Sloka #851
851. AdhyO raGhukshithiBhujAmaBhiShEkadhIpthaI-
rApyAyithasthava padhAvani! rashmijAlaI:
mandhIchakAra thapanO vyapanIthaBhIthi:
mandhOdharIvadhanachandramasO mayUKhAn
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
(Oh Paaduka! The sun who is regarded as the founder of the (Solar) race of the Raghus, could not attenuate the moon-lustre of the face of Mandodari, out of fear, though he did so in the case of the celestial moon in day-time). When once You were given the ceremonial coronation bath, You shone in pristine effulgence from which the sun derived a nourishment and courage and he could enfeeble the splendour of the moon of the face of Mandodari, the wife of Ravana. Your Abhisheka was the event that tolled the death-knell of the Rakshasa.
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE ! The primordial source of the origin of the Kulam of Raghu is Sooryan . At the time of Your coronation bath , You helped Sooryan to regain his energy through the brilliant rays of Your rubies. He became rejuvenated and lost his fear of RaavaNa as an indestructible ogre . This in turn made Soorya dim the lustre on the moon-like face of MaNDOdhari, the principal wife of RaavaNa . (The Sun lends a portion of his lustre to the Moon at night time .During the day time , Sun dims the lustre of the Moon due to its own brilliance. Before the coronation of the PadhukAs , Sooryan was full of fear of RaavaNa and did not dare to diminish the lustre of the Moon-like face of MaNDOdhari. Once the PaadhukA ascended the throne of Raghus , Sooryan got confident that Raama will destroy RaavaNa . Sooryan shed his fears and shone brilliantly and thereby diminished the lustre on MaNDOdhar’s face. The imagination of Swamy Desikan as a poet par excellence is brought out here ).
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE ! Raghu Vamsam is celebrated as Soorya Vansam. The aadhi purushan for that vamsam is Sooryan, whose lustre got enhanced multifold from Your rubies. When Your kaanthi mingled with His Kaanthi , He overcame all fears about RaavaNa and dulled the mukha kaanthi of the Moon-like face of MaNDOdhari (i-e) RaavaNan was dead . MaNDOdhari fell down in the mid day Sun and her face lost its lustre and shrank.
3) Oh the protector of the Lord’s Thiruvadi (PadhAvani) ! Sooryan is the aadhi purushan/Founder of Raghu Vamsam (Raghu-kshithi-bhujAm aadhya: ). That Sooryan got enhancement of His lustre from the rays of Your rubies after Your sacred bath ( Tava dheepthai: rasmi jaalai: aapyAyitha: Tapana: ) . His fears were removed ( Bheethi: vyapaneethavAn). Sooryan in the state of freedom from fears about RaavaNan diminished the erstwhile Moon-like facial lustre of MaNDOdhari ( ManDODhari vadhana chandramasa: mayUkhAn mandheechakAra)….(V.S).
851. ஆத்யோ ரகுக்ஷிதிபுஜாம் அபிஷேக தீப்தை:
ஆப்யாயித: தவ பதாவநி ரச்மிஜாலை:
மந்தீசகார தபநோ வ்யபநீத பீதி:
மந்தோதரீ வதந சந்த்ரமஸோ மயூகாந்
பொருள் – ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் பாதுகையே! உனக்குச் செய்யப்பட்ட பட்டாபிஷேகத்தால் உனது இரத்தினக்கற்களின் ஒளியானது வெகுவாக வீசியது. அந்த ஒளியால் ரகுகுலத்தின் முதல்வனாகிய சூரியன் மேலும் வலுவடைந்தான். இதனால் அவன் (இராவணனிடம் கொண்டிருந்த பயம் நீங்கி) இராவணனின் பத்னியாகிய மண்டோதரியின் முகம் என்ற சந்த்ரனின் ஒளி மங்கும்படிச் செய்தான்.
Sloka #852
852. mAnyA samasthajagathAm maNiBhanganIlA
pAdhE nisargaGhatithA maNipAdhukE! thvam
antha:purEShu laLithAni gathAgathAni
ChAyEva ranganrupathEranuvarthasE thvam
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Manipaaduka! You are revered over all the worlds. Your sapphire gems render You deep black. Being inherently inseparable from the Lord’s Feet, You follow Him in his strolls into the harem, partaking of His happiness through, as His inseparable shadow. You looking like a shadow, from Your colour. You thus become more than an outfit of the Feet; You are the Lord’s totality in the form of a shadow.
