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Raghuveera Gadyam: Part 3

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • September 12, 1996 


The Mahavira Vaibhavam or Raghuvira Gadyam 
summaraizes succinctly  the Adi Kavyam of  Sage
Valmiki revered as Srimad Ramayanam . In 94 Gadya
(prose ) passages , Sri Vedantha Desikan addresses 
Sri Ramachandra and salutes His  Anantha  Kalyana 
Gunas . If Gopalavimsathi is the home of mellifluous songs
in verse form on Lord Krishna , Raguvira Gadhyam is the 
treasure trove of the "songs" on Sri Rama in prose form . 
We meet passages from Raghuvira Gadhyam in the eighth act 
of Swami Desikan's allegorical play known as Sankalpa 
Suryodhaya housing the cardinal tenets of Sri Vaishnavism .

The slautations of the Vaibhavam(Glory) of the greatest of 
the scion of Raghu begins with an evocative  verse :

JAYATHYAASRITHA SANTHRAASA DHWAANTHA VIDHVAMSANODHAYA :I
PRABHAAVAAN SEETHAYAA DEVYAA PARAMVYOMA BHASKARA :II

Our Lord , who is the Sun of the Parmaakasam ( Sri Vaikuntam)
 shines with supreme effulgence . He took the incarnation 
as the son of the Emperor Dasaratha to destroy the darkness
( fear) of those , who sought refuge at His feet . He is 
inseparable from Sita Devi , just as the disc of Sun is inseparable 
from its lustre . Sri Ramachandra of these  attributes towers 
over every one through his anantha kalyana gunas (limitless 
auspicious attributes). 

               GENERAL SALUTATIONS 
               *****************************
Gadhya Paasage(GP) 1: MAHAVEERA !

This Gadhyam derives its name of Maha Veera Vaibhavam
from this FIRST  salutation. Swami endearingly addresses
Sri Rama , the destroyer of Ravana as the valorous one , who has no 
match regarding His heroic deeds in the battle field. 

GP 2 : MAHA DHEERA DHOWREYA ! JAYA  JAYA !

Hail to thee ! Hail to thee , who is in the front row of all
known for their courage ! In the last salutation ,
Sri Rama was hailed as a supreme hero. Here his courage 
and steadfastness in the battle field is saluted. One who 
overcomes setbacks and fights on in the face of adversities is
said to have the quality of Dhairyam , the key attribute of a Dheera .
Rama is recognized as the supreme Dheera(Maha Deera ) here .

                     BALA  KHAANDAM
                     *********************

GP  3 :  DEVAASURA SAMARA SAMAYA SAMUDHITHA NIKILA
              NIRJARA NIRDHAARITA NIRAVADHIKA MAHAATHMYA !

O Lord , who was accepted and praised by all the Devas as
the one of unsurpassed valour as a result of your help to the 
suffering Devas in the time of their battle with the Asuraas ! Hail to Thee!
Hail to Thee ! 

( Many aeons ago , there  was  a mighty battle between the Devas and 
the Asuras. The Devas were routed and prayed for the Lord's help 
in their hour of  distress. He responded to their call with alacrity  
and defeated the Asuras soundly. The elated Devas hailed Him 
as the Devathidevan and eulogised Him as the one with matchless glory ).

GP 4 : DASAVADHANA DHAMITA DAIVATHA PARISHADHABHYARTHITHA 
            DAASARATHI BHAAVA !

O Mighty hero , who took the incarnation as the celebrated son of
emperor Dasaratha at the pleading of the  assembly of Devas 
tormented by the ten-headed Ravana ! Hail to thee! Hail to Thee!

( Sarga 15 and 16 of Bala Khaandam is summarized here. 
Sage Rysyasringa performs an  Atharva Veda Ishti (sacrifice)  to bless 
Emperor Dasaratha with male progeny . The Devas approach
Brahma at that very sacrifice and pray to him to destroy  the evil
Ravana. Brahma inturn pleads with Vishnu present at the same 
sacrifice to take  the incarnation of the son of Emperor Dasaratha 
with the mission of destroying Ravana . Lord Vishnu agrees to
become the son of the Emperor and appears as Prajapati from 
the sacrificial pit and hands over to the Emperor a vessel containing
Payasam and commands the Emperor to distribute the contents
of the vessel to his wives to beget progeny . Dasaratha gave half of 
the Payasam to his eldest wife , Kausalya . She was blessed then 
to become the mother of Sri Ramachandra ; the other two wives 
partook the other portions of the payasam and were blessed 
with Lakshmana , Bharata and Satruguna . The content of 66 slokas 
of  these two sargas are summarized in six words  here ) .