[sv-rituals] Panguni Uttaram
From the Bhakti List Archives
• March 28, 2002
[ Take from the Oppiliappan group -- Moderator ] Sri: SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha, Dear Bhakthas, On this most sacred Panguni Uttaram day, adiyen wishes to share a few thoughts on the Divine Couple of Srirangam. Panguni Uttaram is the Tirunakshatram of Sri Ranganayaki Thayar. The month of Panguni is sacred since the Tirunakshatram of Lord Ranganatha and Sri Ranganayaki Thayar occur during this month. A number of important events transpired on Panguni Uttaram. The marriage of Lord Rama to Sita Piratti was solemnized by sage Vashishta at Mithila on this day. Some accounts of the Ramayana state that Hanuman returned from Lanka on this day and provided the glad tidings of locating Sita to Lord Rama. It is also believed that Lord Rama on this very day offered prayers to his Kula Dhanam (Lord Ranganatha) and began his campaign to destroy Ravana. This is the only day on which the Divya Dampatis of Srirangam are seen together in Utsavam. The Utsavam takes place at the royal court located at the western entrance of the great Temple of Lord Ranganatha. Interestingly, this is the only entrance which does not have a Rajagopuram. Incredibly Sri Ramanujacharya chose this blessed day for delivering the Gadya Trayam, unambiguously outlining the doctrine of SharaNagati-which is atma Vivaham (wedding of the jivAtma to the paramAtma). On the blessed Panguni Uttaram day, Sri Ramanujacharya gathered his disciples and visited the great Temple of Lord Ranganatha. Our Paramacharya was greatly moved by the majestic sight of the Divya Dampatis beautifully decorated in Utsavam at the Royal Court of Lord Ranganatha. As a result of this Anubhavam, Sri Ramanujacharya poured out his heart in an extremely soulful, highly intimate, and deeply intense SharaNagati in the Sharanagati Gadyam and the Sri Ranganatha Gadyam. As a result, he was blessed with an exquisite vision of Sri Vaikuntam, which is brilliantly mirrored in the Sri Vaikunta Gadyam. The Gadya trayam is our Paramacharya's Svanishtai Prapatti at the feet of the Divine couple. The Gadyam form of salutation is a prose-poem eulogy in which long strings of adjectives and epithets are interspersed with shorter strings to provide a mesmerizing effect on the both the listener and the person rendering it. This form of salutation is unique to the Srivaishnava tradition. Gadyam when recited along traditional lines with carefully selected stopping points creates a lilting effect on the ear. Examples of such salutations are "TadanubhavajanitAnava dhikAtishaya PrItikAritAsheshAvastOchita SheshAsheshataikarati Rupa Nitya KinkarO Bhavani" of the Sri Ranganatha Gadyam, "Tanutara Vishika VithAdana ViGhataita VisharAru SharAru TatakA TatakEya" of the Raghuveera Gadyam, "Sheshachala Garudachala, Vrishabhachala Narayanachala Anjanachaladrishikari MAlAkulasya" of the Srinivasa Gadyam and "BheeshaNa Bhadra Simha Jaya Simha Roopa Simha, RaNa Simha Veera Simha" of the Narasimha Gadyam. The SharaNagati Gadyam and Sri Ranganatha Gadyam are unparalleled in establishing the primordial doctrine of SharNagati, fundamental to Bhagavad Ramanuja Darshanam. Several references from Shruti can be associated with salutations contained in the Gadya Trayam. For example, the salutation "Sthairya" denoting the eternal and permanent nature of the Lord is reflective of the Narayana Sooktam Rk "Patim VishvasyAtmeshvaragam Shashvatagam Shivamachyutam". The supremacy of Lord Narayana declared in the Gadya Trayam arises from the Narayana Sooktam salutation "Narayana Param Brahma Tatvam Narayana Para:" and the Narayana Upanishad salutation "NishkaLo NiranjanO NirvikalpO NirAkyatha: Shuddho Deva Eko Narayana: Na DvitiyOsti Kaschit". The eulogy "Evam Bhoota Bhumi NeeLa Nayaka" can be related to the Purusha Sooktam Rk "HrIscha TE LakshmIscha Patnyou" The Shuddha Satva permeating Sri Vaikuntam glorified in the Sri Vaikunta Gadyam is reflective of the Purusha Sooktam Rk "Tamasa: ParastAt". The act of unconditional surrender to the lotus feet of the Lord is described in the Narayana Upanishad as "Narayana SayujyamavApnOti Narayana SayujyamavApnOti". As a result of attaining the Lotus feet of the Lord one is blessed with the eternal bliss of Bhagavad and Bhagavata Kaimkaryam serving at the pleasure and for the pleasure of the Lord. This is described in the Vishnu Sooktam salutation "TadvishNoh Paramam Padagam SadA Pashyanti Soorayaha" and the Taittriya Upanishad salutation "Sa YekO BrahmaNanandA" H.H. Swami Rangapriya Mahadesikan Swami waxes eloquent on the distinction between a servant and a slave as "A servant is one who works for wages. He has a separate existence, separate life, home, and family from his master. He only pleases his master with the view of earning more money and and asks Kim Kuru Kim Kuru?. However, one who has surrendered to Lord Narayana is eternally bound to the Lord like a slave. He has no separate existence, home, life or family from his master and most importantly does not desire or receive wages for his Kaimkaryam. He serves exclusively for the pleasure and at the pleasure of the Lord." One can see this from Sri Ramanujacharya's desire for eternal Kaimakaryam in the Sri Ranganatha Gadyam salutation nithya kaimkaryaikaratirUpa nithya dhAsyam dhAsyatIti vishvAsapUrvakam Bhagavantham nitya kinkarathAm prArthayE". The most detailed exposition and commentary on the Gadya Trayam was undertaken by Sri Periya VacchAn PiLLai in Sanskrit. In this posting adiyen will briefly outline the salient aspects of the three Gadyams. The SharaNagati Gadyam commences with a eulogy of Sri Ranganayaki Thayar. In it our Paramacharya seeks the blessings, support and grace of Thayar for his Svanishtai Prapatti to the Lord of Srirangam. The salutation Akhila Jagan Mataram Asman Mataram is noteworthy because, prior to seeking the favour of his father (PitAsi Lokasya), the Acharya points out that it is imperative to obtain the blessings and support of the Supreme Mother of the Universe. This also points to the exalted role of Mahalakshmi Thayar in the process of granting Prapatti. The process of granting SharaNagati is a Yajna performed by the Lord. In this Yajna, Thayar offers her help and support to the Lord as VishNu Patni. This is glorified in the neeLa sooktham rk "pruthivyA asyE shAna jagathO vishNu pathni". Thayar's merciful glances filled with Vatsalyam urge the Lord to rush to the succour of the Baddha JivAtma. It is this blessing that Sri Ramanujacharya seeks of Thayar in the opening salutation of the SharaNagati Gadyam. Having successfully received Thayar's Anugraham (asthu thE salutation from the SharaNagati gadyam), our Acharyan proceeds to glorify the Lord splendidly. Our Acharya extols the Lord's limitless auspicious attributes, various ornaments and jewels which adorn his Tirumeni (Kaustubha, PitAmbara, KarNa Kundala, MuktAdamodara). The Divya Ayudhas (Shanka, Chakra, Gada, Saranga, and Nandaka) are exquisitely praised. This is followed by NaichyanusandAnam on the part of the Acharya in which he confesses all of his shortcomings and traces it to his inextricable association with Karma on account of being immersed in the endless ocean of Samsara. He also admits to commiting Bhagavad Apacharam, Bhagavata Apacharam and nanavida Apacharam and seeks the Lord's forgiveness for all his sins. Sri Ramanujacharya then requests the Lord for Para Bhakti, Para JnAna and Parama Bhakti and glorifies the Dvaya Mantram as he formally surrenders to the Lord's Lotus feet. The Acharya's request for Para Bhakti, Para JnAna and Parama Bhakti was granted when the Lord of Srirangam broke his Archa Samadhi and addressed the Acharya thus "dvayamArthAnusandhanEna saha sadaivam vaktA yavatsharira pAthamAthraIva srirangE suKhamAsva" (Remain in Srirangam engaged in constant recitation of the Dvaya Mantram until thy body falls to the earth). The conclusion of the SharaNagati Gadyam contains important salutations from the Ramayana (Ramo DvirnAbhi BhashatE)and Srimad Bhagavad Gita (Charma Shlokam) intended to reinforce mahAvisvAsam in all his ShishyAs. As a result of this Anubhavam and the Lord's command, our Paramcharya derived supreme bliss. He then craves for more of the same. Fearful of being disturbed from this esctatic state, the Acharya seeks a method for continued Bhagavad Anubhavam. He resolves that the best way of continued Anubhavam is by being of exalted service to the Lord at all times in all forms under all circumstances (tadhanubhava janithAnavaDhikAthishaya preetikArithAsheshAvastOchitAsheshAsheshataikarathi rupa). Accordingly, he requests this of the Lord in the Sri Ranganatha Gadyam. The structure of the Sri Ranganatha Gadyam is similar to the SharaNagati Gadyam in that it commences with a eulogy of the Lord and his limitless auspicious attributes, followed by a confession of shortcomings on account of association with SamsAra in a mood of intense Naichyanusandanam (the salutations thila thailavat dhAru vanhivath and samasthAthma guna viheena: reflect this), as a prelude to the formal SharaNagati to the Lord's Lotus feet at the conclusion of the Gadyam. As a result of this, the Acharya was blessed with a beautiful vision of Sri Vaikuntam which is brilliantly described in the Sri Vaikunta Gadyam. The Vaikunta Gadyam is a description of Sri Vaikuntam through the eyes of a liberated one (Mukta Jivan). In it is contained the important message that Surrender to Lord Narayana's Lotus feet (Narayana Sayujyam) results in SAlOkyam (attaining the abode of Lord Narayana), SarUpyam (Shuddha Satvam) and Sameepyam (remaining close to the Lord). These aspects are brought out by our Paramacharyan with consummate effect. The eternal Kaimkaryam performed by Nityasooris like Ananta, Garuda, Vishvaksena and the Dwara Palakas to Sri Vaikuntam is most beautifully glorified and a brief glimpse of the bountiful treasure awaiting a muktha is provided by Sri Ramanujacharya in the Vaikunta Gadyam. Adiyen wishes to conclude this post reflect with gratitude on the "puna: puna: praNamya" salutation of our Paramacharyan, who most compassionately revealed the margam of prapatti for all his shishyas. Namo Narayana, Sri Ranganayika Sametha Sri Ranganatha ParabrahmaNe Namaha, SriMuralidhara Dasan ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Stock for $4. No Minimums. FREE Money 2002. http://us.click.yahoo.com/BgmYkB/VovDAA/ySSFAA/XUWolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -- SrImatE rAmAnujAya namaH -- Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/