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Sri Raghu Veera Gadhyam : Uttara Khandam

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • January 2, 1997 


Dear Memebrs of the Bhakthi Group :

We went away from Sri Raghu Veera Gadhyam to 
celebrate AndAL starting from the onset of Marghazhi Maasam .
We will now return to the twin tracks of the final Khaandham of 
Swami Desikan's Gadhyam on Sri RamachandrA and AndAL's 
Sri Sookthis during this month of Marghazhi .  May the Divya 
Dampathis bless us to complete this Kaimkaryam !

*** Introduction to Uttara Khandham 

Swami Desikan concluded Yuddaha Khandham with the powerful
salutatons of SWAMIN ! RAGHAVA SIMHA ! JAYA ! JAYA ! He set the 
tone  there for the beginning of the celebration of RAMA RAAJYAM .
He used 18 namaskaraams to celebrate the Pattabhiraman sitting with
His Devi on the SimhAsanam with 18 steps in the DarbAr at AyodhyA 
during this Rama Raajyam .

When we enjoy the Vaibhavam of Sri RamachandrA in Uttara KhAndham ,
We are reminded of the third Paasuram of ThiruppAvai ( Ongi UlagaLandha) ,
where AndAL , the avathAram of Bhumi Devi just as Sita Devi sings about 
the land blessed with timely and copious rains , fertile fields yielding
abundant harvests , ecological harmony and other " Neengaatha Selvam " . 
All of this are associated with the singing of the name of TrivikramA , who
reached out and measured the worlds  with his ascending step . May we receive
Anna Vayal Pudhuvai AndAL 's blessings before  we proceed 
with our salutation to Swami Desikan's Uttara Khaandham of 
Sri Raghu Veera Gadhyam. 

We are also reminded of the salutations of the other incarnation 
of Valmiki , who as Saint Thyagaraja participated in the Rama DharbAr at his 
Puja Graham at ThiruvaiyAru on the banks of SRI RANGANATHA'S CAUVERI  
and considered himself as a subject of Rama Rajyam in this Kali Yugam .

I will digress here to explain , why I term Cauveri as Sri RanganathA 's
Cauveri . River Cauveri  is equated to GangA in its sacredness . GangA
rose from the holy feet of TrivikramA . That Daughter of SahyA mountain 
descends as Mother Cauveri and washes the Holy feet of Sri RanganathA
before She Joins her father's house in Tamil Naadu . All along her course ,
She adores the sacred feet of Sri Ranganatha at five different Divya Desams .

The first one is Adhi Rangan"s temple at Sri Ranga PattiNam in KarnAtakA .
EVEN Tippu SultAn revered this Adhi Rangan .

The second Rangam  is at ThirppEr Nagar near Lalgudi . Here Cauveri
offers Her salutation to Madhya Rangan , who rests on his bed of Adhi Seshan
as AppakkudatthAn . Next to his right hand is the vessel full of 
nectar-like Appam for us( Naaliyira Divya Prabhandham ) .

Third Rangam :  As Cauveri continues her majestic flow , She froms an island to
do 
Prathkshinam for the third Rangan ,  Sri KalyANa Rangan of Srirangam,
who received 247 pasurams from eleven AzhwArs including the ten from 
AndAL herself . Saint Thyagaraja celebrated this KalyaNa Rangan 
worshipped by Sri Ramachandra at AyodhyA as Vaibhoga Rangan , 
Kaavedi Rangan in one of his Sriranga Pancha  Ratnam krithis .
Natha Muni , Yaamuna Muni , RamAnuja Muni and 
all the AcharyAs of his lineage lived here and offered their 
Kaimkaryams at this Bhuloka VaikunTam . 

Fourth Rangam : Cauveri MaathA continues Her journey and washes the Lotus feet
of 
Hema Rangan at Thirukkudanthai (AarAvamudhan ) . Here she blessed 
Thirumazhisai AzhwAr , a great  devotee of  Hema Rangan and KomaLavalli
ThAyAr .

The fifth and the final Rangan our mother Cauveri salutes is the ParimaLa
Rangan of IndaLoor , where he is resting in Veera Sayanam . This ParimaLa
Rangapathi receives with warmth the salutations of Cauveri and makes 
His Kshetram ideal for TulA snAnam . Cauveri reluctantly flows on
( PiriyA vidai ) and enters her father's house ( Samudhra Rajan's ) soon after .


Saint Thyagaraja sat in his small house on Thirumanjana Veedhi of 
ThiruvaiyAru and used Cauveri Theertham to perform Thirumanjanam 
for Sri RamachandrA and celebrated His Rama Rajyam . Living as 
a blessed citizen in the Rama Bhakthi SAmrajyam , he celebrated the 
blessings of living in that Rama Bhakthi SamrAjyam in Raga Suddha
BangalA . He celebrated the fellow Bhagavathas living in that Rama 
Bhakthi empire and declared  : " The sight of those great souls , who 
have been blessed with Rama Bhakthi itself confers supreme 
BrahmAnandham . This bliss does not admit of any description 
in words ; it can only be realized by self-experience ." The Rama Bhakthas 
of Buffalo , New York made us experience a small part of that
BrahmAnandham through the Dhanur Maasa Aaraadhanam 
and Sath Sangam there last  weekend . 

Saint Thyagaraja summed up the glory of Rama Rajyam in his 
MukhAri song , " Kaaru Baaru SeyuvAru galarE ? ". He addressed
Sri Rama and stated : " O Rama ! Has there been anybody ,
who has reigned over AyodhyA like You protecting the subjects , 
exercising supreme authority and securing the happiness and 
prosperity of townsmen , countrymen , and the Rishis alike ?
During Your reign did not Your subjects have the benefit of three 
monthly rains ( Madham MummAri Peythida of AndAL's Third 
Thiruppavai Paasuram )  , training and education in all arts 
and crafts , longevity and  freedom  from intrigue and haughtiness ? . "
The divine bard concludes his Mukhaari Krithi with the salutation ,
" Saadhu ThyagarAja Vinutha Rama ! Kaaru Bhaaru SeyuvAAru
Galare ? " .

The central message of Rama Raajyam , the theme of Uttara Khandham
of Sage Vaalmiki is thus celebrated by AndAL ( Bhumi Devi out of whose 
ear /valmeekam/purru ,  Sage Vaalmiki arose to sing Rama Keerthanams )
and Saint ThyagaraajA , an incarnation of Sage Valmiki himself.

Sri SitA Ramachandra ParabrahmaNE Nama : 

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan