Sri Ranganatha Paadhuka Sahasram

SrI:

SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Translations & Commentaries by Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari SadagOpan

Introduction: The word "ParAg" means the pollen of a flower or a speck of dust. Swami Desikan composed 30 verses in this section to celebrate the mystery and the holiness of the specks of dusts associated with the Lord's Paadhukais.

SlOkam 351 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

May the dust of the Paaduka's movement protect You all, the dust which perhaps proved to be the atoms to generate the body of Ahalya.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Swami Desikan says: "May the specks of dust assoicated with PadmanAbhA protect us! They were the ones responsible for reconstructing AhalyA's body from its stony existence into her original human form". When RaamA travelled on His novel journey to SiddhAsramam with Sage ViswAmithrA, the dust specksfrom His PaadhukAs subdivided into atomic particles and reconstructed AhalyA's body into that of the wife of Sage Gautama. Her curse was removed by the power of the holy dust assoicated with the Raama PaadhukAs.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Swami Desikan's prayer is: "Oh Lord's PaadhukE! Just as You brought back to life AhalyA from her stony form into physical form, may You bless us to have a dhivya sarIram fit for Your Lord's Kaimkaryam!".

3) Swami Desikan suggests some type of reconstructive surgery (dEha nirmAnam) done by the sub-atomic particles (ParyAya paramANava:) of dust genearated from the movement of the Padhukais. "ParyAya" means approaching or coming near. Swami Desikan seems to indicate that even before they came into contact with the stony form of AhalyA, the potency of the sub-atomic dust particles had their benovolent effect.

SlOkam 352 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

thava sancharaNAdhrajO viDhUtham yadhidham ranga narEndra pAdha rakshE! alamEthadhanAvilAni karthum kathakakshOdha ivAshu mAnasAni

Oh Ranganatha Paaduka! The dust produced by Your walk here and there would prove sufficient to clarify the minds which are confused, even like Ketaka-seed-powder (Thenkottai thool in Tamil) would quickly clarify muddy water.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Here, Swami Desikan explains how the specks of dust from the Lord's Paadhukais cleanse muddy matter. Normally, specks of dust soil a cloth or water. He says: "Oh RanganAtha PaadhukE! The dust specks arising from Your movement have the power to cleanse the minds of agitated people just like the KathakA nut powder purifies the muddy water. kathakA nut (tEtthAnkkottai) is crushed into fine powder and that is used to remove the dirt from the body, clothes and muddy water.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that the accompaniment of the Lord by us during His uthsavams will remove all sins just as the tEtthAnkottai powder clears up the muddy water on contact. Our minds will be purified by the parAg of Paadhukai.

3) Swami Desikan addresses the "RanganarEndhra padha Rakshai" and says that the dust particles (Raja:) arising from their sanchAram (SanchAraNAth vidhUtham yath raja:) will cleanse the muddy minds of ours quickly (MaanasAni aasu anAvilAni karthum alam) just as the tEtthAnkottai powder (kathakashOdha iva )cleanses muddy water.

SlOkam 353 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! There are these few Sadhus, who have no other love and who have received the dust from You, and for that reason, purify the whole world by their existence. Their greatness is so much that one imagines them to be Brahmas, other than the one who is charged with the duty of creation.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! You are closely related to the lotus feet of MadhusUdhanan. Through their association with Your dust specks, a fortunate few attain a superior status that helps them to cleanse this universe through their mere presence. Their status is superior to that of BrahmA by a 2 fold measure.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PadhukE! Whoever that receives the dust particles associated with You on their head do not long for anything but Your Lord. Even the attainment of the status of Brahma does not interest them. The inner meaning is that those who have been blessed with Swamy nammAzhwAr's katAksham lose all desires except the one to perform kaimkaryam for PerumAL.

3) Here Swami Desikan salutes the Lord's Paadhukai as, "Madhuvairi padhAravindha Bhandhu". He says that the bhAgyasAlis who have received the parAgs of the Paadhukai attain a status twice more noble than that of BrahmA (Punaruktha PithAmaha anubhAvA:) and are freed of all desires (aparAgA:) and cleanse the universe through their presence (amee visvam punanthi).

SlOkam 354 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! Knowledgable people would apply on their children, many times too, the dust from You. This is for warding off of evil spirits like ahamkara. (Your dust has the potency of inducing a pure personality, without ahamkara, that is, conceit).

1)UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh RanganAtha Paadhuke! Discriminating people with good faith in You smear the dust specks associated with You on their children to drive away the malevolent spirit of egotism. They smear that dust many times over their children's body to make sure their egotism is completely banished. These faithful devotees of Yours take this step, when the children are small to ward off the onset of any egotism at a later stage.

2) The inner meaning is that the Sri Paadha Theetham of BhagavathAs and the dust particles associated with the Paadhukais would remove all dhOshams.

3) The power of the Sri PaadhukA rENu is illustrated here. Swami Desikan says that the most saathvik people (abhiyuktha JanA:) smear (limpathi) the dust particles (rajas) from the Paadhukai's sanchAram. Why do they do it? They do it for banishing (mOchanArtham) the demon (pisAcha) of egotism (avalEpam) from their children's (nijArbhakANAm) bodies and minds.

