Lakshmi Sahasram: 17.3

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SrI:

 

Dear MahA Lakshmi BhakthAs:

 

In the third slOkam of Naama Vaibhava sTaBakam , ArasANippAlai Kavi

instructs us that the sankeerthanam of our Divine Mother's naamAs will

transform us to a status superior compared to that of the blessed DevAs :

 

rAjeevagEhE Tava marthyarAjee

rAjeevayanthy vyasanABdhi-magna:

nAmAni ya: keertayathE sa dhanyO

vaimAnikaanAmapi mAnaneeya:

 

(Meaning): Oh MahA Lakshmi having Your abode in the Lotus flower !

Those who recite Your rejuvenating nAmAs , while they are swirled about

in the whirlpools of SamsAric ocean become blessed and are saluted even by

the celestail beings for their loftiness of status !

 

The key words of this slOkam are : " Ya: Tava nAmAni keerthayathE ,

sa: VaimAnikAm api mAnaneeya: (bhavathy) .

 

The One who engages in the sankeerthanam of Your auspiciuous nAmAs

attains a status that is superior even to that of the DevAs .

 

The Tamizh rendition of this slOkam by Sri KaNNan Swamy is:

 

tEnmalar thAmarai veetu

dEvi Ramai peyar paattuut-

thErcchi peRum narar mAttu

dEvarhaLin pArAttu

 

( Comments) on the word groups of this slOkam :

 

1. " RaajevagEhE": MahA Lakshmi is addressed here as " Raajeeva gEhE ".

That sambhOdhanam relates to Sri Devi having the lotus flower as Her

Home . It is in this context , Sri Sooktham salutes Her as one resident in

the Lotus flower known for its softness and beautiful hue :

 

" padhmE sTithAm Padhma VarNAm ThvAmihOpahvayE Sriyam "

 

The prayer here is for the Devi of the Lord residing in Her lotus home

to reside near the upAsakan .

 

Another manthram of Sri Sooktham also recognizes Her residence

in the Lotus flower ( PadhmAlayA ) :

 

Padhma PriyE Padhmini Padhma hastE

PADHMAALAYE PadhmadaLAyathAkshi

ViswapriyE VishNumanOnukoolE

Thvath paadha padhmam mayi sannidhathsva

 

The prayer here is for the Lady residing in the house of Lotus to

place Her lotus soft feet on the head of the Upaasakan .

 

2. " MarthyarAjee: Aajeevayanthy ": Here MahA Lakshmi is recognized as

the One , who rejuvenates the assembly of human beings (Marthya rAjee:)

from their states of ajn~Anam , Vipareetha Jn~Anam that sinks them deep

into the ocean of SamsAram . She is the DayALu , who takes pity on them

and helps them readily as the Mother caring for Her suffering children .

 

3. " VyasanABdhi-magna: Ya: tava nAmAni keerthayathE sa : dhanya: " Oh Lakshmi !

Any one deeply immersed in the sorrowful sea of Samsaaram and is astute enough t

to recite Your auspicious names becomes a fortunate one (dhanya:).

 

4. sa: VaimAnikAnAmapi mAnaneeya: " Oh Sri Devi! That fortunate one becomes

superior even to the DevAs dear to the Lord . That blessed one is worshipped even by

those Celestial ones . If that blessed one is saluted by DevAs , it is easy to surmise that

human beings will defenitely hold him in highest reverence . DevAs travel in the sky in

their chariots , the wheels of which do not make contact with the Earth ; the humans before

reciting Lakshmi's sahasra Naamams were caught up in the whirlpool in SamsAric ocean .

The power of Lakshmi"s nAma sankeerthanam lifts these troubled ones and elevate

them to the level of the DevAs . Such is the ennobling power of Her nAmAs! The person

becomes fit for worship by the DevAs , who consider him as a PuNyasaali and wish to acquire

their puNyam by worshipping these fortunate ones ( Daasars of Lakshmi Devi) .

 

5. Alliteration : Sri VenkatAdhri Kavi uses the "Raajee" sabdham thrice to telling effect

in this slOkam : " Raajeevam ( Lotus) , Raajee ( rows) and Aajeevayanthy( resucitates) .

Similarly , the poet uses to pleasing effect " the naama and maana sabdhams" in

the second half of this slOkam :" nAmAni , vaimAni ,naamapi , mAnanee ". This is

a power packed and pleasing usage for the enjoyment of the listeners.

 

Sreemathyai MahA Lakshmyai Nama:

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan