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Padhuka Sahasram-288

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Muralidhar Rangaswamy • September 14, 2000 


Sri:

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

Translation by U.Ve. Dr. V.N. Vedanta Desikan Swamin:


288. padhAvani! kvachana vikramaNE BhujAnAm
     panchAyuDhI kararuhaIrBhajathE vikalpam
     nithyam thvamEva niyathA padhayOrmurArE:
     thEnAsi nUnamavikalpasamADhiyOgyA

Oh Paaduka! For the Lord, the Panchayudhas (Chakra, Sankha etc.)
could 
be a weapon or it could be His own nails, it being an alternative (as 
in the Nrisimhavatara). But in the matter of operation of His foot, 
there is no such alternative-possibility. That is, Paaduka is a must. 
It is a Nirvikalpa-samadhi of Paaduka with the Feet. We could even
say 
that Paaduka is fit for Nirvikalpa-samadhi or indeterminate 
contemplation.

Namo Narayana,

SriMuralidhara Dasan

*********************************

Special Notes by V.Satakopan (V.S) :



(1) Sri Abhinava Desika UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Swami Desikan
Composed this verse to indicate the association of the Paadukai  with 
the Lord during His avathAram as Narasimhan. Even then , the Lord had 
to move around to chase HiraNyakasipu to destroy him. Hence , Swami 
points out that the Paadukais were united with  the Lord's feet
during 
that incarnation. He also points out that the inseperable association 
of the Paadhukai with the Lord is like the Yogic state known as 
Nirvikalpa SamAdhi. Swamy says: " Oh PaadhukE! In the
NrusimhAvathAram 
, Your Lord rejected His five weapons and used the strength of His
own 
nails to destroy HiraNyan.  Although the weapons were abandoned by 
Your Lord , he did not part company with You at that time. You are 
never abandoned by Him , since He can not move around without You.
In the state of union with Your Lord, You seem to reach the state of
Nirvikalpa SamAdhi described by Yoga SaasthrAs. In that samAdhi 
state , the enjoyer, the enjoyed and the power that brings about 
the enjoyment merge and become one. 

2) PerumAl kills His enemies with weapons like His chakram . During 
NarasimhAvathAram , He did not use any of  His weapons and just used 
the  power of His nails to destroy HiraNyan. During His sanchAra 
kaalams , He does not adorn Himself with anything except the 
paadhukais. Therefore ,Swamy Desikan concludes tha tthere si no match 
to the glory of the Paadhukais.

3) Swamy Desikan uses the double meaning of the word "VikramaNE"     
To celebrate the glory of the Paadhukais. The nails of Lord NarasimhA 
substituted the PanchAyudhams in Valour (VikramaNE)  during the fight 
with HiraNyan. In Lord's sanchArams (VikramaNEshu) ,there is no one 
else accompanying the Lord except the Paadhukais  . Thus there is no 
one to match the  Paadhukais in rank. Swamy also plays with the
double 
meaning of another word ,"Vikalpa " to highlight the glory of the 
Paadhukais . The nails were the vikalpam (substitute
or stand-in) for the PanchAyudhams during NrusimhAvathAram . During 
the Lord's sanchAram however Padhukai is avikalpam ( no substitue or 
stand-in ). Through that avikalpa or nirvikalpa nature , Paadhukai
has 
SamAdhi  Yogyam ( Fitness for union). The Lord's Paadhukais alone
seem 
to enjoy nirvikalpa samAdhi Yogam .



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           - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
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