Swamy AlavanthAr's SthOthra Rathnam : SlOkam 21

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear SrI VaishNavAs :

 

We are blessed to benefit over the Telebridge, the KaalakshEpAnugraham

from our revered AchAryas inspite of thefact that we are thousands of miles

away from them . There is a flood of nectar that flows over the lines

and one is fortunate to immerse in the cool , nectar-like pravAham directly from

our AchAryAs . SishyAs of Individul Aasramams take a lot of effort to keep

these stream flowing .Our most merciful AchAryAs look very much forward

to sharing their indepth knowledge about the PoorvAchArya Commentaries

in a lucid manner . For instance , right now , SrImath Azjhagiya Singar is

blessing us with the KaalkshEpams on Kaliyan's ThirunedumthANDakam

and Sanklapa SooryOdhayam of Swamy Desikan ;Srimath Srirangam

PeriyANDavan is opening our ears to the beauty and TatthvArthams of

Swamy AlavanthAr's SthOthra Rathna SlOkams and Swamy Desikan's

commentary on them ; Srimath PoundarIkapuram Andavan from HIs

aasthAnam in Srirangam is blessing us with the KaalakshEpams on

Sri RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram . Erudite VidhwAns belonging to

the above or different AchArya Paramparais are also enlightening us

on Srimad Rahasya Thraya Saaram , Sri BhAshyam , AthimAnusha

Sthavam et al . This is indeed a golden time for Tele-UpanyAsams ,

which fulfills the needs of SishyAs , who could not be there in person

before thier AchAryAs and pursue the traditional and time honored

KaalakshEpams . We are only reminded of Swamy NammAzhwAr's

ThiruvAimozhi Passage : " Poliha Poliha Poliha....Kaliyum kedum kaNDu

KoNmin " .

 

SthOthra Rathna KaalakshEpams by Srimad Srirangam PeriyANDavan

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With this introduction , adiyEn would like to summarize now the most recent

and insightful KalakshEpam of SrImad Srirangam Andavan on the 21st

SlOkam of Swamy AlawanthAr's SthOthra Rathnam . Srimad Andavan

is using Swamy Desikan's profound commentary on SthOthra Rathnam in

Sanskrit . SrImath Andavan brought out the deep inner meanings of

the moving words chosen by Swamy AlawanthAr as revealed by

Swamy Desikan .

 

adiyEn thought it might be of interest to the Sri VaishNavaas , who

could not attend this and other KalakshEpams to recieve a summary

of these anugraha BhAshaNams of our revered AchAryAs to experience

the Vedic fragrance of these KaalkshEpams . adiyEn is putting together

a summary of Sri Sankalpa SooryOdhayam from the KaalakshEpams

of asmath AchAryan , Srimath Azhagiya Singar . Today , adiyen will

venture to summarize the last KaalkshEpam of Srimad Srirangam

Andavan on the 21st SlOkam of SthOthra Rathnam created by

Swamy AlavanthAr as a prayer to Lord VaradarAjan to bless

Sri RaamAnujA as a Bhavishyath AchAryan and Darsana SthApakar

for the VisishtAdhvaitha SiddhAntham . AdiyEn will add Swamy PeriyavAcchAn

PiLLai's MaNipravALa Commentary to the Sanskrit Commentary of

Swamy Desikan . May the AchAryaas accept these SamarpaNams

and overlook the errors made by this mandha mathi in a spirit of

Bhaagavatha Kaimkaryam !

 

SlOkam 21 of SthOthra Rathnam

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NamO NamO VaangmanasAthibhUmayE

NamO NamO VaangmanasaikabhUmayE

NamO NamO anantha mahA VibhUthayE

NamO NamO anantha dayaika SindhavE

 

(anvaya Kramam & PadhacchEdham ) : Vaang-manasa

athibhUmaye NamO Nama : ! , Vaang-manasa yEkabhUmayE

namO nama: ! ananatha mahA vibhUthayE namO Nama:!

anantha dayaa yEka sindhavE namO Nama: !

