Sri Ranganath's birthday

[gokulkr]

 

Salutations to Revathi NaaTan, SrI RanganAtha

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Today is the blessed day of Panguni Revathi .We celebrate

the birth day of Lord RanganAtha on this day. In a few days time ,

in Panguni , we will celebrate SrI RanganAyaki's avathAra dinam .

The word Revathi has many meanings . Wealthy or Splendid is the meaning

that is given by the VedAs. Lord RanganAtha is ubhaya VibhUthi Naathan.

He is the Master/owner of this leela vibhUthi and SrI Vaikuntam, His eternal

VibhUthi (Nithya VibhUdhi) . Therefore , there is no one equal to or greater than

Him in splenderous wealth in all the fourteen worlds . He is thus the embodiment

of Revathi or splenderous wealth !

Vedic context of Revathi : Rg Vedam

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The word Revathi is seen in every one of the four VedAs . In the oldest of Vedams ,

Rg Vedam , at the very beginning ( Rg I.30.13 ) , an appeal is made to Him :

rEvathir na: sadhamadha IndrE santhu tuvivAjA:

kshamanthO yAbhir madhEma

(Meaning): Oh resplendent Lord of immeasurable wealth ! May Thou share Your

spirtiual joy ( BrahmAnandham) with us ! May we in this world have abundant

(spiritual) nourishment ! May our intellect be clear and sharp( dhiyO na: prachOdayAth)

and in a state of parama bhakthi to enable us to have perfect communion with You !

Revathi and Yajur Vedam

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MahAnAmnyO rEvathyO visvA aasA: prabhUvaree

maigIrvidhyuthO vaacha:soocheebhi: samyanthu ThvA

--Yajur Vedam: XXIII

Here the reference to the singing of Raivatha Saaman arising from

Revathi . This manthram prays for the directions and far spread regions

of earth and sky to resonate with with Raivatha Saamans and

MahAnAmni Saamans . May the Lord ( of SrIrangam ) be pleased with

those Saama ghAnams !

Yajur Veda Manthram ( X.14) talks about the Revathi Saamans and Pankthi

Sakvaari Saamans to ascend to zenith to please the Lord ( UrdhvamArOha

pankthisthvaavathu Saakvara-RaivathE SaamAni---)

The third place where Yajur Vedam appeals to Revathi Saaman as Vedic

speech to reamin at the altar of the YajamAnan during the Yaj~nam

in progress . This manthram ( Yajur Vedam III.21) requests the Lord

not to stay at the consecrated spot and not to move from the house

of Yaj~na Kruth .This manthram appeals to the Lord not to move away

and to remain right there :

Revathee ramadhvamasminyOnaavasmin ghOshtEasmimlOkEasmin kshayE,

ihaiva stha maapaghAtha -----Yajur Vedam III.21

Sathapatha BrAhmaNam echoes the very same prayer and appeals to

the Lord to " Stay right here and go not thence " ( Vaagvai Revathee ).

Atharva Vedam's visualization of Revathi

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Revathi is viewed here as a star in the lunAr mansion as well

as an integral part of the cosmic scheme of the Universe :

vidhyujjihvA maruthO dhanthA Revathee-greevA : KrutthikA

skandhaa gharmO vaha: ( Atharva Vedam: IX Canto: Hymn VII.3)

(Meaning): Lightning is the tongue ; the winds are the teeth ;

Revathee is the neck , the KrittikAs (Third of the lunar mansions)

are the shoulders and the Summer is the shoulder-bar .

The 26 manthrams of this hymn view the Universe as a homogenous entity

made up of every entity and Tatthvam created by SarvEswaran .

The 23rd , 24th and the 25th Manthrams celebrate SrI RanganAthan

as the Lord of the animate and inanimate universe and invokes Him as

a freind , who looks upon the created universe with eyes filled with Mercy.

He is invoked as One with joy (aanandham) , when He pervades all

objects created by Him .He is recognized as our friend in dhyAnam

and a protector of human kind in SamAdhi ( deep state of union with Him).

He is adored as an Omnipotent Lord free of all karmAs. He is saluted as

the One behind this Naama-Roopa prapancham (Universe with many

names and forms). He blesses all those who surrender to Him with

Joy . According to the last manthram of this hymn ,

BhaagavathAs , who know this Lord of many auspicious attributes

are described as being the fittest objects of worship by all .

Such is the glory of Revathee Nakshathram , the birth star of

the Lord of SrIrangam .

Let us reflect on Him today and seek His anugraham !