Sri Ranganatha Paadhuka Sahasram

SrI:

SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Translations & Commentaries by Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari SadagOpan

Introduction : In the Nirveda Paddhathi , the despair of Swamy Desikan from the indifference of the Lord's Paadhukais over his request for anugraham to be rid of SamsAric Sufferings was the theme. In the last slOkam of NirvEda Paddhathi, the DayA Moorthy, the Paadhukais responded most favorably to the moving plea for rescue by Swamy Desikan and freed Swamy Desikan from his erstwhile worries and Swamy began to celebrate the glorious modes of the Lord's Paadhukais as the matchless purushArTam joyously as a fititng finale. Every one of the remaining 38 slOkams of the final chapter of Sri RanganAtha PadhukA Sahasram (Phala Paddhathi) has to be intrepreted in the context of the Parama Phala Roopam of the Lord's Paadhukais according to our PoorvAchAryAs.

SlOkam 971 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

I worship the Paaduka, which has rightly been conceded the greatness of being acclaimed as the ultimate end, as upaya (Means) and as upaya (fruit), by competent seers like Vasishta and Valmiki.

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: adiyEn approaches Lord Raamachandra"s Paadhukais, which have been described by Sage Vasishta and others as the supreme means to gain the fruit of Moksham. It serves both as the Means (UpAyam) and Fruit (Phalan).

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Sage VasishtA and other Maha Rishis have pointed out that the Lord's Paadhukais are powerful to confer Yogam (standing as UpAyam to gain hitherto unattained blessings and removing all obstacles in such attainments) and Kshemam (protection of those soubhAgyams after attaining them). Swamy DEsikan meditates on the powerful Paadhukais of the Lord, which responded to his plea and revealed that they are the limits of Phalan (MOksha SUkham).

3) The Paadhukais have been described by Sage VasishtA and his peers (VasishtAdhyai:) that the Lord's Padhukais are the most superior upAyam among UpAyams for Bhagavath PrApthi and the best among Phalans (taTAthvEna upAkhyAtham). This they have declared in SrImath RaamAyaNam and other Prabhandhams. I meditate on those noble Paadhukais, which are the limit among all desired UpAyams and Phalans (UpAya PhalayO: KaashtAm Raama PaadhukAm upAsE)

SlOkam 972 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka Devi! I spurn the super affluence of the Devas as mere leaf of grass. I only cherish to stand close to You, who sport as it were, the toy-lotus, namely, the Feet of the Lord Ranganatha, and serve You, earning for me, the befitting honorific, `Paaduka-sevaka'.

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukA Devi ! Lord's holy feet are a pair of lotus. You hold those lotus feet , which are the embodiment of SrI Devi. There is no other wealth including that of the DevAs that is desirable to me compared to the wealth of being next to You (Paadhukai) and serving You. Oh PaadhukE! I consider the wealth of the dEvAs as a blade of grass compared to Your Vaibhavam and therefore seek instead the undiminishing wealth of uninterrupted service to You.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! There is only one Phalan I seek. That is to perform all types of Kaimkaryams to You always at all states, all places and at all times (Sarva dEsa , Sarva Kaala, SarvaavasthOchitha, Samastha Vidha Kaimkaryams). AdiyEn longs to gain the title of "PaadukA UpAsakan" by being near You and by serving You and gaining You as PrApyam and PrApakam. There is nothing elase that pleases me such as the insignificant wealth possessed by the DevAs. The bliss arising from the Kaimkarya anubhavam by serving You makes other Iswaryams pale into insignificance. Therefore, the only BhAgyam that I beseech is the permanent kaimkaryam to You always.

The inner meaning is that living next to SadAchAryAs and serving them at all times and ways is the Parama PurushArTam. Even the glories of rulership status as Brahama dEvan wont match that Vaibhavam.

3) Oh PaadhukA DEvi ! I am blessed to have gained now the title as the well known (Pratheetha:) PaadhukA Sevakan (vide : 969th sLokam). Rest of the titles and their glories experienced by the dEvAs are inferior and insignificant like tthe blades of grass compared to the title of "PaadhukA SEvakan" (ThridasAnAm Vibhavam thruNAya mathvA). May I therefore be at Your side always (Tava savidhE nirantharam nivEsaya). Thou are indeed the holder of the Lord's playful lotus feet (Tava Rangabharthu: padha leelA Kamalam asi?).

SlOkam 973 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

kimaham maNipAdhukE! ThvayA mE
sulaBhE ranganiDhoU shriyA sanAThE
karaNAni puna: kadharThayEyam
krupaNadhvArAsikAdhidhuKhaI:

Oh Manipaaduka! Lord Ranganatha with his consort resides in Srirangam. That `Sriranganidhi' is my cherished treasure, easily made available to me through Your help. After this would I again repeat (as in my earlier births) the process of sitting outside the doors of misers, wasting my limbs in vain efforts?

Special Notes by V.Sadagopan:

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh MaNi PadhukE ! When I have obtained with Your help the unique wealth resident at Srirangam easily, why would I let my faculty of senses reside at the gates of residences of misers and engage in the despicable act of begging for money from them as in my previous births ? I will not.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh MaNi PaadukE ! Will any one who has been revealed an incomparable treasure ever go again in search of alms to sustain himself ? Your Lord is easily attainable ; He is the grantor of all desired wishes all the way upto MOksham and is always with MahA Lakshmi (Sriya: SrI: ). He has elected to stay under Ranga VimAnam to make it easy for all to have His darsana soubhAgyam and to recieve His anugraham. Oh PaadhukE ! After attaining Yourself and Your Lord of such glories, will I ever stoop to beg for perishable and insignificant wealth ( vide : 954th SlOkam) as before gaining You both? Anya Phala apEkshai ( seeking other Phalans) and ananya SaraNam (seeking protection from others) are out of the question now that I have been blessed with the treasure of both Yourself and Your Lord. The importance of SadAchArya KatAksham is revealed here as Parama PurushArTam.

3) Oh Gem-studded PaadhukE ! When I have in my possesion the treasure blessed to me , the easy-to-acccess Ranga Nidhi with MahA Lakshmi (MaNi PaadhukE ! ThvayA mE sulabhE SriyA sanATE Ranga nidhou sathi) , why would I stand once again before the doors of misers and haughty ones and suffer the indignities of begging them for perishable and insignificant wealth ( Ranga Nidhou sathi , aham karaNAni krupaNa dhvAra durAsikAdhi dukkhai: kim kadharTayEyam) ? I will never undergo that demeaning experience.

SlOkam 974 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! The beautiful Feet-lotus of Ranganatha in combination with You would suffice to be enjoyed once. Then even great sages would forget their usual craving for non-re-birth, so that they may be born in the world again and secure this enjoyment.

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: The sages who have experienced and enjoyed the lotus feet of Your Lord , RanganAtha in companionship with You do not wish for Moksham, which prevents them from being born again. They want to take another birth to enjoy the pleasures of association with Your Lord's holy feet supported by You with affection. They lose their interest in Moksham , which will give them only freedom from the cycles of births and deaths.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that for the BhagavathOtthamAs engaged always in performing Kaimkaryams for SadAchAryAs, who in turn are steeply immersed on the dhyAnam of the Lord , do not seek even Paramapadham. This reveals that there is no Parama PurushArTam beyond kaimkaryams to SadAchAryaasfor the BhagavathOtthamAs . This is their Parama PrApthi. Swamy Desikan cites the experience of sages like VasishtA here, who are deeply absorbed in the practise of Bhakthi yOgam dealing with uninterrupted dhyAnam of the Lord's holy feet assoicated with You (Paadhukais). Once that dhyAnam takes root, that joyous experience makes them forget about the desire for apunarbhava mOksham; they put up with the samsAric discomforts for sustaining the bliss of dhyAnam of Your Lord's feet in close contact with You. The moksha dhvarai (the urgency to seek moksham) is gone for them.

3) For sages like VasishtA , the longing for Moksham is subdued instantly (muneenAm tadhaiva apunarbhava kouthukam prasamam gacchathi). How does that happen ? It happens when they enjoy even for once the most enchanting sight of the union of Yourself with Your Lord's sacred feet ( MuneenAm ThvadhupaslEsha manOharam Rangabharthu: padhAbhjam sakrudhapi anubhUya prasamam gacchathi).

SlOkam 975 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! My sufferings, unceasingly teasing me, almost without a beginning, coming in succcession,-not one of them is of a lesser magnitude than what befell Bharata,-are all the result of my sins. For all of them expiatory remedy is surely necessary. And You shall be the remedy! (i.e., I take recourse to You as the only prayaschitta remedy).

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE ! I am not a sage, who prefers birth in this universe over Moksham to serve You and Your Lord. My sins are growing forever and follow me through my many births. They are similar in magnitude to the worries of Bharatha during his seperation from his dear brother for fourteen years. Therefore, I seek You as the final atonement to all of my sins for getting the blessings of Moksham.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE ! You may ask why would anyone want to be in the karma bhUmi even if the enjoyment of Yourself associated always with Your Lord's sacred feet. You may feel that it is odd for some one to stay here in preference to Srivaikuntam as akarma-vasyaaLs. Here is my answer: Yes , there are many interruptions for enjoying the parama purushArTams here (outside Parama Padham). adiyEn's ever growing karmAs (sins) flow like the endless waves of the ocean driven by fierce winds. There is no end to these Bhagavadh-anubhava virOdhis. Those sins and their assemblies are immense. Just as Bharathan's sorrows were destroyed after gaining You in one instant, my sins are also destroyed when Your katAksham fell on me. What can KarmAs do to me anymore. I am enjoying You in a status equal to the liberated ones (Muktha tulyAnubhavam right here). You are my supreme prAyascchittham for all my sins.

3) BharathA's sorrows arising from his seperation from his Lord were immeasurable (Bharatha Vyasanam). My sufferings however are even larger and ever growing than those of Bharatha and thus are limitless (mama dhurithA: aparaspara paathinAm anidham poorvam nirooDa santhatheenAm mama dhurithAnAm). My sins are growing exponentially (aparaspara paathinAm) and are timeless (anAdhi: anidham poorvam). They are firmly rooted in their rows (nirooDa santhatheenAm). They are larger than the assembly of BharathA's sorrows (Bharatha vyasanAth anoona seemnAm mama dhurithAnAm). For those immeasuarable and gigantic bundle of sins, You are indeed the ultimate atonement (mama dhurithAnam nishkruthi: Tvam aasee: kim ?) right here on the other side of Parama Padham.

SlOkam 976 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Gold Paaduka! The pancharatra sastra is being followed for performance of worship at Ranganatha shrine. The tradition is being followed by the appointees to the service, who observe the discipline of devotion set by Bharata and serve You. Those previleged people surely cross the ocean of samsara.

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh Golden PaadhukE ! PaancharAthra Aagamam reveals that the worship of Your Lord's feet with You yields Moksham. Great souls aware of this upAyam of worship cross the ocean of SamsAram like BharathA, who worshipped You along with his brother's holy feet.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh Kaanchana PaadhukE shining with unparalleled radiance ! You may ask: If Parama PurushArtham thru uninterrupted kaimkaryam to the SadAchAryAs can be obtained right here, how come not many are not following that route, I can tell you about the subtelty behind that nonobservance by many. The practise of Bhakthi and Prapatthi to You, who is not seperated from Your Lord is too subtle Saasthram and hence it is not well known to many. BhagavAn has revealed this esoteric and subtle tattvam in His PaancharAthra Saasthram. This Bhagavath PaadhukA UpAsana SampradhAyam practised as a vratham demonstrated by Bharathan are comprehenders of this Sookshma dharmam and they transcend easily the ocean of SamsAram. Firm practioners of this Vratham have no karma bhandham and are rare to find. It is not easy for every one to become like them.