SlOkam 355 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! The Devas, guarding the world like Indra, Varuna, etc., bear the dust from You and enter the battlefield against the asuras without any other shield for their heads-the dust from You would itself be an adequate shield!

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh RanganAtha PaadhukE! The protectors of the 8 directions such as VaruNA, YamA, Agni et al wear with humility, the dust specks associated with You on their heads prior to engaging in battles with their enemies. During the time of battle, they do not wear any other protection for themselves. Your dust specks protect them fully.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that for those who have true bhakthi for the SadAchAryan's Thiruvadi, there is no fear from inauspicious guNams like avarice, anger and pride.

3) Swami Desikan says that the dust from the Paadhukais of the Lord worn by IndrA and other LokapAlAs serve as the protective head gear (anya sirasthram), when they enter into battles with the powerful armies of the asurAs (DhAnavAnAm vishamEshu bhalEshu aavisanthi).

SlOkam 356 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! The fortunate ones, the Punyatmas, who bear the rajas or dust from You are enabled to see very well, the pure-sattvika world, Paramapada, which has no trace of connection even with rajas or tamas gunas. (Rajas means both dust and rajo guna)

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh Kesava PaadhukE! A fortunate few wear the dust specks associated with You on their heads and transcend the 3 guNAs - satthva, rajas and tamas - and reach Your Lord, who is beyond all the 3 guNAs. They thus realize Moksham and are liberated from the cycles of births and deaths. They become blessed to focus on the Lord at all times and serve him forever. (3 guNAs are the primary constituents of Prakrithi and are the basis of all substances. They are present in different proportions in the different human beings. Our Lord is beyond all the 3 guNAs. When a human being receives Moksham, he or she becomes elevated to the state of Suddha SatthvA. The guNA known as rajas is of the nature of passion and gives rise to thirst for and attachment in action. The guNA recognized as Tamas is born of ignorance and it causes delusion, miscomprehension, indolence and forgetfulness/ sleep. Satthva guNA is free from evil and attaches itself to knowledge /Jn~Anam. Swami Desikan suggests that those, who are lucky enough to wear the dust specks from the Lord's PaadhukAs go beyond these 3 guNAs out of which their body is evolved and are freed from birth, death, decay, pain and attain immortality).

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: For those, who have sought refuge at the sacred feet of SadAchAryAs, all attachments other than PerumAl are banished and they reach parama padham at the end of their days here. AchAryan cures diseases such as desire in SamsAram, anger, jealously, pride et al and prepares the sishyan for Moksham.

3) Swami Desikan says that the dusts from the Lord's Paadhukais destroy Rajo and TamO guNams and bless the wearers of those auspicous dusts to attain Suddha Satthva Maya paramapadham (Kruthina: raja: sirasA samudhvahantha: - visuddha satthvamEva Paripasyanthi).

SlOkam 357 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! Brahma is born in Naabhi (the navel)- yet he, notwithstanding his high office, is not of high pedigree! He seeks with a pure heart, a high birth by contact with Your dust! (This Your dust, alone can confer high birth and elevation that even Brahma longs for)

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh RanganAtha PadhukE! Brahma has attained the highest status among DevAs. Inspite of it, He is concerned that he is not of noble descent, since he was born out of the Lord's navel. Therfore, he likes to wear the specks of dust belonging to You for sanctification in the belief that they are born of noble lineage (viz) Yourself. Here, Swami Desikan uses the words "AbhijAtha" and Naabhijatha" deftly. "NaabhijAtha" can mean both "not born of" (na+abhijAtha) or "born of navel" (Naabhi+jAtha ), when one splits the word, "NaabhijAtha" in 2 ways.

2) Swami Desikan says that even BrahmA occupying a noble post seeks the sambhandham of the specks of dust from the Paadhukais to gain the higher status of those who are born in good kulam (Vidhi: abhijAthai: tava parAgai: sangamam abhivAnchathi).

SlOkam 358 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! You are made of pure sattva-without rajas or tamas. That You keep the Lord's feet free of dust, free of rajas is understandable. But how does it happen that Your dust (rajas) creates for men, who bear it, a character of pure unalloyed sattva?

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Swami Desikan hints here that BrahmA and others are purified by wearing the dust specks from the Lord's paadukai and the Lord's feet are proteced from dust by wearing the Paadhukais. The word "Rajas" has 2 meanings. When we refer to guNAs, it relates to passionate nature and at other instances, it means dust particle. Using their double meanings, Swami Desikan says: "Oh paadhukE! You are beyond 3 guNAs like Your Lord. Hence You also do not have relation to prakruti (viz), You are of aprAkruthA form. That is why Your Lord's feet are virajas (devoid of rajO guNA). You also protect His feet from the dust (rajas). It is also understandable that dust emanting from You makes human beings virajas (devoid of rajO guNA), when they wear Your dust on their heads. They become of the form of Suddha Sattva and transcend the 3 guNAs and attain immortality.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: During the uthsava kaalams, those who follow the Lord get their rajO guNam removed from the sambhandham of the rajas (dust specks) from the Paadhukais of the Lord. They become fileld with Sathtva gunam.

