Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Sri Ranganatha PadhukhA Sahasram: Bahurathna Paddhathi Excerpts

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • May 24, 1997 


Dear BhakthAs of Satari Soori : 

Bahurathna Paddhathi is the Sixteenth Paddhathi
of RPS, It has 50 slokams. In the previous Rathna 
SaamAnya Paddhathi , Swami Desikan described in
general terms the effect of the many gems that adorn 
the sandals (PaadhukhAs) of Sri RanganAthA . In this
Bahurathna Paddhathi , he talks specifically about these
many gems and the combined effect of each of them 
( Rubies, Emerlads, Sapphires , Diamonds , Pearls)
on the others . I will translate and comment on 8 of
the fifty slokams of this paddhathi .

Slokam 2 
***********

maNibhi: sitharakthapeetha krishNai:
    bhavathi kaanchana PaadhukhE ! vichithrA : I
yugabheda vikalpitham MurArE :
    Yugapath darsayatheeva varNabhedam II

O PaadhukhE ! Your surface has been embedded with 
many colored , multi-splendoured gems . Among them are
black ornyx , Yellow tourmaline , white opal and red 
padmaraagam . This  suggests to me that you are hinting about 
the four hues of the Lord preferred by Him in each of the four 
YugAs . ( SastrAs state that PerumAL is white-hued in Krutha
yugam , red-hued in TrEthA Yugam , Yellow-hued in DvApara 
Yugam and Black-hued in Kali Yugam ) . 

Slokam 4 :
***********

sahasA vinivedhya saaparAdhAn 
   tvadhadeena svapaddhE Mukundha PaadhE I
aruNOpala saktha mowkthikasree:
   smayamAnEva vibhaasi PaadhukhE ! tvam II

O Ranganatha PaadhukhE ! ( O NammAzhwAr ! ) , 
The lustre of the red rubies on you are reflected on 
the white pearls next to them . When I enjoy that scene  ,
I am reminded of the vision of the reflection of the white teeth 
of the Lord falling on His red lips , when He smiles at  
the time of accepting the pleading of the AchAryAs 
on behalf of the erring jeevans . 

The inner meaning is that AchAryAs present at the Lord's 
feet their pleas for the protection of the jeevans that have 
committed many aparAdhams . Their desire to engage in this act 
of Sipaarisu (pleading ) is equated to the red color of the rubies .
They are joyous over performing these intercessions on
behalf of the jeevans . They praise the Lord at that time and 
remind Him of His commitments to save the jeevans.
Those words of salutation dealing with the svabhAvam 
of the Lord are equated to the white colored  stones . 
The AchAryas reflect on the anantha KalyANa guNAs 
of the Lord before and after their intercessions . That 
twin rememberances are connected to the lustre of the two rows 
of teeth of the smiling Lord and their effulgence falling on 
the desire (red colored lips ) and request of the AchAryAs . 

Sokam 16 :
*************

sambhidhyamana maNividhruma mowkthikasree: 
   sairandhrikEva bhavathi maNi paadharakshE I
prasthouthi RanganrupathE: charaNAravindhE 
   kasthurikAgusruNa chandana pankacharchAm II

O Ranganatha PaadhukhE ! The blue sapphire , red coral
and white pearls  are embedded in You . Their lustres
are reflected on the Lord's sacred feet. When I reflect
on that vision , it reminds me of the alankArams done 
for the Lord's feet through the painting with Kasthuri ,
Vermillion (Kumkumam ) and sandal paste. 

The inner meaning is that the Paasurams of SatakOpan 
(SatAri Soori ) are beautiful and everlasting alankArams
( decorations ) for the lotus feet of Sri RanganAthA . 

Slokam 21 :
************

aasaktha vaasavasilA sakalAstvadheeyA : 
   PadmAsahAya padha rakshiNi ! padmarAgha:
prathyakshayanthi kamapi bramarAbhileenam 
   paadhAravindha makarantha rasa pravAham II

O RanganAtha PaadhukhE ! On your surface is embedded
side by side the blue sapphires and the red rubies . When I 
reflect on that beautiful sight , I am reminded of the dark-hued 
bee sitting still in a state of intense enjoyment on your lotus feet 
as a result of the tasting of the nectar of honey that flowed from 
your lotus feet .

