Sloka #981
981. aBhriakshasi thavamanapAyaniDhim
maNipAdhukE! MaDhuBhidhascharaNam
atha Eva dhEvi! ThadhananyaDhanA:
shirasA vahanthi BhavathIm kruthina:
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Devi Manipaaduka! The greatest treasure of the devotees is the Lord’s Lotus Feet. That treasure is zealously guarded by the Paaduka. The devotees develop deep regard for this guardian-angel Paaduka, and hold You on their heads in great reverence, because these discerning and privileged people have no treasure in their stock except the Lord’s Feet.
(Both the Paadukas and devotees keep Feet on their heads in reverence. One may doubt how devotees hold Paaduka, their compeer in Feet-worship, on their heads. There need be no difficulty in understanding it. Even in Vaikunta, a jivatma enjoys equal bliss with Brahman and yet it is only a subservient to Brahman. So, also we are the Feet’s servants on a par with the Paaduka, but we have to cherish subservience to the Paaduka.)
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1. UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: Oh Mani PaadhukE! You are tightly clasping the undecaying treasures of the feet of Madhusoodhanan. Therefore, the knowledgable souls not wanting any other wealth carry You on their heads as a mark of their respect for You.
2. SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam: This is a PrEma-garbha vachanam (words uttered with deep love ) by Swamy Desikan to salute Swamy NammAzhwAr. The inner meaning is that there is nothing greater in upakAram than that rendered by our AchAryAs . They make it clear that surrender unto the SarvalOka SaraNyan’s feet is the cause for all auspiciousness. SadaachAryAs rescue all kinds of kumathis (those who deny Vedam, the Lord and His Saasthrams) by establishing in their minds the fruits of following the Veda mArgam, the performance of SaraNAgathy at the Thiruvadi of the Lord and transform these kumathis into Sumathis and qualify them to attain Moksham. Every one celebrates these SadAchAryAs for their incomparable upakAram.
3. Oh Madhusoodhana PaadhukE ! You have protected very well the sacred feet of the imperishable wealth at Srirangam and have given Him to us(Devi MaNi PaadhukE ! Thvam, anapAya nidhim Madhubhida: CharaNam abhirakshasi). Therefore, the wise ones, who know that they have no other recourse celebrate You by carrying You respectfully on their heads ( atha yEva tadhananyadhanA : kruthina: Bhavatheem sirasA vahanthi)…(V.S) .
981. அபி ரக்ஷஸி த்வம் அநபாயநிதிம்
மணிபாதுகே மதுபித: சரணம்
அத ஏவ தேவி தத் அநந்ய தநா:
சிரஸா வஹந்தி பவதீம் க்ருதிந:
பொருள் – இரத்தினக்கற்கள் பதிக்கப்பட்ட பாதுகையே! ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் திருவடிகள் என்ற மிகவும் உயர்ந்த அழிவற்ற செல்வத்தை நீ எப்போதும் காத்தபடி உள்ளாய். இதனால்தான், அந்தத் திருவடிகளைத் தவிர தங்களுக்கு வேறு எதுவும் உயர்ந்தது அல்ல என்று எண்ணுபவர்கள், உன்னைத் தங்கள் தலையில் தாங்குகிறார்கள்.
Sloka #982
982. padhayugamiva pAdhukE! MurArE:
Bhavathi viBhUthirakaNtakA thvayaIva
KaThamiva hrudhayAni BhAvukAnAm
ThvadhanuBhavAdhupajAthakaNtakAni
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Paaduka! You remove the Kantakas*to the Lord’s Feet as well as to the world, which is the aspect of the Lord’s affluence. But there is a wonder: Discerning connoisseurs who enjoy You in their hearts, attain kantakas** throughout their body.
*Kantaka to the Feet is thorn and stone Kantaka to the world is the bad elements like the asuras.
** Kantaka on body is horripillation on a delectable experience.
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam:Swamy Desikan puns here on the word , “KaNtakA ” , which means either thorns or enemies or horripilation. He says: ” Oh PaadhukE ! Through Your service to Lord RanganAtha, You make His feet free from harm through thorns and other enemies. While this is so, it is difficult to understand how the hearts of those, who worship and enjoy You get KantakAs/horripilation . Swamy Desikan hints that they develop horripilations through witnessing how the PaadhukAs protect the Lord from the KantakAs (thorns). They have a hair-raising experience through witnessing Your laudable service to Lord RanganAthA.
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam: The inner meaning is that the SadAchAryAs win over the dhushprakruthis (the inauspicous ones) who are opposed to Bhagavaan and His creations and generate auspiciousness all around. Through those welcome activities, they generate bliss in the minds and bodies of the sishyAs, who meditate on them.
