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[sv-poetry] SrI MaangaLya Sthavam : Part I (Introduction & The first Three SlOkams)

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Sadagopan • March 20, 2002 


SrI:

Dear BhakthAs: 

INTRODUCTION:
*************
SrI MaangaLya Sthavam is an auspcious sthOthram
recited by our ancestors for the gaining of all
types of MangaLams. It consists of 50 slOkams and is 
housed in the IthihAsam , VishNu DharmOttharam. 
The central theme is " SrIman NaarAyanan (Hari) 
is Sakala Phala-Prahdan ( Grantor of all boons that 
one requests of Him , a veritable VaradarAjan).

Our PoorvAchAryALs have quoted slOkams from 
SrI MaangaLya Sthavam in their commentaries 
on Sri Sookthis of AzhwArs and other granthams .
SrIvatsAngAcchAr Swamy has cited the usage of
Maangalya Sthava slokams in ParAsara Bhattar's
SrI VishNu Sahasra Naama BhAshyam , Swamy Desikan
in MumukshthvAdhikAram and AdhikAri VibhAdhikAram
of Rahasya Thraya Saaram, PrasthAna Parvam of 
Parama padha SOpAnam and SthOthra BhAshyam.

The Refrain in this sthOthram
******************************
This sthavam has the refrain of " MamAsthu MaangaLya
vivrutthayE Hari:" (May Hari NaarAyaNan confer 
auspicousness on me further and further is 
the refrain/prayer).

The Dialog between Two Sages 
*****************************
This Sthavam is set in the form of Answers of Sage
Pulasthyar to the two questions of Sage DhAlbhya .
In addition to the celebration of different 
avathArams of the Lord, there are specific slOkams 
saluting the Lord in the spirit of Upanishads and
Brahma Soothrams. Further , there are specific
prayers for the Lord in the Morning and in the Evening.

Sage DhAlbhyA's Questions:
**************************
The First Two Questions of Sage DhAlbhyA to Sage
Pulasthya set the scene for the Sthavam :

kaaryArambhEshu sarvEshu du:svpnEshu cha Satthama
amAngalyEshu dhrushtEshu yajjapthavyam tadh uchyathAm

--SlOkam 1

yEnArambhAsccha siddhyanthi du:svpnacchOpasAmyathi
amangaLAnAm dhrushtAnAm parihArasccha jaayathE

--SlOkam 2

Meaning of the First two slOkams of Maangalya Sthavam:
******************************************************
DhAlbhyA asks: Oh revered Sage Pulasthya! You are
the leader among those , who have a clear comprehension of
Brahman. Please instruct us on the following : What should
we recite in the form of Japam , when there are bad dreams
or inauspiciousness at the start of subha kaaryams ?What is 
the root cause for the successful conclusion of auspicious 
activities ? How does the effects of bad dreams nullified ? 
Are there remedies for any inauspicousness that we encounter 
in our daily life?Please bless us with the answers to these 
questions.

Special Comments on Dreams& their significance:
***********************************************
It is surprising that the reference is made here
to bad dreams and how to overcome the ill effects
of such inauspiciousness. The reason is because
dreams in the kali age are considered as Soochakams/
messages by the Lord. Through auspicious dreams,
the Lord speaks to a blessed Jeevan and reveals
Himself. This Swamy Desikan reveals to us. 

Additional Comments:
*********************
Sage DhAlbhyar is a Brahma Vidh as well and yet out of
compassion for us poses these questions on behalf of
us , who are troubled by the encounter of amangaLams
or bad dreams and ill omens.We hear the echos of his
questions in SrI VishNu Sahasra Naamam.

The Six Questions of Yudhishtrar to BhIshmAchAryA
**************************************************
The format of these questions of DhAlbhyar are similar to 
the Six questions posed by Yudhishtrar to BhIshmAcchAryA,
while latter lay in his death bed at the battle field of
Kuru KshEthram . Those six Questions are housed in
the following two slOkams of SrI VishNu Sahasra Naamam:

kimEkam dhaivatham lOkE kim vaapyEkam parAyaNam
sthuvantha: kam kamarchantha: prApnurmAnavaa subham

kO dharma: sarva-dharmANAm bhavatha: paramO matha:
kim JAPAN  muchyathE janthu: janma-samsAra BhandhanAth 

YudhishrA asks the grand sire, BhIshmAchArya:

1. Who is the Para Devathai(Supreme God)?

2. What is the highest goal(PurushArtham)?

3. Which is the Supreme God to be worshipped ?

4. Which is the Supreme God , whose names are to be mediated 
   upon and recited for gaining this highest PurushArtham?

5. What is the greatest Dharma?

6. What is the UpAyam to gain MOksham?

In ThiruvEngadam List , Sriman Sudarrshan has elaborated
beautifully on these questions and BhIshmAchAryA's
answers. Here , we will focus on the similarities
between Sage DhAlbhyA's question to those of YudhishtrA
and the responses of Sage PulasthyA to those of BhIshmAchAryA.

DhAlbhyA's questions:
*********************
DhAlbhyA asks:

" amangalyEshu dhrutEshu yath Japthavyam tath uchyathAm"

(When we see and experience inauspicous events
at the beginning of subha kaaryams and when we
have bad dreams, what japam has to be performed
to overcome this inauspiciousness? Which manthra 
japam has to be performed as parihAram?).

YudhishtrA asks in  a parallel manner:

lOkE  kimEkam Dhaivatham ? 
kimEkam parAyaNam? kam sthuvantha:?
kam archantha:? ManavA: subham prApnuyu:
kam archantha:? Sarva DharmANAm kO dharma:?
Janthu: kim japan janma samsAra bhandhanAth 
muchyathE? 

The Similarities in the Answers to the Questions
*************************************************
BhIshmAchAryA's and Sage PulasthyA's answer
provide the answers to the questions of 
YudhishtrA and DhAlbhyA respectively . 

BhIshmAchAryA's answers to YudhishtrA are: 

"Jagath Prabhum Deva Devam Anantham PurushOtthamam sthuva, 

 TamEva nithyam bhakthyA archaya, 

 anAdhi-nidhanam VishNum sthuvan sarva-dukhAdhigO bhavEth, 

 yEsha mE sarva dharmANAm dharmOdhikatamO matha:

 PavithrANAm Pavithram YO MANGALAANAAM CHA MANGALAM
 Dhaivatham DhaivathAnAm cha bhUthAnAm yOavyaya: Pithaa ".

The origin of the Name for this sthOthram
*******************************************
The last slOkam housing BhIshmAchAryA's vaak
could have inpired the composer of VishNu DharmOttharam
to name this sthuthi on VishNu as "Maangalya Sthvam".
It could also have been called Pavithra Sthavam , but
the grantha karthA appears to have settled for
Maangalya Sthvam.

Sage PulasthyA's answers took the form of 
MAANGALYA STHAVAM AND CELEBRATED THE MANGALAANAAM
CHA MANGALAM : SRIMAN NAARAAYANAN . 

Sage PulasthyA's answer
************************
The above first two slOkams house the questions of 
Sage DhAlbhya. With the third slOkam , Sage
PulasthyA commences to provide the answers:

JanArdhanam BhUthapathim Jagadh-Gurum
smaran manushya: sathatham MahaamunE!
dhushtAnyasEshANyapahanthi saadhayathi
asEsha-kaaryANi cha yAnyabhIpsathi.....SlOkma 3

(Meaning): Oh Great Sage! The fortunate human being , 
who meditates on the Lord of this charAchara jagath,
who is the Supreme Most among Gods and who is 
the Only Lord to grant the incomparable boon of Moksham 
will banish all inauspiciousness and transforms all
his activities to yield subha phalan( asupicious fruits).

Sage PulasthyA addresses the Lord , who causes all 
these auspiciousness as : (1) JanArdhanan (2) BhUtha Pathi
and (3) Jagath Guru.

JanArdhana: 128th VishNU Sahasra Naamam
****************************************
The VishNu Sahsara Naamam passage containing 
namaskAram to JanArdhanan is:

" Sarvaga: Sarvavith BhAnu: VishvaksEnO JANAARDHANA:  
  vEdhO vEdavidhavyangO vEdAngO vEdavith Kavi:"

JANARDHANAN  is the One , who destroys the enemies of
all His BhakthAs. He does it through His own Sakthi ,
Tejas and Veeryam . He executes this destruction 
without anyone else's help . He is verily the VaasudEvan
who lightened the burden of the Earth by destroying 
the armies of KouravAs at Kuru KshEthra war. 

That JanArdhanan is "Sarvagan" ( who reaches All);
He is "Sarva-vith" (who obtains All);He is "BhAnu:"
(Who shines in All thru His virility); He is "VishvaksEna"
(One with army in all directions to protect ALL of
His Bhaktha kOtis); He is thus the JanArdhanan in
every way.   

BhUtha Pathi:Second salutaton of PulasthyA
*******************************************
This Naamam also echos with VishNu Shasra Naamams
found at the very beginning of SrI VishNU Sahasra 
Naamam(SVN):

Visvam VishNur-VashatkAram bhUtha-bhavya-bhavath Prabhu:
BhUthakrudh  BhUthabhrudh-BhAvO BhUthAthmA BhUtha-PAvana:

--First SlOkam of SVN

Sage PulasthyA salutes the Sarva MangaLa Roopan 
as " BhUtha Pathi:".That VishNu , who is full in
all aspects(Visvam), who pervades all of the charAchara
Jagath of His(VishNu) , who controls and directs all of
the sentients and insentients besides pervading them
(VashatkAran), who is the Master of all things 
of the past, future and present ( BhUtha -bhavya -
Bhavath Prabhu:), who is the creator of all beings 
(BhUthakrith), who is the supporter of all beings 
(BhUtha-bhruth), who is the SatthA (BhAva:) to all ,
who is the inner soul of all beings (BhUthAthmA) 
and who is the nourisher of all( BhUtha-bhAvana:)
IS THE BHUTHA-PATHI. He is the PoothAthma and
ParamAthmA ( Purest  and Supreme Soul). He is 
the Lord of All beings (BhUtha pathi).

Third Salutation of PulasthyA: Jagath Guru:
********************************************
He is indeed the Guru for all the beings of 
the World (Jagath Guru:). ArjunA saluted 
this Jagath Guru this way (Geethai:11.43):

PithAsi lOkasya charA-charasya 
Thvamasya Poojyasccha GURUR-GAREEYAAN 
na Thvath-samO-asthyahyadhika:kuthOnyO
lOkathrayEapya-prathima PrabhAva:

(meaning): "You are the Father of the World,
of all that moves and that does not move.
You are its TEACHER and the One most worthy
of reverence. There is none equal to You.
How then could there be in the three worlds 
another greater than You , Oh Being of 
matchless greatness?".

Swamy Deesikan salutes Him as "Maattuku
aruL taru Maayan" in the AchArya KruthyAdhikAram
of SrImath Rahasya Thraya Saaram.This Jagath Guru,
who gave us the Charama SlOkam is recognized as
the mysterious Lord , who bestows Sarva Mangalam
on the chEthanams , which perform SaraNAgathi 
unto Him.

Conclusion of the Third slOkam
*******************************
Sage PulasthyA goes to the heart of SrI VishNu
Tatthvam thru the invocation of the three names
of the Supreme Lord ( Janaardhana: BhUthapathi: 
Jagath Guru: ) and states without any doubt that
anyone who meditates on Him would be freed of
all inauspicousness and transforms all of his
worldly activities into Mangala sampoorthi 
( Manushya: JanArdhanam BhUtha Pathim Jagath
Gurum sathatham smaran , dhushtAnyaseshANyapahanthi,
asEsha-kaaryANi cha yAnyabhIpsathi saadhayathi).
Thinking always of the Lord , they gain the fruits of
their Saadhanai and are rid of all the Moksha VirOdhis.

OppilA-appan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam,
Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan  
 
    


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