This 13th slOkam is recited to realize the happenings of Subha Kaaryams.
This is a jewel of a slOkam for dhyAnam about the PattAbhishEkam of MahA Lakshmy and Her ascent to the chest of the Lord after Her Svayamvaram, where She chose the Lord as Her Divine Consort. It is also a delightful coverage of the Thirumanjanam (Sacred bath) of MahA Lakshmi described in great detail in Srimath BhAgavatham, SrI NaarayaNeeyam and Sri VishNu PurANam
(anvya Karamam=Prose order): GajEndhrA: adhigatha sudhA samplavAth ambhOrAsE: utthiTAm, bharthu: agrE sarasijamayE nishaNNAm ThvAm, pushpa aasAra sTagitha bhuvanai: PushkalAvarthaka aadhyai: kluptha aarambhA:, kanaka kalasai: abhyashinjan).
GajEndhrA: = The famous elephants of the 8 directions (ashta dhig gajams)
Kanaka kalasi: abhyashinjan = performed the sacred bath with golden vessels.
Who did they perform AbhishEkam?
ambhOrASE: utthiTAm = for the One, who rose from the Ocean
What kind of Ocean and what happened there?
adhigatha sudhA samplavAth (ambhOrASE: utthiTAm) = from the Milky Ocean, that on churning by the Lord gave rise to the nectar for the DevAs and “ PeNNamudhu” (nectar among females, MahA Lakshmi) for the enjoyment of the Lord.
Where did MahA Lakshmi sit after arising from the Milky Ocean?
bharthu: agrE sarasijamayE bhadra peeDE nishaNNAm ThvAm = She sat on the throne of a thousand petalled lotus right in front of Her Lord.
What happened thereafter?
Svayamvara Uthsavam took place and as PoorvAngam, a sacred bath was performed by the famous clouds like PushkalAvartakam.
ThvAm pushpa aasAra sTakitha bhuvanai: PushkalAvartaka aadhyai = The PushkalAvartaka mEgam and its companions poured down the rain of flowers from the sky that almost covered the world.
What was the next event on this joyous occasion?
The eight guardian elephants of the world like IrAvadham, PuNDareekam collected the sacred waters from their quarters and perfomed Thirumanjanam for the Divine consort of the Lord.
klupatha aarambhA: kanaka kalasai: abhyashinjan = The Clouds started the downpour of flowers and concluded their reverential offerings. The guardian elephants from the eight directions continued with the next step. The aarambham (beginning) was from the clouds and the continuation (kluptham) was by the Elephants. They held on their trunks golden vessels full of the sacred waters from their locations and continued with the Thirumanjanam.
Meaning according to Dr. M.NarasimhAchAry:
Oh MahA Lakshmi! As You emerged from the Milky Ocean, the primordial clouds PushkalA and AavartakA showered flowers on You and the quarter elephants performed ablutions to You with golden pitchers.
Meaning according to Vaikunta Vaasi Villivalam NaarAyaNAcchAr Swamy:
During that ancient time when Your Lord churned the Milky Ocean to bring out the nectar for the DevAs, You arose from the flood of nectar and sat opposite Your Lord on the auspicious throne of a Lotus flower. The great clouds showered on You their downpour of flowers that made the world almost disappear. The activities of the clouds were followed by the elephants of the eight quarters that performed the sacred bath ceremony for Her as the Patta Mahishi for Your Lord with the waters held in golden vessels. The crowning ceremony as Sarva LOkEswari was started by the PushkalA-vartakam clouds and concluded by the ashta dhig gajams to the accompaniment of the Veda Manthrams by the Maharishis assembled to enjoy the MahOthsavam.
Additional Observations on the passages of slOkam 13 of SrI Sthuthi
Srimath BhAgavatham has wonderful slOkams describing the PattAbhishEkam of MahA Lakshmi:
tathasccha aavirabhUth SaakshAth Sri RamA bhagavath-parA
ranjayanthy disa: kaanthyA vidhyuth-soudhAnanee yaTA —-BhAgavatham 8.8.8
Meaning:
MahA Lakshmi, SaakshAth SrI Devi with the matchless affection for Her Lord arose from the Milky ocean with Her radiance illuminating all directions.
TasyAm chakru: spruhAm sarvE sasurAsuranAnavA:
roopoudhArya-vayO-varNa-mahimAkshiptha chEtasa: —-BhAgavatham: 8.8.9
Meaning:
The beauty, generous nature, youth, golden color and glories of MahA Lakshmi, who appeared thus from the Milky Ocean attracted the minds of DevAs, asurAs and the humans and all of them desired Her.
MahA Lakshmi’s mind was made up to marry Her Lord. She had given Her heart to Her Lord (“Thvayi dhattha hrudhE” says SrI NaarAyaNeeyam). Once the DevAs and Rishis recognized that MahA Lakshmi’s mind was set only on Sriman NarayaNan, they all started the kaimkaryams for Her PattAbhishEkam (SarvalOka RaajyAbhishEkam).
DevEndhran presented Her with a big golden throne embedded with many gems. The sacred rivers brought pure water for the Thirumanjanam; others brought the medicinal plants to be added to those waters. The sages conducted the sacred bath with Veda Mantrams (Rushaya: ThAmm Sruthi gheerbhi: abhyashinjan). GandharvAs sang; the apsaras danced; the mangaLa vAdhyams played. The dhig gajams helped in the abhishEkam with PoorNa kalasams to the accompaniment of the Veda ghOsham like SrI Sooktham.
After the Thirumanjanam, Samudhra Raajan presented his daughter with silken garments laced with gold. VaruNan presented Her with Vyjayanthi garland. ViswakarmA presented Her with many specially made AabharaNams. Saraswathy Devi presented MahA Lakshmi with a strand of pearls; Brahma dEvan presented Her with the golden Lotus; the kings of snakes prsented Her with a set of ear rings (Kundalams). Through such acts, they were desirous of gaining Lakshmi KatAksham (SrIrmAdEvee jushathAm; ThvAm SaraNamaham PrapadhyE). Now, MahA Lakshmi took the Vyjayanthi Maalai in Her hands and walked towards the Lord to choose Him as Her Lord in that Svayamvaram on the banks of the Milky Ocean. Sri NaarAyaNeyam describes beautifully MahA Lakshmi placing the flower garland around the neck of Sriman Narayanan to choose Him as Her Lord:
giriSadhruhiNAdhi sarvadEvAn guNabhAjAapyavimuktha dhOshalEsAn avamrusya
sadhaiva sarvaramyE nihithA Thvayyanayaapi dhivyamAlA
— Dasakam 28, 7th SlOkam
MahA Lakshmi rejected all the dEvAs since they had one blemish or the other and chose the Lord, the abode of all auspicious attributes as Her future husband and placed the garland around His divine neck.
In the next slOkam, Sri NarayaNa Bhattadhiri describes MahA Lakshmi being welcomed by the Lord and being placed on a BhadhrAsanam on His chest so that She can join with Him to perform the duties as Sarva LokEswari:
urasA tarasA mamAniTainAm BhuvanAnAm jananeem ananyabhAvAm
ThvadhurOvilasattha-dheekshaNa SrIparivrushDyA paripushtamAsa Viswam
Meaning:
Oh Lord of GuruvAyUr! did You not honor this Mother of the Universe, who is not interested in anyone except You by welcoming Her quickly to the special throne located on Your chest and placing Her on it ?
GuruvAyUrappan acknowledged Sri Bhattadhiri’s question and affirmed such a happening with a nod of His head.
To be continued…
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