Guest guest Posted October 10, 2008 Report Share Posted October 10, 2008 Post 9 Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer, We are studying the raama ashtOthra naamaavaLi compiled by our Sri Sadagopan swamy from thyaagaraaja's krithis and now continuing on naamaas the 7th "neeraja nayanaaya nama:" in raagam 'hindhOLa vasantham' and 49. raajeeva akshaaya nama: KaambhOji 68. saraseeruha nayanaaya nama: (MukhAri) 94. naLina dhaLa nayanaaya nama: (Kaapi) 96. neeraja dhaLa nayanaaya nama: (Bilahari), all together. As already stated the meaning for all above naamaas is "lotus eyed raama". There is a krithi starting "O raajaavaakshaa" in aarabhi raagam soulfully sung by late Smt. M.L. Vasantha kumari and it is still ringing in my ears though heard – may be at least 20 to 25 years back. In the krithi nannu paalimpa in mOhana raagam, which is a famous krithi – "vanaja nayana" is another naama meaning same 'oh lotus eyed raama'. Again in the list of 21 equivalents given in previous post, this 'vanajaa' for lotus – a blue lotus - is not there. Perhaps I am unfit to write any article in the lists, if I do not remember about our great aachaarya raamaanuja and the intepretation of "kapyaasam puNdareekaaksham iva akshiNee" incident - wherein the lotus eyes of the lord is interpreted differently by the then guru of raamaanuja. So that lotus eyes of lord thyaagaraaja puts with different words for the lotus. Now we will see few raamaayaNam references on the lotus eyes of raama. Sage Naaradha while replying to vaalmeeki in the first sargam of sreemadh raamaayaNam says the lord raama had broad eyes. samah sama vibhaktha angah snigdha varNah prathaapavaan | peena vakshaa visaala akshah lakshmeevaan subha lakshaNah || 1-1-11 meaning: raama is medium-sized physically, with limbs poised symmetrically, sinew-chested, wide-eyed, complexioned glossily... he is a prosperous personality with all the providential features, and thus he is self-resplendent... [1-1-11] While describing the birth of raama, sage vaalmeeki says his eyes were 'lOhitha aksham' – red coloured – which we have a good reference from sree vishNu sahasra naamam. vishNOh ardham mahaabhaagam puthram aikshvaaku nandhanam | lOhitha aksham mahaa baahum raktha OshTam dhundhubhi svanam || 1-18-11 meaning: raama, that greatly blessed epitome of Lord VishNu, and the one who took birth to delight the Ikshwaaku dynasty, with lotus-red eyes, lengthy arms, and with roseate lips, and voice like drumbeat... [1-18-11] When asking to give raama to him – meaning sending along with him - sage visvaamithra tells king dhasaratha dhasa raathram hi yajnasya raamam raajeeva lOchanam | na athyEthi kaalo yajnasya yathaa ayam mama raaghava || 1-19-18 meaning: Just ten nights [and ten days] is the ritual's time, and Raama, the lotus-eyed one [be spared, for which you are a worthy one...] without lapsing my ritual's time, Oh! Dasharatha! [1-19-18] King dhasaratha also acknowledges raama as raajeeva lOchanah while denying raama to be sent with sage visvaamithra first. oona shODasha varshO mE raamah raajeeva lOchanah | na yuddha yOgyathaam asya pasyaami saha raakshasaih || 1-20-2 meaning: " Less than sixteen years is my Raama, the lotus-eyed, and I foresee no warring eligibility to him with the demons... [1-20-2] A point here - while what sage visvaamithra meant was the lovely beautiful lotus eyes of raama, whereas what father dhasaratha meant was he is a young boy with lotus eyes agreed – but these lotus eyes are ones which will fall asleep once the sun is set – a father's true anxiety reflection in his words – not only on age but also on his boyish nature of sleeping as nights sets in. [That is the interpretation by commentators on the second 'raajeeva lOchanam' by dhasaratha]. King sumathi who met the two brothers raama and lakshmaNa on the way to mithila accompanying sage visvaamithra says - padhma pathra visaala akshou khaDga thooNee dhanur dharou | asvinou iva roopENa samupasthitha youvanou || 1-48-3 meaning: king sumathi comments to sage visvaamithra in asking who are these two –about raama and lakshmaNa accompanying the sage - " Their eyes are broad and lotus-petal like, shouldering quivers, swords, and bows, and in their form they are like Ashvini - brothers, [the twin-god-brothers, whose aspects are par excellent,] and their youthfulness is in the offing... [1-48-3] See another slOkam - here it is a more or less repeat of what king sumathi said – this is by raama's maamanaar – father in law – king janaka - at the first look on these two, stunned by those eyes, and janaka says to visvaamithra padhma pathra visaala akshou khaDga thooNee dhanur dharou | asvinou iva roopENa samupasthitha youvanou || 1-50-18 meaning: " These two youngsters, ye be blest, are identical to God Vishnu in enterprises... their strides are identical to [arrogant] elephants, and their [impetus] images tigerishly and their [impulse] bullishly... these are brave ones, [but pleasant are their] eyes, like broad lotus petals... these are wielding swords, quivers, and bows [righteously and apparently for righteous reasons... and instead of appearing impudently with this weaponry,] they in their aspect are like the Ashvin-twin [brothers, at whose hands the whole world gets its medicament... and yet, unlike the timeless Ashvin-twins] oncoming is their youthfulness... [1-50-17, 18, 19] So all these are just describing those 'lotus eyes of raama' – is there any wonder in thyaagaraaja parroting vaalmeeki - for vaalmeeki himself repeats this 'raajeeva lOchanam' in more places – which we will see in next post. Dhasan -- Vasudevan MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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