Sri Ranganatha Paadhuka Sahasram

SrI:

SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Translations & Commentaries by Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari SadagOpan

Introduction: PrasthAva means Introductory or Commencement or Prologue. The 1st paDdathi takes its name as the introductory chapter. This PaDdati has 20 slOkams. This PaDdati like all the others start with anushtup meter (1st verse) and ends with AryA meter (last verse). In between are other poetic meters.

SlOkam 1 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Great men bear on their heads, with a great relish, the PaadukA of Sri RanganAtha (the Lord's Sataari = Nammazhvar). For this reason, they shine gloriously, the dust from their feet being potent enough to grant protection (and salvation, too) for all the worlds.

1. The word PaDdati literally stands for footsteps. Swami Desikan conceived this epic poem to recall the auspicious sounds of the 32 foot steps made by the holy sandals of Sri RanganAthA, which are identical to Swami NammAzhwAr.

2..PrasthAva PaDdati is the 1st of the 32 steps. The number 32 has significance in our sampradhAyam (32 apachArams to be avoided in Bhagavadh AarAdhanam, 32 Brahma VidhyAs, 32 principles of Bhagavath RaamAnuja Darsanam ranging from Prithvi to the Lord).

3. The Lord of Srirangam is saluted here as "Sriranga PRITHVEESAN", the integrated essence of all the 32 VaishNavite principles (the 23 starting from PRITHVEE to MAHATH and augmented by the remaining 9: (24) avyaktham / unmanifested, (25) aksharam / Imperishable, (26) Tamas, (27) Kaalam, (28) nithya vibhUthi (eternal splendor), (29) Dharma BhUtha Jn~Ana dravyam (wealth of knowledge rooted in righteousnes), (30) Jeevan, (31) MahA Lakshmi and (32) Her divine consort, Sriman NaarAyaNan). From PrithvI to Isan are covered thru the salutation "Sriranga PrithvIsan". The key words of this slOkam are: "santha: Jayanthi". Santha: means great souls; such great souls triumph is the message of Swami Desikan here.

4. Why do they triumph? They carry on their heads with bhakthi, the divine sandals that protect the sacred feet of Lord RanganaathA, the emperor of the Universe. That is why they triumph. Those divine sandals (NammAzhwAr) serve as their SirOrathnam.

5. What is the significance of these great souls carrying the Lord's divya PaadhukhAs on their heads? The very fact that they carry the divine PaadhukhAs empowers even the very dust from their feet to sanctify and protect the world from all inauspiciousness.

6.Inner meaning: Those great souls, who celebrate and revere NammAzhwAr attain sadhgathi and at the same time bless others taking refuge in them with Sakala purushArthams.

SlOkam 2 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

I pay my homage to that great pioneer, Bharata, who was the 1st example for proclaiming the greatness of the Paaduka of Sri Rama in this world. (My homage is also due to Sri Nathamuni, who was a Bharata to Sri Nammazhvar, as Bharata was to the Raghava Paaduka. And Nathamuni-indeed Ranganathamuni-propagated Azhvar's work by singing with tala and abhinaya, that is with Bhava, Raga, and Tala, which is what the Bharatamuni did for the fine art of dance).

1) The nAmam, "BharathA" is used to denote both BharathAzhwAn, the brother of Sri RaamA as well as Naatha Muni, who is saluted as BharathA in the 25th slOkam of the 1st chapter of Sankalpa SUryOdhayam, a drama blessed to us by Swami Desikan. Sri Naatha Muni was an expert in Bhaava, Raaga, TaaLams. Hence he is called BharathA.

2) The illustrious one who 1st wore Sri RaamachandrA's divine PaadhukhAs on his head was His brother, Bharathan. He conducted the affairs of the state as the representative of Sri RaamA PaadhukhAs, when lSri RaamA was in exile in the forest for 14 years. Thus, BharahtA became the 1st blessed great soul, who dmonstrated the Vaibhavam of the PaadhukhAs of the Lord and spread the message of their glory.

3) Naathamuni (BharathA) spread the Vaibhavam of NammAzhwAr (Sri RanganAthA's MaNi PaadhukhAs) around the world by setting to music and TaaLam and teaching abhinayam of the divine ThiruvAimozhi to the world thru his 2 nephews.

4) The key words of this 2nd slOkam are: "BharathAya Param nama: asthu" (May the salutations of mine be for BharathA). The qualifiers for this worshipful Bharathan are: "BhakthibhAjAm PrathamOdhAharaNAya BharathAya". He is the 1st example among those with devotion for Sri Raagava PaadhukhAs.

SlOkam 3 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka Devi! I pay homage to that sage Nammazhvar who also bears your name (Sataari, being absorbed in Ranganatha's feet. I do this at the time of begining your Stothra. For it was he who "saw and delivered" the Veda called Thiruvoymozhi, which is only another form of the original (Sanskrit) Veda and whose verses and words emit the fragrance of the Vakula flowers (dear to the Azhvar).

1) The key words of this slOkam are: "hEy PaadhukhE! tvannAmnam munim BhajE". Oh Paadhukai! I salute that Rishi (NammAzhwAr), who has Your name.

2) The qualifiers for that Muni are: "Rangabharthu: paadhE nithya PraNihitha dhiyam" (That AzhwAr, who has focused his meditation on Sri RanganAthA's holy feet always). "AamnAyAnAm aparAm Prakruthim SamhithAm dhrushtavantham" (That AzhwAr, who discovered the other kind of Veda Samhithai in Tamil revered as ThiruvAimozhi; Vedam Tamizh seytha MaaRan).

3) How would one characterize this Tamizh Veda samhithai? The verses of ThiruvAimozhi are intimately mingled with the fragrance of Mahizhampoo (VakuLa sumana: vAsanAm udhvahantheem); This Tamizh MaRai of vakuLAbharaNar is constituted by the assembly (sthOmai:) of words of many hues (varNa:) laden with the fragrance of the Veda manthrAs.

4) Swami Desikan points out that the fragrance of the Veda ManthrAs have blended with the fragrance of the VakuLA flowers and have found a home in the divya MaNi PaadhukhAs of Sri RanganAthA.

5) Swami Desikan addresses NammAzhwAr in this slOkam and states that he is desirous of eulogizing that Muni: "hEy PaadhukhE! aham thvAm sthOthukAma:". Swami Desikan addresses this prayer to NammAzhwAr (Lord's MaNi PaadhukhAs) for the conferral of their blessings to complete this sthuthi without vignam.

SlOkam 4 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! May I be endowed with good poetic ability by that sage Valmiki, born of an anthill, (this being regarded as an ear of Mother Earth), who prophetically declared (in his Ramayana) that the yoga-kshema (prosperity) of all worlds is but dependent on you and is at your disposal, and who was indeed the 1st step in goddess Saraswati (goddess of poetry) setting her foot on this earth (Valmiki being the composer of the very 1st verse of Sanskrit poetry).

1) In this slOkam, Swami Desikan prays for the blessings of Adhi Kavi, Sage VaalmIki, who composed the ancient epic poem revered as Sri raamAyaNam. In the previous verse, Swami Desikan prayed for the anugraham of the Draavida Veda SamhithA drashtA, Swami NammAzhwAr. Here, Swami Desikan prays for Sage VaalmIki's blessings for his composition in Sanskrit dealing with the PaadhukhAs of Sri RanganaathA, the family deity of Sri RamachandrA. Swami Desikan prays for the gift of a Sanskrit composition rich in meaning and beauty.

2) In this slOkam, Swami Desikan reminds the PaadhukAs of Sri RanganAthA that Sarasvathi Devi entered this earth from Her abode in satyalOkam to bless Sage VaalmIki to initiate him to compose Srimadh RaamAyaNam. Here, Swami Desikan requests the PaadhukhAs of Sri RanganAthA, which also descended from Sri Vaikuntam to take residence in Srirangam and bless him in his efforts to compose PaadhukhA- Sahasram in a manner befitting the blessings conferred by Devi Sarasvathi on Sage VaalmIki. Swami Desikan reminds the divya PaadhukhAs that its glories are great even when its Lord is absent. In this context, he points out that the PaadhukhAs blessed BharathA for 14 long years, while separated from its master, Sri RamachandrA.

