SrI: SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram Translations & Commentaries by Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari SadagOpan

18. MukthA Paddhathi

(  On pearls in the Paaduka  )

(  SlOkam 611  to  SlOkam 660  )

Introduction: General: This section dwells on the beauty of the white pearls adorning the PaadhukAs. Swami Desikan has 50 verses to celebrate the glory of pearls associated with the Lord's PaadhukAs. In the 1st verse of this section, Swami Desikan refers to 1st among 3 doctrines elaborated by Vaishnavite philosophy. This is ChEthanam (sentient). The other 2 are achEthanam (insentient) and Iswaran (the Supreme Lord). The 1st doctrine itself is divided into 3 sub-categories: Bhadda (bound), Muktha (liberated) and Nithya (eternally free) jeevans. All the chethanams and achethaams are created by Iswaran and disappear in Him at the time of dissolution of the Universe. Hence, the Supreme Lord is recognized as "Seshi") or Ucchishtam in the Vedic terminology.  Seshi is the final reality, when nothing else exists as at the time of MahA PraLayam. At that time, the entire creation passes into the primordial matter, devoid of name and form and only Iswaran exists as Seshi. He is not subject to change, decay or death. He is the progenitor of all as Seshi. Every thing is reborn from him at this time of mahA praLayA. Whatever is generated from the Seshi is known as Sesha. The relationship between Iswaran (Seshi) and His creation (sesha) that decays after finite life is known as Sesha-Seshi bhAvam.

Sri: baDdhAnAm yathra nithyAnAm mukthAnAmIshvarasya cha

prathyaksham shEShashEShithvam sA mE siDdhayathu pAdhukA

There is a special relationship between Bound ones, Nitya sooris, and Emancipated souls on the one hand and the Lord on the other. They are all sesha bhootas (lieges ever) and He, the master, the Seshi. The paaduka explicitly proclaims this by containing pearls (Muktas), ever (Nitya) bound (Baddha) on itself and behaving as a Sesha to the Master. May that paaduka be my goal!

Special Notes by V. Sadagopan:

 1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: In this 1st verse extolling the beauty of the pearls on the PaadhukAs of RanganathA, Swami Desikan summarizes the relationship between the Seshi and His chEthanam (Baddha, muktha and nithya jeevans). Swami Desikan says: "May the Lord's paadhukAs, where the sEsha-sEshi principle is vividly demonstrated become the object of my penance! "Swamy states that the bhaddha, muktha and nithya chEtanAs are incorporated in the Lord's paadukAs. They become visible there in the form of different kinds of pearls. PaadhukA is sEsha to Lord RanganAtha, the sEshi. Pearls on the paadhukAs are sEsha to the paadhukAs that attain the role of sEshi. Swami Desikan skilfully reminds us of the 2 kinds of sEsha-sEshi relationship through this 1st verse of muktha paddhathi: one is between the Lord and His paadhukAs; the other is between the paadhukAs and the pearls.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Here Swami Desikan prays for sincere and limitless bhakthi to the paadhukais (viz), Swamy NammAzhwAr. PerumAl and AzhwAr are under the control of those, who display true bhakthi to them. For the paasurams of AzhwAr described as pearls, PerumAl becomes sEsha bhoothar. He is under their control. The 3 kinds of jeevans also are SEsha bhoothars to Swamy NammAzhwAr in this context.

3) "yathra bhaddhAnAm – mukthAnAm -nithyAnAm Iswarasya cha sEsha - sEshithvam prathyaksham" says Swami Desikan. In the paadhukAs, the 3 kinds of jeevans and PerumAL display sesha-sEshithva relationship. SEsha refers to the one that glorifies and sEshi denotes the one that gains that glory, the object of that glory. Swamy prays: "saa mE siddhyathu" May that Paadhukai grace me and become under my influence.

Sri: thava ranga DhurINa pAdha rakshE! vimalA moUkthika paDdhathir viBhAthi suhrudhi thvayi sADhithApavargaI: samayE sankramithEva sADhukruthyA

Oh Paaduka! Spotless pearls in rows, found on You are perhaps the Punya deeds transferred to You, as a friend, by the Muktas (emancipated souls) in accordance with the Upanishadic saying.

Special Notes by V. Sadagopan:

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam:  GuNAs are 3 in number. They are satthva, rajas and tamas. Their colors are white, red and black. Since this section is about the white pearls, Swami Desikan salutes the people with satthva gunam in this verse. He says: "Oh RanganAtha paadhukE! Your rows of blemishless pearls suggest through their white radiance that they are repositories of righteousness accumulated through the good deeds of the liberated souls at the time of their departure from this mortal world.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: SaasthrAs state that the one who performs prapatthi or bhakthi yOgam gains mOksham. At the time of departure to parama padham, Perumal distributes all that jeevan's puNyams to those who were dear to him and his sins to those, who showed animosity to him during his life. On the paadhukais, there are beautiful pearls. That reminds Swami Desikan of the transfer of all the puNya karmaas of muktha jeevans, who are dear to the paadhukais.

3) Oh PaadhukE! "Tava moukthika paddhathi: vimalA" (Your rows of pearls are spotlessly white). They look like the accumulated essence of the puNya karmAs of those ascending to Parama padham deposited with You, who is dear to the mukthAs (suhrudhi Thvayi samkramithA saadhu-kruthyEva vibhAthi). This transfer of puNya karmAs happen at the time of their departure for the Supreme abode of the Lord (apavargai: samayE Thvayi samkramithaa saadhu -kruthyEva vibhAthi).

Sri: sharaNAgathasasyamAlinIyam thava mukthamaNirashminirJharoUGhaI: nanu rangaDhurINapAdharakshE! jagathI nithyamadhaIvamAthrukABhUth

Oh Paaduka! The arrays of pearls on You emit radiations that look like cascades in a water-fall of river. The green fields of prapannas secure this, without having to look for rains (which imply the shower of God's grace).

Special Notes by V. Sadagopan:

1)UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Swami Desikan indicates here that those, who worship the paadhukais adorned with the pearls will attain satthva guNA and will become SaraNAgathAs and stay close to the paadhukais. He hints that mOksham is possible only through bhakthi yOgam or SaraNAgathy (the act of total self-surrender). In this context, Swamy also alludes to the 2 kinds of

crops on this earth. The flowing waters of the river nourish one and streams. Rainwaters nourish the other. The 1st is recognized as "nadhi mAthrukai" and the second is known as "dEva mAthrukai". Swami Desikan says here: "Oh RanganAtha paadhukE! This earth is nourished by the waterfall of Your rays originating from your pearls and always makes the crops of SaraNAgathAs "adhaiva mAthrukAs" or those, who are not dependent on rain from the skies. They are nourished as in the case of "nadhi mathrukAs" through your waterfall like flow originating from your pearls.

2) SrImad Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! the lustre of the pearls on you never diminishes. It is like the huge floodwaters that do not diminish even in the height of hot summer. Those floodwaters nourish the crop of saraNAgathAs in all the worlds. The inner meaning is that from the time of Swamy NammAzhwAr's avathAram, all categories of people continue to seek the Lord as their protection and gain mOksham as a result of the upadEsams housed in the paasurams of SaThakOpan.

3) The crop of SaraNAgathAs (SaraNAgatha sasya mAlini) become independent of the waters from the skies (adhaiva-mAthrukA abhUth). How did that happen? It is your rows of radiant pearls flowing like perrenial mountain sterams that causes it and sustains this crop of prapannAs always (Tava mukthAmaNi raSmi nirjjara Ogai: nithyam adhaivamAthrukA abhUth).

Sri: aDhiviShNupadham parisPhuranthI navamukthAmaNinirmalaprakAshA      paripuShyasi mangaLAni pumsAm prathipacchandhrakalEva pAdhukE! Thvam

Oh Paaduka! You reside at the Lord's Feet. Adorned with the pure spotless pearls, all new. You shine spotless white. The moon in the sky too shines so spotless and coveted, like a new pearl, on the prathama (after the New Moon). That single digit is believed to be auspices conferring. Indeed You too are similarly auspices- conferring. In fact You can be described as the 1st Digit of the Moon!

Special Notes by V. Sadagopan:

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Swami Desikan compares the white radiance of the pearls on the PaadhukAs to the auspicious 1st day of Moon in the growing phase (Sukla paksham). The name for this crescent Moon is "Pratipath chandra kalA". People look at it to gain auspiciousness. Swamy says: "Oh PaadhukE! You stay at the holy feet of your Lord and carry the white lustre of Your blemish-less pearls. During this time, You appear like the pratipath chnadra kalA, which confers auspiciousness on all those, who see it. That Chandra kalA also looks like a new pearl on You".

2) The inner meaning is that Swamy NammAzhwAr incarnated in this world and blessed us with (blemishless) pearl-like paasurams. As a result, kshEmam for the whole world results even today just like viewing the 1st phase of the Moon during sukla paksham. 

3) Oh PaadhukE! You confer all auspiciousness on people of the world similar to the 1st crescent of the growing Moon (Thvam Prathipath chandra kalA iva pumsAm mangaLAni paripushyasi). That auspiciousness arises from Your new and radiant row of pearls that stay close to the Lord's Thiruvadi (Thvam adhivishNupadham parisphuranthi nava mukthAmaNi nirmala prakAsA paripushyasi).

Sri: nihithA navamoUkthikAvaListhvAmaBhitha: kAnchanapAdhukE! murArE: naKha chandramasAm padhAshrithAnAm prathimAchandraparamparEva BhAthi

Oh Gold Paaduka! The pearls set on You on all sides in beautiful arrangement appear to be images of all the moons constituted by the nails of the Lord's Feet.

Special Notes by V. Sadagopan:

 1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! The many rows of new pearls decorating You on all Your 4 sides shine like rows of the images of Moons created by the ten Moons of Your Lord's toe nails.

2) Oh PaadhukE! the rows of new pearls on You appear like the images (prathibhimbhams) of  the naka chandran's associated with the Lord's holy feet. Just as the toenails do not part with the Lord's feet, the Paasurams of Swamy NammAzhwAr do not ever leave the Lord's sacred feet.

3) Oh golden PaadhukE! on all Your 4 sides are fresh rows of pearls (kaanchana paadhukE! ThvAm abhitha: nihithA nava MoukthikAvali:). Those rows of pearls remind one of the images of the prathimA chandrans. The toenails of Your Lord are the chandrans that are reflected as the pearls on You (MurArE: padhAsrithAnAm nakha chandramasAm prathima-chandra paramparEva bhAthi).

Sri: samathAmupaIthi vapuShApi sadhA BhavadhIyamoUkthikamahashChurithA      hari pAdhukE! haripadhOdBhavayA kanakApagA surapurApagayA

Oh Paaduka of the Lord! The river Kaveri was already equal to the Ganga in sanctity; now it has mixed with the white lustre of the pearls on You and become white; hence now it has become equal to the Ganga, that flowed from the Lord's Feet, in physical nature and appearance too!

Special Notes by V. S:

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: The Cauveri river at Srirangam gets connected to Lord Ranganatha"s sacred feet and becomes equal in status to the river Ganga, which had such a connection during the Lord's incarnation as Trivikrama. Swami Desikan refers to that equality resulting from the spreading of the white lustre of the pearls falling on the waters of Cauveri river. Swami Desikan observes: "Oh Hari PaadhukE! The cauveri river is embraced by the lustre of Your pearls and that makes her attain a status equal to the Ganga river, which arose form Your Lord's holy feet during an earlier time. Cauveri thus becomes equal to Ganga in all aspects due to Your munificence and makes her indebted to you forever".

