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Ramaashtaka Krithis -- Fifth Vibakthi

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • October 31, 1996 


In the fifth Krithi of Sri Dikshithar's Ramaashtakam,
we experience the Ananya Bhakthi of the composer. 
He says that he does not know any other God other than
Sri Rama whom he worships.( Ramachandraadh 
anyam na Jaaneham --Pallavi ) . He recognizes Rama as
Hari Hara Rupan . He describes Sri Rama as the amsa Bhoothan 
of both Vishnu and Sivan in the rest of the Pallavi .

The whole Sahityam of this Samashti krithi set
in Ragam Dhanyaasi and Jampa TaaLam  is as follows :

PALLAVI :
RAMACHANDRAADH ANYAM NA JAANEHAM SRI
HARI HARAATHMA RUPINOH

CHARANAM:

KAAMA JANAKAATH KATINA SUBAAHU MAARICHA
KARA dHOOSHANAADHI MADA HARANAARTHKA RUPINO
SAMASTHA SURA SANNUTHA SARA CHAPA PAANINO
SARASA GURUGUHA SANGEETHA TATVA BODHINO(SR
RAMACHANDRADH ANYAM NA JAANEHAM ).

In the Charanam , Sri Dikshithar refers to the beauty of 
the Lord and recognizes Sri Rama s the father of the god
of beauty, Manmatha. He refers to the Bala Khaandam incident ,
where Sri Rama as a young prince destroyed the arrogance 
of Subaahu and Maaricha , who caused havoc to the Yajnam
of Sage Viswamitra. He also refers to the later episode in 
AaraNya Khaandam , where Single handedly , Sri Rama 
destroyed Kara and Dhooshana as well as the  14,000
ogres that accompanied them from Janasthaanam , the seat 
of Karaa , the brother of Surpanaka and RavaNaa  .

Karaa came to avenge the disfiguration of his sister by 
Lkshmana and to kill Rama . Rama met them single handedly 
and shined like  great flame in the middle of darkness. Sage 
Valmiki describes Rama's apperance then as " BHABOOVA
RAMASTIMIREH MAHAANGNIRIVOTTHITHA : " . 

A great Rama Bhaktha , Kulasekhara Azhwaar reacted to this 
passage of Ramaynaa in his court, when Puraanikaas described it. 
He was ovrcome at the thought of Sri Rama being surrounded by 
14,000 ogres, he was overcome with fear for the safety of his
upasanaa murthy . In  aswift reflex, he ordered his army to
accompany him and set forth on the mission to help Rama .
The ministers intervened and reminded king Kulasekara of 
Kolli Naadu that Sri Rama battled the mighty assemblage of 
Rakshasaas and single handedly destroyed them . Kulasekhara 
was relieved and dismissed the asssembled army after hearing the 
news. Such was the Rama Bhakthi of Kulasekhara , who completed 
SampurNa Ramayanam in his 10 verses on Thillai Thiruchitrakudatthu
Emperumaan in his Mangalaasaasanam . The famous slokam  of 
Sage Valmiki that stirred Kulasekhara into instant action is :

CHARURDASASAHASRAANI RAKSHASAAM BHEEMAKARMANAAM I
EKASCCHA RAMO DHARMAATHMAA KATHAM YUDDAM BHAVISHAYATHI II

( HERE ARE 14,000 OGRES OF FEROCIOUS POWER AND DEEDS, WHILE
THE DHARMAATHMAA RAMAN IS ALONE . HOW WILL THERE BE A 
FAIR BATTLE UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES ? )

This was the fear of Adi Kavi Valmiki that found a resonance
in Kulasekhara. Sri Dikshitar refers to this when he salutes 
Vijayaraghavan as " kara Dhooshanaadhi mata haranaartha rupi " .
The devas were watching this battle . Dikshitar refers to the assembly
of Devas witnessing the Veeraragahavan' s appearnce in the battle field
with his mighty Kodhandam as " SAMASTHA SURA SANNUTHA SARA CHAPA 
PAANI " . The musicc from the Dankaara dhwani of mighty 
arrows leaving Sri Rama's Kodhandam adorned with seven bells
(saptha Svarams ) on top inspired Swami Desikan to compose 
a moving piece in the Yuddha Khandam section of his Rghu Veera Gadhyam 
that begins with " KATURATH ATANI DANKRUTHI CHATULA --- ".
In the fourth and final line of this Krithi ,Dikshithar connects the 
musical sound from Kodhandam to the musical genius of 
Sri Rama, who has been described by Saint Thyagaraja 
as Sangeetha Sampradhayukudu and Nada Lola . This great
Sangeetha PravaNan according to Dikshithar's sahityam 
is described as the one , who taught Guruguhan the intricacies of
Nija Sangeetham (SARASA GURUGUHA SANGEETHA TATVA
bHODINA: ) . 

The ananya Bhakthi of Dikshitar to Sri Rama is the heart of this 
Ashtaka Krithi , where he proclaims : " SRI RAMACHANDRADH 
ANYAM (DAIVAM ) NA JAANEHAM ".

SRI RAMACHANDRA PARABRAHMANEH NAMA : 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan