Sri Ranganatha Paadhuka Sahasram

SrI:

SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Translations & Commentaries by Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari SadagOpan

SlOkam 506 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Sri: nirDhUthamOhathimirAsthava rathnadhIpaI: nirvishyamAnaviBhavam nadharAjaputhryA prathyakshayanthi nigamAnthanigUDamarTham pAdhAvani! thvayi nivEshithaBhAvabanDhA:

Oh Paaduka! Those who have set their hearts on You derive the advantage that Your gemstones illumine their hearts, dispel the darkness of ignorance and, thereby, enable them to envision the Lord's splendour, enjoyed by Mahalakshmi and kept concealed in the Upanishads.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh Paadhuke! Your devotees are helped by the lustre of rays emanating from the gems adorning You. Those rays serve as lamps to destroy the darkness resulting from the false knowledge and nescience possessed by those who have affection for you. Once the surrounding darkness is removed, those who sought refuge in You discover the matchless treasure standing over You. That discovery leads them to enjoy Your Lord, just like MahAlakshmi enjoys Her Lord saluted by Upanishads.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Here, the topics covered in the SvanishtAbhjn~Ana adhikAram of Srimath Rahasya Thraya Saaram. A SadAchAryan is the one, who has the clear understanding of Svaroopam, UpAyam and purushArtham. With that SadAchAryan's blessings, one can come face to face with the Lord enjoyed by MahA Lakshmi and eulogized By the Upanishads.

3) Here Swami Desikan describes the benefits that come the way of those, who have firm devotion (thvayi nivEsitha bhAva bandhA:) for the PaadhukAs of the Lord (Swamy NammazhwAr). They illumine their ways through the lamps of Your instructions housed in ThiruvAimozhi and banish the darkness of nescience (Tava rathna dheepai: nirdhUtha mOha timirA:). They verily see the hidden auspicious meanings in Upanishads (Vibhavam nigamAntha nigUDam arTam) and enjoy (viz), the Lord with the same intensity as MahA Lakshmi (nadharAjaputryA nirvisyamAna vibhavam prathyakshanthi).

SlOkam 507 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Sri: rahtnOpalaprakarasamBhava ESha dhUrAdh rangADhirAjacharaNAvani! thAvakIna: AdhrarparADhapariKhinnaDhiyAm prajAnA- mAshvAsanArTha iva BhAthi karapraSAra:

Oh Paaduka! The rays from the gems on You scatter to such large distances that people who stand off at a far distance from the Lord, for reasons of their having been committing offences till that moment even. It looks as if You extend Your encouraging hand to them!

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh Rangaraja PaadhukE! Those who have committed heinous crimes and thereby accumulated abominable sins are hesitant to come near You. They stand far away from You. When they repent over their status, it appears that the rays from Your gems extend themselves to the places where the sinners are and console them. They serve as extensions of You to assure freedom from fear for them.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! The lustre of the rays linked with Your gems extend far and it appears as though they are reaching out to those, who have committed many aparAdhams and comfort them.

3) Here Swami Desikan visualises the extensively spread rays emanating from the assembly of gems on the Paadhukais and compares them to the extended hands (rathnOpala prakara sambhava: dhUrAth yEsha thAvakIna: karaprasAra:). What do these extended hands do? They reach out those chEthanams, who feel contrite about their trespasses against the Lord's SaasthrAs (ThAvakinA: KaraprasAra: aardhra aparAdha parikhinna dhiyAm prajAnAm). Those "hands" touch and comfort them (aasvAsanArTa karaprasAra iva bhAthi).

SlOkam 508 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

vyAmuhyathO viShayibAlamrugAnmadhIyAn samsAra Gharma janithAsu marIchikAsu pAdhAvani! PraguNa rathna mayUKha jAlaI- rAkruShya vishramaya kEshava kAnthi sinDhoU

Oh Paaduka! To me, who had been suffering the sultry summer of Samsara and, in an effort to find relief, had gone after mirages that mislead and delude one; all this, because the stags of the 5 senses flee in all directions. You ought to kindly render a help; catch me in the net of rays Your gems scatter, take to the Lord and immerse me in the flood of His effulgence!

1) UV`s anubhavam: Here, Swami Desikan includes himself as one of the misbehaving ones and requests the rays of the gems of the Paadhukais to intervene and bless him. He says: "My sensory organs, mind and other jn~AnEndriyAs do not stop their chase of worldly pleasures (vishayAs). The VishayAs are like mirage and my indhriyAs run after them as if the mirage is water, which does not exist. My indhriyAs run after the vishayAs like young deer in an energetic fashion. They do not stop running from one day to the other. They keep running. Oh, PaadhukE! May the net made of the rays from the gems adorning You drag me close to You, so I can taste the true nectar of Your Lord standing on You. Please bless me with this boon and immerse me in the cool waters of RanganAthA, so I can recover from my pitiable plight.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Here Swami Desikan's prayer is for us to understand the powerful messages of Swamy NammAzhwAr's ThiruvAimozhi instead of just reciting it. Such an understanding will take the taste away from vishaya sukhams like the enjoyment of transient pleasures and link us instead to the everlasting pleasures of the Lord's Thiruvadi that leads to Moksha Siddhi. Swami Desikan prays to SaThAri Soori to command the rays extending from the gems to serve as a net to capture his darting indhriyams and land them at the sacred feet of the Lord.

