Padhuka Sahasram-81

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>Sri:

>SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,>

>Translation of Paaduka Sahasram by U.Ve. Sri V.N. Vedanta Desikan

>Swamin:

>

>81. thvayaIva nithyam maNipAdharakshE! rAjanvathIsruShtiriyam prajAnAm

> sthrIrAjyadhOShaprashamAya nUnam nirdhishyasE nAThavisheShaNEna

>

>Oh Paaduka! The creation of all this world is vested in You. (Brahma

>does the job, wearing You on his head). But then lest a stigma in the

>sense of a lady presiding over the kingdom should vex the people of the

>world, You are referred to as (Ranga) Nathapaduka, as if to add a male

>master's name to You!

>

>Namo Narayana,

>Adiyen, SriMuralidhara Dasan

 

NOTES BY V.SADAGOPAN :(V.S)

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

 

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam : Here Swami Desikan addresses

the objection of those , who say that PaadhukhAs can not

serve as the empress of the Universe since their gender

is feminine. Swami Desikan says: " Oh MaNi PaadhukhE !

You rule over the entire world and in the beginning

create all living (chetanA ) and inanimate (achEtanA )

beings of this world. Any objection as to how You can

perform such an impossible act because of Your status

as a lady is dispelled , when the objector understands

that Your real name is Naatha ( RanganAtha ) PaadhukhAs.

The addition of Your Lord's name as a prefix before

Your name serves to solve this riddle " .

 

2) Srimadh Andavan's anubhavam : Oh PaadhhukE ! In the matter

of ruling this universe, you are even more skilled than

Your Lord .Even then , the people refer to You as PerumAL

Paadhukhai . The reason is that AnAyakam ( leaderlessness),

Bahu Naayakam ( Leadership by many ), Sisu Naayakam

( Leadership by a child ) and SthrI Naayakam ( Ruling

by Amazon like women) are considered by SaasthrAs to

be not auspicious. Therefore, people attach the name of

Your Lord to remove any hint of dhOsham to Your rule.

 

The inner meaning is that AchAryAs are superior to PerumAL

and yet they are subordinate to their Lord and hence they

are recognized as PerumAL's manishyALs .

 

3) Swami satisfies the critics who are doubtful about

the efficacy of a land ruled by a Woman , even if She

may be very competent (SthrIrAjya DhOsham ). He says

these doubts are quelled by " Naatha VisEshaNam " ,

the insignia of PerumAL's name being attached to

the Paadhukhais as Naatha Paadhukhais...V.S