Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Raghu Veera Gadhyam : Yuddha KhAndham --Part 7

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • December 9, 1996 


GS 55 : Dhrutha gathi taru mruga varoothinee
niruddha lankhAvarodha veapthu lAsya leelOpadesa 
desika dhanurjyAgOsha ! Jaya ! Jaya ! 

(Meaning ) : O Acharyaa (Desikaa), who appeared as though 
you were the dance instructor for the ladies of the harem of RavaNA ,
when their   bodies were shaking from intense  fear over the 
seige laid on their beloved city by the swift-moving army of monkeys.
Your instruction came in the form of the mighty roar emanating 
from the pulling of the chord of your bow on top ofthe SuvelA mountain..  

(Background ) : Rama and his simian army with VibhishaNA and LakshmaNA
travelled  across the marvellous bridge built by NalA and reached Lankha.
The powerful  monkeys briskly moved around to commence their seige 
of the capitol of RavaNA . The impending calamity was clearly 
understood by the residents of RavaNA's harem . Their bodies 
began to shake out of fear over what was yet to come. During that
occasion , the uncontrollable tremor of their bodies appeared to 
have its own rhythm as though they were dancing to the tune of
a master dance instructor , who had his own unique tune and 
thALam .  The mighty sound arising from the twanging of the Chord of
Kodhandam of Rama served as  the tune and kept the TaaLam for 
their " dance ". Rama in Swami Desikan's kalpanai appeared like 
the erudite NatyAchaarya behind the "dance performance"
of  the ladies of the harem of RavaNA .

One can sense the rapid movements (Dhrutha Gathi ) of the excited
monkeys (Taru Mruga/ animals of the tree) during their efforts 
to lay siege on LankhA . The shakes that took over the ladies
of the harem is equated to a playful dance performance ( Laasya Leela )
by Swami Desikan. He chose the  word Laasya for the dance of 
the Ladies to contrast it with TaandavA , the dance associated
with males . One can hear the Upadesa  Gosham of the Desikaa  
(Sri Rama ), who taught them as it were the steps for 
that dance rooted in terror.

Sannaddha: kavachee kadhghee chapabhANa dharO YuvA I
gacchan mamaagrathO nityam Rama: paathu slakshmaNa: II

Sri VaishNava Daasan ,

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan