Sri Lakshmi Sahasram 17.6

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Happy New Year !

 

Vyaya Samvathsaram, Chittirai Month First Day

SwAthi Nakshathra Dinam dear to Sri Lakshmi Nrusimhan

 

SrI:

 

Dear MahA Lakshmi BhakthAs :

 

On this First day of the Tamil New Year , Vyaya , let us study

the next slOkam (7th) from the 17th StaBakam of Lakshmi

Sahasram :

 

nAmarakshaNaparas-tavOchitha

nAmarakshaNam-apEkshathE RamE

yas-taNothy Tava nAmayOjanam

sOyam-adhbhutham-anAmayO jana:

 

(Prose Order) : RamE ! Tava nAma-rakshaNapara: nAma rakshaNam

apEkshathE . uchitham (idham) . ya: Tava nAma-yOjanam tanOthy sOayam

anAmayO jana: , adhbhutham (idham) !

 

Oh MahA Lakshmi ! RamA Devi ! Those who recite and treasure Your

dhivya (divine) nAmAs will not desire even SvargalOkams . Those who bear

Your name on their Siras(head) would be freed of all diseases. By protecting

Your divine name, they will have all the protection that they need to ward

off every disease of the body and mind (those caused by samsAric afflictions) .

 

The Key words of this slOkam are : Ya: Tava nAma yOjanam tanOthy ,

sOyam anAmayO Jana:".

 

The agility of the poet in engaging in adhbhutha (wonderful) word play

using the "naama" sabdham is striking :

 

1." Naama RakshaNapara : Naama rakshaNam apEkashathE "

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Above passage two meanings:

 

(a) One who is devoted to the sankeerthanam and Japam of Your nAmAs

does not seek or want the pleasures of even Indhira lOkam /Svargam

( na amara kshaNam apEkshathE ) . " icchuvai tavira yaann indhira lOkam

AaLum acchuvai peRinum vENDEn , Arangamaa naharuLAnE "

is the AzhwAr's resolute declaration .

 

In this context , one is reminded of The ancient word of wisdom :

" dharmO rakshathy rakshitha: " .

 

Dharmam protects one , who protects those who porect it .

Similarly , those who protect Your nAma rahasyam (mysteries)

housed in Your mantram from unfit adhikAris ( ayOgyAs and

Bhagavath dhvEshis: those who are unqualified and enemies of

the Lord) .

 

Those who protect Your nAma rahasyam by performing upadEsam to

the deserving devotees of Yours with SraddhA and niyamam will be

protected by You .

 

The ways of " Naama RakshaNam" are classified along these five fold way :

 

1. Protection without forgetting . Frequent /daily japam of Your NaamAs

2. Protection from their disappearance thru upadEsam to fit ones.

3. Protection from falling in the hands of the unfit ones.

4. Protection of its veeryam through proper enunciation of Svarams

5. Protection from the change of its BheejAksharams (seed letters).

 

(b) Naama RakshaNapara: Naama RakshaNam apEkshathE:Second view

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One who is deeply involved in Your nAma Japam covets the protection

offered by such recitation . Paran (TanvasamAnavan)stands for the one

who is entrenched in the anubhavam of some thing . MahA Lakshmi"s

nAmAs act like a Kavacham (shield) against the ills of the body and

the world. Therefore , the upAsakan seeks that rakshaNam offered by

Your nAmA japam ( Tava nAma rakshaNa BalEna rakshaNam AapnOthy ).

 

One who has Your nAmA on his or her head ( nAma yOjanam) reveals

dhAsyam( servitude) to You and Your Lord .That is their rakshai ( protection).

That results in pushti ( vigor) and thushti ( peace , equanimity of mind

and lasting sukham). They become "anAmaya:" , free from the physical

diseases, six internal enemies like Kaamam , Madham , KrOdham et al .

These are the rakshaNams attained.

 

2. ya: nAma yOjanam tanOthy sOyam anAmayO jana:

 

The word "anAma yOjana: " is used in slEdai ( double meaning ) manner .

 

a) " a+nAma + yOjana: ( One who does not wear Your nAmAs

on his /her Siras) " is one way to split of the compound word :

anAmayojana.

 

(b) the other way to split is "anAmayO +jana: " ( one who is free from diseases) .

 

How does "nAma yOjanam " make them anAmayaO janam? That is appropriate

(uchitham) because of the power of the nAmAs of RamA DEvi.

 

The alankAra Saasthrams have a figure of speech (alankAram)

known as " virOdhAbhAsAlankAram". That is used to suggest a contrary

meaning, which goes away , when a different split of the words in the word

group is used. That is vichithram ( adhbhutham) as opposed to Uchitham .

Even the unseeking one (a+nAma+yOjanan) gets the benefit of protection.

 

May the recitation of Your nAmAs protect the reciter !

May the addition of Your name (SrI Sabdham) to vasthus

and people ( Sri Sabdha sambhnadham) remove all afflictions !

 

NamO Sri RanganAyaki samEtha SriranganATAya Nama:

RaamAnuja Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan