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Sri RanganAyakam BhAvayE Sri RanganAyakI SamEtham --Part 5

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • April 10, 1998 


Isvara Samvathsaram Panguni Uttaram
Divya dampathi's sErthi Dinam 
Gadhya Traya AvathAra Dinam 

Dear Sriranga yAthrA prEmis :

This is indeed a sacred day to restart 
the postings in tribute to the Divya Dampathis .
The last time , we focused on the BhrindAvana-
SaarangA rAga Krithi of Sri Dikshithar .

Sri Dikshithar was so overwhelmed by the beauty
of Sri RanganAthA that he composed two more beautiful
krithis on Him and made sure that he included his
tribute to both Sri RanganAyakan and Sri RanganAyaki
in both the krithis ( Raagams DhanyAsi and Naayaki ).
It is very appropriate to salute these krithis 
on this Panguni Uttaram day .The significance of 
Panguni Uttiram  has been beautifully described by 
both Sri MuraLi Rangaswamy and  
Sri MadhavakkaNNan earlier in the day .

The DanyAsi Raaga Krithi on the Divya dampathis of Srirangam
************************************************************

This one is a short ( samashti) krithi without anupallavi . 
It is set in the fourth Vibakthi , which has special
meaning for those , who do japam of mUla Manthram 
of Sriman NaarAyaNA . The chathurthi Vibakthi over
the NaarAyaNa sabdham stands for the Bhagavadh-BhAgavatha 
Kaimkaryams . One wonders whether the enormity of 
the concepts of the Bhagavdh-BhAgavatha  Kaimkaryams 
overwhelmed the mind of Sri Dikshithar and resulted in a
shorter krithi . The meanings hidden in this krithi
vAkhyams however are profound .

DanyAsi Krithi Vaakhyams ( Hanuma Thodi Janya Raagam )
******************************************************

Pallavi : Sri RanganAthAya namasthE namasthE 

CharaNam : Sri Rangapuri vilasitha Sri RamAntharangAya
           Sri RanganAyaki SamEthAya Guruguha nuthAya 
           ( Sri RanganAthAya namasthE )

Reflections on the Pallavi Vaakhyams
**************************************

Sri Dikshithar salutes the Lord of Srirangam , who
rests under the PraNava vimAnam looking southward
as the beutiful bridegroom . He salutes Sri RanganAtha
twice in the pallavi . He recognizes Him first as the Lord
of BhUlOka VaikunTam ( leelA vibhUthi) and in the next round
of salutation (namasthE ) , he offers his salutation 
to the Parama Padha Naathan ( nithya VibhUthi ) .

When Sri Deekshithar chose twice the Nama: 
sabdham in his pallavi Vaakhyams , One is 
inevitably drawn toward the Nama: sabdham of
mUla Manthram , which refers to the upAyam and 
Bhara SamarpaNam . It also refers to the deep
thought that " Mama : " sabdham is responsible 
for us to be sunk in samsAric quick sand and 
that " Na Mama " or " Nama: " sabdham refers 
to the akshara Brahmam , which is sAsvatham .
Of that eternal , timeless Paramapurushan ,
Sri RanganAthan , Sri Deekshithar sang about
in his pallavi .

CharaNa Vaakhyams of the DanyAsi Krithi 
****************************************

" Sri Rangapuri vilasitha Sri RamAntharangAya 
  Sri RanganAyaki SamEthAya  Guruguha nuthAya 
  (sri RanganAthAya namasthE namsthE ) "are 
  the charaNa vAkhyams . 

As a scholar in Sanskrit , the qualifications of
Sri Deekshithar are impeccable . In support of 
that proclivity , he chose the word " Vilasitha "
to describe Sri RanganAthan . He saluted the Lord
( bhOga mUrthy ) as Srirangapuri vilasithan .

The MANY meanings of the Word Vilasitha 
***************************************
This word means (1)Glittering (2) shining ,
(3)gleaming (4) that which manifested , 
(5)that which sports (6) that which is engaged in 
amorous dalliance . It also has additional
meanings of a gesture and result . 

Glittering Aspect ( Vilasitham-Meaning:1)
******************************************

The jewels in the crown of the Lord 
are glittering as described by Swami Desikan:
" rathnApeeDa dhyuthi saBalithE Rangabharthu: kireetE "
Here Swami Desikan points out that the many gems 
adorning the siras of the Lord of Sri Rangam reflect
on the crown that He is wearing and cast a
ever changing glitter for the BhakthAs .

Shining aspect ( Vilasitham-Meaning :2) 
***************************************

The jyOthi of Sri RanganAthan shines
inside the heart cavity of the Yogis 
as saluted by Swami Desikan in
Sri Bhagavdh DhyAna sOpAnam :
" Anthar jyOthi: kimapi yaminAm
anjanam yOga dhrushtE : " 

The jyOthi that shines  steadily inside 
the heart cavity of the Yogis are seen by
them thru the power of their yOgam and is
their chinthA rathnam ( ChinthaamaNi gem ),
which blesses them with siddhi here in this
world and mOksham in the other world 
( Siddhi mOkshAnurUpam ) . 

Gleaming aspect ( Vilasitham-Meaning :3)
****************************************
The gleam is in the eye of the Lord.
He is so happy to see His BhakthA standing
in front of Him . His eyes welcome generously 
the errant one , who finally has arrived 
at his chambers ( svAgathOdhAra nEthram ) .
Meanwhile , the kanaka tilakam adorning
His forehead shines from the gleam in His eyes
( Kaantham vakthram kanaka tilakAlankrutham
Rangabharthu --svAgathOdhAra nEthram ) .

Self-manifested aspect ( Vilasitham-Meaning :4)
***********************************************
The Lord appeared as a result of the Tapas of 
BrahmA and then was worshipped by King IshvAku ,
who won the Lord as a boon thru his severe penance .
The Lord stayed at AyOdhyA and was worshipped by Sri RamachandrA .
After His coronation , Sri RamachnadrA gave Sri RanganAthA
as a gift to VibhIshaNA . On the way to LankhA , the Lord
" manifested " at Sri Rangam and chose to stay 
right there and receives VibhIshaNA's ArAdhanam
at midnight even today . He is a svayam Vyakthan
and thus makes Srirangam as one of the eight 
Svyam-Vyaktha KshEthrams . 

Swami Desikan reminds us about the svayam-Vyaktham
aspect of Sri Rangavilasithan in one of the slOkams
of Hamsa sandEsam this way : " SatthvE divyE 
svayamudhathas tasya dhAmna: prasangAth 
manjUshAyAm marakathamiva bhrAjamAnam tadhantha:"

" DivyE satthvE svayam udhayatha: tasya dhAmna:
prasanghAth tadh antha; manjUshAyAm marakatham iva
bhrAjamAnam " is the anvaya kramam hee.

The Sesha peetam on which His vimAnam is resting
is suddha Satthva mayam ( divyE satthve). There ,
He rose out of His own volition ( Svayam udhayatha: ) .
The effulgence of the self-manifested Lord ( tasya 
dhAmna: ) is like the Maragatham gem in its case 
( the Lord 's lustre inside the PraNava VimAnam ) .

That which sports ( Vilasitham-Meaning : 5)
*******************************************
He is the Lord , who had dalliance with the Gopis
on the banks of YamunA river and enjoyed the sports 
of Jala kreetA , Raasa kreetA during KrishNavathAram .
Sri LeelAsukar , the author of KrishNa KarNaamrutham
describes that GOpAla Rangan as " TaruNam , 
VrajaBAla sundareeNAm taralam kinchan dhAmam " 
(i-e) the ever youthful , shining jyOthi , which was 
the life support of the young GOpis of BhrundAvanam.
At Srirangam , the BhUloka Ranga vilasithan 
sported with ANDAL , UrayUr NaachiyAr ,
the Delhi SultAn's daughter and 
Sri RanganayakI on the banks of Cauveri river . 

The gesture/MudhrA( Vilasithan -Meaning 6)
************************************
Sri RanganAthA has the Abhaya Hastham 
as His gesture . As Swami Desikan points
out in Sri Abheethi Sthavm , This Rangavilasithan
has the Abhaya MudhrA : " sakruth prapadana
sprusAm abhaya dAna Nithya Vrathee  , na cha 
dhvibhAshasE tvamithi visrutha: svOkthitha: " .
Swami Desikan says here : Oh , Lord of Sri Rangam !
You will never say twice that You have taken
the eternal vow of giving abhayam as a boon 
to prapannAs . When they perform prapatthi once ,
that is enough for You . Infact with Your abhaya hastha 
mudhrA , You seem to gesture to them to stop
performing Prapatthi more than once . 

The Result as a Meaning for Vilasithan ( Meaning 7)
***************************************************
Vilasitha means also palan or the end result .
He is the one , who gave us the charama SlOkam 
and assured us that " mAmEkam SaraNam vraja" .
He showed us the one and only way that will 
yield Him as the fruit of prapatthi . 

yEkam sarvapradham dharmam SriyA jushtam samAsrithai: I
apEtha : sOkairAcharyai: ayam PANTHAA:pradarsitha: II

In the above Srimadh Rahasya Traya Saara slOkam , 
Swami Desikan says that He united with His divine Consort , 
Sri RanganAyaki and He is the Sarva pradhan 
( yielder of all fruits ) . He is the Dharmam 
( SiddhOpAyam ) as EmperumAn .Swami Desikan
concludes by reminding us that this unfailing path  
has been pointed to us by our AchAryAs .

Rest of the CharaNa VaakhYams of the Naayaki rAga Krithi
*********************************************************
" (Sri Rangapuri vilasitha) Sri RamAntharangAya ,
Sri RanganAyaki SamEthAya Guruguha nuthAya "

We have covered the meaning of " Sri RamAntharangAya " 
in the BhrundAvana SaarangA krithi earlier.
That Sri RangarAjan is always in the company 
of Sri RanganAyaki ( Sri RanganAyaki SamEhtAya )
is saluted next by Sri Deekshithar .
He is also eulogized by His nephew , Guhan ( Guruguha 
nuthAya ) . The Krithi mudrai , " Guru Guha" is
used by Sri Deekshithar to show that he is the one ,
who composed this krithi in DhanyAsi Raagam .

I thouhgt I will say a few words on the DhanyAsi
krithi because of its small size ( Vaamana rUpam ),
but it extended in to its TrivikramA form as a 
rsult of the contemplation about the limitless
GuNAs of Sri RanganAyaki Sametha Sri RanganAthan .

May the Divya dampathis bless us particularly on
this special day and take their residence at 
their temple here in North America! It is my
prayer that we all do the Kaimkaryam of building
the temple " brick-by-brick " for them for their 
new home amidst us and thus become kruthArthAs .

Jayathu Sri RanganAtha:
Jayathu Sri RangadhAmEsvari !

Daasan ,Oppiliappan Koil V.SadgOpan