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’a anubhavam: Swamy Desikan celebrates the blue color of sapphire adorning the PaadhukAs here. He states that the PaadhukAs are like the shadow of RanganAtha. He also states that the PaadhukAs are not only the representative of the Lord’s holy feet but also the representative of His whole body. He says: ” Oh MaNi PaadhukE ! You are celebrated by the entire world for Your brilliant blue rays emanating from Your blue sapphires. You are united like a shadow at the feet of RanganAtha and follow Him through all His roamings in the inner chambers of His palace ” .
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE ! You are always with Your Lord as He pays visit to His inner chambers and returns from there. You accompany Him as His shadow even during such private trips. Your dark bluish-black hue arising from Your sapphires confer on You the quality of His shadow (i-e)., You are below His feet always.
3) Oh MaNI PaadhukE ! You are celebrated by the whole world ( Thvam Samastha JagathAm MaanyA ). Through the pieces of bluish-black sapphire , You resemble the hue of the Lord’s Thiruvadi and are seen there (MaNi bhanga neelA Ranga-nrupathE: paadhE nisarga: gaDithA ). You enjoy as a ever-present companion the comings and goings of Your Lord inside His inner chambers and His delightful visits there ( Thvam antha: purEshu Ranga-nrupathE: laLithAni gathAgathAni anuvarthasE )…(V.S).
852. மாந்யா ஸமஸ்த ஜகதாம் மணிபங்கலீலா
பாதே நிஸர்க கடிதா மணிபாதுகே த்வம்
அந்த: புரேஷு லளிதாநி கதாகதாநி
ச்சாயேவ ரங்கந்ருபதே: அநுவர்த்தஸே த்வம்
பொருள் – இரத்தினக்கற்கள் இழைக்கப்பட்ட பாதுகையே! அனைத்து உலகங்களாலும் கொண்டாடத்தக்கவளாக உள்ள நீ, உனது இந்த்ரநீலக் கற்களின் ஒளியால் ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனுடைய திருவடிகளில் நிழல் போன்று சேர்ந்துள்ளாய். இப்படியாக நீ ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனுடன் அவனது அந்தப்புரங்களுக்கு வருவதும் போவதுமாக, அவன் நிழலாக நின்று அனுஸரிக்கிறாய்.
Sloka #853
853. rangADhirAjapadhapankajamAshrayanthI
haImI svayam parigathA harinIlarathnaI:
samBhAvyasE sukruthiBhirmaNipAdhukE! thvam
sAmAnyamUrthiriva sinDhusuthADharaNyO:
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Manipaaduka! You are in a state of closely caressing the Lord’s Feet. You are Yourself gold and You have sapphires on You. The two suggest the colour of Lakshmi and Bhoomi Devi. Rightly do previleged persons -persons who produce holy works-consider You as an embodiment of Mahalakshmi and Bhoomi Devi, as Two-in-one!
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: SrI Devi is of golden hue; BhU Devi has the bluish-black color of the sapphire. When Swamy Desikan reflects on these two colors found together in the PaadhukAs, He is reminded of the PaadhukAs as the joint representation of both SrI and BhU Devis.He observes: ” Oh PaadhukE ! You have taken residence at the lotus feet of Lord RanganAtha and shine with both a golden and bluish lustre through Your gold and sapphires adorning You. Surrounded by Your blue lustre,Your golden body is celebrated by great poets as the combined form of both SrI Devi and BhU Devi”.
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam:Oh PaadhukE! You are full of gold. On Your gold base, deep blue Sapphires are enmeshed. The mixture of colors make a reddish and bluish-black at the same time. As a result, You have taken the combined appearnace of SrI DEvi (DayA Roopi )and BhU Devi( Saantha /KshamA Roopi ).
