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[sv-poetry] SrI VenkatEsa AshtOtthara Satha NaamAvaLI: Part 4/ Third Naama: (PraNavam ) LakshmIpathayE nama:

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • June 9, 2002 


SrI:

NamO venkatEsAya 

ChithrabhAnu Samvathsara, VaikAsi, KrishNa paksha Chathurdasi
Kaarthikai Nakshathram , BhAnu Vaasaram

Dear BhakthAs of Sri Venkatesa :

The THIRD of the 108 names of the Lord of the Seven Hills is:
(PraNavam ) LAKSHMI PATHAYE NAMA: = SALUTATIONS TO THE LORD/ 
CONSORT OF MAHAA LAKSHMI .

Our Lord is saluted as Sriya: Pathi , Lakshmi Kaanthan ,
KamalA Pathi , Sriya: SrI: , IndhirA Naayakan , 
SrIsan , LakshmI SahAyan , Sriya: Prabhu .
All of these NAAMaS refer to the auspiciousness of 
Him being the Husband of MahA Lakshmi.

Vedam itself celebrates the Lord's status as the husband
of VishNu and Her status as His divine consort:

" AsyEsAnA JagathO VishNu Pathni "--TaittirIya Samhithai
( SHE RULES THE  WORLD AS VISHnU pATHNI).
 
NavalpAkkam VidvAn Sri RamAnuja TatachAr Swamy has
pointed out other Vedic references to MahA Lakshmi as
VishNu Pathni in AsvamEdha-anga manthrams. The corollary
of Her identification and salutation as VishNu Pathni is
the name , "Lakshmi Pathi" for Her Lord(the third naamam 
for Lord venkatesan ) . Two passages from the above 
manthram cited by NavalpAkkam Swamy are: 

" DhruvA disAm " and " VidhrumbhO dhiva: ". DhruvA and
Adhithi invoked in these manthrAs are identified with
MahA Lakshmi , who is VishNu Pathni. "Adhithyai: VishNu
Pathnyai: charum " is another Veda manthram , which refers to
VishNu Pathni and Yaagam connected with Her. If She has 
VishNu as husband , He has  Lakshmi ( SraddhA , MedhA ,
Adhithi , which are synonomous in Vedam to Lakshmi) 
as His wife.He is JaathavEdhan and She is His Divine consort . 
When SrI Sooktkam invokes Sriman NaarAyanan as :
"JaathavEdhO ma aavaha " , it invokes His divine
consort as well . Lakshmi Avaahanam (invocation )is hence 
implicit. Without His dearest Lakshmi , the name of 
Lakshmi Pathi can not be invoked. As Lakshmi Pathi ,
He consults with Her and is counselled by Her in all Jagath-
vyApAram and Jagath Hitham (activities and  well being of
the world ) :" Saha-dharmacharI SourE: sammanthritha 
Jagath HithAm ".She is like a minister in counseling.

He as Lakshmi Pathi is the First AchAryan for SrI VaishNavAs
(AkAra Vaachyan) . She is the second AchAryan (UkAra Vaachyai)
as VishNu Pathni. That is why we call our sampradhAyam as 
" Lakshmi-NaaTa SamArambhAm --". That is why our sampradhAyam 
has also been described as "antha: pura sampradhAyam "
or SrI SampradhAyam . This couple (Dampathi)is 
therefore celebrated as the ancient MiTunam of the Universe:
" aadhyou DampathI JagathAm Pathi ".They are the Father and
Mother of this Universe: " Thvam MaathA SarvalOkAnAm 
DevadEvO Hari: PithA ". He is Lakshmi Pathi and She is
His BhAryA and Nithya SrI.

Paancha Raathra samhithai named JayAkhya Samhithai
recognizes our Lord's Lakshmi Pathithvam and His 
inseperability from Her with two examples :

Sooryasya rasmayO yathvAth
OrmayasyachAmbhdhuEriva
Sarvaiswarya prabhAvEna KamalA
SrI tEstathA 

(meaning):Just as the rays and lustre (rasmi) can not be 
separated from the Sun  and just as the waves of the Ocean 
can not be separated from the Ocean , SrI Devi is united with 
Her Pathi in an inseparable manner for Him to be recognized 
as Lakshmi Pathi.

MahA Lakshmi is "AakAra Thraya Sampannai " and in that 
role , She helps Her Pathi in three ways to perform His
vratham . AakAram means a rich source and resource :

1. PurushakAra aakAram 
2. UpAya aakAram
3. UpEya aakAram

During PurushakAram , AlarmEl Mangai ( PadhmAvathi)
uses Her influence with her Pathi as His wife and 
pleads on  behalf of the chEthanams that have committed 
many trespasses and pleads with Him to forgive their sins.
She kindles Her Lord's affection (vaathsalyam ) for these
pitiable Jeevans. 

During UpAya anushtAnam , She stimulates the Sankalpa
Jn~Anam to protect the chEthanam performing Prapatthi
and enhances Her Lord's Jn~Ana sakthi to come forward 
to protect the suffering jeevans.

During the UpEya dasai , She enhances the soundharyam 
of Her Lord for the Muktha Jeevan to enjoy the Lord
and accepts the havis of aathma samarpaNam(offering of
Self ) as His Saha-dharmchari.

Whenever and wherever PerumAL is mentioned , PirAtti 
is there .That is the Tatthvam which is behind this
Third Naamam : (PraNavam) LAKSHMI PATHAYE NAMA: 

The most merciful Lakshmi united with Her Lord 
HrushIkEsan is recognized in all siddhAnthams 
as the protector of the erring Jeevans ( LakshmyA 
sahaHrushIkEsa:DevyA KaaruNya RoopayA , Rakshaka:
Sarva siddhAnthE VedAnthEapi cha geeyathE).

In this context , Dr.M.A.Venkata KrishNan Swamy
has commented : " When the individual soul refrains
from interdicted actions,the Lord along with Goddess
Lakshmi overlooks the soul's innumerable demerits
accumulated in its numerous previous lives and helps
it attain infinite bliss ".

Such is the glory behind this Third Naamam .

SrImath Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VardAchAri SadagOpan  

   
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