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Sri HayagrIva SthOthram: Part XXIX-->SlOkam 21

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Sadagopan • October 2, 2000 


SrimathE RaamAnujAya Nama:

Dear BhakthAs :

In the 19th slOkam , Swamy Desikan prayed for
the growth of Bhakthi at the sacred feet of Lord
HayagrIvan.In the 20 th slOkam , he prayed for
the anugraham of the holy dust particles from
the lotus feet of the Lord to settle down on his
head to remove all anishtams ( misfortunes ).

In the 21st and 22nd slOkams , Swamy Desikan
focuses further on the sacred feet /ankles of 
Lord HayagrIvan .

In the 21st slOkam , Swamy prays for the removal 
of the darkness of nescience (aj~nAnam) through 
the lustre (oLi)of the gems enmeshed in the sathankais 
( gem-set ankle Jewelery ) adorning  those sacred feet .

In the 22nd slOkam , the sacred , Vedic dhvani
(Naadham ) arising from the movement of the bells
attached to the sathankai on the ankles of the Lord .
Swamy Desikan is the one , who wrote 100 slOkams on 
the Naadham generated form the Lord's Paadhukai in 
Sri RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram . In the 22nd slOkam
of Sri Hayagreeva SthOthram , NigamAntha Desikan 
refers  to the sweet sounds raised by the ankle bells 
as the Lord moves towards him and equates those 
auspicious sounds to the essence of nigama saaram 
( qunitessenceof VedArhtams).

SlOkam 21 : Meditation on the ThiruppAdhams
*********************************************

parisphuran nUpura chithrabhAnu-
  prakAsa nirdhUtha tamOnushangAm
Padha dhvayeem parichinmahEantha:
  prabhOdha raajeeva vibhAtha sandhyAm

(Meaning): We ( HayagrIva UpAsakAs) incessantly 
meditate on Thy pair of sacred feet adorning 
the nUpuram (Sathankai) inlaid with the most
radiant gems . The lustre arising from those 
gems equals the effulgence of the multi-rayed
Sun (chithra Bhaanu )and serves as the morning sandhyA 
( dawn) that drives away the darkness of nescience .
We pray for the banishmnet of the last trace 
of our aj~nAnam through the scintillating lustre
arising from Your sacred feet . Just as the morning
Sun has the power to make the lotus blossom , 
we pray for the awakening and growth of our
Bhakthi to You . We stay focused on the dhyAnam
of Your sacred feet. 

The twin benefits arising from the incessant
dhyAnam of the sacred feet of Lord HayagrIvan are:

(1) Removal of the dark clouds of aj~nAnam 
    (nirdhUtha Tama: anushangAm )

(2) the blossoming and growth of dhivya Jn~Anam  
    ( prabhOdha raajeeva vikasitham ). The Jn~Anam
    transfroms from sankuchitham ( shrunken state) 
    to vikasitham ( fully blossomed state ).

In the previous slOkam , Swamy Desikan saluted 
the angri Raajeevam or the Lord's lotus feet.
He pointed out that they have the power to erase
the Brahma lipi . The effect of the removal of
the duraksharANi ( the inauspicious letters 
written by BrahmA on our skulls at the time
of our birth) is described in this slOkam .
Those pair of lotus feet of the Lord removes
through its radiance the last trace of aj~nAnam
similar to the way the morning Sun wakes up
the sleepy (closed)lotus and make it blossom into
a state of splendor. 

Just as the nUpura Gangai ( silampAru ) 
washes away the aj~nAnam of BhakthAs 
worshipping the Lord of ThirumAlirumchOlai ,
the radiance of the gems from the nUpuram 
adorning the sacred feet of Lord  HayagrIvan 
banishes the darkness of nescience once and 
for all. After that cleansing , the lotus of 
Jn~Anam ( PrabhOdha raajeevam ) blossoms and 
grows into a state of splendor .

The reference to PrAtha: SandhyA Kaalam ( aruNOdhyam
heralding the dawn /PrAtha: sandhyA )reminds
adiyEn of the magnificent Usha: sooktham of Rg Vedam.
The radiance of the gem is equated to the lustre 
of Vedic goddess , Ushas (dawn) dispelling the darkness
of aj~NAnam :

ruthAvarI divO arkairabhOdhyA
REVATHEE rhOdasI chithramasthAth
aayathImagan Ushasam vibhAthIm
VaamamEshi dhraviNam bhikshamANa:
--Rg Vedam : III.61.6

(meaning): By Heaven's illumings , one perceives
Her as a bearer of the truth (Jn~Anam and Rutham ).
She is rapturous as She comes with Her varied lights
into the two firmaments .....

Ushath Kaalam (prAtha: sandhyA or VibhAtha
sandhyA ) precedes the lustre of the morning Sun 
( ChithrabhAnu PrakAsam of the PrabhOdha raajeevam
referred to in Swamy Desikan's 21st verse).

The Tatthvam of Ushas (dawn)invoked here 
is not the physical dawn , but has deeper ,
mystic meanings in VedAs , when applied to mental
and spiritual realms .The Vedic dawn is associated 
with "Gou " or the uplifting rays of the ChithrabhAnu 
(Aadhithya maNdala madhyastha Sri LakshmI HayagrIvan)
can also be linked to GodhA ( Gou dadhAthi ithi GodhA).
The deliverer of dhivya Jn~Anam in this model can be
considered to be GodhA Devi serving the Lord 
(Chitra BhAnu) during the first crack of the dawn 
( siRRam SiRu Kaalai).Her prayer on our behalf
( UnakkE naamAtccheyvOm , MaRRai nam kaamangaL
MaaRRElO ) is very appropriate for the banishment
of Aj~nAnam and the growth of spiritual knowledge
leading to Moksham.

(praNavam): dhushkruth vinAsa VihithOdhayAya Nama:
(   "    ): Parama VaikuntasthAya Nama:
(   "    ): VisvOdhaya Sankalpa PrabhavE Nama:
(   "    ): RathnAngadhinE Nama:
(   "    ): Dhivya tEjasE Nama:
(   "    ): MukundhAya Nama: 
(   "    ): Saadhva-Saadhu-Hitha RathAyA Nama:

Srimath Azhagoiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan 
    

  
      

  


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           - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
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