3) Oh MaNi PadhukE ! The fortunate ones think of You ( Thvam Sukruthibhi: sambhAvyasE ) as the combined form of SrI Devi and BhU Devi (Thvam Sindhu suthA DharaNyO: SaamAnya Moorthiriva sambhAvyasE). Why do these PuNyasaalis think this way of You, who is assoicated with the Lord’s lotus-soft Thiruvadi ( RangAdhirAja padha pankaja aasrayantheem ThvAm )? It is because of Your golden surface (reminding of MahA Lakshmi ) is enmeshed with bluish-black sapphires, the color of BhU Devi(Svayam Thvam Haimee Harineela rathnai: parigathA )…(V.S).
853. ரங்காதி ராஜபதபங்கஜம் ஆச்ரயந்தீ
ஹைமீ ஸ்வயம் பரிகதா ஹரி நீலரத்நை:
ஸம்பாவ்யஸே ஸுக்ருதிபி: மணிபாதுகே தவம்
ஸாமாந்ய மூர்த்தி: இவ ஸிந்து ஸுதா தரண்யோ:
பொருள் – இரத்தினக்கற்கள் இழைக்கப்பட்ட பாதுகையே! ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் திருவடிகளை எப்போதும் பற்றியவளாகவும், தங்கமயமாக இந்த்ரநீலக் கற்களால் இழைக்கப்பட்டவளாகவும் நீ உள்ளாய். ஆக நீ திருப்பாற்கடலில் அவதரித்த மஹாலக்ஷ்மி என்றும், பூமிபிராட்டி என்றும் புண்ணியவான்களால் எண்ணப்படுகிறாய் (தங்க நிறம் = மஹாலக்ஷ்மி, இந்த்ரநீலம் = பூதேவி).
Sloka #854
854. aBhyarchithA sumanasAm nivahaIrajasthram
mukthAruNOpalanaKhAnguLipallavashrI:
shrEyaskarIm muraBhidhascharaNadhvayIva
kAnthim samAshrayasi kAnchanapAdhukE! thvam
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Gold Paaduka! You are being worshipped by the Devas, with flowers, at all times. You verily appear like the Lord’s Twin-Feet, Your pearls simulate the foot-nails, Your red gems simulate the tender toes, thus becoming almost like the Foot Duet, You confer, on devotees, all auspicious rewards including the Moksha bliss. Then Your lustre is impressive like the Foot-Duet.
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: Swamy Desikan compares the Lord’s feet to the PaadhukAs in this verse and points out many similarities. He says: ” Oh Golden PaadhukE! You and Your Lord’s feet have the following similarities: both of You are worshipped by the DevAs with flowers. Both of You fulfill the wishes of Your devotees. The tender creeper-like fingers and nails on Your Lord’s feet resemble Your gems and pearls. Like Your Lord , You confer all soubhAgyams on Your devotees”.
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE ! You grant Moksham through Your luster like the Lord’s Thiruvadi of PerumAL. The entire assembly of DevAs worship You with sacred flowers. The pearls enmeshed in You remind us of the toe nails of the Lord. The rubies remind us of the tender toes of the Lord’s Thiruvadi.
3) Oh Golden PaadhukE (Kaanchana PaadhukE )! You are worshipped always with assembly of sacred flowers (SumanasAm nivahai: ajasram abhyarchithA). Your pearls and rubies (MukthA aruNOpalA ) resemble the white nails and tender red toes of Your Lord’s lotus feet ( nakha anguLi-pallava SrI: ) . You absorb the features of the Lord’s sacred feet through Your pearls and rubies and grant Moksham like Your Lord’s celebrated feet known for granting that boon (Thvam Murabhida: charaNa dhvayeeva SrEyaskareem kAnthim samAsrayasi) … (V.S) .
854. அப்யர்ச்சிதா ஸுமநஸாம் நிவஹை: அஜஸ்ரம்
முக்தா அருணோபல நக அங்குளி பல்லவஸ்ரீ:
ச்ரேயஸ்கரீம் முரபித: சரணத்வயி இவ
கந்திம் ஸமாச்ரயஸி காஞ்சந பாதுகே த்வம்
பொருள் – தங்கமயமான பாதுகையே! நீ எப்போதும் தேவர்களால் மலர்கள் தூவி பூஜிக்கப்பட்டபடி உள்ளாய். உனது முத்துக்கள் ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் திருவடி நகங்கள் போன்று உள்ளன. உனது சிகப்புக்கற்கள் அவனது தளிர் போன்ற திருவடி விரல்கள் போன்று உள்ளன. இப்படியாக நீ ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் இணைந்த திருவடிகளின் ஐச்வர்யத்தைப் பெற்றவளாக, அதன் மேன்மையைப் பெற்றவளாக உள்ளாய்.
