Today , adiyEn will cover
the Third slOkam
of Sri SaraNAgathi DhIpikai and elaborate on
the meaning of DhIpam (The Lord and its
Ruchi(PirAtti):
DhIpas-ThvamEva JagathAm
DayithA ruchis-tE
dheergam tama: prathinivarthyamidham YuvAbhyAm
sthavyam sthavapriyam atha: SaraNOkthi vasyam
sthOthum Bhavantham abhilashyathi janthurEsha:
(meaning): Oh ViLakkoLi
PerumALE ! You are the Only One ,
who is the DhIpam for the entire World (JagadhAm dhIpa:
ThvamEva). You are the DhIpam and Your Divine Consort ,
who never leaves Your side , is the prakAsam/lustre for
the DhIpam ( tE dayithA RUCHI:). The long lasting darkness
of Ajna~nam (nescience) can only be removed by both of You
(DhIrgam idham tama: YuvAbhyAm prathinivarthyam).
Therefore (atha:) , this chEthanan (yEsha janthu:)
wishes to eulogize You (sthOthum abhilashyathi), who is
worthy of salutations(sthavyam) and who is pleased with
such sthuthis (sthava Priyam).This chEthanan (yEsha janthu:)
wishes to engage in Sthuthi (sthOthum abhilashyathi) of
You (Bhavantham), who is easily influenced by one's
uttrance of the Prapatthi Vaakyam ( SaraNOkthi vasyam
Bhavantham sthOthum abhilashyathi).
Additional Comments:
*********************
Here, Swamy Desikan recognizes Sri DhIpa PrakAsan as
the Param JyOthi/Svaym JyOthi .The references to His
JyOthi Svaroopam are many in Veda Manthrams. Let us enjoy
a few of these Rg Veda manthrams in the Context of
Sriman NaarAyaNan as eternal DhIpam ( DhIpa: ThvamEva)
presiding over ThirutthaNkA and blessing Swamy Desikan
of His agrahAram at Thuppul :
jyOtir vriNIta tamasO
vijAnan aarE syAma durithAdh abhIkE
imA gira: sOmapA: somavriddha jushasvEndhra purutamasya kArO:
--Rg Vedam : III.39.7
(meaning): The light of
lights ( the discriminating intellect
literally) , the Lord banishes the darkness of nescience and
viparItha Jn~Anam .May that divine power of that JyOthi remove
us far away from inauspiciousnes of every kind ! Oh Supreme Lord !
May Thou accept our highest eulogies (sthuthis) woven and
nourished with Bhakthi ! May Thou be pleased with the sthuthis
of Your devout devotees in Your role as Sthava Priyan.
In the next manthram ( Rg
Vedam : III.39.8) , " yEsha Janthu:"
prays for the blessings of that divine , guiding JyOthi:
JyOthir-yaj~nAya rhOdhasI
anu shyAdhaarE syAma dhurithasya bhUrE:
bhUri chidh dhi tujathO marthyasya supArasO vasavO BarhaNAvath
(meaning): May Thou as
JyOthirmayan bless us with Your
DhIpa PrakAsam and let that JyOthi penetrate through
our body and mind to purify us and get us qualified for
Your daily worship (Kaimkaryam and Nithya AarAdhanam) .
May we be safely tucked away from overwhelming amangaLams !
May You as the grantor of prosperity (Sakala SoubhAghya
dhAyakan) in response to Your devotee's sthuthis bestow
Your ever-increasing affluence on this benovolent man(janthu)!
In the Rg Veda Manthram
(IX.86.10) , this JyOthi is recognized
and saluted as the JyOthi behind the Cosmic Yaj~nam :
JyOthir-YaJ~nasya pavathE
madhu priyam
PithA dEvAnAm JanithA vibhUvasu:
dhadhAthi rathnam svadhayOrapIchyam
madhinthamO mathsara indhriyO rasa:
(meaning): This JyOthi
and its prakAsam is the dhIpam(light )
of Cosmic Sacrifice ( Purusha Sooktha Yaj~nam) . It distills
(gives forth) sweet delightful juices . It is the generator
(parent) of nature's bounties.It is the Generator of All and
is endowed with immeasurable Isvaryam of anantha kalyANa
guNams and bounties of every kind. This JyOthi is the most
exhilirating , nourishing elixir that is the aadhAram for
the hidden treasures of heaven and earth.
In the Rg Veda manthram
I.136.3 , the prayer is to
the DhIpa PrakAsan residing in the middle of the twelve
Aadhithyans and empowering them with His JyOthi:
" jyOthishmathIm adhithim --yaathayajjanaH ":
Here , the Soorya MaNDala
Madhyasthan is recognized as
JyOthirmayan (One with unparalleled luminosity
and celestiality). He is recognized as the Upholder
of the righteous. He is worshipped day by day (dhivE dhivE)
by those , who wake up early in the morning (nithyArAdhanam
by Bhudha:) . He is saluted as the animator of srEshta
Janams on the path of Rutham and Sathyam (JyOthishmath
kshathram aasAtE).
In a beautiful manthram
laden with deep meanings ,
the DhIpa PrakAsan is recognized as the bright ,
radiant JyOthi rich in enlighteenment for
the SadhakAs:
JyOthishmantham
kEthumantham thrichakram
sukham raTam sushadham bhUrivAram
chithrAmaghA yasya yOgEadhijag~nyE
Thamm Vaam huvE athi rikthampiBhadhyai
--Rg Vedam : VIII.59.3
(Meaning): I , This
Janthu , invokes the One ,
who is bright and radiant .This JyOthirmayan is rich
in enlighteenment (kEthumantham) and possesses
a comfortable chariot yoked with three wheels.
That raTam comes to us rolling lightly and this
JyOthirmayan riding that chariot brings us munificent
and marvellous treasures .I invoke and beseech
this JyOthirmaya Purushan characterized by His lustre
(prakAsam) to participate in this Yaj~nam and partake
this splendid offering (Soma rasam or Sthuthis).
SrI DhIpa prakAsa
tatthvam is deep and illuminating indeed!
Veda manthrams repeatedly salute this DhIpa PrakAsan and
get themselves consecrated .
The other key words that
Swamy Desikan chose in this third slOkam
are: "Sthavyan, Sthavapriyan and saraNOkthi Vasyan " .
Swamy Desikan invokes
here , the VishNu Sahasra naamams
(59th slOkam) :
" Sthvya:
Sthavapriya: SthOthram Sthutha: SthOthA RaNapriya:
PoorNa: Poorayitha PuNya : PuNyakeethiranAmaya:"
Swamy ParAsara Bhattar
has commented extensively on
the significance of these Naamams in His BhAshyam.
That the Lord of
ThirutthaNKA is "SaraNa Ukthi Vasyan "
led Swamy Desikan to compose this SthOthram . That is
the central message of SrI SaraNAgathi DhIpikai.
adiyEn will elaborate on this most important aspect
of SrI DhIpa PrakAsan in the subsequent postings.