3) Oh Kaanchana PaadhukE ! Your UpAsana SampradhAyam described in PaancharAthra Saasthram are known as Bharatha Vrathina: (Saathvatha sEvithE SamayE Thvath upAsana sampradhAya vidhbhi: niyukthA: Bharatha-vrathina:). They are familiar with the sadAchAram and Jn~Anam about the Tatthvams practised by MahAns (sampradhAya vidhbhi: niyukthA:). They seek the Paadhukais as the only means (ananyOpAyam) and Phalan (ananya Phalam). These are rare blessed ones (kathichith) and cross the ocean of SamsAram effortlessly (BhavAmbhurAsim taranthi).

SlOkam 977 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Achyuta Paaduka! You-Lotus Feet-You two constitute a unique pair. You alone can bear the Feet. That You both serve mutually as ornament to the other is a special phenomenon that enthralls our hearts.

(There may be other ornaments, each specific to a limb. But no ornament bears the limb as the Paaduka does!)

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: BharathA's vow was to worship both the PaadhukAs and the holy feet of their owner. He was waiting for that auspicious time to worship both of them together. While waiitng, he worshipped the PaadhukAs alone to get the boon of worship of the holy feet of Ramachandra united with the PaadhukAs. This is the vow of BharathA referred to in the previous verse. In this verse, Swamy Desikan points out the glory of the union of the holy feet of the Lord with the PaadhukAs and explains why that is a unique phenomenon.

Swamy Desikan says: "Oh Achyutha Paadhukais! You alone have the sole distinction of bearing Your Lord's lotus-soft feet. Your Lord has many other decorative objects on His various limbs such as the crown for His head, ear rings, the great gem known as Kousthubham et al. Those jewels and decorative objects do not support the appropriate limbs. For instance, the crown does not support the Head of the Lord; it is the head of the Lord that supports the crown. Oh PaadhukE In Your case, the situation is reversed. You support the holy feet of the Lord and not vice-versa. The union of Your Lord's feet with You in this unique context is a delectable experience that charms our minds".

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh Achyutha PaadhukE who has similar vaibhavam like Your Lord in not forsaking those, who seek Your rakshaNam! You may ask whether it is sufficent for me to be blessed with the PurushArTam of enjoying You with Your Lord. Such an ultimate goal is sufficent for me. The Lord's sacred feet have matchless glories. You are parama bhOgyam to Him. Both of You are inseperable out of Your love for each other. Such a union between You have taken hold of us and we are deeply entrenched in that aanandha anubhavam. Therefore, we do not need any other PurushArthams.

3) Oh Achyutha PaadhukE! Your noble self and those sacred feet of Your Lord that can be adorned only by You forming a rare couple decorate each other (Bhavathee, ThvadhEkadhAryam yath padham cha tath yEthath dhvidheeyam itharEthra bhUshitham). Those unified twins are enough to keep us under their control through their vaseekaraNa sakthi and we do not seek any other purushArTam (Na: chEthasa: samvananAya yaTAvath alam).

SlOkam 978 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! Each one of the Lord's ornaments fits in with one particular limb of the Lord. The crown serves in respect of the head, for example. Now, the head or the arm or breast can only bear the ornament meant. But Lo! The Feet are meant for all souls to cling, though the Paaduka is the ornament borne. That surely is a unique generosity displayed by the Paaduka, that the Paaduka does not monopolize but generously allows us to worship the Feet.

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Swamy Desikan points out another unique factor that distinguishes the Paadhukais over the other accoutrements of the Lord like His crown et al. He says: " Oh PaadukE ! The jewelery of the Lord like the crown do not fit other limbs of the Lord and can not be used as an object of SaraNAgathy. You however permit the Lord's feet that You adorn to be shared by all JeevAs and make those holy feet the common property of one and all. You are thus the most generous of spirit. The crown does not let the Jeevans share its place (the head of the Lord).

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: How can I ever seek any purushArtam other than You , when I am overpowered by Your matchless DayA and generosity? All the other nithya Sooris adorning the Lord's limbs as different aabharaNams do not let in anyothers to enjoy the limbs of Your Lord with which they are linked. In contrast to them, Oh PaadhukE! You let all jeevarAsis to seek Your Lord's Thiruvadi and encourage them to perform SaraNAgathy at those holy feet in an unfettered manner. Great indeed is Your Compassion and generosity. Therefore, there is no reason to seek other PurushArTams.

3) Oh Lord's PaadhukE ! All the other jewelery of Your Lord starting from His crown do not let anyone near the limbs of the Lord with which they are associated (MurArE:angEshu kireeDa mukhyai: ananya-sAmAnyathayA avApthEshu sathsi). They are very possessive of their domains. In striking contrast to them, You alone let every one to approach with ease Your Lord's feet that You are protecting and share that unsurpassed wealth without hesitation (ThvamEva nijam bhAgam SaadharaNathAm anaishee:).

SlOkam 979 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Manipaaduka! Whosoever has clung to You in surrender-path will not care to think of either the Feet or Vaikunta world. This being so, how will such privileged persons ever consider Indra's abode for occupation?

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh MaNi PaadhukE! Those righteous people with true knowledge do not show great interest in either the Lord's holy feet or His residence (SrI Vaikuntam). If this were to be their disposition, why would they be intersted in living in the city of Indra at all? They will not be interested at all in that opportunity.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh MaNi PaadhukE ! Only those, who are bereft of Tatthva Jn~Anam and those with desire for nonlasting pleasures will seek anya dEvathA upAsanam. They gain these alpa sukhams and lose You. Those in contrast who consider You as the ultimate goal and phalan seek you and You alone and will not consider any other fruits from You. I have no other ultimate goal ( PurushArTam ) other than You and You are my ananya gathi.

3) For those VidhvAns who comprehend the true meanings of Tatthvam, even Parama Padham is not a desired objective (ThvAm SamAsrithAnAm vipascchithAm VishNu PadhEapi anastA). These competent and blessed people will not be tempted by desires like residence in AmarAvathy, the capital of Indhran (tE kruthina: VAsaava rAjadhAnyAM vAsAdharam kaTam puna: bhajEran?).

SlOkam 980 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Ranganatha Paaduka! There perhaps is a regular protocol in the manner of presenting You to the Feet, Lakshmi in the first occasion, Bhoomi next and Neela on the next. When however, it is the turn of Lakshmi, Bhoomi cherishes the chance of touching You in her concrete form of Earth, not being merely contented with her turn-that privilege being unavoidable.

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubahvam: Oh RanganAtha PaadhukE! Bhoomi Devi can not bear the seperation from Her Lord. She knows however of the rigid protocol of who has to have the association of Her Lord and at what time. Inspite of that, She develops a scheme to bypass that protocol and to have contact with Her Lord at " all " times , (when He has to go on His SanchArams). During those sanchArams, His feet are in touch with You (Paadhukais) and You are in touch with Bhoomi DEvi, even if She has no direct contact with Her Lord's feet. This auspicous situation makes Bhoomi Devi assume a big size (BhU ManDalam) and this act elates Her. It appears that She has swelled up with pride and attained the gigantic form as Earth due to the blessings of frequent indirect contact with Her Lord.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh SrI RanganAtha PaadhukE! My statement alone that you are the sole recourse (parama prApyam) for the Tatthva Jn~Anis may not have sufficent authority. May I suggest another pramANam that could be acceptable to all? There is a well established protocol that is set regarding which Devi of the Lord (Sri, BhU and NeelA DEvis) can present You to the Lord's Thiruvadi on which day. This is strictly observed among them. Even then, BhUmi dEvi comes up with a clever scheme to prolong the links with Her Lord. She hides Her own roopam as a woman and takes on the gigantic roopam as BhU MaNDalam and supports You (Paadhukais) so that She can be close to Her Lord in an indirect way as well as long as possible. This is a Parama PrAmANyam acceptable to all.

3) Oh Ranga PaadharakshE! BhU DEvi thought about the inviolable protocol regarding which DEvi will present their Lord's Paadhukais on which day of the week (VasundarA avaaraNeeyam vaara kramam vimrusya). She thought about a way to prolong Her sambhandham with Her Lord compared to the other Devis and took on a gigantic form (BhU MaNdalam ) hiding Her roopam as a lady ( PadhmA grahEapi sTUlEna roopENa ) and is in contact with You and through that association is linked indirectly connected to Her Lord (sTUlEna roopENa ThvAm sprusathee). This is surely well known (Pratheethaa noonam).

SlOkam 981 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Devi Manipaaduka! The greatest treasure of the devotees is the Lord's Lotus Feet. That treasure is zealously guarded by the Paaduka. The devotees develop deep regard for this guardian-angel Paaduka, and hold You on their heads in great reverence, because these discerning and privileged people have no treasure in their stock except the Lord's Feet.

(Both the Paadukas and devotees keep Feet on their heads in reverence. One may doubt how devotees hold Paaduka, their compeer in Feet-worship, on their heads. There need be no difficulty in understanding it. Even in Vaikunta, a jivatma enjoys equal bliss with Brahman and yet it is only a subservient to Brahman. So, also we are the Feet's servants on a par with the Paaduka, but we have to cherish subservience to the Paaduka.)

1. UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh Mani PaadhukE! You are tightly clasping the undecaying treasures of the feet of Madhusoodhanan. Therefore, the knowledgable souls not wanting any other wealth carry You on their heads as a mark of their respect for You.

2. SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: This is a PrEma-garbha vachanam (words uttered with deep love) by Swamy Desikan to salute Swamy NammAzhwAr. The inner meaning is that there is nothing greater in upakAram than that rendered by our AchAryAs. They make it clear that surrender unto the SarvalOka SaraNyan's feet is the cause for all auspiciousness. SadaachAryAs rescue all kinds of kumathis (those who deny Vedam, the Lord and His Saasthrams) by establishing in their minds the fruits of following the Veda mArgam, the performance of SaraNAgathy at the Thiruvadi of the Lord and transform these kumathis into Sumathis and qualify them to attain Moksham. Every one celebrates these SadAchAryAs for their incomparable upakAram.

3. Oh Madhusoodhana PaadhukE ! You have protected very well the sacred feet of the imperishable wealth at Srirangam and have given Him to us(Devi MaNi PaadhukE ! Thvam, anapAya nidhim Madhubhida: CharaNam abhirakshasi). Therefore, the wise ones, who know that they have no other recourse celebrate You by carrying You respectfully on their heads (atha yEva tadhananyadhanA: kruthina: Bhavatheem sirasA vahanthi).

SlOkam 982 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! You remove the Kantakas*to the Lord's Feet as well as to the world, which is the aspect of the Lord's affluence. But there is a wonder: Discerning connoisseurs who enjoy You in their hearts, attain kantakas** throughout their body. *Kantaka to the Feet is thorn and stone Kantaka to the world is the bad elements like the asuras. ** Kantaka on body is horripillation on a delectable experience.

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Swamy Desikan puns here on the word, "KaNtakA " , which means either thorns or enemies or horripilation. He says: " Oh PaadhukE ! Through Your service to Lord RanganAtha, You make His feet free from harm through thorns and other enemies. While this is so, it is difficult to understand how the hearts of those, who worship and enjoy You get KantakAs/horripilation. Swamy Desikan hints that they develop horripilations through witnessing how the PaadhukAs protect the Lord from the KantakAs (thorns). They have a hair-raising experience through witnessing Your laudable service to Lord RanganAthA.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that the SadAchAryAs win over the dhushprakruthis (the inauspicous ones) who are opposed to Bhagavaan and His creations and generate auspiciousness all around. Through those welcome activities, they generate bliss in the minds and bodies of the sishyAs, who meditate on them.

3) Oh PaadhukE! Thanks to Your kaimkaryam, this iswaryam of MurAri (the leelA vibhUthi: MurArE: VibhUthi:) is freed from all virOdhis just like His sacred Feet are protected from thorns and stones (MurArE: vibhUthi: padhayugamiva akaNDakA bhavathi). Through meditation on You, the bodies of those dear to You are filled with horripilations (BhAvukAnAm hrudhayAni Thvadh anubhavAth kaTamiva upajAtha-kaNDakAni bhavathi).

SlOkam 983 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Lord's Paaduka! I am at the farthest distance from the commencement stage (a border) of the three paths based on Jnana, Karma and Bhakti. Not only that: certain fundamental qualities are recognized as essential equipment for one to embark on Jnana-type of paths; for example, learning self-restraint, continence, etc. I am distanced from such qualities as much to a foreign country. (I do not live where these qualities exist!). Yest, You have condescended to sit on my head. Yes, if the Ganga descends down on a lame man's head, who can object?

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: After speaking about the gains attained by the righteous people through the worship of the PaadhukAs, Swamy Desikan describes his experience. He says: Oh Madhusoodhana PaahukE! I am far away from the boundaries of Jn~Ana , Karma and Bhakthi yOgAs. My conduct is such that I am far from the country ruled by forbearance, control of the faculty of senses and other codes of conduct practised by the righteous. In short, I am low in the totem pole of those, who seek spiritual advancement and yet the placement of Yourself (PadhukAs) on my head makes me exhilirated like a lame man on whose head the waters of Ganga fall due to a providential decree". The lame man thinks of journeying to the site, where river Ganga flows to take his holy bath. He could not however travel there due to his physical handicap. At this juncture, Ganga DEvi comes to him and bathes him. Swamy Desikan equates his experience to that of the lame man.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: This slOkam is about the nirhEthuka KrupA of the Paadhukais. He says: "Madhusoodahana PaadhukE ! Your Lord for reasons known to Him connected to some good deed performed by the jeevan in a previous birth creates SadArchya Sambhandham. That link saves the Jeevan from SamsAram. We can only decribe this rare good fortune only as avyAjam and an unanticipated bhAgyam. We can not research the reasons for it and can only call it

3)Oh Madhusoodahna PaadhukE! I am the lame one, who is far from the shores of Jn~Ana, Karam and Bhakthi yOgams (aham Jn~Ana, kriyA, Bhajana yOga seema vidhura vrutthikAran). I am the lame one, who is far away from those aathma guNams that lead to the successful practise of any one of these three yOgams (aham Tath avApthi kruthAm guNAnAm vaidEsikan). On this lame man's head, Oh PaadhukE, You sit like the river Ganga's pravAham due to poorva janma sukrutham (Mama mouLou pangO: mouLou GangEva vidhinaiva pathithAsi. Hantha!).

SlOkam 984 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Manipaaduka! You in conjunction with the Lotus Feet! What a blissful sight? It is not easily available to any one. Humans had been starved of such a feed for the eyes, for a very long, long time. Now seeing this is equivalent to the parana after a fast. And what a kind of termination of the fast! Milk with sugar, so delectable a feed!

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh Mani PaadhukE! The sight of Yourself with Your Lord's holy feet on my head is a delicious experience like tasting milk mixed with sugar. It is like the feast to the righteous, who were fasting and they enjoy partaking that delectable meal.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Here, Swamy Desikan answers the question about the benefits that accrued from the nirhEthuka krupai of the Paadukais. Swamy Desikan states that he has realized at Srirangam the darsana soubhAgyam of the Lord's sacred feet united with the Paadhukais (SadAchAryan, Swamy NammAzhwAr), which is equivalent to the tasting of the milk admixed with sugar. This is an avicchanna sEvai (United sEvai). "Bhagavath vandhanam svAdhyam guru vandhana pooravakam" is the adage to remember: It is a true blessing to have Bhagavath vandhanam preceded by AchArya Vandhanam.

3) Oh PaadhukE ! The darsanam of Your Lord's feet united with You is the feast for the eyes, which has been starved from looking at auspicous entities ( PumsAm upOkshitha vilOchana pAraNArham ). That experience of enjoyment of Your Lord's sacred feet united with You is like tasting of the naturally sweet milk with sugar ( idham Bhavathee samEtham yath paadhaaravindha yugaLam tath yEthath iha sarkarayA samEtham ksheeram iva).

SlOkam 985 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! Respectable Sadhus, called paramaikantis, will not resort to any other god other than You, and will not look for any reward except You. Their routine practice is free from stigmas, like attachment to the result of a deed. They are engaged in the thirteen-fold observance of behavior. With their hearts purified thereby, they enjoy rare conjunction of Yourself with the Lord's Feet and earnestly render service to You.

1) UtthamUr SWamy's anubhavam: Swamy Desikan refers here to the virtues described by the Paadhma samhithai. He points out that the worshippers of the Paadhukais are practioners of the thirteen codes of conduct advocated by the Paadhma Samhithai and they stand out while doing service to the PaadhukAs and the Lord's lotus feet. Swamy says: "Oh PaadhukE ! There are those, who did not seek anything else in this world except service to You. They are devoid of ego, lust, desire and other defects and practise the thirteen codes of conduct recommended for the righteous by the Paadhma SamhithA. These thirteen break down into five kaayikam types (done with the body), three Vaachikam (performed with mind) categories and Five Maanasam (accomplished with the mind) varieties. The Kaayikam types are: (1) Poojanam (bodily worship such as prostration), (2) Soucham (bodily cleanliness), (3) Aarjavam (uprightness) , (4) Ahimsaa (noviolence) and (5) Brahmacharyam (Celibacy). The three belonging to Vaachikam are: (1) words uttered for other's well being, (2) saying truthful things and (3) recitation of the VedAs. The five belonging to the categories of Maanansam are: (1) satisfaction with whatever Lord ordains (2) humility, (3) Forbearance, (4) God Consciousness and (5) Purity of Mind.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that those who believe their SadAchAryan as the sole means and seek no other phalanx attain satthva suddhi (purity of mind and the perfection of aathma guNams) and become free from blemishes. They perform AchArya Kaimkaryams and gain Saathvika Tapas. The close links of their AchAryAs generate unique love for the Lord dear to their AchAryAs and the flow of that Bhakthi leads to additional Bhagavath-AchArya kaimakrya Sri that results in the bliss of Moksha Sukham.

3) Oh PadhAvani ! Those who have no phalans other than you are dependent on You as their sole UpAyam (Oh PaadhAvani ! Thvadanya kaamA: yEkanthina:). They perform special aarAdhanam for Your Lord (MurAri) as a direct result of their association With You (yEkAnthina: Thvath anushanga visEsha dhrusyam MurArE: padham paricharanthi). Their aarAdanam is blemishless (KaamAdhi dhOsha rahitham), since it follows the thirteen modes recommended by PaancharAthra aagamam. These nithya, naimitthika kaamya sadhkAryams do not expect any phalans ( phalApEkshaa

SlOkam 986 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Mother, Ranganatha Paaduka! You sit on the heads of the Devas; also on the head of the Vedas (You become the meaning of Vedanta). Such a Deity surprisingly sits on the heads of persons like me. Yes, it should be interpreted as the Sowlabhya quality (easy accessibility to the high as well as the lowly) that manifests with respect to all beings.

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: After describing the benefits accruing from the service to the PaadhukAs, Swamy Desikan celebrates now his good fortune in having ease of access to the PaadhukAs in this verse. He says: "Oh Rangaraja PaadhukE ! You rest on the heads of DevAs, who accept the offerings from the YaagAs (ritual sacrifices); better than that, You adorn the heads of Upanishads, the heads of the VedAs. Therefore, Your glory is many fold. The fact that You also rest on the heads of lowly ones such as myself demonstrates your auspicious attributes known as readiness of access to the low or mighty (Soulabhyam).

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam:My Mother PaadhukE protecting the sacred feet of the Lord of Srirangam ! How can I describe Your soulabhyam ? The eternally liberated ones (nithyAs) and the newly libreated ones (mukthAs) celebrate the combination of Your soulabhya guNam along with Your happy state of union with Your Lord's Thiruvadi as abhinnai (in an inseperable state). Concerned that this recognition by the MukthAs would not help others outside Parama Padham, You lent Yourself to become the object of praise by Upanishads. Still You were worried about all the others in SamsAra MaNDalam, who were not able to access You and joined therefore Your Lord in archAvathAram to address that need. Now You made every one in Parama padham and this world fit objects of Your limiless DayA. You became clearly visible to us all with our physical eyes right here at Srirangam. You stay on our heads and also accept our meagre AarAdhanams. I am overcome by the depth of Your soulabhyam that uplifts every one.

3) Oh Mother PaadhukE protecting the sacred feet of the Lord of Srirangam (hE Ambha ! hE RangarAja charaNAvani)! You are used to being on the heads of DevAs, who partake Havis from Yaj~nams (Thvam makhabhujAm mouLou sTithA). You are otherwise seen on the heads of Veda Siras ( Upanishds), which reveal the most subtle TatthvArTams and PurushArTams (aTa vaa srutheenAm mouLou sTithA ). As if this were not enough, Your Vaibhavam is meditated upon by the nithyAs and MukthAs in Parama Padham (tE vaibhavam tath). After that, Your limitless dayA pravAham reaches out to even unfit and helpless ones struggling in this samsAric world (tatha: tath idam soulabhyam asmAdhrasAmapi pravahathi). It becomes well known to all jeevaraasis (tava Soulabhayam Saarvabhoumam praTitham syAth).

SlOkam 987 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Devi! Paaduka of the Lord! In my dream, when I had my head bowed, You sat on my head. Dream-experience is parallel to yogic vision (Mind sees in both!). It is appropriate that You had granted it to me in a dream as if in Yoga. (It is said that Desika had such a vision in dream before commencing the work).

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh Paadhukais of the Lord , who destroyed the demon Narakaa! Oh Devi! The fact that You have stayed on my head during my wakeful hours as well as in dream hours attest to Your compassion in my case, where I do not have the fruits of penance to qualify for such a honor. It fits with the experience of the righteous, who during their times of meditation see the Lord in that dream-like state. " This verse is a key one in that it refers to the dream, wherein the Paadhukais of the Lord rested on Swamy Desikan's head. He woke up and took the vow to compose the thousand verses on the Vaibhavam of the Paadhukais for the contest at Srirangam. Swamy Desikan refers to the darsana samanAkAra Jn~Anam in this slOkam. This knowledge or spiritual attainment makes an external object come close to one in the dream, even if that object is not anywhere near. The vision of the Paadhukais in Swamy Desikan's dream is an example of such Jn~Anam. Swamy says that he did not possess that type of Jn~Anam and yet the mercy of the Paadhukais blessed him with that type of Jn~Anam and caused that dream to happen.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Swamy Desikan declares here that he has been overawed and defeated by the soulabhyam of the Paadhukais of the Lord. He says: Your abundance of Vaathsalyam for us and joy in driving away all the obstacles to gain You are legendary. I am totally under Your control and am guided by You (adhyantha Paratantran). I am devoid of any other recourse except You (ananyOpayan) and totally devoid of any resources to protect myself (Parama akinchanan). Out of my intense desire to be united with You, I stand before You even in my dream and You appear in those dreams out of Your krupA and rest on my head. When I meditate on You, I am blessed with darsana samanAkAram ( equivalent to seeing You physically) and You remove all my inauspiciousness. The skilled ones in interpreting the SaasthrAs like Sage VasishtA, Manu and Sage ParAsarA visualize Your Lord through their dhyAnams. Whatever that SaashtrAs say about Your Lord are also extendable to You as well, since You are His sahadharmachAriNi. Therefore meditation of You or seeing You in our dreams will lead to our Aathma KshEmam. There may not be a need for external aarAdhanam to you for visualizing You. Great indeed is Your incomparable soulabhyam!

3) Oh Paadhukai of the Lord, who destroyed NarakAsuran to protect His aasrithAs ( those who sought His protection) (hE Devi Narakamardhana-PaadharakshE ! You are indeed resting on my bowed head during my dhyAnam and in my svapnams (namrasya mE moordhani svapnEapi Thvam sannivishtA). That bhAgyam results in the enjoyemnt of aathma kshEmam by me (Thvam mama moordhani sannivishtA chEth asi, tadhA yEthath iha sTAnE). Why do I come to that conclusion? It is based on the knowledge about the experience of great Rishis, who are able to visualize Your Lord in their dhyAnams and svapnams (Yatha: Santha: Tamapi samAdhou thAdhrusa buddhi gamyam vidhu:).

SlOkam 988 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Manipaaduka! When I secure the great treasure of the Lord Ranganatha, by my hands kept in supplication to You (in Anjali pose), how can I ever dream of extending my arm before a rich man, with half-closed eyes?

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh MaNi PaadhukE! You have given me the great wealth of RanganAtha at Srirangam. I fold my hands and offer my worship to Him there. Therefore, I will not raise my hand in supplication ever to the cross-eyed wealthy, now that I have acquired that permanent wealth resting at Srirangam with Your help.

2. SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh MaNi PaadhukE! The pitiable ignorance and misfortune that makes the populace stand before the haughty rich seeking perishable and insignificant wealth is regrettable. Instead of standing before their Lord united with You and perforimg all kinds of Kaimkaryam to both of You, these deluded folks choose the haughty rich for help. AdiyEn is indeed fortuante through Your anugraham to serve only You always and become the recipient of Your parama krupA! The inner meaning here is that the ignorant ones disregard the SadAchAryAs, who can bless them to gain all types of auspiciousness and instead seek the haughty and unpredictable rich for all kinds of nonlasting phalans. The Saadhu janams seek in contrast SadAchAryAs and gain every thing through the paripoorNa kaDAksham of those SadAchAryAs.

3) Oh MaNI PaadhukE! AdiyEn stands before You with folded hands and rigrously serves You , who is the possessor of the eternal wealth of the Lord inside the Ranga VimAnam (aham bhaddhAnjali: visrANitha Achyutha nidhim ThvAm RangE niyamEna paricharan asi). adiyEn will never ever stretch my hands for favors before the egotistic rich men with crossed eyes for any favors (aham kasyApi kooNitha dhrusa: dhanina: purasthAth vikOsam karam kadhApi nOtthAnayEya).

SlOkam 989 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! An actor, a dancer, exhibits emotion in various gestures. Observers are wont to identify themselves in emotional communion with the stage-artiste. The same occurs in the case of learned connoisseurs of the delectability of the service being rendered to You. When the Lord sets His Feet in You and shows gaits in different styles (like an elephant, like a lion etc) the devotees attain an equality with the Lord in external expression. The great scholars perform their regular duties to Your satisfaction placing total pious faith in You. They enjoy all the gaits (and dances) with expressions of mirth such as tears of joy and horripillation. They display movements of heads and hands while enjoying You-as if they have become stage-artistes, say like the Lord. Thus they attain a certain degree of equality with Your Master, the master-dancer of the Ranga-stage.

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Swamy Desikan points out that those, who take refuge in the Paadhukais attain equality (Saamyam) with the Lord of Srirangam and that he is one of the members of that fortunate group. Swamy says: " Oh PaadhukE ! Those who enjoythe experience of surrendering unto You dance around the streets of Srirangam with joy like the dancers in the troup of the Lord performing before the Lord at Srirangam. They are rich in auspicious attributes and dance in the highly visible stage of Srirangam and express through their various dance gestures (abhinayAs) their joy over the attainment of the fruits of SaraNAgathy to You. They become equal (Saamyam) to their Lord during

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: This slOkam is full of double and triple meanings for specific words to yield multiple levels of anubhavam regarding the rich poetic skills of Swamy Desikan. In the previous slOkam, Swamy Desikan condemned the ordinary folks (SaamAnya Janams), who seek the aasrayaNam (protection) of the rich for their livelihood. PaadhukA asked Swamy Desikan to explain how those folks are to go about securing their livelihood (dEha yAthrai) in this world. Swamy Desikan gives his answer in this slOkam: Oh PaadhukE! it is not necessary for the SaamAnya janams to seek the help of the unsympatheic and haughty rich. They should place complete trust in You for their Yoga-KshEmam. You know that such people without ananyAsrayaNams thrive and spend their time on earth without worries. This situation is similar to Your Lord, who entrusts the rakshaNam of His sacred feet to You and banishes all worries about their protection. Those who perform Saathvika thyAgam first and then go about serving You without seeking fruits of their actions become superior to every one and are satisfied with what comes their way at Srirangam. They sing and dance in a state of blissful anubhavam of Yourself and Your Lord and spend their time with tadhEka manas (mind centered on You alone) and tadhEka vyApArams (actions focussed on You alone). All of their earthly and the other worldly needs are taken care of by Yourself and Your Lord.

3) Oh PaadhukE ! This leelA vibhUthi is described as one fourth of Your Lord's total Isvaryam by the VedAs. In this stage of Srirangam (His leelA VibhUthi), the Sadhu janams conduct their anushtAnams without anticipation of any fruits of their karmAs and are readily recognized by the bilssful ways in which they go about their kiamkaryams (Thvayi arpithEna charaNEna , sadhadhvabhAjA: praTitha saathvika bhAva dhrusyA:). These magnificent souls dance as it were on the expansive stage of Srirangam and perform often abhinayams appropriate to their kaimkaryams (tE bhAvukA: maheeyasi RangE naDA iva muhu: angahArAn vidhadhE).

SlOkam 990 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka Devi! Since I now had the privilege of having You on my head by some great Punya, I am sure that Punya will definitely enable me to see, by Your help, the Lord Ranganatha, identifiable by the marks of red dye found on His chest from the Feet of Mahalakshmi.

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Swamy Desikan expresses his gratitude to the Paadhukais for their blessings on this earth and thereafter. He says: " Oh Queen ! Oh Lord's PaadhukE! Due to my good fortune accumulated through Your blessings , You sit now on my head ; the same good fortune is going to cause the resting of RanganAthA's feet adorned with the red dye belonging to MahA Lakshmi on my head and mark me out as a dear one to Him during my last moments on this earth. That good fortune will lead me to Moksham after this life on earth".

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Now Paadhukais ask Swamy Desikan a question: " In the previous slOkam, You said that it si enough to stay in this blissful state of offering kaimakryams to me at Srirangam. How long can you stay in that state with your perishable body? Therefore, should You not be thinking about the Lord at His Superior place of Parama Padham? ". Swamy answers this way: Oh PaadhukE ! why should I worry about that when You are permanently dwelling on my head out of Your vaathsalyam. When the time comes for me to cast my earthly body, wont You be bringing Your Lord on Your back before me? The second after that anthima saakshAthkAram, adiyEn's Parama Padha siddhi (attainment of Vaikunta Vaasam) is certain. That is Svatha-prAptham (it will hapen on its own). Therefore, there is no need for me to think seperately about that instead of enjoying You here in the company of Your Lord, SrI RanganAthan. The previous sOkam was about the PaadhukA's protection in this earth (LeelA VibhUthi); the next slOkam is about the Paadhukais assisting the Saadhu Janams to gain residence in Parama Padham.

3) hE Devi PadhAvani ! The very same good fortune that enables me to have Your presence on my head (Thvam adhunA yEna vidhinA mE sirasi niyatham sTithA) empowers me to have the anthima saakshAthkAram of Lord RanganAthan with the unmistakable mark /lakshaNam of the SarvEswaran, viz., the symbol of red dye from MahA Lakshmi's sacred feet on His chest (tEnaiva bhAgyEna LakshmI padhAmbhuruha yaavaka-panka lakshyam, RanganATam , mama saamparAyE laksheekarishyasi).

SlOkam 991 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! I have been imitating the great devotees of the Lord's Feet, in the matter of showing Bhakthi, performing duties, speaking in self-criticism,-all in mere cheating spirit. May You, in Your grace, transform me into one of the people of true devotion and sincere humility, so that I can join the band, Bharata-troupe!

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! adiyEn imitates the acts of those righteous ones, who are deeply devoted to the Lord's holy feet. These evolved souls have attained the purpose of their births through such exemplary devotion to the Lord's lotus feet. I laugh however at myself over my audacious imitation of the ways of these devotees of the Lord and feel sinful. Oh PaadhukE! Please make me a member of this true group of servants of the Lord out of Your immense compassion for sinners like me.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Here, Swamy Desikan develops the theme that the auspicious glances of BhagavathAs of the Lord are even more powerful (darsanAdhEva Saadhava:) than that of the Lord Himself. He prays for the blessings of the Paadhukais to generate true bhakthi for the BhAgavathAs of the Lord. Swamy Desikan laments over the lost days, when he pretended to act like a true devotee of the Lord's BhagavathAs. He prays to the Paadhukais to join him in the Bharatha GhOshti.

3) Oh PaadhukE! There are the true BhagavathAs of the Lord , who have the highest level of Bhakthi for the Lord's lotus feet (Oh PaadhukE! Hari charaNa sarOjE bhakthi bhAjAm Janaa:). I tried to act like them and became a laughing matter to myself (Bhakthi bhAjam JanAnAm anukaraNa visEshai: aathmanaiva upahAsyam). Oh most Compassionate PaadhukE ! You must bless this egotistic and decietful jeevan (myself) to become the object of glance of the Saadhus, who belong to the Bharatha GhOshti (ThAdhrusam maam Thvam dayArshrA Bharatha Parishath antharvarthibhi: prEkshaNeeyam pariNamaya).

SlOkam 992 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! Please drive out my sin to a long distance away. Please bring me to the one great Lord, who achieves the quelling of asuras as mere sport. I am Destitute No.1. All my senses are non-obedient to me, I have no control over them. Before such a pathetic, suffering creature that I am, please show the Lord's vision!

