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The Dvandva Paddhathi of RPS : Part 2

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • June 5, 1997 


Slokam 11 of DP/Slokam 711 of RPS
******************************************

The golden PadhukhAs decorating the two feet of the Lord
appear like His two Vibhoothis (LeelA and Nithya ) that are equal 
in importance . 

(Comments ) : For RanganAthA , this earth is the LeelA Vibhoothi
site . Here , he plays with the sentients and the insentients that 
He created . Sri Vaikuntam is the site of RanganAthA' s Nithya 
Vibhoothi , the eternal , imperishable kingdom .SaasthrAs declare
that LeelA Vibhoothi is one quarter and the Nithya Vibhoothi is 
three fourth in dimension .Swami Desikan suggests that 
the  PaadhukhAs  are like the equal division of the two vibhoothis .

The inner meaning is that the good fortune of obtaining a sadAchAryan
is like gaining both the Vibhoothis at the same time .

Slokam 12 of DP /Slokam 772 of RPS
******************************************

In this slokam , Swami Desikan compares the two PaadhukhAs
to Sruthis and Smrithis , which never part with each other . He says :
" O PaadhukhAs ! You have three things in common to the inseparable
sruthis and smrithis . You bring the Lord's feet directly to us for 
worship ; you accompany the Lord and fit His feet in a perfect 
manner and thus truly belong to Him ; you take the matching steps 
with each of your paadhukhAs , when He moves around " .

These three activiites  are known as paadha prathipAdanam 
(sequential steps ) , maanOpapaddhi niyamam (belonging 
to Him ) and anyOnya sangathi vaasam ( synchronized movement ) . 
These three attributes also fit the Sruthis and Smrithis . They reveal
directly the Lord's holy feet to the righteous persons ;
they belong to the Lord ( mAnOpapaddhi niyamam ) and 
they go in unified  steps without conflict (anyOnya sangathi vaasam ) . 
In view of these close similarities , Swami Desikan states that the two
PadhukhAs are the manifestations of the Sruthis and Smrithis . 

Slokam 13 
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O maNi PaadhukhE ! When the Lord travels on you both , each of you
compete with the other to move fast for helping your Lord complete 
quickly His task of protecting the righteous and destroying the wicked. 
You both work extremely well together. In this regard , both  of you remind 
me of the divine pair celebrated as Lakshmi NaarAyaNA ; they also compete
with each other to incarnate in this world to rescue the righteous from the 
unrighteous . 

Slokam 14 
************

O maNi PaadhukhE ! in the incarnations of your Lord as Rama and 
KrishNA , you support Him as a pair of paadhukhAs to protect His feet.
Your Lord is capable of taking other incarnations , where He might have
thousand feet. Even then , you take the form of thousand paadhukhAs
and rise to the occasion . 

Slokam 15
************

Here , Swami Desikan equates the two paadhukhAs to the two
sandhyAs at dawn and dusk (Praatha and Saayam sandhyAs ) .
He goes on further to say that the paadhukhAs and the sandhyAs
have a close relationship to the holy feet of the Lord (VishNu Paadham ) .
PaadhukhAs are literally united with the Lord's sacred feet ; sandhyAs 
are united with skies , which are known as VishNu paadham . 

Swami Desikan say s : " O gem-studded paadhukhAs of the Lord ! 
You are resplendent at the Lord's feet and take  sequential steps 
to carry your Lord to His destinations . You are fit to be worshipped 
by the entire world and are similar to the two sandhyAs in terms of 
universal adoration " .

The other implied meaning is that it is difficult to know , which paadhukhA 
follows the other . They are both worshipped in equal measure. 
Similarly , the AchAryAs , both the past and the current ones , are
worshipped with equal reverence in our Guru paramparA . 

Slokam 16
************

O Rama PaadhukhAs ! I consider you both as BalA and AthibalA ,
the two manthrAs taught by sage ViswAmithrA to RamA to overcome 
fatigue , hunger and thirst . You carry the Lord in a tireless manner
on many , many journeys and seem to have  the qualities of the two
manthrAs . Hence , it is appropriate to consider you as 
manifestations of BalA and AthibalA .

Slokam 17
*************

In this samsAram , human beings commit many sins routinely and 
develop delusions about the true nature of the Self and its relation to 
the body that houses it . If one has to overcome this delusion, one has 
to practice Bhakthi Yogam and recognize the Self resident in the cave 
of one's heart . This experience is known as JeevAthma SaakshAthkAram .
Both karma and Jnana YogAs are required to gain JeevAthma 
SaakshAthkAram ,  a  prerequisite to Moksham . Both the fruits of Karma 
and Jnana yogams should be submitted passively (Saathvika ThyAgam )
to the Lord to realize Moksham . Hence , karma and Jnana yogams are 
united together as a pair , similar to the pair of paadhukhAs united to the 
Lord's feet . Hence , Sawmi Desikan equates the paadhukhAs to the 
Karma and Jnana YogAs . 

Slokam 18
************

O PaadhukhAs ! Although you are two in number , you act as one.
Hence your dual performance gives the results of a unified kingdom.
Both of you are controlled by the same VishNu's holy feet and you act 
consistent with the wishes of your Lord. Hence , even if you are countable
as two separate paadhukhAs , your actions reflect that of being under a 
single soverign . You both follow the same Vedic injunctions set by your
Lord and that results in a smooth and consistent operation beneficial 
to your devotees .

Slokam 19
*************

O PaadhukhE ! The fruits that result from your worship are YogA 
and KshEmA . To your devotees , you manifest as YogA and KshEmA . 
YogA is obtaining that was unattainable. KshEmA is retaining that , which
was obtained through your blessings in the first place . Since both  result
from
you , your devotees consider YogA and KshEmA are paadhukhAs themselves.
Thanks to our good fortune, you both have taken the form of YogA and KshEmA .

Slokam 20 
************
bhaddha Haripaadha yugaLam 
   yugaLam tapaneeya paadhukhE ! yuvayO : I
mochayathi samsrithAnAm 
   puNyApuNyamaya srungalA YugaLam II

O Golden paadhukhE ! Your pairing ties the Lord's feet , which 
in turn removes the fetters of PaapA and puNyA of  your devotees 
and helps them attain Moksham . 

Swami Desikan suggests that When Lord's feet are bound in
the PaadhukhAs , it enables many to approach Him and get release 
from their chains made up by the pair known as paapA and PuNyA 
that bound them up until then .

Sri RangEsa Divya MaNi PaadhukhE ! Thubhyam nama:
Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam 
Oppiliappan Kovil VaradAchAri Sadagopan