Thirumanjana Kattiyam for Lord Ranganatha by SwamyParasara Bhattar ,11th century C.E : Part II

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SrI :

 

Dear Sri Ranganatha BhakthAs :

 

On April 9 , Sri Ranganatha Temple celebrated Nava Kalasa Thirumanjanam

for Lord RanganAtha with the recitation for the first time of Swamy Parasara

Bhattar's Thirumanjana Kattiyam for Lord RanganAtha.

 

adiyEn and Sriman AMR Kannan took part in reciting the Thirumanjana Kattiyam

in front of the Lord as He enjoyed the sanathana Kaappu and before the Sahasra

Taarai abhishEkam . It was a wonderfully fulfilling experience for us .

 

The genius of Swamy ParAsara Bhattar

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Swamy Paraasara Bhattar was a genius with proficency in many areas of VedAntham

and Saasthrams including JyOthisham . He was a poet ( Aasu and Vara Kavi) , debater , intrepreter of Ubhaya VedAntham and an authoritative figure . The best role for him was

that of serving the Lord as the PurOhithar of Lord RanganAtha for Veda ViNNappam , PurANa Patanam and being at the front of all Vaidhika anushtAnams ( PourOhithyam ) for the Lord's daily AarAdhanam and uthsavam related functions .

 

The sources for the postings

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We shall make reference to three important sources of reference to compose

this series of postings on the Thirumanjana Katiyams of Swamy ParAsara Bhattar :

 

(1) Swamy ParAsara Bhattar's own commentary on these Muktaka slOkams(Stray verses)

composed on different Thirumanjanam days of Lord RanganAtha by Bhattar .

 

(2) Thirumanjana Kattiyams by Sri ParAsara Bhattar , Publisher : Sri VaishNava SrI

A. KrishNamAchAr Swamy , 1999 .

 

(3) Parasara Bhatta : His Contribution to VisishtAdhvaitha , Dr.S.Padmanabhan ;

Publisher : Sri VisishtAdhvaitha Research Centre , Chennai , 1995

 

The First SlOkam of Thirumanjana Kattiyam

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Amrutha-prabhavam prabhAprabhAva

prahatadhvAntalasadh vilAsajAtham

sakalam sakalAnumOdhahEthum

Sasinam ThvAm kalaymi RangarAja

 

The moving Sevai of the Lord enjoying Thirumanjanam was such

a delight to ParAsara Bhattar that he compared Lord Ranganathan

to the Moon . The concept of Chandra Saamyam was explored by

Bhattar here . Dr. Padmanabhan comments: " The Moon is a source of amruta

(nectar) .The Moon dispels the darkness of the world by its rays and

pleases the people , who are in love . Moon (Chandran) has (sixteen) parts

(Sakala) and is the source of happiness for all . The Lord , in turn , is also

the source of immortality ( amruta). He , by His glory dispels the inner darkness

(ignorance) and gladdens the ever-liberated beings . He is the abode of all

the sixty-four fine arts (Sakala) and is a source of happiness for one and all " .

 

Additional Thoughts on Amruta Prabhavam :

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The word " Prabhava" means excellent , distinguished , Source and origin .

When "Prabhava" comes at the end of a group of words like here in " amruta

prabhavam " , then it means arising or originating from or derived from .

" Prabhava " is also an epithet for VishNu ( RanganAthan here ).

 

Excerpts from Bhattar's ManipravALa commentary:

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Chandran ( Moon) is SudhA nidhi ( treasure of nectar) . Chandran is the source

( birth place) for amrutam , which is deva bhOgyam . Bhagavaan is amruta

sabdhavAchyan as well . He is the sEthu (aNai) for that nectar , Himself :

" amrutasyaisha sEthu: ". He is the means ( UpAyam) and the goal ( UpEyam /

PrApyam ) . He is therefore amruta prabhavan as Chandran . RanganAthan

(amruta Prabhavan) is also the nirvAhakar ( supreme director ) of that amruta

sabdha vaachya Moksham and is hence recognized as amruta sabdha

vaachyan . Therefore , it is said that anyone seeking Moksham should approach

only JanArdhanan ( VishNu) : " Moksham icchEth JanArdhanAth " . He alone

is the grantor of Moksham ( Veedu) : " VeedAmteLi taru nilamaiya thozhivilan " .