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! You are going to banish my sins by Your presence at the time of my death and bring Your Lord from a great distance to me and help me, who is standing in the front row of helpless and with no control over my faculty of senses. Your Lord said that He will think of His devotees and come to their rescue at the time of their departure from this world. You are going to bring Him to me during my last moments on this earth even if adiyEn is not highly qualified to recieve His blessings.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that for those who rely totally on their SadAchAryAs, all enemies for Bhakthi anubhavam will be chased away through the mere glances of their SadaachAryAs until their last moments on earth; further, the visualization of Bhagavan (Bhagavath SaakshAthkAram) will also result during their last moments here. These are some of the UpakArams of the SadAchAryAs.

3) Oh PaadhukE ! For adiyEn, You serve as the enemy of all obstacles that stand in the way of practising Bhakthi yOgam and Bhakthi anubhavam in this earth. (PaadhukE ! Thvam dhuritham dhooratha: apanayanthee). Oh PaadhukE ! May Thou be present before me (SannidhEyA:) with Your Lord , who sports in destroying Bhagavath anubhava virOdhis during my last moments (asya jantho: agratha:, dhanuja maTana leelA DevathAm aanayanthee sannidhEyA:). adiyEn is in the front end of all who have no recourse except You and I have no success in controlling my Indhriyams (anithasaraNAnAm agrimasya , avasa karaNa-vrutthE; asya JanthO: purasthAth DEvathAm aanayanthee sannidhEyA:).

SlOkam 993 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Twin-Paaduka! When I first uttered the appeal to the Lord, "You will please act as my protector", in Prapatti, the Lord Ranganatha became won over by me. When my life ends, a yajna He was performing by utilizing me in His services through the whole post-prapatti period becomes completed. Hence, He will have to place the Fire (that is my jeevatma) in His sandals, Yourselves, (a replica of Arani wood) to place me in His Abode. May He do it!

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: In the previous verse, Swamy Desikan described the approaching of the Paadhukais during his last moments on this earth. Here, he describes how they take him to the Supreme abode of the Lord. He says: " Oh PaadhukE! RanganAtha empathizes with Your role as my protector and at the time of my death, He acts as the priest at the Yaagams known as adhvaryu to bring me over to His sanctum in SrI Vaikuntam. He brings me over as an adhvaryu priest would bring the sacred fire from the place of the sacred ritual and unite it with the sacred fire at home at the conclusion of such Yag~nams. He places me as the Agni between You both (the Paadhukais) serving as the fire producing sticks".

At the end of the SomaYaagAs, the Master of the Yaaga (YajamAna) requests the adhvaryu priest to bring the sacred Agni of the Yaaga back to his house to unite it with the Agni at home used for sacrificial rites of the house. RanganAtha acts here as the adhvaryu priest and brings the aathmA of Swamy Desikan (Agni) to His sanctum out of respect for the PaadhukAs' role as the protector. He places that Agni between the two Paadhukais serving as the two aaraNi Kattai (fire generating sticks ) used for kindling the fire.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Lord RanganAthA at he end of the life of PrapannAs in His leelA VIbhUthi removes His property (the aathmA inside my physical body) and places it in Your hand for assistance in its travel to His permanent abode. That act of the Lord is equivalent to the Adhvaryu priest being given the responsibility for transporting the DhAryAgni from the Yaaga SaalA to be united with the Gaarhapathya Agni for use in the daily (Nithya, naimmitthika) Karamas at the end of the avabrutha snAnam relating to the completion of the Soma Yaagam by the YajamAnan. The DhAryAgni is invoked in the two special fire kindling sticks /araNi KattaikaL (Utthara araNi and athara araNi). That Parama purushArTam (Not only being protected in LeelA VIbhUthi but also being transportred to SrI Vaikuntam with the guidance of AadhivAhikAs) is going to come my way through Your benovolence. The Lord is going to entrust His property (my aathmA) to You.

3) Oh PaadhukE ! adiyEn is PraTama varaNa vasyan (SaraNAgathan ,who has been inducted in to the nYAsa yajnam at the outset itself). Lord RanganAthan is the adhvaryu in that NyAsa Yaj~nam. He grants me permanent residence at His SrI Vaikuntam at the end of my life as a Prapannan here as revealed in the Upanishads (RanganATa: Charama nigama geethE sapthatanthou samApthE sathi, nija sadhana sameepE vihAram prApayishyan). During that occasion, He is going to entrust adiyEn's aathmA , His property , to You like the adhvaryu priest entrusts Yaaga Kunta Agni to the two araNikkattaikaL for transport to home for link with the household agni (Maam jwalanamiva BhavathyO: samyak aarOpayEth).

SlOkam 994 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! May I ever be enabled to live on the sands of Kaveri, a pure and beautiful place! For, You will bless us by being a head-ornament to us. You are the praise-theme for the Vedas. Your contact with us is sure to cut off our links with the continuously revolving Samsara.

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: In the previous verse, Swamy Desikan expressed the wish that his soul join the Paadhukais for its journey to the Supreme Abode of the Lord. Here, he prays for his subtle (Sookshma) body to be crowned with the PaadhukAs until it reaches the Parama Padham of the Lord. He says: "Oh PaadhukE ! At Srirangam on the banks of Cauvery, my earthly body will fall and the subtle body will join You. At that time, You who is celebrated by the VedAs will become my crown jewel. That auspicious event will destroy future births for me. May I stay with You at the banks of Cauvery in my earthly life until I reach the Lord's abode following my dEhAvasAnam?

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: In the previous slOkam, Swamy Desikan dwelt on the happenings at the end of his life on earth as a Prapannan. Through this (994th) and two subsequent slOkams (995 and 996th), Swamy Desikan dwells on the aanandhaanubhavam as a Prapannan right here on earth at Srirangam in a manner developed by him in the 989th and the 990th SlOkams. He praises the glories of life at Srirangam worshipping Lord RanganAtha.

Swamy Says: "Oh PaadhukE! Your place of residence, SrIrangam, is the most sacred dhivya dEsam located on the banks of the holy Cauvery river. It removes all sins that lead to the sufferings in SamsAram. For those, who are blessed to live here, You rest on their heads form birth to the last moments as SirObhUshaNam. Is there a Parama PurushArTam bigger than birth and residence at the dhivya dEsam of SrIrangam? adiyEn's prayer is to enjoy You without interruption (vichyuthi) at Srirangam from the moment of birth to the last moment as a Prapannan. Please grant me that boon!

3) Samicheena Saasthrams states that dhivya dEsa Vaasam and death (PrAkrutha sareera viyOgam) in a dhivya dEsam in the manner of "aabrahma lAbhAth adhivasEyam "(/ living from birth onwards at Dhivya dEsam) will lead to Moksha PrApthi.

Oh PaadhukE! The dhivya Desam where You reside besides Cauvery dunes is sacred (Paavanam) to remove punar janmam (Puna: udhara-nivAsa chEdhanam SahyasindhO: puLinam). This is the sandy island between the two cauverys , Srirangam . May I be blessed to live here until I reach Parama padham (aabrahmalAbhAth adhivasEyam). In these sandy dunes, the prapannAs have the bhAgyam of adorning You celebrated by the VedAs on their heads as aabharaNam during their different stages of life as an infant, youth, adult old man and upto the last moment of their lives (Yathra SrirangE, pumsAm sareerE pariNamathy sathy , NigamageethA Thvam Saasvatham mouLi-rathnam asi).

SlOkam 995 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

May I ever live-may be hundreds of years-in this Srirangam, singing Your praise, ever meditating on You without any other thought, realizing that this cult of Bharata is most potent, this worship being regarded as the ultimate in the human goals. Your continuous contact with the Lord's Feet being the cause of such elevated status.

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukA DEvi! There is nothing more to obtain besides You. Even then, from the example set by Bharatha, I realize that you can not be seperated form the Lord's feet. Therefore, I want to sing about Your glories throughout the earth during my alloted life span of one hundred years. I will spread the story of your glory among the people of Srirangam among the villages and cities around and among the rest of the earth through the verses of SrI RanganAtha PadhukA Sahasram.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: The descriptions/salutations of the PaadhukAs in this slOkam can be intrepreted either with focus on the BhUmi or the SadAchAryAs. The commonality is that the samrutthi (Iswaryam/Prosperity) of a floursihing nation and the vaibhavam of the auspicious PaadhukAs. Swamy Desikan prays here to the Paadhukais to be blessed with long and happy life as a PaadhukA sEvakan at Srirangam worshipping the Paadhukais and singing about the glories of the Paadhukais. Swamy Desikan wants all the others to have the same aanandha anubhavam that he has in enjoying the Paadhukais and for that purpose, he wants to stay at Srirangam for a long time and sing about the unique glories of the Paadhukais.

3) Oh PaadhukE ! May I be fortunate to live at Srirangam for many years meditating on You and propagating Your limitless glories revealed in Bharatha SiddhAntham (Bharatha samaya siddhAm ThvAm ananya: iha tE samruddhi, satham saradha: srAvayEyam )! What are three of these Samruddhis or auspicious features ? They are: (a) The Paadhukais are the limits of the four kinds of PurushArTams (Dharma, arTa, Kaamam and Moksham) and their subdivisions (Bahuvidha PurushArTa grAma seema antharEkhAm), (b) Blessings to have the association with the lotus feet of the Lord (Hari CharaNa sarOja nyAsa dhanyAm), (c) establishment by Bharathan that the AarAdhanam of the Lord's Paadhukais are as sacred as that performed for the Lord Himself (Bharatha samaya siddhAm ThvAm bhAvayan tE samruddhim srAvayEyam).

SlOkam 996 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka of the Lord! You sit on my head, even as an ornament to be cherished. You are in my heart, by my constant meditation, through which I envision You. You havenow established a contact with my tongue through this work in Your praise. I have thus secured a great privilege to hover around You in all three ways-physical, mental or verbal.

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh Lord's PaadhukE! You adorn my head. You are forever enshrined in my heart. You sanctify my speech with recitation of Your glories. You are thus worshipped by me at the three levels: Bodily (KaayikA), mental (Maanasa) and speech (VaachikA). As a result of this total devotion to You, I have attained a status here at Srirangam equal to that of BharathA , Valmiki and the eternal residents of Srivaikuntam.

2) SrImath Andaban's anubhavam: Here Swamy Desikan celebrates his good fortune conferred on him by the Padhukais to enjoy them with his thrikaraNams (Body, mind and speech). This was realized through the Prapatthi to Your Lord that You motivated. These auspicious samruddhis resulted from that powerful poorNa prapatthi engineed by You.

3) Oh Souri PaadhAvani ! You are adorning my head (mE sira: tilakayasi). You achieve a distinct and permanent presence in my mind (mE manasi nithyam bhAvanAkhyAm bhUmikAm bhajasi). You shine in my walk through these thousand slOkams celebrating You (mE vachasi cha svai: vibhavai: ittham vyakthim prayAthA asi). Thus in the matter of Yourself, my prapatthi has been fulfilled in a trimodal way (tath iha mE thAdhrusam bhAgadhEyam pariNatham).