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: River Ganga arose form the Lord's holy feet. River Cauveri arose from the Sahya mountains in the western ghats and flows around SrIrangam as a garland. Both remove the sins of those, who take bath in them. Yet Cauveri until it reached Srirangam has the golden color and is known therefore as Ponni. GangA's waters are white in color. Swami Desikan suggests that the reddish color of the river Cauveri is transformed in to white color similar to the holy Ganga river as a result of the radiance of the white pearls from the PaadhukAs falling on river Cauveri at SrIrangam. The inner meaning is that the study of Swamy NammAzhwAr’s paasurams would remove RajO (color red) and TamO (color black) guNams and converts those, who study them to have satthva guNam (Color white).

3) Oh PaadhukE! The body of the river Cauveri is painted always with the radiance of the white pearls on You (Hari PaadhukE!  KanakA SadhA BhavadhIya moukthika maha: churithA). As a result, the river Cauveri attains a white hue similar to the river GangA, which arose from the sacred feet of Lord Trivikraman (KanakApagA Hari- padhOdhbhavayA SurapurApagyA vapushi samathAm upaithi).

Sri: thavarangachandrathapanIyapAdhukE! vimalA samudhvahathi moUkthikAvaLi: charaNAravindhanaKhachandramaNdala praNayOpayAthanavathArakAruchim

Oh Gold Paaduka of Lord Ranganatha! Spotless pearls shine on You. They approach, with eagerness, the different moons presented by the nails of the Lord's Feet, as if they (pearls) were stars in the galaxy of moons.

Special Notes by V. Sadagopan:

1)UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: In an earlier verse, Swami Desikan described the pearls of PaadhukAs as the reflection s of many moons; here, he describes the pearls as stars in the firmament. He says: "Oh PaadhukAs of the Moon of SrIrangam! Your blemishless pearls out of affection for the moons (the toenails of the Lord) are desirous of relating to them (the moons) and hence take the forms of stars". The pearls and the toenails of the Lord remind Swami Desikan of a star-studded sky on a moonlit night.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! On You pearls are enmeshed. They look like the toenails, which resemble the moon. It is recognized that the stars are the wives of the moon. Your pearls are like the stars associated with the moon (the radiant toe nails of the Lord). The inner meaning is that the AzhwAr's paasurams are like the stars linked with the moon, which removes the darkness of samsAric night.

3) Swami Desikan addresses the Lord RanganAthan as" Ranga Chandran". His PaadhukAs are saluted as golden in hue (Tapaneeya PaadhukE). The surface of the golden paadhukais is enmeshed with rows of radiant white pearls, which are blemishless (Tava vimalA moukthika aavaLi:). Those rows of pearls linked with the radiant white toenails of the lotus feet of the Lord attain the status of the stars in the company of the Moon (Ranga chandra charaNAravindha nakha chandramanDala praNaya upayAtha nava tAraka ruchim samudhvahathi).

Sri: chandhrachUdamakutEna lALithA chArumoUkthikamayUKhapANdarA Ranga nAThapadhapadhmasanginI lakshyasE suraDhunIva pAdhukE

Oh Paaduka! You become like the river Ganga, by virtue of the white stream of the rays of the pearls, by contact with Siva's crown when he bows his head in obeisance and by the perennial contact You have with the lotus feet of the Lord.

Special Notes by V. Sadagopan:

1)UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Swami Desikan states here that the river Ganga on Rudra's head is one and the same as the Vishnu PaadhukAs for the following reasons: (a) both Ganga and the PaadhukAs are carried by Lord SivA on His head (b) both have connection to the lord's feet (c) perals on PaadhukAs in their whiteness resemble the waters of Ganga. Swami Desikan says: "Oh PaadhukE! You resemble Ganga flowing from the head of Lord SivA decorated with the white crescent moon. The whiteness of Your pearls and Your association with the Lord's holy feet and Your residence on Lord SivA's head indicate that You have all the attributes of Ganga river".

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that the sacred thoughts housed in Swamy NammAzhwAr's paasurams bless the people of the world with auspicousness just as river GangA blesses people, who take a dip in it.

3) PaadhukE! You in Your whiteness arising from Your rows of pearl are united with the lotus feet   of Lord RanganAtha (Paadhuke! PaaNDrA Thvam RanganAtha padha padhma sanginee) take on the appearance of the river GangA (Sura nadheeva lakshyasE). The beautiful white rays of Your rows of pearls fall on the river GangA adorning the siras of Lord Sivan and make you look like the Lord's feet united with the river GangA (Chandrachooda MakuDEna laaLithA chAru mouktika mayUka Suranadheeva lakshyasE).

Sri: yE Bhajanthi BhavathIm thavaIva thE moUkthikadhyuthivikalpagangayA!

varDhayanthi maDhuvaIripAdhukE! moULichandhrashakalasya chandhrikAm

Oh Paaduka of Madhusoodhana! Whosoever woships You, seeking Rudra's post acquire it-how? The array of pearls that are only Yours, generates a stream of effulgence that is another Ganga! And when the elevated Rudra-beings, now bow to You, the pearl-luster produces a phantom of a moon-digit, by which their moonlight luster is enhanced.

Special Notes by V. Sadagopan:

1)UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh Madhusoodhna PaadhukE! Those, who worship You to attain the status of Lord SivA realize their wishes. All of them become SivAs and display the insignia of Lord SivA. Different SivAs' sport different GangAs on their matted hair. The luster of Your pearls adorning their heads enhance the brilliance of the crescent moons on their heads.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that sadh-bhakthi arises for those, who clearly comprehend the rich meanings of Swamy NammazhwAr's divine paasurams.

3) Oh PaadhukE! Those who meditate on You without let (yE bhavathIm bhajanthi) grow further the little crescent moons on their heads due to the contact with the rays of pearls on You that resemble river GangA (tE tava moukthika dhyuthi-vikalpa-Gangeiva mouLi chandraSakalasya chanadrikAm vardhayanthi).

Sri: mukthAmayUKhaIrniyatham thvadhIyaIrApUrayiShyannavathamsachandhram biBharthi rangEshvarapAdharakshE! dhEvO mahAn darshithasannathisthvAm

Oh Paaduka! The one that is called Maha-deva perhaps bears You, after obeisance to You, on his head, ostensibly for augmenting his partial digit of moon to the full-moon-state by the strength of the pearl-ray- streams You generate!

Special Notes by V. Sadagopan:

 1)UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh RanganAtha PaadhukE! The present Rudran (Sivan) wears You on His head to enhance the brilliance of His head jewelry, the crescent Moon. He respectfully bows before You and increases the lustre of His crescent Moon through the reflection of the assembly of white rays originating from Your illustrious pearls.

2) Oh PaadhukE! Lord SivA adorns You with reverence on His head to enhance His Sathtva guNam. This happens due to the intermingling of the white rays emanating from the rows of pearls on the Paadhukais.

3) RangEswara PaadharakshE! Lord Sivan shows great reverence as He adorns You on His head (MahAn Deva: darsitha samnathi: ThvAm Bibharthi). What happens next? The white rays from the pearls on the Paadhukais fall on the head of Lord SivA and the crescent Moon there (ThvadhIyai: mukthA mayUkhai: avatamsa chandram aapUrayishyan) ThvAm Bibharthi and increases His satthva guNam.

Sri: pariShkruthA moUkthikarashmijAlaI: padhasya gOpthrI BhavathI murArE: BhavathyanEkOrmisamAkulAnAm pumsAm thamassAgarapOthapAthrI 

(Oh Paaduka!) This ocean of wordly life rocks beings by its waves, which are hunger, thirst etc. tormenting the beings. You, being the guard for the Lord's Feet are safely fastened, by means of the cords of pearl-lustre-rays, to be fit enough to ferry through the ocean to Moksha destination.

Special Notes by V. Sadagopan:

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! Strong ropes hold wooden boats together. The boats made secure in this manner hold goods safely and transport them across the sea without any danger to them. You act in a similar manner and help Your worshippers to cross the dark and stormy seas of samsAra safely. Your pearls serve as the ropes for the boat of the Lord's holy feet to cross the ocean of worldly existence known for its many dangers.

2. Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that people after the avathAram of Swamy NammazhwAr become fortunate to know about the pearl like paasurams revealing the Tatthva thrayam and attain auspiciousness. They attain mOksham ultimately. They attain SrI Vaikuntam with the recitation and comprehension of the divine anubhavam-laden paasurams of Swamy NammazhwAr.

3. PaadhukE!  You become the boat for those janthus, who suffer from the 6 worries of hunger, thirst, sorrow, ignorance, old age and death, which are like the unstopping waves of a stormy sea (anEkOrmi samAkulAnAm pumsAm tama: saagara pOthapAthri bhavathI). How do you do that? Your rows of pearls serve as the ropes that bind the planks of the boat (Moukthika rasmi jAlai: parishkruthA) bind it. You protect the Lord's sacred feet MurArE: Padhasya gOpthrI).

Sri: rangEshapAdhaprathipannaBhOgAm rathnAnuviDdhaIrmahithAm shirOBhi:

     mukthAvadhAthAm maNipAdhukE! thvAm mUrthim BhujangADhipathE: prathIma:

Oh Manipaaduka! I dare say You are an incarnation of Adisesha! Whereas You have the previlege of enjoying his Feet, Adisesha in snake-body enjoys the revered Rangesa, Sri Rangesapada! Both get respectability from the gems on top. If You get a white lustrous surface by virtue of the pearls,  Adisesha is pearl-white!

Special Notes by V. S:

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! We recognize You as AdhisEshA, the Lord's close companion. We wonder whether AdhisEshA himself has taken Your form to protect the Lord's feet, when He travels. There are so many similarities between You and AdhisEshA, which makes us think this way. Both of You serve the Lord and derive great pleasure through that service. Both of You have gems adorning Your head portions. AdisEshA has a white color like Your pearls. The word "BhOga" used by Swami Desikan in this verse can mean either a serpent (AdhisEshA) or enjoyment.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! You are enmeshed with priceless pearls. You display a radiant white hue. PerumAL is placing His Thiruvadi on You. The heads of BrahmA and others rest on Your surface. In this state, You remind adiyEn of AdhisEsahn, who is white in hue and the Lord is resting on him. Like You, AdhisEshan has countless jewels on His hoods.

3) Oh PaadhukE! We think of You as having the resemblence to PerumAL's bed, AdhisEshan (ThvAm BhujangAdhipathE: mUrthim pratheema). Why? Both of You have the sukham arising from union with Lord's Thiruvadi (SrirangEsa padha prathipanna bhOgAm). Both of You are celebrated for the head adorned with many gems (rathna anuviddhai: sirObhi: mahithAm). Both of You are radiantly white in hue (mukthA avadhAtAm).

Sri: mukundhapAdhAvani! moUkthikaIsthE jyOthsnAmayam vishwamidham dhivApi

     vaImAnikAnAm na Bhajanthi yEna vyAkOchathAmanjalipadhmakOshA:

Oh Mukunda Paaduka! This world becomes full of moons even in daytime, by reason of Your pearls which radiate such lustre. As a consequence, the Devas take to a suppliant posture of their hands, delineating a lotus bud. And buds naturally do not blossom and open up! this being a night to their experience!

Special notes by V. Sadagopan:

1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: "Oh Mukunda PaadhukE! The lustre of Your pearls spreads across the entire universe and serves as The cool light of the moon. The moonlight extends both during the day and night times. As a result, the joined palms of dEvAs offering worship to You appear like unblossomed buds of lotus". Swami Desikan states that dEvAs are having anjali mudhrai (joining one's palms as a sign of reverence) during day and night. Their anjali mudhra appear like lotus buds, which do not open up because they experience the moonlight associated with the cool radiance of from the pearls decorating the PaadhukAs. Lotus flower does not open its petals at night.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh Mukhundha PaadarakshakE! With Your unmatched cool white radiance, You make even the daytime experience the cool moonshine. The unbearable samsAric heat feels like the cool moonshine in Your presence. When the DevAs worship You, the SaThAri Soori, their folded hands stay closed like the lotus at night enjoying the cool moon rays.    

3) Oh Mukundha PaadhAvani! Your cool radiance from the pearl makes even the hot day filled with the comfort of the cool moon rays (tE moukthikai: idham visvam divApi jyOthsnAmayam karOthi). Because of that phenomena, the folded hands of the dEvAs, which resemble lotus buds do not open up (yEna vaimAnikAnAm anjali padhmakOsA: vyAkOchathAm na bhajanthi).

Sri:  samAshrithAnAmanaGhAm vishuDdhim thrAyasavyapAyam cha

vithanvathI thvam sAyujyamApAdhayasi

svakIyaIrmukthAPhalaIrmADhavapAdhukE! na:

Oh Paaduka! You make us, Your surrendered ones, exactly equal to the pearls. We become ones, for whom bliss and service are the fruit-state, not involving a stage or path or technique. Perfect purity (pure whiteness); fearlessness (freedom from flaws of gems)-This Sayujya for us with pearls is Your gift!

Special notes by V. Sadagopan:

1)UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh Maadhava PaadhukE! For those of us, who have sought refuge in You, You confer on us Your boon of possessing the likeness with You. As a result, we also become sinless, blemishless, fearless and perfect (freedom from chipping in the case of pearls and gems). We attain thereby the type of mOksham known a s Saayujyam.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! You transform those who seek Your refuge like Your pearls, which are pure and blemishless. They become free from dhOshams and are freed from their fears.

3) Oh Maadhava PaadhukE! for those who seek Your refuge withdevotion, You make them reach a status similar to Your pearls (viz), pure, nirdhOsham and freedom from fear (SamAsrithAnAm na: anagAm visuddhim thraasa vyapaayam cha vitanvathI). You confer on them a state of bliss equal to Your pearls (Thvam svakeeyai:  mukthAphalai: saayujyam aapAdhayasi).

Sri: avaImi pAdhAvani! moUkthikAnAm kIrNAmudhagarI: kiraNaprarOhaI:

     yAthrOthsavArtham vihithAm murArEraBhangurAmankurapAlikAm thvAm

Oh Paaduka! Your pearls look like sprouting up. Is it then the Navadhanya palika ritual of germinating grains to mark a procession-festival of the Lord? I presume so.

Special Notes by V. Sadagopan:

1)UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! I visualize You as a vessel in which sprouted grains are seen during the time of Your Lord's annual festivals at the Yaj~na SaalAs. The white luster of Your pearls adorning You appear like the white sprouted buds seen on those occasions.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The marriage and other Vedic ceremonies require the growth of Paalikais. The seedlings grow in 4 days into small plants. Similarly, SadAchAryA's katAksham and anugraham will permit a sishyan to have the SaakshthkAram of PerumAl.

3) PerumAl has Yaathra Uthsavam and has the puRappAdu. The spreading lustre form the pearls on the Paadhukais (moukthikAnAm udhagrai: kiraNa prarOhai:) look like PaalikA vessels with the white sprouts from grains (uthsavaarTam vihithAm abhankurAm  angurapAlikAm iva) that are shooting out.

Sri: shivathvahEthum sakalasya janthO: srOthOvishEShaI: suBhagAmasanKhyaI:

mukthAmayUKhaI: surasinDhumanyAm puShNAsi rangEshvarapAdhukE! thvam

Oh Paaduka! (The Ganga that flowed from the Lord's Feet once, made Rudra, 'Siva'). The pearl-rays from You, constitute so many branches of a new Ganga, that confers 'Sivatva' sanctity and auspiciousness on all creatures.

Special Notes by V. Sadagopan:

1)UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh Ranganatha PaadhukE! You are the cause for auspiciousness for all the lving beings and that is due to the countless divisions of the flow of the lustre from Your pearls. This flood of lustre looks like a mighty river with many branches. Your conferral of Sivathvam (auspiciousness) on so many makes You more famous than the river Ganga. (Rudra became Siva /auspicious and attained Sivathvam by housing Ganga in His matted locks. Swamy Desikan reasons that Ganga made only Rudra attain Sivathvam in contrast to the pearls of PaadhukAs that confer Sivathvam to countless number of living beings.

Sri: rangE shayAnasya padhAvani! ThvAm lAvaNyasinDhO: saviDhE niShaNNAm

ParisPhuranmoUkthikajAladhrushyAm prasUthiBhinnAm prathiyanthi shukthim

Oh Paaduka! Near the Lord, who lies as a large ocean of charm, You shine as the oyster-shell opened up to emit out pearls. You are beside an ocean of lavanya (charm). Ordinary oyster-shells are found on the shores of the ocean of lavana (salt).

Special Nots by V. Sadagopan:

 1) UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! You are seated right next to that ocean of beauty resting under the Ranga VimAnam. During that occasion, the pearls decorating the front portion of Your body resemble the pearls near the salty ocean shore, which peek out of their mother shells that are half open. We poets visualize Your pearls in this way. Swamy Desikan uses the double meaning of the word "laavaNya sindhu" in this verse. This word can mean either the ocean of beauty (laavaNya) or the salty (lavaNa) ocean. He recognizes the pearls on the PaadhukAs of the Lord as natural pearls peeking out of their oyster shells.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The time of birth of the pearls from their oyster shells is referred to here. The Lord of SrIrangam is like the ocean of Beauty.The Paadhukai with its pearls on top is right next to that ocean of Beauty, Lord RanganAthan.Their proximity reminds Swamy Desikan that the Lord is like the beautiful oyster shell and the beautiful pearls are like those born out of that ocean of beauty. The Paasurams of Swamy NammAzhwAr are compared to illustrious pearls with deep devotion to the Lord.

3) The Paadhukais are right next to the ocean of beauty lying down under the shade of Ranga VimAnam (RangE sayanasya PadhAvani! (tasya) lAvaNya sindhO: savidhE nishaNNAm ThvAm). There You are seen with your beautiful pearls, which seem to have just burst open from their oyster shells (Moukthika-jaala dhrusyAm ThvAm, prasUthi-bhinnAm sukthim prathiyanthi).

Sri: avaImi rangEshvarapAdharakshE! mukthAPhalAni thvayi nisthulAni

     thEnaIva kalpAntharakANAmupathAni bIjAni jagadhviDhAthrA

Oh Paaduka! The globular pearls on You, I surmise are the seeds that Lord Ranganatha, the World-Creator has sown, for later on materializing into stars in future ages, kalpas, etc.

Special Notes by V. Sadagopan:

1)UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh RanganAtha PaadhukE! I consider Your pearls as the seedlings for the growth of the future generation of stars, which have been planted in You by the Lord Himself.

2) Srimath Andavan's   anubhavam:Oh PadhukE! When one looks at the pearls enmeshed on Your surface, it is like the seedlings planted by the Lord for the occasion of the next kalpam. The inner meaning is that just as the twinkling distant star and its beauty is enjoyed by people far away from the stars, even for common folk, the devotional fervor of Swamy NammAzhwAr's paasurams become abundantly evident.

3) The pearls on the Paadhukai are matchless (Thvayi nisthulAni mukthA phalAni). They are like the seeds sown for the next Kalpam by Lord of Rangam (TEnaiva upthAni kalpAnthara tArakANAm bhIjAni avaimi).

Sri: vikramyamANamaBhavath kshaNamanthariksham

     mAyAvinA BhagavathA maNipAdharakshE!

     vyOmApagAvipulavudhbudhadharshanIyaI:

     mukthAPhalaIsthava shuBhaI: punarukthathAram

Oh Manipaaduka! When the deceitful Vamana extended His foot into the sky, the pearls in the Paduka there, momentarily as the beautiful bubbles, arose in the flow of the celestial Ganga, appeared like stars, thus doubling the number of stars-(all for a moment; soon the foot pierced and went to Brahmaloka).

Special Notes by V. Sadagopan:

1)UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! Your Lord is like a magician, who took the form of Thrivikrama and measured the universes with His feet. His left foot stretched and measured the sky. River Ganga flowed from that foot and the rapidly moving foot created many bubbles in the stream

of Ganga due to its amazing velocity. The water bubbles seen at that time occupied the sky and became the pearls adorning You. They joined the stars that existed before their birth and multipled the count of the stars in the sky.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: When the Lord took Thrivikrama avathAram, there were multitudes of stars in the sky that was pierced by His fast rising Thiruvadi.Oh PaadhukE! The pearls on You looked like brilliant stars themselves at that time. The swift moving bubbles form the GangA pravAham at that time were also like the stars. Thus during the short time of travel of the Lord's feet, the sky had 3 fold number of stars(Natural stars, Pearls looking like stars and the bubbles of Ganga river appearing like another set of stars).

3) Lord is like a MaayAvi. From His dwarfish stature, He grows in to His gigantic Thrivikrama form .The sky that was being measured by the Lord's Thiruvadi (BhagavathA vikramyamANam anthariksham) got admixed with the pearl like, auspiciousness granting bubbles arising from the swift flowing Ganga pravAham in a very short time (kshaNam vyOmApagA vipula bhudhbhudha darsaneeyai:) that looked like another kind of stars. To those 2 kinds of stars was added your auspicious assembly of pearls (Tava subhai: mukthAphalai: punuruktha thArAm abhavath).

Sri: lakshmIvihArarasikEna padhAvani! thvam

     rakshAviDhoU BhagavathA jagathO niyukthA

     satthvam thadharhamiva darshayasi praBhUtham

     mukthAmayUKhanikarENa visruthvarENa

Oh Paaduka! Not that the Lord is a deceitful personage. You, as having been invested with the protection of all worlds, You being Sattva-oriented as evident from the white pearls, You run the world in a Sattvika manner. Thus You ensure that the Lord is able to be engaged in His sport with His spouses, You undertaking to do His duties.

Special Notes by V. Sadagopan:

1)UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! Your Lord is interested in sporting with His consort, SrI RanganAyaki. He appoints You as the protector of the universe through the spreading of righteousness (satthva guNa) there, so that there will be no interruption to His sporting with SrI RanganAyaki. You accomplish Your mission through the spreading of the rays of Your pearls. Swami Desikan equates the white rays of the pearls with satthva guna. When latter is dominant, Lord does not need to leave the side of His consort to punish the wicked ones known for their display of RajO and TamO gunAs.

2) SrImad Andavan's anubhavam: For protecting the world, satthva guNam is a prime requisite. The lustre form the Paadhukais spreads satthva guNam all around the world. Lord RanganAthan wishes to sport with His consort and entrusts the Paadhukai to serve as the rakshakan of the world knowing fully well that the satthva guNam emanating from the pearls of the paadhukai would take care of that lofty responsibility.

3) Lord RanganAthan is saluted here as "LakshmI VihAra rasikan". He commands the Paadhukais to take care of the protection of the Universe, while He is busy sporting with His Divine consort (BhagavathA jagatha: rakshAvidhou Thvam niyukthA). You rise to the occasion by spreading the lustre of Your assembly of pearls in all directions (Thvam visruthvarENa mukthA mayUkha nikarENa) and demonstrate for that task of protection, Your lofty satthava guNam (Tadharham prabhUtham Satthavm darsayasi).

