Lakshmi Sahasram ( slOkams 40)

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Dear BhakthAs of Sri Devi :

 

adiyEn has 3 slOkams from the 17th chapter of Lakshmi Sahasram

named " Naama Vaibhavam " ( slOkams 40-42) to get ready before

the release of Volume I of Sri Lakshmi Sahasram as an e-book this week .

The inspiration for the write ups on Sri Lakshmi Sahasram is from

Professor NavalpAkkam KaNNan Swamy's postings in Sri RanganAtha

Paadhukaa of Srimath Srirangam Andavan Aasramam .

 

Please enjoy the 40th SlOkam of Naama Vaibhavam .

 

 

SlOkam 40

 

anvaya Kramam: Samudhra Puthri ! kaNDE kapachayai: kuNDitha

nisvanE akshEshu vikshEpishu , yAthanAbhi: chEtasi syUthE asushu

kshipram prathishDAsushu , sAyAsaa api samaya abhij~naa rasaj~naa

Thvath naama upahitham hitham Devasya nAma svayam japathu

 

(Meaning): Oh Daughter of the Samudhra Raajan ! There will be a time

when my throat will be congested with the accumulation of phlegm and

will interfere with my speech ; my limbs will be weak ; my sufferings of

the last moments will be deeply entwined with my mind and the life will

be rapidly extinguished . Inspite of the fatigue experienced during those

parting moments , may my tongue knowing that approaching moment recite

Your name along with that of Your Lord (Sriman NarayaNa ) to comfort me .

 

(Comments ): During the moments of departure from this earth one undergoes

a lot of unpleasant experiences ; Speech may be blocked by the phlegm in

the throat ; the eyes and the ear would have lost their functions ;the mind will

be confused by the onslaught of fear about the approaching death and pains

experienced by the aching limbs . The vital air would be ready to leave the body .

At hat time of great turmoil , Oh Mahaa Lakshmi , bless my tongue to recite

Your Lord's name preceded by Your name to have hitham .

 

Sri Kannan Swamy points out that the poet literally translates various AzhwAr's Paasura

Vaakyams dealing with human experiences as death approaches into equivalent Sanskrit

passages and includes them in this slOkam . Four such examples are listed below :

 

" Yeyttha sollOdeeLayEngi irumi " is translated into " kuNDitha nisvanE kapachayai: "

" pulankaL naiyya meyyil muthu " has its echos in " akshEshU vikshEpishu " ..

" uLLam yeLhik-kalanga " has been translated into " syUthE chEthasi " .

" sAmidatthu yenRum aRRathu vaaNAL has been translated into "asushu prathishDAsushu "

 

Another AzhwAr reminded the Lord ahead of time about what the Lord has to do:

" appOthaikkppOthE solli vaitthEn". Please do not tell me that adiyEn did nort remind

you way ahead of time , when my faculties are in tact . AppOthu refers to the time of

nearness to death , when faculties and the limbs are not in control. IppOthu is the time ,

when the mind is clear and the limbs are strong .

 

In Bhagavath GithA and in Swamy Desikan's GopAla Vimsathy , we are remided of

the importance of anthima smruthi ( rememberance of the Lord's Naama and form during

the last moments ) . During the final moments of life , our thoughts should be on Sriman

NarayaNan and not on children and property and other useless things for gaining sathgathy.

The poet says in this context : " mama rasaj~nA Thvath naama upahithamhitham dEvasya

Naama SVAYAM Japathu " . Knowing that the end is nearing , May my tongue recite

Your Naamaa with that of Your PirAtti ( Siman NaarAyaNa , Jaanaki RamaNa , SeethA Raamaa) .

May my tongue be programmed to step in at that time to recite those NaamAs ..My tongue

is aware of the time to conenct the switch as it were to the recitation of those NaamAs

( samaya abhij~naa) . It would be a deliberate act and not a happenstance event . We have

an agreement . adiyEn will recite Your name even in those difficult times or would have

performed my SaraNAgathy , when my faculies and limbs were in control and You will

come and guide me with Your own hands to Your supreme abode as you instructed

us in Your VarAha Charama slOkam .The poet's prayer to Mahaa Lakshmi is : May my

tongue recite Your Lords' NaamAs automatically ( Mama rasaj~nA svayam japathu , SamayE

japathu ) .That would be Parama hitham says the poet .

 

Sri KaNNan Swamy has a KuRaL like succinct translation of thei slOkam in TamiL :

 

thunpuRRut-thujumkaal

thuyar mikkut-thudikkunkaal

thuNayAhum unn pErAl

thodangum unn ThuNaivan pEr

 

Thunpam is sufferring . This suffering is during the time of death ( thunjum kaal) .

There are so many sorrows that makes one restless and makes one's mind jump

with fear of the naraka VaathaNai due to accumulated sins ( thunpuRRu tudikkumkAl) .

Thudipaathu is intense suffering like the fish out of water or the jumping with pain ,

when one crosses a hot , dry river bed in the height of summer . During those times of

intense suffering , Your name is a great protection ( TuNayAhum unn Peyar ) . Your Name

( SrI ) is preceded by your Lord's name ( unn pErAl thodangum unn ThuNaivan Peyar ) :

Sriya: Pathi , Indhiraa Kaanthan , SeethA Raaman , Kamalaa Pathy et al .