Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Maha Lakshmi part of Sri Lakshmi Narasimhan

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • May 4, 1996 


Dear Members of the group: 

Yesterday was Nrsimha Jayanthi . The Aradhana 
Murthy of Ahobila Mutt is Maalolan or Lakshmi 
Narasimhan. Sri Rangaswami and Sri Jaganathand earlier
 Sri Sampath Rengarajan (posting on Katikaachalam)
have paid their tributes to Sri Lakshmi Narasimhan. 
, 
Sri Dileepan is doing a special srama Daan/Kaimkaryam in posting 
the chapters of Sri V.N.Gopala Desikan"s book and is appealing to
the interested to send  a small contribution to the 
Ahobila Mutt foundation administerd by Sri Jaganath with 
affection and reverence. I am delighted to contribute to this 
laudable effort and encourage others to contribute .

In this and  few other postings, I will focus on Maha Lakshmi.
She stands in front of Bhagvan"s name and creates  a distinct
identity for Him thru names such as Lakshmi Narasimhan,
Sriman Narayanan, Lakshmi Kaanthan, Sreevaasan (Sahasra
Namam #609 , ), Sree Pati: (SN # 610), Sreesa:-the Lord of Sri,
Srinivasa:, Sri Nidhi:, Sridara:  and Sreyas Srimaan . The last name 
is particulary  revelatory in the string of above names that 
establish the Lord"s distinction because of his association with 
Sri Devi revered  as Maha Lakshmi. One  name for Lakshmi is 
Seyas Sri:, since She has to be approached for the fulfillment of 
all human endevaours. Sreya: refers to the human endeavours of 
a beneficial kind and the goal of attainig them. Sri: denotes that it is She 
who has to be approached for the attainment of Sreya: That is why she is 
saluted as Vimukthi Pala Dhaayini by Vishnu Puranam . Our Lord Narayana"s 
glory is intricately and  seamlessly linked to Her .

Swami Desikan (Sri Sthuthi), Sri Sthavam (Kuresa), Chathussloki 
(ALavandAr) , Guna Ratna Kosam (Parasara Bhattar), Adi Sankarar 
(Kanaka Taara Stotram ) , Lakshmi Sahsra Namam, Lakshmi 
Ashtottram, Srimad Bhagavatham, Srimad Narayaneeyam
and Sri Sooktham  pay tribute to
Her and celebrate Her Ananta Kalyana Gunas and 
Her unique relationship with Her Lord. 

I would focus on the seven maha Lakshmi  Krithis of a great musical genius, 
who meanings of the understood fully the tributes paid by the above sources and 
created his own tribute to Maha Lakshmi in the tradition of Sri 
Sampradhaayam . This Naadhopaasaka is none other than
Sri Mutthuswami Dikshithar of Thiruvaroor . Although , he is known 
as a Devi Worshipper with the mudra of Guru Guha (Subramanya),
he has composed outstanding pieces of Krithis 
about the Archa Murthys of temples for Sriman Narayana at 
different Divya Desams( Srirangam, Guruvayoor, Raja Mannargudi,
ThirukaaNamangai, Tillai Thiruchitrakootam (4),Kanchi( Varadarajan ),
Katikai/Sholingar and Thirupathi ). Our topic here would be the 
seven Krithis on Maha Lakshmi, which are abundant testimony 
to his bhakthi for Maha Lakshmi as well as for his scholarship on
Sri sampradhaayam.

His seven Maha Lakshmi  krithis rich in sruthi/Smrithi/stotra meanings are :

1.HARI YUVATIM HAIMAVATHIM AARADHAYAAMI, RAGAM 
DESI SIMHAARAVAM(HAIMAVATHI, 58TH MELAM).

2.HIRANMAYEEM LAKSHMIM SADHAA BHAJAAMI ,
HINA MAANAVA AASRAYAM THYAJAAMI, RAGAM LALITHA

3.MANGALA DEVATAYAA TVYAA BHAUMAANITHOHAM , 
RAGAM DHANYAASI

4.VARALAKSHMIM BHAJAREH REH MAANASA , 
RAGAM SOWRAASHTRAM

5.SRI VARALAKSHMII NAMASTHUBHYAM VASUPRADEH ,
SRI RAGAM

6.MAHA LAKSHMII KARUNAARASALAHARII  MAAMAVA 
MADHAVA MANOHARI , RGAM: MADAVA MANOHARI 

7.SRI BHARGAVI BHADRAM MEH DISATHU, 
RAGAM : MANGALA KAISIKHI 

In rich and resonant Sanskrit, Sri Dikshitar echoes the 
sentiments of many Acharyas that went before him and 
paid his own tribute to the all-encompassing Sri Principle
represented by Maha Lakshmi. 

In the samashti krithi (one without Anupallavi) set in Haimavathi , 
Sri Dikshitar celebrates Her as NARA HARI HRUDHYA NIVAASINI,
NAAMA RUPA PRAKAASINI. Here is our hyperlink to take the
blessed  attempt to navigate a little in the ocean of ambrosia 
that She represents . I will continue in the next few 
postings the significance of the many Naamas by which 
Sri Dikshitar saluted Her and point out the source references 
for his selection of the Naamas for the Archana that he 
performed. 

V.Sadagopan