Sri: padhArpaNEna BhavathIm prathipadhyamAnE

shrIrangachandhramasi samBhruthamoUkthikashrI:

angIkarOShi charaNAvani! kAnthimagrayAm

udhBhidhyamAnakumudhEva kumudhvathI thvam

Oh Paaduka! Srirangachandra relishes insertion of His feet into You. The rays of the moon, that He is, pervade in plenty. When this happens, the water-lilies all blossomed by the moon's appearance in You create an imagery of Your being a water-lily pond.

Special Notes by V. Sadagopan:

1)UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! Your beauty is enhanced by Your pearls. When Your Lord RanganthA unites His feet with You as an expression of His great love for You, He makes You resemble a bright pond of white lillies, where the lillys are Your radiant pearls. Here Swamy Desikan uses the double meaning for the word "paadha". This word can mean either foot or a ray. In the case of lillies, the rays of the Moon make them blossom. Lord RanganAthan is that divine Moon.

2) The inner meaning is: When Swamy NammazhwAr sings about the Lord, He (PerumAL) becomes joyous and presents Himself before His dear bhakthan. That appearance of the Lord makes Swamy NammAzhwAr blossoms forth like a lilly at the sight of the rising Moon. The lillies (Kumudha pushpam) close their petals, when there is no Moon.When the Lord, who is the Moon is not there, the Lillies do not bloom. The pearls, which are like the forest of Kumudha pushpams in a pond blossom at the sight of the Lord (Moon), when the Lord unites His Thiruvadi with the Paadhukais.

3) The beauty of the Paadhukai adorned with pearls is saluted by Swamy Dsikan as: Sambrutha Moukthika SrI:". The Lord is equated to the Moon (Rangachandramasi). His Paadha arpanam results in the blossoming of the lilly-like pearls at the sight of the Moon that is the Lord (Thvam Rangachandramasi paadha arpaNEna bhavathIm prathipadhyamAnE udhbhidhyamAna kumudA). The assembly of pearls look together like a forest of of fully blossomed Lillies in a Lilly pond, as the Moon rises (Thvam udhbhidhyamAna kumudhA kumudhvathi agryAm kaanthim angIkarOshi).

Sri: thrayyanthaharmyathalavarNasuDhAyithEna jyOthsnAvikalpitharuchA maNi pAdhukE! thvam  mukthAmayI muraBhidhanGhrisarOjaBhAjAm varNEna thE shamayasIva sathAmavarNam

Oh Manipaaduka! You are in a surfeit of the pearls. The overall white lustre simulates moonlight. And You remove, by this effulgence, the strain or stigma of those who, however, have resorted to the Lord's Feet; by reason of this effect, I guess it would suffice to white-wash the mansions of Vedantas! (Sudha in this verse means whitewash, lime, mortar, etc.)

Specail Notes by V. Sadagopan:

1)UtthamUr Swami's anubhaavm: In this slOkam, Swami Desikan touches on an important doctrine regarding the approach of the Lord's holy feet. This doctrine establishes that one should not approach the Lord's holy feet for self-surrender (Saranagathi) without 1st approaching the PaadhukAs; similarly, one should not surrender unto the Lord directly without going through one's Acharya. The PaadhukAs are none other than Swamy NammAzhwAr, the Acharyaa of Acharyaas. The blemishes in surrender are removed by the PaadhukAs through its lustre arising from its pearls. In this context, Swami Desikan says: "Oh PaadhukE! Your thick rows of pearls resemble the radiance of the moon's rays and shine on the upper floors of the manions of VedAs. The white brilliance of Your pearls imparts its whiteness to the walls of VedAntha, just as white plaster provides its lustre to the ordinary walls of the mansions. Through the white radiance of Your pearls, You remove the defects and discolorations of the people, who surrender at the the lotus feet of Your Lord."

2. Srimath Andavan's anubhaam:  Oh PaadhukE! The briliant white lustre from Your pearls is like the radiant rays of the Moon. That reminds adiyEn of the white paint covering the walls of the upparikais of Upanishads. When that radiance from Your pearls fall on the bhakthAs assembled to worship your Lord, all of their blemishes are removed. The inner meaning is that the true meanings of the Upanishads are comprehended from the recitation of the ThiruvAimozhi Paasurams.

3. Oh PaahdukE! You are embellished fully with rows of pearls (MaNi PaadhukE! Thvam MukthAmayI). You are like the beautiful white paint for the walls of the mansions of the Upanishads (Thvam Thrayyantha harmyatala Varnasudha iva). There You resemble the cool and white rays of the Moon (JyOthsnA kalpitha ruchA). With that white radiance of Your pearls, You remove the defects of those, who approach the lotus feet of Your Lord (thE varNEna Murabhith angri-sarOjabhAjAm sathAm avarnam samayasIva). It is a beautiful statement by Swami Desikan: "thE varNEna (sathAm) avarNam samayasi".   

Sri: vaikuNTapAdhanaKhavAsanayEva nithyam pAdhAvani! prasuvathE thava moUkthikAni acChinnathApashamanAya samAshrithAnAm AlOka maNdalam iShAdhamrutha pravAhAm

Oh Paaduka! Your pearls wipe out the triple-torture (tapatrayam) of those who have surrendered unto You. Evidently You have gained this potency from close contact of the nails of the Lord's Feet [from which (nails) nectar flows according to the vedas). It is an understatement to say that the pearls have lustre-circumference. Actually You secrete nectar-torrent on us!

Special Notes by V. Sadagopan:

1)UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! Your pearls through their assoication with Your Lord's toenails have been immersed in the flood of nectar originating from them. Your Lord creates this flood of nectar from His radiantly white toenails and removes the afflictions of those who suffer from samsaric ills. Your pearls have acquired the quality of the nectar from the Lord's toenails and participate in the act of destroying the sufferings of the afflicted. Swami Desikan points out that the pearls may look like a circle of white rays, but in actualiity they form the flood of nectar, which provides salvation. The pearls have derived this power from the toenails of the Lord through intimate association with them.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is: AzhwArs and AchAryAs have blessed us with SrI Sookthis like ThiruvAimozhi et al, which are the distillation of their sublime anubhavams about the enjoyment of the Lord and His anantha kalyANa guNams. Each word of those SrI Sookthis on reflection have the power

to remove our limitless samsAric  sorrows. Our Lord and His AzhwArs through their nectar like upadesams protect us from the horrors of samsAram. AzhwAr paasuram's meanings are like nectar. The paasurams are equated here to the individual pearls.

3) Oh SrIrangEsa PaadhAvani! Your pearls have the intimate association with Your Lord's toe nails always and as a result produce the flood of nectar (Tava MoukthikAni VaikuNDa paadha nakha vaasanayA nithyam amrutha pravAham prasoovathE). That association-derived power blesses those, who seek Your refuge and removes the samsAric afflictions that can not be easily banished (SamAsrithAnAm acchinna taapa samanam prasoovathE). How do these assemblies of pearls with their intimate assoication with the Lord's toe nails perform this miracle? They execute this miracle of the flow of amrutha pravAham through their radiance arising from the assembly of rays emanting from the pearls (aalOka maNDalamishAth nithyam amrutha pravAham prasoothE).

Sri: rAmAnuvrutthijatilE Bharathasya moULoU rangADhirAjapadhapankajarakshiNi! thvam EkAthapathrithajagathrithayA dhvithIyam mukthAmshuBhi: kruthavathI navamAthapathram

Oh Paaduka! It was You, as a monarch, who brought all worlds under one umbrella. When You sat on the head of Bharata, who sported matted locks of hair, in the true footsteps of Rama, You rightly created a second umbrella-of the halo from pearls-a secondless umbrella at that.

Special Notes byV. Sadagopan:

 1)UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Oh Padhukai protecting the lotus feet of RanganAthA! BharathA wore You on his matted locks, when You ruled the earth as the representative of Raamachandran.You had then the white umbrella over Your head to symbolize Your soverignity over the earth. BharathA was carrying out Your orders as Your representative. Out of compassion for BharathA's suffering and admiration for his noble character, You seem to have created a second umbrella through the rays of Your pearls to honor him. You were having the ancient umbrella of the emperors of IshvAku line over Your throne. BharathA had the new umbrella constructed especially for him by Yourself with the rays of Your pearls.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that the honors accorded by the people of the world for those who comprehend the true meanings of Swamy NammazhwAr's paasurams is not as great as their own comforting knowledge about the comprehension of the tatthvams revealed in those paasurams.

3) Oh Padhukis protecting the Lord of SrIrangam's lotus feet (RangAdhirAja padha pankaja rakshiNi)! You became the emperor over all the 3 worlds after Your coronation ceremony performed by Bharathan. The white umbrella of the IshvAku kulam was seen then over Your head to denote Your status as the Emperor of the 3 worlds (Thvam yEkAthapathritha Jagath thritayA). At that time, You created through the assembly of Your pearls a second white umbrella to be held over the matted locks of BharathA, which reminded one of His brother's matted locks (jaDilE Bharathasya mouLou mukthAmsubhi: navam dhvithIyam aathapathram kruthavathI).

Sri: pAdhAvani! SPhutamayUKhamaDhupravAhA mugDhA parisPhurathi moukthikapaDdhathisthE rUDasya rangapathipAdhasarOjamaDhyE rEKhAthmana: suratharOriva puShpapankthi:

Oh Paaduka! Your charming pearl-array emits a clear radiation-effulgence that is, once, exuding honey of light. It presents a picture of flowers, which have resulted from the Kalpaka tree, drawn in line-sketch on the lower side of the Lord's Feet!

Note-Sankja-rathanga-kalpaka-dvaja-aravinda-ankusha-vajra (Alavandar Stotra Ratnam verse 31, lists the various insignias on the foot, bespeaking nobility of birth), Verses 591, 592 listed Chakra and Padma. Here Kalpaka.

Special Notes by V. Sadagopan:

1)UtthamUr Swami's anubhavam: Swami Desikan compares the rows of pearls on the Lord's Paadhukais here to the rows of flower bunches from the divine Kalpaka tree. He says: "Oh PaadhukE! Your rows of pearls with its beautiful rays appear like the rows of flowers of the Kalpaka tree generating a stream of honey. That Kalpaka tree is seen in the middle of Your Lord's lotus feet as a part of insignias denoting His status as the Emperor of all the Universes. The spreading of Your brilliant rays appear like the flow of honey from those Kalpaka flower bunches.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: When one sees the enmeshed pearls on You, it reminds them of the Kalpaka tree symbol in the form of lines seen in the inside soul of the Lord's Thiruvadi. Your pearls look like the white flowers of that Kalpaka tree growing out of that region. The lustre arising out of them reminds one of the swift and copious flow of honey from those Kalpaka flowers. The inner meaning is that Swamy NammAzhwAr's paasurams are like the never-fading Kalpaka flowers generating the divine honey that grants all boons.

3) Oh PaadhukE! Your rows of pearls are beautiful (PaadhAvani! thE moukthika paddhathi: mugdhA). They are like the rows of the white flowers associated with the Kalpaka tree formed by the lines (rEkhAthmana:) on Your Lord's inner feet (thE Rangapathi paadhasarOja madhyE rooDasya rEkhAthmana: SuratarO: pushpa pankthiriva parisphurathi).

Contd. to the next part of 18th MukthA Paddhathi

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