SaarngiNa: tath kireeta:).

 

What about that Kireetam ? Our AchAryan prays for

the memory of that crown of SaarngapANi to reside

forever in his mind ( hrudhi lasathu mE ).

 

Then our AchAryan asks for another boon about additional

places of residence for that lustrous and beautiful crown

of the Lord . Our AchAryan wishes also for that holy crown to

stay forever in the original place of residence of

the Lord , which is the Vaidhikha VimAnam ( VaasasthAnE

vaidhikhAkyE lasathu )at Thrukkudanthai .

 

The crown can not however reside at both places at

the same time .That is , it an not be at the mind of

the AchAryan as well as at the Vaidhikha VimmAnam .

Our AchAryan therefore gives precedence for that crown

adorning SaarngapANi to reside under the Vaidhikha vimAnam

and then the memory of that Vaidhika VimAnam containing

that splendid crown to become enshrined in his mind/heart

(mama hrudhi CHA lasathu) .The emphasis is on the word "cha" ,

which means also .The crown according to the Acharyan should

rest in its formal residence as a priority and then

in his mind/heart region .

 

What else is so special about that kireetam ? It is found

to be wound with the garlands of Tulasi and fragrant flowers

(maalyOnneetha sthira parimaLa : SaarngiNa: tath kireeta .

The fragrance of that Kireetam is permanent .It is not because of

the fragrance of the flowers or ThuLasi , but it is the natural

gandham (fragrance ) of the Kesam of the Sarvagandhan that imparts

the permanent fragrance to the flowers and ThuLasi

constituting the garlands wrapped around the Kireetam .

 

The crown itself is made of pure gold , which has no equal

in its lustre ( athulya hEmnA nirmitha: ). It has many rare

gems enmeshed in its body ( naanA rathna prathitha mahimA ).

There are emeralds , pushpa raagams , spotless diamonds ,

VaiDUryam , sapphires and other precious stones in that crown .

 

This multi-splendored , gem-bedecked golden crown adorning

the siras odf AarAvamudhan is a clear indication of

His Supermacy as the Lord of the Universe ,SarvEsvaran

( sarvEsvarathva prakatana chaNa . This uniquely sacred

and beautiful crown announces as it were ,the supermacy of

AarAvamudhan as the dEvathi dEvan and the Lord

of all chEthanams and achEthanams . This ThiruvabhishEkam

(Crown ) establishes without doubt that AarAvamudhan is

the ultimate Master of this universe and all its beings .

 

NammAzhwaar attests to the SarvEsvarathvam of the Lord

of Thirukkudanthai with the salutation : " thodu kadal

kidantha venkEsavan kiLaroLi maNi mudi Kudanthai venkOvalan".

AzhwAr points out that the radiance emanating from the gems

adorning that kireetam spreads everywhere and attest to His

SarvEsvarathvam .That crown is made out of unalloyed gold

(maRRoppAraiyillA aaNip Ponn = matchless pure gold ) and its

beauty is further enhanced by the fragrant garlands of green

ThuLasi , colorful wild flowers , Jaathi mullai and Jasmine

etal .These garlands encircling the Lord's crown have nithya

parimaLam because of their association with the hands of

BhaagavathAs like VishNucchitthar and ANDAL . That is why

the Lord's crown and His beautiful head wearing the illustrious

crown with garlands has been saluted as " SurabhI krutha

chAru mouLee ". ANDAL's (SooDikkoduttha NaachiyAr's ) garland

adorning the Lord's crown entitles Him to have the nAmam of

" GOdhaiyAtti kuzhal amarntha maNam amarntha PerumAL ".

 

AzhwArs in their mangaLAsAsanams pay tribute to that

ThiruvabhishEkham adorned by the fragrant garlands .

One example of their anubhavam is : " TaaLiNai mElum ,

nann mArbhilum , SUDAR MUDI MELUM --puNaintha TaNNam

ThuzhAi udaya ammAn ". That resplendent Crown is closely

associated with the concept that the Lord is the Veda

Purushan ( the Master of the fragrant VedAs ). It reveals

His Vaidhika nature . It is therefore no wonder that

the VimAnam at Thirukkudanthai of this Vaidhika Purushan is

revered as Vaidhikha VimAnam .

 

Thirukkudanthai Desikan prays in this slOkam for

the special blessing of that Veda Purushan's Kireetam

to shine forever in His heart as it shines under

the Vaidhikha VimAnam .

 

Thirukkudanthai Desikan's adoration of the Kireetam of

Sri AarAvamudhan follows very closely the anubhavam of

Lord RanganAthA's kireetam by Swami Desikan in his

Sri Sookthi , Sri Bhagavath DhyAna sOpAnam (9th slOkam ):

 

maalyairantha: sthira parimaLai: vallabhA: sparsa maanyai:

kupyac chOLee vachana kutiali: kunthaLai: slishtamUlE

rathnA peeDa dhyuhti aBaLithE Rangabarthu : kireetE

raajanvathya: sthithim adhigathA vrutthaya: chEthasO mE

 

One can hear the echos of these word groups from

Swami Desikan's slOkam on the kireetam of the Lord

of Srirangam in Thirukkudanthai Desikan"s eulogy

across centuries on AarAvamudhan .

 

here are four examples of such echos :

 

Swami Desikan Thirukkudanthai Desikan

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

 

1. rathna aapeeDa dhyuthi saBaLithE 1. naanA rathna prathitha mahimA

2. mAlyairantha: sthira parimaLai: 2. mAlyOnnetha sthira parimaLai:

3. Vrutthaya:chEthasO mE 3. Hrudhi vilasathu mE

4. vallabhA: sparsa Maanyai: 4. SrimathA peeDa naddha:

 

In the next slOkam , Thirukkudanthai Desikan sums up

his anubhavam of the beauty of the different limbs of

AarAvamudhan from His lotus feet to the radiant crown

( PaadhAthi kEsAntha sthuthi ).

 

Sri KomaLavalli SamEtha Sri AparyApthAmrutha SwaminE naam:

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradaachAri Sadagopan

PramAthi VaikAsi Sukla Shashti .