Sri Lakshmi Sahsram : 17.12

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs of MahA Lakshmi:

 

In this slOkam , Sri VenkatAdhri Kavi speaks on behalf of all of us

(asampoorNa adhikAris) about our insufficencies in engaging in

the diffiuclt tasks that are beyond our limited capabilities and

resorting therefore to the easiest task of Naama sankeerthanam of

Mahaa Lakshmi's names to gain Her ParipoorNa anugraham .

 

Twelfth SlOakam

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na muhurBahumanmahE manUn

na cha vAchO jaratheeradheemahE

prayathA: prayathAmahE vayam

Tava nAmnAm Haripathni keerthanE

 

( Key words ): " Hari Pathni ! Tava nAmnAm keerthanE prayathAmahE ".

 

(Meaning) : Through the organ of speech ( Vaag Indhriyam) , three tasks can be

undertaken : (1)Mantra Japam , (2) Veda PaarAyaNam and (3) Naama Sankeerthanam.

The poet explains here the reasons for our abandonment of the first two difficult

routes and choosing the easy route of Naama sankeerthanam for our salvation .

 

The reasons for the preference for the Naama Sankeerthanam route are :

 

(1) Mantra japam requires upadEsam from a competent adhikAri .

One has to have strict discipline and high degree of anushtAnam & AchAram.

( niyama nishtais). One needs to perform anga nyAsams and kara

nyAsams . Single minded meditation on the Mantra dEvathai is

needed . Phalans for Mantra Japam can be realized only after

Mantra siddhi is attained .These requirements make it difficult

to follow the mantra japam route for the majority of us . It is

therefore a frustrating route.

 

(2) The second thing we can use with our speech organ is perfroming

Veda PaarAyaNam . That route is even more difficult than Mantra Japam .

The completion of VedAdhyayanam takes many years of effort. Svarams

have to be strictly preserved. Sandhai , retention power and repeated

practise has to be adopted . To become a GhanapADi , it requires an

average of 8 years to gain mastery over one Vedam . This route is not only

time consuming but is also full of very difficult steps to gain success.

You have to have Upanayanam before commencing VedAdhyayanam .

This route is not open to ladies and for anyone outside the three varNams .

This route is hence even more frustrating to follow than Mantra Japam .

 

(3) Naama Sankeerthanam Route: The inherent difficulties associated with

the first two routes propel us to engage in the easiest route of Naama

sankeerthanam for the majority of us ( Ladies , Children , infirm ones etc).

The pursuit of this route with faith and purity of mind will bless us all with

a panoply of anugrahams including the supreme siddhi of MOksham .

The need for the adaptation of Lakshmi Naama Sankeerthanam as the safest ,

universally applicable and easy to practise route becomes clear now .

 

Word by Word Meaning:

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Hari Pathni ! = Oh Divine Consort of Hari !

 

Vayam manUn muhu: na BahumanmahE = We do not consider the mantra Japams

as a significant route to meet our needs .

 

jarathee vAcha: na adhImahE cha = We do not engage in the recitation of the ancient

Vedams ( Veda PaarAyaNam) either because of its inherent diffiuclties .

 

PrayathA: Tava nAmnAm keerthanE prayathAmahE = (Therefore) , we attempt to perfrom

Your ( Lakshmi's) nAma sankeerthanam with a pure mind (prayathA: ) for our salvation .

 

Here , the poet is not putting down the routes of Mantra Japam and Veda PaarAyaNam.

He is just providing the rationale for the choice of the third route with purity of mind

( thUyOmAi vanthu) and attempting to perform Naama sankeerthanam ( " Malar Mangai

peyarkaL solla maasinRi muyalhinROm ).

Sri PadhmAvathy SamEtha Sri SrinivAsa ParabrahmaNE nama:

Daasan , Oppiliappan KOil VaradAchAri Sadagopan