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PrakeerNa Paddhathi : Part 6 ( Slokams 871-880 of RPS )

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • June 30, 1997 


Dear PadhukhA sevakAs :

I will cover the ten veses of RPS from 871 to 880 
in this posting . 

Slokam 871 of RPS/ Slokam 41 of PKP
*******************************************

Swami Desikan elaborates in this verse the theme ,
he touched upon earlier in the verses 85 and 86 of RPS 
housed in the PrabhAva Paddhathi . In those two verses ,
he compared the vaibhavam of the PaadhukhAs to the 
glory of Bhumi Devi . Here , he says : " Oh , MaNi PaadhukhE ! 
You are like Bhumi Devi in that you forgive the trespasses of
every one . Like Her , you are the source of all goals of life 
( purushArthams ) . Like Her , you join the feet of the lord 
intermittently .You are also firm and strong like Her. I consider 
you therefore as an incarnation of Bhumi Devi " .

When the Lord wears the PaadhukhAs , He is untied with them
(SamyOgam ) ; when He separates from them at times like His
yoga NidrA , there is separation ( viyOgam ) . Similarly , Bhumi Devi 
has times of union (samsrujyam ) and separation ( Vibhajyam )
from the Lord . Both Bhumi Devi and the PaadhukhAs are firm 
( sthirA ) and forgive the apachArams of all kinds ( sarvam SahA ) .
In all these aspects , paddhukhAs resemble Bhumi Devi and can
therefore be considered as an incarnation of Her .

This beautiful slokam containing these  thoughts is as follows :

sthirA svabhAvAn maNi paadhukhE ! tvam
    sarvamsahA svAdhupalaprasoothi : I
prthveeva padhbhyAm paramasya pumsa : 
    samsrujyasE Devi vibhajasE cha II

The inner meaning of this slokam is that NammAzhwAr 
and the other SadAchAryAs are by nature firm in their 
devotion to the Lord in times of union with Him as well
as during the times of separation . Whether they are in 
a happy mood due to union with the Lord  or in a sad mood 
due to separation from Him , they never fail to think about 
the hitham of their devotees and forgive their offenses. In
this aspect , the sadAchAryAs are like the PaadhukhAs 
and Bhumi Devi . 

Slokam 872 of RPS/ Slokam 42 of PKP
********************************************

Oh, RanganAtha PaadhukhE ! During their times of worship ,
your devotees shower you with flowers . Those  flowers 
in conjunction with your row of blue sapphires appear to 
the Lord's consorts as the chord of manmathA's bow fitted 
with pushpa bhANam (flower arrow ) . Their love for the Lord 
increases by the visulaization of this scene . 

Swami Desikan compares here the rows of blue sapphires to
the rows of blue bees that form the chord of ManmathA's bow 
and the row of flowers to his pushpa BhANam aimed at the Devis .

Slokam 873 of RPS/ Slokam 43 of PKP
*******************************************

Oh, PaadhukhE ! On the banks of Cauveri at Srirangam ,
you raise your long hands ( spreading rays from the gems ) 
and raise your sweet voice resulting from your movements 
as if you are warning Kali purushan to stay at a considerable 
distance form Srirangam . 

The inner meaning is that NammAzhwAr through his 
Sri Sookthis has established the vaibhavam of ArchAvathAram 
of the Lord at Divya Desams like Srirangam . As a result , Kali is 
banished from Srirangam and other KshEthrams celebrated 
by the AzhwAr . 

Slokam 874 of RPS/ Slokam 44 of PKP
*******************************************

Swami Desikan visualizes here the  paadhukhAs sitting
on the throne of Raghus adorned with white pearls and 
fire red rubies . In this vision , BharathA is seated in front of 
the PaadhukhAs and is receiving the taxes from the kings of 
the realm . This beautiful vision reminds Swami Desikan of 
a scene in the Vedic weddings . He says : " Oh, PaadhukhE !
When you sat on the throne of Raghus and ruled over 
the kingdom , your throne looked like a resplendent sacrificial
pit ( Agni kundam ) , where your perals and rubies resembled 
the parched rice ( PoRi, Laajam ) and the tongues of fire . 

The scene looked like a wedding , where BharathA was
conducting the marriage ceremony known as Laaja Homam ,
when handfuls of parched rice are thrown into the sacrificial fire .
BharathA receiving the homage and tributes from the subordinate 
rulers ( SiRRarasargaL ) of his realm was like the pouring of the 
parched rice in the sacred fire to consummate the marriage 
between the ruler and the ruled " . 

In this analogy , the pearls on the paadhukhAs are equated to 
the units of parched rice. The rubies of the paadhukhAs are 
the flame tongues of Agni .Saptha JihvA ( tongue ) is one name 
for Agni . The throne on which paadhukhA sat is the Agni Kundam .

The inner meaning is that , Just as BharathA with great effort 
acquired  Lord's paadhukhAs , established them on 
the throne of Raghus  and with their prabhAvam (glory ) 
ruled the world and created auspiciousness  , Naatha Muni
took enormous effort and through the power of his penance
( Tapas ) brought back the Sri Sookthis of SatAri Suri that 
had disappeared . Naatha Muni established NammAzhwAr 
on the throne as ParamAchArya and celebrated him as 
the Prapanna Jana SanthAna kootasthar and thereby 
protected the Sri VaishNava sampradhAyam and created 
lasting auspiciousness to  the world . 

Slokam 875 of RPS/ Slokam 45 of PKP
*******************************************

Oh, PaadhukhE ! With your many gems forming the shape of 
the two wings and your golden body , you appear to be 
a miniature version of GarudA assuming a small form to 
move freely in the sport pavilion of the Lord .

The inner meaning is that the paadhukhAs ( NammAzhwAr ) 
are like the Veda Murthy , Garudan . Just as Garudan brings the
Lord to His devotees like GajEndrA , SatAri Suri brings 
the  Lord close to His devotees  through his Tamizh Vedam 
( Vedam Tamizh seytha MaaRan SatakOpan ) . 

Slokam 876 of RPS/ Slokam 46 of PKP
*******************************************

Swami Desikan points out here that the PaadhukhAs can take both 
the gigantic form and the miniature form referred to in the previous
verse. He says : " Oh , PaadhukhE ! When MahA Bali became the enemy
of the DevAs , your Lord became his enemy. He incarnated as
TrivikramA and grew to measure the earth and sky with 
His gigantic form and step . In the sky , you grew with Him 
and your rows of pearls looked like a huge bunch of 
white flowers on which the blue sky was caught  as bees 
trapped in that flower bunch " . 

The inner meaning is that noble minds of the great souls with 
the nirmalathvam of  the sky appear to be like the blessed bees 
entranced in the tasting of the parimaLam (fragrance )
and ruchi of NammAzhwAr's divine paasurams and 
are deeply immersed in that blissful experience .

Slokam 877 of RPS/ Slokam 47 of PKP
*******************************************

Oh , RanganAtha PaadhukhE ! Your foot-holds (YanthrikAs) are
adorned with soft pearls to comfort the entry of  the fingers 
of the Lord's feet . The effulgence of those pearls spread over 
long distances , when your Lord moves and reaches out 
to confer many blessings on your devotees " . 

Since the pearls are of white color , Swami Desikan suggests
that the rays from the pearls enhance the satthva guNA of 
the devotees. 

The inner meaning is that those who fully understand the 
special meanings of NammAzhwAr's paasurams enhance 
their satthva guNam and Aathma KshEmam . 

Slokam 878 of RPS/ Slokam 48 of PKP
********************************************

Swami Desikan states here that the cluster of pearls 
attached to the foot -hold of RanganAthA's paadhukhAs 
confer the blessings on its devotees at all times . It does 
not ration its blessings only to the occasions , when 
RanganAthA uses them . He says : " After the Lord's 
travels on you , He engages in the act of Yoga NidrA on 
Adhi sEshA . During those times of separation from you ,
your Lord entrusts you wiht the responsibility of protecting 
the world . Knowing that , you will perform this duty for Him , 
He sleeps without any worry " .

The inner meaning is that the Lord follows His Dhushta
Nigraha , Sishta ParipAlAna Dharma sthApanA duties 
as adumbrated in His statement :

parithrANAyaa SaadhoonAm vinAsAya DushkruthAm I
Dharma samsthApanArthAya smabhavAmi yugE yugE II

When these duties are carried out , the Lord entrusts then
the responsibilites of protection of the universe to the SadAchAryAs
and rests on Adhi sEshA in KsheerAbdhi . He needs the help 
of the SadAchAryAs particularly at this time . When the Lord 
incarnated as KrishNA and moved with great ease among  
the people of the world through His  sowlabhyam  , the Maharishis ,
VithurA , Uddhava and BHEESHMAACHAARYA  pointed 
out to the world that Sri KrishNA is SAAKSHAATH PARABRAHMAM 
and that His upadesams through  Sri Bhagavadh GeethA  are 
the essence of the SaasthrArthAs and Vedam 
as well as Upanishads . 

Slokam 879 of RPS / Slokam 49 of PKP
********************************************

Swami Desikan suggested in the previous verse  that RanganAthA 
delegates a lot of His responsibilities to the PaadhukhAs , which
accepted the delegation of those duties and rose to the occasion .
He says : " Oh , Madhusoodhana PaadhukhE ! Righteous people 
practise Prapatthi YogA  ( saraNAgathi ) after realizing their inability 
to travel through the difficult routes of Bhakthi YogA , J~nana Yoga 
and Karma YogA . Out of your compassion , you accept their 
prapatthi and confer on them the blessings of Moksham through 
your intercession with the Lord . 

Swami Desikan refers here to one of the SaraNAgathi mArgams
known as AchArya Nishtai . The reference here is to the statement,
" sva pravritthi vinivarthanAnvitham sthiram ANTHIMAM UPAAYAM " .
This statement implies that one can get MokshAnugraham by 
direct prapatthi to the Lord ( Svanishtai ) and can also achieve 
the same goal throught he intervention of the AcharyAs with 
the Lord on our behalf . 

Slokam 880 of RPS / Slokam 50 of PKP
*******************************************

In the previous verse  , Swami Desikan referred to the help 
given by the PaadhukhAs to the righteous people . Here , he talks
about the help given by the paadhukhAs to the Lord at the time of 
His battle with the poisonous snake , KaaLiyan . He says : " Oh, 
PaadhukhE ! Your Lord's tender feet can not even tolerate 
the pressure from the pressings of Sri Devi's hands .  Such tender 
feet danced on the rough stone (gem ) present on the head of 
the powerful serpent , KaaLiyan and subdued him . Your Lord 
was not affected from the exertions of dancing on the hot and
hard head of the snake , thanks to your strength and support " .

Sri RanganAtha MaNi paadhukhE ! THubhyam nama:
Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam 
Oppiliappan Kovil VaradAchAri sadagopan