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Raghuveera Gadhyam of Swami Desikan : part 2

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • September 10, 1996 


In this section , we will cover the following items :

1.When to read Srimad Ramayanam& Raghuveera Gadhyam?
2.Where to read Srimad Ramayanam& Raghuveera Gadhyam ?
3. What are the procedures to follow before Reading either ?
4.What are the fruits/benefits of reading either ?
5. How do they compare in size  and structure ?

RAAMAAYA RAMABHADRAAYA 
RAMACHANDRAAYA VEDHASEH I
RAGHUNAATHAAYA NAATHAYA 
SEETHAAYA: PATAYEH NAMA: II

( My salutations to Veda Purusha Sri Rama, who is 
celebrated as Ramachandra, Ramabhadra,
Raghunatha and the Lord of Sita Devi )

AAPADHAAM APAHARTHAARAM
DHAATHAARAM SARVA SAMPADHAAM I
LOKAABHIRAMAM SRI RAAMAM 
BHUYOH BHUYOH NAMAAMYAHAM II

(I salute again and again Sri Rama , the delight
of the whole world, the reliever/ banisher of every
suffering and the bestower of all riches)

1.WHEN TO READ BOTH ?

The Aadhi Kaavyam (epic poem ) composed by sage 
Valmiki (Srimad Ramayanam) consisting of seven
books (Khaandas) and 645 Cantos (Sargas) is
recommended for reading in a nine day stretch
(Navaaham ) or in a 27 day stretch . The nine day 
reading with starts and stops at particular chapters is 
recommended for the months of Chaitra, Maagha 
and Kartika during Sukla Paksham (5th day to the 
the thirteenth day) . The 27 day  reading is to be carried 
out  starting from the day, when the constellation of 
Punarvasu is in ascendance to the day , when Aardhraa
constellation is in ascendance. There are elaborate 
procedures for reading Srimad Ramayanam( Sankalpam,
Acharya Vandanam , Dhyaanam , Nyaasam (Anganyaasam
and Karanyaasam ) and Viniyogam for each of the Khaandams .

The procedures for reciting Swami Desikan's Raghuveera 
Gadhyam are few and simple.One can recite it every day.
 One recites at the beginning and ending of the stotram
 " NEELA KOMALA RUCHIM RAAMAM BHAJEH SYAAMALAM "
(I meditate on Sri Rama of cerulean hue possessing 
the soft lustre of the blue lotus ). Next one recites
Acharya Dhyanam :

SRIMATHE NIGAMAANTHA MAHA DESIKAAYA NAMA:
 
SRIMAAN VENKATANAATHAARYA: KAVITHAARKIKA KESARI I
VEDHANTHAACHAARYAVARYOH MEH SANNIDHATTAAM SADHAA HRUDHI II

This is followed by the recitation of the entire Raghuveera Gadhyam.

A the conclusion , one salutes again the composer of this stotram:

KAVITHAARKIKA SIMHAAYA KALYAANA GUNASAALINEH I
SRIMATHEH VENKATESAAYA VEDAANTHAGURAVEH NAMA : II

Finally, the Mangala slokam for Sri Rama is recited :

MANGALAM KOWSALENDRAAYA MAHANEEYA  GUNAATHMANEH I
CHAKRAVARTHI TANUJAAYA SAARVABHOWMAAYA MANGALAM II

2.WHERE TO READ ?

One can recite both in front of a Salagrama murthy  , Tulasi 
plant or in a temple or at the puja graham of one's own home.
If the recitation is done in front of SaLagramam , One should bathe
the Murtham in milk , dry it and then start the recitation.
(Sri M.S. Krishnamachar's monograph released by Visishtaadvaita
PrachariNi sabhaa contains enormous details on the types of 
SaaLagrAmAs . Lakshmi Narasimha , Lakshmi Narayana ,Seetha Rama
and Lakshmi Hayagreeva SaaLigrAmams are particularly welcome to
be used in the PaarayaNam ).

3 .PUROSES OF READING 

Those wishing progeny read BalaKhandam ; those who
seek wealth read Ayodhyaa Khaandam ; those wanting to
secure a friend or wishing to secure back lost wealth read
Kishkindhaa Khaandam ; those wishing fulfilment of their
desires (Kaamyaarthi ) read Sundara Khaandam; Yuddha Khandam
is read by those wishing the destruction of their enemies/obstacles ;
Uttara Khaandam is read by those , who wish liberation 
from the cycles of births and  deaths (Moksham ). This is for 
reading of  the individual Khaandams of Valmiki Ramayanam. 

The reading of  Raghuveera Gadhyam confers all of the 
above blessings on the reciter . Both Srimad Ramayanam
and Sri Raghuveera Gadhyam  are considered 
as the unsurpassed form of Gayatri Mantram.

4. A COMPARISON OF SIZES 

Simad Ramayanam has 7 Khaandams; Sri Raghuveera
Gadhyam has the summary of 6 Khaandams . Latter does not
include Aaranya Khaandam. You might also note that the previous
section on "purpose of Reading" omitted Aaranya Khaandam .

Valmiki Ramayanam(VR ) has 645 Cantos (Sargams ) housed in its 
six books (Khaandams ); Sri Raghuveera Gadhyam has 92 
salutatations in 6 sections . The Book by Book comparison is as follows 
with Raghuveera Gadhyam related information in paranthesis :

Bala Khaandam --- : VR 77 (18)
Ayodhyaa Khaandam---: VR 119 (21)
Aaranya Khaandam --: VR 75(0)
Kishkindaa Khaandam--: VR  67(5)
Sundara Khaandam---: VR 68(1)
Yuddha Khaandam --: VR  128(29)
Uttara Khaandham--: VR 111(18)

TOTAL CANTOS  : VR 645 / (92 WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 
PRELIMINARY SALUTATON AND CONCLUDING 
PORTIONS OF RAGHUVEERA GADHYAM) .

SRI SITA LAKSHMANA BHARATA SATRUGNA 
SAMETHA SRI RAMACHANDRA PARA BRAMANEH NAMA ::

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan