Desikasthithramala- Bhagavatdhyaansopaanam

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2. velaatheetha Sruthi parimalam

veDhasaam moulisevyam

 

praadhurbhootham kanakasarithaH saikathe hamsajushte

lakshmeebhoobhyoH karasaraijaiH

laalitham rangabharthuH

 

paadhaambhojam prathiphalathi me bhaavanaa

dheerghikaayaam

 

The

lotus-feet of the Lord Ranganatha, which has the boundless fragrance of the

Vedas, served by the crowns of several Brahmas in all the kalpas, manifest from

the sand banks of the river Cauveri, which is inhabited by the swans, and which is being

fondled by the lotus like hands of Lakshmi and Bhoodevi, is reflected in the

lake of my thoughts.

 

Sopaanam

means steps. Dhyaanasopaanam is the

steps in meditation of Bhagavaan. In this sthothra Desika describes the process

ofl meditating on SriRanganatha from feet to head. The feet of the Lord is

on

the Vedas, as Sri Ramanuja describes the Lord to be shining on the crown of the

Vedas, SruthiSirasi vidheepthe brahmaNi

Sreenivaase, in the mangala sloka of Sribhashya. It means that the Lord who

is the Brahman of the Upanishads is the real purport of the Vedas, which originated

from Him only. Hence Desika says that the fragrance of the Vedas, Sruthi palimalam, surround the feet of

the Lord and it is boundless, velaatheetham,

as the innumerable vedamanthras and the prabandhams of the Azvars which are

called Tamil Vedas also speak of His glory and worship His feet, and hence

their fragrance is also added to the lotus of His feet.

 

The

lotus also adorns the head of the devas including Brahma for all the kalpas, as they fall at His feet, veDhasaam moulisevyam.. Unlike the ordinary lotus which grows from

mud, these grow on the sand banks, praadhurbhootham

saikathe of river Cauveri, which is

referred to as the kanakasarit,

golden river, which is hamsajushta,

inhabited by the swans, meaning the brahmajnanis, known as hamsa, who throng

Srirangam to worship Sriranganatha.

 

The

feet are fondled, laalitham by Sridevi

and Bhoodevi. Such a lotus, paadhaambhojam,

says Desika is reflected, prathiphalathi,

in the lake, dheerghikaayaam, of his

thoughts, bhaavanaa.