SrI VenkatEsa AshtOtthara Satha NaamAvaLI: Part 4/ Third Naama: (PraNavam ) LakshmIpathayE nama:

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SrI:

 

NamO venkatEsAya

 

ChithrabhAnu Samvathsara, VaikAsi, KrishNa paksha Chathurdasi

Kaarthikai Nakshathram , BhAnu Vaasaram

 

Dear BhakthAs of Sri Venkatesa :

 

The THIRD of the 108 names of the Lord of the Seven Hills is:

(PraNavam ) LAKSHMI PATHAYE NAMA: = SALUTATIONS TO THE LORD/

CONSORT OF MAHAA LAKSHMI .

 

Our Lord is saluted as Sriya: Pathi , Lakshmi Kaanthan ,

KamalA Pathi , Sriya: SrI: , IndhirA Naayakan ,

SrIsan , LakshmI SahAyan , Sriya: Prabhu .

All of these NAAMaS refer to the auspiciousness of

Him being the Husband of MahA Lakshmi.

 

Vedam itself celebrates the Lord's status as the husband

of VishNu and Her status as His divine consort:

 

" AsyEsAnA JagathO VishNu Pathni " --TaittirIya Samhithai

( SHE RULES THE WORLD AS VISHnU pATHNI).

 

NavalpAkkam VidvAn Sri RamAnuja TatachAr Swamy has

pointed out other Vedic references to MahA Lakshmi as

VishNu Pathni in AsvamEdha-anga manthrams. The corollary

of Her identification and salutation as VishNu Pathni is

the name , " Lakshmi Pathi " for Her Lord(the third naamam

for Lord venkatesan ) . Two passages from the above

manthram cited by NavalpAkkam Swamy are:

 

" DhruvA disAm " and " VidhrumbhO dhiva: " . DhruvA and

Adhithi invoked in these manthrAs are identified with

MahA Lakshmi , who is VishNu Pathni. " Adhithyai: VishNu

Pathnyai: charum " is another Veda manthram , which refers to

VishNu Pathni and Yaagam connected with Her. If She has

VishNu as husband , He has Lakshmi ( SraddhA , MedhA ,

Adhithi , which are synonomous in Vedam to Lakshmi)

as His wife.He is JaathavEdhan and She is His Divine consort .

When SrI Sooktkam invokes Sriman NaarAyanan as :

" JaathavEdhO ma aavaha " , it invokes His divine

consort as well . Lakshmi Avaahanam (invocation )is hence

implicit. Without His dearest Lakshmi , the name of

Lakshmi Pathi can not be invoked. As Lakshmi Pathi ,

He consults with Her and is counselled by Her in all Jagath-

vyApAram and Jagath Hitham (activities and well being of

the world ) : " Saha-dharmacharI SourE: sammanthritha

Jagath HithAm " .She is like a minister in counseling.

 

He as Lakshmi Pathi is the First AchAryan for SrI VaishNavAs

(AkAra Vaachyan) . She is the second AchAryan (UkAra Vaachyai)

as VishNu Pathni. That is why we call our sampradhAyam as

" Lakshmi-NaaTa SamArambhAm -- " . That is why our sampradhAyam

has also been described as " antha: pura sampradhAyam "

or SrI SampradhAyam . This couple (Dampathi)is

therefore celebrated as the ancient MiTunam of the Universe:

" aadhyou DampathI JagathAm Pathi " .They are the Father and

Mother of this Universe: " Thvam MaathA SarvalOkAnAm

DevadEvO Hari: PithA " . He is Lakshmi Pathi and She is

His BhAryA and Nithya SrI.

 

Paancha Raathra samhithai named JayAkhya Samhithai

recognizes our Lord's Lakshmi Pathithvam and His

inseperability from Her with two examples :

 

Sooryasya rasmayO yathvAth

OrmayasyachAmbhdhuEriva

Sarvaiswarya prabhAvEna KamalA

SrI tEstathA

 

(meaning):Just as the rays and lustre (rasmi) can not be

separated from the Sun and just as the waves of the Ocean

can not be separated from the Ocean , SrI Devi is united with

Her Pathi in an inseparable manner for Him to be recognized

as Lakshmi Pathi.

 

MahA Lakshmi is " AakAra Thraya Sampannai " and in that

role , She helps Her Pathi in three ways to perform His

vratham . AakAram means a rich source and resource :

 

1. PurushakAra aakAram

2. UpAya aakAram

3. UpEya aakAram

 

During PurushakAram , AlarmEl Mangai ( PadhmAvathi)

uses Her influence with her Pathi as His wife and

pleads on behalf of the chEthanams that have committed

many trespasses and pleads with Him to forgive their sins.

She kindles Her Lord's affection (vaathsalyam ) for these

pitiable Jeevans.

 

During UpAya anushtAnam , She stimulates the Sankalpa

Jn~Anam to protect the chEthanam performing Prapatthi

and enhances Her Lord's Jn~Ana sakthi to come forward

to protect the suffering jeevans.

 

During the UpEya dasai , She enhances the soundharyam

of Her Lord for the Muktha Jeevan to enjoy the Lord

and accepts the havis of aathma samarpaNam(offering of

Self ) as His Saha-dharmchari.

 

Whenever and wherever PerumAL is mentioned , PirAtti

is there .That is the Tatthvam which is behind this

Third Naamam : (PraNavam) LAKSHMI PATHAYE NAMA:

 

The most merciful Lakshmi united with Her Lord

HrushIkEsan is recognized in all siddhAnthams

as the protector of the erring Jeevans ( LakshmyA

sahaHrushIkEsa:DevyA KaaruNya RoopayA , Rakshaka:

Sarva siddhAnthE VedAnthEapi cha geeyathE).

 

In this context , Dr.M.A.Venkata KrishNan Swamy

has commented : " When the individual soul refrains

from interdicted actions,the Lord along with Goddess

Lakshmi overlooks the soul's innumerable demerits

accumulated in its numerous previous lives and helps

it attain infinite bliss " .

 

Such is the glory behind this Third Naamam .

 

SrImath Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VardAchAri SadagOpan

 

 

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