Swamy Desikan's Sankalpa SooryOdayam : Part IV / PrasthAvanA Section

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs of Swamy Desikan :

 

After the two Naandhi (Ranga Poojaa ) slOkams ,

the SoothradhAran ( the conductor of this drama)

by name Vaiknunta VinOdhini appears on stage and

announces :

 

" aadhishtOsmi " ( I have been commanded by the AchArya

PurushAs ) to appear on this stage and he describes the auspicious

attributes and the occupations of those SadAchAryAs :

 

1. They stay at the dhivya dEsams of the Lord ( Srirangam ,

Thirumala , Kaanchi , ThirunArAyaNapuram , JagannAtham ,

PaaNDurangam et al) and take an active part in the festivals

and kaimkaryams for the Archaa Moorthys there . With the dust

from their sacred feet , they consecrate this earth ; they are on

a par with the nithyasooris like AdhisEsha and VishvaksEnar ;

they are honored by all and are free from any blemishes ; they are

abodes of all aathma guNams and conduct themselves in

a manner appropriate to their kulam , Jn~Anam and kaala-

dEsa aachAram ; they are like the angry elephants in rut ,

when it comes to uprooting the arguments of Veda BhAhyars

and Kudhrushtis just like the pachyderm in a field of plantain

trees ; they are rich with their upaasanAs , aarAdhanam for

the Lord and follow either Bhakthi or Prapatthi maargam for

Moksha Siddhi from their Lord ; BhagavAn worshipped by them

has His sacred feet resting on the lotus peetam , which are

objects of aaratthi by the rays of gems positioned on the crowns of

prostrating dEvAs ; this Lord of the SadAchAryAs has taken

a dheekshai (vow) to protect those performing SaraNAgathy

at His feet ; that Lord observes His dharmams with Sri DEvi

and is like the huge assembly of clouds pouring down rain

on the wild fire of samsAram.

 

The melodious gadhya vaakhyams used by Swamy Desikan

to describe the Lord and the travels of His SadAchAryans to

His dhivya dEsams are lilting and are a delight to the ears .

Here is an example of the SuthradhAran saluting the dust

from the sacred feet of the SadAchAryans consecrating

this earth through their paadha dhULis : " --- --- chaDula- -charaNa-

naLina - dhooLi- paDala- pavithritha- kshamAtalai: -- -- -- " .

 

Their travel to the dhivya dEsams of the Lord is saluted this way: " -- --

Sriranga-Vrushagiri-Sathyavratha- Yadhugiri- PurushOtthama-PaaNDuranga

prabhrudhibhishu dhivyAbhi-vyakthi dEsushu yaTAbhimatha yAthrOthsava

sEvAhEvAka-vihitha-gathAgathA: -- -- " The SuthradhAran identifies the

Sadaacharyans as experts in comprehending the esoteric meanings of

Upanishads and crown jewels among people populating all directions .

 

Now SuthradhAran explains the command given to him by the AchAryAs :

 

They have orderd me to conduct the play (Naadakam) that will have

the three requisites :

 

(1) To deflect the mind of the simple folks(lalitha manasAm ) ,

who have poor control over their Sariram , manas and sufferings and

attune them to enjoy the blemishless ninth rasam (KaruNA rasam)

instead of SrungAra , Veera and other 7 rasams that they are used to

and nourish them with that KaruNA/Saantha rasam .

 

(2)The Naatakam should banish the samsAric sufferings of all

 

(3) it should have characters (actors) like VivEkam (Discriminative

Intellect) and Moham ( delusion ) and supporting cast for these

two categories(nruguNee bhUya tannAmakA: naDa parishadhaa:) .

 

The slOkam corresponding to the above thoughts are :

 

lalitha-manasAm preethyai Bhibrath rasanthAra-bhUmikAm--

navamaguNo yasmin naaDyE rasO navama: sTitha:

jananapadhaveejangalArthicchidhAnruguNeebhavann-

naDa-parishadhaatEna aasvAdham SathAmupachinvathy

 

SutradhAran continues : " I have now taken the vow to follow

the command of AchAryAs (SaamarTya SatthvA: ) . My name is

Vaikunta VinOdhindhini . I am the son of SanthOsha- Paalakan ,

the King of dance , who is a disciple of the creator of Bharatha

Saasthram ( Bharatha Muni). My father is like the lion against

the elephants of other naDaas. Our audience consists of VidhvAns ,

who have assembled without any other distractions (VyApArAnthara

ThyAgis) since this play is for the realization of success in gaining

(the vyApAram of ) MOksha Siddhi .

 

The SoothradhAran continues: This sabhA consists of people , who

have clear knowledge about Naatya LakshaNams , Desi and Maargam;

these rasikAs will not turn their face towards evil . They appear like

the DevathAs respected by Bharatha Saasthram . {{ Naatyam is dance/play ;

Desi is acting based on the union of speech , alankAram (decoration/make

up ) and appropriate mental state . Desi is also made up of the movements

corresponding to TaaLam (beat) without bhAvam (emotion) . Margam

announces BhAvam}} .

 

Now the SutradhAran recites the fourth slOkam of Sri HayagrIva

SthOthram to seek Lord HayagrIvan's anugraham . The meaning

of this slOkam has been covered in :

 

http://www.parakalamatham.org/stotrams/hs

 

The 4th SlOkam of Sri HayagrIva StOtram is:

 

prAchi sandhyA kaachidhantarnisAyA:

praj~nAdhrushtEranjana-SrIrapoorvA

vakthree vEdhAn bhAthu mE vaajivakthrA--

VaagheesAkhyA VaasudEvasya Moorthy:

 

(Meaning): The horse faced Lord of speech (Vaageesan) is indeed

the avathAra roopam of Para VaasudEvan of SrI Vaikuntam .

He instructs Brahma Devan on VedAs and is like the unique

morning light (PrAtha: SandhyA ) to drive away our inner darkness.

He is the matchless , sacred collyrium ( anjanam) for revelation of

dhivya Jn~Anam . May This SubhAsraya ThirumEni of this incarnation

of Para VaasudEvan shine within and before me always !

 

Therefore for success in my efforts to follow the commands of

SadAchAryans , adiyEn worships the Supreme Lord HayagrIvan ,

who makes it possible to climb all VidhyA SthAnams including

Vedam and Bhagavath Saasthrams .

 

Next the SutradhAran recites a slOkam from Sri DasAvathAra

SthOthram . In the previous slOkam , the SutradhAran offered

his salutations to Lord HayagrIvan for jn~Anam relating to

the conductance of the Naatakam ; now , he salutes Lord

RanganAthan , the dEvathai for the Naatyam /Naatakam ,

who performs the ten kinds of avathAra naatyam :

 

dEvO na: subhamAtanOthu dasadhA nirvartayan bhUmikAm

rangE dhAmani labdha-nirbhara-rasairadhyakshithO bhAvukai:

yadhbhAvEshu pruTagvidhEshvanuguNAn bhAvAn svayam Bibrathee

yaddharmairiha dharmiNi viharatE nAnAkruthirnAyikaa

 

(Meaning): Lord RanganAthan takes ten actor's roles through

His ten incarnations and is enjoyed by the rasikAs of Srirangam .

In each of His avathArams (abhinayams) as Vyuha Moorthy ,

VibhavaavathAran, Devan , Human and animal , His DEvi takes

on a matching form and performs His kaimkaryams in a matching

manner and enjoys the leela rasam of such avathArams . May that

Lord of Srirangam confer on us all auspiciousness !

 

Now the SuthradhAran appears in a mediative pose for

the duration of one muhUrtham and becomes joyous and states:

 

I have now been drenched by the daya-laden glances of

the Svatantra dhaivam , which has all tatthvams under its

control ; That bhAgyam is a direct result of adiyEn's worship of

that dhaivam . He completes a final salutation to the Lord and

declares his intention regarding the conductance of the Naatakam.

 

Sruthi kireeDa-vihAra jushaa dhiyA surabhithAmiha naaDaka-paddhathim

muhuravEkshya VivEkamupaghnyan mathamapasriyAmi vipaschithAm

 

(Meaning): I will give first place to the doctrines of Jn~Anis

using King VivEkan as firm support and discover the path for

the Naatakam that has been made fragrant with Upanishads ,

Brahma Soothram and Sri BhAshyam .

 

Now the SutradhAran turns his face towards the actor's

dressing rooms and says : " Oh honorable Nadi ( Actress )!

May this sacred stage be accepted by you with affection .

 

(To Be continued )

 

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

Srimate Sri Laksminrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka

SrivaNN Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

 

Daasan , Oppiliappan KOil VaradAchAri Sadagopan

http://www.sadagopan.org