Padhuka Sahasram-543

[Guest guest]

Sri:

 

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

 

Translation by U.Ve. Dr. V.N. Vedanta Desikan Swamin:

 

543. vichithravarNAm maNipAdhukE! thvAm ChandhOmayIm

sAmanibhaDdhagItham munIndhrajuShtAm dhvipadhAm murArE: prathyAyikAm

kAnchidrucham prathIma:

 

Oh Manipaaduka! You resemble the Rik* in helping the envisioning of

the Lord, in possessing different colours (syllables), having a free

movement (a particular chandas or metre), facing a peaceful and

pacifying appeal from the surrendered (being sung in Sama mould) and

being worshipped (envisioned) by great sages.

 

*The Rik is one like " brahmaNyO dhevakIputrO brahmaNyO maDhusUdhanOm "

 

Namo Narayana,

 

SriMuralidhara Dasan

 

Special Notes by V.SatakOpan:

 

SlOkam 543:

 

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! You divide into two parts

and thereby provide support for the right and left foot of Your Lord.

You are like a Veda manthram in this respect, which has also many

similarities to You. Both of You have independent movements ; both of

You are objects of meditation by sages ; both of You bring the Lord

forward; both of You have two feet. (PaadhukAs divide into the right

and left foot; the Veda manthrams typically divides into two

paadhams). Because of these similarities , Oh PaadhukE! I consider

You as a Veda manthram singing the glories of the Lord.

 

2) Oh PaadhukE! You have multi-hued gems on You ( Vichithra VarNAm )

and You travel according to the wish of Your Lord ( ChandhOmayeem ) .

In the matters of the utterance of auspicious messages , You are like

Saama ghAnam ( Saama nibhaddha gItheem ). You are worshipped by

Jn~Anis as an exalted One serving the Lord ( MunIndhra JushtAm) . You

are in the form of two Paadhukais (DhvipadhAm) to protect the two

feet of the Lord .

 

The alternate meaning is: We consider You , who brings the Lord to us

as Rg Veda Manthrams( MurArE: prathyAyikAm ThvAm kAnchith rucham

prathIma: ). You are multihued (i-e) with many meters/chandas(

Vichithra-VarNAm ThvAm chandOmayeem prathIma: ). We reognize You as

defined by the svarams of Saama vEdam ( Saama nibhaddha gIthIm

ThvAm ). We further salute You as discovered by manthra dhrushtAs

like Vasishtar and other Vedic rishis ( MunIndhra jushtAm) and of two

paadhams (DhvipadhAm) …(V.S).

[Guest guest]

Sri:

 

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

 

Dear Bhaktas,

 

Adiyen wishes to share the following additional reflections on verse

543. The connection to Sama Vedam is most touching for the following

reasons.

 

(1) The 1875 anuvakams of Sama Vedam glorify Lord Narayana to the

exclusion of all other deities. So too, the delectable verses of

Swami NammAzhwar's Tiruvaimozhi glorify Lord Narayana to the

exclusion of all other deities.

 

(2) Lord Krishna declares in the Bhagavad-Gita that " among the Vedas

I am the Sama Vedam " . In keeping with this declaration, Swami

NammAzhwar devotes 1102 verses to present the essence of the Sama

Vedam (almost 90% of the verses composed by Our Prapanna Jana

Kootasthar).

 

(3) Lord Krishna is glorified in the ChandOgya Upanishad of the Sama

Vedam. In a similar vein the verses of Swami NammAzhwar, which are

equivalent to the Upanishads pertaining to the 1000 Shakas (Sahasra

shAkOpanishath samAgamam), are a consummate glorification of Lord

Krishna.

 

(4) Mantrams from the Vedas have stringent prescriptions for their

PrayOgam. For example certain mantrams can be recited by

Brahmacharis alone, while certain others are the exclusive privy of

Sanyasis and some others are meant for recitation only by

gruhasthas. However, the AshtAkshara mantram is the only mantram

which is fit for all regardless of caste, creed, or sex. In a

similar vein, the Pasurams of Swami NammAzhwar are fit for

recitation by one and all.

 

(5)The Taittriya upaniShad glorfies the bliss of a mukta jIvan upon

attaining eternal residence in Sri Vaikuntam through the

salutation " ahamannAdhO " , which is also echoed by the Pasurams of

Swami NammAzhwar. Testimony in support of this fact can be seen from

Swami Desikan's NAda paddhathi salutation " ahamannAdhO ithIva gayasi

thvam "

 

Namo Narayana,

 

SriMuralidhara Dasan