ThiruvahIndhrapuram RathnAngi Kaimkaryam: Part II

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ChithrabhAnu Kaarthikai Krutthikai ,

SrI PaancharAthra DhIpam dinam

 

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs:

 

On this auspicious day of Kaarthikai DhIpam and

Thirumangai Mannan as well as Swamy NampiLLai's

avathAra Dinam , adiyEn would like to continue with

the postings on ThiruvahIdhrapuram SrI Sookthis of

Swamy Desikan and select the first slOkam of

SrI DEvanAyaka PanchAsath to illustrate the multisided

genius that Swamy Desikan displayed here to express

His deep Bhakthi for this dhivya desa EmperumAn ,

Lord DEvanAthan. This SrI Sookthi is like the lamp on the hill

that celebrates the Vaibhavam of ThiruvahIndhrapuram

EmperumAn , SrI DEvanAyakan The NandhA ViLakku) .

 

SlOkam I

********

 

PraNatha Sura kirIDa-prAntha mandhAra maalA

vikaLitha makarandha-snigdha paadhAravindha:

pasupathi vidhi poojya PadhmapathrAyathAksha:

PhaNipathipura nATa: paathu mAm DEvanAtha:

 

 

Extended Meaning

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

In this slOkam , Swamy Desikan recognizes the Lord of

ThiruvahIndhrapuram , DhaivanAyakan as the DEvathi DEvan,

the Lord of all DEvAs. Swamy Desikan prays to this

Supreme Lord DEvanATan for protection immediately .

 

All the 33 crores of DEvAs arrive at the lotus feet of

Lord DEvanATan standing majestically under the shade of

Suddha Satthva VimAnam with Garuda nadhi flowing north

at the back of it and the sacred Oushada Giri standing

in front of the Lord's abode .The first thing that the dEvAs

do on approaching the sacred feet of the Lord is to prostrate

at those redeeming Thiruvadis of the Lord. The prostrating

dEvAs have the MandhAra garlands wrapped around their jeweled

crowns (PraNatha Sura KirIDa-prAntha mandhAra mAlA) .

The honey from those freshly blossomed MandhArA flowers

from those garlands drip at the lotus feet of DevanAtha

PerumAl and wets them (VigaLitha makarandha snigdha

paadhAravindha:). The DEvAs find at this time

that the great ones among them , Lord BrahmA and His son,

Lord SivA are performing VisEsha aarAdhanam to the Lord

of all DevAs, SrI DEvanAtan ( Pasupathi Vidhi Poojya:)

Lord DEvanATan's eyes are fully blosomed like a fresh

lotus .The DEvAs enjoy the darsana soubhAgyam of

the Lotus-eyed Lord and conclude that Lord DEvanATan

can not be anyone but the SarvEsvaran Himself .

Swamy Desikan prays to this PundarIka lOchana

(Padhma PathrAyathAkshan) DEvanAyakan to protect him

against all samsAric afflictions ( PhaNipathipura nATa:

pAthu mAmm DEvanATa:).

 

Additional Thoughts

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

Swamy Desikan's prayer reminds one of the four

powerful slOkmas of Brahma Paara Sthuthi cited

in SrI VishNu PurANam , which incorporates in itself

the deep VedAnthic doctrines about the Supermacy of

the Lord and His Vaibhavam as ArchA Moorthy , who

could be easily accessed and worshipped as

Soulabhya , Souseelya Moorthy. The Brahma Paara

Sthuthi invokes the Lord's anugraham for the banishment of

Raagam and dhvEsham that interfere with the performance of

Prapatthi at the Thiruvadi of the DEvAthi DEvan .

It is hinted that the AaarAdhanam of ArchAvathAra Moorthy

is absolutely essential for gaining the phalan of prapatthi :

 

BrahmAksharam Ajam Nithyam YadhAsou PurushOtthama:

TadhA rAgAdayO: dhOshA: prayAnthu prasamam mama

 

Through this prArTanai , KaNDu Maharishi points

to the ArchAmoorthy in front of him as " asou

PurushOtthama: " and eulogizes Him as " Nithyam ,

Aksharam -- " .The Maharishi asks for the banishment

of rAgam (desire for evanescent bhOgams) and Kaama-

KrOdhams that interfere with his saraNAgathi ( dhOshA:

prayAnthu prasamam mama). Swamy Desikan prays to

Lord DEvAnAtan succinctly to protect him from

all these dhOshams ( Pasupathi Vidhi poojya

PhaNipathipura nATa: paathu mAmm DEva nATa: ) .

 

The first slOkam of Brahma Paaram is a powerful

and resonant one celebrating the glories of

the Sarvarakshaka DEva nATan :

 

Paaram Param VishNurapArapAra: parEbhyO ParamArTaroopi

Sa BrahmapAra: ParapArabhUtha: Para: ParaNAmapi pArapAra:

 

Prakuratham SrImad Azhagiya Singar's beautiful

translation of the above slOkam is to be recalled

with gratitude:

 

Our Lord is the end station after the travel through

the horrible desert of SamsAram (i-e) the jeevan travels

with immense sufferings through the parched desert of SamsAram ,

crosses it with the help of SadAchAryan and arrives at

the life giving oasis of BhagavAN's Thiruvadi and enjoys

ParipoorNa BrahmAnandham there forever. That BhagavAn

can only be understood and enjoyed through SadhupadEsam

of an AchAryan .He is the abode of limitless power (veeryam) .

All other YaagAs and Yaj~nAs do not yield the fruit of

ParipoorNa brahmAnandham .It is only the Naama SankIrthanam

about the Lord that assures this unique boon of BrahmAnubhavam.

This Lord of ours is Superior to BrahmA and other srEshta dEvAs .

He is DEvanATan . He has the eternal , imperishable

dhivya MangaLa Vigraham. He protects VedAs and Vaidhika KarmAs.

He serves as the laya sTAnam for Prakruthi and Purushan . He is

superior in status to Nithyasooris (eternally liberated

souls like Garudan and AdhisEshan). He is the all pervasive

VishNu.

 

The clever AchArya Saarvabhouman , Swamy Desikan thought

perhaps of the quintessence of Sthuthis like Brahma Paaram

and pleaded with DEvanATa PerumAL for his protection right

at the beginning of SrI DevanAyaka PanchAsath :

 

Pasupathi Vidhi Poojya: padhmapathrAyathAksha:

PhaNipathipura nATa: PAATHU MAAMM DEVANAATA:).

 

The Bhakthi of Swamy Desikan flows like the honey

from the MandhAra flowers present in the MaalAs

adorned by the dEvAs prostrating before the Lord of

ThiruvahIdhrapuram . Swamy DEsikan through his first slOkam

wets the Lord's Thiruvadi with the honey of Bhakthi

flowing from his hrudhaya kamalam and becomes blessed

to continue with the rest of his SrI Sookthi on

Lord DEvanATan of ThiruvahIndhrapuram .

 

Swamy Desikan covers the tatthvams housed in the ParadEvathA

PaaramArTyAdhikAram of SrImad Rahasya Thraya Saaram here

and points out that Brahma and RudrA are recipients of

the anugraham of SarvEswaran and that anugraham elevated

them to follow the path shown by HIm to perform AarAdhanam

and Kaimkaryam assigned to them by their Supreme

Master such as the creation and the destruction of the world

( TaadhAdarsitha panTAnou Srushti SamhAra kaarakou--

MahA BhAratha Saanthi Parvam: 350-19 ).

 

Paraphrasing a famous slOkam , adiyen would like to

conclude this posting on this Koil Kaarthikai DhIpam Day:

 

na DevanATAth Paramasthi MangaLam

na DevanATAth Paramasthi Paavanam

na DEvanATAth Paramsthi Dhaivatham

na DevanATam praNipathya seedhathi

 

(Meaning): There is no other superior MangaLam

than DEvanATan; there is no other entity , which

is superior to DEvanAtan in destroying sins and

purifying us ; there is no God that is Superior to

DEvanATan(oppAr mikkAr ilan);theree is no one

that experiences sorrow after attaining DEvanATan.

 

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE saraNam ,

SrI Taranga Mukha Nandini SamEtha SrI DeavanAyaka SwAminE nama:

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan/SaThakopan