SrI: Dear Sriman Sadagopan Iyengar : Members of the many lists missed your writings during the past few weeks . Thanks for the delightful article on Nooouram of the dhivya dampathis. Welcome back ! V.Sadagopan ----- Original Message ----- From: <sadagopaniyengar@xxxxxxxx> To: <Srirangasri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <malolan_net@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <oppiliappan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <tiruvenkatam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <ramanuja@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Cc: <radha@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <haritha2511@xxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, May 01, 2006 4:12 AM Subject: [Oppiliappan] Noopuram > Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama: > > > > Noopuram > > > > There are a number of ornaments women are fond of wearing. Jewels > embellish and enhance a lady's beauty and sometimes even bring out latent > beauty. Ornaments thus serve as inseparable companions of womenfolk, who > would rather be seen dead than without their adornments. Be it ear rings, > nose-rings, chains of various designs and types, ranging from simple, > single stranded ones to those with multiple strands and pendants, dazzling > golden belts (Oddyaanam), anklets of shining silver-all these add > considerably to women's looks. > > > > Jewels are thus an integral part of our lives and deserve occasional words > of appreciation. However, have you heard of an entire work of epic > proportions devoted to a single ornament? I am definitely not > exaggerating, for a famous Tamizh poet has considered the jewel to be > important enough to spin an engrossing tale around the ornament and the > incidents it gives rise to. It is again no exaggeration to say that this > single jewel was responsible for the death of an exalted monarch and his > consort, apart from causing untold loss to life and property, flowing from > the burning down of an ancient city by a wronged woman, whose property the > jewel was. > > > > By now, readers would have guessed that I am talking about the Silambu or > Noopuram as it is known in Sanskrit. There would be none who has not heard > of Silappadhikaaram and the way it revolves around the ornament. The > Kaavyam is considered among the five great ones of Tamizh literature, is > avidly perused by the learned and unlettered alike, and is still the > subject of hot debates at Patti Mandrams. > > > > Apart from its forming the subject matter of Silappadikaaram, does the > Noopuram have any significance in the Sampradayam? The answer is Yes, and > we shall see here a few occasions where the ornament comes in for > appreciative mention in our spiritual lore. > > > > As with every thing else, we shall turn first to that eternal guidebook, > Srimad Ramayanam, for inspiration. And the Epic doesn't fail us, for we > find an extremely heartening reference to the Noopuram in the Kishkinda > Kaandam. Sri Rama and Sri Lakshmana reach Kishkinda, searching en route > for the abducted Mythily. Sri Hanuman takes them to Sugriva, who promises > to make all-out efforts for locating Sri Janaki. Some members of Sugriva's > army then show Rama a bundle of ornaments cast off by a woman who was > being dragged by Ravana in the skies. Sugriva requests Sri Rama to > identify whether the jewels are those of Sita. Sri Rama is overwhelmed by > emotion at the sight of these jewels and His eyes cloud with copious tears > at the thought of beloved Sita, making it impossible for Him to look at > the ornaments, much less identify them. He turns to the faithful Lakshmana > and advises him to see if the jewels are those of Sita. > > > > It is here that Lakshmana comes out with an extremely moving speech, which > amply demonstrates his devotion towards his brother's wife and his > attitude of extreme rectitude and propriety. ''Since I have never looked > at my respected sister-in-law in the face and have always had my head > bowed with devotion while in front of Her, I have never had occasion to > see the ornaments adorning the upper portion of Her tirumeni. However, I > can readily identify the Noopuram which She wore on Her feet, since I > prostrate before Her daily. That is, in fact, the only ornament I am > familiar with, my glances being forever concentrated on Her holy feet, in > devotion and propriety'', says Lakshmana. Here is the beautiful slokam of > Sri Valmiki- > > > > 'Naaham jaanaami kundale, naaham jaanaami keyoore > > Noopure tu abhijaanaami nityam paada abhivandanaat' > > > > It is not only Sita Devi who wears a Noopuram-even Sri Goda Devi's feet > are adorned with gem-studded Silambu. And when She walks gracefully, these > Noopurams emit a sweet sound that is nectar to the ears of Her Divine > Consort, says Swami Desikan in Goda Stuti- > > > > 'Tvat preyasa: shravanayo: amritaayamaanaam > > Tulyaam tvadeeya mani noopura sinchitaanaam' > > > > For those who wonder whether the sounds of a Noopuram could be as sweet as > all that, here is confirmation from Sri Valmiki, who describes Sri Hanuman > as being impressed by the strong and sweet resonance emanating from the > Lankan women's ornaments, when they moved- > > > > 'Sushraava Kaanchee ninaadam, noopuraanaam cha nissvanam' > > > > 'Noopuraanaam cha ghoshena Kaancheenaam ninadena cha > > Mridanga tala ghoshaischa ghoshavadbhi: vinaaditam' > > > >>From all the aforesaid, you would arrive at the conclusion that the >>Noopuram is an entirely feminine ornament, serving as an adornment for >>ladies' tender feet. However, you would be entirely mistaken, for many are >>the instances in our religious lore which describe the Lord's feet too to >>be adorned with the Silambu. Here is a beautiful slokam from Srimad >>Bhagavatam, attesting to this- > > > > 'Shanka chakra gadaa padma vanamaalaa vibooshitam > > Noopurai: vilasat paadam koustubha prabhayaa yutam' > > > > Here is another couplet from the same source, painting a glorious portrait > of Sri Krishna, adorned from head to foot with various ornaments-among > them the Noopuram-- and gladdening the eyes and minds of onlookers beyond > measure- > > > > 'Kaanchee kalaapa paryastam lasat kaanchana noopuram > > Darsaneeyatamam shaantam mano nayana vardhanam' > > > > The Adhyaatma Ramayana tells us that not only Sri Krishna, but Sri Raghava > too was adorned with Noopuram- > > > > 'Noopurai: katakai: bhantam tathaiva vanamaalaya > > Lakshmanena dhanu: dvandva karena parisevitam' > > > > Even at SriVaikunttam, the Lord's feet are adorned with Noopuram. This we > come to know from Sri Ramanuja's Gadyams-'Peetaambara kaanchee guna > noopuraadi aparimita divya bhooshana', says the Bhashyakara, reserving for > the Noopuram a pride of place among the innumerable ornaments fortunate > enough to adorn Emperuman's tirumeni, by reserving its mention at the end > of a long list of jewels. > > > > Lest you think of the Noopuram as just another ornament, Swami Desikan > tells us that it has a glory all of its own, having been responsible for > originating a magnificent river known as the Silambaaru or Noopura Ganga. > All of us know that when, during Trivikramaavataram, the Lord's feet > reached Satyalokam in the process of measuring the second foot of land > promised by Mahabali, Brahmaa performed Tirumanjanam for the Tiruvadi, the > resultant flow becoming the holy Ganga. However, a part of the water which > touched the Noopuram on the Lord's feet became a separate stream and fell > atop the Tirumaalirum solai hills, attaining the name Noopura Ganga. Swami > Desikan tells us that this Noopura Ganga is much holier than the famed > Ganga, as the former is unpolluted by the touch of other Devatas. While > Ganga, on its way from the worlds above to earth, had to be borne by Sri > Rudra in his matted locks, to lessen its destructive speed, the Noopura > Ganga fell straight from the Lord's Noopuram to earth, thus making it more > sacred and pure. And the waters of the Noopura Ganga are sweeter too (I > can personally attest to this, having spent some time on the banks of the > Ganga at Varanasi). This episode is chronicled by Swami Desikan in Hamsa > Sandesam thus- > > > > 'Yasyotsange Bali vijayina: tasya manjeera vaantam > > Paatho divyam Pasupati jataa sparsa soonyam vibhaati' > > > > The Hamsa Sandesam has another interesting tale to tell about Sri Sita > Devi's Noopuram, the only ornament with which Sri Lakshmana is familiar. > The Noopuram found by the Vaanara veeras at Kishkinda was the one worn on > Sita Devi's right foot. Once She reached Lanka and was imprisoned at > Ashoka vanam, Sri Janaki removed the other Noopuram on Her left foot and > kept it, along with the other ornaments, tied in a piece of cloth to the > branch of the Simsupa tree, underneath which She was forced to spend Her > time, watched constantly by the demoniac minions of Ravana. Though She was > unmindful of the other jewels, Sita used to take out the Noopuram > frequently and heave a sigh of sorrow at the plight of the ornament, which > was personally fitted on Her foot by Sri Raghava. At the other end, Sri > Rama too fondly looks at the other Noopuram, seeing Sri Mythily in it, > finding it as sweet-sounding as a swan's song, eagerly awaiting the day > when He would be able to restore it to its rightful place on Sri Janaki's > left foot. Here is the beautiful slokam, which establishes Swami Desikan's > credentials as a poet par excellence, much superior to Kalidasa- > > > > 'Vaktum maargam kilava sumateem jagmusha: tat padaabjaat > > Manjeerasya tvat upama rute: dakshinasya asya tulyam > > Ankaaroode charana kamala mat karena upadeyam > > Vaamam shaakha shikara nihitam veekshya gaadam vishannaam' > > > > The Noopuram has made me wax rather long. We will wind this up with a > quote from Sri Venkateswara Suprabhatam, which tells us to surrender to > the lotus feet of Sri Srinivasa, adorned by Noopurams which are covered by > fragrant flowers- > > > > 'Aa noopura arpita sujaata sugandhi pushpa > > Sourabhya sourabha karou sama sannivesou > > Sowmyou sadaa anubavanepi navaanubhaavyou > > Sri Venkatesa charanou sharanam prapadye' > > > > Srimate Sri Lakshmi Nrisimha divya paduka sevaka Srivan Satakopa Sri > Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama: > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Join modern day disciples reach the disfigured and poor with hope and healing http://us.click.yahoo.com/lMct6A/Vp3LAA/i1hLAA/XUWolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! 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