3) Swami Desikan addresses a question to Paadhukai: Oh PaadhukE! Lord wears You with Suddha Satthava svaroopam and His feet becomes free of dust (Suddha satthva vapushA yEva BhavathyA Hari-Paadhou Virajasou). Let it be! How come the dust specks associated with You make the people receiving them free of RajO gunam (thE rajasA manujAnAm suddha satthvamayathA asthi). Please explain how that transformation came to be? (idham puna: kim?).

SlOkam 359 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! That dust from You, which conferred on to a hard stone, on the way, the life of a wife to a sage, can equally well transform men's minds soft! (Once the dust transformed stone into a soft and tender lady, Ahalya. It can as well convert hard-hearted people into soft and gentle ones).

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! The speck of dust associated with You has the power to soften the minds of embodied ones. That very same dust speck, when it fell on the hard stone form of AhalyA transformed her back into that of soft-limbed wife of Sage GautamA.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! when the dust speck associated with you falls even by accident upon a human being, their sins and fears are removed and they develop ruchi for serving AcAryAs and the Lord with preethi.

3) Swami Desikan says that the power of the dust specks from the Lord's Paadhukais make even hard-hearted men fear about doing unrighteous acts (tath tava raja: dEhinAm maanasAni akatinAni tanOthi). The powerful dust specks seem to soften the hearts of such people, just as it transformed a stony AhalyA into asoft-limbed Rishi Pathni (prastharasya Muni dharmadhArathAm vyAchakAra).

SlOkam 360 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Manipaaduka! When Lord Ranganatha, the Super-person walks on a procession through the streets, the dust generated from You gets deposited on the head's parting line, of the Sruti-Damsels, of purest word, as if it were sindoora powder. (The dust from the Paaduka is enough to confer purity of speech).

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh Gem-bedecked Paadhukais of the Lord! When Your Lord goes around the streets of Srirangam on Your back for protecting the world, He raises specks of dust through His movements. Those dust specks associated with You decorate the parting line of the hair around the forehead marked with auspicious vermillion (red lead) dot in the case of great scholars. They become enriched in Vedic knowledge as a result of wearing those dust specks associated with You on their heads. They become blessed thus with true scholarship on divine wiSwami Desikanom.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The dust from the Padhukais are worn on the parting hair line of Veda MaathA as alankAram (i-e), the Upanishads sing about Your glory.

3) Oh PaadhukE! The dust arises from the Veethi sanchAram of the Lord of Srirangam on Your back (RangEsasya Purushasya raTyA Parikrama vidhou bhavathi charithA parAgA:). Those dust specks are collected and worn on the vahidu (parting line of the hair) by blemishless Vedams as alankAram causing auspiciousness (anvadhya SarasvathInAm Seemantha-dEsam ParAgA: sindhUrayanthi).

SlOkam 361 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

mAnyEna ranganrupathErmaNipAdharakshE! chUdApadhAni rajasA thava BhUshayantha: kAlakramENa BhajathAm kamalAsanathvam nABhIsarOjarajasAm nivasanthi maDhyE

Oh Manipaaduka! Those men who are lucky (and who cherish it) to bear the highly respectable dust from You, are sure, in course of time, to receive Brahma-title; that is they would sit in the midst of the dust of the lotus of the Lord's navel.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh RangarAjA's MaNi PaadhukE! Those who wear the celebrated dust specks associated with You on their heads as their head-jewelery reach the high status of BrahmA. They find their place among the pollens of the lotus arising from the navel of the Lord in due time (i-e) they attain Brahma padham.

2) Swami Desikan suggests that those who wear the worshipful dust from the PaadhukAs (maanyEna tava rajasA bhUshayantha:) attain "KamalAsanathvam" or Brahma padham. They have as their seat the sacred lotus growing out of the Naabhi of PadhmanAbhan.

SlOkam 362 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

mAtharmukundhacharaNAvani! thAvakInA: chinthAvashIkaraNa chUrNa vishESha kalpA: sanchArapAmsukaNikA: shirasA vahanthO vishvam punanthi padha padhma parAgalEshaI:

Oh Mother Paaduka! The dust that You generate during the walks, works like a mysterious magic powder to captivate the minds of all. Those who bear this on their heads are thereby elevated so much so that the dust from their lotus-feet purifies the whole world.

Special Notes from V. Sadagopan: 1) UtthamUr Swami'sanubhavam: Oh Devi PaadhukE! The dust specks associated with You have the magic of attracting the minds of all to the fortunate one, who wears them (rENus)on their heads. The specks of dust raised by You during Your travels with the Lord have the power to make their wearers very holy. They in turn sanctify this world from the power of the specks of dust associated with their feet.

2) Here Swami Desikan addresses the Lord's Paadhukais as "Mukundha CharaNAvani" or the Paadhukais of the Moksham- granting Lord. The dust arising from the Paadhukais during the SanchAram with the Lord produces small dust particles (ThAvakInA: SanchAra Paamsu-kaNikA:). Swami Desikan describes them as "ChinthA-VasIkaraNa ChUrNa-VisEsha-KalpA:" or the mind captivating fine powder like dusts. Those are worn adorongly by a fortunate few and that empowers them to make the world free of dhOshams by their presence (Paamsu kaNikA: sirasA Vahantha: Visvam punanthi).

