Guest guest Report post Posted February 23, 2002 SrimatE Raamaanujaaya Namaha // SrimatE Nigamaanta Mahaa Desikaaya Namaha // SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anubadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya/ SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anubadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya// KAvEri VardhathAm kAlE, kAlE varshathu vAsava: / SrI RanganAthO jayathu Sri Ranga Sri cha VardhathAm// =============================================================== SRI RANGA SRI VOL 03 / ISSUE 18 dated 24th February 2002 =============================================================== EDITORIAL: Dear Bhagavatas: IN THIS ISSUE: 1. TIRUNAKSHATRAM OF KULASEKARA AZHWAR A SUPPLEMENT ON “MUKUNDAMALA” - (Anbil Ramaswamy) 2. “DASAAVATAARA STOTRAM OF SWAMI DESIKA- PART 13: “Summation of all Avataras by Swami Desikan” Relating individual Avataras to respective Nava graha Devatas. - (Anbil Ramaswamy) 3. OORDVA PUNDRA DHAARANA DHYANA SLOKAS - (Anbil Ramaswamy) ============================================================== WE REPEAT OUR STANDING REQUEST: The issues have been archived for public view at IF you are satisfied with the quality and contents of “Sri Ranga Sri”: Tell your friends to join by sending an email to "-Subscribe (AT) (DOT) com" We personally request every Bhagavata to enrol at least one other Bhagavata to "Sri Ranga Sri" either as stated above or by suggesting to us the addresses of those REALLY interested (to be directly added to our mailing list) IF not: Tell us, as to how we may improve. Dasoham Anbil Ramaswamy, Editor & Publisher, “Sri Ranga Sri” ====================================================================== ====================================================================== 1. TIRUNAKSHATRAM OF KULASEKARA AZHWAR A SUPPLEMENT ON “MUKUNDAMALA” - (Anbil Ramaswamy) Your kind attention is invited to the article on the life and work of the Azhwar “PerumaaL Tirumozhi” – vide Sl. 141 dated 12th March 2001 in Sri Ranga Sri” archives. It is rather rare for the Tirunakshatram and the thithi to synchronize on the same day. This year it falls exactly on "Sukla Paksha Dvaadasi" and "Punarvasu Nakshatram" in the month of Masi. We give below a supplementary write up of the Azhwar’s other work viz., “Mukundamala”. It is believed that Kulasekara Azhwar composed “Mukunda Maala” in Sanskrit besides his famous “PermaaL Tirumozhi”. Tritheeya Parakaala BrahmaTantra Swami has authenticated this fact in his “Guru Parampara Prabhaavam” saying that it is the same Azhwar who gave us PerumaaL Tirumozhi in chaste Tamizh also gave us this “Mukunda maala” in classic Sanskrit. This is also confirmed in “Periya TirumuDi aDaivu” of Sri kandaaDai Naayan of Tennacharya Parampara. There is every reason to believe this because, the sentiments expressed, the style exhibited and the syntax employed echo those in the Tamizh Prabandham. There are 40 Slokas in this. Every Slokam is a gem by itself. Let us savor a few of these by way of honoring the Great Azhwar on his Tirunakshatram day today. Slokam 3: Mukunda! Moordhnaa praNipathya yaachE Bhavantham yEkaantham iyantham artham / Avismriti: tvad CharaaNaaravindE BhavE bhavE mE asthu bhavath prasaadaath // Meaning “Hey! Mukunda! - I bow my head and beg of you just this one thing only. - Please bless me to never ever forget your feet in every life that I may take” Slokam 4: Naaham vandE thavacharaNayOr dvandvam advandva hEthO: Kumbheepaakam gurumapi harE:!naarakam na apanEthum / Ramyaa raamaa mriduthanulathaa nandanE na api ranthum BhaavE bhaavE hrudaya bhavanE bhaavayEyam bhavantham // Meaning “Hey! HarE! Do you know why I surrender at your feet? - Not for securing moksha - Not for escaping the cruel hell of Kumbheepaakam - Not for enjoying the company of celestial damsels in the Heavens. But only for the boon that I should ever pay my homage’s to you seated in my heart” Slokam 5: Naasthaa dharmE na vasu nichayE naiva kaamOpabhOgE Yath yath bhavyam bhavathu bhagavan! Poorva karma anuroopam / Yethath praarthyam mama bahumatham janma janmaantharEpi Tvad paadaambhOruha yuga gathaa nischalaa bhaktir asthu // Meaning “Oh! Bhagavan! - I have on attachment to Dharma. - I have no desire to acquire heaps of wealth either. - Whatever is predetermined in consequence of my prior karmas let them happen as ordained. - The only thin I intensely desire is that however may lives I may have to take, grant me unswerving devotion at your lotus feet” Slokam 7: KrishNa! Tvadeeya pada pankaja panjaraantha Madhyaiva mE visathu maanasa raaja hamsa: / PraaNa prayaaNa samayE kapa-vaatha- piththai: KanTaavarOdhna vidhou smaraNam kutha: thE // Meaning “Oh! KrishNa! - Let the royal swan of my mind gain entry into the cage of your lotus feet HERE and NOW! - This is because, how can your remembrance dawn on me at the time of death, when the throat gets choked with phlegm, rheumatism and bilious afflictions?” Slokam 16: JihvE !keerthaya Kesavam muraripum chEtO: bhaja Sreedharam paaNI dvandva! Samarchaya achyutha kathaa: srOtradvaya! Tvam sruNu / KrishNam lOkaya Lochana dvaya! HarEr gachcha angriyugam aalayam Jigra! GraaNa mukunda paada thuLaseem moordhan nama adhOkshajam // Meaning - Oh! My tongue! Always recite Kesava’s name. - Oh! My mind! Always contemplate on Muraari - Oh! My hands! Always offer worship to Sreedhara - Oh! My ears! Always listen to the stories of Achyutha - Oh! My eyes! Always see KrishNa everywhere - Oh! My nose! Always smell the fragrance of the holy basil at the feet of Mukunda - Oh! My head! Always bow to Lord Vishnu (adhOkshaja)” Slokam 21: Hey! Gopaalaka! Hey! Krupaa jalanidhE! Hey! Sindhu KanyaapathE! Hey! Kamsaanthaka! Hey! GajEndra karuNaa paareeNa! Hey! Maadhava! Hey! Raamaanuja! Hey! Jagatraya GurO! Hey! PuNDareekaaksha! Maam Hey! Gopee jana naatha! Paalaya param jaanaami na tvaam vinaa! Meaning: - Hey! Gopaala! Ocean of mercy! - Hey! Spouse of the daughter of the Ocean (Lakshmi)! - Oh! The One who destroyed Kamsa! - Oh! The One who saved GajEndra! Maadhava! Raamaanuja! (Here, younger brother of Balarama) - Oh! Preceptor of all the three worlds! - Oh! Lotus eyed Lord! - Oh! Lord of the Gopis! I do not know anyone other than you. Please protect me” In the next 3 slokas, Azhwar describes how the Lord is the gem (MaNi), the magical hymn (mantram) and medicine (Oushadam). Slokam 22: Bhaktha apaaya- bhujanga- gaaruDa maNi, trailOkhya rakshaa MaNi Gopee lochana-chaataka ambuda MaNi, Soundarya MaNi: / Ya: kaanthaa MaNi RukmiNi ghana kucha dvandvaika bhooshaa MaNi SrEyO Deva Sikhaa MaNi: disathu na: Gopaala chooDaa MaNi: // Meaning “Lord KrishNa is like - the green emerald that instills fear in the heart of snakes that take the form of sufferings of great Bhaktas; - the gem that protects the three worlds - the rain bearing cloud like gem to the eyes of Gopis who look up to it like the Chaataka bird - the gem bearing the stamp of supreme pulchritude - the gem that adorns the chest of His darling RukmiNi Let this crown jewel of KaNNa grant us welfare of every kind” Slokam 23: satrus chEtaika mantram, sakalam upanishad vaakhya sampoojya mantram Samsaara uddhaara mantram, samupachita thamas sanga niryaaNa mantram/ Sarvaiswaryaka mantram, vyasana bhujaga sandashTa santhraaNa mantram JihvE Sree KrishNa mantram japa japa sathatam janma saapalya mantram // Meaning: Oh! My tongue! This “Sree KrishNa mantram” is - - the one that can destroy all that is hostile to our interests - the one that is praised in the Upanishads - the one that can help us cross the Ocean of Samsaara - the one that dispels all our ignorance - the one that bestows all that is auspicious - the one that neutralizes the venom of all sufferings - the one that bestows the real objective of life So, please always go on incessantly reciting this “Sree KrishNa mantram” Slokam 24: VyaamOha prasama Oushadam, Muni manO vrithi pravrithi Oushadam DaithyEndra aarthikara Oushadam, thrijagathaam sanjeevanaika Oushadam/ Bhakthyaantha hitha Oushadam, Bhava bhaya pradhvamsanaika Oushadam SrEya: praapthi kara Oushadam Piba mana: Sree KrishNa Divya Oushadam// Meaning “Oh! My mind! Drink this medicine called “Sree KrishnNa Oushadam” - This will clear all your worldly hallucinations - This medicine is turned the minds of Sages towards the Lord - This medicine torments the evil minded Rakshasas - This medicine rejuvenates the lives in all the three worlds - This medicine bestows all that is good and desired by devotees - This medicine will make all your dreams of prosperity come true” Slokam 27: Majjanmana: phalam idam Madhu KaiTabhaarE Math praarthaneeyam madh anugraha yEsha yEva / Tvat brithya brithya- Brithyasya brithya iti maam smara Loka naatha // Meaning: “Oh! Lord who destroyed the asuras called Madhu and KaiTabha! - The only fruit I desire for having taken this life is this. - And, this is what you have to grant me without fail. - Oh! Lord of the world! - You should remember me as the servant of the servant of the servant of yours down at the seventh rung of the ladder of your servants” Slokam 33: KrishNO rakshathu nO jagatraya guru KrishNam namasyaami aham KrishNena amaara SatravO vinihatha: KrishNaaya thubhyam nama: / KrishNaadEva samuthitham jagad idam KrishNasya daasOmi aham KrishNE tishTathi sarvam etad akhilam Hey! KrishNa Rakshasva maam // Meaning “ KrishNa, the Lord of the three worlds-May He protect us. - For KrishNa, do I bow my head - By KrishNa were killed the enemies of the celestials - From KrishNa arose this world - To KrishNa, I am a servant - In KrishNa, everyone and everything subsist - Hey! KrishNa! Protect me” It will be seen that in this verse, the Azhwar has employed the word “KrishNa” in all the 8 case endings of Sanskrit grammar viz., Nominative: KrishNa: Accusative: KrishNam Instrumental: KrishNEna Dative: KrishNaaya Ablative: KrishNaath Genitive: KrishNasya Locative: KrishNE Vocative: Hey! KrishNa! Slokam 37: Anantha VaikunTa mukunda KrishNa Govinda DaamOdara MadhavEthi / Vakthum samarthOpi na vakthi kaschith AhO! Janaanaam vyasanaabhi mukhyam // Meaning: “Though everyone has the capacity to call aloud the names of the Lord like Anantha. VaikunTa, Mukunda, KrishNa, Govinda, DaamOdara, Maadhava, how come they do not but find steeped in worldly sufferings. What a tragedy! What a wonder!” ================================================================================\ ============================================================================== 2.“DASAAVATAARA STOTRAM OF SWAMI DESIKA- PART 13: “Summation of all Avataras by Swami Desikan” Relating individual Avataras to respective Nava graha Devatas. - (Anbil Ramaswamy) SLOKAM 12: Ichchaa Meena Vihaara Kachchapa Mahaa pOtrin Yadruchcha HarE: Rakshaa Vaamana Rosha Raama KaruNaa Kaakutstha HElaa halin / KreeDaa Vallabha Kalka Vaahana Dasaa kalkin iti prathyaham Jalpantha: purushaa: punanthi bhuvanam puNyougha paNyaapaNaa: // MEANING: Oh! You, the one who - (1) took the form of a fish by your own desire (2) took the form of a tortoise for enjoying an under water sport (3) took the form of a behemoth wild boar (4) took the Lion-Human form and appeared all of a sudden (5) took the form of a dwarf with the sole intent to protect (6) took the form of a ferocious warrior with an ax (7) took the form of Compassion personified (8) took the form of a man playing and displaying a plough as a toy-weapon (9) took the form of Lord KrishNa to enact your playful drama (10) will take the form of a horse rider, with a sword in hand Those who meditate on these forms of yours purify the world and are verily the purveyors of spiritual merit. COMMENTS: 1. In the 12th Sloka Swami Desika gives a beautiful summing up of the various Avataras assigning unique epithets to each one of them. This has also been explained already in the respective Slokas. (1) Matsaya Avatara = Ichchaa Meena (2) Koorma Avatara = Vihaara Kachchapa (3) Varaha Avatara = Mahaa pOtrin (4) Nrisimha Avatara = Yadruchcha HarE: (5) Vaamana Avatara = Rakshaa Vaamana (6) Parasurama Avatara =Rosha Raama (7) Sri Rama Avatara = KaruNaa Kaakutstha (8) Balarama Avatara = HElaa halin (9) Krishna Avatara = KreeDaa Vallabha (10) Kalki Avatara = Kalka Vaahana Dasaa kalkin 2. How relevant are these Avataras in our lives today? We know that activity of all sentient beings and insentient things are influenced by the interplanetary forces and Sastras provide for their propitiation. 3. However, Mumukshus (Those who desire Moksham). Prapannas (Those who have done Saranagathi to Lord Narayana and Paramaikaantins (Those who resort to Narayana but do not seek even MOksham from Him) do not propitiate these planets (Navagrahas). 4. Swami Desika has provided through this Stotram, a viable alternative by which the same effects of Navagraha propitiation could be secured. Our Poorva Acharyas hold that this Stotram would make the favorable planets to yield more favorable results while the unfavorable planets would be compelled to become favorable. 5. In this context, elders used to correlate the Avataras with the planets as shown below: (1) Matsaya Avatara = Ketu (The descending node) (2) Koorma Avatara = Sani (Saturn) (3) Varaha Avatara = Rahu (Ascending node) (4) Nrisimha Avatara = Budha (Mercury) (5) Vaamana Avatara = Guru (Jupiter) (6) Parasurama Avatara =Sukra (Venus) (7) Sri Rama Avatara = Surya (Sun) (8) Balarama Avatara = Kulikan (Naaga) (9) Krishna Avatara = Chandra (Moon) (10) Kalki Avatara = General It is a matter for scholars to do research whether this correlation has any basis and if so, to enlighten us in this regard. - To Continue: Phala Sruthi ================================================================================\ ============================================================================== 3. OORDVA PUNDRA DHAARANA DHYANA SLOKAS The following Dhyana Slokas are recited when applying the vertical pointing marks on the forehead and other parts of the body (Oordva PuNdrams). The belief is that we consecrate the deity forms of Lord Sriman Narayana presiding over the respective spots, surrendering ourselves to them and seeking protection. Swami Desika has also confirmed this in his Tamizh Prabandham, “Panniru Tirunaamam”. This Prabandham is dedicated to Lord Varadan of Kanchipuram where Swami Desika offered his surrender (Bhara SanarpaNam). In this, Swami gives details of the name of the deity form, color, weapons, direction faced, and the spot on which the respective marks are to be applied on our body. Let us first enjoy the meaning of the Slokas. The meanings of Swami Desika’s Paasurams will follow in the next Issues. Later on, we will consider certain doubts and also explain the practice from a scientific perspective. Slokam 1 Chatus Chakram Namasyaami Kesavam kanakaprabham / NaaraayaNam ghana syaamam chatus sankham namaamyaham / Meaning: I prostrate to Lord KESAVA who appears with a golden hue and wields four DISCS (Chakram), I genuflect before Lord NAARAAYANA who shines like the dark rain bearing clouds and adorns four CONCHES (Sangam) Slokam 2: Madhavam maNi pankaabham chinthayaami Chatur Gadham / Chandrbhaasam chatus Saarngham govindam abi samsrayE // Maening: I meditate on the Lord MASDHAVA who shines like a gem and holds four MACES (Gadha). I take refuge in Lord GOVINDA who has the cool luster like that of the moon and who bears four BOWS (saarngham). Slokam 3: VishNum chatur Halam vandE pancha kinchalka sannibham / Chatur Musalamabjaabham samsrayE Madhusoodhanam // Meaning: I salute Lord VISHNU who has the hue of the pollen of flowers and who uses four PLOUGHS (hala). I ponder over Lord MADHUSOODHANA who has the color of the ochre lotus and who commands four mighty PESTLES (musalam). Slokam 4: Agni varNam chatu: KaDgam bhaavayaami Trivikramam/ Vaamanam baala sooryaabham chatur Vajram vibhaavayE// Meaning: I praise Lord TRIVIKRAMA who blazes like the flame of fire and upholds four sharp SWORDS (KaDgam). I meditate on Lord VAMANA who shines like the young rising SUN and utilizes four THUNDERBOLTS (vajra). Slokam 5: Sreedharam punDareekaabham chatu: PaTTa samaasrayE/ Chatur Mudgaram abhyEmi HrisheekEsam thaTith prabham// Meaning: I take asylum at the feet of SREEDHARA who is lotus like and employs four weapons called “PaTTasa”. I eulogize Lord HRISHEEKESA who is like a streak of lightning and deploys four hammers (mudgara) Slokam 6: Panchaayudham padmanaabham praNamaami arka rOchisham/ DaamOdharam chatu: Paasam Indrakopa nibham bhajE// Meaning: I dedicate myself to the care of Lord PADMANABHA who brightens the sky like the Sun (arka) and shoulders five powerful weapons (panchaayudha). I worship Lord DAAMODHARA who shines like the reddish hue of the insect of the rainy season and who carries four kinds of noose (paasa) in His hands. Slokam 7: VaasudEvam upaasEham poornEndhyutha sannibham / Oordva puNDrEshu iti Sreemaan nityam dhyaayeetha naamabhi://7 Meaning: I meditate upon Lord VAASUDEVA who shines like a million full moons. One should meditate on these names of the Lord while applying the upward pointing Sacred marks. MENTION OF PIRAATTI – IN EACH After wearing TirumaNN, SreechoorNam has to be worn in between the two white lines, reciting the names of PiraaTTi as follows: 1. Sridevi Prathamam nama 2. dviteeyom amrutOdbhava/ 3. Tritheeyam Kamalaa prOkthaa 4. Chaturtham Chandra Sodharee // 5. Panchamum thu varaarOhaa 6. shasTam thu Harivallabhaa / 7. Sapthamam VishNu pathnee cha 8. ashTamam VaishNavee tha thaa// 9. Navamam SaarngiNee ptOkthaa 10. dasamam Deva dEvikaa/ 11. Ekaadasam Mahaalakshmee 12. Dvaadasam sura sundaree// TrayOdasm sadhaa dhyaayEth sarvaabheeshTa pradaayineem/ Evam dhyaathvaa antharaalEshu haridraam dhaarayEth Sriyam// To Continue: Swami Desika’s Panniru naamam ================================================================================\ =========================================================================== _______________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