Sloka #855
855. nirmruShtagAthraruchirA maNipAdhukE! thavm
snAthAnulEpasuraBhirnavamAlyachithrA
prApthE vihArasamayE BhajasE murArE:
pAdhAravindhapariBhOgamananyalaBhyam
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Manipaaduka! Well-polished with cloth, You appear lucid in lustre. You get the water-ablution; then sandal-paste application, then decoration with flower-garlands. You start on Your role, whether the Lord goes on a stroll or for a sport. At the appropriate time, You are united with the Feet. The Foot-Duet is Your spouse; You enjoy conjugal pleasure with him. This previlege- of union with the Foot-Duet, a spouse-is not given to any other appurtenance of the Lord, which is all mere ornament.
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam : In the previous verse , Swamy Desikan pointed out the close relationship between the PaadhukAs and the Lord’s feet. Here, He describes the PaadhukAs as the mistress , who enjoys along with Her Lord , the pleasures of bathing , decoration with flowers and smearing with scented powders. Oh PaadhukE ! You are indeed His dear mistress. No other property of Your Lord achieves Your status. Swamy Desikan says: ” Oh MaNi PaadhukE ! after Your sacred bath, Your servants wipe You dry. They sprinkle on You scented powders. They cover You with garlands containing fresh and beautiful flowers . You set out with Your Lord on His jaunts. This way , You stand out as His dearest mistress . Your status is never achieved by any other jewelery(aabharaNam) of the Lord “.
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam:PerumAL enjoys the companionship of AzhwAr (SaThAri Soori) as His wedded wife. The realtionship of SaThAri to the Lord is even loftier than the relationship of the Lord with His Devi, MahA Lakshmi. In the world , the relationship between an Utthama Purushan and his pathivrathA (Chaste) wife is accorded the highest status. There is nothing that is comparable to that superior relationship.
3) Oh MaNI PaadhukE ! You shine beautiful with Your body that has been dried after Your sacred bath ( Thvam nirmrushta gaathra ruchirA ). You have been the beneficiary of Thirumanjanam ( SnAthA ) and thereafter You have been adorned with sandal paste and fragrant garlands ( anulEpa surabhi: nava mAlya chithrA). Oh PaadhukE ! When the time comes for sport ( VihAra samayE prApthE sathi ) , You enjoy a rare and incomparable status of delight through the BhOgam with Your Lord’s lotus feet ( ananya-labhyam MurArE: PaadhAravindha paribhOgam bhajasE )…(V.S) .
855. நிர்ம்ருஷ்ட காத்ரருசிரா மணிபாதுகே த்வம்
ஸ்நாதா அநுலேப ஸுரபி: நவமால்ய சித்ரா
ப்ராப்தே விஹாரஸமயே பஜஸே முராரே:
பாதாரவிந்த பரிபோகம் அநந்யலப்யம்
பொருள் – இரத்தினக்கற்கள் பதிக்கப்பட்ட பாதுகையே! நன்றாக நீராட்டப்பட்டு துடைத்துவிடப்பட்டு, மிகவும் அழகான திருமேனியுடன் காணப்படுபவளாக உள்ளாய். சந்தனப் பூச்சுடன் வாசனை நிறைந்தவனாகவும், புதிய மாலைகள் சூட்டப்பட்டவளாகவும் உள்ளாய். ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் ஸஞ்சார நேரத்தில், மற்ற யாராலும் பெற இயலாத ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் திருவடித் தாமரைகளுடன் ஏற்படும் சேர்க்கை என்ற உயர்ந்த இன்பத்தைப் பெறுகிறாய்.