SlOkam 363 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

ayOjithAnyamalaDhIBhirananyalaBhyE padhAvani! ShruthivaDhUpatavAsakruthyE thvathsancharaprachalithAni rajAmsi shoUrE: praKhyApayanthi padha padhma parAga shOBhAm

Oh Paaduka! The Veda-damsel has been bedecked with the perfume-powder that Your dust is. The pure-minded Vedic scholars can never think of any other perfume. Thus the dust generated by Your walks becomes a perfume-powder, which is now imagined as even better than the flower dust from the Lotus Feet of the Lord!

1)Oh PaadhukE! Great Vedic scholars wear the dust specks associated with You on their heads so that their Vedic recitations can be maintained at a high level of precision and grandeur. Their act of wearing the rENus from Your sanchAram is like decorating the Veda Kannikai with fragrant powders. Your dust specks enhance the glory (fragrance) of the VedAs, whose subject matter is Your Lord. "It is common custom for ladies to wear fragrant powders made from lotus and other flowers (Mallikai, Rose et al) known for their aroma.

2) Swami Desikan salutes the Vedha MaathA (Sruthi vadhU) here and says that She can not be approached except by the pious minded people assisted solely by the dust from the Lord's sacred feet. Even that difficult-to-access Veda MaathA (ananya labhyE Sruthi VadhU) wears on Her head as fragrant powder (PaDavAsa Kruthyam) the dust particles from the PaadhukAs raised during the SanchAram of the Lord. The glory and beauty of the Sruthi VadhU is enhanced further by the sambhandham with the PadhukA dust (sObhAM PrakhyApayanthi).

SlOkam 364 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Manipaaduka! It is enough that You make the heads of people pure with Your dust, only once. Those fortunate people, in course of time, will be previleged to perform powder-ablution on You with the Mandara- flower-dust falling from their crowns, they now being Devas! (Mandara is a divine flower)

1) Oh PaadhukE! Whoever wears the dust specks associated with You on their heads even occasionally reach the status of DevAs at the end of their earthly lives. Their good fortune permits them to wear mandArA flower garlands around their bejewelled crowns in the world of DevAs.They do not forget Your blessings that made it possible for them to reach such a high status. They prostrate before You and the pollen from the MandhArA flowers adorning their crowns fall on You and appear to bathe You in them.

2) Here, Swami Desikan is reminded of the compassion / Dayaa of the Holy Paadhukais and addresses them as "Ambhaa". He salutes the bhAgyasAlis, who have the food fortune to wear the PaadhukA rENu on their heads as "Sukruthina:". They attain dEva Padham and later during their prostrations before the Paadhukais perform Thirumanjanam to them with the pollen dust from the mandhAra Maalais adorning their crowned heads (MandhAradhAma rajasA thvAmEva snapayanthi).

SlOkam 365 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

raThyAvihArarajasA puriDhUsarAngIm rangEshvarasya laLithEShu mahOthsavEShu prasphOtayathyavanathO maNipAdhukE! ThvAm goUrIpathi: svayamiBhAjinapallavEna

Oh Manipaaduka! In Lord Ranganatha's grand and beautiful festivals, the dust collected on You during the street-procession, is removed by Siva with the use of his elephant-skin. (Siva wears the elephant-skin as his garment. His worship of Paaduka is described here).

1) Oh MaNi PaadhukE! During the occasions of the big festivals of Lord RanganAthA, He is carried around the many streets of Srirangam by You. The dust arising from such travels cover You and You get soiled. Paramasivan bows before You during this time and uses the portion of the tender elephant skin that He is wearing as a garment and brushes away all the accumulated dust specks. He performs kaimkaryams for You this way.

2) Here Swami Desikan describes the Kaimkaryam performed by Gouripathi (the Lord of Paarvathi). The occasion is the joyous uthsavams (laLithEshu mahOthsavEshu) at Srirangam. During those times, the PaadhukAs carry the Lord over the Raaja Veedhis (raTyA VihAram) of Srirangam and a lot of dust arise and cover the Paadhukais, which get soiled (vihAra rajasA paridhUsarAngIm thvam). Lord of Parvathi was standing by enjoying His lord's MahOthsavam. When He saw that the surface of the gem-bedecked Paadhukais were soiled, He bent down and used His upper garment of tender elephant skin and wiped away all the accumulated dust particles that sullied the bright gems adorning the Lord's Paadhukais (Gouripathi: thvAm avanatha:sann svayam ibhAjina-pallavEna prasphOdayathi). The choice word, "avaantha: sann" brings out the imagery of the reverential way in which paramEsvaran performs this Kaimkaryam of wiping the dust on the surface of the Padhukais and restoring their erstwhile lustre.

SlOkam 366 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

nEdhIyasAm nijaparAganivEshapUrva sprUShtvA shirAmsi BhavathI BhavarOgaBhAjAm gADam nipIdya garudaDhvajapAdharakshE! mAnagraham shamayathIva paraIrasADhyam

Oh Paaduka! For those who come near You and who suffer from the bad disease of samsara (caused by conceit based on non-distinction between body and soul), You remove this evil spirit very much as a conjurer would do. You as Sataari sprinkle dust on their head, then touch it; then press the head closely, even press the shoulders, and thus drive out the evil spirit from them-which achievement is impossible for any one else.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Earlier, Swami Desikan described how the demons of egotism are driven from children by the smearing of the dust from the paadhukais. Here, he describes the power of the very same dust to banish the arrogance of the elders. Swami Desikan says: "Oh PaadhukAs of the Lord with GarudA on His flag! You place the dust arising from your sanchAram on the heads of the vain and arrogant people and drive away their pride and stubbornness in no time".

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! During Your Lord's Uthsavams, the archakAs place You on the heads of people. Some of them are deeply entrenched in SamsAram and ego, anger, jealousy grip them like possessed by demons. When the dust from You come into contact with their heads, then these demons are chased away and they become blessed with satthva guNams.

3)Swami Desikan says that the demons possessing the samsAris like pride and egotism are not removed easily by any means (parai: asAdhyam samaiuthum). Those dhOshams arising from Bhava rhOgam are shaken out and driven by the placement of the dust from the Paadhuaki (parAga nivAsam maana gruham samayathi). The Parama padham of the Lord is also attained in the same janmam after contact with the dust.

SlOkam 367 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! When Krishna, only superficially a gopa, in his youth without that age of youthfulness, ventured on His love-war with gopis behind the Yamuna-bed-shrubs, the dust from You was perhaps the dust of war, dust of army progress, in the 'war of love'.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: After describing the power of the PaadhukA dust to cure the SamsAric ills in the previous slOkam, Swami Desikan describes here how the power of the dust creates aversion to the worldly pleasures (VairAgyam). He says that the wearing of the dust on one's head can bless one to develop indifference to the worldly attachments. He illustrates this power of the PaadhukA dust with incidents in KrishNA's life.

Swami Desikan says: "Oh PaadhukE! That KrishNA looked as a cowherd, but in reality, He was Your Lord. When this eternally young cowherd entered the banks of YamunA river to wage the war of Love (amorous fights) with the Gopis, You came to His rescue. Gopis lost the war. They united however with the Lord of the Universe, took refuge in Him and lost their interest in worldly things. Their minds were filled with the thoughts about KrishNA. They became rich in VairAgyam. The dust associated with You rose like an army and defeated the Gopis and made them blessed souls brimming with VairAgyam". Here, Swami Desikan points out that the detatchment from the worldly pleasures arises from great love (Kaamam) for the Lord and the dust specks from the Lord's Paadhukais can empower one to attain that state of VairAgyam.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: On the banks of YamunA, Lord KrsihNA spent time at the various tryst houses. His rapid sanchAram from one house to the other raised a lot of dust. That cloud of dust looked like the dust raised by the army in the war of amorous god (Manmathan).

3) KrishNa is visualized here as the one who has not yet reached the age of 16 (akumAra yoona:). He is going to be engaged in Manmatha yuddham. As He travels from one tryst house (nikuncham) to the other rapidly, there is a lot of dust from the paadhukais. That cloud of dust looked like the dust created by the movement of the army before the battle (Ananga SamarAth puratha: pravruttha sEnAparAga iva aaseeth).

SlOkam 368 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

gangapagAthatalathAgruhamAshrayanthyA: pAdhAvani! prachalitham padha vIrajasthE prAyENa pAvanathamam praNathasya shamBhO: udDhULanam kimapi nUthanamAthanOthi

Oh Paaduka! When You walk on the banks of the Ganga to reach a cottage of creepers, You generate a lot of dust on the way that becomes a novel powder for body-application for sanctification to Siva, who stands with bent head to You.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! When RaamA travelled on the banks of GangA to reach His temporary abode decorated with flowering creepers, lot of dust was raised by you because of His rapid strides. Sambhu, who normally smears His body with ashes from the cremation ground, now took that dust sanctified by Your sambhnadham and smeared his body. The dust associated with You removed the dhOshams from the earlier smearing of the ash from the impure cremation ground.

2) Here another kind of sanchAram on the banks of yet another river by the Lord is visualized. Lord Raama was travelling on the banks of GangA river during His vana vaasam. Sambhu collected the dusts arising from His paadhukais and smeared them on His body for purification. It was an unusual kind of dust (Kimapi Noothanam UddhULanam) for Sambhu compared to His normal dust collected from burning grounds.

SlOkam 369 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

anthE thadhA thvamaviLambithamAnayanthI rangAdh Bhujangashayanam maNi pAdha rakshE! kAmam nivarthayithumarhasi samjvaram mE karpUrachUrNapatalaIriva DhULiBhisthE

Oh Mani paaduka! In my last moment, when I would suffer, You please bring the Lord on Adisesha, without delay near me so that the dust would serve, like Karpoora-powder to relieve me completely of the suffering.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! at the time of my last moments on this earth, You should help me with Your power to lead RanganAthA quickly from His Ranga VimAnam (Sanctum- Sanctorium) and bring Him to my bedside. Through this act, You will be removing my sufferings like placing green camphor under my tongue. (Green camphor powder and Sugar are placed under a dying persons' tongue moments before their death to arrest adverse flow of fluids that produce bitter taste in their mouth).

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Swami Desikan prays here for the removal of all his dhOshams at the end of his earthly life by the contact with the green camphor like dust particles from the Paadhukais.

3) Swami Desikan says that the contact with the assembly of dust generated by the Paadhukais as they rush to bring Lord RanganAthA from His aasthaanam to his bed side at the last moments of his life are like the karpUra Choornam, which remove his sorrows (thE dhULibhi: samjvaram kaamam nivarthaiuthum arhasi).

SlOkam 370 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

rangEshapAdhasahaDharmachari! ThvadhIyAn moULoU nivEshya mahithAn padhavIparAgAn santhasthrivargapadhavImathilanGhyanthO moUloU padham vidhaDhathE vibhuDhEshvarANAm

Oh Paaduka, describable as the Dharmapatni to the Lord's foot! Great men who bear Your dust on their heads transcend the reach of the seekers of Dharma-Artha-Kama triad and go beyond to place their feet, as though, on the heads of chiefs of Devas.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! Oh RanganAthA's follower in all His travels! Those who wear Your celebrated dust specks on their heads during their last moments on this earth skip the PurushArthAs like DharmA, ArthA KaamA and end up with their feet on the heads of DevAs. Swami Desikan says that such people are honored by the DevAs and latter carry such people's feet on their heads to display their high esteem.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! Those mahAns who wear Your dusts on their heads reject Brahma pattam and kaivalyam (aathmAnubhavam) and are revered by the lofty dEvAs.

3) Here Swami Desikan addresses PaadhukA Devi, the 1 of the 5 consorts of the Lord, as Paadha-sahadharmachAri. Swami Desikan says that the bhAgyasaalis, who sanctify themselves by adorning the dust from the Paadhukais jump over the triple boons of Dharma-artha-Kaamams (Thrivarga padhavIm athilankayantha:) and become qualified to receive their feet on the heads of the dEvAs (VibhdhEsvarANAm MouLi padham santha: vidhadhathE).

SlOkam 371 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

mathAsthadhA mADhavapAdharakshE! thvayi prasaktham thvarayOpayAnthyAm parAmrushEyam padhavIparAgam prANaI: prayANAya samujjihAnaI:

Oh Mother Paaduka! When, in my final moment, You speed towards me, the dust from You will make my life-breath going upwards (to the Lord's Abode) enjoy contact with the dust.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh compassionate Mother! Oh Maadhava PaadhukE! During my last moments, please rush to me. Your Quick steps to my bed side will raise a cloud of dust. May I breathe that holy dust and take comfort during my last big breath. Please come before my jeevan leaves the cage of my body so that Your holy dust can be smeared over my indhriyAs (faculty senses) to quell their agitations. (In VedAnthA, the word PrANAs used in this verse referes to IndhriyAs. The ten IndhriyAs are classified as KarmEndhriyAs (Organs associated with hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and seeing ;Jn~AnEndhriyAs ("PrANAs") are constituted by Mind, Intellect, Ego et al).

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! When adiyEn is about to leave this earth, You will rush to my side. The dust arising from the rapid sanchAram will fall on Your body. May the wind of PrANans released from my body wipe those dusts and make Your surface shine! May adiyEn be blessed with kaimkaryams to You even as my prANans leave my body.

3) Swami Desikan refers to the "padhavi ParAgam" (the dust accumulated on the Paadhukais) as the Paadhukais rush towards Him with Lord RanganAthA on their back. Swamy says that his departing PrANa vaayu would like to do a last minute kaimkaryam to the auspicious Paadhukais by wiping the accumulated dust associated with their journey.

SlOkam 372 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Rama-paaduka! Even that Ahalya was, by the contact with a few particles of Your dust, able to attain, even as many great sages were watching, a 1st rank among taintless women *(Pativratas). The pativratas are listed as Ahalya, Draupadi, Sita, Tara and Mandodari.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh Raaghava PaadhukE! The dust arising from Your movement fell on AhalyA and transformed her from a sinner to that of the foremost among the chaste women of the world. That happened as AhalyA and the sages of SiddhAsramam were watching. Right in front of their eyes, You accomplished this transformation.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that SadAchArya anugraham will make even a MahA Paapi to be accepted by mahAns and turn into one of thos noble souls.

3) Swami Desikan states that a small speck of dust associated with the Paadhukai transformed Ahalya from her stone form into a PathivrathA siRomaNi (tava paamsulEsai: apAmsulAnam svayam agragaNyA aaseeth) right in front of the eyes of the sages of SiddhAsramam (tapOdhanEshu SampasyamAnEshu sathsu).

SlOkam 373 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka of the lotus-eyed Lord! In Your anxiety to reach devotees, the dust from You appears to be driven to farthest distances on Your path. Nay, I even believe the dust would cross the vast Samsara ocean too!

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE of the lotus-eyed Lord! When I witness the gigantic cloud of dust that you raise, when You rush to approach Your devotees, it appears to me that cloud of dust can easily ocean the Ocean of worldly (samsAric) afflictions.

2) Swami Desikan describes the rush with which the Paadhukai travel to the side of its BhakthAs (BhakthOpayAna thvarayA). Lot of dust arises from that fast travel. Those holy dust particles appear to Swami Desikan as the consumer of the ocean of samsAram (thvarayA paryasyamAnAn padhaviparAgAn bhava ambhudhim paathum pravrutthAn iva pasyAmi).

SlOkam 374 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Manipaaduka! The Lord's 5 ayudhas-Sudarsana, Panchajanya, Kowmodaki, Sarnka and Nandaka- are, I believe, without any use and they may have to remain as mere ornaments, since these dust particles spread to all directions so as to make enemy-army's foot-dust subdued and settled down!