3) Here Swami Desikan compares his indhriyams here to young deer (madIyAn Vishayee bAla mrugAn); they run uncontrollably after the desert mirages of SamsAram (samsAra dharma marIchikAsu vyAmuhyatha: madhiyAn vishayee). The bright rays emanating from Your many gems should unite to form a net to capture these indhriyams of mine (Baala mrugAn praguNa rathna mayUkha jaalai: aakrushya) and let them rest in the radiant ocean of PerumAL (aakrushya Kesava kaanthi sindhou visrAmaya).

SlOkam 509 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Sri: antharniDhAya muniBhi: parirakshyamANA- mAthmIyarashmiguNithAm maNi pAdha rakshE! rangEshapAdhakamalaprathipannamudhrAm nIvImavaImi BhavathIm nigamAnthavAchAm

Oh Manipaaduka! Fain would I say that seers hold a treasure-chest in a bag so to say-the content inside being Yourself, the meaning of Vedanta sayings, the tying strings being the radiations emitted by the gems on You. What is more, the bag is securely sealed and bears the seal of Ranganatha's Feet!

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh RanganAtha PaadhukE! You are protected inside the hearts of Yogis and sages. I recognize You there as a knot, which ties together the rays of gems emanating from You. Over the space formed by Your knot, RanganAthA's feet rest. His feet appear there like an imprint of lotus. VedAs praise the mysterious meaning of those lotus feet. Your supremely auspicious knot with the Lord standing on it is held in the heart cavity of the yogis. When I think of You, I get the Lord and the VedAs as well--and experience the lustre of Your rays.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! The illustrious sages hold You tightly in their heart lotuses. The extended rays emanating from Your gems seem to tie You to their hearts lotuses. Your Lord's feet resting on You appear in this context like an imprint on You. When the great ones see You, they experience the sight of the knot made by the Upanishads. SadAchAryAs meditate on the essence of Upanishads like Moola Manthram, Dhvayam et al. Their deep devotion

binds the Lord to them and He is unable to move away. PerumAl resides happily in their heart lotuses. The enlightened sishyAs of the SadAchAryans meditate on latter.

3) Here, Swami Desikan describes the Lord's Paadhukais having the imprint of the lotus feet of PerumAL (RangEsa Paadha Kamala prathipanna mudhrAm Bhavatheem). The PaadhukAs are tied as it were to the Lord's Thiruvadi through the ropes (the lustorous rays of the gems): "aathmayA rasmi guNithAm RangEsa Paadha Kamalam". The Paadukais adorning the Lord's Thiruvadi Are like the knot made up of the gems of Upanishads (Bhavatheem nigamAntha-VaachAm neeveem avaimi). Such a Paadhukai is kept with reverence at the heart Lotuses of the enlightened sages and meditated upon (Munibhi: anatha: nidhAya ParirakshyamANam Bhavatheem).

SlOkam 510 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! You earned the previlege of being pure beyond all things pure; by reason of the contact with the Lord's Feet. It is therefore, appropriate that You are bejewelled with gemstones. You are the bridge for all people to cross the ocean of samsara.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Here, Swami Desikan salutes the PaadhukAs as a holy bridge (Sethu) built with the rays of gems that helps in crossing the ocean of SamsAram. He says: "Oh RanganAtha PaadhukE! Your Lord RanganAthaa took the incarnation of RaamA and built a bridge over the salt waters of southern ocean to reach LankA. After that, He came back to Srirangam and continues to live there. Oh PaadhukE! You have continous association with RanganAthA, who is none other than RaamA, the builder of Raama sEthu. Through Your association, You serve as today's sEthu. You are built with gems this time instead of stones and wood. As the present sEthu, You help the suffering people cross the ocean of samsAram to reach Your Lord's feet.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! You excell as a bridge over the one built in the past over the waters of southern ocean. The reason is that the Lord is always placing His Thiruvadi inside You. Therefore, there is no object that is more sacred than You. Your surface is enmeshed with gems. By reflecting on You and Your gems enmeshed in Your surface, the samsAris get rid of their samsAric afflictions.

3) Here, Swami Desikan identifies the resident of Sriranga VimAnam as Raamachandran (RangavasathE: Raamasya) and Swamy NammazhwAr Ennobled by His Thiruvadi sambhandham (RangavasathE: Raamasya charaNa Anushanga kaashtAm gathAm). That loftiness attained by association with the Lord's feet confers on the Paadhukis the power of sanctifying the world with its touch (Bhuvana paavanathAm dhadhAnaa Thvam). Therefore, You with Your tightly enmeshed assembly of gems become the bridge (sEthu) for people to cross over the ocean of SamsAram (Prachura rathnasilA nibhaddha Thvam, prajAnAm samsAra santharaNa sEthu iva).

SlOkam 511 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Manipaaduka! On Your movement over the crown of the Devas, the gemstones in You emit a multi-coloured display that looks like arch-garlands set up in the sky for the festival of Lord Ranganatha.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh Ranganatha paadhukE! the lustre from Your gems travelling from one crowned head of Deva to the other lights up the sky and appears like bright buntings and festive decorations hung in the sky during the festivals for RanganAtha. Swami Desikan visualizes the spreading of scintillations caused by the rays of the gems decorating the PaadhukAs and identifies them with the crowned heads of DevAs prostrating before the PaadhukAs.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! The crowned heads of DevAs carry aloft Your emanating rays with green, red, blue and other hues. As Your multicolored radiance spread in the sky, it looks like the multi-hued thOraNams strung across the sky, which are similar to the ones used in Your Lord's uthsavams. The inner meaning is that the prabhandha ghOshti recites Swamy NammAzhwAr's paasurams during the uthsavams of RanganAthan. These passurams are filled with anubhavams of happiness, sorrow and many other moods. Their many splendoured naadham resembles the multi-hued banners used in the Uthsavams and are pleasing to the ear with their sound and meanings.

3) When the DevAs prostrate before the Paadhukais, the rays fall on the crowned heads of the DevAs. After their salutations, the DevAs travel in the sky to their abodes. The multi-colored brilliant rays from the gems of the PaadhukAs linger on the heads of the DevAs and they form, as it were, a colorful banner spread across the sky (Dhivishath makuDEshu samcharanthyA: tE prachura prakAsA: bhAthi). The banner like formations in the sky resemble the multi-colored ThOraNams used during the festivals of Lord RanganAtha (RangapathE: MahOthsavarTam dhivi vithathA vandhana - maalikA iva bhAthi).

SlOkam 512 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! Your gemstones would act like a magnet to spontaneously attract the iron of the hard-hearts even over a long distance.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Here, Swami Desikan explains the festivities that are conducted at Srirangam. He points out that that the purpose of them are to attract those, who are far away and bring them closer to receive the Lord's anugraham. He identifies the services rendered by the PaadhukAs on these occasions of the temple festivals and says: "Oh Mukundha PaadhukE! Your gems are like magnets for the pieces of iron at considerable distances. These pieces of iron are nothing but the hard hearts of men, who do not think of the Lord. Your gems with long rays reach out and bring these men closer to the Lord just as powerful magnets pull a piece of iron close to them.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that the minds of the devotees of Swamy NammAzhwAr (the Lord's Paadhukais) are pulled like an iron piece to a magnet, when they hear the paasurams of SaThaari Soori. Their hearts melt with the experience.

3) Oh PaadhukE! Your gems are by nature like a magnet (tava rathnAni svabhAvAth lOhakAnthA:). As magnets, they have the power to pull the iron particles. Swamy compares the hard hearts of those, who are far away to the iron particles at a distance and the gems of the Paadhukais to the magnet that attracts those iron particles (lOhakAnthA: ayasAmiva dhavIyasAm kaDinAnAm. manasAm vikarshaNAya prabhavanthi).

SlOkam 513 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Sri: paripashyathi dhEvi! ranganAThE rahasi thvam saviDhE nivishya lakshmyA: paripuShyasi rathnaDhAmaBhi: svaI- ranasUyEva manOjnamangarAgam

Oh Paaduka Devi! The gems on You shower a sandal-paste cover, so to say on Lakshmi seated nearby, in a private moment, when Lord Ranganatha looks on. This is reminiscent of anasooya devi (Atri's wife) applying ornaments and fragrant paste on Sita!

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukA Devi! While RanganAthA is watching closely, You sit next to RanganAyaki and adorn Her with gem garlands made up of the rays coming out of Your body just as AnusooyA decorated SitA PirAtti in her hermitage in previous times.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! when PerumAL and ThAyAr are together privately, the lustre from Your gems spreads and falls on ThAyAr, which reminds one of AnusooyA dEvi sprinkling sandal paste on SitA PirAtti during latter's visit to the hermitage of her (Anusooya"s) husband. The onlooker, RanganAthA enjoys that scene.

3) Oh Paadhuka Devi! When Your colourful and cool rays fall on ThAyAr During the yEkAntham of the dhivya dampathis, it is like Anusooya dEvi's UpachAram to her guest SitA Piraatti (savidhE rathnadhAmAbhi: AnusooyEva manog~ynam paripushyasi).

SlOkam 514 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Sri: thava rathnakarArpitham navInam parigruhya sThiramamshukam manOjnyam jaradhamshukavath suKhEna dhEham kruthina: kEshavapAdhukE! Thyajanthi

Oh Paaduka! You present with your hands namely, the rays from Your gemstones, a new garment of lustre-layer on those previleged persons (serving You). They as a result, are in a position to cast off their body itself as if it were a worn-out garment, so nonchalantly!

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Here, Swami Desikan points out that the PaadhukAs present the jeevans with a novel and new garment, when the jeevans seek their refuge. He says: "Oh Kesava PaadhukE! You present a novel and radiant garment made out of the threads of rays emanating from Your gems to the approaching jeevan. After receiving this rare garment, the blessed jeevans abandon their earthly bodies effortlessly, as if they are getting rid of a worn-out garment.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! Whenever the radiant rays from your gems fall on anyone, they are blessed to leave their bodies at the end of their lives without any struggle. They effortlessly leave their bodies just like casting away a torn vasthram. They seem to wear the new robes presented to them by Your hand made up of the rays from Your gems and they (jeevans) travel on joyously.

3) Oh paadhukE! There are some puNyasAlis (Kruthina:) on whom the rays from Your gems fall at the end of their lives on earth. Some thing most auspicious happens to them then. At that time, your hands made up of the rays from your gems present, as it were, a new, durable and beautiful cloth (tava rathna kara arpitham). The jeevan that resided erstwhile in the old and diseased body wears the new clothes and casts aside the body as an old torn cloth.

SlOkam 515 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Manipaaduka! Your surface, rough to a degree by reason of the manifold gems thereon, trains the Lord's feet to bear to set foot on my heart also, which is indeed hard. This is a favour from You!

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Here, Swami Desikan reveals that the PaadhukAs not only bless the jeevans but also prepares the Lord's feet to enter the hearts of the jeevans. He points out that the effect of the PaadhukA rays falling on us is the sign of the firm establishment of the Lord's holy feet in our hearts. He says: "Oh gem-bedecked PaadhukAs of MurAri! You prepare the Lord's feet on all sides through the rays of Your gems so that His soft feet can put up with the hard surfcae of my heart. You make it possible for Lord RanganAthan's soft feet stay comfortably in the hard chamber of my heart.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PadhukE! Your Lord steps on the surface of the hard gems decorating You. Being used to that, He steps on my very hard heart and banishes the desires, anger, jealousy that made it hard. The inner meaning is that we have abundant inauspicious qualities. We do not think of the Lord much. AchAryALs strive without interruption and pray to the Lord on our behalf so that the Lord can respond to their prayers and bless us.

3) The paadhukais have a special samskAra VisEsham (superior habit). It has the sambhnadham of the Lord's Thiruvadi (BhavathI abhitha: nibhaddhai: Aathmarathnai: krutha samskAra visEsham). The Lord rests His Thiruvadi on the hard gems enmeshed on all sides of You. You prepare Him with the contact on Your hard surface 1st so that He can easily place His Thiruvadi on my very hard heart later.

SlOkam 516 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! May You please deposit me at the Feet of the Divya- dampati; after cleansing me of all sins by the tip of the rays of the gems-which rays are Your hands, so to say-and making me reach a level of equality with You (or the Lord?)! May You do it Yourself.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! May I request You on Your own accord to use Your hands made up of rays from Your gems and use the fore portion of those hands to shake and remove my sins and virtues (PaapAs and Punyams) and then qualify me to be near You and the divine couple of Srirangam?

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! May the bright and purifying rays from Your gems fall on me and remove all my blemishes to qualify me to be at the side of Yourself and the Dhivya Dampathis. The inner meaning is that SadAchAryAs through their upadesams remove the inauspicious guNams of their sishyAs and place the aathmA of the Sishyan at the feet of the Lord.

3) The prayer here by Swami Desikan on our behalf is 2 fold: (a) svayam nija rathna kara anjalai: madhIyAn aparAdhAn avadhooya (Please banish all my sins with your own fingertips formed by the combination of the rays from Your gems). (b) Please place me at the Thiruvadi of the Lord united with Sri RanganAyaki (dhattha saamyA RamayA sahithasya Rangabharthu: padhayO: maam arpaya).

SlOkam 517 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Manipaaduka! The arrays, in circles of rays emitted by the gems on You, look like strings fastened to a trap that You are. You entrap the eyes (of all people) as if they were birds. You are so alluring to see!

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh gem-bedecked PaadhukAs of the Lord of Srirangam! With the rays of Your gems forming a circular net, You appear like a hunter that uses his net to catch forest birds. Swami Desikan compares the eyes of the devotees to the birds caught in the net set up by the PaadhukAs. He suggests that the devotees have become captive, because of their being overtaken by the beauty of the rays emanating from the gems adorning the PaadhukAs.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that the SadAchAryAs Shine with Brahma tejas, sweet voice, dayai, patience and devotion to the Lord. Any one who has their sEvai are attracted by them and come under their sway.

3) Oh PaadhukE! You are surrounded by the cluster of the many splendoured rays (Thvam rasmi jaalaparivEsha BhandhurA). You are in that state like a net to capture the flock of birds that are the people of this world (Thvam VisvalOchana vihanga-hAriNI vithathA vaagurEva virAjasE).

SlOkam 518 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Sri: mAnasAmbhujavikAsahEthuBhi: sEvithA maNigaNai: praBhAkaraI: pAdhukE! vahasi sadBhirAshrithAm dhEvi! viShNupadhasampadham navAm

Oh Paaduka Devi! You acquire a halo from the Lord's Feet. You emit bright light from dazzling gems, creating an unusual phantom of so many suns and stars, all at the same time! Sadhus lovingly resort to you. (Note the double entendre in Vishnupada meaning the sky also and sat meaning star also).

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Here, Swami Desikan plays with the double meaning of the word, "VishNu Padham", which can mean the feet of the Lord or the sky. He answers any questions on comparing such different items and says that the Lord's feet are a new kind of sky with so many unique qualities. For instance, in the sky of the Lord's feet, the Sun and the Stars always coexist. In the normal sky, the Sun or the Star will not coexist. Swamy says: "Oh PaadhukA Devi! The gems adorning You cause the mind of devotees to blossom in the same way the Sun causes the lotus of Maanasa saras to bloom. Righteous people flock to You in the same way as the stars crowd the sky at night. Therefore, I think that You are a new kind of sky, where both the Sun and the Stars coexist".

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! You are like the space, where the Sun and stars coexist at the same time. The inner meaning is that the one, who is fortunate to enjoy the deep meanings of the AzhwAr's paasurams as well as his dhivya guNams would be rid of the sins and attain a status equal to that of the lotus on which MahA Lakshmi sits.

3) Swami Desikan says here that the Paadhukais have the lustre of the Lord's thiruvadi (Vishnu padha sampadham vahasi). 2 Items make this possible.

SlOkam 519 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Sri: aDhishayithaPhaNIshvarasya shoUrE: SvayamaDhirUDapadhOpaDhAnapArshvA maNi valayajuShA karENa mandham sprushasi padhAvani! pAdhayOryugam thath

Oh Paaduka! Mahalakshmi caresses the Feet of the Lord as He is lying on the Adishesha couch. You, for Your part, gently touch the Feet with orbs of rays emitted by Your gems, as You are seated near the pillow below the Lord's Feet.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Here, Swami Desikan answers those, who say that the PaadhukAs have no connection with the Lord, while He is sleeping. Swamy points out that the rays radiating from the gems adorning the PaadhukAs touch the Lord's feet gently without waking Him up. He says: "Oh PaadhukE! You approach the pillows supporting the feet of the Lord and His feet with Your brilliant rays and touch them. These are the feet, which Sri Devi presses with Her warm and loving hands. You follow after Her with Your service and touch the Lord's feet with hands of light made up of the rays radiating from the gems adorning Your surface. This way, You serve Him and yet do not disturb His sleep.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that the activities of the mind, Speech and body of the SadAchAryAs are always centred around their service to the Lord.

3) The Paadhukais are sitting next to the pillow under the feet of the Lord, who is Having His yoga nidhrA on the bed of Adhi Seshan (adhisayitha phaNIsvarasya SourE: adhirooDa padhOpadhAna paarsvA Thvam). You touch gently with the hands made up of Your radiant rays of the gems adorning You and appear to touch Your Lord's Thiruvadi gently (Thvam svayam maNivalayajushA karENa Thath paadhayO: yugam mandham sprusasi).

SlOkam 520 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Sri: BhavathyanthE thvAm praNathasya janthO: thadhOkOgrajvalanam thvathprakAshaI: yathO nADyA maDhyamayA viniryan gathim vindhEth kEshavapAdharakshE!

Oh Paaduka! Whosoever has worshipped You gets a previlege. In his final moment; the soul as it leaves the heart, gets its course lighted by the brilliance of Your gems and he locates the sushumna- nadi through which he can follow the Archiradi path.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Here, Swami Desikan describes the PaadhukA's help, when the Jeevan leaves the heart lotus, where the Lord resides. Swami Desikan builds the verse around the Brahma Soothram, which begins with the words: "TadhOkOagra--Jvalanam". The meaning of this Soothram is: "when the liberated Jeevan is thus helped by the Lord residing in the heart, then in that glowing light, the Lord points out to the jeevan, as it were, the 100 and 1st artery by which it should leave the body nad continue its journey on the archirAdi path to His supreme abode, Sri Vaikuntam. Thus, the jeevan comes to know of the Brahma Naadi and exits by it. The unliberated jeevans on the other hand exit their bodies via their eye, nose etc. In this verse based on the above soothram, Swami Desikan says: "Oh Kesava PaadhukE! For those liberated jeevans, who worship You, the place of the Lord in their heart lotuses are illuminated. With that light, the brahma naadi's location is revealed to the jeevans for their onward travel via archirAdhi maargam to Sri Vaikuntam.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Brahma Soothram and Upanishads say that Those, who engage in Bhakthi yOgam or Prapatthi yOgam leave their bodies during their last moments via Brahma Naadi to start their journey to Sri Vaikuntam. Oh PaadhukE! the radiance of rays associated with Your gems help the jeevan to see the Brahma Naadi arising out of the heart and travel on it.

3) Swami Desikan salutes the agra jvalanam (the pointed light) of the radiance of the rays originating from the gems (thvath prakAsai:) helping the jeevan at the end of the stay on earth. That jeevan has performed the anushtAnam of Bhakthi or Prapatthi Yogam and out of that bhAgyam leaves the body from the naadi originating at the heart cavity and ending up on the top of the head (anthE ThvAm praNathasya janthO: tath Oka: Thvath prakAsaI: agra jvalanam bhavathi). With the help of that light, the jeevan travels comfortably to the top of the head and exits the body to continue with the onward journey to SrIVaikuntam (Yatha: madhyamayA naaDyA viniryan gathim vindhEth).

SlOkam 521 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Sri: ashithilapariNaDdhA rashmijAlaIrmaNInAm dhuraDhigamathamam na: pAramArOpayanthI kamalanayanamAdhyam karNaDhAram dhaDhAnA Bhavasi BhavapayODhE: pAdhukE! POthapAthrI

Oh Paaduka! We are taken in the yacht to cross the ocean of samsara that is difficult to cross. You are the yacht; the gem-rays serve as the ropes with which the yacht is fastened all around. The navigator is the 1st of the class, the Lotus-eyed Lord!

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Swami Desikan compares the pAdhukAs of the Lord to a wodden ship that transports the evolved soul across the vast expanse of this universe after the soul leaves the body through the brahma naadi. He says: "Oh PaadhukE! You are bound together by the rays associated with the gems adorning You; You transport us like a ship across the ocean that is the most difficult to cross. You have a boatman, who is none other than Your lotus-eyed Lord. It is for all these 3 reasons You became the ship to cross the ocean of samsaaram.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that Lord RanganAtha standing on top of You transports the jeevans to Parama Padham through the sadAchAryAs, who have the power of influence over Him.

3) Oh PadhukE! You become the ship to cross the ocean of samsAram (Thvam Na: bhava payOdhE: pOthapAthri bhavasi). Who is the navigator/boatman of that ship transporting the Jeevans? That boatman is the primordial Lord of Srirangam with the lotus eyes (aadhyam kamala nayanam karNadhAram). That boat is tied with the ropes of rays emanating from the gems on the Paadhukai (maNinAm rasmi jaalai: asiTila pariNaddhA). Where does the boat under the captain's directions transport the muktha jeevans too? To the most difficult to reach parama padham, which is on the opposite shore of the ocean of samsAram (dhuradhigamatamam paaram). Thou art that Boat to us.

SlOkam 522 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Sri: maNigaNakiraNaIsthE kalpithE gulmaBhEdhE murgayuriva kurangI thvAm puraskruthya BhavyAm harathi charaNarakshE! BhakthipAshAvaruDdham hrudhaya hariNayUTham prANinAm ranganATha:

Oh Paaduka! Lord Ranganatha laying You as a lure, You being a veritable hind, kept hushed in a bush-namely, of radiation-arrays from Your gems-entices the hearts of devotees, as if they were stags (male deer) tying them with the rope of Bhakti and He leads them on to You!

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Allusion is made here to the act of a hunter, who uses a trained deer to attract other deers for catching them. The hunter is Lord RanganAthan and the trained deer is the PaadhukA. The rays radiated by the gems form the bush, where the trained deer stands as a decoy. The path by which the flock of deers comes to the trained deer is through bhakthi maarga. Here Swami Desikan suggests that the bhakthi of the evolved souls increase, when led by the paadhukAs on the archirAdhi maarga to the Lord (the Hunter). Swamy says: "Oh PaadhukE! RanganAthA, the hunter benefits from Your service as a trained deer that attracts the herd of deer roaming in the forest. When the herd is brought near the bush of rays originating from Your gems, RanganAtha binds the deers with His rope known as Bhakthi.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that Lord RanganAtha makes use of the SadAchAryAs to hekp the chEthanams struggling in samsAram with their deluding attachments to family, money and career and through them instructs them on the vaibhavam of Himself, Moksham and freedom from the cycles of births and deaths and lifts them upto His supreme abode. SadAchAryAs help to generate bhakthi in the chEthanam's minds and prepares them through upadEsams on Tathva -Hitha -PurushArTams.

3) Paadhukai is compared to a female deer that the hunter (RanganAtha uses to catch a herd of deers (Ranganatha: bhavyAm thvAm puraskruthya hariNayUTam harathi). What are these deers? They are the minds of the chEthanmas. The rope that is used to catch them is the rope of Bhakthi (RanganAtha: bhakthi paasa avaruddham prANinAm hrudhaya: harathi).

SlOkam 523 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Sri: parichithapadhamUlA pAdhukE! RangiNasthvam praBhavathi BhujamaDhyE koUsthuBhOyam thaThApi Bhavathi BhrushamaDhasthAth thEjasA BhavyaBhUmnA shalaBhithadhurithAnAm thAvakAnAm maNInAm

Oh Paaduka! You perennially stay below the Lord's Feet. The Koustubha gem is high above, in the Lord's chest. Nevertheless Your gems alone are capable of burning the sins of people by their mere brilliant light (as a lamp-flame burns the circling moth). Now the Koustubha gem has been lowered in status compared to You!

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Swami Desikan compares here the excellence and power of the gems resting on the PaadhukAs with that of the KounsthubhA gem found in the chest region of Lord RanganAtha. He says: "Oh PaadhukE! You are resting under the feet of the Supreme Lord. The Kousthubha gem occupies a dominant position on Your Lord's chest. Inspite of that choice location, the KousthubhA gem it does not have the power to destroy the sins of jeevans as You do. Therefore, I consider that the KousthubhA gem is inferior to the gems adorning You. The jeevans taking refuge in You by approaching Your Lord's lotus feet have their sins destroyed by the rays originating from the gems on You.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that NammAzhwAr was born in a lower jaathi as a Sudran. Yet, through His superior vairAgyam, anushtAnam and Bhaakthi, He demonstrated that He is far superior to even nithya sooris or the eternally liberated ones.

3) Oh PadhukE! You stay humbly at the feet of the Lord (Thvam parichitha padha padha moola:). The Kousthubham gem shines brilliantly in the chest region of Your Lord (ayam Kousthubha: bhuja madhyE prabhavathi). Even then, the glory Of the rays from Your gems surpasses that of the vaibhavam of the Kousthubha gem. Why? Your gems can destroy the sins with their sanctifying rays like The fire flies falling into the bright lamp (salabhitha dhurithAnAm ThAvakAnAm MaNinAm). Koudsthubha rathnam does not have that power.

SlOkam 524 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! The Deluge of darkness of the night of Brahma at the end of Kalpas! All is lifeless; the Lord and His consort alone keep awake. The couple is an Ever-Youthful Couple. To provide them light, You serve as a lamp with dense rays emitted by Your gems.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Swami Desikan hints here that the Paadhukais are not destroyed even during the time of praLayam. He describes next the service rendered by the Paadhukais to the Lord during praLayam. He says: "at the end of the series of days and nights of Brahma, praLayam sets in. There is utter darkness everywhere. The animate beings are in deep slumber. Only the Lord and His PirAtti are wide-awake. At that time, they are able to traverse the enormous universe with the help of light radiating from the gems adorning You. Those rays serve as big and bright lamps illuminating Their house.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: During the darkness associated with praLayam The lustre of the gems of Paadhukais serves as illuminating lamps. During the era of Kali Yugam, dharmam declines and the Lord's aarAdhanam is not done properly and often it is interrupted. During these difficult times, the dhivya dampathis are pleased to hear the recital of AzhwAr's ThiruvAimozhi by bhakthAs, who attempt to overcome the kali dhOsham.

3) The time is that of praLayam, the time when the day for a BrahmA is completed (kalpa srENi dhina pariNathou). The great multitude of chEthanams is overcome with fear at the sight of the engulfing darkness and has fallen into deep sleep (janthu: jaalE prasupthE, thaadhrusEna tamasaa jagathi vishvak vyApthE). Who is awake then? An eighteeen year old youth and His pirAtti are wide Awake (KamalayA saha jaagarUkasya Yuna:). He is at His residence under PraNavAkAra VimAnam (vaasagEhE KamalayA saha Yuna: asthi). There, the residence is illumined with bright beams made up of your cluster of rays originating from the gems on the Paadhukais (VaasagEhE pradhIpA: sthyAna aalOkai: Tava maNigaNai: sampadhyanthE).

SlOkam 525 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! You become haughty I imagine by reason of service to the Lord's lotus feet. So, what You do is to step on the gem-studded crowns of the devas. And the flawless and fearless gemstones on You pick up a quarrel-clasping the hairlocks mutually-with the gems on the crowns!

1) Swami Desikan points out here a picture of battle between the egotistic gems of DevA's crowns and the gems of the Paadhukais. He picturizes the battle taking place at the time, when the Paadhukais sit on the crowned heads of DevAs. He imagines that the rays from the DevA's crowns lock in battle with the rays of gems adorning the Paadhukais and losing miserably in that battle and being chastised. He equates the rays of gems to the hair on the head. This analogy extends to the scene, where the 2 kinds of rays combat with each other by catching their hairs. There is no doubt as to who wins. The gems adorning the Paadhukais win because they are free from defects and are fearless. Swami Desikan says: " Oh PaadhukE! You adorn the holy feet of the Moon of Srirangam and are filled with justifiable pride. You ascend the crowned heads of the dEvAs, who partake the food offered in Vedic sacrifices. When dEvAs prostrate before You, the gems on their crowns become jealous and out of their ignorance about the mighty power of Your gems quarrel with them and lose mightily.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: When the dEvAs prostrate before You out of Reverence for the fact that You are at the sacred feet of the Lord, there arises a Quarrel between the gems on the crowns of the dEvAs and those on the paadhukais. AzhwAr (RanganAtha Paadhukai) through the power of his paasurams easily overcomes the lustre of the gems on the crowns of dEvAs And is celebrated.

3) The fight between the rays of the gems on Paadhukai and the gems on The crowns of prostrating davAs is described by Sawmy Desikan as "kEsAkEsi" Yuddham, where the forelocks are grabbed intensively in combat. The results are Predictable. "SrI ranghEndhO: charaNa kamala dhvandhvam", the Paadhukais win effortlessly.

SlOkam 526 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Sri: thvadhrathnOpalarashmipanjarathanuthrANam sThiram biBhratha: mAtharmADhavapAdhukE! na thu punarhasthaI: sprushanthyAkulaI: dhUrOthsiktha dhurAdya jihvagabiladhvA: pAlakOpAnala jvAlA mithra kaTora vEthra lathikA dhattha arDha chandram vapu:

Oh Mother, Madhava Paaduka! Those who wear the armour of the cage of rays emitted by Your gems, will face no chance of standing before a rich man-a veritable cobra-or of being sent out with the stick of his gate-keeper and of falling down and removing dust from the body.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! Evolved, dispassionate beings, who worship You wear the rays emanating from the diamonds adorning You as their armour. This way, they protect themselves against the touch of the unfit ones, who stand in front of the rich, arrogant people's houses. These evolved souls reject the temptations of perishable wealth. They do not let the lowly ones, who spend their lives in service of the un-righteous rich people. The armour given to them by You protects them from the vile touch of the lowly ones, who guard the doors of arrogant, wealthy people.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that those, who understand the updEsams of Swamy NammAzhwAr's paasurams will never ever be found at the gates of the un-righteous ones, who arrogantly display their wealth. They will never ever humiliate them.

3) Swami Desikan addresses the Paadhukais here as "Maadhva PadhukE!" to remind us that the Lord of the Paadhukais is the grantor of the supreme wealth of mOksham. Swami Desikan points out that the devotees of Paadhukais of the Lord wear permanently the armour created by the stitching of the lustre of the rays emanating from the gems adorning them (sTiram panjara Thvath rathnOthpala rasmi tanuthrANam Bhibhratha:). They never approach the abodes of the haughty rich (dhUra uthsikitha dhurADya:). Those arrogant ones have their gates guarded by angry gatekeepers, who hiss like an angry snake (jihvaga Bhila dhvA paala kOpAnala jvAlAmithra) spitting out flames of anger. Those angry servants of the haughty masters place their hands on the necks of the ones seeking help and push them out of the gates. Swami Desikan says that those, who are blessed to wear the kavacham of the rays of Paadhukais do not make contact with the hands of the servants of the arrogant rich.

SlOkam 527 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Sri: samvarthOdhithasUryakOtisadhrushIm rangEshapAdhavani! prasthoUShi prathiyathnarathnanikarajyOthishChatAmudhBhatAm thanmanyE thadhananya sUripariShanmaDhyE nivEshAya na:thAdhrugvAsarasEpi BhEtthumachirAdh asmAkam anDham thama:

Oh Ranganatha Paaduka! You emit effulgence, from Your ornamental gems, equal to a crore of suns in the deluge of darkness. I fail believe that it is to dispel our inner darkness so that we can-even in the midst of our love to live in this earthly world-join the galaxy of Paramaikantis (like Adisesha and Azhvars) who know nothing except the Lord.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: In the previous verse, Swami Desikan referred to the noble ones wearing the armour of the PaadhukA rays and thereby being protected from the association with unrighteous ones. Here, Swami Desikan says that the radiance of the PaadhukA gems removes the extraordinary darkness prevailing at the time of the universal dissolution. That radiance removes the afflictions of even those, who do not expressly seek the companionship of the devotees of the Lord. He says: "Oh RanganAtha PaadhukE! During the time of praLayam, the radiance of Your diamonds appear like crores of Suns. You destroy the fearsome darkness of the praLayam night so that we could leave our inertia behind and join the righteous ones offering service to You.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! with Your astonishing and superior lustre resembling the rise of crores of Suns, You seem to send the message that there is a joyous place that is the opposite of the sadness of this samsAric world known as Sri Vaikuntam and that You can take them there. The inner meaning is that the people of the world do not listen to the upadEsams of PerumAL in Geethai and Saasthrams and suffer form the continuation of their adharmic ways. AzhwAr takes pity on these suffering jeevans and creates disgust in them for samsAram and grows their longing for SrI Vaikuntam using His Dhivya prabhandhams.

