Padhuka Sahasram-349

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Sri:

 

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

 

Translation by U.Ve. Dr. V.N. Vedanta Desikan Swamin:

 

349. kim puShpaIsthuLasIdhaLaIrapi krutham dhUrvApi dhUrE sThithA

thvathpUjAsu mukundhapAdhu! krupayA thvam kAmaDhEnu: sathAm

prathyagrAhruthadharBhapallavalavagrAsABhilASHOnmuKhI

DhEnusthiShTathu sA vasiShTaBhavanadhvArOpakaNTasThalE

 

Oh Paaduka! When Your worship is being done, what for, flowers? Even

Tulasi leaves are not required; let Durva grass be far away. Because

You do not expect materials from good souls, who have deep devotion to

You; without expecting anything, by sheer grace of Yours, You grant

all rewards. You are indeed a Kamadhenu-but unlike that Kamadhenu

which would eject its mouth towards Vasishta expecting a mouthful of

grass from him! Let that Kamadhenu be there-we do not need it. Here is

our Paadhuka, our Kamadhenu.

 

Namo Narayana,

 

SriMuralidhara Dasan

 

Special Notes by V.SatakOpan(V.S):349

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(1) Sri Utthamur Swamy's anubhavam:Oh PaadhukE of Moksham-

granting Lord! There are people , who may feel uncomfortable

that they are unable to bring flowers from PaarijAthA tree or

from earthly trees or TuLasi leaves or even blades of panic

grass to You as offering.They pine over their inabilities

to collect any of the above material for worship and are very

unhappy about their lot. You however bless them with every thing

out of the fullness of Your merciful heart. in this regard,

You are even better than the divine KaamadhEnu .She needs atleast

a handful of fresh grass to be brought to her as a mark of

respect, before she can grant the wishes of the people, who

beseech Her blessings. You on the other hand do not expect

anything from those , who approach You.The small act of

adorning You on their heads for a moment is sufficient for you

to give them more than what they asked for. Let KaamadhEnu stand

where she is ! We do not need her, when You are with us.Let

KaamadhEnu stand at her customary place (i-e)., at the entrance

of Sage VasishtA's hermitage and help him. You give us

every thing , even if we are unable to bring you anything .

Your compassion and generous spirit is matchless.

 

(2)Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that AchAryAs

are crores of times more munificent than the proverbial KaamadhEnu ,

when it comes to granting one's wishes. The AchAryAs do not expect

anything and yet grant all prayOjanms in the spirit of " KrupayA

nispruhO vadEth".

 

(3)The salutations to the Paadhukai is "hE Mukundha Paadhu" .

MulundhA's name is invoked to remind us that the Paadhukai

is that of One who gives both Moksham and BhOga-Isvaryam here.

Swamy recognizes the Padhukai as a veritable KaamdhEnu ( thvam

krupayA sathAm KaamadhEnu:).There is however one difference

between the Paadhukais and the KaamadhEnu . The Paadhukai

does not need any thing , whereas the KaamadhEnu in Sage

Vasishtar's aasramam might lift up its head in anticipation

of a tender shoot of grass as food ( prathyagra aahrutha dharbha-

pallava lava grAsa abhilAsha unmukI saa dhEnu:). The visualization

of the KaamadhEnu with its anticipatory look at the hands of

the visitor to see whether he or she has brought with them

atleast a freshly picked , tender balde of grass (aruham pull)

as food is a beautiful one...(V.S)