3) Oh PaadhukE ! Thanks to Your kaimkaryam, this iswaryam of MurAri (the leelA vibhUthi : MurArE: VibhUthi: ) is freed from all virOdhis just like His sacred Feet are protected from thorns and stones (MurArE: vibhUthi: padhayugamiva akaNDakA bhavathi). Through meditation on You, the bodies of those dear to You are filled with horripilations (BhAvukAnAm hrudhayAni Thvadh anubhavAth kaTamiva upajAtha-kaNDakAni bhavathi )…(V.S).
982. பதயுகம் இவ பாதுகே முராரே
பவதி விபூதி: அகண்டகா த்வயைவ
கதம் இவ ஹ்ருதயாநி பாவுகாநாம்
த்வத் அநுபவாத் உபஜாத கண்டகாநி
பொருள் – ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் பாதுகையே! முரன் என்ற அசுரனை அழித்த ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் திருவடிகள் இரண்டும் உன்னால் எப்படி முள் குத்தாமல் காப்பாற்றப்படுகிறதோ அது போன்று, இந்த உலகமும் உன்னால் சத்ருக்கள் இல்லாமல் ஆக்கப்படுகின்றது. இப்படி உள்ளபோது, உன்னைத் த்யானம் செய்பவர்களின் இதயங்களில் மட்டும், உனது அனுபவம் காரணமாக கண்டகம் (கண்டகம் என்றால் முள் என்று பொருள். ஆனால் இங்கு மயிர்க்கூச்சல் என்று சிலேடையாக வந்தது) உள்ளதாக இருக்கின்றது?
Sloka #983
983. jnAnakriyABhajanasImavidhUravrutthE
vaIdhEshikasya thadhavApthikruthAm guNAnAm
moULoU mamAsi maDhusUdhanapAdhukE! Thvam
gangEva hantha pathithA viDhinAiva pAngO:
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Lord’s Paaduka! I am at the farthest distance from the commencement stage (a border) of the three paths based on Jnana, Karma and Bhakti. Not only that: certain fundamental qualities are recognized as essential equipment for one to embark on Jnana-type of paths; for example, learning self-restraint, continence, etc. I am distanced from such qualities as much to a foreign country. (I do not live where these qualities exist!). Yest, You have condescended to sit on my head. Yes, if the Ganga descends down on a lame man’s head, who can object?
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: After speaking about the gains attained by the righteous people through the worship of the PaadhukAs, Swamy Desikan describes his experience . He says : Oh Madhusoodhana PaahukE! I am far away from the boundaries of Jn~Ana, Karma and Bhakthi yOgAs. My conduct is such that I am far from the country ruled by forbearance, control of the faculty of senses and other codes of conduct practised by the righteous. In short, I am low in the totem pole of those, who seek spiritual advancement and yet the placement of Yourself ( PadhukAs) on my head makes me exhilirated like a lame man on whose head the waters of Ganga fall due to a providential decree”. The lame man thinks of journeying to the site, where river Ganga flows to take his holy bath. He could not however travel there due to his physical handicap. At this juncture, Ganga DEvi comes to him and bathes him. Swamy Desikan equates his experience to that of the lame man.
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam: This slOkam is about the nirhEthuka KrupA of the Paadhukais. He says : “Madhusoodahana PaadhukE! Your Lord for reasons known to Him connected to some good deed performed by the jeevan in a previous birth creates SadArchya Sambhandham. That link saves the Jeevan from SamsAram. We can only decribe this rare good fortune only as avyAjam and an unanticipated bhAgyam. We can not research the reasons for it and can only call it nirhEthukam.
3)Oh Madhusoodahna PaadhukE! I am the lame one , who is far from the shores of Jn~Ana, Karam and Bhakthi yOgams (aham Jn~Ana, kriyA, Bhajana yOga seema vidhura vrutthikAran ). I am the lame one, who is far away from those aathma guNams that lead to the successful practise of any one of these three yOgams (aham Tath avApthi kruthAm guNAnAm vaidEsikan ). On this lame man’s head, Oh PaadhukE, You sit like the river Ganga’s pravAham due to poorva janma sukrutham (Mama mouLou pangO: mouLou GangEva vidhinaiva pathithAsi. Hantha!).
983. ஜ்ஞாநக்ரியா பஜந ஸீம விதூர வ்ருத்தே:
வைதேசிகஸ்ய தத் அவாப்தி க்ருதாம் குணாநாம்
மௌளௌ மமாஸி மதுஸூதந பாதுகே த்வம்
கங்கேவ ஹந்த பதித விதிதைவ பங்கோ:
பொருள் – மது என்ற அசுரனை அழித்த ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் பாதுகையே! ஞானயோகம், கர்மயோகம் மற்றும் பக்தியோகம் ஆகியவற்றின் எல்லைகளுக்கு வெகுதூரத்தில் நான் உள்ளேன். அவற்றைப் பெறுவதற்குரிய குணங்களுக்கும் அப்பால் நான் உள்ளேன். இப்படிப்பட்ட என் தலை மீது, முடவன் ஒருவன் கங்கையில் விழுந்தது போன்று, நீயாகவே வந்து அமர்ந்தாய். என்ன வியப்பு!
