Padhuka Sahasram-849

[Guest guest]

Sri:

 

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

 

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

 

849. AsAdhya kEkayasuthAvaradhAnamUlam

kAlam pradOShamanirIkshya ramAsahAyam

manjupraNAdharahithA maNipAdharakshE

moUnavratham kimapi nUnamavarthayasthvam

 

Oh Manipaaduka! The promise that Dasharatha had made to Kaikeyi drove

Rama and Sita to the forest. This period of separation You did

rightly regard as tainted with great stigma. (It was pradosha period-

Trayodasi coexisting with dusk.) You, therefore, chose to be silent,

without emitting Your usual melodious sound.

 

(Azhvar's works are to be recited in proximate presence of the Lord).

 

Namo Narayana,

 

SriMuralidhara Dasan

 

Special Notes by V.Sadagopan (V.S):

 

SlOkam 849

 

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: On seeing the Paadhukais ,

Swamy Desikan is reminded of the MahA pradhOsham day ,

when one has to observe the vow of silence. MahA pradhOsham falls

at dusk on ThrayOdasi days. Swamy Desikan says: " Oh PaadhukE!

By giving the boon to KaikEyi, You have reached the status of MahA

pradhOsham (most inauspicious day) , when one can not worship the

Lord and His consort, since one has to observe a strict vow of

silence and immobility. You lose Your sweet sound during those

fourteen years and observed the vow of silence as a rsult of Your

sorrow in not being able to se and serve Your Lord ".

 

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE ! Lord Raamachandra

granted BharathA's request and You left as a result with Bharathan to

AyOdhyA to rule in the name of Your Lord . You left Raamachnadra

and for 14 years stayed without sanchAram on the throne of Raghu

Kulam. It was like MahA PradhOsham time for You since You stayed at

one place without generating Naadham from Your transport of Your Lord.

At MahA pradhOsham evening , One has to maintain silence and not

engage in visit to Bhagavath SannidhAnam.

 

3) Oh MaNi PaadhukE ! The time You had to stay away from Your

Lord and His DEvi due to the boon granted by King DasaraTA to queen

KaikEyi was like an extended period of PradhOsham for You (KEkayasuthA

varadhAna Moolam anireekshya RamAsahAyam PradhOsham). At that

difficult PradhOsham time , You observed Mouna Vratham without

generating Your normal delightful Naadham associated with Your

sanchArams ( PradhOsha Kaalam aasAdhya manju-praNAtha-rahithA kimapi

mouna vratham avarthaya ),,,(V.S).

[Guest guest]

Oppiliappan,

>

> 849. AsAdhya kEkayasuthAvaradhAnamUlam

> kAlam pradOShamanirIkshya ramAsahAyam

> manjupraNAdharahithA maNipAdharakshE

> moUnavratham kimapi nUnamavarthayasthvam

 

It was like MahA PradhOsham time for You since You stayed at

> one place without generating Naadham from Your transport of Your

Lord.

> At MahA pradhOsham evening , One has to maintain silence and not

> engage in visit to Bhagavath SannidhAnam.

>

At that

> difficult PradhOsham time , You observed Mouna Vratham

 

***********

Dear friends,

 

This is a very interesting verse of the Paduka sahasramam.

 

Adiyane has heard it being said that at SriVilliputtur, Swami Desikan

having arrived one evening at 'pradosham/trayodasai', was maintaining

mouna vratam and resting in his lodgings. He did not go to the temple

of Vadapatra sAyi nor to the sanctum of ANdal.

 

At that time, the 'purappAdu' of Sri AndAl came in procession via the

lane where his lodgings were. On seeing the procession of "nAcchiAr",

Desikan's spontaneously broke out into song which today has come to

us as the 'gOdA-stuthi'!

 

Our Swami Desikan that day seems to have broken both the 'mouna-

vrata' and the 'pradOsha' stricture against 'bhagavath sannidhAnam'!!

But who cares? We got the "goda-stuthi" in the bargain!

 

Any comments?

Rgds,

dAsan,

Sudarshan

[Guest guest]

> > At MahA pradhOsham evening , One has to maintain

> silence and not

> > engage in visit to Bhagavath SannidhAnam.

> >

 

Silence I understand .

 

This is interesting , why would one suggest

not to engage in Bhagavath SannidhAnam.

 

Just curious to learn , please elaborate.

 

Thanks and Regards,

-Gomata

 

note: Won't want to miss to see GOD any moment.

[Guest guest]

Oppiliappan, Gomata Varanasi <eng_joy>

wrote:

> > At MahA pradhOsham evening , One has to maintain

> > silence and not

> > > engage in visit to Bhagavath SannidhAnam.

 

> Silence I understand .

> This is interesting , why would one suggest

> not to engage in Bhagavath SannidhAnam.

> Just curious to learn , please elaborate.

> Thanks and Regards,

> -Gomata

> note: Won't want to miss to see GOD any moment.

 

----------------

 

Dear friend,

It's a good question that you pose. I can only venture to guess an

answer. It is by no means an authoritative one (which other

knowledgeable members in this group can perhaps provide).

 

The 'sAstras' enjoin observance of rites & rituals at certain

prescribed times. The 'mouna vrata' (vow of silence) is to be

observed at certain times like 'trayodasa'. At 'mahapradosham' also

non-engagement in 'bhagavath sannidhAna' is perhaps laid down

by 'sAstra'. This prescription against 'bhagavath sannidhAna'

perhaps relates only to 'archA' form of Godhead, such as iconic

worship and temples etc. The time here is meant to be spent instead

in silent meditation -- i.e. we are expected to devote ourselves to

worship of the 'antaryAmi' form of Godhead (the God within

ourselves)...

 

'mouna vrata' must be accompanied by meditation (dhyAna) and this is

best served when we are in solitude, far from the crowds, whether in

the market place or in places of public worship like temples etc...

 

This appears to me to be the most plausible explanation for

the 'sAstrA-ic' injunction against 'bhagavath sannidhAna'.

 

I am of course subject to correction by any other authentic 'pramAna'

to the contrary.

 

Regards,

dAsan,

Sudarshan