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Sri Ranganatha PAdhukhA Sahasram (RPS ) : Naadha Paddhathi --Part 14.11

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • March 5, 1997 


Dear Members of the prapatthi Group :

I will continue with the coverage of RPS slokams
after a break of few days. The last slokam we covered 
was the 51st Slokam of Naadha Paddhathi . We will 
cover 52nd to the 60th slokams in this posting .

Verse 52/RPS Slokam  432
******************************
Swami Desikan hints here that the gems embedded 
in the PaadhukhAs move as the Lord travels and they 
collide with each other and generate a sweet Naadham 
as a result of that happening . Swami suggests that the 
sound arising from such a playful movement of the gems 
reminds him of NammAzhwAr's Thiruvaimozhi paasurams ,
where the AzhwAr  celebrates the Daya ( aanrusamsayam ) 
guNam of the Lord. The Lord"s DayA is natural (saamsiddhikam )
and without any hindrance ( niravagraham ) . AzhwAr 
says at many places of his Thiruvaimozhi that Sriman 
NaarAyaNA's aanrusamsayam makes us become resident of 
this lokam and blesses us to enter His Niya Vibhoothi , 
when we develop attachment to Him . AzhwAr takes pity on 
the samsAris , who do not appreciate the natural DayA of
the Lord and instructs them to become the object of the 
Lord"s DayA in his role as our kulapathi .. 

In this context , Swami Desikan says : " O PaadhukhE ! 
When Lord RanganAthA travels , the embedded gems of yours 
get shaken and collide against each other. At that time , a sweet
sound emerges , which seem to broadcast the famous , 
unqualified attribute of Ranganatha known as Aanrusamsayam 
to all the creatures of the World " .

Verse 53/Slokam 433 of RPS
*********************************

Swami Desikan states here that the paadhukhA 
Naadham is same as the exhilirating sound of 
Saama Vedam . He says : " O RanganAtha PaadhukhE !
Your Lord , who exists with ease as Para VaasudEvan 
in His supreme abode , as AntaryAmi inside us and as
RanganAthA in Sri Rangam is sought after by the Yogis. 
They recite PraNavam with all its parts and meditate on 
it to attain Parama Padham . They recognize your Naadham 
as the Saama Vedic recitation that leads one to your Lord's 
abode in Sri VaikunTam ." 

Thiruvaimozhi is known as Saama Vedam . Recitation of 
Thiruvaimozhi of NammAzhwAr with reverence will lead us 
to Sri VaikunTam according to Swami Desikan . Yoga saasthrAs
prescribe that one should recite and meditate on PraNavam to 
reach the Lord. It has been stated by SaasthrAs that such Yogis
are led to the sannidhi of our Lord in Srivaikuntam with the 
accompaniment of a type of Saama Gaanam . Thiruvaimozhi ,
which is AzhwAr's Naadham is the equivalent of the Saama 
gaanam (Saama VisEsha Ghosham ) that will lead us 
to parama padham .

Verse54/Slokam 434 of RPS
*********************************

In this verse , Swami hints that those think of the Lord
meditate on NammAzhwAr and with his blessings understand
the true meaning of Thiruvaimozhi Paasurams .

Swami Desiakn says: " O PaadhukhE ! Your Naadham excells
the sacred song of the feamale  bee of Vedam . 
For those yogis , who visualize your Lord in the caves of their 
heart lotus , you appear as a bee , which makes exquisite music
rooted in the VedAs . You remind one of both the Vedic song of 
exquisite sweetness and the black  bee. When one has your
darsanam , they are blessed with the darsanam of the Lord also , 
who is standing on you . He is the one with the dark black hue 
similar  to the black bee. If you generate Veda Naadham , then
Your Lord is the supreme being eulogized by the Upanishads.
The siras (top portion ) of the Vedaas is the place of residence
of Upanishads and the subject of their eulogy " . Swami Desikan
points out that the AzhwAr and the Lord are inseparable . 

Verse 55 /Slokam 435
**************************

Here Swami Desikan refers to a service done by the 
Compassionate PaadhukhAs through their sweet
Naadham ( manju Svanai : ) . 

He says : " O PaadhukhAs of the enemy of the AsurAs !
O Mother ! When the infallible and eternal VedAs representing 
You are rejected by the AvaidhikhAs ( Buddhists and JainAs ) ,
they cross the boundaries of the established teachings having 
the authority of Your Lord .Out of Your compassinate nature
(SvabhAvam ) , You seem to counsel the righteous devtoees 
(VaidhikAs )through Your sweet Naadham to desist from attacking 
these foes of VedAs . Your sweet Naadham seems to cajole Your 
devotees not to give vent to their anger " .

The rahasyArtham is that NammAzhwAr out of his compassion
for all addresses even those who reject Vedaas and Thiruvaimozhi
with great courtesy. He addresses such kudhrishtis with 
Viparitha J~nanam this way : " veedumin , Vammin , Pulaveer ".
AzhwAr counsels us not to be angry at these AvaidhikAs and 
tries to win them over with the sweet sound of his Paasurams ,
which are the essence of the Vedaas .

Verse 56/Slokam 436 of RPS
**********************************

Here Swami Desikan alludes to the belief that those who
breathe their last within the boundaries of Srirangam 
are blessed to have the darsanam of the Lord and their
AchAryAs . Here he salutes the askalitha anukampA of 
the PaadhukhAs ( NammAzhwAr ) of the Lord . The AnukampA
(trhe compassion ) of the SatakOpam is askalitham ( uninterrupted,
without let ) . 

Swami Desikan says : " O MaNi PaadhukhE ! When those living 
inside the boundaries of Srirangam scream out of  fear in an 
incoherent  manner during the last moments of their lives ,
You rush to their side and comfort them with your unfailing 
compassion . Even if these citizens do not cry out for RanganAtha
during their troubling moments , you still rush  to their side
and help them face their last moments with equanimity. With
You comes Your Lord . The suffering ones hear Your  sweet 
sound approaching and become peaceful . Their terrors flee them " .

Verse 57/Slokam 437 of RPS 
*********************************

Here Swami Desikan compares the PaadhukhAs as a
decorative jewelery box for the Vedas that adorn the Lord's
lotus feet . He says : " O MaNi PadhukhE ! Lord's lotus feet 
have a golden hue and shine with the auspicious letters that 
constitute the Veda MantrAs . The sweet sound of the ankle bells 
of the Noopuram (Silambhu) match Your melodious Naadham 
and together both of You surround the Lord"s holy feet . On this 
occasion , You seem to take on the role of the jewel box for the
VedAs eulogising the lotus feet of Your Lord ." 

Swami addresses the PaadhukhAs ( NammAzhwAr ) and says
that the SatAri Suri comprehends fully well the true meanings 
of all the VedAs and VedAngAs as a result of the Lord's blessings
and he  reveals  the inner meanings of his  paasurams
of Thiruvaimozhi to those , who approach him .

Verse 58/Slokam 438 of RPS
**********************************

Swami Desikan points out that the knowledge about the glory of 
the PaadhukhAs could be acquired just by listening to the PaadhukhA
naadham . The knowledge about the VedAnthA on the other hand 
is attained , if at all, after a strenous effort lasting many years. 
The paadhukhA naadham in contrast distils and delivers the essence of 
VedAntham as soon as one is blessed to hear it.

Swami says in this context : " O PaadhukhE ! Your glories are hidden
in the VedAs and are not easy to comprehend. You seem however to
reveal them to those , who approach You through the delectable 
sound made by the gems and bells embedded in You " .

The other intrepretation is that the Naadham of the PaadhukhAs
appears to reveal its blessed status to those , who approach
them . The glory of the paadhukhAs is equivalent to the lotus
feet of the Lord and is some what unique. The uniqueness 
of the glory of the PaadhukhAs and the lotus feet of the Lord that 
are supported by the PaadhukhAs arise from the fact  that they 
alone know the glory of their Lord . Their unique  glory is hidden
in the VedAs . Out of its  compassion , the PaadhukhAs  reveal 
their  unmistalable glory to its devotees through its sweet Naadham .  

Verse 59/Slokam 439 of RPS
*********************************

Swami prays here for the blessing of the Saameepyam(nearness) 
of the PaadhukhAs at the time of his last moments on this
earth . He says : " O PaadhukhE ! When I am feeble during 
the last moments of my life , I will be unable to call for your 
help or to fold my hands in anjali mudrA . I beg you however 
to come before me at that difficult time and comfort me with your 
sweet sounds , which would be the indicators of your Lord"s
arrival at my bed side . May Your Naadham surround me on 
all sides , when I will be totally helpless " .

Verse 60/Slokam 440 of RPS
********************************

SamrakshanAya samayE jagathAm trayANAm
yaathrAsu RanganrupathEruthasthusheeshu I
sampathsyathE sruthisukhai: maNi paadharakshE 
mangaLya sooktiranagA tava manjunAthai : II

Here Swami Desikan reveals that the recitation of
NammAzhwAr's Thiruvaimozhi wards of all inauspiciousness
that might come the way of the Lord . The inner meaning is that
the recitation of AzhwAr's Thiruvaimozhi makes the Lord
insured against any harm .

He says : " O PaadhukhE ! When RanganAthA travels to protect 
the saadhu Janams (Aasritha RakshaNam ) , the sweet sounds 
( MangaLya Sookthi:) emanting from You at those times serve 
as the faultless and most auspicious Vedic hymns 
( svasthi Vachanams) hailing victory to Your Lord " . 

Sri RanganAtha Divya MaNI PaadhukhE ! Thubhyam namO nama: I
NammAzhwAr , Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam 
Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan