Sloka #991
991. haricharaNasarOjE BhakthiBhAjAm janAnA-
manukaraNavishEShaIrAthmanaIvOpahAsyam
pariNamaya dhayArdhrA pAdhukE! thAdhrusham mAm
BharathapariShadhantharvarthiBhi: prEkshaNIyam
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Paaduka! I have been imitating the great devotees of the Lord’s Feet, in the matter of showing Bhakthi, performing duties, speaking in self-criticism,-all in mere cheating spirit. May You, in Your grace, transform me into one of the people of true devotion and sincere humility, so that I can join the band, Bharata-troupe!
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! adiyEn imitates the acts of those righteous ones, who are deeply devoted to the Lord’s holy feet. These evolved souls have attained the purpose of their births through such exemplary devotion to the Lord’s lotus feet. I laugh however at myself over my audacious imitation of the ways of these devotees of the Lord and feel sinful. Oh PaadhukE! Please make me a member of this true group of servants of the Lord out of Your immense compassion for sinners like me.
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam: Here, Swamy Desikan develops the theme that the auspicious glances of BhagavathAs of the Lord are even more powerful (darsanAdhEva Saadhava:) than that of the Lord Himself. He prays for the blessings of the Paadhukais to generate true bhakthi for the BhAgavathAs of the Lord. Swamy Desikan laments over the lost days, when he pretended to act like a true devotee of the Lord’s BhagavathAs. He prays to the Paadhukais to join him in the Bharatha GhOshti.
3) Oh PaadhukE! There are the true BhagavathAs of the Lord , who have the highest level of Bhakthi for the Lord’s lotus feet (Oh PaadhukE! Hari charaNa sarOjE bhakthi bhAjAm Janaa:). I tried to act like them and became a laughing matter to myself (Bhakthi bhAjam JanAnAm anukaraNa visEshai: aathmanaiva upahAsyam). Oh most Compassionate PaadhukE ! You must bless this egotistic and decietful jeevan (myself) to become the object of glance of the Saadhus, who belong to the Bharatha GhOshti ( ThAdhrusam maam Thvam dayArshrA Bharatha Parishath antharvarthibhi: prEkshaNeeyam pariNamaya) … (V.S).
991. ஹரிசரண ஸரோஜ பக்தி பாஜாம் ஜநாநாம்
அநுகரண விசேஷை: ஆத்மநைவ உபஹாஸ்யம்
பரிணமய தயார்த்ரா பாதுகே தாத்ருசம் மாம்
பரத பரிஷத் அந்த: வர்த்திபி: ப்ரேக்ஷணீயம்
பொருள் – ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் பாதுகையே! தாமரை மலர் போன்ற திருவடிகள் கொண்ட ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் திருவடிகளில் மிகுந்த பக்தி கொண்டவர்கள் பலர் உள்ளனர். நான் அவர்கள் போன்று பக்தி உள்ளவனாக நடித்தபடி உள்ளேன். இதனால் என்னை நானே பரிஹாஸம் செய்து கொள்ளும்படி உள்ளேன். இப்படிப்பட்ட என் மீது நீ இளகிய மனதுடன் அருள் சுரக்கவேண்டும். இதனால் நான் அவர்கள் போன்று பக்தி கொண்டவனாகவும், பரதனின் கோஷ்டியைச் சேர்ந்த “பாதுகா சேவகர்கள்” மூலம் கடாக்ஷிக்கப்பட்டவனாகவும் ஆகும்படி நீ செய்யவேண்டும்.
Sloka #992
992. dhurithamapanayanthI dhUratha: pAdhukE! thvam
dhanujamaThanalIlAm dhEvathAmAnayanthI
anitharasharaNAnAmagrimasyAsya janthO-
ravashakaraNavrutthEragratha: sanniDhEyA:
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Paaduka! Please drive out my sin to a long distance away. Please bring me to the one great Lord, who achieves the quelling of asuras as mere sport. I am Destitute No.1. All my senses are non-obedient to me, I have no control over them. Before such a pathetic, suffering creature that I am, please show the Lord’s vision!
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! You are going to banish my sins by Your presence at the time of my death and bring Your Lord from a great distance to me and help me, who is standing in the front row of helpless and with no control over my faculty of senses. Your Lord said that He will think of His devotees and come to their rescue at the time of their departure from this world. You are going to bring Him to me during my last moments on this earth even if adiyEn is not highly qualified to recieve His blessings.
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam: The inner meaning is that for those who rely totally on their SadAchAryAs, all enemies for Bhakthi anubhavam will be chased away through the mere glances of their SadaachAryAs until their last moments on earth; further, the visualization of Bhagavan (Bhagavath SaakshAthkAram) will also result during their last moments here. These are some of the UpakArams of the SadAchAryAs.
3) Oh PaadhukE ! For adiyEn, You serve as the enemy of all obstacles that stand in the way of practising Bhakthi yOgam and Bhakthi anubhavam in this earth. (PaadhukE ! Thvam dhuritham dhooratha: apanayanthee). Oh PaadhukE ! May Thou be present before me (SannidhEyA: ) with Your Lord , who sports in destroying Bhagavath anubhava virOdhis during my last moments ( asya jantho: agratha:, dhanuja maTana leelA DevathAm aanayanthee sannidhEyA: ). adiyEn is in the front end of all who have no recourse except You and I have no success in controlling my Indhriyams ( anithasaraNAnAm agrimasya , avasa karaNa-vrutthE; asya JanthO: purasthAth DEvathAm aanayanthee sannidhEyA: )…(V.S).
992. துரிதம் அபநயந்தீ தூரத: பாதுகே த்வம்
தநுஜ மதந லீலா தேவதாம் ஆநயந்தீ
அநிதர சரணாநாம் அக்ரிமஸ்ய அஸ்ய ஜந்தோ:
அவச கரணவ்ருத்தே: அக்ரத: ஸந்நிதேயா:
பொருள் – ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் பாதுகையே! ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனையும் உன்னையும் தவிர வேறு எந்தவிதமான கதியும் இல்லாதவர்களில் முதன்மையானவனாக நான் உள்ளேன்; எனது இந்த்ரியங்கள் எதுவும் என் வசம் இல்லை (அந்திம காலத்தில் உள்ள நிலை); இப்படியாக உள்ள பிராணி போன்ற எனது பாவங்கள் அனைத்தையும் நீ வெகு தூரம் விரட்டுவாயாக. அத்துடன் நில்லாமல், அசுரர்களை வதம் செய்வதைத் தனது லீலையாகக் கொண்ட ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனை என்னிடம் எழுந்தருளப் பண்ணுவாயாக.
Sloka #993
993. charamanigamagIthE sapthathanthoU samApthE
nijasadhanasamIpE prApyiShyan vihAram
jvalanamiva BhavathyO: samyagArOpayEnmAm
praThamavaraNavashya: pAdhukE! RanganATha:
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Twin-Paaduka! When I first uttered the appeal to the Lord, “You will please act as my protector”, in Prapatti, the Lord Ranganatha became won over by me. When my life ends, a yajna He was performing by utilizing me in His services through the whole post-prapatti period becomes completed. Hence, He will have to place the Fire (that is my jeevatma) in His sandals, Yourselves, (a replica of Arani wood) to place me in His Abode. May He do it!
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: In the previous verse, Swamy Desikan described the approaching of the Paadhukais during his last moments on this earth. Here, he describes how they take him to the Supreme abode of the Lord. He says: ” Oh PaadhukE! RanganAtha empathizes with Your role as my protector and at the time of my death, He acts as the priest at the Yaagams known as adhvaryu to bring me over to His sanctum in SrI Vaikuntam. He brings me over as an adhvaryu priest would bring the sacred fire from the place of the sacred ritual and unite it with the sacred fire at home at the conclusion of such Yag~nams. He places me as the Agni between You both (the Paadhukais) serving as the fire producing sticks”.
At the end of the SomaYaagAs, the Master of the Yaaga (YajamAna) requests the adhvaryu priest to bring the sacred Agni of the Yaaga back to his house to unite it with the Agni at home used for sacrificial rites of the house. RanganAtha acts here as the adhvaryu priest and brings the aathmA of Swamy Desikan (Agni) to His sanctum out of respect for the PaadhukAs’ role as the protector. He places that Agni between the two Paadhukais serving as the two aaraNi Kattai (fire generating sticks ) used for kindling the fire.
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam: Lord RanganAthA at he end of the life of PrapannAs in His leelA VIbhUthi removes His property (the aathmA inside my physical body) and places it in Your hand for assistance in its travel to His permanent abode. That act of the Lord is equivalent to the Adhvaryu priest being given the responsibility for transporting the DhAryAgni from the Yaaga SaalA to be united with the Gaarhapathya Agni for use in the daily (Nithya, naimmitthika ) Karamas at the end of the avabrutha snAnam relating to the completion of the Soma Yaagam by the YajamAnan. The DhAryAgni is invoked in the two special fire kindling sticks /araNi KattaikaL ( Utthara araNi and athara araNi). That Parama purushArTam (Not only being protected in LeelA VIbhUthi but also being transportred to SrI Vaikuntam with the guidance of AadhivAhikAs ) is going to come my way through Your benovolence. The Lord is going to entrust His property (my aathmA) to You.
3) Oh PaadhukE ! adiyEn is PraTama varaNa vasyan ( SaraNAgathan, who has been inducted in to the nYAsa yajnam at the outset itself). Lord RanganAthan is the adhvaryu in that NyAsa Yaj~nam. He grants me permanent residence at His SrI Vaikuntam at the end of my life as a Prapannan here as revealed in the Upanishads ( RanganATa: Charama nigama geethE sapthatanthou samApthE sathi, nija sadhana sameepE vihAram prApayishyan). During that occasion, He is going to entrust adiyEn’s aathmA , His property , to You like the adhvaryu priest entrusts Yaaga Kunta Agni to the two araNikkattaikaL for transport to home for link with the household agni (Maam jwalanamiva BhavathyO: samyak aarOpayEth) … (V.S).
993. சரம நிகமகீதே ஸப்ததந்தௌ ஸமாப்தே
நிஜ ஸதந ஸமீபே ப்ராபயிஷ்யந் விஹாரம்
ஜ்வலநமிக பவத்யோ: ஸம்யக் ஆரோபயேந மாம்
ப்ரதம வரணவச்ய: பாதுகே ரங்கநாத:
பொருள் – ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் பாதுகையே! “எனக்கு நீயே கதி”, என்று ஒருமுறை கூறினாலே அந்தச் சரணாகதிக்கு வசப்பட்டு ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதன் நிற்கிறான். உபநிஷத்துக்களில் கூறப்பட்ட வேள்வி முடிந்தவுடன், அந்த அரணிக்கட்டைகள் அனைத்தையும் ஏற்றிக்கொண்டு வீட்டின் அருகில் உள்ள அக்னி ஸ்தானத்திற்குக் கொண்டு வருவார்கள். இது போன்று எனது ஜீவன் என்ற யாகம் முடியும்போது என்னைத் தனது மாளிகையின் அருகில் கொண்டு செல்லும் பொருட்டு ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதன் செய்வது என்னவென்றால் – என்னை அக்னியைப் போன்று உங்கள் இருவர் மீதும் ஏற்றிக் கொள்ளப்போகிறான்.
Sloka #994
994. punarudharanivAsacChEdhanam sahyasinDhO:
pulinamaDhivasEyam puNyamAbrahmalABhAth
pariNamathi sharIrE pAdhukE! yathra pumsAm
thvamasi nigamagIthA shAshvatham moULirathnam
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Paaduka! May I ever be enabled to live on the sands of Kaveri, a pure and beautiful place! For, You will bless us by being a head-ornament to us. You are the praise-theme for the Vedas. Your contact with us is sure to cut off our links with the continuously revolving Samsara.
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: In the previous verse, Swamy Desikan expressed the wish that his soul join the Paadhukais for its journey to the Supreme Abode of the Lord. Here, he prays for his subtle (Sookshma) body to be crowned with the PaadhukAs until it reaches the Parama Padham of the Lord. He says: “Oh PaadhukE ! At Srirangam on the banks of Cauvery, my earthly body will fall and the subtle body will join You. At that time, You who is celebrated by the VedAs will become my crown jewel. That auspicious event will destroy future births for me. May I stay with You at the banks of Cauvery in my earthly life until I reach the Lord’s abode following my dEhAvasAnam ?
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam: In the previous slOkam, Swamy Desikan dwelt on the happenings at the end of his life on earth as a Prapannan. Through this ( 994th) and two subsequent slOkams (995 and 996th), Swamy Desikan dwells on the aanandhaanubhavam as a Prapannan right here on earth at Srirangam in a manner developed by him in the 989th and the 990th SlOkams. He praises the glories of life at Srirangam worshipping Lord RanganAtha.
Swamy Says: “Oh PaadhukE! Your place of residence, SrIrangam, is the most sacred dhivya dEsam located on the banks of the holy Cauvery river. It removes all sins that lead to the sufferings in SamsAram. For those, who are blessed to live here, You rest on their heads form birth to the last moments as SirObhUshaNam. Is there a Parama PurushArTam bigger than birth and residence at the dhivya dEsam of SrIrangam? adiyEn’s prayer is to enjoy You without interruption (vichyuthi) at Srirangam from the moment of birth to the last moment as a Prapannan. Please grant me that boon !
3) Samicheena Saasthrams states that dhivya dEsa Vaasam and death( PrAkrutha sareera viyOgam ) in a dhivya dEsam in the manner of “aabrahma lAbhAth adhivasEyam “(/ living from birth onwards at Dhivya dEsam) will lead to Moksha PrApthi.
Oh PaadhukE! The dhivya Desam where You reside besides Cauvery dunes is sacred (Paavanam) to remove punar janmam (Puna: udhara-nivAsa chEdhanam SahyasindhO: puLinam ). This is the sandy island between the two cauverys , Srirangam . May I be blessed to live here until I reach Parama padham (aabrahmalAbhAth adhivasEyam ). In these sandy dunes, the prapannAs have the bhAgyam of adorning You celebrated by the VedAs on their heads as aabharaNam during their different stages of life as an infant, youth, adult old man and upto the last moment of their lives (Yathra SrirangE, pumsAm sareerE pariNamathy sathy, NigamageethA Thvam Saasvatham mouLi-rathnam asi)….(V.S).
994. புந: உதரநிவாஸ ச்சேதநம் ஸஹ்யஸிந்தோ:
புளிநம் அதிவஸேயம் புண்யம் ஆப்ரஹ்மலாபாத்
பரிணமதி சரீரே பாதுகே யத்ர பும்ஸாம்
த்வம் அஸி நிகமகீதா சாச்வதம் மௌளிரத்நம்
பொருள் – ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் பாதுகையே! எனக்கு பரப்ரஹ்ம ப்ராப்தி கிட்டும் வரையில், மறு பிறவியை அழிக்கவல்லதான, தூய்மையான காவேரியின் திட்டான, ஸ்ரீரங்கத்தில் வாஸம் செய்து வருவேனாக. இந்த மணலில் ஒருவனது சரீரம் சாயும்போது, அவர்களது தலையில் விளங்கும் ஆபரணம் போன்று, வேதங்களால் துதிக்கப்படும் நீ அமர்கிறாய்.
Sloka #995
995. bahuviDhapuruShArThagrAmasImAntharEvAm
haricharaNasarOjanyAsaDhanyAmananya:
BharathasamayasiDdhAm pAdhukE! BhavayamsthvAm
Shathamiha sharadhasthE shrAvayEyam samruDdhim
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
May I ever live-may be hundreds of years-in this Srirangam, singing Your praise, ever meditating on You without any other thought, realizing that this cult of Bharata is most potent, this worship being regarded as the ultimate in the human goals. Your continuous contact with the Lord’s Feet being the cause of such elevated status.
