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FW: sri rama sthuthi- post 4

From the Bhakti List Archives

M.G.Vasudevan • July 4, 2001 


Dear Sri Vaishnava perunthagaiyeer,

We saw in post 1, 2 and 3 the prabhaavam [fame and vastness] of that
"vaaliyin kaNgaLil theriyak kaNda raama ennum naamam". Today we possess that
naama wealth with us. On that naamam, let us do dhyaanam and then start
realising the impact of this krithi- song of Smt Ambujam krishna in the
raaga amrutha varshiNi.

Pallavi:
DhyaanamE tharumE pErinbamE - 
Raama DhyaanamE tharumE pErinbamE (raamadh)

Anu pallavi:
GnaanamE uruvaana aanjanEyanum mOnath thavaththOrum 
Gaana nibuNarum sei   (dhyaanamE)

CharaNam: 
poruL vENdumO ponnadi irukkaiyil
aruL vaaraadhO iru karam kuviththidil
iruL neengaadhO agaththavan oLirgaiyil
maruL uNdo manaththil, magizhnthu thiLaiththida (dhyaanamE)

Actually I wanted to take up verse 1 of raama sthuthi by vaali in this post.
When I heard this krithi, the sweetness of the krithi and depth of the
lyrics made me to share with you the aanandham it gave on the raama naam
dhyaanam and its perumai. In particular is the beauty in the words
"agaththavan oLirgaiyil".

Now meaning of the song:
The meditation on raama naamam will give us bliss (the word used here is
pErinbam- not that temporal short-lived pleasure but long happiness).
AanjanEya who is the personification of wisdom, the saints [mouni] who do
silent prayers and music wizards all do that raama dhyaanam. Do you really
require wealth when the golden feet of raama is with you? When you fold both
your hands in devotion, will you not receive his grace? When he is shining
in the heart will not darkness of all kinds go away? Will you tread
fearfully (maruL) when that bliss in heart is bouncing to brim? All these
are due to that raama dhyaanam. So oh bhakthaas do raama dhyaanam.

Now let us see how this agaththavan oLirgaiyil is a special coinage and a
beauty.
agam is inside, heart, house 
avan is he
agaththE + avan =  agaththavan - uLLE avan - he is inside there
agaththu + avan  = agaththavan - thalaivan - owner of the house
aga + thavan = agaththavan - uLLE thavam seibavan - one who is doing penance
inside

agaththE + avan =  agaththavan - one who is inside the heart- means one who
resides in the heart- who else it can be except raama- manadhai ramikka
cheyvadhaal allavaa avanukku raaman ennum peyar- one who makes the heart
blush with happiness- that is why the name raama. May be krishna for some
people- but there is no difference between raama and krishna - both are that
same naarayaNan.

agaththu + avan  = agaththavan 
in brahmin paribaashai, we call agam house as aam and the owner/ head of the
house is agaththukkaarar or aaththukkaar in short form, or the husband. Yes,
in sri vaishnava sampradhaayam we are all females and only purushan or the
husband- naayagan- is that parama prushan, purushOththaman, raaman. So that
way also agaththavan is raaman. 

agaththu + avan  = agaththavan - agam is house. Agaththavan is the owner of
the house. The owner of this body, mind, and soul is him - raama. Thereby
also this agaththavan is very apt and something special.

aga+thavan  = agaththavan
one who has taken that kamala aasanam in my hrudhyam and started doing his
yOga nidhra. He does his penance sitting in lotus set of my heart and I do
my penance on him - en manak kOvilil uyogu thuyil kondavan - agaththavan. 

Aha aha what a beauty- selection of words- these simply come by his grace
and position themselves to sing the glory of lord- avanidamirunthE vanthu
avan pugazh paadum avai.

Does he simply lie there in his nidhra. No he shines- agaththavan
oLirgaiyil- when he shines - iruL- the darkness- runs away like any thing-
the neela mEgha syaamaLan shines- dark coloured lord shines - oh lord, it is
possible for you to do any of these contrasting things at the same time. See
kamban in verse 1 given in post 3- "pagaiyum nee uRavum nee" contrasts but
goes together. 

Even the physical body of such a bhaktha win whom the lord takes his yOga
nidhra will have a shine- thEjas- brightness - aura- all because of raama
naama dhyaanam.

See raaga selection also. amrutha varshiNi- pouring nectar- raama naama
amrutha varshiNi- Sree muththuswami dheekshithar got rain gods to come down
with this raaga. Here Smt ambujam krishna gets raama naama amrutha varshiNi
to pour down on his bhakthaas, and drown them in that aanandham.

Now let us see whether kamban has followed his mentor maharshi vaalmeeki in
portraying the raama sthuthi by vaali or deviated to give his own of stamp
of specialty. 

Thvam hi gOpthaa cha saasthaa cha kaarya akaarya vidhou sthitha: - second
part of slOkam 53 sargam 18 kishkindhaa kaaNdam of vaalmeeki raamaayaNam

Meaning: you are the protector, you are the one who rules the universe, also
one who knows which is action and inaction.

Thvam hi dhrushtaartha thathvagjna: prajaanaam cha hithEratha:!
KaaryaakaaraNa sidhdhou cha prasannaa bhudhdhiravyayaa - slOkam 57 18th
sargam kishkindhaa kaaNdam- vaalmeeki raamaayaNam

Meaning: you are the one who is the wizard of all knowledge on thathvam. one
who keeps the welfare of people. Also you are the one who knows action and
reasons therefor. You are the one who is shining with knowledge unchanged.

Maam api avagatham dharmaadh vyathikraantha puraskrutham!
Dharmasamhithayaa vaachaa dharmagjna paripaalaya!! SlOkam 58 18th sargam
kishkindhaa kaaNdam- vaalmeeki raamaayaNam
Meaning: I also changed towards dharma, due to influence of you, for you
rule dharma every where. 

These slOkaas appear as part of raama vaali samvaadham- discussion between
raama and vaali. So it is not that kamban differed with valmeeki in praising
raama thru vaali.
[Note 1. please do not mind the loose translation or improper translation.
For a full version refer experts' works. 
Note 2. the slokam number is as per gorakpur geetha press published
raamaayaNa book, which I have. In certain other publication the slokam nos.
may vary but not the content.]

Whatever vaalmeeki wanted to praise he does thru the character of vaali -
see the naamas [names] like gOpthaa- saasthaa, thathvagjna, dharmagjna:

GOpthaa - gOpthrE nama:- naama 496, 693 in vishnu sahasranaamam
Saasthaa - saasthrE nama: naama 206
Thathvagna: says maharshi- Thathvaaya nama:- naama 963, thathvavidhE nama:-
naama 964- one who is thathva and one who knows thathva is thathvagjna:
Dharmagna: says maharshi- sahasra naama has dharmaadhyakshaaya nama:,
dharmavidhE nama: one who rules over and knows dharma he is dharmagjna:

A thought goes in me - Is it that these naamas were taken from raamaayaNam
and inserted in mahaabhaaratham anusaasana parvam. 

Incidentally, I recall the words of prakrutham HH sri azhagiya singer [45th
pattam] in one of his anugraha bhaashaNam, on this naama "raama, thvam hi
saasthaa". Quote "many people call saasthaa some body else, not you of
course, whereas the real saasthaa is the one in front of us" pointing at
maalOlan in front. 

Thus I do my vandhanam to the peetaadhipathi and aachaarya, before I really
start on raama sthuthi. Again since the post has become lengthy let us
definitely take up the verse 1 in next post.

Dhaasan Vasudevan M.G.


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