Acharya vaibhavam - 21- Bhoomi PiraaTTi's Glories [from Bhusthuthi.].

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SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dearest all,

 

Continuation of BhumA Devi's glories, let us enjoy

Swamy Desikan's Bhoosthuthi..

 

From the inimitable work of Sri Sadagopan Swami:

 

In thirty three slokas, Swami Desikan offers his

homage to Sri Bhudevi in the stotra Bhoosthuthi, as

the Dharma Patni of Yajna Varaha Murthy , who fought

with the Asura known as HiranyAksha to bring back the

stolen

Bhumi Devi from under the ocean.

 

Thanks to Sri Sadagopan Swami for his wonderful post

summarizing this sthothra.

 

Our Acharya points out here that She is easy to

approach by Chetanas and She is the sustenance of the

Chetanas. He states that Sriman Narayana is enriched

by His association with Bhumi Devi. The seventh Sloka

covers his thoughts on this aspect of Bhumi Devi.

Through the latter half of this verse , he proclaims:

 

TVATH SANGAMAATH BHAVATHI

MAADHAVI LABDHAPOSHA :

SAAKA SATAI : ATIGATHO

HARICHANDANOSOW

 

Here Swami Says that Sriman Narayana , who is

like a Harichandana tree (a variety of Kalpa Taru ) ,

gets His nourishment by His association with

Sri Bhumi Devi and thereby becomes empowered

to perform His duties as praised by the hundreds of

branches of the Vedas .

 

Swami desikan " s reverence for Bhumi Devi is revealed

in the sixth sloka , where he recites Her many names

to provide an unambigous describtion of Her and

dwells on Her many glories as the dear wife of the

Lord. His choice of words are Sarvam Sahaa , Avani,

Viswambhara,Achalaa, Vipulaa, Vasumdharaa, Ananthaa,

PruthvE et al. By the holy name of Sarvam Sahaa, he

points out that She represents Her infinite patience

with us and putting up with our many trespasses. By

the name Avani, She indicates Her functions in

protecting the universe; by the name Achalaa, She

represents Her steady resolve in helping the

Prapannaas to receive the mercy of Her Lord ; by the

name Viswambharaa, She hints at Her duties of bearing

the Universe; by the name Vipulaa , she points out to

Her Immesaurable auspicious qualities;by the name

vasundharaa, She reveals Her enormous wealth.

 

To show the unique distinction of Bhuma Devi and Her

special place in the affection of Sriman Narayana ,

Swami states that Bhagavan carries Sri Devi only in

His chest , where as He carries Bhuma Devi on His

thousand heads in His role as Adisesha:

 

VISWAMBHAREH MADHURIPU: PRANAYAANURODHAATH

SESHAATMANAA TU BHAVATHEEM SIRASAA DHADAATHI

 

In resonance with the first Rk of Bhoosooktham,

Swami Desikan states that She enriches and nourishes

the Earth and makes it produce all riches including

food and minerals .The First Rk of Bhoosuktham is as

follows:

 

BHUMIRBHOOMNAA DHYAURVARINAANTHARIKSHAM MAHITVAA

UPASTEH TEH

DEVYADHITEHAGNIMANNADHAMANNAADHAYAAYAADATEH

 

In this Taitiriya samhita mantram, the invocation in

honor of Bhumi Devi is referred to. The meaning of

this

Mantram is as follows:

 

O Bhumi Devi! You are Immeasurable in Your dimensions;

it is not possible to asses your expanse. You shine

forth in a manner that is respected by every one. Your

qualities of compassion and forbearance elevate You to

dizzying heights;You can not be divided into finite

pieces by anyone. We offer the Agni that is capable of

consuming the Havis for You in appreciation of our

recognition of You producing the food that nourishes

us.

 

Swami Desikan " s twelfth slokam of Bhusthuthi echoes

the

sentiments of the above Bhusooktha Mantram. It begins

with the words: Bhutheshu Yath -----

 

Here , Swami says that those living beings , which are

the object of the mercy of Bhumi Devi get nourished

through Her blessings very well ;he also says that

among the five elements ( Pruthvi, Water, Agni , Vayu

and ether) , only Pruthvi, the amsam of Bhu Devi

has the five qualities such as Taste , Fragrance ,

Shape, Touch and Sound . The rest of the four

Pancha Bhoothams have one or two of the above

attributes only.As a rsult, Bhoomi Devi is the

embodiment of the mighty riches.

 

In the twenty eighth slokam of this Sthuthi, Swami

addresses Her as Kshameh and goes on to describe

Her influence with Her Lord to help chetanas approach

Him.Our Acharya says that She is like a ladder

(Svargaapavarga Saranim ) for Svargam and Moksham.

In yet another verse, Swami describes Her as the

possessor of blemishless quality of Mercy

(Anapaanukampaa) .She prepares therefore the fearing

Jivans to approach Her Lord .The chetanas are bent

down by the fear that their enormous sins can not be

expiated by any amount of Praayaschittam . They are

sacred to experience the fruits of their accumulated

sins through prolonged residence in Narakam. While

they are in the grip of such terror, they pray to You

and You out of your infinite compassion take pity on

them and use Your influence with Your Lord to get the

boon of entering Srivaikuntam.

 

Swami Desikan concludes the Bhusthuthi with a splendid

word picture enshrined in the Dhyana slokam.Here, he

describes Her as the Adivaraha Mahishi seated on the

immense tusk of her Lord (Bhuvaraha Murthy ) arising

out of the Pralaya waters :

 

PATHYUR DAKSHINA PAANI PANKAJA PUTEH

VINYASTHA PAADHAAMBHUJAA

VAMAM PANNAGA SAARVABHOWMA SADHRUSAM

PARYNKAYANTHEE BHUJAM

POTHRA SPARSA LASAT KAPOLA PALAKAA

PULLAARAVINDHEKSHANAA

SAA MEH PUSHYATU MANGALAANYANUDHINAM

SARVAANI SARVAM SAHAA

 

The above verse is set in the majestic

Sardhoola Vikriitham meter in contrast to

almost all of the other slokas of this Sthuthi ,

which are set in the lilting Vasantha Tilaka meter.

 

In the above Dhyana Slokam, Swami describes the

beautiful vision of Bhumi Devi resting both of Her

Lotus feet on the right palm of Sri Varaha Bhagavan

and placing Her head on His Cheek, while being

embraced by His left hand . Our Acharya says that

the intimacy of Her cheek touching the cheek of Her

Lord made Her experience the sensation of

horripilation. Our Acharya prays that Sri Bhumi Devi

in that state of auspiciousness(Romanjali) and the

enjoyment of the proximity of Her Lord " s

presence(Saamepyam )to confer on us all blessings

every day.

 

Sri Bhumi Devi Sametha Sri Bhuvaraha PerumaaL

thiruvadigaLeh Saranam.

 

Let us enjoy How Goddess Mahalakshmi can be Paratvam

along with Her Lord Sri MahavishNu.

 

asmadhAchArya paryanthAm vadhE GuruparamparAm

Regards

Namo Narayana

dAsan