Sri ranganatha Paadhukaa Sahasram: SlOkam 156 Saayam SandhyA Vandhanam

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SrimathE RaamAnujAya Nama :

 

(156) Veera vratha praNayini praThamE RaghUNAm

prApthE chirAya BharathE vratham aasidhaaram

thyakthvA padhAvani tadhA vividhAn vihArAn

yekAsikAvratham apUrvam avarthayasthvam

 

Translation by U.Ve.Sri V.N.vedantha Desikan

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Oh PaadhukA ! RaamA stood steadfast in his vow of

upholding His father's words. BharathA adopted

the Aasidhara vow , of standing on a sharp razor's

edge, for years , i.e., relinquishing all pleasures

even when they were very close by ; and You undertook

the EkasikA vow, of sitting unmoved at one spot ,

abandoning the earlier style of sportively moving

about.(A unique posture indeed -like that of NammAzhwAr).

 

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

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(1) Sri UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Swamy Desikan

celebrates here the vow that the PaadhukA took

to stay at the same spot for fourteen years. Normally,

as the PaadhukA of the Lord , it will not stay put at

one place for too long. Swamy says that PaadhukAs took

the difficult vow to remain immobile for fourteen

years to help BharathA , who had taken another

difficult vow of total service to the PaadhukAs

without any distraction caused by his princely status.

Swamy Desikan salutes here the EkAsika (rooted to

one place) vow undertaken by the PaadhukA and reminds us

of a similar observance by NammAzhwAr , the name-sake

of the PaadhukA at AzhwAr Thirunagari. There , the AzhwAr

sat immobile in contemplation of Sriman NaarAyaNA under

a tamarind tree for many years.

 

(2)Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE ! RaamA

vowed not return before destroying the asurAs.BharathA

refused to be coronated in place of his elder brother.

You gave up Your sanchArams and decided to stay at one place.

RaamA's vratham is common to the valorous ones . Controlling

of one's indhriyams in contrast is not easy and hence

BharathA's vow was far superior to that of RaamA's vow.

It was a great surpise that You decided to become

stationary and stayed at one place for fourteen

years.

 

(3)RaamA had Veera Vratha PraNayam (desire to

pursue Veera Vratham ). BharathA however undertook

the AasithAra vratham ( Staying away from temptations

even if the objects of enjoyment are very close) .

PaadhukA took on the rare yEkAsikA vratham ( staying

put at one place).Swamy Desikan asks us to decide ,

which vratham was the most superior one ..V.S