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Sri GuNa Rathna KOsam : Part IV: A small Krithi on Sri MahA (Great )LakshmI ( Fortune , Prosperity , Isvaryam ) and continuation of the commentary on "KruthOnjali:".

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • October 17, 2000 


Dear BhakthAs:

In the context of the articles on Sri GuNa Rathna Kosam ,
adiyEn would like to share with You a small krithi adiyEn
composed on Sri RanganAyaki ThAyAr , who is none other than 
MahA LakshmI presiding over Sri Ranga RaajadhAni.

This Krithi could be sung in Raagam Vachaspathi
************************************************

Pallavi:    VandEham Maatharam 
            MaaninIm MahA LakshmIm

Anupallavi: UmA VaaNi SamsEvitha CharaNAm
            Pankaja-Vana PriyAm Paapa NaasinIm 
            (vandEham)

CharaNam :  Maadhava ManOharIm MahA dEvIm
            nithya SaanthAm Soumya RoopAm
            Sri RangarAja MahishIm KamalAm
            Samudhra TanayAm HiraNya VarNAm 
            (VandEham)

Prior to commenting on the specific aspects of
the words used in this krithi , it would be my
pleasure to comment on the anjali performed to 
Sri MahA Lakshmi by ParAsara Bhattar following 
the maargam (way) shown by his PoorvAchAryALs like
his revered father, KurEsar and Swamy AlavandhAr.  


Observations on the MahA LakshmI Tatthvam
******************************************

The Glory of the Name Sri Devi
******************************* 
We have to remember reverentially 
the inadequacies of ourselves , when we
venture to eulogize MahA LakshmI(Sri Devi).
We have to be humble in approach in the spirit of 
AlavandhAr , who observed in his ChathusslOki SlOkam:

--SrIrithyEva cha Naama tE Bhagavathi 
  BhrUma: katham thvAm vayam? 
  ChathusslOki: First SlOkam , Fourth Quarter

(Extended Meaning ): Oh Jagan MohinI! Your husband
is the PurushOtthaman , Sri RangarAjan . AdhisEshan 
is Your bed and seat . Veda SvarUpi Garudan is Your
Vaahanam (transport). The Moola prakruthi , which
enchants the world is Your sacred curtain. The wives
of BrahmA , RudrA , IndrA and other DevAs are
Your daasa vargams ( assembly of servants).
YOUR NAME IS KNOWN AS SRI DEVI.HOW CAN WE
BEGIN TO DESCRIBE YOUR LIMITLESS AUSPICIOUS 
ATTRIBUTES ?( As Your name is Sri Devi, 
is there anything to say beyond that?).  

Recognizing his own inadequacies in his
attempt to eulogize Sri Devi, KurEsar 
devised a clever approach. He stated clearly
to Sri Devi that he wanted to praise Her
( hE SrirdEvi ! samastha lOka JananIm thvAm
sthOthum IhAmahE).He pleaded however with Her that
She should help him in this impossible effort : 
"yukthAm BhAvaya BhArathIm"( Please bless me with 
the power of divine Speech that will fit this
occasion ). 

After asking for dhivya-Vaak siddhi , KurEsar
begged for the growth in affection-laden Buddhi 
to eulogize Her( PrEma pradhAnam dhiyam praguNaya).

He wanted then for the PrEma Dhyai to blossom into
Bhakthi ( Bhakthim Bhandhaya).He concluded this
appeal for her blessings with a humble prayer:
Please command this prapannan as Your servant
and gladden adiyEn with the acceptance of this 
Kaimkaryam and cast Your dayA-laden glances
on adiyEn ( Imam Janam thAvakam DhAsam Nandhya !
hE LakshmI! amee vayam cha tE KatAksha Veesi 
visruthE: Lakshyam shyAma:). 

KurEsar Performed his Anjali ( prArthanA poorvaka
Prapatthi ) at Her lotus feet in preparation of
his sthOthram on Sri Devi.He prayed for the ripening
of his Bhakthi for Sri RanganAyaki into Para Bhakthi,
Para Jn~Anam and PARAMA BHAKTHI.With the choice of 
the word "amee" (amee vayam ) , KurEsar indicated
his unfortunate state of suffering (ThuvaLuthal
like a worm in hot sand) due to the lack of
the KaruNA KatAksham of Sri RanganAyaki. 

ParAsara Bhattar followed his father's sampradhAyam 
and that of AlavandhAr and performed his anjali rites .
As Sri RangEsa PurOhithar , he was well versed in 
the proper procedures to address the dhivya dampathis 
in the Saastraic manner .Hence He had the vijn~Apanam:
" Sriyai: --SaarTyanthyai: KRUTHONAJALI:" 

COMMENTS ON THE INDIVIDUAL SECTIONS OF THE KRITHI
***************************************************
Pallavi: "VandEham Maatharam , ManinIm MahA LakshmIm ".

(Extended Meaning ):Salutations to our Loka MaathA ,
MahA LakshmI ,who is the resolute Para Devathai , 
who is the object of the highest level of worship . 
She is resolute in saving Her children from the anger of 
Her Lord , who turns his face away at the trespasses 
committed by them . As "Maaninee" , She is proud and 
resolute in not letting Her Children down in their 
times of distress.

Anupallavi :" UmA VaaNi SamsEvitha CharaNAM
              Pankaja-Vana PriyAm Paapa-NaasinIm "

As MahA Lakshmi , Her sacred feet are saluted by
Her daasi Vargams ( UmA and Sarasvathi et al) . She is
the "SadhguNa ArNonidhi"  ( the ocean of auspicious
divine attributes) and  "GuNa Rathna KOsam " 
( treasure house of gems of KalyANa GuNams).
Hence , UMA and Sarasvathi join Her Daasi Vargam.
Limitless Isvaryams come their way due to
LakshmI KatAksham .She is " MangaLAnAm MangaLam ".
KurEsar has performed SaraNAgathi to Her 
with the Sri Sookthi: " Saa BhArathI BhagavathI
thu yadhiya DAASEE  Thaam Deva Deva MahishIm
SRIYAM AAASRAYAAMA:". Here KurEsar goes one
step further and states that Sarasvathi Devi is 
the servant of those who are adiyArs of MahA
Lakshmi.

Sri Devi is fond of residing in the Lotus 
forests . Her affection for the red Lotus 
is referred to by Sri Sooktham passage :

"Padhma-PriyE Padhmini Padhma-hasthE PADHMAALAYE 
PadhmadaLAyadhAkshi" .

Her power to destroy Sarva Paapams through Her
Kataksham alone is well celebrated in Sruthis 
and Smruthis. She is the "sarva bhutha Hitha Prathai"
( conferrer of hitham to all embodied ones).She is
"Yasasvini" and "SarvOpadhrava-VaariNyai" as saluted
by her AshtOttharam . Her Yasas ( keerthi ) in
this matter and Her ability to destroy all 
upadhravams are well understood. She is thus
agha or Paapa Naasini of the highest order.

CharaNam :

"Maadhava ManOharIm MahA DevIm 
 nithya SaanthAm Soumya RoopAm
 Sri RangarAja MahishIm KamalAm
 Samudhra TanayAm HiraNya VarNAM 
 (VandEham Maatharam-- MahA LakshmIm )"

She enchants Her Lord and He is under Her
total spell as Maadhava ManOhari. She is
the PerumdEvi (MahA Devi) of Achyutha Varadhan.
She is never angry and is an embodiment of
composure and tranquility ( Nithya SaanthA).
Her beauty is revealed in every one of Her
limbs ( SarvAnga Sundari and acme of perfection 
thru Her SaamudhrikA lakshanams). Thus She is
Soumya Roopa,Padhmini.She is the Patta Mahishi 
of Lord RanganAthan .She is revered as KamalA.
She is the daughter of the Milky Ocean . She arose
from there during the churning of nectar 
(Samudhra-tanayA ).Her complexion is like 
the golden creeper and the bright golden flash
of lightning ( HiraNmaya varNam ).Sri Sooktham
salutes Her golden complexion majestically
at the very beginning of its eulogy:

"HiraNya VarNAm HariNIm SuvarNa-RajathasrajAM
 ChandhrAm HiraNmayeem LakshmIm JaathavEdhO ma Aavaha"

On this vedic Note , adiyEn concludes this posting
relating to the "KruthOnjali " section of
the first slOkam of Sri ParAsara Bhattar.

We will continue with the rest of the VaakyArthams
of ParAsara Bhattar's first slOkam in the next posting .
 
Srimath Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE saraNam ,
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan 


 


 









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