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Sri GuNa Rathna Kosam : Part IX , Introduction to the 3rd slOkAm

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • October 27, 2000 


Sri RanganAyakai Nama:

VandhE Nrusimha-JaayAm anAdhi-MaayAm apOhithum-hEyAm
Sulalitha-Sundara-KaayAm SurEndra-gEyAm Surarshibhir-dhyEyAm 

(meaning ): AdiyEn prostrates at the sacred feet of
MahA Lakshmi, the consort of Sri Nrusimhan , 
the abode of all auspicious attributes 
( GuNa Rathna kOsam )and the One whose beauty
(soundharyam ) bewitches the mind of Her Lord ;
She is always eulogized by samastha DevAs 
with Indra at their head; She is meditated upon 
by all the Maha Rishis of austere penance.

This is a sthOthram that HH the 42nd Jeeyar of
AhObila matam used while performing MangaLAsAsanam 
for MahA Lakshmi . She is indeed Sundara-Sulalitha
Kaayai ( tender and beautiful form like the lovely
creeper ) as visualized by ParAsara Bhattar in
the second slOkam of Sri GuNa Rathna Kosam .

She is with Him in all avathArams and makes 
Her Lord famous with the names of Lakshmi Nrusimhan ,
Lakshmi NaarAyaNan , Lakshmi HayagrIvan and in
short Sriya: pathi.It is in this context , sage 
ParAsara Bhattar salutes their inseperability 
in two slOkams of VishNu PurANam: 

NithyaivaishA JaganmAthA VishNO: SriranapAyinI
YathA SarvagathO VishNu: TadhivEyam DhvijOtthama

devathvE dEva dEhEyam manushayathvE cha MaanushI
VishNO: dEhAnuroopam vai karOthyEsha aathmanas-tanum

(meaning ): As a Vibhu , Mahaa LakshmI is never ever 
seperated from Her Lord . She is the Mother of all
the Worlds and their beings. Just as Her Lord is 
pervasively present ( VyApthi) every where , She is
also present everywhere with Him as aNu or Mahath
(atomic size or gigantic size). She assumes 
the dEva svarUpam or manushya svarUpam in
accordance with the dEva or manushya svarUpam taken 
by Her Lord . She accompanies Her Lord with 
an anuroopam that corresponds to His roopam .

As a result of their inseperability , they are 
known as a "Sookshma Mithunam ", "anyOnya Misram "
and " AnyOnya PrathibhAdhakam ". This is the view of
Sri Paancha Raathra Aagamam as quoted by Sri U.Ve.
MukkUr LakshmI NrusimhAchAr Swamy in one of
his magnificent articles on Sri Manthra Raaja 
Padha SthOthram dealing with the name "VishNu:":

tadEtath Sookshma Mithunam Paraspara Vichinvitham
aadhAvanyOnya MisrathvAth anyOnya PrathibhAdhakam 

(meaning ): This divine couple is a very subtle One .
They excell by being together always . From time immemorial ,
it has been this way . We have to understand the glory
of one of the partners by comprehending the glory of 
the Other . 

Swamy YenkaLAzhwAn , the AchAryan of Swamy NadAthUr
ammAl , who wrote the commentary for Sri VishNu 
PurANam of Sage ParAsarA observed in this context:

MahA Lakshmi (Sri RanganAyaki) has the attributes 
of Jagath KaaraNathvam (creatrix of the Universes) ,
SarIra-SarIrI BhAvam , UpAyathvam and PrApyathvam
(means and end) just as Her Lord (Sri RanganAthan).

Swamy Desikan will follow this sampradhAyam and
salute Her in His Tamil Prabhandhams ( Tann 
Thiru Maathudan iRayum TaniyA Naathan) and 
in His Sanskrit SthOthra Granthams like
Sri Sthuthi . He salutes Her Lord as Lakshmi-
Visishtan or the One , who is associated 
with Sri( MahA LakshmI)Devi.

Swamy Desikna has given six different meanings 
for the Name of "Sri" to elaborate on these 
subtle attributes of the Lady , who never 
leaves the chest of Her Lord :

1. MahA lakshmi removes all the obstacles
that stand in the way of performing  the UpAyam
of those ,who sought Her sacred feet.

2. She corrects the mind set of those who
sought refuge in her so that they attain 
the right frame of mind to perform their 
kaimkaryams to Her Lord .

3.She listens with immense patience to the pleas of 
the suffering Chethanams , which approach her .

4. She makes sure that Her Lord listens to
these plaintive cries of the suffering chEthanams.

5. She is accessible at all times to those
who seek to be protected (ujjIvanam)and blessed.

6. She is present in the chest of the Lord 
to protect those , who sought Her refuge.

The Manthra Rathnam (Dhvaya Manthram ) 
asserts that the Lord United with His 
divine consort is our ultimate refuge and 
the Phalan for such surrender is nithya Kaimkaryam 
to this Sookshma Mithunam in their Parama Padham . 

We have now the context for the third slOkam 
of Sri GuNa Rathna Kosam :

anukala-tanu-kANDAlingana-aarambha-sumbhath
prathidisa bhujasAkha SrisakhAnOkahardhi:
sthana-nayana-guLuccha-sphAra-pushpadhvirEpA
rachayathu mayi LakshmI Kalpavallee katAkshAn 

AdiyEn will cover the meaning and commentary 
for this slOkam in the next posting.

Srimath Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,
Daasan, Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan 




     


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