Sri GuNa Rathna Kosam : Part XIII : Fourth SlOakm/Section 2

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SrimathE RanganAyakai Nama:

 

Dear BhakthAs :

 

We will now study paddham by paddham the fuller

meanings of the Fourth SlOkam :

 

yadh-bhrU-bhangA: pramANam sTira-chara-rachanA

taaratamyE MurArE:

VedAnthAs-tatthva-chinthAm Murabhidhurasi

YathpAdha-chihnais-taranthi

BhOgOpOdhgAtha kELee chuLakitha-bhagavath

Vaisva-roopyAnubhAvA

Saa Na: SrIrAsthruNIthAm amrutha-lahari-dhee

lankaneeyair-apAngai:

 

The First Paadham:The power of the Eye Movement

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

 

" Yadh-bhrU-bhanga: pramANam STira-chara-rachanA

tAratamyE MurArE:" is the first paadham .

 

There are countless number of creations ( sentients/

Jangamams/sthirams and insentients/sthAvarams/charam )

in the Lord's srushti . There are a lot of gradations

and differences among the multitudinous class of insentients

(Tree , Mountains et al) and sentients ( a worm , a bird ,

an animal , humans ,dEvAs et al).

 

Our Lord (MurAri) seems to need some indications as to

whether He is doing alright during the creation of

these sentients and insentients ; He needs some route maps

and guide lines to complete this onerous task of

creating all these charAcharams (sthira-chara-rachanA)

with the distinguishing gradations (Taaratamyam).

He uses His Vedams as PramANams and yet He wants

to get some reassurances and feedbacks on

His handiwork.

 

Our MurAri's needed pramANam (authority ) for guidance in

these efforts besides Vedams comes from the "BhrU-bnagam "

of MahA Lakshmi (Sri RanganAyaki). She serves as

the final arbiter and referee . By watching

the different movements of Her eye brows , MurAri

(RanganAthan) gets the cue and assigns appropriately

the gradations(Taaratamyams)for the different chEthnams

and achEthanams.Thus "MurArE's pramANam is " that Bhru-bangam "

(Yadh BhrU-bangam)of His Sahadharma-chAriNi ,Sri RanganAyaki.

 

The Second Paadham : The Guiding principle for the Upanishads

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

 

" VedAnthAs-tatthva-chinthAm Murabhidhurasi

Yath-paadha-chihnais-taranthi "

 

Time and again VedAnthAs (Upanishads) have

to establish the Parathvam (Supermacy )among

Gods .They look for PramANams and signs by

which they can go about this task to settle

without doubt the parathvam issue . They come to

the conclusion that Lord VishNu has Paaramyam/Parathvam

(Supermacy ) over all the others based on the fact

that He alone has the Bhaagyam of being the Consort of

MahA Lakshmnee( LakshmI Pathy).

 

Upanishads are our PramANams. The PramANam for

them in subtle & ultimate determinations like "Who is

the Supreme Lord of all Lords " is the sign

of the red lac dye imprinted on the chest of

MahA VishNu . With the clue of that insignia ,

the Upanishads conclusively establish that

MahA VishNu is the Supreme One . They assert on

that basis that Sriya: pathi , Sriman NaarAyaNan ,

is the Para Devathai.

 

The Third Paadham:PerumAL padum Paadu in PirAtti anubhavam

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

 

" BhOgOpOdhgAtha kELI chuLakitha-bhagavadh-

vaisva-roopyAnubhAvA "

 

As Sri RanganAyaki looks at Him , Our Lord

begins to enjoy Her svarUpa-Roopa GuNams .

He wants to rise to the occasion given

the magnitude of Her GuNa Rathnams . He takes

therfore a gigantic form (visva roopam with thousands

of hands ,eyes and faces) to take in the full ecstasy

of that BhOgAnubhavam. Taking the Visva Roopam

is His " anubhAvam " in His attempt to fully enjoy

the anantha kalyANa guNams of His pirAtti.

AnubhAvam means an external manifestation

or indication of a feeling (bhAvam) by appropriate

symptoms such as look or gesture. His anubhAvam

as He begins to enjoy Her svarUpa-roopa guNams

is the assumption of Visva Roopam .Even that

effort was not adequate for the occasion .

It was like using the cupped palm of one's hands

to measure the content of the ocean of Her SavrUpa-

roopa GuNams.He does not get the paripoorNa

anubhava prApthi , even if He tries hard.

He gets dismayed. Dr.VedAntha Desikan comments

on these difficulties of the Lord has rasOkthi

(delectable anubhavam ):

 

" PerumAL anubhavatthil Bhakthar padum paattinai ,

Periya PirAtiyAr anubhavatthil PerumAL paduvAn

pOlum ! ".

 

The Fourth paadham : A Prayer

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

 

" Saa na: SrI: aasthruNIthAm- amruthalaharI-

dhee-langaneeyai: apAngaI: "

 

May That " Saa SrI:",the SrI Devi of such limitless

KalyANa GuNams immerse us (aasthruNIthAM)

in the flood of mental waves of nectar

(amrutha laharI Dhee:) , which is nothing

but Her karuNA KatAkshams (Daya-laden

glances).

 

Swamy PrAsara Bhattar qualifies those most

powerful nectar-like glances of Sri RanganAyaki

this way: Those glances which baffle Her

Lord to take a measure of Her are known for

their Vaalabhyam ( Power to direct the Lord

to get things accomplished ), Niroopakathvam

(She Being the Supreme example to establish

the parathvam of Her Lord ) and BhOgyathvam

( Baffling even PerumAl to rise up to the occasion

to enjoy Her Svaroopa-Roopa GuNams fully ) .

 

May That "Saa SrI " , that Sri RanganAyaki known for

Her Vaalabhyam , Niroopakathvam and BhOgyathvam

sprinkle the nectar stream of Her karuNai-laden

glances on me ! Swamy Parasara Bhattar points

out that the waves of those nectarine glances

(amrutha lahari) have to be enjoyed with " Dhee "

( at the level of intellect and not on a physical

plane ) .

 

In the previous slOkam , the prayer was:

"Rachayathu mayi Lakshmee Kalpavallee KatAkshAn ".

(May She shower Her rich rain of gracious daya

on me and soak me in that auspicious bath ).

 

In this slOkam , the prayer goes one step further:

"Saa na: SrI: aasthruNIthAm amruthalaharI

dhee langaneeyai: apAngai:" ( May that LakshmI

sprinkle/spread the nectarine wave of Her eye-glances

on/over me , which are to be enjoyed by the intellect).

 

(PraNavam) Sri NilayAyai nama:

( " ) BhOgavathyai nama:

( " ) VibhUthyai nama:

( " ) PrApthyai nama:

( " ) RakshAyai nama:

( " ) Kaaminyai nama:

( " ) Sarva LakshaNa LakshaNAyai nama:

( " ) Sarva Loka Priyankaryai nama:

( " ) Sarva MangaLa MaangalyAyai nama:

( " ) DhrushtAdhrushta phala-pradhAyayai nama:

 

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan