Sri Lakshmi Sahsram : 17.20 to 17.22

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SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs of MahA Lakshmi:

 

In this slOkam , the great Lakshmi BhakthA states jocularly that

Saama Veda Manthrams have passages known as nidhanam and

upadhravam , which have the secondary meanings of struggles and

destruction . This is in ParibhAshai . The poet states that MahA Lakshmi's

nAmAs unlike some of the Saama sAmans do not have Ubadhravam or

Nidhanam aspects . MahA Lakshmi's nAmAs are Sarva MangaLakaram

and easy to recite for obtaining Her anugraham.

 

manasija tAthapAdha manasa: paritushtikaram

Janani sAmAnamEva nanu sAma cha nAma cha tE

athiSayam-AadhimAth aparamEva taTAabhyayathE

nidhanam-ubhadhravam cha na kadhAapi yatassahathE --- SlOkam 20

 

(Meaning ): Oh Mother ! Both the Saama Veda Manthrams that delight the mind of

the Father of Manmathan (Your Lord) and Your Naamams are equal in sacredness .

There is however two negative connotations with Saama Veda Manthrams that

Your nAmams do not have. Saama Vedam has passages known as Ubhadhravam

( Giving trouble) and nidhanam ( destruction) . Your nAmAs differ from these two

Saama Vedic fetures and never cause any inauspiciousness to those who recite

them. Therefore , Saama veda Saamans will not reach equality with Your nAmAs in

Vaibhavam. The poet concludes that Lakshmi Naama ghAnam is superior to

Saama GhAnam that is recited in Sri Vaikuntam to delight the Lord.

 

SlOkam 17.21

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pApa-AaDOpa-nidhAga-varjana-kruthE parjanya-garjAyathE

vyAdhi-vyAla-kulE pathath-pathi-Garuth-vaathUla-nAdhAyathE

dhAridhra-dhviradhEndhra dhAraNa-vidhou simhADDahAsAyathE

PadhmE Taavaka-nAma samsruthi-niSA prathyUsha vAdhyAyathE

 

(Meaning): Oh Mother! Your nAmAs destroy sins , poverty , diseases (vyAdhi)

and SamsAram ( bhava rOgam). The poet gives us some memorable comparisons

in this context .

 

For the torrid summer of sins , Your nAmAs are like the welcome,

seasonal rains. For the serpent of disease , Your nAmAs are like the dhvani from

the movement of the wings of Veda Purushan , Garudan. For the elephant in rut ,

Your nAmAs are like the roar of the lion to chase it away . For the night of SamsAram ,

Your nAmAs are like the instruments played at dawn to greet the birth of a new day .

 

The sacred names of MahA Lakshmi transforms into the sound of thunder ( idi Osai),

the fierce wind generated by the wings of mighty Garudan as He rushes forward ,

the simha garjanam and the tender sounds of the SuprabhAtham recited at dawn.

The sins, diseases, poverty and SamsAram shudder and run away the moment

they hear the auspicious sounds of lakshmi Naama sankeerthanam.

 

The sound effects in this slOkam are beautiful to enjoy . All the Paadhams

end with "AayathE ".

 

SlOkam 17.22

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In this slOkam , Sri VenkatAdhri Kavi reminds us that the sacred names of our

Mother establish firmly (without ever fading) all auspiciousnes for the reciter.

 

rAjeevAayathanEithi dhaithya-jith-urO-rakshEthi LakshmIrithi

KsheerABdhErduhithEthi KaiDabha-ripO: dhArA ithi SrIrithi

SrEyas-sAdhana-dEvathA-ithi jagathAm MathEthi SeethEthi

prAthar mAthar-upAsmahE krutha Subha sTEmAni nAmAni tE

 

(Meaning): Oh Lakshmi ! Through these 9 NaamAs , we meditate on You

at early morning hours: (1) VishNu VakshasTalasTithA , (2) PadhmAlayA

(3) Lakshmi (4) Samudhra TanayE (5) Consort of the enemy of KaiDaba asuran

(6) SrI (7) Devathai serving as the means for SrEyas (8) Mother of the Universe

and (9) SeethA . Such a recitation and the meditation on these 9 nAmAs establish

soundly all auspicousness for us. We perform upAsanam with reflections on

the myriad tatthvams behind each of these nAmAs (arTAnusandhAnam) during

the early morning hours, which are ideal for Japam and grantha KaalakshEpam .

 

Sriman Kannan Swamy succinctly records the meanings of this slOkam in Tamil:

 

ahalAtha MangaLatthai

aruLUm unn NaamangaL

athanAlE anudinamum

athikAlai avai solvOm

 

The recitation of Your nAmAs results in lasting auspiciousness . Therefore , we

recite them daily during Brahma MuhUrtham ( PrAtha: kaalE upAsmahE) .

 

Each of the nAmAs have depths of meanings . RajjevAyathanA ( Raajeeva

AayathanA ) means the One who has Her abode in the Lotus . The deeper

meanings of this nAmam are covered in the next sthaBakam .

 

" dhaithya jithurOrakshA " refers to Her being the protection (rakshai) for Her Lord

against His enemies. It is because of Her protection through Her presence as

VakshasTala Lakshmi , our Lord is able to win His battles against His enemies.

 

The name " Lakshmi" provides the definition (lakshaNam) for the Lord through

Her residence on His chest . He is understood therefore as Sriya Pathy , Lakshmi Kaanthan

et al .

 

The six profound meanings of the "SrI " sabdham has been revealed in

Lakshmi Tantram and in MummaNikkOvai by Swamy Desikan .

 

Some say that Lakshmi does not stay at one place for too long . They address Her

as Sanchalaa for that reason (selvOm instead of selvam ). Sri VenkatAdhri Kavi

suggests that She becomes asanchalA , when one performs UpAsanai through

Her Naama sankeerthanam at dawn .

Sri PadhmAvathy SamEtha Sri SrinivAsa ParabrahmaNE nama:

Daasan , Oppiliappan KOil VaradAchAri Sadagopan