His occupation is to grant Moksham . Thus both ( Moon and the Lord) are

"amruta prabhava " roopa sampannAL although Lord RanganAthan

far excels the Moon in areas of BhOgyathvam and Moksham granting power .

The Moon's sakalam ( Kalais ) will wax and wane . Lord's kalais never undergoes

any change (vikAram )

 

Additional Thoughts on " PrabAprabhAva prahatadhvAntha lasath vilAsa Jaatham " :

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Chandran through his cool and comforting beams drives away darkness all

around the world : " pani vaLar senkOl iruL veeRRirunthathu paar muzhuthum " .

The power to drive away tamas (darkness and taapam ) through the vaibhavam of

Chandrikaa ( cool Moon beams) is also referred to this way : " rundhE sarva disAm

niranthara tamas-tantrALuthAm Chandramaa " .

 

Oh RanganAtha ! You are also a dispeller of darkness with Your JyOthi (tEjas) .

This power has been saluted as: " sObhayan DaNDakAraNyam dheeptEna

Sva tEjasaa " and the salutation : " nilavum sudar soozh oLi Moorthy" . With Your

dhivya MangaLa vigraha prabhai and svaroopa ( intrinsic) prabhai known as

Sankalpam , Oh Lord RanganAtha , You discard the internal external darkness

for those who seek You as their sole refuge .

 

Additional Thoughts on " Sakalam "

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Sakalam for Moon is the shOdasa (16) kalaas . ShOdasa kalaa sahithan

is Chandran , the Sa+kalan . Bhagavan is also Sa+kalan for two profound

reasons : (1) He is with Kalaa sabdha Vaachyai , MahA Lakshmi (2) He is

with the Kalaa sabdha Vaachyams of Vedams . There is the samyam

between them and both are Sakalans .

 

Additional thoughts on " SakalaanumOdha hEthu: "

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Chandra Saamyam is again examined by the great poet , Bhattar here .

Chnadran is the cause for joy (aanandha hethu ) . He is " sakala anumOdha

hEthu" as revealed by : thrijagadhAm aanandha naadindhama: " For all

the three worlds , Chandran is the cause for aanandham . Lord Ranganaathan

is also celebrated as "SakalaanumOdha hEthu " since He is recognized as

"Sarva jana sammOdha KaaraNa bhUthar" . For those , who stay rooted in

adhyAthma saasthrams , He is the aanandha hEthu bhUthar .

 

Additional Thoughts on " Sasinam ThvAm kalayAmi RangarAja "

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RanganAthan is enjoyed by Jn~Anis as " Idham Ranga Chandra: " .

As the Chandran generates huge tides , Oh Lord , You make the waves

of aanandham rise from Your sEvai . Just as the Moon's rays become

the nourishing nectar for ChakOra Pakshis , we as sEvamAna jana lochana

chakOrams thrive on You as our nectar .

 

Saamyam and Vaishamyam betwwen Moon and the Lord

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The saamyams (Similarities) were covered in the above analysis.

RanganAthan as the Lord of MahAlakshmi has unique qualities ,

where He is uniquely different :

 

(1) PadhmOllAsakarathvam : ability to make the Lotus bloom

or gladden the heart of Padhma . The Moon unlike the Lord can not

make the lotus bloom . Only lillies bloom in moon light . In the case of

RanganAthan , He is PadhmOllAsakaran for another reason : bringer of

joy to the heart of RanganAyaki ( PadhmA ).

 

(2) adhOshakarathvam : freedom from dhOshams . The Moon has

kaLangam . Bhagavaan in contrast is adhOshan , akaLangan .

 

(3) RaTAnga Priyathvam : RaTAngam is both ChakravAkam and Sudarsanar .

Moon is a friend of ChakOram and not ChakravAkam . Lord is the dear friend of

His mighty ChakrAyudham ( RaTAngan) .

 

Thus there are vaishmyams ( differences ) between the Lord and the Moon

althought they have many similarites .