Sloka 32
The main reason behind the glory of Hastigiri
Meaning
Oh Swan friend! Please listen and learn about the main reason behind the glories of this Hastigiri. On that hill resides eternally a great God, Whose loftiness can not be described adequately. This God having the name of PeraruLALan (the great boon granting Lord) has the natural hue of syAmaLam (greenish-black). This God wears number of KrshNa tuLasI garlands and latter enhances His syAmaLa varNam. Since this God of dark color has a bright radiance, He is like the Fire God with the dark color (SyAmaLam havya vAham anuvidadhatI). This God has the power to bless one with bliss of Moksham. He can grant bhogams (pleasures) on this earth as well. In all these acts, the dayA -laden glances of His divine consort residing on His chest is His support (enabler). Without Her KaruNA kaTAksham, nothing materializes. Since Her glances are falling frequently on Him, His darkish hue gets intensified further (lakshmI kaTAkshai: bhUya: SyAmA). This God remains as the Mother of all the beings of the universe and is also their nourisher. Oh Raaja Hamsam! You will have the bhAgyam of seeing this wondrous Lord with your own eyes on top of Hastigiri!
Sloka 33
Meaning
Oh Swan friend! In the yAga vedi (ceremonial ground for Yaj~nam), there shines a dark hued cloud. Do not be afraid, when I mention the word megham (cloud). It is natural for the swans to run away from dark and threatening cloud. This megham with the name of PeraruLALan does not need to be feared. It shines with the dark blue splendour of a Indra neelA gem. The presence of MahA Lakshmi on the chest of PeraruLALan is like the residence of a streak of lightning in the middle of a dark, rainy season megham.
MahA Lakshmi’s presence adds to the beauty of this Lord. This megham is filled with KaruNai. The white swans from svargam have assembled together and determined that this megham on top of Hastigiri is unlike other meghams and it will not cause any harm to anyone including them. These daiva hamsams are comfortable with their nitya-ArAdhanam of this karuNA pUrNa megham. Further, they remind themselves that this megham incarnated once as a divine Swan to recover the VedAs stolen by the asurAs and therefore this KaaLa megham is the ancestor of Your swan kulam (kUTastar). Therefore, please do not be afraid and enjoy this divya megham with the name of PeraruLALan. (The deva hamsams referred to here are the nitya sUris without any karma sambandham).
Swamy Desikan’s attachment to Lord VaradarAjan has resulted in the creation of many SrI KoSams (SrI VaradarAja pancASat, nyAsa dasSakam, adaikkalappattu, Hastigiri MahAtmyam et al). In the Slokams such as this one offering his salutations to his ishTa deivam, Swamy Desikan uses groups of beautifully chosen and moving words to eulogize Lord VaradarAjan. “kAruNya pUrNam marakata SilA mecakam megham” is one such salutation.
English Commentary by Sri Oppiliappan Sadagopan
Courtesy: Smt Jayanthi Sridharan (Carnatic vocalist)