Sloka #984
984. rangEshvarasya yadhidham maNipAdharakshE!
pAdhAravindhayugaLam BhavathIsamEtham
pumsAmupOShithavilOchanapAraNArham
kshIram thadhEthadhiha sharkarayA samEtham
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Manipaaduka! You in conjunction with the Lotus Feet! What a blissful sight? It is not easily available to any one. Humans had been starved of such a feed for the eyes, for a very long, long time. Now seeing this is equivalent to the parana after a fast. And what a kind of termination of the fast! Milk with sugar, so delectable a feed!
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: Oh Mani PaadhukE! The sight of Yourself with Your Lord’s holy feet on my head is a delicious experience like tasting milk mixed with sugar. It is like the feast to the righteous, who were fasting and they enjoy partaking that delectable meal.
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam: Here, Swamy Desikan answers the question about the benefits that accrued from the nirhEthuka krupai of the Paadukais. Swamy Desikan states that he has realized at Srirangam the darsana soubhAgyam of the Lord’s sacred feet united with the Paadhukais (SadAchAryan, Swamy NammAzhwAr), which is equivalent to the tasting of the milk admixed with sugar. This is an avicchanna sEvai (United sEvai). ” Bhagavath vandhanam svAdhyam guru vandhana pooravakam ” is the adage to remember: It is a true blessing to have Bhagavath vandhanam preceded by AchArya Vandhanam.
3) Oh PaadhukE ! The darsanam of Your Lord’s feet united with You is the feast for the eyes, which has been starved from looking at auspicous entities ( PumsAm upOkshitha vilOchana pAraNArham ). That experience of enjoyment of Your Lord’s sacred feet united with You is like tasting of the naturally sweet milk with sugar ( idham Bhavathee samEtham yath paadhaaravindha yugaLam tath yEthath iha sarkarayA samEtham ksheeram iva)…(V.S).
984. ரங்கேச்வரஸ்ய யதிதம் மணிபாதரக்ஷே
பாதாரவிந்தயுகளம் பவதீ ஸமேதம்
பும்ஸாம் உபோஷித விலோசந பாரணார்ஹம்
க்ஷீரம் தத் ஏதத் இஹ சர்க்கரயா ஸமேதம்
பொருள் – ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் பாதுகையே! உன்னுடன் எப்போதும் சேர்ந்தே உள்ள ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் திருவடித் தாமரைகள், தீயவை மட்டுமே அதிகமாக உள்ள இந்த உலகத்தில், நன்மை பயக்கும் மேன்மை கொண்டவையாக உள்ளன. இவற்றையும், உன்னையும் எண்ணியபடி ஒரு சிலர் உபவாஸம் (உண்ணாநோன்பு) இருக்கக்கூடும். அவர்களுக்கு நீங்கள் இருவரும் கண்களால் பருகப்படுகின்ற சர்க்கரை இட்ட பால் போன்று உள்ளீர்கள்.
Sloka #985
985. kAmAdhidhOSharahitham thvadhananyakAmA:
karma thrayOdhashaviDham parishIlayantha:
pAdhAvani! ThavdhanuShangavishEShadhrushya-
mEkAnthina: paricharanthi padham murArE:
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Paaduka! Respectable Sadhus, called paramaikantis, will not resort to any other god other than You, and will not look for any reward except You. Their routine practice is free from stigmas, like attachment to the result of a deed. They are engaged in the thirteen-fold observance of behavior. With their hearts purified thereby, they enjoy rare conjunction of Yourself with the Lord’s Feet and earnestly render service to You.
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr SWamy’s anubhavam : Swamy Desikan refers here to the virtues described by the Paadhma samhithai. He points out that the worshippers of the Paadhukais are practioners of the thirteen codes of conduct advocated by the Paadhma Samhithai and they stand out while doing service to the PaadhukAs and the Lord’s lotus feet. Swamy says: “Oh PaadhukE ! There are those, who did not seek anything else in this world except service to You. They are devoid of ego, lust, desire and other defects and practise the thirteen codes of conduct recommended for the righteous by the Paadhma SamhithA. These thirteen break down into five kaayikam types (done with the body), three Vaachikam ( performed with mind) categories and Five Maanasam (accomplished with the mind) varieties. The Kaayikam types are: (1) Poojanam ( bodily worship such as prostration), (2) Soucham (bodily cleanliness) , (3) Aarjavam (uprightness) , (4) Ahimsaa (noviolence) and (5) Brahmacharyam (Celibacy). The three belonging to Vaachikam are: (1) words uttered for other’s well being, (2) saying truthful things and (3) recitation of the VedAs. The five belonging to the categories of Maanansam are: (1) satisfaction with whatever Lord ordains (2) humility, (3) Forbearance , (4) God Consciousness and (5) Purity of Mind.
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam : The inner meaning is that those who believe their SadAchAryan as the sole means and seek no other phalan attain satthva suddhi ( purity of mind and the perfection of aathma guNams) and become free from blemishes. They perform AchArya Kaimkaryams and gain Saathvika Tapas. The close links of their AchAryAs generate unique love for the Lord dear to their AchAryAs and the flow of that Bhakthi leads to additional Bhagavath-AchArya kaimakrya Sri that results in the bliss of Moksha Sukham.
3) Oh PadhAvani ! Those who have no phalans other than you are dependent on You as their sole UpAyam (Oh PaadhAvani ! Thvadanya kaamA: yEkanthina: ). They perform special aarAdhanam for Your Lord (MurAri) as a direct result of their association With You (yEkAnthina: Thvath anushanga visEsha dhrusyam MurArE: padham paricharanthi).Their aarAdanam is blemishless (KaamAdhi dhOsha rahitham), since it follows the thirteen modes recommended by PaancharAthra aagamam .These nithya, naimitthika kaamya sadhkAryams do not expect any phalans (phalApEkshaa rahitham).
985. காமாதி தோஷ ரஹிதம் த்வத் அநந்ய காமா:
கர்ம த்ரயோதசவிதம் பரிசீலயந்த:
பாதாவநி த்வத் அநுஷங்க விசேஷ த்ருச்யம்
ஏகாந்திந: பரிசரந்தி பதம் முராரே:
பொருள் – ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் திருவடிகளைக் காக்கும் பாதுகையே! உன்னைத் தவிர வேறு எதனையும் தங்கள் பயனாகக் கொள்ளாமல் உள்ள, உன்னை மட்டுமே நம்பியுள்ள உத்தமர்கள் செய்வது என்ன? பலனில் விருப்பம் கொள்வது முதலான தோஷங்கள் இல்லாத பதின்மூன்று விதமான கர்மங்களை இயற்றிபடி, உன்னுடைய சேர்க்கை மூலம் மிகவும் அழகு பெற்ற ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் திருவடிகளை உபாஸித்தபடி உள்ளனர்.
விளக்கம் – பதின்மூன்று கர்மங்கள் = எம்பெருமான், அந்தணன், குரு, ஞானிகள் ஆகியவர்களை ஆராதிப்பது, சுத்தம், நேர்மை, அஹிம்ஸை, ப்ரம்மசர்யம் என்று உடலால் செய்யப்படும் ஐந்து கர்மங்கள்; நல்ல சொற்கள் கூறுதல், ஸத்யம் பேசுதல், வேதம் ஓதுதல் என்று வாயால் செய்யப்படும் மூன்று கர்மங்கள்; மகிழ்வுடன் இருத்தல், பரம்பொருளை எப்போதும் த்யானித்தல், மனம் அடக்குதல், உலக விஷயங்களை எண்ணாமல் இருத்தல், அனைவரும் நன்றாக இருக்கவேண்டும் என்ற எண்ணம் என்பதான மனதால் செய்யப்படும் ஐந்து கர்மங்கள்.
Sloka #986
986. moULoU sThithA maKhaBhujAmaThavA shruthInAm
thadhrangarAjacharaNAvani! VaIBhavam thE
asmAdhrushAmapi yadhi praThitham thatha: syAth
soUlaBhyamamba! Thadhidham thava sArvaBhoUmam
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Mother, Ranganatha Paaduka! You sit on the heads of the Devas; also on the head of the Vedas (You become the meaning of Vedanta). Such a Deity surprisingly sits on the heads of persons like me. Yes, it should be interpreted as the Sowlabhya quality (easy accessibility to the high as well as the lowly) that manifests with respect to all beings.
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: After describing the benefits accruing from the service to the PaadhukAs, Swamy Desikan celebrates now his good fortune in having ease of access to the PaadhukAs in this verse. He says : “Oh Rangaraja PaadhukE ! You rest on the heads of DevAs , who accept the offerings from the YaagAs (ritual sacrifices); better than that, You adorn the heads of Upanishads, the heads of the VedAs. Therefore, Your glory is many fold. The fact that You also rest on the heads of lowly ones such as myself demonstrates your auspicious attributes known as readiness of access to the low or mighty (Soulabhyam).
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam:My Mother PaadhukE protecting the sacred feet of the Lord of Srirangam ! How can I describe Your soulabhyam ? The eternally liberated ones (nithyAs) and the newly libreated ones (mukthAs) celebrate the combination of Your soulabhya guNam along with Your happy state of union with Your Lord’s Thiruvadi as abhinnai (in an inseperable state). Concerned that this recognition by the MukthAs would not help others outside Parama Padham, You lent Yourself to become the object of praise by Upanishads. Still You were worried about all the others in SamsAra MaNDalam, who were not able to access You and joined therefore Your Lord in archAvathAram to address that need. Now You made every one in Parama padham and this world fit objects of Your limiless DayA. You became clearly visible to us all with our physical eyes right here at Srirangam. You stay on our heads and also accept our meagre AarAdhanams. I am overcome by the depth of Your soulabhyam that uplifts every one.
3) Oh Mother PaadhukE protecting the sacred feet of the Lord of Srirangam (hE Ambha ! hE RangarAja charaNAvani ) ! You are used to being on the heads of DevAs, who partake Havis from Yaj~nams (Thvam makhabhujAm mouLou sTithA). You are otherwise seen on the heads of Veda Siras ( Upanishds), which reveal the most subtle TatthvArTams and PurushArTams (aTa vaa srutheenAm mouLou sTithA). As if this were not enough, Your Vaibhavam is meditated upon by the nithyAs and MukthAs in Parama Padham (tE vaibhavam tath). After that, Your limitless dayA pravAham reaches out to even unfit and helpless ones struggling in this samsAric world ( tatha: tath idam soulabhyam asmAdhrasAmapi pravahathi). It becomes well known to all jeevaraasis (tava Soulabhayam Saarvabhoumam praTitham syAth)…(V.S).
986. மௌளௌ ஸ்திதா மகபுஜாம் அதவா ச்ருதீநாம்
தத் ரங்கராஜ சரணாவநி வைபவம் தே
அஸ்மாத்ருசாமபி யதி ப்ரதிதம் ததஸ் ஸ்யாத்
ஸௌலப்யம் அம்ப ததிதம் தவ ஸார்வபௌமம்
பொருள் – ஸ்ரீரங்கராஜனின் பாதுகையே! தாயே! நீ வேதங்களின் தலைகளில் உள்ளாய் அல்லது வேதங்களின் தலைப்பகுதியான உபநிஷத்துக்களில் உள்ளாய்; இது உனது பூர்ணமான மேன்மையாக உள்ளது. ஆனால் இப்படிப்பட்ட நீ எங்களைப் போன்ற தாழ்ந்தவர்களின் தலைப்பகுதிகளில் நின்றால் அல்லவோ, அனைத்து சாஸ்திரங்களும் கூறப்படுகின்ற உனது ஸௌலப்யம் (எளிமை) அனைவராலும் அறியப்பட்டதாகும்?
Sloka #987
987. svapnEpi chEth thvamasi mUrDhani sanniviShtA
namrasya mE narakamardhanapAdharakshE!
SThAnE thadhEthadhiha dhEvi! Yatha: samADhoU
SanthO vidhusthamapi thAdhrushabuDdhigamyam
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Devi! Paaduka of the Lord! In my dream, when I had my head bowed, You sat on my head. Dream-experience is parallel to yogic vision (Mind sees in both!). It is appropriate that You had granted it to me in a dream as if in Yoga. (It is said that Desika had such a vision in dream before commencing the work).
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: Oh Paadhukais of the Lord, who destroyed the demon Narakaa! Oh Devi! The fact that You have stayed on my head during my wakeful hours as well as in dream hours attest to Your compassion in my case, where I do not have the fruits of penance to qualify for such a honor. It fits with the experience of the righteous, who during their times of meditation see the Lord in that dream-like state. ” This verse is a key one in that it refers to the dream, wherein the Paadhukais of the Lord rested on Swamy Desikan’s head. He woke up and took the vow to compose the thousand verses on the Vaibhavam of the Paadhukais for the contest at Srirangam. Swamy Desikan refers to the darsana samanAkAra Jn~Anam in this slOkam. This knowledge or spiritual attainment makes an external object come close to one in the dream, even if that object is not anywhere near. The vision of the Paadhukais in Swamy Desikan’s dream is an example of such Jn~Anam. Swamy says that he did not possess that type of Jn~Anam and yet the mercy of the Paadhukais blessed him with that type of Jn~Anam and caused that dream to happen.
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam: Swamy Desikan declares here that he has been overawed and defeated by the soulabhyam of the Paadhukais of the Lord. He says: Your abundance of Vaathsalyam for us and joy in driving away all the obstacles to gain You are legendary. I am totally under Your control and am guided by You (adhyantha Paratantran). I am devoid of any other recourse except You (ananyOpayan ) and totally devoid of any resources to protect myself (Parama akinchanan). Out of my intense desire to be united with You, I stand before You even in my dream and You appear in those dreams out of Your krupA and rest on my head. When I meditate on You, I am blessed with darsana samanAkAram ( equivalent to seeing You physically) and You remove all my inauspiciousness. The skilled ones in interpreting the SaasthrAs like Sage VasishtA, Manu and Sage ParAsarA visualize Your Lord through their dhyAnams . Whatever that SaashtrAs say about Your Lord are also extendable to You as well, since You are His sahadharmachAriNi. Therefore meditation of You or seeing You in our dreams will lead to our Aathma KshEmam. There may not be a need for external aarAdhanam to you for visualizing You . Great indeed is Your incomparable soulabhyam!
3) Oh Paadhukai of the Lord , who destroyed NarakAsuran to protect His aasrithAs ( those who sought His protection )( hE Devi Narakamardhana-PaadharakshE ! You are indeed resting on my bowed head during my dhyAnam and in my svapnams ( namrasya mE moordhani svapnEapi Thvam sannivishtA ). That bhAgyam results in the enjoyemnt of aathma kshEmam by me (Thvam mama moordhani sannivishtA chEth asi, tadhA yEthath iha sTAnE ). Why do I come to that conclusion ? It is based on the knowledge about the experience of great Rishis, who are able to visualize Your Lord in their dhyAnams and svapnams (Yatha: Santha: Tamapi samAdhou thAdhrusa buddhi gamyam vidhu:)…(V.S).
987. ஸ்வப்நேபி சேத் த்வம் அஸி மூர்த்தநி ஸந்நிவிஷ்டா
நம்ரஸ்ய மே நரக மர்தந பாதரக்ஷே
ஸ்தாநே தத் ஏதத் இஹ தேவி யத: ஸமாதௌ
ஸந்தோ விதுஸ்தமபி தாத்ருச புத்திகம்யம்
பொருள் – நரகாசுரனை வதம் செய்த ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் பாதுகையே! உன் மீது ப்ரேமை கொண்டு உன்னை எப்போதும் வணங்கியபடி உள்ள எனது கனவில் நீ தோன்றி, எனது தலையில் அமரவேண்டும். அப்படி நீ அமர்ந்தாலும், அந்தச் செயல் பலனை அளிக்கவல்லதே ஆகும். காரணம் – யோகநிலையில் உள்ள முனிவர்கள் ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனை இப்படியாக மானஸீக நிலையில் கண்டு அல்லவோ நன்மை அடைகிறார்கள்?
Sloka #988
988. baddhAnjali: paricharanniyamEna rangE
vishrANithAchyuthaniDhim maNipAdhukE! ThvAm
kasyApi kUNithadhrushO Dhanina: purasthA-
dhutthAnayEya na kadhApi karam vikOsham
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Manipaaduka! When I secure the great treasure of the Lord Ranganatha, by my hands kept in supplication to You (in Anjali pose), how can I ever dream of extending my arm before a rich man, with half-closed eyes?
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: Oh MaNi PaadhukE! You have given me the great wealth of RanganAtha at Srirangam. I fold my hands and offer my worship to Him there. Therefore, I will not raise my hand in supplication ever to the cross-eyed wealthy, now that I have acquired that permanent wealth resting at Srirangam with Your help.
2. SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam: Oh MaNi PaadhukE! The pitiable ignorance and misfortune that makes the populace stand before the haughty rich seeking perishable and insignificant wealth is regrettable. Instead of standing before their Lord united with You and perforimg all kinds of Kaimkaryam to both of You, these deluded folks choose the haughty rich for help. AdiyEn is indeed fortuante through Your anugraham to serve only You always and become the recipient of Your parama krupA! The inner meaning here is that the ignorant ones disregard the SadAchAryAs, who can bless them to gain all types of auspiciousness and instead seek the haughty and unpredictable rich for all kinds of nonlasting phalans. The Saadhu janams seek in contrast SadAchAryAs and gain every thing through the paripoorNa kaDAksham of those SadAchAryAs.
3) Oh MaNI PaadhukE! AdiyEn stands before You with folded hands and rigrously serves You , who is the possessor of the eternal wealth of the Lord inside the Ranga VimAnam ( aham bhaddhAnjali: visrANitha Achyutha nidhim ThvAm RangE niyamEna paricharan asi). adiyEn will never ever stretch my hands for favors before the egotistic rich men with crossed eyes for any favors (aham kasyApi kooNitha dhrusa: dhanina: purasthAth vikOsam karam kadhApi nOtthAnayEya)…(V.S).
988. பத்தாஞ்சலி: பரிசரந் நியமேந ரங்கே
விச்ராணித அச்யுத நிதிம் மணிபாதுகே த்வாம்
கஸ்யாபி கூணித த்ருசோ தநிந: புரஸ்தாத்
உத்தா நயேய ந கதாபி கரம் விகோசம்
பொருள் – இரத்தினக்கற்கள் இழைக்கப்ப்பட்ட பாதுகையே! ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதன் என்னும் நழுவாத பெரும் நிதியை அளிப்பவளாக நீ உள்ளாய். இப்படிப்பட்ட உன்னை நான் எப்போதும் பற்றியவனாக, உனக்குக் கைங்கர்யம் செய்பவனாக இருப்பேனாக. இதனால் பயத்தை ஏற்படுத்துகின்ற கோபமான பார்வை பார்க்கின்ற எந்த ஒரு செல்வந்தன் முன்பும் நான் எனது விரித்த கையை ஏந்த மாட்டேன்.
Sloka #989
989. thvayyarpithEna charaNEna sadhaDhvaBhAja:
pAdhavani! praThithasAthvikaBhAvadhrushyA:
rangEshavadhvidhaDhathE muhurangahArAn
rangE mahIyasi natA iva BhavukAsthE
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Paaduka! An actor, a dancer, exhibits emotion in various gestures. Observers are wont to identify themselves in emotional communion with the stage-artiste. The same occurs in the case of learned connoisseurs of the delectability of the service being rendered to You. When the Lord sets His Feet in You and shows gaits in different styles (like an elephant, like a lion etc) the devotees attain an equality with the Lord in external expression. The great scholars perform their regular duties to Your satisfaction placing total pious faith in You. They enjoy all the gaits (and dances) with expressions of mirth such as tears of joy and horripillation. They display movements of heads and hands while enjoying You-as if they have become stage-artistes, say like the Lord. Thus they attain a certain degree of equality with Your Master, the master-dancer of the Ranga-stage.
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: Swamy Desikan points out that those, who take refuge in the Paadhukais attain equality (Saamyam) with the Lord of Srirangam and that he is one of the members of that fortunate group. Swamy says: ” Oh PaadhukE ! Those who enjoythe experience of surrendering unto You dance around the streets of Srirangam with joy like the dancers in the troup of the Lord performing before the Lord at Srirangam. They are rich in auspicious attributes and dance in the highly visible stage of Srirangam and express through their various dance gestures (abhinayAs) their joy over the attainment of the fruits of SaraNAgathy to You. They become equal ( Saamyam) to their Lord during their lives in this world “.
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam: This slOkam is full of double and triple meanings for specific words to yield multiple levels of anubhavam regarding the rich poetic skills of Swamy Desikan . In the previous slOkam, Swamy Desikan condemned the ordinary folks (SaamAnya Janams), who seek the aasrayaNam ( protection ) of the rich for their livelihood. PaadhukA asked Swamy Desikan to explain how those folks are to go about securing their livelihood ( dEha yAthrai) in this world. Swamy Desikan gives his answer in this slOkam : Oh PaadhukE! it is not necessary for the SaamAnya janams to seek the help of the unsympatheic and haughty rich. They should place complete trust in You for their Yoga-KshEmam. You know that such people without ananyAsrayaNams thrive and spend their time on earth without worries. This situation is similar to Your Lord, who entrusts the rakshaNam of His sacred feet to You and banishes all worries about their protection. Those who perform Saathvika thyAgam first and then go about serving You without seeking fruits of their actions become superior to every one and are satisfied with what comes their way at Srirangam .They sing and dance in a state of blissful anubhavam of Yourself and Your Lord and spend their time with tadhEka manas (mind centered on You alone ) and tadhEka vyApArams ( actions focussed on You alone). All of their earthly and the other worldly needs are taken care of by Yourself and Your Lord.
3) Oh PaadhukE ! This leelA vibhUthi is described as one fourth of Your Lord’s total Isvaryam by the VedAs. In this stage of Srirangam (His leelA VibhUthi ) , the Sadhu janams conduct their anushtAnams without anticipation of any fruits of their karmAs and are readily recognized by the bilssful ways in which they go about their kiamkaryams (Thvayi arpithEna charaNEna , sadhadhvabhAjA : praTitha saathvika bhAva dhrusyA:). These magnificent souls dance as it were on the expansive stage of Srirangam and perform often abhinayams appropriate to their kaimkaryams ( tE bhAvukA: maheeyasi RangE naDA iva muhu: angahArAn vidhadhE)…(V.S).