3) What do the Padhukais do? They generate the lustre similar to the crores of Suns rising against the abysmal darkness of praLaya kaalam (Thvam samvartha Udhitha Soorya kODi sadhrusI). This originates from the multitudinous assembly of rays adorning You (udhbhaDAm prathiyathna rathna nikara jyOthi: chaDAm Prasthoushi). You display that radiance for helping us banish the ignorance about Your Lord's supreme abode of SrI Vaikuntam and the blessings waiting for us there (vaasa rasEapi andham asmAkam tama: bhEtthum manyE). That supreme abode of Your Lord is populated by the assembly of Nithya Sooris, who do not think of anyone except Your Lord (Tadhanya Soori parishath). You intend to place us, the ignoramus, right in the middle of those Nithya Sooris like Garudan, AdhisEshan et al (tadhanya Soori parishath madhyE nivEsathi).

SlOkam 528 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Sri: salilam vinyasya thvayi charaNarakshE! Nijapadham yadhrucChAniShkrAnthE viharathi haroU rangarasikE dhishAsoUDhAnaShtoU janayasi thadhA nirBharamilan maNicChAyAmAyAGhanaGhatithakEthuvyathikarAn

Oh Paaduka! when the Lord sets His Feet on You, for a sportive walk, You send arrays of rays to all directions to make it appear as though all palatial mansions are getting ready for the Lord, with festoons and flags!

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! Lord RanganAtha out of His enormous affection for Your companionship decides some times to take unplanned journeys. These are spontaneous decisions on His part. During those times, the rays from the diamonds adorning You make up for the absence of the traditional flags seen on top of the mansions, when Your Lord's journeys are announced. You order Your gems to extend their rays and form the flags on top of the mansions of SrIrangam to make up for the deficiencies.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that a fortunate jeevan due to unknown good fortune gains AchArya KatAksham and thereafter Bhagavath anugraham. That blessed jeevan's speech and guNams are celebrated in all directions.

3) Lord is fond of Ranga VimAnam (Ranga rasikan). Some times, He leaves that favorite spot unannounced wearing You and steps out for a joyous journey enjoying Your company (Thvayi nija padham saleelam vinyasya yadhrucchA-nishkrAnthE viharathi). At those times, You make up quickly for the absence of the traditional flags on top of the mansions in all directions that are seen, when the Lord's visit is known ahead (Thvam tadhA ashtou disA soudhAn nirbhara miLath maNi cchAyA maayA ghana ghaDitha kEthu vyathikArAn janayasi).

SlOkam 529 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Mother Paaduka! I deem that You are a veritable Veda-nidhi, which contains priceless gems, which outdoes the Sun in effulgence, which can be located with difficulty only by knowledgeable ones, and which is zealously kept under guard under the Lord's Feet.

gems are the supreme treasure that one can hope to get. You share all the attributes of great wealth and yet surpass them all in every aspect. You are the treasure for vedAs and vEdic scholars. Embraced by gems of inestimable value, You occupy a Position under the lotus feet of Ranganatha and protect them. Your auspicious devotees have identified You as the wealth of all wealths.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! Your Lord is wearing You with supremely radiant gems on His Thiruvadi. That appears like the invaluable treasure constituted by the Vedams, Smruthis and purANams.

3) Swami Desikan salutes the greatnes of the lustre of the gems enmeshed in the Paadhukais of the Lord here. He says that they put to shame the radiance of many rising suns (mahArgai: avadhUtha dhyumaNi maNibhi: aaslishtAm ThvAM). This radiant paahdukai and its svaroopam is comprehended by the fortunate jeevans with great effort (KshEthraj~nai: kaTanchith adhigatha padhAm). Such a glorious Paadhukai adorns the lotus soft feet of the Lord for the protection of the world (MukudhEna thrAthum padha kamala moolE vinihithAm). You are indeed veritable and inestimable treasure for the jeevans (niravdhim nidhim manyE).

SlOkam 530 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! Your lustre incorporates the 3-fold character of light from the moon, fire, and the sun, because it can give a cool relief from the 3 fold heat (tapatraya), it can help heat herbal liquids (burn metal dirt) and it can dry up mud.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! There are 3 brilliant sources of radiance in this universe. The integrated output of the above 3 sources constitutes Your brilliant lustre. Your radiance destroys the 3 afflictions known as AadhyAthmikam, Aadhidhaivam and Aadhiboudhikam. Your lustre acts as a powerful decoction of herbs to cure the illness caused by the above 3 afflictions. It dries up the muddy fields of sins. I consider Your lustre as a reinforcing combination of Sun, Moon and the Fire (Agni).

2) Srimath Andavan'sanubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! In this prakruthi maNdalam, Your tEjas destroys both the sins of the jeevans and the 3 kinds of samsAric Taapams that they experience. I consider you in this act as an embodiment of the integrated powers of the Sun, Moon and Agni. The inner meaning is that the AchAryAs will some times speak sharply and other times display cool dayA to prevent us from performing acts not permitted by the SaasthrAs. They are recognized as Sarva vidha Bhandhus for the jeevans.

3) Oh Sri RanganAtha PaadhukE! Your radiance destroys the 3 kinds of taapams of the jeevans (thE tEja: tApa thrayam nirundhE). It evaporates /cooks the sins of the jeevans (kashAyAn pachathi). It dries up the muds of sins as well (pankam visOshayathi). Therefore, I think that Your lustre has the combined power of the 3 luminaries, the Sun, Moon and Agni (atha: idham tEjasthriyam sankE?