[sv-poetry] Maangalya Sthavam : Part II (SlOkams 4-6)

From the Bhakti List Archives
Sadagopan • March 29, 2002
SrI:

Dear BahkthAs: 

In the slOkam 4 , sage Pulasthyar addresses 
Sage DhAlabhyar as the srEshtar among Brahmins 
(Dhvija-varya:)and asks latter to listen attentively
to what he (Pulasthyar) is going to say:

Srunushva chAnyath gadhathO mamAkhilam
vadhAmi yath Dhivajavarya Mangalam 
SarvArTasiddhim pradhadhAthi yath
sadhA nihanthyasEshANi cha PaatakAni

(meaning): Oh the exalted one among BrahmaNAs ! 
I will describe the sthuthi that will be auspicious 
to You and  will grant you all that you desire. 
It will destroy all inauspiciousness for those ,
who recite it. Please listen to this discourse 
by me fully. 

Comments: Sage Pulasthyar points out that Maangalya
Sthavam has the power to do two things: (1) It yields 
SarvArTa-Siddhi /pradhadhAthi SarvArTa-siddhim 
(2) PaathakAni cha asEshANi nihanthi , it destroys 
all sins down to their roots. Whatever is desired by you 
that is auspicious,the recitation of this sthavam 
makes it possible for you to attain it; further , 
it destroys utterly all the bad karmAs down to their roots.
Paathakams (greatest of sins)  are BrahmahathyAdhi 
Pancha Paathakams.Those paathakams are all destroyed . 
The recitation of the Maangalya sthavam also yields 
the fruits of "SarvArTa Siddhi" or the relaization of 
all Isvaryam . 

The choice of Swamy Desikan to name his commentary on
Tathtva Muktha KalApa as "SarvArTa Sidhdi " is intriguing
in this context.

adiyEn wonders whether Sawmy Desikan recieved his inspiration
from this slOkam , where this boon of "SarvArTa Siddhi "
is specially mentioned. SarvArTa siddhi of Swamy Desikan
is a terse SrI Sookthi . it is a a wonderful summary of 
the uniqueness of Bhakthi and SaraNAgathi maargams
based on the VisishtAdvaidhic fundamentals dealing with
the specail relationship between Isvaran and Jeevan.

Swamy Desikan implied that full comprehension of
his SrI Sookthi , SarvArTa Siddhi will help to 
understand the central doctrines of VedAnthA as 
established by AchArya RaamAnujA in his SrI BhAshyam :
"Brahman has attributes and is identical with Sriman 
NaarAyaNa , world and souls are real , the relation 
between Brahman on one hand and the world of animate
and inanimate objects on the other is that between
soul and body . Brahman is the only One having the world
as its(His) attribute , thus giving the name of VisishtAdhvaitham
to this school and Bhakthi and Prapatthi are the means of
getting liberation from bondage". Among all the Isvaryams
(ArTA ), the Parama PurushArTam is Moksham and hence it
is the SarvArTa Siddhi. 

In the 48th slOkam of Saptharathna MaalikA , the SrI sookthi
of SarvArTa siddhi is defined as being  essential for 
one's protection/SvarakshA (MangaLam )and Satha-dhUshaNi 
SrI Sookthi is identified with PrathyarTi Bhangam 
(Para matha Bhangam or destruction of vEda Baahya 
mathams and kudrushti mathams):

SarvArTasidhdi: SathadhUshaNi cha 
dhvE khEDa-sAsthrE kaTakAgragANAm
aadhyEna tathra kriyathE SvarakshA
PratyarTIbhanga:kriyathE parENa 

That SarvArTa sidhdi is what Sage Pulasthyar
seems to be referring to in his upadEsam.

SlOkma 5:

prathishtitham yathra jagaccharAcharam 
jagath-thrayE yO jagathasccha hEthu:
jagaccha paathyathi cha ya: Sa sarvadhA
mamAsthu Maangalya-vivrudhdayE Hari:

(meaning): May that Hari NaarAyaNan , who is
the KaaraNam for the creation of the Universe 
with its chEthanam and achEthanam , who bears it
to be without instability , who protects it and who 
consumes it during mahA praLayam as if it were 
His food by getting the entire charAcharams to 
stay inside His stomach , May that Hari , who 
destroys all the sins cause all of my mangaLams
to grow further and further!

Sage Pulasthya defines Brahman here along the lines
of the Brahma Soothram 1.1.2: JanmAthyasya Yatha:
" (Brahman is that Omniscient , Omnipotent ,
all-merciful Being ) from whom proceed the origin etc.
(i-e), origin , sustenance and dissolution) of this 
varied and wondefully fashioned world".

Pulasthyar states along the line of Upanishadic 
proclamations that Hari is the One in which 
Jagath has Prathishtai (Prathishititham
JagaccharAcharam Yathra); He is the hEthu 
(cause) for the three worlds ( Jagath thrayE 
yO Jagathasccha hEthu:).May That same One ,
who sustains the three worlds and protects
them ( Jagasccha paathyathi Ya: Sa: Hari:)
grow further and further my Mangalams!

SlOkam 6
*********
vyOmAmBhu Vaayvagani MahI Svaroopai:
visthAravAn yO-aNutarO-aNUbhAvaath
asTUla Sookshma : sathatham ParEsvarO 
mamaasthu mAngalya vivruddhayE Hari:

(Meaning): May that Hari , who has expanded 
Himself through pancha BhUthams like AakAsam
(vyOmapursan ) , Vaayu , Ambhu(water), Agni
and BhUmi (PruTvI )enhance my MangaLams . 
He is smaller than the smallest (aNOr-aNIyAn)
and larger than the largest (MahathOr MahIyAn) 
and yet is different from both in His attributes .
May that Hari at all times bless me with ever
growing MangaLams.

Here Sage Pulasthyar continues with the vision of
the creation of the Universe as saluted in the 
ATarva Vedam's PaarshNi Sooktham ( X.2.25):

BrahmaNA bhUmor-vihithA Brahma dhyaou uttharA hithA
BrahmEdmUrdhvam tiryak chAnthariksham vyachO hitham

(meaning): By God (Brahman/Hari) was this earth
disposed.By Him , it is configured above (vyOma).
By Him is this air (Vaayu) lifted on high and
stretched across mid space.The creation by Hari with
five parameters across space and time is visualized
here . AzhwArs in their Tamil MaRais salute this 
expansion of the Lord to create this universe 
(CharAcharam).

The HiraNya Garbha Sookthams of Rg Vedam (X.121),
the Sthambha Soktham of Atharva Vedam (X.7.1-44)
marvel at this cosmic creation and the divine laws 
that sustain it.Our Lord is the JyEshta Brahman 
(Supreme Lord ) and SarvAdhAran (Support of All) 
as saluted by the Vedic hymns.

Lord's great art of creation  can only be glimpsed
by the Vedic hymns and one example of such attempt
to visualize and describe that marvellous and vast 
creation is housed in Rg Vedam X.121.5:

" By Him , the heavens are strong and the earth
is steadfast ; by Him , the light's realm and
sky vault are supported ; by Him , the region in 
the midair are measured. To that Lord alone , May
we offer our adorations".

The expansion of Brahman thru the pancha bhUthams 
(AakAsam , Ambhu, Agni, Vaayu and Pruthvee ) is 
visualized by Sage Pulasthyar and His difference
from ChEthanam and achEthanam are hinted here in
the classical Vedic way.

(To Be continued)

SrImath Azhagiya Singar Thiruvadi,
Oppilaippan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan  

      


   
  
  


     




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