Here , the reddish brown honey is equatd to the lustre of the rubies.
The blue lustre of the sapphires is connected to the dark blue hue 
of the king bee sitting on the sacred lotus feet of the Lord . 

The inner meaning is that SatakOpan enjoys the Lord and His
kalyANa guNAs with great delight . At  those times , he is 
intoxicated with that experience like a bee that has tasted 
the  sweet ,  fermented-honey from the lotus flower and 
is sitting quitely enjoying that  sweet experience . 

Slokam 27
************

deha dhyuthim prakatayanthi mahEndra neelA ; 
   SowrE : padhAmbhuja ruchim tava padmarAga : I
anyOnya labdha parabhagatayA thu ameeshAm
   aabhathi kaanhti raparA maNi paadharakshE II 

O Sri RangarAja PaadhukhE ! On you , the dark blue 
Indraneela stones as well as the red padmaraaga
stones are embedded . The dark blue hue of Indraneelaa
stones remind me of the color of the Lord's feet. The red stones 
remind me of the hue of the sole of those feet . When these 
two lustres join together at the level of the Lord's feet , it is a most
delightful experience to enjoy their complimentarity and it
enhances one's bhagavadh anubhavam (anga Sowndharyam ). 

The inner meaning is that some of the pasurams of 
SatakOpa declare  his joy over union with the Lord and the others 
display his mood of sorrow over separation from Him. Both types
of paasurams are enjoyable in their own right , but the combined
enjoyment of the twin moods of SatakOpan is even more enjoyable.

Slokam 34
************

SooryAthmajA harisilAmaNi pankthi lakshyAth
     tvAm nithyam aasrithavathi maNi paadharakshE ! I
aadhou Janaardhana padhE kshaNamaatralagnAm 
     aasantha mowkthika ruchA hastheeva GangAm II

O MaNi PaddhukhE ! Both the Indraneela gem 
and the white pearl embellish You . Their position 
next to each other reminds me of the dark blue stone
(blue waters of YamunA ) laughing at the white pearl
( white waters of GangA river ) . YamunA seems to 
laugh at the GangA over the thought that it is always 
associated with the Lord's feet (at BrindhAvanam ) 
compared to GangA that was associated with the holy feet 
of the Lord only for a short time during the TrivikramAvathAram .

The inner meaning is that the Lord has many BhakthAs , but
there is none equal to SatakOpan, who was engaged in
Bhagavadh anubhavam during every moment of his life. 

Slokam 38:
************

marataka harithAnghi medhurA padmarAgai :
    abhinava jalabindhu vyaktha mukthApalasree: I
kalayasi padharakshE ! KrishNa megaprAchAth
     kanakasaridhanoopE saadvalam sEndhrakOpam II

O RangarAja PaadhukhE ! The Lord travels around the 
streets of Srirangam wearing you as the protection for His 
feet. During those times of His sanchAram , the lustre from 
the emeralds , rubies and pearls reflect on His feet . That 
most enjoyable sight reminds me of the red insects (ruby-like pattu 
poocchis ) of the rainy season coexisting with the white drops
of rain ( pearls) on the emerald green grassy banks of Cauveri . 

Slokam 42
*************

marathaka ruchi patrA mowkthika smEra pushpA
      sputakisalaya sobhA bhaasurai: padmarAgai : I
palamakhila mudhArA RanganAthasya PaadhE 
       kalayasi bhavathi na: kalpavalleeva kaachith II

O PaadhukhE ! When I have the darsanam of you ,
I am reminded of your presence at the Lord's feet
as a wish-yielding KalpakA creeper. You bless us 
with all kinds of boons that we seek . The green emeralds
on you remind me of the green leaves of the KalpakA 
creeper ; Your pearls remind me of the flowers
of the Kalpaka creeper ; Your rubies remind me of the 
tender shoots of the divine  creeper attached firmly to the Lord's
holy feet . 

The inner meaning is that there  will be no inauspiciousness
to those , who seek refuge at the feet of a SadAchAryan . 

Sri RanganAtha Divya MaNi PaadhukhE ! Thubhyam Nama :

Oppiliappan koil varadAchAri Sadagopan