Sloka #856
856. nAdhE padhAvani! thaThA thava sannivEshE
nirvEshanakramamasahyamapAchikIrShu:
yaIrEva lOchanashathaIraBhivIkshathE thvAm
thaIrEva pannagapathi: shruthimAn baBhUva
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Paaduka! You are a form taken by Adisesha. He himself wished to enjoy your form and melody simultaneously. He was not prepared to bear the time-lag between seeing and hearing, even if it would be trivially small. So he acquired, by Your grace the unusual faculty of hearing through the eyes themselves. His hundreds of eyes become, themselves, so many ears as well. He thus became previleged to see and hear You synchronously.
(1. The Indian traditional belief is that the serpent has no separate hearing organ except the eyes. It is so named too. 2. Even Nityasooris cherish to worship and hear Azhvar.)
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: Swamy Desikan focuses on AadhisEsha enjoying the sound and sight of the PaadhukAs with His two thousand eyes. It is generaly believed that eyes of the snake acts as an organ of sight as well as hearing. Swamy Desikan states that AadhisEshan is intently experiencing the pleasures of seeing the beautiful PaadhukAs in movement with His eyes. Swamy Desikan observes: ” Oh PaadhukE ! AadhisEsha can not wait even for one second to enjoy both your beautiful form and the delectable sounds created by You as You move around through the jingling of Your various gems. He wants to take in both Your beauty and Your sunAdhams and uses His two thousand eyes to accomplish that goal. As a result, He becomes known for His sense of hearing “.
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam: AadhisEshan has great joy in seeing Your beautiful body and Your naadham as You move. He wanted to enjoy them simultaneously. For ordinary snakes, it is hard to concentrate on both the seeing and hearing at the same time. Therefore, AadhisEshan converted His eyes to be both the seeing organ and the hearing organ so that He can have both the cognitive functions enmeshed in His eyes.
3) Oh PaadhukE ( Padhaavani) ! AadhisEshan(Pannaga Pathi: ) has uncontrollable eagerness in enjoying Your auspciious sounds and Your roopam (Tava naadhE taTA tava SamnivEsE asahyam nirvEsana ). He wanted to do away with any time delay between the seeing and the hearing faculites (kramam apAchikeershu:). He empowered His hundreds of eyes to seve as the sight and hearign organs (Yai: lOchana sathairEva ThvAm abhiveekshathE thairEva sruthimAn Bhabhoova)…(V.S).
856. நாதே பதாவநி ததா தவ ஸந்நிவேசே
நிர்வேசந க்ரமம் அஸஹ்யம் அபாசிகீர்ஷு:
யைரேவ லோசந சதை: அபிவீக்ஷதே த்வாம்
தைரேவ பந்நகபதி: ச்ருதிமாந் பபூவ
பொருள் – ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் திருவடிகளைக் காப்பாற்றும் பாதுகையே! உன்னுடைய இனிமையான நாதம், மிகவும் அழகான திருமேனி ஆகிய இரண்டையும் ஒன்றுக்குப்பின் மற்றொன்றை அனுபவிப்பது என்ற வரிசை காலதாமதத்தை ஆதிசேஷனால் பொறுத்துக் கொள்ள இயலவில்லை. ஆகையால் இவை இரண்டையும் ஒரே நேரத்தில் அனுபவிக்க என்ணிய பாம்புகளின் அரசனான ஆதிசேஷன் செய்தது என்னவென்றால் – நூற்றுக்கணக்கான எந்தக் கண்களால் உன்னைக் கண்டு அனுபவிக்கிறானோ அந்தக் கண்களே காதுகளாகவும் இருக்கும்படியாக நின்றான் போலும் (பாம்புகளுக்குச் செவி இல்லை).
Sloka #857
857. padhAvani! sPhutamayUKhasahasradhrushyA
viShNO: padhEna BhavathI vihithaprachArA
thvadBhakthiyanthrithajanapraThamasya shamBhO:
vaIkarthanImanukarOthi vihAramUrthim
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Paaduka! Siva is at the top of Your devotees. You wish to confer an honour on him. Therefore, You create Yourself in a similarity with one of the eight aspect-forms of Siva, namely the sun, You resemble the sun in having thousand rays. You are situated in Vishnupada, that is the Lord’s Foot. He travels on Vishnupada, the sky.