3) The prayer of Swami Desikan to Sage VaalmIki is: "VasudhA srOthra janmA Sa: Muni: mE divyam vAcham disathu".

4) Swami Desikan states that the divya PaadhukhAs brought Sri RanganAthan from Brahma (Satya) Lokam to AyOddhi; Similary, Sarasvathi Devi followed your example when She descended from Satya Lokam (Her husband's home) and placed Her 1st footstep on Sage VaalmIki (BhArathI yathra prathamam PaadhanyAsam chakrE). This refers to Sage ValmIki eulogizing the Lord"s (Sri Raama's) PaadhukhAs 1st in his Adhi Kaavyam.

5) Swami Desikan pays tribute to Sage VaalmIki as the most learned one, who understood fully that the world's Yoga-KshEmam is under the control of the Lord's (Sri Raama's) PaadhukhAs (sakala- jagathAm yOgakshEmam tvayi adhInam Jaanan). Swami prays to that perceptive and scholarly VaalmIki to give him the divya Jn~Anam and the divya Vaak (Sa: Muni: divyAm VaachAm disathu).

6) Sakala jagathAm yOgakshEmam tvayi adhInam: yOgam means conferral of Isvaryam that one does not have; KshEmam means the protection of the Isvaryam possessed by one. PaadhukhAs of the Lord have the power to bless one with both Yogam and KshEmam. Sage VaalmIki comprehended fully such power of the Divya- PaadhukhAs and was thus the 1st one to celebrate the YogakshEmam-empowering feature of the Divya PaadhukhAs.

SlOkam 5 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

I am going to sing the praise of the Paadukas of Lord Ranganatha which were 1st sung of by Sage Valmiki and others, being emboldened by the fact that these Paadukas make no distinction between the low and the high, they being pleased to sit on my lowly head as well as on the highly-revered Upanishads without a partiality.

1) Hanta! (what a wonder!): Swami is astonished here by the miracle of the sacred PaadhukhAs of the Lord adorning with out hesitation the heads of the lowly ones and the most sacred Upanishads (head of the VedAs: veda Siras). Swami says that the PaadhukhAs do not discriminate (display nirvisEsham or Taaratamyam) between his "lowly" head and that of the lofty VedAs.

2) Swami Desikan calling himself a "neechan" is in the spirit of naicchAnusandhAnam practised by PoorvAchAryAs and NammAzhwar before: (a) AaLavandhAr: "asuchim avineetham nirdhayam alajjam maam dhig" (I am an aparisuddhan, haughty, heartless and shameless. Oh Lord! You should condemn me for my lowly qualities). SthOthra rathnam: slOkam: 47

b) AalavandhAr: "na dharmanishtOsmi nachAthmavEdhi na BhakthimAn" (I am not rooted in karma yOgam; I do not possess aathma Jn~Anam; I am far from being a Bhakthan of Yours and am deficient in the practice of Bhakthi Yogam) -SthOthra rathnam: slOkam: 22

c) NeesanEn niRaivonRumilEn --NammAzhwAr (I am indeed a lowly one; I do not have any perfections to claim).

d) nORRA nOnbhilEn, NuNNaRivilEn--NammAzhwAr (I do not possess the wealth of anushtAnams; I do not have a sharp intellect to understand and revel in Your glories)

e) seelamillA siRiyOn--NammAzhwAr (I am a lowly one with no auspicious attributes to speak of). It is in this spirit, Swami Desikan describes himself as a neechan (neechEpi mama murdhani).

3) This sacred pair of PaadhukhAs (Rangapathi: PaadhukhayO: yugam) have been eulogized (sung about) 1st by the Aadhi kavi VaalmIki (PrAchEtha:)and others following him. Swami Desikan states that he will follow their path and sing about the Lord's sacred PaadhukhAs inspite of his unfitness.

4) The choice of the word "Prathama Upageetham" brings the picture of Saama Vedam in our mind's eyes. The mahimai of the PaadhukhAs of the Lord has been "sung " 1st by VaalmIki.