 

( Word by word Meaning) :

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Vaangmanasa athibhUmayE = To You , who is unattainable by mind or

speech by those , who wish to comprehend You with their own efforts

(Sva-yathnam) ,

 

namO nama: = namaskArams , namaskArams .

 

Vaangmanasa yEka bhUmayE = To You , who is comprehendable by those

who are blessed to be shown the way by Yourself through their mind and

speech to establish the foundation of their blissful anubhavams.

 

namO nama: = namaskArams , namaskArams.

 

Ananatha mahA vibhUthayE = To You , who has limitless Iswaryam ,

 

namO Nama: = namaskArams , namaskArams .

 

anantha Dayaa yEka sindhavE = To You , who is THE limitless ocean of

KaaruNyam ,

 

namO nama: = namaskArams , namskArams .

 

(General Introduction ) :

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in the previous set of slOkams , Swamy AlawanthAr celebrated the anantha

kalyANa GuNams and the immeasurable Iswaryam of SrIman NaarAyaNan,

the Ubhaya VibhUthi NaaTan . In this slOkam , Swamy AlavanthAr feels

overwhelmed by the grandness and magnitude of the Lord's guNams and

Iswaryam and admits his defeat to describe them in an adequate manner

like the residents of SvEtha dhveepam , who declared their defeat with

their salutation : " JithanthE PuNDareekAksha ". Swamy AlavanthAr feels

like Arjunan in the battle field , when he was blessed to witness the Viswa Roopam

of the Lord and felt totally overwhelmed by that vision and blurted out :

 

namO namsthEasthu sahasrakruthva:

punasccha bhUyOpi namO namsthE

nama: purasthAth aTa prushtathasthE

namOsthu tE sarvatha yEva sarva ---- Geethai 11.39

 

(Meaning ) : Oh Lord ! NamaskArams to a thousand times ! NamaskArams

to You again and again ! Oh Lord who is of every form ! adiyEn's namaskArams

to You from before and behind ! adiyEn's namaskAram to You in all places

and at all times. Salutations to You from all sides !

 

Overcome by the Uthkarsham ( exaltation ) of the anantha KalyAN a

guNams and limitless Iswaryam of the Lord in LeelA and Nithya VibhUthi ,

Swamy AlavanthAr echos the mood of Swamy NammzhwAr ( ThiruvAimozhi:1.3.4):

 

yaarumOr nilaimaiyanena aRivariya EmperumAn

yaarumOr nilamaiyanena aRiveLiya EmperumAn

pErumOrAyiram piRa pala udaya EmperumAn

pErumOruruvamamum uLathillai ilathillai piNakkE

 

(Meaning according to Dr.VNV Swamy ) : The correct comprehension of

the nature of the Lord and His ways is not vouchsafed to one without Bhakthi .

However high-placed he might be . With Bhakthi cherished , , one who is low and

down-trodden can nevertheless correctly appreciate how the Lord is and how

He acts . The Lord has thousands of auspicious guNmas and names that no one

else can even imagine . Forms , sportful action , compassionate protection of

the devoted -- these mark Him out . When the devout person realizes it in his mind ,

others just argue that the Lord has no name , no form , no Quality ! This kind of

religious dialectic does go on always . Bhakthi alone enables one to experience

the Lord . The Lord is easy of reach for men of devotion and who yearn for Him ( patthudayadiyavarrku yeLiyavan) and for the others , He is out of reach & range

( piRarkaLukku ariya Vitthakan ) .

 

Swamy PriyavAcchAn PiLLai stats that until now Swamy AlavanthAr focussed

on PrApya Svaroppam and in this this slOkam , the svaroopam of PrApthA is

the topic of attention . Untill now , the Svaroopam of Saranyan was covered

and now , the attention shifts to SaraNAgathy .

 

adiyEn will take up the detailed commentary of Swamy PeriyavAcchAn PiLLai

and Sri NigamAntha MahA Desikan in the subsequent postings .

 

NamO NaarAyaNAya ,

Daasan , Oppiliappan KOil V.Sadagopan

SrImath Azhagiya Singar Thiruvadi