989. த்வயி அர்ப்பிதேந சரணேந ஸத்த்வபாஜ:
பாதாவநி ப்ரதித ஸாத்விக பாவத்ருச்யா:
ரங்கேசவத் விதத்தே முஹுரங்க ஹாராந்
ரங்கே மஹீயஸி நடா இவ பாவுகாஸ்தே
பொருள் – ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் பாதுகையே! உன் மீது வைக்கப்பட்ட திருவடிகள் கொண்ட ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதன் தனது அவயவங்கள் அசைத்து பலவிதமான நடைகள் செய்து ஸஞ்சாரம் செய்கிறான். இது போன்று ஒரு சிலர் உன்னிடம் தங்கள் அனுஷ்டானத்தை அர்ப்பணம் செய்கிறார்கள். இதனால் அவர்கள் நல்வழி பெற்று, ஆனந்தம் அடைந்து, கண்ணீர் பெருகி, மேன்மையும் அடைகின்றனர். இப்படியாக உனது மேன்மையை அடைந்த அப்பெரியோர்கள், ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதன் போன்று மிகவும் பெரியதான ஸ்ரீரங்கம் என்ற அரங்கில் ஆட்டக்காரர்கள் போன்று, தங்களையும் மறந்து, அவயவங்களை அசைத்து ஆடுகின்றனர்.
Sloka #990
990. yEna sThithA shirasi mE viDhinADhunA thvam
thEnaIva dhEvi! niyatham mama sAmparAyE
lakshIkariShyasi padhAvani! ranganATham
lakshmIpadhAmburuhayAvakapankalakshyam
Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)
Oh Paaduka Devi! Since I now had the privilege of having You on my head by some great Punya, I am sure that Punya will definitely enable me to see, by Your help, the Lord Ranganatha, identifiable by the marks of red dye found on His chest from the Feet of Mahalakshmi.
Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan
1) UtthamUr Swamy’s anubhavam: Swamy Desikan expresses his gratitude to the Paadhukais for their blessings on this earth and thereafter. He says: ” Oh Queen ! Oh Lord’s PaadhukE! Due to my good fortune accumulated through Your blessings , You sit now on my head; the same good fortune is going to cause the resting of RanganAthA’s feet adorned with the red dye belonging to MahA Lakshmi on my head and mark me out as a dear one to Him during my last moments on this earth. That good fortune will lead me to Moksham after this life on earth”.
2) SrImath Andavan’s anubhavam : Now Paadhukais ask Swamy Desikan a question : ” In the previous slOkam , You said that it si enough to stay in this blissful state of offering kaimakryams to me at Srirangam. How long can you stay in that state with your perishable body? Therefore, should You not be thinking about the Lord at His Superior place of Parama Padham? “. Swamy answers this way : Oh PaadhukE ! why should I worry about that when You are permanently dwelling on my head out of Your vaathsalyam. When the time comes for me to cast my earthly body, wont You be bringing Your Lord on Your back before me? The second after that anthima saakshAthkAram, adiyEn’s Parama Padha siddhi (attainment of Vaikunta Vaasam) is certain. That is Svatha-prAptham ( it will hapen on its own). Therefore, there is no need for me to think seperately about that instead of enjoying You here in the company of Your Lord, SrI RanganAthan. The previous sOkam was about the PaadhukA’s protection in this earth (LeelA VibhUthi); the next slOkam is about the Paadhukais assisting the Saadhu Janams to gain residence in Parama Padham.
3) hE Devi PadhAvani ! The very same good fortune that enables me to have Your presence on my head ( Thvam adhunA yEna vidhinA mE sirasi niyatham sTithA) empowers me to have the anthima saakshAthkAram of Lord RanganAthan with the unmistakable mark /lakshaNam of the SarvEswaran, viz., the symbol of red dye from MahA Lakshmi’s sacred feet on His chest (tEnaiva bhAgyEna LakshmI padhAmbhuruha yaavaka-panka lakshyam , RanganATam , mama saamparAyE laksheekarishyasi)…(V.S).
990. யேந ஸ்திதா சிரஸி மே விதிநாதுநா த்வம்
தேநைவ தேவி நியதம் மம ஸாம்பராயே
லக்ஷீகரிஷ்யஸி பதாவநி ரங்கநாதம்
லக்ஷ்மீ பதாம்புருஹ யாவக பங்கலக்ஷ்யம்
பொருள் – ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனின் பாதுகா தேவியே! நீ இப்போது எனது எந்தப் புண்ணியத்தின் பலனாக என் தலையில் உள்ளயோ, “இனி இங்கிருந்து செல்லமாட்டேன்”, என்று உறுதியுடன் நிற்கிறாயோ – அதே காரனத்தினால், எனது அந்திம காலத்தில், ஸ்ரீரங்கநாச்சியாரின் தாமரை மலர் போன்ற திருவடிகளில் பூசப்பட்ட செம்பஞ்சுக் குழம்பின் அடையாளம் பொருந்திய ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதனை, எனது பார்வைக்கு இலக்காகக் காண்பிப்பாயாக.
English Source Text: sundarasimham.com
Tamil Source Text: namperumal.com
