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Panguni Utthiram sEtthi sEvai at Srirangam!

From the Bhakti List Archives

Madhavakkannan V • March 31, 1999 


Sri:

Dearest Sisters and Brothers,

Today, on the panguni utthiram day, Lord RanganAtha (naMperumAL) appears 
along with our mAthA pirAtti Sri RanganAyaki thAyAr and on only this 
day, one can have this sEtthi sEvai (darshan of Divya dampathis 
together) in a year. Let us meditate the Lotus feet of Sriya:pathih 
Sriman Narayanan and surrender to Them and on this day, Our YathirAjar 
Sri Bhagawadh Ramanujamuni was self- lost in the all-auspicious ambience 
pervading the Mandapam and indicted the three prose prayers- SaraNAgathy 
Gadyam, Sri Ranga Gadyam and Sri VaikunTa Gadyam, when he witnessed the 
Graceful Most Compassionate Divya DampathiÂ’s Setthi Sevai. 

A few paragraphs- I have extracted from Saranagathy Gadyam and let us 
enjoy the Bliss reading them! In SaraNAgathy Gadyam, Sri Ramanuja first 
surrenders to PiraaTTi appeals to Her for Her recommendation. 

1. Bhagavan NarAyaNa ......... saraNa maham prapadhyE.. 

Meaning: Sri MahAlakshmi has got all the attributes, the thirumEni, its 
specialities, the kalyANa GuNAs, which the Lord likes always; Not even a 
second, she gets separated from the Lord; Blemishless; the pattamahishi 
of dEvAthi dEvan; the mother for the entire universe; and my mother too; 
Such greatest mother Sri mahAlakshmi- I, who has no other shelter or 
protector, take refuge at her lotus feet. 

Requesting Sri mahAlakshmi to recommend to Lord Sri RanganAtha: 

2. pAramArtthika...... asthumE.. 

Meaning: Parabhakti, ParaGnAnam and Paramabhakti are the permanent means 
to hold the Lord's Lotus feet. With those Bhakti, one can get the divine 
experience and Bhagavadh anubhavam which is the only one to be desired 
and nothing else; From that Bhagavadh anubhavam, the "NILAIYAANA 
KAINKARYAM" (eternal servitude) to the Lord. For getting that sort of 
attitude and the bhakti, one shall perform SARANAGATHI at the Lotus feet 
of namperumAL. O mAthA! ,Please bless me to obtain such bent of mind to 
do SARANAGATHI at all times; with no gap absolutely. 

PiraTTi acknowledges: 

3. asthuthE.....Let it happen as you asked for. 

4. Thayaiva sarvam sampathyathE With that saraNagathi, you (and your 
sishyAs) are going to get EVERY sampath (wealth whatever).

(Sri YathirAjar after describing the beauties of the guNAs, the 
ornaments, the weapons, praises the Lord Himself and surrenders to Him!)

Oh Lord! The One who has all that He can think of; who can achieve all 
that He can attempt; The one who is a parabrahman; uttamapurushan; who 
rules all unlimited, unbounded beings and non-beings; Sri mahAlakshmi 
nAyakA!,NarAyaNA; Sri vaikutanAthA; The one who is an ocean of kArunyam, 
sowseelyam, vAtsalyam, AudhAryam,Sowndharyam; The one who does not see 
the level and protects everyone equally; who wipes the sufferings of 
bhaktALs; who removes bhaktALs' mistakes; who knows the truths of all 
matters; movable ones, non movable ones-He commands them at all times; 
who is the support for the entire Universe; who is a swAmi for the 
entire Universe; And also my swAmi; Who has everything with Him; who can 
get whatever He thinks; who is different from others (except Him); who 
is like a kaRpakatharu for those who beg Him; who is a friend in need; 
one who never separates Himself from pirAtti; Sriman NarAyaNA; one who 
is the only refuge for those who are in need of support; Such Sri 
NarAyaNA! I surrender into your two Lotus feet. 

(Dvaya manthram to be uttered here silently) 

Pitharam... gruhANi cha.. 

O BhagawAn! I have left the bonds of bodily relations like father, 
mother, wife, children, bhandhus(relatives), friends, Gurus(who teach me 
material things), rathinangaL (wealth),danadhAnyangaL. Properties, 
Houses, DharmangaL, and all others.., and now I have surrendered to your 
feet, TrivikramA! 

TvamEvadEva sodum.. 

DEvAdhi dEvA! You are my mother; my father; my relative; my Guru; my 
knowledge; my matter; my every thing; One who has unparalleled good 
qualities; One who is a father of all movable and immovable, living and 
non living beings; You are the only one who can be worshipped; You are 
the only one who can be a Teacher; Hence, You are the GREATEST;

When there is not even an equal person to match You; How can there 
someone be greater than You(There CAN NOT BE). 

Hence, I have placed my human body flat on the ground and prostrate at 
your feet considering You as my Lord, the one who is worshippable. 
Consider me as a son to a father; as a friend to another friend; as a 
wife to a husband; and bear all my mistakes, blunders which I have 
committed.

(Our Sri RamanujA thus prostrated to Sriya: pathi and begged to be 
forgiven by the Lord).

ManOvAkkAyai..kShamasva.. 

10&11.Through the mind, Language and the body, from time immemorial (for 
so many births), the mistakes, blunders (apachArams) have been 
committed;that too, tremendous, infinite number of apachArams- doing the 
ones which should not have been done; not doing the ones which should be 
done as per shAstrAs; committing apachArams to the Lord; to the 
BhAgavathALs; committing unforgiveable, unpardonable apachArams; -All of 
these, O Lord,Please show mercy on me and forgive me for my such 
mistakes. Out of these apachArams, some have already started giving me 
results; some have not yet yielded results; some have been committed in 
the past; some are being done in the present; and some may even be 
committed in the future; - Please forgive me for all these apachArams. 
With regards to Atman, Worldly things, I have been having a 
misconception and having a "vibhareetha GnAnam", for quite a long time 
(for so many births); All these wrong GnAnams and misconceptions, which 
I possess, and will possess- Please forgive me them also.
Â…Â…..

BHAGAWAAN REPLIES: 

Evambhootha mathkainkarya....kinkarO bhavishyasi.. 

17.Like that, you may not possess or have any means to get Nitya 
kainkaryam to Me; you may have committed numerous apachArams to Me; and 
to My bhAgavathALs; you may have committed unpardonable apacharams; you 
may have possessed vibhareetha ahankAram and vibhareetha gnAnam and 
hidden the "Real" swaroopam of the soul; You may have got WRONG ( 
vibhareetha) thoughts for ages (for so many births); you may possess 
sathva, rajasa, thAmasa guNAs and also are bound by sukha, dukkangaL 
(pleasure and sorrows); their causes-the origin of such vibhareetha 
thoughts;- you are being troubled and disturbed greatly by the above 
things and obstruct you to get the "paripoorNa parabhakti, paragnAnam 
and paramabhakti; - In spite of all these, even though, you have all the 
above, JUST BECAUSE SOME WAY (may be, inadvertently), YOU HAVE RECITED 
DWAYA MANTHRAM; 

and Hence, With My Grace and Mercy, you will get rid of all hurdles; 
worries and troubles coming in the way to obtain para bhakti and para 
gnAnam and parama bhakti; With My Grace, you will be blessed with My 
Swaroopam, GuNam, Roopam, Perumai, LeelAs etc., and you will see Them in 
person; you will be My servant and you will enjoy Me ONLY; you will 
realise that realising Me and Serving Me ONLY GIVES you HAPPINESS AND 
BLISS; For ever, permanently, with no other material benefit or desire, 
you will LOVE to serve Me; Experiencing Me and Great Love and Bhakti, 
affection arising in you out of that Rich Experience will come to you BY 
MY GRACE; you will always PERENNIALLY LOVE TO SERVE ME AND GET BLESSED; 
you will be keen on That only; 

18. This section is an assuring answer by the Lord to a question that 
Sri Ramanuja has in mind :When do I start such a kaimkaryam ? You have 
already started BEING like that. 

19.Keep uttering Dwaya manthram and be aware of ITS MEANING; get over 
even the semblance of ALL these HURDLES; Live like that HAPPILY in 
SRIRANGAM till your body is worn out and will not house YOU ANY MORE;  

20.When your body falls down, you will shine BRIGHT BY MY GRACE and you 
will see My Darshan and You will be GREATLY INQUISITIVE to see Me and 
Reach Me to Serve Me; and you will shed the BODY like removing the old 
cloth; you will get All Bhakti for Me Due to My Grace; You will get 
"Nitya Kainkaryam" for Me; and you will Not desire anything other than 
the bliss and happiness of performing Nitya Kainkaryam; 

21.Have No Doubts about This (mA thE bhoothathra samsaya:) 

22. I have NEVER UTTERED FALSEHOOD; Nor will I ever; Rama Never Talks 
Twice; "Once, whoever surrenders to Me and says "I am Your Servant", I 
Give "abhaYam" to All such Beings"; 

23.SACRIFICE ALL FRUITS OF YOUR KARMA AND SURRENDER TO MY FEET; I SHALL 
DELIVER YOU FROM ALL YOUR ALL SINFUL REACTIONS. DO NOT FEAR OR LAMENT. 
(SarvadharmAn ... mA sucha:) 

24. Athas thwam thava.. sukhamAswa.. 

Hence, you, the one who has joined Me, will know Me as I am, will see as 
I am and will reach Me as I am and shall HAVE NO DOUBTS AT ALL ABOUT IT; 
Live Happily Till then.

Dearest Brothers and Sisters- It is Just my free translation and I know 
with my limited (and no) knowledge, it is beyond my ability and capacity 
to do full justice to this Gadhyam's RICH TATHWAM; My attempt is a 
humble one , since great AchAryAs have commented on the many deep 
meanings of  this gadhyam that is dear to the world of Sri VaishNavAs. 
They have commented extensively about Sri RamAnujA's saraNAgathi Gadhyam  
serving as an exposition of the Dvaya manthram that has come to us 
through AchAryAs . I place this humble effort of mine at the feet of the 
divya dampathis of Srirangam and AchArya RaamAnujA with great humility 
and in the spirit of service to the Sri VaishNavA community.

Thanjam adaindha nam RamanujanE thanjam.

Narayana Narayana

Narayana dAsan Madhavakkannan
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