Padhuka Sahasram-661

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Sri:

 

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

 

Translation by U.Ve. Dr. V.N. Vedanta Desikan Swamin:

 

 

661. vandhE gAruthmathIm vrutthyA maNisthOmaIscha pAdhukAm

yayA nithyam thuLasyEva harithathvam prakAshyathE

 

I pay obeisance to Paaduka, inset with green gems-emerals-which have

Garuda as their devata. Both Paaduka and Garuda are alike in their

duty assignment and in appearance/constitution. Paaduka resembles

Tulasi too. Whereas Paaduka exhibits Hari-tatva-(the principle called

Hari), Tulasi exhibits Harita-tatva (the greennenss).

 

Namo Narayana,

 

SriMuralidhara Dasan

 

Special Notes by V.Sadagopan (V.S):

 

We are commencing the Marakatha Paddhathi now.

There are 20 slOkams in this chapter, which extoll

the glories of the Emeralds adorning the PaadhukAs

of the Lord. Swamy Desikan explores the relations

between the green color of the Emeralds and GarudA ,

TuLasi , panic grass (aruham pul ) and other entities

with a green color in tis paddhathi.

 

1) UtthamUr Sawmy's anubhavam: I bow unto the PaadhukAs ,

which have a lot in common with GarudA in the areas of

their respective duties and the colored gems that

they like to wear. The PaadhukAs elaborate on the verdure or

Hari Tatthvam , just as TuLasi does. I offer my salutations

to GarudA and TuLasi , the peers of PaadhukAs in their

attributes.

 

Our Lord travels on GarudA , just as He travels on

the PaadhukAs. GarudA is the patron deity of emerald

gem and latter are seen on the PaadhukAs of the Lord .

 

There are two similarities between the Paadhukais

and GarudA : (1) Both GarudA and the PaadhukAs announce

the arrival of thier Lord through their presence.

(2)GarudA and the Paadhukais have a common feature with

the sacred TuLasi worn from head to foot by the Lord

in the form of TuLasi garlands. Lord's identity is

revealed from the TuLasi that is seen on His limbs.

 

From its haritham (green hue) , TuLasi is said to

have verdure or greenishness (Haritatthvam). Both GarudA

and the Paadhukais transport the Lord , who is richly

adorned with the green TuLasi leaves . The emeralds on

the Paadhukais and the presiding deity for the green

hued emeralds(Garudan) also show thus the Hari Tatthvam like

Tulasi. All these three seem to elaborate on Hari Tatthvam.

The poetic genius of Swamy Desikan and his uncanny ability

to play with the multiple meanings of words are made

abundantly clear here.

 

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: The Paadhukais do the work of

Garudan.There is however a distinction. When Paadhukais transport

the Lord over His Raaja veedhis , it brings the Lord close to all,

who can not come into the temple for different reasons and makes Him

readily accessible to one and all .When the Lord travels on

the back of Garudan and moves around in the sky , He is not easy to

see and enjoy. Emeralds of Paadhukai like TuLasi is green

and is endowed with purity (parisuddham). Like TuLasi ,

the emeralds on the Paadhukais chase away the sins of

janthus and blesses one with auspiciousness. Swamy Desikan

salutes such a sacred Paadhukai with emeralds . Garuda Pacchai is

another name for emeralds. Garudan stands for Vedams .

Swamy NammAzhwAr has created the Tamizh Vedam of

Thiruvaimozhi to bring the anubhavam of perumAL close

to one and all .It is difficult to comprehend

the meanings of Sanskritic Vedams. Swamy NammazhwAr has

distilled however the clear meanings of the vedams

(Saaraarthams)like the glow of the emerald gem .

 

3) " VandhE PaadhukAm " says Swamy Desikan here and qualifies those

Paadhukais as being close to Garudan by occupation( VrutthyA )

and by the assembly of emerald gems( MaNi SthOmai: saha).

Those paadhukais reveal always the Hari tatthvam just like

TuLasi ( yayA PaadhukayA TuLasyEva nithyam Hari Tatthvam

PrakAsyathE )...(V.S).