Sri GuNa Ratna kOsam : Part VI-- Second SlOkam

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SrimathE RaamAnujAya nama:

 

Dear BhkthAs :

 

adiyEn will start this posting with the tribute

to Sri RanganAyaki housed in " OrANN Vazhi AchArayrkaL

Vaazhi ThirunAmam " and commence the commentary on

the Second slOkam and place it in the context of

Sri ParAsara Bhattar's well respected skills as

a MahA Kavi and deep devotee of Sri Ranga NaacchiyAr.

 

Tribute to Sri RanganAyaki as the Second AchAryan

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

 

Pankayap-poovil PiRantha Paavai NallAL VaazhiyE

Panguniyil Utthara NaaL Paarr uthitthAL VaazhiyE

MangayarkaL Tilakamena Vantha Selvi VaazhiyE

Maalarangar MaNi Maarbhai mannumavaL VaazhiyE

YenkaL Yezhirc-ChEnai mannarkku Itham-uraitthAL VaazhiyE

Irupattanju uttpporuL Maaliyampum AvaL VaazhiyE

Senkamalac-Cheyyarangam Sezhikka VanthAL VaazhiyE

Sriranga NayakiyAr ThiruvadikaL VaazhiyE

 

(Meaning ):

 

Hail to the auspicious lady born in the red lotus flower !

 

Hail to the sacred lady , who incarnated on

this LeelA VibhUthi on a Panguni Uttharam day !

 

Hail to the Lady , who is the most auspicious symbol

among Women !

 

Hail to the most beautiful One , who has chosen

the sacred chest of Lord RanganAthA ,as the enduring

(eternal)place of Her residence !

 

Hail to this (second ) AchAryan in our AchArya paramparai ,

who initiated the esoteric meanings of Tatthav-Hitha-

PurushArthams to our sacred Senai MudaliyAr ( VishvaksEnar)

to serve as the next link in the eternal AchArya Vamsam!

 

Hail to this AchAryan , who revealed the inner meanings

of the 25 Tatthvams of Sri VaishNava sampradhAyam !

 

Hail to this avathAram of MahA Lakshmi , who

incarnated to grow the Isvaryams of every kind

at Srirangam known for its beautiful lotus ponds !

 

Our deep Salutations to the holy feet of

the Empress of Srirangam , Sri Ranga NaacchiyAr !

 

Sri Paraasra Bhattar's status as a MahA Kavi

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

 

Sixty one of the Sri GuNa Rathna KOsam belong

to the total of 337 verses in all his sthuthis

set in 45 kinds of poetic metres.

 

Dr.S.PadmanAbhan of the Depatment of Sanskrit

has analyzed brilliantly the extraordinary skills

of ParAsara Bhattar as a Mahaa Kavi and great

Sri VaishNavite AchAryA. He has highlighted with

examples the skills of ParAsarA as a MahA Kavi

arising from the limitless anugraham of

the dhivya dampathis of Srirangam , who raised

ParAsarA as their own child and lulled him to

sleep in a cradle in Their sannidhi .Such a rare

anugraham has led to greatness in ParAsarA's

sthuthis and it is no where more evident than in

the Sri GuNa Rathna Kosam SlOkams. Dr.PadmanAbhan

lists a few of these quality marks in MahA kavi

ParAsara Bhattar's sthOthrams in general and in

Sri GuNa rathna Kosam verses in particular:

 

1. " Sadhya: Paranirvruthi " : Capacity to transport

the mind of the listener and the reciter to

a world of immeasurable Joy (Aanandham).

 

2. " ParichithamivAthApi Gahanam " : Capacity to

reveal the magnanimous dimensions and unfathomable

depths once a critical mind tries to comprehend

the full significance of the words chosen by the poet.

 

3. " PadhAnAm SaubhrArtham " : A close affinity and cohesion

among the words chosen in the poetry .

 

4. " SayyA or Paaka " : Judicious juxtaposition of

the words in a slOkam in such a way that the words

do not allow any substitution or change .

 

5. " animishanishEvyam SravaNayO: " Having a total effect

of Sweetness in hearing the slOkam again and again.

It has an insatiable effect due to its MaadhUryam .

 

6. " Bahu-guNa ParINAhi " Having many other GuNAs

to distinguish it as great poetry marked by

enjoyable RasAs and BhAvAs such as " PrasAda

( Clarity of word and meaning ) , Ojas (power to

stimulate the mind), SamatA (balanced expressions),

Kaanthi (lustre and elegance to stand out),

SusabhsabdatA ( usage of Refined words and

expressions ).

 

Additional marks of greatness arise from clever use

of SabdhAlankArAs (Figurs of Speech) , poetic metres ,

skills in handing VyAkaraNam (Grammar)and NyAyAs

(Maxims).

 

The end result is like " SitAkshIra NyAyam "

(adding Sugar to Milk to enhance their

individual enjoyments).

 

The Second slkOam of Sri GuNa Rathna KOsam

is a classic example of the poetic skills of

a MahA Kavi:

 

UllAsa-Pallavitha-Paalitha-SapthalOkee-

nirvAha-kOrakitha-nEma-katAsha-leelAm

Sriranga-harmyatala-MangaLa-dheepa-rEkhAm

SrirangarAja-MahishIm SriyamAsrayAma:

 

AdiyEn will continue with the meanings and commentary

of this second slOkam in the next posting .

 

Srimath Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

Daasan, Oppiliappan Sannidhi VaradAchAri SatakOpan