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: Swamy Desikan describes here the special blessings conferred by the PaadhukAs as Surya NaarayaNa Moorthy on its prime devotee , MahEswaran . Swamy equates the Paadhuka to the Surya because of both having mobility and possessing thousands of rays like the Sun God. Swamy says:” Oh PaadhukE ! You shine with thousand rays and move in the skies with Your Lord. At that time , You resemble Surya, who is one of the eight forms of Maheswara, Your foremost devotee. You bless Maheswara in this manner”.
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE ! You are like the SarIram for Sooryan , who is the first among Your devotees. You possess thousands of rays from Your gems. You have sanchAram every where due to links to VishNu Padham. Sooryan travels in the VishNu padham (AakAsam ) .
3) Oh PaadhukE ( PaadhAvani) ! You are shining with thousands of rays ( Bhavathee sphuDa mayukha sahasra dhrusyA ). You have Your SanchArams due to the links to Your Lord’s sacred feet ( Bhavathee VishNO: padhEna vihitha prachArA ). Your foremost devotee is MahEswaran and is bound to You ( Bhavathee Thvath bhakthi yanthritha jana praTamasya Sambhu: ). You bless MahEswara by accompanying his Soorya Svaroopa SarIram playfully.
857. பாதாவநி ஸ்புட மயூக ஸஹஸ்ர த்ருச்யா
விஷ்ணோ: பதேந பவதீ விஹிதப்ரசாரா
த்வத் பக்தி யந்த்ரித ஜந ப்ரதமஸ்ய சம்போ:
வைகர்தநீம் அநுகரோதி விஹாரமூர்த்திம்
பொருள் – ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் பாதுகையே! உன்னிடத்தில் வெளிப்படும் ஆயிரக்கணக்கான கிரணங்களின் ஒளியால், பார்ப்பதற்கு மிகவும் அழகாக உள்ளாய். ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் திருவடிகளால் எங்கும் ஸஞ்சாரம் செய்கிறாய். உன்னிடம் உள்ள பக்தியால் பலர் ஆனந்தம் அடைந்து உன்னிடம் கட்டப்பட்டபடி உள்ளனர். அவர்களுள் முதன்மையாக உள்ள சிவனின் சூரியன் எனப்படும் சரீரத்தை நீ எடுத்து உள்ளாய்.
Sloka #858
858. rAjyE vanEpi raGhuvIrapadhOchithAyA:
samsmruthya goUthamavaDhUparirakshaNam thE
manyE samAhithaDhiyO maNipAdhukE! thvAm
mUrDhnA Bhajanthyanudhinam muniDharmadhArA:
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Manipaaduka! Whatever You achieved in the kingdom or in the forest befits Your post; that is Rama’s throne and Rama’s foot. In the former, You took care of protection of the land; in the latter, You afforded revival and safe existence to Ahalya, Gowtama’s wife. Re-meditating on this aspect again and again, the wives of sages have given their hearts to You and always hold You on their heads and worship You.
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UthtamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: After describing the blessings conferred on AadhisEsha and MahEswara , Swamy Desikan shifts his attention now to the wives of the sages of the forest .He says:” Oh PaadhukE ! Your central concern is to protect and help the people , whether You are travelling in the forest with Raama or sitting on the throne in AyOdhyA . In the forest , You blessed Ahalya and transformed her back in to the state of a woman from that of a stone. All the wives of the sages of the forest recall with affection Your help to Ahalya snd prostrate before You daily for Your generous act “.
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam:Oh PaadhukE! The wives of Sages of the forest know that (a)You never leave the Lord’s sacred feet and (b) Your saving Ahalya, their friend once upon a time. Therefore , they hold You with high reverence on their heads.
3) Oh PadhukE ! The wives of the Rishis (Muni-dharmadhArA: )know that You do not leave Your Lord’s sacred feet, be it in the forest or at AyOdhyA ( rAjyE vanEapi Raghuveera padha uchithAyA: ).They think of Your protection of Ahalya ( Gouthama vadhU parirakshaNam samsruthya). Recalling both of these glorious deeds , the Rishi pathnis hold You in high reverence and keep You on their heads ( samsmruthya , samAhitha dhiyA moordhnA ThvAm bhajanthi) …(V.S) .
858. ராஜ்யே வநே அபி ரகுவீர பத உசிதாயா:
ஸம்ஸ்ம்ருத்ய கௌதமவதூ பரிரக்ஷணம் தே
மந்யே ஸமாஹித தியோ மணிபாதுகே த்வாம்
மூர்த்நா பஜந்தி அநுதிநம் முனிதர்மதாரா:
பொருள் – இரத்தினக்கற்களால் இழைக்கப்பட்ட பாதுகையே! அயோத்தியிலும், கானகத்திலும் இராமனின் திருவடிக்கும் பட்டத்திற்கும் ஏற்றவளாக நீ உள்ளாய். உன்னால் செய்யப்பட்ட அகலிகை ரக்ஷணம் (கௌதம முனிவரின் பத்தினியாகிய அகலிகையைக் காப்பாற்றியது) என்பதை முனிவர்களின் பத்தினிகள் எப்போதும் நினைத்தபடி உள்ளனர். இதனால் தங்கள் மனதில் வேறு எதனையும் எண்ணாமல், உன்னை அன்றாடம் தங்கள் தலையில் ஏற்று வணங்கிறார்கள்.
Sloka #859
859. thvAmAshrithO maNimayUKhasahasradhrushyAm
thvacChinjithEna saha rangapathi: samudhyan
AshankyathE sumathiBhirmaNipAdharakshE!
vidhyAsaKha: savithrumaNdalamaDhyavarthI
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Manipaaduka! Knowledgeable observers, seeing the Lord Ranganatha on You with a thousand rays emerging from Your gems, and start moving on with a Vedic melody, identify Him with the Supreme God, residing in the centre of the solar globe, along with the Vedic Trinity.
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: In this verse , Swamy Desikan points out that the sages of the forest enjoy the PaadhukAs as the Soorya MaNDalam (orbit of the Sun God). He says : ” Oh PaadhukE ! You shine with Your thousand rays like the Sun’s orbit. Your sounds during Your movement resemble the sounds of recitation of the three VedAs at dawn, noon, and dusk. Your Lord sits in the center of that orbit as Surya NaarAyaNan and is recognized and saluted by the sages as the Veda Purushan revered by You”.
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE ! Lord RanganAtha is with You posesing thousands of rays and myriad sweet sounds. Those great ones, who worship You with Your Lord think of Lord RanganAtha as the SarvEswaran at the middle of the orbit of the Sun worshipped by Rg , Yajus and Saama Vedams at morning, noon, and evening .
3) Oh Gem-bedecked PaadharakshE ( MaNi PaadharakshE )! Lord RanganAtha appears like the Soorya NaarAyaNa Moorthy seated at the center of the Sun’s orbit, who is eulogized by the Rg, Yajur and Saama Vedams during prAtha:, MaadhyAhnika and Saayam SandhyAs (Rangapathi: VidhyAsakah: savithru maNDala madhyavarthee aasankyathE ). To whom does Lord RanganAtha accompanied by You look like Soorya MaNDala Madhyavarthee( ThvAm aasritha: Thvath sinjithEna saha sumadhyan Rangapathi: )? When the Saastraj~nAs (VidvAns) see You with Your Lord ( Sumathibhi: dhrusyAm ThvAm ), then they equate Your Lord to Soorya NaarAyaNan at the center of the orbit of the Sun…(V.S).
859. த்வாம் ஆச்ரிதோ மணிமயூக ஸஹஸ்ர த்ருச்யாம்
த்வத் சிஞ்ஜிதேந ஸஹ ரங்கபதி: ஸமுத்யந்
ஆசங்க்யதே ஸுமதிபி: மணிபாதரக்ஷே
வித்யாஸக: ஸவித்ரு மண்டல மத்யவர்த்தீ
பொருள் – இரத்தினக்கற்கள் பதிக்கப்பட்ட பாதுகையே! ஆயிரக்கணக்கான கிரணங்களுடன் விளங்கும் உன்னை ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதன் தனது ஸஞ்சார காலத்தில் அடைகிறான். உன்னுடைய இனிமையான நாதங்களுடன் அவன் புறப்படுகிறான். இப்படியாக உள்ள ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதன், புத்திமான்களால் மூன்று வேதங்களுடன் கூடிய சூரிய மண்டலத்தின் நடுவில் உள்ள சூரியனாகவே எண்ணப்படுகிறான்.
Sloka #860
860. rathnAshrithaIrharipadham maNipAdhukE! thvam
spruShtvA karaI: shruthirasAyanamanjunAdhA
thatthvam thadhEthadhithi bODhayasIva samya-
gvEdhAn prathArithavathO viviDhAn kudhruShtIn
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Paaduka! It appears that You announce; in a sweet manner, pleasant to the ear, as an essence of the meaning of the Srutis as well, as a manner of solemn declaration; so touching, as required by the Smritis (that one would touch an auspicious object while swearing on a solemn oath), the Feet of Lord Ranganatha, by Your gem-bedecked hands, that is, the rays from the gems on You, in a manner to quell and convince the heterodox views of the wrong-sighted interpreters of the Veda, to the effect:
“This Archa-moorti, Lord Ranganatha, is the Supreme Deity, proclaimed by the ruling authoritative scriptures, and identifiable as the soul of all, having sentients and non-sentients as His manifestations”. (The views to be corrected are: that Brahman has no qualities; that It has no form; that any godhead could be supreme; that Archa-avatara is not real).
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE ! You destroy the false arguments of the demented and prove that Lord NaarAyaNan is the supreme priniciple of the universe. You prove that the Purusha at the center of the Sun’s orbit is none other than the eternal RanganAtha. You touch His feet with Your thousand rays and highlight His eternal and unique role as the creator, protector and destroyer of the universe as pronounced by the VedAs. You proclaim and assert that Hari is the central power that pervades all the sentient and insentient beings. You silence the false scholars about their opinions to the contrary”.
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam : Oh PaadhukE ! The rays from Your gems fall on the sacred feet of Your Lord. You also generate sweet sounds as You transport Him .When one experiences both of these anubhavams, they think that this scene is evocative of Your dialog with those, who misintrepret the meanings of the VedAs . You seem to be reminding them that Your Lord is the true meaning of all the VedAs and to trust Your Lord always. You appear like taking a vow by touching Your Lord’s Thiruvadi and reminding these mistaken souls about the eternal truth .
3) Oh MaNi PaadhukE ! You are touching Your Lord’s sacred feet with Your thousands of arms /rays emanting from Your gems ( Thvam RathnAsrithai: karai: Hari padham spruthvA ). You also have the sweet sounds cherished by the VedAs ( Sruthi rasAyana manju-nAdhA ). You appear to address at that time the many deluded scholars , who misintrepret the meanings of the Veda manthrams ( VedAn prathAritavatha: vividhAn kudhrushteen ). You seem to say to them that Lord RanganAtha in front of You is the true meaning of the Veda manthrams (yEthath tatthvam ithi samyak bhOdhayaseeva) … (V.S).
860. ரத்நாச்ரிதை: ஹரிபதம் மணிபாதுகே த்வம்
ஸ்ப்ருஷ்ட்வா கரை: ச்ருதி ரஸாயந மஞ்ஜுநாதா
தத்வம் தத் ஏதத் இதி போதயஸீவ ஸம்யக்
வேதாந் ப்ரதாரிதவதோ விவிதாந் குத்ருஷ்டீந்
பொருள் – இரத்தினக்கற்கள் இழைக்கப்பட்ட பாதுகையே! உன்னுடைய இரத்தினக்கற்களைச் சார்ந்துள்ள ஒளி என்னும் கைகள் கொண்டு ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் திருவடிகளைத் தொட்டு வணங்குகிறாய். செவிகளுக்கு இன்பம் உண்டாக்கும் விதமாக நாதங்கள் கொண்டுள்ளாய். வேதங்களைத் தவறாகக் கூறும் பலவிதமான வாதங்களை வைக்கின்ற வாதிகளைக் கண்டித்து, ”வேதங்கள் கூறும் உண்மையான பொருள் இவனே”, என்று ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் திருவடிகளைத் தொட்டு உணர்த்துகிறாய் போலும்.
English Source Text: sundarasimham.com
Tamil Source Text: namperumal.com