SlOkam 997 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! At first, I lived for a long time in total disregard of the Atma, imagining that I have to please my body only. Then I learnt and realized that I had a soul different from the physical body but that too did not give the correct status for me, since I assumed an independence of will and action, negating the all-controlling Lord. Then by an accident, I realized that my soul is for the service and pleasure of the Lord. That marked my reformation into a treatment of my soul as the Lord's, that is Seshatva, a great blessing indeed!

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: From early times, I regret that I did not become Your servant. In the beginning, I thought that the body, faculty of senses, mind and knowledge snared me and held me in their grips. During those times, I thought that I was the body or the faculty of senses or the mind. After spending a long time in this fashion, I recognized that they are not the Aathma and that became clear in my thinking. Then I thought that I was independent aathmA (Jeevan), who is equal to the Lord and suffered from wrong identification (like HiraNyakasipu). Finally, I realized that I am the unconditional servant of SrIman Narayana alone. Now I recognize that service to the Lord's BhagavathAs is greater than even the direct service to the Lord Himself. Hence, I have become Your (PaadhukA's) servant. I have reached the highest status as a result of being Your servant (PaadhukA sEvakan).

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Here, Swamy Desikan thinks about the bhAgyam conferred by the Paadhukais on him with utter gratefulness. He compares his earlier sad lot and how the Paadhukais changed all that and becomes intensely grateful.

Swamy Desikan muses aloud: "Oh PaadhukE ! When I think of all the anugrahms that have come my way thanks to Your benovelence, I can not but feel grateful. I used to consider my Sareeram as the aathmA and sought solely the nurture of my body. I led an animal edition of human existence and entered many yonis as bird , beast and insect. I spent aeons without knowing an iota of Bhagavath Saasthrams. When I think of those terribly wasted days, my heart pounds with grief. Finally due to some ancient good fortune (sukritha lEsam), Bhagavath kaDAksham fell on me and I entered human janmAs and developed the knowledge that the AathmA is different than the body in which it resides and that seeking the four purushArTams through Vedic karmAs is the right thing to do. Bhagaavth KatAksham led to SadAchArya sambhandham and Tatthva Jn~Anam. I became SeshabhUthan to the Lord and sought Your refuge. Bhagavath Seshathvam pushed me further to its limit, BhAgavatha Seshathvam.My life became fruitful (Saphalam). I recognized that there is nothing loftier than Kaimkaryam to You for gaining all PurushArTams. Grand indeed is the power of Your anugraham ".

3) Oh PaadhukE ! For a long time, I stayed in a state of total ignorance about my svaroopam and had SareerAthma Bramam as well as Svatantrathma Bramam and was lost (aham chiram dEha indhriya aadhi: svaroopam ithi mathvA ajanishi. Hantha!). Later due to the JaayamAna KatAksham of Your Lord , I was blessed with SadAchArya Sambhandham and VedAntha Jn~Anam form the AchAryan ; I understood that the Lord is the karthA of KarmAs and is the Jn~Ana Svaroopi , who is the Master/ Sarva Swamy (Tadhanu tadhikassan Isvara: BhabhUva). I developed clear Jn~Anam about my svaroopam as Daasa BhUthan for the ParamAthma (DaasabhUthA: svathassarvE hyAthmana: ParamAthmana:). I became the property of the Lord (Bhagavatha yEva abhUvam). From there (Bhagavath sEshathvam), I reached the boundary of that state and have arrived now at BhAgavatha sEshathvam, which transformed me to become your intimate sEsha bhUthan (idhAnim puna: arTAth Tava aasam. I am truly blessed (aham dhanya Janmaa aasam).

SlOkam 998 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Goddess Paaduka Mother! Even a child or womenfolk would know of Your achievements in that You helped revivification of a stone or burnt log of wood. My assigning them to Your credit cannot be questioned by anybody. The Feet depend on You. While You are Yourself the basis for Yourself, the feet depend on You. It is You which inculcated the right spirit of the seld as subordinate to You. And I feel honoured by Your being placed on my head.

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh Worshipful Mother! the Stone at the roadside became AhalyA, the wife of Sage Gouthama. The piece of charcoal became King Parikshith. People say that these transformations took place through the intervention of Your Lord's holy feet. Those sacred feet are accomodated by You and supported by You. Oh PaadhukE! Unlike the Lord's feet, You do not need any support base and are responsible for the jeevan to attain its svaroopa Jn~Anam. I consider myself fortunate in adorning You on my head inview of the great vaibhavam that you are associated with. (Swamy Desikan bases this verse on what is known as Kaimudhika NyAyam according to which PaadhukAs can be understood as giving new life to the jeevans at the end of their earthly life inside the body).

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: In this slOkam, Swamy Desikan points out that the auspiciousness arising from being the servant of the Lord's Paadhukais is unsurpassed in its vaibhavam and it is something that is not easy to gain. It is indeed the Vaathsalya guNam of the Paadhukais that makes it possible and not any planned striving(prayathnam) on our part. It is PadhukA's motherly affection for us and your their anugraha paramparais that lead upto this Parama srEyas.

3) Oh Mother PaadhukE (Bhagavthee Janani)! Your Lord's lotus feet have the glories of blessing AhalyA, who was staying as a stone (SilA) due to her husband's curse; those sacred feet saved the embryo ParIkshith from apANDava asthram and transformed him form a cinder block to a living infant (m basmAnO: PrANa dhAnAth); those same sacred feet destroyed MurAsuran. Such feet with all these vaibhavams are under Your control (MurArE: Paadha Padhmou ThvayyAyatthou). Your Lord is the antharAthmA for all the world (aathmAdharAm) and You are the bearer of that ParamAthmA. You are worshipped by all the world (SarvalOka Poojyai); You have unique and matchless vaibhavam (nirathisaya prabhAvasaali). You are the cause for the Moksha sukham for the jeevans (Thvam aathma-lAbha prasUthi). It is only through good fortune I am having You now on my head without any special prayathnam (aham dhaivAth sirasi nihithAm adhya pasyAmi).

SlOkam 999 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka Devi! The hearts of people have been subject to the arrows of Cupid, which continue to remain as thorns therein. Had You not first entered and pulverized these thorns, by Your grace, how can one expect Lord Ranganatha to step in into these hearts, with His Feet so very delicate as to be caressed very carefully by the hands of Mahalakshmi.

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh DEvi! If You through Your steps do not pulverize the tips of the thorns of the arrows of Manmatha and prepare my heart as a soft spot fit for housing the tender , lotus feet of Your Lord, How could He (SrI RanganAtha) place His soft feet on my adamantine hard heart?

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: In this slOkam, Swamy Desikan describes the fruits of worshipping the Lord's Paadhukais. Oh victorious PaadhukE resting in my mind after defeating that mind, which roamed fiercely chasing all material and sensory pleasuers! Oh PaadhukE with that Vijya SrI! You pulverized all the fierce thorns present in my mind through Your fervent sanchArams there and made it a safe and soft place for Your Lord to reside. If You had not done that, there was no chance for the Lord to enter my dangerous mind. Thanks to Your help, both of You have settled down in my mind. The inner meaning is that the intimate association with SadAchAryAs and the auspicious benefits of their upadEsa anugrahams produce vivEkam in us, cleanses our minds and results in Bhagavath dhyAnam and anubhavam.

3) Oh Devi PaadhukE! My mind (manas) is dense with sharp thorn-like features resembling the adamantaine weapon (kulisakaDini /vajrAyudham). It is a place that is not most comfortable to enter (dushpravEsam). Lord RanganAtha's sacred feet are soft like the lotus petals and are easily bruised even from pressings by the soft hands of His divine consort, SrI RanganAyaki (Lakshmi karatala yOgyam). In to that hard and lowly place of my mind, the Lord enters and places His Thiruvadi and feels comfortable. How is that possible? (kaTankAram RanganATa : nija padham nidhadhyAth ). It is only because of Your valour to enter my mind and with your intense crushing of those sharp thorn-like entities and pulverizing them through many sanchArams over them (Bhavathee nija aakrAnthy kshuNNa Smara sara sikhA kaNDaka tathi:). Out of Your compassion for me, You get in between the Lord's tender feet and the field of crushed thorns (manas) so that He does not feel those sharp objects (dayayA yEvam madhyE visathi).

SlOkam 1000 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka! You are wont to concede the opportunity, to the consorts Sri and Bhoomi, who feel they are subservient to You, of privately serving the Lord's Feet, by subjugating Your own desire to serve the Lord, say in a stroll, to their longing. I am Your subservient. You ought to grant me too, the opportunity of privately rendering service to those Holy Feet! You will do it, I know. You have enabled me to complete this work and become the instrument of making this Ranga a stage for Saraswati to dance in delight on hearing this work.

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: When Swamy Desikan began to compose the thousandth verse, Sarasvathy Devi was happy to know that the poet (SrI VenkatEsan) had completed his pledge to create one thousand verses in a single night in praise of the Paadhukais of the Lord. The aasthika janams of Srirangam assembled in front of Lord RanganAtha also appalauded his (Swamy Desikan's) extraordinary success. Swamy Desikan was also very pleased and grateful that such an effort was concluded and sought a boon of closeness to the holy feet of the Lord and sing about their glories. He says: "Oh PadhukE! When Lord RanganAtha wants to give His DEvis the pleasure of pressing His feet, You cast aside Your desire to roam outside carrying Your Lord's Thiruvadis. You defer those duties in favor of the Lord's consorts. Similarly, May Thou bless me to become close to Your Lord's Thiruvadis ! Your powers are such that You have made Srirangam, the dance theatre for Sarasvathy DEvi".

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Swamy Desikan has now reached the stage of completion of the 1000 slOkams to eulogize the vaibhavam of the Paadhukais (Sankalpitha sahasram sampoorNam). He has been blessed with Bhagavath prApthi through the upAyam of PaadhukA prApthi. He is joyous and concludes the Kaavyam from the subject matter point of view. The remaining 8 slOkams are epilogues.

The inner meaning of this thousandth slOkam is to instruct us that the SadAchAryAs of the Lord are dearer to the Lord even more than His divine consorts. Those SadAchAryAs are celebrated as well by the Divine consorts of the Lord. SadAchAryyAs are capable of blessing their sishyAs with Bhagavathanubhavam similar to the one that they enjoy. Swamy Desikan hints that AchArya Saayujyam is better than Bhagavath Saayujyam. The glories of such AchAryAs fill all the world.

Swamy Desikan asks a rhetorical question in this concluding slOkam: Oh Paadhuke! What else do I need here, now that You have blessed me to enjoy SrI RanganAthan with my body, speech and mind and prepared me to be fit to perform kaimkaryams for Him ? There seems to be one more thing that You can bless me with so that I can become complete (PoorNan). You are known for Your total devotion to Your Lord and for Your assembly of auspicious aathma guNams tuned to serve Your Lord without interruption. Recognizing these splendid set of attributes, even the Devis of the Lord pay their respects to You. They recognize that Bhagavath anubhava roopa PurushArTam is also under Your control. They are thankful to You for stopping the Lord's sanchAram and returning Him to His inner chambers for union with them (the Devis). Thus You confer the bhOgam of the Lord's lotus feet for the Devis instead of monopolizing them by going on long sanchArams with Your and Their Lord. My prayer to You is to bless me further with the Bhagavath PadhAravindha anubhava bhOgam just like You facilitated such anubhavams for the Lord's divine consorts. You may ask how I came to know of Your generosity to share the Lord's divine feet with His dear consorts. Oh PaadhukE! Your vaibhavam is so well known (lOka prasiddham) in this world through the joyous efforts of Saraswathi Devi to bless the poets to sing about Your vaibhavam through their SrI Sookthis. Therefore, Your generosity, KaaruNyam and othe subha guNams are no secret to the people of the world. Therefore, You must bless me with the additional boon of the closest presence (Parama saamyam) to You. That enjoyment would even be greater in my estimate to what adiyEn will enjoy in the Muktha dasai (Bhagavath Saamyam). Thus, Swamy Desikan concludes this Sankalpitha Sahasram (SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram) with the statement that the ultimate enjoyment of PaadhukAnubhavam is the Lord adorning His Paadhukais (Swamy NammAzhwAr) at SrIrangam, the BhUlOka Vaikuntam. Here at Srirangam, the Paadukai blesses aasrithALs with the sacred feet of the Lord, which is its Sarvaswam (Sarva savadhAnam gift).

3) Oh PaadhukE ! On special occasions, You stop Your delectable sanchArams with Your Lord and bring the Lord back to His antha: puram so that His devis can enjoy the same pleasure that You enjoy through Bhagavath Padha parcicharaNa sukham ( samayE kimapi kreeDAloulyam varjayanthee sathi, Bhavathee NaaTayO: SrIdharaNyO: svam nirvEsam disasi). May I request You to confer the boon of qualifications for such antharanga kaimkaryams to Your Lord's Thiruvadi? (yEvam maamapi Madhujith paadhayO: antharangam janaya). You of such sarvasvAdhanam glory and auspicious guNams have made Sriranga KshEthram, the dancing stage for Saraswathi Devi (Yaasou Rangam GuNai: BhArathee nruttha rangam janayasi).

SlOkam 1001 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Ranganatha Paaduka! I have thought of You a thousand times** in the pretext oc composing this work. Even that makes my life fully lived and fully rewarded. Then what is there for me to seek to secure in this world?

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: This is the first of the eight slOkams dealing with the completed thousand slOkams (kruthamAna Sahasram). The first slOkam recognizes the BhAgyam accrued to the poet, who expresses his gratitude for completion of the 1000 slOkams without vignams. Swamy Desikan says in this context: " Oh PaadhukE ! Through the excuse of composing a eulogy to You, You have been analyzed by me in thousand ways. My life has become more fruitful through that effort. After this blessing, there is nothing that I need or want.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! Through Your anugraham, I have now completed the Sahasram about You that You commanded me to create. During the course of this effort, I enjoyed addressing You as "PaadhukE, PaadhAvani, PadhAvani, PadhathrANE, PadharakshE, PaadharakshE , CharaNa ThrAyiNee, Hari PaadhukE, Souri PaadhukE! Raaghava PaadhukE , Rangapathy PaadhukE, MaNi PaadhukE, Kaanchana PaadhukE, Rathna PaadhukE " and with other endearing names. I uttered them singly and with Your Lord's names one thousand times. In addiiton to that, I analyzed Your Svaroopa, Roopa, guNa vibhUthis and praised You to my heart's content. After recieving that ParamAnugraham, my janmA, which was fruitless (nishphalam) until then transformed itself to one full of fruits (Saphalam). It ended up with myself being freed from future births and deaths. There are no pradhAna PurushArTam beyond that.

3) Oh Paadhukai of the Lord who rules Srirangam as His Nruttha rangam! (hE RangadhureeNa PaadhukE!) You have been now praised thousand times using the ruse of attempting Your Sthuthi (Thvam sthuthi lakshyENa Sahasrasa: vimrushtA). Therefore, I consider that this janmam of mine has attained its total fulfilment (atha: mama yEthath janma: saphalam thAvath ithi manyE). There is nothing in this janmaa that I need to pray for as a desired boon since I have alrady been blessed with the BhAgyam of creating this sthuthi about You (Yath yEthath iha aasaasyam atha: param kim asthi?).

SlOkam 1002 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Mother Paaduka! The Lord's nature is incomprehensible and far beyond our measurement as the greatness of Yourself. Nevertheless, I dared to embark on this venturesome job difficult for an immature debutant. May You forgive me for my ignorance and entry into a dangerous territory!

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh Mother! Your glories like RanganAthA's attributes are beyond description. Through my ignorance as a young person and dull wit, I attempted to sing your glories and lengthened this eulogy. It was a bold and eugotistic act. Please forgive me for this through Your compassion.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: After declaring that he had composed the sahasram on the exalted Paadhukais and how grateful he was, Swamy Desikan was overcome with the fear that he might have overstated his case as a successful poet. He asks for his rash statement and requests Paadhukais to forgive his daring statement. He says: " Oh PaadhukE Your infinite attributes (Svaroopa, Roopa, GuNa, VibhUthis) like that of Your Lord are beyond one's power to describe satisfactorily. Just like children engaging in a daring act without assessing their capabilities, I have also dared to compose thousand verses about Your Vaibhavam and have declared that I have completed them successfully. This is a Saahasa Kaaryam. It is an apachAram to conclude that I ahve captured YOur limitless glories in the short span of thousand verses. Please forgive adiyEn's MahApachAram out of Your sense of Vaathsalyam for Your child and treat my apachAram as a guNam and bless me!

3) Oh Mother PaadhukE ! LIke YOur Lord , Your attributes are beyond the ken of us (RangapathE : Svaroopamiva tava svaroopam Tava, Roopam, GuNam vaachAm aseemani nivishtam). They are beyond the reach of speech. I am like a dull witted one and an ignorant child (Mandha Buddhi:, Baalan), which enagages in a daring act without thought (Saahasa kaarya prayuktham). I dared to engage in an effort to confine Your limitless vaibhavam into a mere thousand slOkams (tE vaibhavam mOhAth abhishtuthavatha:). Oh Mother PaadhukE ! YOu must forgive this daring act of follishness out of Your DayA for me ( Baalasya mama saahasam idham dayayA sahETA :).

SlOkam 1003 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Lord's Paaduka! Many others may compose similar works on You, prompted by devotion. They will be conscious of the obstacles in the path and they will, therefore not direct their eyes except on the virtues of this work of mine.

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh Mother! Poets, who are devotees of Your Lord will concentrate on my descriptions about Your auspicious qualities and will compose their own poems praising You. They will read my sthOthram on You with affection. Being devotees of Your Lord, they make me fulfilled in my efforts through their adoring approvals.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: The PaadhukA responds to the prayer to be forgiven and says: "Alright, I forgive You out of my affection for You. What about the righteous ones? Wll they accept Your daring act? Swamy Desikan answers: "Oh Mother PaadhukE! In the matters of praising You, the success or failure to adequately capture Your multitudes of GuNams is neither due to their sakthi or asakthi. It is their prEmai (love) for You that propels the righteous ones. Those revered righteous ones will therefore not look at my deficencies but will examine whether my effort is linked to prEmai for You. They want to know whether my sthuthi is a PrEma garbha sthuthi or not. If they conclude that adiyEn's sthuthi arose from Bhakthi paravasam, then they will overlook the aspects of dhOsham and will be pleased with my efforts. Since my endeavours are driven by my athyantha prEmai for You, I feel confident that the righteous ones will accept it and overlook any blemishes.

3) Oh Mother PaadhukE ! The other poets (madhanyE yEnAma Kavaya:) propelled by their deep devotion for You (Bhakthi niyathA:) engage in praising You through their SrI Sookthis (ThvAm Sthuvanthi). Those righteous ones are going to react to my Sahasram with favor and cast their benovolent glances on me since they would recognize that my efforts like theirs are driven by Bhakthi to You (GuNAmsa vinivEsitha mAnasAnAm tEshAm sabahumAna vilOkithAni aham labhyasE ).

SlOkam 1004 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Ranganatha Paaduka! The bad people in our society will close their eyes to the virtues but will harbour jealousy. The good ones, on the other hand, will keep silent over the defects. As such, You are the only authority fit to judge the merits and demerits of this work.

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh RanganAtha PaadhukE! The evil ones try to point out good verses as having defects. The righteous ones do not emphasize the defects and elect to praise the good aspects of my composition on You. Be that as it may, You are the ultimate judge of good and bad in my verses. I am contented as long as You appreciate my special efforts to praise You through this composition.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The Paadhukai listens to Swamy Desikan's response on the righteous ones (GuNa PakshapAthis) and asks Swamy Desikan to explain who will judge the opinions of the righteous about his Kaavyam. Swamy DEsikan responds: "Oh Bhagavath anuroopa sahacharee PaadhukE! You are indeed the best judge of such disputes and differences of opinions. Like Your Lord! Where can I go to have adjudication on the good and bad qualities of my Sahasram on You? The Saadhus are GuNa PakshapAthis and hence will always speak about the good aspects and play down any blemishes. The asaadhus (dhushtans) have the inherent svabhAvam only to find faults. The GUNa bhAgam will never get their attention. They will condemn my efforts as worthless and insignificant. If we ask the busy people engaged in chasing worldly things, they won’t have any time for studying the Sahsram. These would be positions of the anukoolar, prathikoolar and the anubhayar as the three categories of people in this world. What can I do? Who can I ask for an impartial judgement /review?

3) Oh Rangaraja CharaNAvani ! Those aasura prakruthis will point out all kinds of blemishes in my eulogy about You out of their envy (asathAm hrudhayAni guNAmsE sangharshayanthy). The dhaiva prakruthis will not publicize any blemishes out of their goodness (Santhasthu dhOshAm santhamapi na praTayanthi). They explain the dhOshams and pass it of as GuNams. Therefore inthe matter of determination of blemishes or good aspects, YOu alone are the most dependable witness (Tath tE sthutheenAm iha sadhasathO: Thvam param saakshiNee).

SlOkam 1005 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh Paaduka Devi! You, who never attached any importance to anything other than the two Lotus-Feet of Raghava (of the famous Ikshvaku dynasty) caused me to produce this poem, in Your praise-even as Sita got Ramayana written by Sage Valmiki-both, as mere sport.

1)UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE ! Being under Your spell, SitA Devi got closely attached to Your Lord's feet and through Her brother VaalmIki had the mighty ithihAsam knowna s SrImath RaamAyaNam completed. In a similar vein, You have playfully made me compose this huge eulogy about You ". (SitA PirAtti was the daughter of BhUmi DEvi. Sage VaalmIki was born in the house of white ants that grew from the earth. Hence, he is also a child of BhUmi Devi and therefore a brother of SitA Devi. Sage Valmiki did penance in that underground house and became a supreme poet).

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! There can not be any blemishes in my eulogy of You! I was slightly befuddled and reacted as though that I had composed this Kaavyam. What a delusion on my part? The subject of this sthOthram is none other than Yourself and You are also the author of this sthOthram. Just as SitA PirAtti energized Sage VaalmIki to compose the ithihAsam celebrating Her, You as Her RoopAntharam (other form) have blessed me with the power of speech and Jn~Anam to be " the author" of this Kaavyam. These 1000 slOkams were created by You through me as a leelai to help the jeevans to overcome their samsAric tApams. In view of Your authorship of this sthuthi, there is no room for any blemishes in this kaavyam bearing Your name (RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram).

3) Oh PaadhukA DEvi ! You who has taken sole refuge at the lotus feet of IshvAku Naathan (Sri RanganAthan), have created this lofty PaadhukA Sahsram as a playful act through me (IshvAku NaaTa padha pankajayO: ananyA ThvamEva mayA sveeyam sumahath charithram nija kELi vasAth akArshee:). This act of Yours is like SithA DEvi's, who has no recourse except IshvAku NaaTan's lotus feet had the ithihAsam about Her (SrImath RaamAyaNam) created by Her brother , Sage VaalmIki as a sport (IshvAku NaaTa Padha PankajayO; ananyA SeethA sahajEna kaveesvarENa akArshee: iva).

SlOkam 1006 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Reliable critics are those who are Your pious servants. They will readily accept my explanation as regards the origin of this work. Just as the Lord's touching the cheek of Dhruva, a young child, was adequate to make him compose verses of praise, the Lord had His Paadukas sit on my head. That was enough!

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE ! Lord NaarAyaNa touched the cheek of child DhruvA, who was in deep meditation about Him . Dhruvan got empowered by that divine contact to compose a brilliant eulogy on Your Lord, even if he was a mere untutored child. Similarly, this PaadhukA Sahasram of mine originated from the mere resting of You on my head. This composition is therefore a direct result of Your glory and power. This is how the righteous people devoid of attachment (raagam) and malice (asooyA) think about how it came about. That is the way future generations should think.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE ! You may ask how people can believe my attribution of authorship of this sthOthram to You . adiyEn will give an answer to that query in a credible manner with praNAmams. There are many eye witnesses to the incident, when ArchakAs as the representatives of Lord RanganAthA placed You on my head for an extended period of time. It is well accepted that Lord during His archAvathAram reveals His commands through His archakAs (archaka mukhEna niyamanam). Your Lord seems to have commanded me to acquire dhivya Jn~Anam and Vaak to eulogize You through You like He blessed once before child Dhruvan to have the Jn~Anam to eulogize Him. At that time, Your Lord blessed Dhruvan with dhivya Jn~Anam by touching the cheek of that child with His Paanchajanyam. Similarly, Your resting on my head due to YOur Lord's comment is the hethu for the birth of this eulogy about You and composed by You.

3) Oh PaadhukE ! Your resting on my head resulted in the visEsha Jn~Anam just as Paanchajanya sparsam led to the blossoming of dhivya Jn~Anam for the child Dhruvan (PruTuka vadhana Sanka sparsa reethyA iyam sthuthi: upajAthA ithi). At the time of Your Lord approving the creation of this sthuthi about You, He had commanded His archakAs to place You on my head so that Your mahimai can enter into me to construct this poem about You with me as a mere instrument to execute His command (kadhAchith sirasi vinihithAyA: Tava svEna bhUmnA yEva manmukhEna iyam sthuthi: upajAthA ). This is how the great ones engaged in Kaimkaryams to You and known for their freedom from any kind of blemishes would comprehend the origin of this Kaavyam (apAstha dhOshA: ParicharaNaparA : Santha: svEna bhUmnA yEva manmukhEna upajAtha ithi adheeyu:).

SlOkam 1007 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

Oh People! If you have pure devotion, learn by rote, this hymn on Paaduka. Remember this would serve, as investment for high-standard literary classics, which You could Yourselves be able to put forth. True connoisseurs of literature-provided they are not out of their senses-would have to receive this work with great enthusiasm. How can they afford to miss the fine aspects of literary merit herein?

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh People! If Your minds are full of devotion to the Lord, You will cherish in Your hearts the PaadhukA sahasram verses, which are dominated by the feeling of affection. They give the power to compose sweet poems. Hence, recite the verses of PaadhukA Sahasram. For those free of aggression, reciting the thousand verses of PaadhukA Sahasram, there is no need to remind them to remember these verses as those, which help to compose divine poems. They will do it on their own, without any prompting.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh People of the world! May I share with You a subject, which is very beneficial (Parama Hitham) to you all? Let me explain to You the significance of the SrI RanganAtha PadhukA Sahasram. It has identical potency to Vedams, which is Parama prApyam and Parama PrApakam. Hence the recitation of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram praising indirectly the Veda PrathipAdhyan, SrI RanganAthan will be Parama Hitham, Parama Balam and Parama KshEmam for You all. The intrinsic greatness of the Lord's Paadhukais will grow Your bhakthi for the divine Paadhukais and lead to Parama srEyas and prEyas. Recitation of the PaadhukA sahasra slOkams and comprehension of the deep tathvArTams embedded in them will be like the partaking of life-giving amrutham. May You all enjoy the parama sukham that is being enjoyed by me through the composition of this Kaavyam with the anugraham of the Lord's Paadhukais and enjoy all aihika and aamushmika sukhams all the way upto Moksham!

3) Oh People of the World (JanA:)! If You have paripoorNa Bhakthi for the Lord's Padhukais, Please adorn the PadhukA Sahasram in Your hearts, which has the basis in the apourushEya Vedams (hE JanA: ! spheetha bhakthi: yadhi, praNaya mukha VaaNee paripaNam padha thrANa sthOthram hrudhi Bhibrutha ). Even if You do not have such full devotion for the Paadhukais, the sweet naadham of the sthuthi and the delectable taste arising from the recitation of them would lead them to get these slOkmas by heart. Those with subtle intellect would be overwhelmed by the unique artha svArasyams embedded in these slOkams and experience them like the flood of nectar flowing over them. Hence how can the one with saamAnya buddhi (nirunmAdhA:) as well as those with discriminating intellect ( rasa Jn~Ana sahrudhaya: ) resist their drenching in the never-ending flood of amrutham flowing in the form of delectable sound (spheethA dhvaa nirunmAdhA:, sahrudhaya: niravadhi sudhA nirjara mucha: yEthA: vachObhangee: kaTam naanurundhE? ).

SlOkam 1008 of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukA Sahasram

The great works like Sri Bhashyam of Ramanuja shine forth excellently. The Paaduka-Duet of Ranganatha, who is the Moksha-grantor shines forth in great luster. (The works of Azhvar, who represents the Paaduka, hold forth in great glee). Sadhus, who cherish as their wealth the two above, who also make the Vedic mandates really authoritative, they following the Vedas implicitly shine in the world with great gusto!

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: The commentary on Brahma SoothrAs known as SrI BhAshyam will thrive in this world. The PaadhukAs of MukundA , who confers the boon of Moksham will last forever here in their glory . Those righteous people , who carry SrI BhAshyam and the Lord's PaadhukAs on their heads as their entire wealth will follow the principles established by the VedAs without fail and will be celebrated in the world for their possession of true knowledge and exemplary conduct.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: This is the last of the SrI RanganAtha PadhukA Sahasra slOkmas. Swamy Desikan is grateful for the BhAgyam of composing this unique Kaavyam through the commands (niyamanams) of Bhagavaan , His Paadhukais and the SadAchAryAs, who follow in that paramparai. He states that the Lord's Paadhukais of immeasuarable vaibhavam made it easy for him to comprehend the true meanings of Tatthva , Hitha PurushArTams and used him as an instrument to propagate the Tathtva-Hitha-PurushArTams for the benefit of the world through this Kaavyam. He says that he became uplifted (dhanyan) to recieve this special honor. He points out that the VedAs felt relieved from the fear of misintrepretation by the kumathis. He exclaimed loud the victory won by the Saasthrams and the Divine Lord over the Paramathms with untenable doctrines, which are against acceptable Sath-pramANams like Prathyaksham, anumAnam and sabdham. Swamydesikan exults over the parama paavana anugraham of Paadhukais of the Lord , which established through this Kaavyam the Supermacy of SrIman NaarAyaNan (ParadEvathA PaaramArtyam) and the SarIrAthma BhAva Sambhandham as established by AchArya RaamAnuja and the poorvAchAryAs. Swamy Desikan hails the glories of SrI Sookthis of AchAryAs , which show us the way away from SamsAric sufferings and put us on the path for SrI Vaikuntam to participate in the nithya , niravadhya (blemishless) Kaimkaryam to the Dhivya Dampathis as Muktha Jeevans following the upAya anushtAnam of Prapatthi or Bhakthi yogam . Swamy hails the attainment of Bhagavath Kaimkarya MahA Iswaryam resulting from the anugraham of the Lord's Paadhukais (Swamy NammAzhwAr). He points out that the dhivya PaadhukAs of Lord RanganAtha reveal the Lord's lotus feet as the MokshOpAyam since Lord can not reject those , who seek His sacred feet as their refuge ( anathilanganeeyam hi CharaNa grahaNam ). He instructs us that the Paadhukais (SadAchAryAs) create the sambhandham between the Lord andthe Mumukshus (those who desire Moksha Sukham). Swamy performs thus MangaLAsAsanam for this Phala saadhana SrI Sookthi by hailing (performing PallANDu) to the Dhivya Sookthis of PoorvAchAryAs like AchArya RaamAnuja , who blessed us with eye openers like SrI BhAshyam, GeethA BhAshyam and several other gems.He salutes those great ones (Santha:), who benefit from AchAryA SrI Sookthis and reveal the greatness of such powerful and auspicious SrI Sookthis to their sishya Paramparais. Thus Swamy Desikan concludes the MahA Kaavyam about the glories of SrI RanganAtha PaadhukAs with the same word used to commence this Kaavyam (Santha:) in the traditional style of AnthAdhi (back to beginning format) .

(Yathiraja Sookthi: Jayathi). They establish that these Veda-BhAhya mathams (which are outside the fold of Vedams) are aprAmANikam (not based on accepted PramANams). The Divine PaadhukAs of the Moksham-granting Mukundhan, the Lord of MahA Lakshmi , are victorious! (Jayathi Mukundhasya PaadhukA YugaLee). He is the Sarva-karma samArAdhyan (worshipped by all KarmAs) and Sarva--samAsrayaNeeyan (sought as protection by every one); Mumukshus seek His sacred feet as the loftiest object of protection (Parama PurushArTam/Ultimate Goal of life for the chEthanam). One should seek Mukundhan and His Paadhukais in Sath--sishya Kramam (right kind of order as a disciiple) and live in an auspicious state. The twins (AchArya SrI Sookthis and the Lord united with the Padhukais (Tadhubhaya) are the wealth (Dhanaa:) of the enlightened ones ( Santha:) , who never discard or belittle the Vedams divided into the three categories of Rg, Yajur and Saamam (Tadhubhaya dhanA: thrivEdheem avandhyayantha: Santha: Jayanthi). These enlightened ones are victorious (Santha: Jayanthi) and they instruct the seekers about the true meanings of Vedhams and save them from falling into the net of those propagate false mathams, which are outside the purview of pramANms based on Vedhams. These Saadhus (Santha:) shine as bright lamps to light the way of those who seek the right path through their correct upadEsams on the nature of the Supreme Being and His Saasthrams. They remain victorious right here on this earth. Swamy Desikan uses the word " Jayathi " to indicate his state of joy over the Jaya SrI of Bhagavaan , His SadAchArya Paramparai and the SrI Sookthis of those SadAchAryAs . This final slOkam is considered by commentators as the essence of all upadEsams to one seeking Moksham (SarvArTa Sangraham). For the sake of emphasis following the anthAdhi style, Swamy Desikan starts with the two words, " Jayanthi Santha: " in the first slOkam and concludes with the very same two words, "Jayanthi Santha:". Thus Swamy Desikan concludes this greatest of Kaavyams.