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: Oh PaadhukA DEvi! There is nothing more to obtain besides You. Even then, from the example set by Bharatha, I realize that you can not be seperated form the Lord’s feet. Therefore, I want to sing about Your glories throughout the earth during my alloted life span of one hundred years. I will spread the story of your glory among the people of Srirangam among the villages and cities around and among the rest of the earth through the verses of SrI RanganAtha PadhukA Sahasram.
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam: The descriptions/salutations of the PaadhukAs in this slOkam can be intrepreted either with focus on the BhUmi or the SadAchAryAs. The commonality is that the samrutthi (Iswaryam/Prosperity ) of a floursihing nation and the vaibhavam of the auspicious PaadhukAs. Swamy Desikan prays here to the Paadhukais to be blessed with long and happy life as a PaadhukA sEvakan at Srirangam worshipping the Paadhukais and singing about the glories of the Paadhukais. Swamy Desikan wants all the others to have the same aanandha anubhavam that he has in enjoying the Paadhukais and for that purpose, he wants to stay at Srirangam for a long time and sing about the unique glories of the Paadhukais.
3) Oh PaadhukE ! May I be fortunate to live at Srirangam for many years meditating on You and propagating Your limitless glories revealed in Bharatha SiddhAntham (Bharatha samaya siddhAm ThvAm ananya: iha tE samruddhi, satham saradha: srAvayEyam )! What are three of these Samruddhis or auspicious features ? They are: (a) The Paadhukais are the limits of the four kinds of PurushArTams (Dharma, arTa, Kaamam and Moksham) and their subdivisions (Bahuvidha PurushArTa grAma seema antharEkhAm), (b) Blessings to have the association with the lotus feet of the Lord (Hari CharaNa sarOja nyAsa dhanyAm), (c) establishment by Bharathan that the AarAdhanam of the Lord’s Paadhukais are as sacred as that performed for the Lord Himself ( Bharatha samaya siddhAm ThvAm bhAvayan tE samruddhim srAvayEyam) ….(V.S).
995. பஹுவித புருஷார்த்த க்ராம ஸீமாந்தரேகாம்
ஹரிசரண ஸரோஜ ந்யாஸ தந்யாம் அநந்ய:
பரத ஸமய ஸித்தாம் பாதுகே பாவயம் ஸ்த்வாம்
சதம் இஹ சரத: தே ச்ராவயேயம் ஸம்ருத்திம்
பொருள் – ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் பாதுகையே! அனைத்துவிதமான புருஷார்த்தங்களைக் காட்டிலும் மிகவும் உயர்ந்தவளாகவும், அந்தப் புருஷார்த்தங்களின் எல்லையாகவும் நீ உள்ளாய். ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் தாமரை போன்ற மென்மையான திருவடி வைப்பின் மூலம் மேன்மையுடன் உள்ளாய். ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனைக் காட்டிலும் மேன்மையானவள் என்று பரத ஸித்தாந்தம் மூலம் உணர்த்தப்பட்டாய். இப்படிபட்ட உன்னைத் தவிர வேறு எதனையும் நான் அண்டாமல், இந்த ஸ்ரீரங்கத்தில் நூறு வருடம் வாழ்ந்து, உன்னைப் புகழ்ந்தபடி இருப்பேனாக.
Sloka #996
996. thilakayasi shirO mE shoUripAdhAvani! Thvam
Bhajasi manasi nithyam BhUmikAm BhavanAKhyAm
Vachasi cha vaIBhavaI:svaIrvyakthimitTham prayAthA
Thadhiha pariNatham mE thAdhrusham BhAgaDhEyam
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Paaduka of the Lord! You sit on my head, even as an ornament to be cherished. You are in my heart, by my constant meditation, through which I envision You. You havenow established a contact with my tongue through this work in Your praise. I have thus secured a great privilege to hover around You in all three ways-physical, mental or verbal.
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: Oh Lord’s PaadhukE! You adorn my head. You are forever enshrined in my heart. You sanctify my speech with recitation of Your glories. You are thus worshipped by me at the three levels: Bodily (KaayikA), mental (Maanasa) and speech (VaachikA). As a result of this total devotion to You, I have attained a status here at Srirangam equal to that of BharathA, Valmiki and the eternal residents of Srivaikuntam.
2) SrImath Andaban’s anubhavam: Here Swamy Desikan celebrates his good fortune conferred on him by the Padhukais to enjoy them with his thrikaraNams(Body, mind and speech). This was realized through the Prapatthi to Your Lord that You motivated. These auspicious samruddhis resulted from that powerful poorNa prapatthi engineed by You.
3) Oh Souri PaadhAvani ! You are adorning my head ( mE sira: tilakayasi). You achieve a distinct and permanent presence in my mind (mE manasi nithyam bhAvanAkhyAm bhUmikAm bhajasi). You shine in my walk through these thousand slOkams celebrating You (mE vachasi cha svai: vibhavai: ittham vyakthim prayAthA asi). Thus in the matter of Yourself , my prapatthi has been fulfilled in a trimodal way (tath iha mE thAdhrusam bhAgadhEyam pariNatham)…(V.S).
996. திலகயஸி சிரோ மே சௌரிபாதாவநி த்வம்
பஜஸி மநஸி நித்யம் பூமிகாம் பாவநாக்யாம்
வசஸி ச விபவை: ஸ்வை: வ்யக்திம் இத்தம் ப்ரயாதா
தத் இஹ பரிணதம் மே தாத்ருசம் பாகதேயம்
பொருள் – ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் பாதுகையே! எனது தலையை நீ எப்போதும் அலங்கரித்தபடி உள்ளாய். எனது மனதில் எப்போதும் நினைவு ரூபமான உருவத்தில் நீ அமர்ந்துள்ளாய். என்னுடைய வாக்கிலும் உன்னுடைய தோற்றம் வெளிப்படும்படியாகவே உள்ளாய். இப்படிப்பட்ட பரிபூர்ணமான புண்ணியம் எனக்குக் கிட்டியது.
Sloka #997
997 ajaniShi chiramAdhoU hantha dhEhEndhriyAdhi-
sthadhanu thadhaDhikassannIshvarOham baBhUva
aTha Bhagavatha evABhUvamarThAdhidhAnIm
thava punarahamAsam pAdhukE Dhanyajanma
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Paaduka! At first, I lived for a long time in total disregard of the Atma, imagining that I have to please my body only. Then I learnt and realized that I had a soul different from the physical body but that too did not give the correct status for me, since I assumed an independence of will and action, negating the all-controlling Lord. Then by an accident, I realized that my soul is for the service and pleasure of the Lord. That marked my reformation into a treatment of my soul as the Lord’s, that is Seshatva, a great blessing indeed!
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: From early times , I regret that I did not become Your servant. In the beginning , I thought that the body, faculty of senses, mind and knowledge snared me and held me in their grips. During those times, I thought that I was the body or the faculty of senses or the mind. After spending a long time in this fashion, I recognized that they are not the Aathma and that became clear in my thinking. Then I thought that I was independent aathmA (Jeevan), who is equal to the Lord and suffered from wrong identification (like HiraNyakasipu). Finally, I realized that I am the unconditional servant of SrIman Narayana alone. Now I recognize that service to the Lord’s BhagavathAs is greater than even the direct service to the Lord Himself. Hence, I have become Your (PaadhukA’s) servant. I have reached the highest status as a result of being Your servant (PaadhukA sEvakan).
2) Srimath Andavan’s anubhavam: Here, Swamy Desikan thinks about the bhAgyam conferred by the Paadhukais on him with utter gratefulness. He compares his earlier sad lot and how the Paadhukais changed all that and becomes intensely grateful.
Swamy Desikan muses aloud : “Oh PaadhukE ! When I think of all the anugrahms that have come my way thanks to Your benovelence, I can not but feel grateful. I used to consider my Sareeram as the aathmA and sought solely the nurture of my body. I led an animal edition of human existence and entered many yonis as bird, beast and insect. I spent aeons without knowing an iota of Bhagavath Saasthrams. When I think of those terribly wasted days, my heart pounds with grief. Finally due to some ancient good fortune (sukritha lEsam ), Bhagavath kaDAksham fell on me and I entered human janmAs and developed the knowledge that the AathmA is different than the body in which it resides and that seeking the four purushArTams through Vedic karmAs is the right thing to do. Bhagaavth KatAksham led to SadAchArya sambhandham and Tatthva Jn~Anam. I became SeshabhUthan to the Lord and sought Your refuge. Bhagavath Seshathvam pushed me further to its limit, BhAgavatha Seshathvam.My life became fruitful (Saphalam). I recognized that there is nothing loftier than Kaimkaryam to You for gaining all PurushArTams. Grand indeed is the power of Your anugraham ! “.
3) Oh PaadhukE ! For a long time, I stayed in a state of total ignorance about my svaroopam and had SareerAthma Bramam as well as Svatantrathma Bramam and was lost(aham chiram dEha indhriya aadhi: svaroopam ithi mathvA ajanishi . Hantha ! ). Later due to the JaayamAna KatAksham of Your Lord , I was blessed with SadAchArya Sambhandham and VedAntha Jn~Anam form the AchAryan ; I understood that the Lord is the karthA of KarmAs and is the Jn~Ana Svaroopi, who is the Master/ Sarva Swamy (Tadhanu tadhikassan Isvara: BhabhUva). I developed clear Jn~Anam about my svaroopam as Daasa BhUthan for the ParamAthma ( DaasabhUthA: svathassarvE hyAthmana: ParamAthmana: ). I became the property of the Lord (Bhagavatha yEva abhUvam). From there (Bhagavath sEshathvam), I reached the boundary of that state and have arrived now at BhAgavatha sEshathvam, which transformed me to become your intimate sEsha bhUthan (idhAnim puna: arTAth Tava aasam . I am truly blessed (aham dhanya Janmaa aasam)….(V.S).
997. அஜநிஷி சிரம் ஆதௌ ஹந்த தேஹ இந்த்ரியாதி:
ததநு தததிகஸ்ஸந் ஈச்வர: அஹம் பபூவ
அத பகவத ஏவாபூவம் அர்த்தாத் இதாநீம்
தவ புந: அஹம் ஆஸம் பாதுகே தந்ய ஜந்மா
பொருள் – ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் பாதுகையே! எல்லையற்ற காலமாக நான் எனது உடல் மற்றும் இந்த்ரியங்கள் ஆகியவற்றையே எனது ஸ்வரூபமாக எண்ணி இருந்தேன். அதன் பின்னர், கர்மகாண்டங்களைச் சற்றே அறிந்த பின்னர், உடல் போன்றவற்றைக் காட்டிலும் நான் மாறுபட்டவன் என்று உணர்ந்தும், ஈச்வரன் நானே என்று எண்ணியபடி இருந்தேன். அதன் பின்னர் ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதன் என்னிடம் எதனையும் எதிர்பார்க்காமல் என்னைக் கடாக்ஷித்தபோது, அவனுக்கே உடமையாக நின்றேன். ஆனால் இப்போது பாகவத அடிமைத்தனத்தின் எல்லையை அடைந்து, உனக்கே அடிமையாக நின்று, சிறந்த பிறவிப்பயனை அடைந்தேன்.
Sloka #998
998. thvayyAyatthoU Bhagavathi shilABhasmanO: prANadhAnA
dhAsthrIbAlam praThithaviBhavoU pAdhapadhmoU murArE:
thAmEvAham shirasi nihithAmadhya pashyAmi dhEvA-
dhAthmADhArAm janani! BhavathImAthmalABhaprasUthim
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Goddess Paaduka Mother! Even a child or womenfolk would know of Your achievements in that You helped revivification of a stone or burnt log of wood. My assigning them to Your credit cannot be questioned by anybody. The Feet depend on You. While You are Yourself the basis for Yourself, the feet depend on You. It is You which inculcated the right spirit of the seld as subordinate to You. And I feel honoured by Your being placed on my head.
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: Oh Worshipful Mother! the Stone at the roadside became AhalyA, the wife of Sage Gouthama. The piece ofcharcoal became King Parikshith. People say that these transformations took place through the intervention of Your Lord’s holy feet. Those sacred feet are accomodated by You and supported by You. Oh PaadhukE! Unlike the Lord’s feet, You do not need any support base and are responsible for the jeevan to attain its svaroopa Jn~Anam. I consider myself fortunate in adorning You on my head inview of the great vaibhavam that you are associated with.(Swamy Desikan bases this verse on what is known as Kaimudhika NyAyam according to which PaadhukAs can be understood as giving new life to the jeevans at the end of their earthly life inside the body).
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam:In this slOkam, Swamy Desikan points out that the auspiciousness arising from being the servant of the Lord’s Paadhukais is unsurpassed in its vaibhavam and it is something that is not easy to gain. It is indeed the Vaathsalya guNam of the Paadhukais that makes it possible and not any planned striving(prayathnam) on our part. It is PadhukA’s motherly affection for us and your their anugraha paramparais that lead upto this Parama srEyas.
3) Oh Mother PaadhukE ( Bhagavthee Janani)! Your Lord’s lotus feet have the glories of blessing AhalyA, who was staying as a stone (SilA) due to her husband’s curse; those sacred feet saved the embryo ParIkshith from apANDava asthram and transformed him form a cinder block to a living infant (m basmAnO: PrANa dhAnAth); those same sacred feet destroyed MurAsuran. Such feet with all these vaibhavams are under Your control (MurArE: Paadha Padhmou ThvayyAyatthou). Your Lord is the antharAthmA for all the world (aathmAdharAm) and You are the bearer of that ParamAthmA. You are worshipped by all the world ( SarvalOka Poojyai ); You have uniqueand matchless vaibhavam ( nirathisaya prabhAvasaali). You are the cause for the Moksha sukham for the jeevans (Thvam aathma-lAbha prasUthi). It is only through good fortune I am having You now on my head without any special prayathnam ( aham dhaivAth sirasi nihithAm adhya pasyAmi)…(V.S)
998. த்வயி ஆயத்தௌ பகவதி சிலாபஸ்மநோ: ப்ராணதாநாத்
அஸ்த்ரீபாலம் ப்ரதித விபவௌ பாத பத்மௌ முராரே:
தாமேவ அஹம் சிரஸி நிஹிதாம் அத்ய பச்யாமி தைவாத்
ஆத்மாதாரம் ஜநநி பவதீம் ஆத்மலாப ப்ரஸூதிம்
பொருள் – அனைத்து திருக்கல்யாண குணங்களும் நிறைந்த பாதுகையே! இந்த உலகின் தாயே! அகலிகை என்ற கல்லுக்கும், சாம்பலாகக் கிடந்த பரீக்ஷத் என்ற சிசுவுக்கும் உயிர் அளித்த காரணத்தினால் பெண் – குழந்தை வரையில் ப்ரஸித்தம் பெற்றதாக உள்ள ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் தாமரை போன்ற திருவடிகள், உனக்கு வசப்பட்டவையாகவே உள்ளன. அனைத்து உலகங்களுக்கு ஆத்மாவாக உள்ள ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனுக்கு நீயே ஆதாரபூதையாக உள்ளாய். உன்னைத் தாங்குபவர்கள் யாரும் இல்லாத காரணத்தினால், ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனைக் காட்டிலும் மேம்பட்டவளாக விளங்குகிறாய். இவ்விதம் உள்ள நீ, எங்கள் ஸ்வரூபத்தை நாங்கள் அறிவதற்குக் காரணமாக உள்ளாய். எனது புண்ணியம் காரணமாக இப்படி நீ எனது தலையில் உள்ளதைக் காண்கிறேன்.
Sloka #999
999. kaThankAram lakshmIkarakamalayOgyam nijapadham
nidhaDhyAdhrangEsha: kulishakaTinEsminmanasi na:
na chEdhEvam maDhyE vishathi dhayayA dhEvi! BhavathI
nijAkrAnthikshuNNasmarasharashiKhAkaNtakathathi:
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Paaduka Devi! The hearts of people have been subject to the arrows of Cupid, which continue to remain as thorns therein. Had You not first entered and pulverized these thorns, by Your grace, how can one expect Lord Ranganatha to step in into these hearts, with His Feet so very delicate as to be caressed very carefully by the hands of Mahalakshmi.
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: Oh DEvi! If You through Your steps do not pulverize the tips of the thorns of the arrows of Manmatha and prepare my heart as a soft spot fit for housing the tender, lotus feet of Your Lord, How could He (SrI RanganAtha) place His soft feet on my adamantine hard heart?
2) Srimath Andavan’s anubhavam: In this slOkam, Swamy Desikan describes the fruits of worshipping the Lord’s Paadhukais. Oh victorious PaadhukE resting in my mind after defeating that mind, which roamed fiercely chasing all material and sensory pleasuers! Oh PaadhukE with that Vijya SrI! You pulverized all the fierce thorns present in my mind through Your fervent sanchArams there and made it a safe and soft place for Your Lord to reside. If You had not done that, there was no chance for the Lord to enter my dangerous mind. Thanks to Your help, both of You have settled down in my mind. The inner meaning is that the intimate association with SadAchAryAs and the auspicious benefits of their upadEsa anugrahams produce vivEkam in us, cleanses our minds and results in Bhagavath dhyAnam and anubhavam.
3) Oh Devi PaadhukE! My mind (manas) is dense with sharp thorn-like features resembling the adamantaine weapon (kulisakaDini /vajrAyudham). It is a place that is not most comfortable to enter (dushpravEsam). Lord RanganAtha’s sacred feet are soft like the lotus petals and are easily bruised even from pressings by the soft hands of His divine consort , SrI RanganAyaki (Lakshmi karatala yOgyam). In to that hard and lowly place of my mind, the Lord enters and places His Thiruvadi and feels comfortable. How is that possible? (kaTankAram RanganATa : nija padham nidhadhyAth ). It is only because of Your valour to enter my mind and with your intense crushing of those sharp thorn-like entities and pulverizing them through many sanchArams over them (Bhavathee nija aakrAnthy kshuNNa Smara sara sikhA kaNDaka tathi: ). Out of Your compassion for me, You get in between the Lord’s tender feet and the field of crushed thorns(manas) so that He does not feel those sharp objects (dayayA yEvam madhyE visathi)…(V.S).
999. கதம் காரம் லக்ஷ்மீ கரகமல யோக்யம் நிஜபதம்
நிதத்யாத் ரங்கேச: குலிசகடிநே அஸ்மிந் மநஸி ந:
ந சேதேவம் மத்யே விசதி தயயா தேவி பவதீ
நிஜாக்ராந்தி க்ஷுண்ண ஸ்மரசரசிகா கண்டக ததி:
பொருள் – ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் பாதுகாதேவியே! எங்களது மனம் என்பது மன்மதனின் ஆக்கிரமிப்பு காரணமாக அவன் பாணங்கள் நிறைந்ததாக, கூர்மையான முள் வரிசைகள் கொண்டதாக உள்ளது. உன்னுடைய தயை காரணமாக எனது மனம் மற்றும் ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதன் திருவடிகள் ஆகிய இரண்டிற்கும் இடையில் புகுந்து கொள்கிறாய். இப்படி நீ செய்யவில்லை என்றால் – ஸ்ரீரங்கநாச்சியாரின் தாமரை போன்ற திருக்கரங்களால் மட்டும் வருடக்கூடிய மென்மையான தனது திருவடிகளை ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதன், வஜ்ராயுதம் போன்ற கடினமான எங்கள் மனதில் எப்படி வைப்பான்?
Sloka #1000
1000. krIdAloUlyam kimapi samayE pAdhukE! varjayanthI
nirvEsham svam dhishasi BhavathInAThayO: shrIDharaNyO:
mAmapyEvam janaya maDhujithpAdhayOrantharangam
rangam yAsoU janayasi guNaIrBhArathInruttharangam
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Paaduka! You are wont to concede the opportunity, to the consorts Sri and Bhoomi, who feel they are subservient to You, of privately serving the Lord’s Feet, by subjugating Your own desire to serve the Lord, say in a stroll, to their longing. I am Your subservient. You ought to grant me too, the opportunity of privately rendering service to those Holy Feet! You will do it, I know. You have enabled me to complete this work and become the instrument of making this Ranga a stage for Saraswati to dance in delight on hearing this work.
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: When Swamy Desikan began to compose the thousandth verse, Sarasvathy Devi was happy to know that the poet (SrI VenkatEsan) had completed his pledge to create one thousand verses in a single night in praise of the Paadhukais of the Lord. The aasthika janams of Srirangam assembled in front of Lord RanganAtha also appalauded his (Swamy Desikan’s) extraordinary success. Swamy Desikan was also very pleased and grateful that such an effort was concluded and sought a boon of closeness to the holy feet of the Lord and sing about their glories. He says: “Oh PadhukE! When Lord RanganAtha wants to give His DEvis the pleasure of pressing His feet, You cast aside Your desire to roam outside carrying Your Lord’s Thiruvadis. You defer those duties in favor of the Lord’s consorts. Similarly, May Thou bless me to become close to Your Lord’s Thiruvadis ! Your powers are such that You have made Srirangam, the dance theatre for Sarasvathy DEvi”.