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: In the previous verse, Swami Desikan described the speed with which the Paadhukais rush to protect its devotees; here, he describes the haste with which they rush to destroy the enemies of their Lord. He says: "Oh MaNi PaadhukE! Your Lord blesses devotees with his 5 weapons (viz), the Disc, Conch, Knife, Bow and Mace, and receives the songs of praise from those, who are protected. Why? It is because of the cloud of dust associated with Your lightning movement attacks the enemies and overcomes their will to fight. They get stupefied and get subdued instantaneously. Your Lord does not even have the opportunity to use any one of His 5 weapons. His devotees see Him in this auspicious state and eulogize Him. This was possible because of Your intervention and the power of dust specks associated with You.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The armies of the enemies run away as soon as the dust from the approaching Paadhukais are seen. The weapons of the Lord do not have any thing else to do. Victory is already won. The weapons serve then as just alankAram for their Lord.

3) Swami Desikan points out that these dust particles assoicated with the rushing Paadhukais with their Lord on the back scare the armies of the enemies and makes them run away before the battle starts( tava yEthE parAgA: sathru chamU parAgAn sAntha udhayAn vithanvathE).

SlOkam 375 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! The same dust from You, as brought about a gentle change from a stone to a Dharma-patni for sage Gowtama, (in the same person who had sunk because of desire), the same dust would remove, for all beings, a re-birth by elimination of sensuous desires.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Here, Swami Desikan praises the power of the dust arising from the PaadhukAs to destroy the debasing passions in people and converts their minds to a dispassionate state marked by VairAgyam. He says: "Gauthama Rishi obtained back his wife from her stony state to the state of righteous wife to perform his duties as a married man (GrahasthA). That transformation from that of a sinner to that of an evolved soul was possible for AhalyA because of the redemptive power of Your dust that fell on her. Similarly, the dust associated with You removes the attachment of the people to their worldly pleasures and possessions that bind them to this SamsAram and removes their doubts about release from the cycles of births and deaths.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! The glories of the dust specks associated with You removes the desires of people to engage in sinful activities that cause rebirth in this world.

3) Swami Desikan says that the power of the PaadhukA dust (raja:) banishes any doubt about the rebirth in this samsAric world (Tava raja: prajAnAm puna: upajani sankA vaarakam sath); further, they chase away in the 1st place, the desires that land one in samsAram (Upajani sankA vaarakam sath, raagayOgam prasamayathi).

SlOkam 376 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

rajanivigamakAlE rAmagAThAm paTantha: kushikathanayamuKhyA: pAdhukE! BhAvayanthE upalashakalasakthaIsthvathparAgaIr akAndE janitha muni kaLathrAn dhaNdaka AraNyaBhAgAn

Oh Paaduka! Sages like Viswamitra recite, in pre-dawn hours every day, the hymns in praise of Rama, and then recall in their minds, the Dandaka forest regions wherein the event of Your dust suddenly generating Gowtama's wife had occured and they contemplate on it.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! Sage VsvAmithrA and his peers recite during the dawn time the incident at DaNdakAraNyam related the miracle of AhalyA transforming from the existence as a stone to that of a soft-limbed wife of Sage GauthamA. Even when they have moved away from DaNdakAraNyam, the sages frondly recall this inspiring incident about the power of the dust associated with You in their new aasramams at the Snowy HimAlayAs.

2) Oh PaadukE! The minds of Sage VisvAmithrA and his peers (Kusikatanaya mukhyA:) reflect on Your Lord, Sri Raamachandran's subha charithram at the time of dawn (rajani vigama kaalE Raama-gATAm padantha:). They get deeply attached to Your Lord's sanchArams at DaNdakAraNyam, when the dust from You transformed AhalyA from her stony state of existence to that of the beautiful and chaste pathni of Sage GauthamA again.

SlOkam 377 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Ranganatha-Paaduka! You render auspicious the whole earth by the path-dust generated. You emit progressively more and more laudable and lovable rewards, which are goals of humanity. You become respectable to the whole world. And You become permanent Kamadhenu to those who cling to You.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh Lord's PaadhukE! The dust specks raised by You bless the entire universe and cause auspiciousness all around. Those dust particles yield the 4 objectives of life(purushArthams) for those who seek them and thus become the object of adoration for one and all. Your dust particles become a veritable KaamadhEnu through their power to grant all these boons. (By describing the paadhukA dust as "SaasvathI KaamadhEnu:), Swami Desikan hints that the Padhukai is superior to the divine KaamadhEnu in its boon-granting power. For instance, KaamadhEnu has limited sanchAram (movement), where as the Lord's Paadhukai travel everywhere with the Lord. KaamadhEnu is worshipped by a select few, whereas the Paadhukai is worshipped by every one, independent of class, sex, or age. KaamadhEnu can only yield limited boons, where as Paadhukai through its dust or contact can yield limitless boons of the highest order.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: For those, who seek the refuge of the sacred feet of a SadAchAryan, there will be no dangers. All their wishes will be fulfilled.

3) Swami Desikan salutes the power of the Lord's Padhukais (Swamy NammAzhwAr) profoundly in this slOkam known for its maanthric significance. He says that the Paadhukais are worshipped by all the people of the world (Bhuvana VandhyA); they confer auspiciousness to the Earth through the track of its dust particles arising from the sanchAram (Subha saraNi rajObhi: DharithrIm shObhayanthI); at the end, they confer the delectable boons of desired purushArthams to those who worship them (pariNathi pumarTAn praksharanthI); You become also the eternal and superior boon granting KaamadhEnu for all those, who seek Your refuge (Thvam SaraNam upagathAnAm SaasvathI KaamadhEnu: Bhavasi).

SlOkam 378 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

pavanatharaLithasthE pAdhukE! rangaBharthu: viharaNasamayEShu vyAptha vishva: parAga: viShamaviShayavarthmavyAkulAnAmajasram vyapanayathi janAnAm vAsanArENujAlam

Oh Ranganatha Paaduka! When You are on the move, the dust from You is disperses far and wide, and surprisingly, removes the dust of desires that rocks beings up and down on sensuous pleasures at all times. (Dust will only join with dust normally; here the opposite happens. One dust dispels another!)

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh RanganAtha PaadhukE! When You move around transporting Your Lord, the dust arising from such travels is swept up by the winds and reaches all corners of this world. It falls on the people, who are deeply immersed in debasing affairs of the world and instantaneously removes all the layers of impressions (vaasanAs) left behind by past miSwami Desikaneeds on their minds. They get cleansed and escape the pains arising from worldly afflictions experienced unitl then.

2) Swami Desikan describes here the power of the dust particles of the Paadhukais that are transported all ovr the world by the wind during the sanchAra kaalams of the Lord of Srirangam (Rangabharthu: vihAra-samayEshu, pavana-tarLitha: vyAptha visva: parAga:). They remove the sufferings arising from the effect of the lasting and terrible poorva-vaasanAs residing in the minds of the samsAris (ajasrm Vishama varthma vyAkulAnAm janAnAm VaasanA rENu jaalam vyapanayathi).

SlOkam 379 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

May we, ever and uninterruptedly contemplate on the sin-removing Paadukas of Ranganatha, which were worshipped by Vedas! It is the dust from that Paaduka, during the movements, which has sanctified the world; the series of dust-particles may be said to have been borne by gods in a hierarchy such as the 4-faced Brahma (born out of the navel-lotus), the 5-faced Siva, the 6 faced Subramanya and so on, on their heads.

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: May the RanganAtha PaadhukAs, which destroy all imperfections in us be the object of our meditation! May we meditate constantly on them worshipped by the VedAs! The dust arising from their movement spreads in all the universes. It appears that BrahmA, RudrA and SubramaNyA use their 4, 5 and 6 heads respectively to wear proportionately large quantities of this sacred dust on their multiple heads.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! The son (BrahmA/chathurmukhan), the grandson (Rudran /Panchamukhan) and the great grandson (ShaNmukhaan) as growing santhathis of Your Lord wear Your dust on their many heads. BrahmA-RudrA- SubrahmaNyan thus offer worship to AzhwAr and AchAryans. If we also meditate on the holy Paadhukais (SatAri Soori) of the Lord, we will also be rid of all inauspiciousness.

3) Swami Desikan defines for us the glories of the Paadhukais of the Lord as: a) NissEsha-dhOshacchidham (That which removes totally all dhOshams) and b) Nigama sthOma architham (worshipped by the assembly of VedAs). Swami Desikan states that we should also meditate on such holy paadhukAs often for chasing away our imperfections.

SlOkam 380 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! But for You, the Lord's feet cannot be beyond (that is free from) rajas (that is rajoguna, as well as the dust of the road), as Vedas declare. Then what wonder is there in regard to my heart? (Only Your presence grants dust-rajas and thereby eliminates rajoguna from my heart.)

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Here, Swami Desikan uses slEshaa (double meaning) for the word "Rajas" to remind us of th auspiciousness of the paadhukais. Rajas can mean a speck of dust or the guNam of passionate attachment to the worldly pleasures. Swamy says: "Oh PaadhukE! If You are not covering the Lord's feet and protecting them, they will be covered with dust, whenever He walks. If You are not there to dispel our RajO guNam through Your Rajas (dust), our minds will be completely coated with rajas (worldly passion) that would make us stray away from Your Lord.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! If You do not exist for the protection of the Lord's feet, they will be covered with dust (rajas) and they might acquire rajO guNam. If that were to be so, there is no question about my mind being inundated with rajO gunam. The inner meaning is that the presence of Swamy NammAzhwAr with great prEmai for the Lord's feet and the SadAchAryAs belonging to His paramparai, Jeevans will be destitute.

3) Swami Desikan concludes this Paraaga Paddhathi with a question and answer to illustrate the Mahimai of the Lord's Paadhukais (Swamy NammAzhwAr). Our Lord's sacred feet is free from rajO gunam since it is Suddha Sathva mayam. When the paadhukais are not there to cover them and protect them, it is possible to accumulate rajas (coated with dust or acquire rajO guNam). If that were to be so, what will happen to my hrudhayam is the question. The rhetoric answer is: surely, my mind will be filled with rajO guNam (Bhagavatha:Padhamapi rajasA na langhyEtha na khalu? madhIyam hrudhayam kimutha?)