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SRI RANGANATHA PADHUKHA SAHASRAM (RPS0 : PART 14.6(CONTINUED )

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • February 22, 1997 


Dear Memebrs of the Prapatti Group :

I will add  the inner meanings and the special words
chosen by Swami Desikan in the last 5 verses covered in
the previous posting here .

Verse 36 of the Naadha Paddhathi/RPS 416

He describes his status at the time of initiating his 
sthothram of the holy PadhukAs as " Ajasram vyAsajyamAna KaraNam 
maam " (i-e) , one who was deeply immersed in the enjoyment of sensual 
pleasures associated with the uncontrolled activities of the 
five IndriyAs . He says : " That was my status. I started to eulogise you.
I did not understand the loftiness of the subject matter. You out 
of your infinite compassion reminded me not to engage in the earlier, 
empty activities and encouraged me to compose this Kavyam 
on you . How did you do it ? You used the Naadham coming from the 
gems deeply embedded in you to send that message and deflected me
from the fruitless activities of mine that I was engaged until then. 
You are the favorite object of praise by the VedAs . Your natural 
attribute is DayA ( Sahaja anukampA tvam ) . You remind me often as 
my recidivism reasserts itself and atthose times, you  gently deflect me back ."

The inner  meaning is that NammAzhwAr (Lord"s PaadhukhA )
repeatedly reminds the jeevans suffering from the afflictions
of Samsaaram to think of the Lord and get relief from the scorching
heat of the worldly experiences associated with the little pleasures
of life that do not last . 

This verse reminds me of the 62nd slokam of the 18th chapter of 
Srimadh Bhagavadh GitA :

tameva saraNam gaccha sarva BhaavEna Bharatha I
tathprasAdhAth parAm saanthim sthanam prApayasi Saasvatham II

(Meaning ) : " Take refuge in Him with all thy heart , O BharathA ; by His
grace shalt thou attain supreme peace (and ) eternal abode ." 

Verse 37/RPS 417

Here Swami Desikan specifically  addresses the PaadhukhAs
as MaNi  PaadharAKSHE . The Lord's PaadhukhAs are visualized
as the protector of the Lord's lotus feet and are saluted as
" dhAnava ripO: devasya prasthAna mangaLa vidhou prathipanna 
naadham ". Lord is the enemy (Ripu ) of the asurAs (Dhaanava: ). 
He engages in the journeys (PrasthAnam ) . The PadhukhAs 
engage in travelling with Him and protect his holy feet during 
these purposeful travels and generate the Naadham to announce 
her duties . Swami goes on to say that the righteous (Saadhava :)
equate that Naadham raised by the PaadhukhAs during those occasions
as though the PadahukhAs are declaring to them  , " Maa Bhaishta " 
( Do not be afraid ) in the mood of Abahya PradhAnam . The choice
of words " Maa Bhaishta : " by Swami Desikan is the echo of the Lord"s
own use of the words in the Sarama Slokam , " Maa sucha: , aham
tvAm sarva PaapEpyO mokshayishyaami   ".

The inner meaning is that NammAzhwAr incarnated for protecting 
the samsAris and reminded us through the many verses of his 
Thiruvaimozhi for  to seek refuge at the holy feet of the Lord
to attain Moksham , the  lasting purushArtham .

Verse 38/RPS 418

Here Swami Desikan describes the exalted status of the PaadhukhAs,
which are assoicated with " Parasya Pumsa: svacchndha vibramagathou 
paadhAravindham ( the supreme Lord's lotus feet engaged in playful 
travel out  of His own sankalpam ". PaadhukhAs are thus fortunate and 
raise a joyous Naadham ( svanA ) from that blessed status. What does the 
PaadhukhA do under those circumstances ? At every step of the Lord , 
the PaadhukhAs recite (japam/ uccharaNam ) an indescribable mantram
(Sooktham ) to chase away the armies of the enemies of the Lord 
(Vairi varoothineenAm vidhrAvaNam Sooktham prathipadham japasi ) .

The inner meaning is that NammAzhwAr reflected on the holy
feet of the supreme Lord and banished Kama , KrodhA  et al 
and blessed  us with Thiruvaimozhi to chase away the ills arising
from the six adveraries of ours such as desire , anger , jealousy 
and other three  bad  attributes. These six enemies are known as 
Aandhra satrus (internal enemies )as opposed to Bahi Satrus .
 When one is blessed with the grace of AcharyAs 
and BhagavAn to understand the deep meanings of the Sri Sookthis 
of NammAzhwAr , the enemies like Kama , Krodhaa leave us totally.
Swami indicates that we should not only recite the paasurams 
of Thiruvaimozhi , but understand their profound meanings through
kaalakshEpam with a SadhAcharyA and reflect on them and be 
affected by them to attain salvation .

Verse 39/RPS 419

Here the reference is  to the Saayana  UddhAna Ekadasi in 
the month of Iyppasi , when the Lord is recognized as 
awakening from His Yoga NidrA at Srirangam . This 
is autumn time. He gets up to perform His duties of 
protecting those , who sought refuge at His holy feet
(aasrtitha Janasya RakshArtham ) . He gets up from 
His serpent bed ( Sesha Bhujanga talpAth samujjihAnE )
constituted by AdhisEsha . He gets into His PaadhukhAs
and the sound raised by this association is sweet to the ears
of the VedAs ( Sruthi: sukhA : tava NaadhA : ) . Those 
sweet sounds precede that of Paanchajanyam , which 
sounds at the commencement of the Lord"s travel
to protect the PrapannAs .

The inner meaning is associated with an evocative picture 
witnessed during the sanchAram of the Lord on the Raja 
Veedhis of RangaraajA at Srirangam on an autumn day. 
The time is Vishnu UddhAna Ekaadasi . The Lord gets up
awakened by the court bards. He unites with His PaadhukhAs
and travels to the main streets of His rajadAni. There the prapannAs
water the streets to quell the dust , make kolams, offer Taambhoolam 
and upahAram , sandal paste, fruits , rock candy to the SarNyan and 
enjoy the Lord's divya Sevai withthe Ghoshti reciting 
NammAzhwAr's Thiruvaimozhi . At that time , the AdhyApAkAs
reciting the Sri Sookthis of the AxhwAr (SatAri Suri ) precede
the mangala Vaadhyams in the procession of the Lord. 

Verse 40/RPS 420

Here Swami Desikan refers to the belief followed 
in our sampradhAyam , where the Lord of Srirangam
is visualized as being seated on his SimhAsanam
wearing His maNi PaadhukhAs. He is never without 
the paadhukhAs on thse occasions. ( The same tattvam 
is demonstrated by Maalola Narasimhan wearing His PaadhukhAs
as he travels with the Jeeyarsof Ahobilam ).  The inner meaning
is that the Lord is never without the AchAryAs. When the Lord 
arrives at the side of PrapannAs , he does so at the behest 
of the compassionate intercession of the AchAryAs. The slesha
(double entendre ) arising from the use of the words ,
 Ghosha Vibhavam is very enjoyable. This means that the Lord has 
the association with the Cowherdess (GopikAs ) in His role as 
THE GopA as well as the PaadhukhAs famous for  evoking
the auspicious Naadham at the time of sanchAram of the Lord.  

Sri NaMMazhwAr ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam 
Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan