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Sri RanganAtha PaadhukhA Sahasram(RPS) : Part 14.14

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • March 23, 1997 


Dear Members of the Prapatthi Group :

I am happy to continue with the postings on the  RPS .
In this posting , I will cover slokaas 461 to 465 (81st to 85th
of Naadha Paddhathi ) . 

Slokam 81 of Naadha Paddhathi/ 461st verse of RPS
**********************************************************

Here Swami Desikan suggests that the PaadhukhAs 
appear to do hithOpadesam to us through its delectable 
and auspicious Naadahm . He says : " O PadhukhE ! During your 
travel times with Sri RanganAthA , you seem to offer the advice 
that could lead to our salvation and that of all living beings .
You seem to give this advice through your naadham . Seeking our 
welfare , you seem to tell us that you took refuge in the Lord's holy feet ;
You say  that you have joined His holy feet  and as  a result you
have reached the most exalted status of accompanying Him everywhere
He travels . You seem to be suggesting to us that  we can also
aspire to that same status , if we took refuge in Sri RanganAthA's
sacred feet with mahA viswasam . O PaadhukhE ! Indeed You give us
the most valued advice that has been truly tested and proven 
effective in your case " .

Verse 82/Slokam 462 of RPS
********************************

Here , Swami Desikan salutes the PaadhukhAs for another 
service they do for the confused human beings . He states 
that the unique Naadham associated with the movement of the gems 
of the PaadhukhAs instruct clearly the right way to get the blessing
of Moksham . Swami Desikan says : " O PaadhukhE ! until hearing
the melodious naadham of yours , people were confused about 
the right means for moksham based on  the conflicting  instructions 
that they had received from AchAryAs of the different sampradhAyams . 
Through the notes of your sweet music , you have helped to clarify 
the path that indisputably leads to liberation from 
the cycles of births and deaths. You have offered the aspirants 
the clarifications that they needed so very much . 
Your sweet Naadham reminding them that the only
way to salvation is through prapatthi or Bhakthi to 
Sriman NaarAyaNA has freed them from their 
erstwhile confusions " . The inner meaning is 
that NammAzhwAr (SatAri Suri) states time and  again in his 
Thiruvaimozhi that Sriman NaarAyaNan is the para Tattvam 
and Moksham is readily attainable by Bhakthi or Prapatthi to Him.

Verse 83/Slokam 463 of RPS
********************************

In this slokam , Swami Desikan describes the subtle ways
in which the Naadham of the PaadhukhAs attracts us to 
the sacred feet of the Lord and assures us Moksham . 
He says : " O PaadhukhE ! The gems moving inside you 
raise a clear and sweet naadham . You use that Naadham 
to attract the attention of the SamsAris and to instruct them 
that the holy feet of the Lord resting on you are the surest means
to attain moksham . The distracted human beings driven by many 
worldly temptations are suddenly attracted by your Naadham and 
its  message and turn their attention to where the music and 
the message is coming from and see the Lord's lotus feet there.
They offer their prapatthi as instructed by your music and are
saved. You perform thus a great service through your naadham " .

The inner meaning is that the Paasurams of NammAzhwAr 
that have endeared the Lord and brought  Him under 
the AzhwAr's influence make even the most difficult samsAri
develop deep devotion for the Lord .

Verse 84/Slokam 464 of RPS
********************************

Here , Swami Desikan reminds us of NammAzhwAr's
statement that he will be a willing  slave of even a chandALA 
as long as he happens to be a bhakthA of Sriman NaarAyaNA .

Swami Desikan says : " O PaadhukhAs of Madhusudana ! 
I do not have a sharp intellect . Even then , I am able to 
compose these verses in praise of you through your blessings .
Other poets criticize my offerings to you , since they consider 
that I am not qualified to engage in the act of  praising you ,
who is a treasure house of unimaginable auspicious attributes.
They are ofcourse right in criticizing my audacity. But, they do not 
know that it is your blessings that qualified me to initiate this 
effort . You seem to stop the arrogant critics through your naadham
arising from the movements of the gems embedded in you " .

Verse 85/Slokam 465 of RPS
*********************************

saraNamupagathE tvAm SaarngiNa: PaadharakshE !
             sakrudhiva vidhisiddham tyakthukaamE vimOhAth I
prachalitha MaNi jaalavyanjithai : sinjithai : svai :
              alam alam ihti noonam vaarayasyAdharENa II

(Meaning ) : O PaadukhAs of SarangapANi ! When those ,
who performed prapatthi once at your Lord's lotus feet 
attempt to repeat their saraNAgathi , they go against 
the injunctions of the SaasthrAs . The rules of SaraNAgathi 
clearly state that Your Lord protects the PrapannAs , when they
perform prapatthi only once . Some PrapannAs out of delusion 
and lack of faith atempt to repeat their saraNAgathis and run 
the risk of provoking the ire of your Lord . At those delicate and
difficult moments , O PaadhukhE , You come to the rescue of
the deluded prapannAs through your timely naadham to remind 
them that they should not perform Prapatthi more than once and  
thus save them out of your compassion for them .

Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam
Sri RanganAtha Divya MaNi PaadhukhE ! Thubhyam Nama:
Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan