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Sri GuNa Rathna KOsam : Part VIII: Second Slokam (conclusion)

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Sadagopan • October 26, 2000 


Vikrama Samvathsaram , DipAvaLi Dinam 

namo NarAyanAya 
Srimathe RaamAnujAya nama:

Dear BhakthAs :

Yesterday adiyEn wrote :

>adiyEn will take up the commentary on the second slOkam
>of Sri GuNa Rathna Kosam , which is known for its Madhura
>LakAra prayOgams:
>
>ullAsa Pallavitha paalitha SapthalOkI
>  nirvAha kOrakitha  nEma KatAksha LeelAm
>Sriranga harmyatala  MangaLa dheepa rEkhAm
>  SrirangarAja MahishIm Sriyam aasrayAma:

The Madhura lakArams are housed in the seven of
the 18 words chosen by Swamy Prasara Bhattar :

" UllAsa, Pallavitha , Paalitha , Saptha Loki , leelAm ,
  Harmayatala and MangaLa " .

These lakArams start with UllAsam and concludes with 
MangaLam in this PrArthanA-Poorvaka Prapatthi slOkam .

This slOkam is proverbially recited in front of
Sri RangarAjan's Sannidhi at Srirangam between 
the two Thirumana ThUNgaL , where the infant ParAsarar's 
cradle was set up by the dhivya dampathis for their son .

Please recite this slOkam during your next 
visit to Lord RanganAthan's sannidhi . You can also
recite the first slOkam of Padma Raaga Paddhathi of
Swamy Desikan as an additional sacred verse there.
The recitation of Both the slOkams will confer 
on you dhivya sampath and mahath Isvaryam. 

Translation of the Meaning  by Dr.V.N.Vedantha Desikan
*******************************************************

(Meaning ) " HER eye glances , that open up and
partially close , are major acts-not to be thought of 
as light or ineffective twinkling of the (ordinary)eye.
With such eye-movements, She achieves everything !--The 
creation of the seven worlds , the protection 
thereof , etc.

Imagine the whole seven-world object as a tree.
Then ,the sprouting of the tree , its growth , its
bearing buds , the buds blooming , are all events,
so to say in  a figurative fashion , in the tender 
creeper that Her divine Eye-glance . What can it
not achieve ? All achievements at the level of 
the world-governance are the sport for the eye-movement 
of Goddess RanganAyaki , who dwells in the royal palace of 
Ranga VimAnam , as an ever lit-lamp of auspiciousness.
May we surrender unto her !".    
  
Commentary by Dr.V.N.V
************************
Please witness the wonders of the eye opening 
and closing activities of the Divine consort of
Lord RanganAthan ! Reflect on its extraordinary
accomplishments ! Please remind yourself that 
the creation , protection and the destruction of 
all the seven universes are achieved effortlessly 
with those eye openings and closings.Those little
glances cause the bossoming , budding and growth of 
the tree of seven universes and their beings.All of
these wonderous deeds happen from the power of
the benovolent glances arising from that tender creeper , 
Sri RanganAyaki .

That divine consort behind the srushti, sthithi 
and samhAram of the worlds resides at the great 
palace at Srirangam as the Empress and shines forever
from there as the most auspicious lamp lighting our way.

Additional observations by AdiyEn
**********************************

The seven LokAs are protected by a joyous
and tender creeper sprouting young shoots .
As it moves , it is like the tender , UllAsa
laasyam of a female dancer. As TaaNDavam ,
the energetic dance  is for the Male dancer ,
and the tender and delicate movement of Laasyam
is for female dancers. 

This UllAsa Laasyam is unique to Sri RanganAyaki .
The word UllAsam has number of meanings . It can mean
Joy/delight or it can mean beginning /commencement .
It can also mean the Ten UllAsams covered by 
the KavyaprakAsA , a work by MammadA (10th century)
on the structure of utthama Kaavyams and sthuthis.
Here the joyous waving of  the golden creeper of
Sri RanganAyaki performing UllAsa Laasyam at the time of 
Jagath Srushti can be imagined . 

The second word is "Pallavitha ". This means sprouting 
young shoots (arumbus) . Those , who have seen a creeper 
grow can relate to this phenomena.The word arises from 
"Pallava:"  meaning a sprout , sprig , a bud or 
a blossom .Pallavitha means therefore that which buds or 
blossoms. "Pallava:" also means an amorous sport . This
can be related to the jagath Srushti . 

The third word is "Paalitha" meaning protected.
What is being protected ? The joyous sprouts budding
are protected by the UllAsa pallavam.These are 
the Saptha Lokams. 

The first Paadham thus refers to Sri RanganAyaki
as " UllAsa Pallavitha Paalitha Saptha LokI ".

The Second Paadham 
*******************

"NirvAha kOrakitha nEma KatAksha LeelAm "
is the second Paadham . "nEma" means half 
or partial . "nEma KatAksha LeelAm " means therfore 
the power of the play of the half open , half closed
eyes of Sri RanganAyaki.She is partially opening Her
eyes and closing them .She is engaged in this Leelai.
What happens as a result ? What gets administerd 
or executed (NirvAham )by this ? KorakAvasthA happens. 
"nirvAha kOrakitha  nEma KatAksham " falls 
on the seven worlds. "korakAvasthA " means 
the state of an unblossomed flower or a bud ,
which has not fully developed into a flower .

Swamy ParAsara Bhattar is fond of referring to 
Sri RanganAyaki as a Nithya Yuvathi to distinuguish
her from an elderly matron . He describes Her as being in
the boundary of a girl and a maiden ( Saisava-youana-
vyatikarA )in verse 43 of the Sri GuNa Rathna Kosam .
The movement of the glances of this young girl
and their effects are described here in terms of 
the execution of Jagath VyApAram (Srushti et al).

The third Paadham of SlOkam 2:
********************************

"Sriranga harmyatala mangaLa Dheepa RekhAm "

"Harmya" means a palatial mansion. Harmya talam
or harmya Sthalam means the the room in that
palace, (i.e) the garbha graham of the mansion
with seven ramparts, Srirangam .

At the "Sriranga Harmya Talam " , She shines as 
" the MangaLa dheepa RekhA " or the nanthA ViLakku 
or the Jyothi of the most auspicious  eternal lamp 
inside the royal palace of Ranga VimAnam. 

RekhA is a way of rendering Vedam . Her nature as
the essence of Sruthis might also be indicated here.
RekhA generally means a line or streak . That Jyothi
is saluted here. 

The Fourth paadham of The SlOkam 2:
************************************

" SrirangarAja MahishIm SriyamAsrayAma:"

She is the Patta MahishI (Empress ) of 
the Lord of Srirangam , the BhUlOka VaikuNtam.
She is "Sri Devi" or "Sri". One PoorvAchAryA
has already observed : "Your name is Sri. What else
more is there for us to say ?". 

Swamy ParAsara Bhattar addresses this fast-sprouting,
tender Creeper , the eternal JyOthi inside 
Sri Ranga VimAnam , Sri RanganAyaki , hte root
cause of the birth and kshEmam of the seven
worlds and offers his Prapatthi at Her sacred feet.

Subhamasthu ! Sarva mangaLAni santhu!
Sri RanganAyakyai nama:
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan 
     




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           - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
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