2) Srimath Andavan’s anubhavam: Swamy Desikan has now reached the stage of completion of the 1000 slOkams to eulogize the vaibhavam of the Paadhukais (Sankalpitha sahasram sampoorNam) .He has been blessed with Bhagavath prApthi through the upAyam of PaadhukA prApthi. He is joyous and concludes the Kaavyam from the subject matter point of view. The remaining 8 slOkams are epilogues.
The inner meaning of this thousandth slOkam is to instruct us that the SadAchAryAs of the Lord are dearer to the Lord even more than His divine consorts. Those SadAchAryAs are celebrated as well by the Divine consorts of the Lord. SadAchAryyAs are capable of blessing their sishyAs with Bhagavathanubhavam similar to the one that they enjoy. Swamy Desikan hints that AchArya Saayujyam is better than Bhagavath Saayujyam. The glories of such AchAryAs fill all the world.
Swamy Desikan asks a rhetorical question in this concluding slOkam: Oh Paadhuke! What else do I need here, now that You have blessed me to enjoy SrI RanganAthan with my body, speech and mind and prepared me to be fit to perform kaimkaryams for Him ? There seems to be one more thing that You can bless me with so that I can become complete (PoorNan). You are known for Your total devotion to Your Lord and for Your assembly of auspicious aathma guNams tuned to serve Your Lord without interruption . Recognizing these splendid set of attributes, even the Devis of the Lord pay their respects to You. They recognize that Bhagavath anubhava roopa PurushArTam is also under Your control. They are thankful to You for stopping the Lord’s sanchAram and returning Him to His inner chambers for union with them ( the Devis). Thus You confer the bhOgam of the Lord’s lotus feet for the Devis instead of monopolizing them by going on long sanchArams with Your and Their Lord. My prayer to You is to bless me further with the Bhagavath PadhAravindha anubhava bhOgam just like You facilitated such anubhavams for the Lord’s divine consorts. You may ask how I came to know of Your generosity to share the Lord’s divine feet with His dear consorts. Oh PaadhukE! Your vaibhavam is so well known (lOka prasiddham) in this world through the joyous efforts of Saraswathi Devi to bless the poets to sing about Your vaibhavam through their SrI Sookthis. Therefore, Your generosity, KaaruNyam and othe subha guNams are no secret to the people of the world. Therefore, You must bless me with the additional boon of the closest presence(Parama saamyam) to You. That enjoyment would even be greater in my estimate to what adiyEn will enjoy in the Muktha dasai (Bhagavath Saamyam ). Thus, Swamy Desikan concludes this Sankalpitha Sahasram (SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram) with the statement that the ultimate enjoyment of PaadhukAnubhavam is the Lord adorning His Paadhukais ( Swamy NammAzhwAr) at SrIrangam, the BhUlOka Vaikuntam . Here at Srirangam, the Paadukai blesses aasrithALs with the sacred feet of the Lord, which is its Sarvaswam ( Sarva savadhAnam gift ).
3) Oh PaadhukE ! On special occasions , You stop Your delectable sanchArams with Your Lord and bring the Lord back to His antha: puram so that His devis can enjoy the same pleasure that You enjoy through Bhagavath Padha parcicharaNa sukham (samayE kimapi kreeDAloulyam varjayanthee sathi, Bhavathee NaaTayO: SrIdharaNyO: svam nirvEsam disasi). May I request You to confer the boon of qualifications for such antharanga kaimkaryams to Your Lord’s Thiruvadi? (yEvam maamapi Madhujith paadhayO: antharangam janaya). You of such sarvasvAdhanam glory and auspicious guNams have made Sriranga KshEthram, the dancing stage for Saraswathi Devi (Yaasou Rangam GuNai: BhArathee nruttha rangam janayasi)…(V.S).
1000. க்ரீடா லௌல்யம் கிமபி ஸம்யே பாதுகா வர்ஜயந்தீ
நிர்வேசம் ஸ்வம் திசஸி பவதீ நாதயோ: ஸ்ரீதரண்யோ:
மாமபி ஏவம் ஜநய மதுஜித் பாதயோ: அந்தரங்கம்
ரங்கம் யாஸௌ ஜநயஸி குணை: பாரதீ ந்ருத்தரங்கம்
பொருள் – ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் பாதுகையே! உன்னையே தங்கள் எஜமானியாக எண்ணி, தங்களது ஐச்வர்யம் அனைத்தும் உன்னுடைய வசப்பட்டவை என்று எண்ணியபடி இருக்கின்ற ஸ்ரீதேவி மற்றும் பூதேவி ஆகியோர்களுக்கு நீ செய்வது என்னவென்றால் – அவர்கள் விரும்பும் காலத்தில், உன்னால் மட்டுமே ஏகபோகமாக அனுபவிக்கப்படும் ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனுடைய திருவடிகளின் அனுபவம் என்ற சுகத்தை, உனது ஸஞ்சாரத்தை சற்றே நிறுத்திவிட்டு அவர்களுக்குக் கொடுக்கிறாய். இது போன்று என்னையும் ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் திருவடிகளுக்கு ஏற்ற அடிமையாக நீ செய்தருள வேண்டும். உனது எந்தக் குணம் மூலம் நீ ஸ்ரீரங்கத்தை ஸரஸ்வதியின் நாட்டிய மேடையாக மாற்றுகிறாயோ, அந்தக் குணம் மூலம் எனக்கு அருளவேண்டும்.
English Source Text: sundarasimham.com
Tamil Source Text: namperumal.com
