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AparyApthAmrutha DhyAna sOpAanam : SlOkam 10

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • Thu May 27 1999 - 18:27:57 PDT 


Dear BhakthAs :

In this posting , we will cover the tenth slOkam
dealing with the resplendent , bejewelled crown of 
the Lord of Thirukkudanthai .Sri GopAla MahA Desikan 
lingered for quite a while enjoying the SaamudhrikA -
lakshaNam filled face of AarAvamudhan .Then he reluctantly 
moved his gaze to the Kireetam that is symbolic of 
the Lord's status as SarvEswaran . This slOkam is as follows :

naanA rathna prathitha mahimA srimadhApeeDanaddha:
sarvEsathva prakaDana chaNO nirmithO thulya hEmnA I
mAlyOnneetha sthira ParimaLO vaidhikAkhyE vimAnE 
vaasasthAnE hrudhi lasathu mE SaarngiNa : tath kireeta: II

The emphasis here is on the last two words of that crown
of the Lord of Thirukkudanthai , who holds the bow named
Saarngam in His hands ( SaarngiNa: tath kireeta:).

What about that Kireetam ? Our AchAryan prays for 
the memory of that crown of SaarngapANi to reside 
forever in his mind ( hrudhi lasathu mE ). 

Then our AchAryan asks for another boon about additional
places of residence for that lustrous and beautiful crown
of the Lord . Our AchAryan wishes also for that holy crown to
stay forever  in the original place of residence of
the Lord , which is the Vaidhikha VimAnam ( VaasasthAnE 
vaidhikhAkyE  lasathu )at Thrukkudanthai .

The crown can not however reside at both places at 
the same time .That is , it an not be at the mind of 
the AchAryan as well as at the Vaidhikha VimmAnam .
Our AchAryan therefore gives precedence for that crown 
adorning SaarngapANi to reside under the Vaidhikha vimAnam 
and then the memory of that Vaidhika VimAnam containing 
that splendid crown to become enshrined in his mind/heart 
(mama hrudhi CHA lasathu) .The emphasis is on the word "cha" , 
which means also .The crown according to the Acharyan should 
rest in its formal residence as a priority and then 
in his mind/heart region . 

What else is so special about that kireetam ? It is found 
to be wound with the garlands of Tulasi and fragrant flowers 
(maalyOnneetha sthira parimaLa : SaarngiNa: tath kireeta :). 
The fragrance of that Kireetam is permanent .It is not because of 
the fragrance of the flowers or ThuLasi , but it is the natural 
gandham (fragrance ) of the Kesam of the Sarvagandhan that imparts
the permanent fragrance to the flowers and ThuLasi 
constituting the garlands wrapped around the Kireetam . 

The crown itself is made of pure gold , which has no equal 
in its lustre ( athulya hEmnA nirmitha: ). It has many rare
gems enmeshed in its body ( naanA rathna prathitha mahimA ).
There are emeralds , pushpa raagams , spotless diamonds ,
VaiDUryam , sapphires and other precious stones in that crown . 

This multi-splendored , gem-bedecked golden crown adorning
the siras odf AarAvamudhan is a clear  indication of 
His Supermacy as the Lord of the Universe ,SarvEsvaran 
( sarvEsvarathva prakatana chaNa :). This uniquely sacred 
and beautiful crown announces as it were ,the supermacy of 
AarAvamudhan as the dEvathi dEvan and the Lord
of all chEthanams and achEthanams . This ThiruvabhishEkam 
(Crown ) establishes without doubt that AarAvamudhan is
the ultimate Master of this universe and all its beings .

NammAzhwaar attests to the SarvEsvarathvam of the Lord
of Thirukkudanthai with the salutation : " thodu kadal
kidantha venkEsavan kiLaroLi maNi mudi Kudanthai venkOvalan".
AzhwAr points out that the radiance emanating from the gems
adorning that kireetam spreads everywhere and attest to His
SarvEsvarathvam .That crown is made out of unalloyed gold
(maRRoppAraiyillA aaNip Ponn = matchless pure gold ) and its
beauty is further enhanced by the fragrant garlands of green
ThuLasi , colorful wild flowers , Jaathi mullai and Jasmine 
etal .These garlands encircling the Lord's crown have nithya 
parimaLam because of their association with the hands of 
BhaagavathAs like VishNucchitthar and ANDAL . That is why
the Lord's crown and His beautiful head wearing the illustrious
crown with garlands has been saluted as " SurabhI krutha 
chAru mouLee ". ANDAL's (SooDikkoduttha NaachiyAr's ) garland
adorning the Lord's crown entitles Him to have the nAmam of
" GOdhaiyAtti kuzhal amarntha maNam amarntha PerumAL ".

AzhwArs in their mangaLAsAsanams pay tribute to that
ThiruvabhishEkham adorned by the fragrant garlands .
One example of their anubhavam is : " TaaLiNai mElum ,
nann mArbhilum , SUDAR MUDI MELUM --puNaintha TaNNam
ThuzhAi udaya ammAn ". That resplendent Crown is closely
associated with the concept that the Lord is the Veda 
Purushan ( the Master of the fragrant VedAs ). It reveals
His Vaidhika nature . It is therefore no wonder that
the VimAnam at Thirukkudanthai of this Vaidhika Purushan is 
revered as Vaidhikha VimAnam .

Thirukkudanthai Desikan prays in this slOkam for 
the special blessing of that Veda Purushan's Kireetam
to shine forever in His heart as it shines under 
the Vaidhikha VimAnam .

Thirukkudanthai Desikan's adoration of the Kireetam of 
Sri AarAvamudhan follows very closely the anubhavam of
Lord RanganAthA's kireetam by Swami Desikan in his 
Sri Sookthi , Sri Bhagavath DhyAna sOpAnam (9th slOkam ):

maalyairantha: sthira parimaLai: vallabhA: sparsa maanyai:
kupyac chOLee vachana kutiali: kunthaLai: slishtamUlE 
rathnA peeDa dhyuhti aBaLithE Rangabarthu : kireetE 
raajanvathya: sthithim adhigathA vrutthaya: chEthasO mE 

One can hear the echos of these word groups from
Swami Desikan's slOkam on the kireetam of the Lord 
of Srirangam in Thirukkudanthai Desikan"s eulogy 
across centuries on AarAvamudhan .

here are four examples of such echos :

Swami Desikan                       Thirukkudanthai Desikan
*************                       ************************ 

1. rathna aapeeDa dhyuthi saBaLithE  1. naanA rathna prathitha mahimA
2. mAlyairantha: sthira parimaLai:   2. mAlyOnnetha sthira parimaLai:
3. Vrutthaya:chEthasO mE              3. Hrudhi vilasathu mE 
4. vallabhA: sparsa Maanyai:          4. SrimathA peeDa naddha:

In the next slOkam , Thirukkudanthai Desikan sums up 
his anubhavam of the beauty of the different limbs of 
AarAvamudhan from His lotus feet to the radiant crown
( PaadhAthi kEsAntha sthuthi ). 

Sri KomaLavalli SamEtha Sri AparyApthAmrutha SwaminE naam:
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradaachAri Sadagopan 
PramAthi VaikAsi Sukla Shashti .