SrI PadmAvathi SamEta SrinivAsa
ParaBrahmaNae Nama:
SrImatE HayagrIvAya
nama:
SrImatE RaamAnujAya
nama:
SrImatE NigamAnta MahA DesikAya nama
:
SrI VenaktAdhvari SvAminE
nama:
SrI: The First staBakam : PrArambha staBakam (
29 slOkams)
The first three slOkams of this staBakam
is about Vakshasthala LaksmikAntan , SrI SrinivAsa ParaBrahaman and His
divine consort at ThirucchAnUr ( Vakshasthala Lakshmi)
.
From the fourth slOkam and onwards , SrI
VenkatAdhvari offers his
salutations to his AchArya Paramparai , Aadhi Kavi Valmeeki , Sage ParASara, the
author of SrI VishNu purAnam extolling PirAtti's kalyAna guNams ( slOkam 6) and
Swami Desikan , the first kavi , who composed thousand slokams of salutation on
one divine object , the Lord's Paadhukai (SlOkam 7) . His special reverence for
Swamy Desikan is glimpsed from the reverential salutation : " Kudhrushti sarpa
Garuda: , trayyanatha vidhyA guru: , SrImAn VenkatanAtha Desika MaNi:
srEyAmsi bhUyAmsi na: " .NigamAntha MahA Desikan is addressed here as the
terrifying Garudan for the serpents (kudhrushti matha Vaadhins) and as
SrImAn as well as VenaktanAtha
Desika MaNi :
In the remaining slOkams , Sri
VenkadAdhvari Kavi reminds MahA Lakshmi about his incompetence in
attempting the offer of 1000 slOkams to eulogize Her and apologizes to
Her about his bravado (saahasam) . The Kavi observes: " If VedAntha Desikan
succeded in creating easily 1000 slOkams about Your Lord's PadhukA in less than
three hours , it is not a matter of wonder . He is after all the incarnation of
Lord HayagrIvan ; I am only
a man of meager intellect and on top of it a dumb one . You have however chosen
me and entered into me to create this stuti about You .This is indeed a
matter of great surprise ( sLokam 23 ) .
In SlOkam 18 of this first staBakam , Sri
VenkatAdhvari compares his poor efforts to tackle the mighty subject of
saluting the anantha kalyANa GuNa Vaibhavams of PirAtti . He identifies his
efforts to that of a tiny mosquito trying to dry up the vast ocean by
drinking it all . The famous and mighty agni known as BadavAmukhAgni does
succeed in its efforts to control the levels of seas by evaporating their
waters . Compared to that power of that special agni , the poet says his effort
is like of a haughty mosquito undertaking an impossible task (slOkam 18)
.
SrI Lakshmi Sahasram
commencing with PrArambha staBakam has 29 slOkams . This stOtram is about
ThirucchAnUr ThAyAr , SrI PadmAvati , the divine consort of the Lord of Seven
Hills . Let us invoke the blessings of SrI PadmAvati ThAyAr thru the first verse
of the first staBakam :
LakshmI charaNa-rAjeeva
lAkshA-lakshitha vakshasE
viSva-sargAdhi-leelAya
VenkaDa ParaBrahmaNE nama:
The first staBakam is
linkable to the first slOkam of Sri Stuti by Swamy Desikan ( ManAteeta
prathitavibhavAm MangaLam
MangalAnAm--- SrEyO Moortim SriyamaSaranastvAm SaraNyAm PrapadhyE )
.
2.
PrAthurbhAva staBakam ( 23 slOkams )
The second staBakam is linked
to the second slOkam of Swamy Desikan's SrI stuti (
AvirbhAva:
kalaSa jaladhAvadvarE vaapi
yasyA: ------- stOka prajn~air-anavadhi guNA stUyasE Saa katham Thvam ? )
.
This staBakam deals with the
AvirbhAvam ( appearance) of PirAtti from the milky ocean as the Lord churned
that ocean . Many auspicous and inauspicous entities came out of that
effort to churn for amrutham ( nectar ) to help Indhran regain the riches
he lost due to the curse of sage DhurvASa .
The dEvAs recieved
minor gifts that arose from the churning such as Kalpaka vruksham ,
chintAmaNi gem , Apsaras , IrAvadham ( elephant) , Ucchaisravas ( horse) ,
the nectar et al. The dEvAs were very satisfied with all these Isvaryams . The
clever Lord , who was behind all these efforts got the very best among the many
kinds of wealth that arose out of the milky ocean (viz)., MahA Lakshmi Herself .
In the svyamvaram on the banks of the Milky Ocean ,
MahA Lakshmi
chose the Lord as Her husband .The amruta mathanam and PirAtti's AvirbhAvam
are
covered in this chapter .
3.
VakshasTalAvasthAna staBakam ( 26 slOkams
)
This staBakam has 26 slOkams . It is linked to the
third slOkam of SrI Stuti ( stOtavyatvam diSati bhavathee dEhibhi: stUyamAnA ---
Tava caraNayO: kasya na syAt ? ) .
Important VaishNava tatvams like AkAra trayam of
MahA Lakshmi and Her staying on Her Lord's chest
forever are saluted in this staBakam . The poet
points out that She stays on the Lord's chest so that She can stay close
to His heart and reduce the anger of the Lord over the cEtanams' transgression
of Her Lord's commands ( slOkam 6) . The poet also states that great
sinners like us can not be protected without Her presence on the Lord's
chest in an uninterrupted manner ( anapAyini tatvam of
slOkam25).
4. KaaruNya staBakam ( 23
slOkams )
This staBakam is linked to
the Fourth slOkam of SrI stuti ( YatsankalpAd bhavati KamalE----). This chapter
celebrates the KaaruNya guNam of SrI Devi. Her benevolent compassion ( Dayaa
GuNam) has been eulogized by Swamy Desikan thru 100 slOkams in Dayaa
satakam . The poet says that she is the indweller of the Lord's heart and
KaaruNyam in turn is the indweller of Her heart ( slOkam
15).
5. KaDAksha staBakam ( 43
slOkams)
In this staBakam linked to
the 5th slOkam of SrI Stuti ( nishpratyUha praNaya-gaditam dEvi nityAnapAyam
----) , the power of the glances of MahA Lakshmi is dscribed . It is concluded
that
those who are beneficiaries
of having the glances of Devi fall on them are the winners of all srEyas and
sampath. Many pramANams are quoted in the slOkams of the staBakam to prove
this fact.
6.
(Pra)yatna
staBakam ( 43 slOkams)
Efforts ( pryatnams) are a
defenite must to attain anything in life. Our Lord is no exception to this
truism . The many efforts made by our Lord to attain MahA Lakshmi are described
here with illustrations from the various purANams and ithihAsams
.
7. MangaLAkhya staBakam ( 13
slOkams )
sAstrAs recognize Her
sacred feet as the source of all MangaLams . The glories of those who have taken
refuge at Her auspicious feet is saluted by the poet in this staBakam
that is linked to the seventh slOkam of SrI stuti ( Pasyantheeshu Srutishu
parita: sooriBrundhEna sArdham---) .
8.
Soundharya staBakam ( 235 slOkams )
This is the staBakam with the
largest cluster of slOkams . Here , the poet describes joyously the divine
beauty of every limb of MahA :Lakshmi . Sri VenkatAdhvari's genius as a poet is
beautifully displayed here .
9.
SrungAra staBakam ( 50 slOkams )
The
srungAra leelais of the dhivya dampathis are described here in a manner not
attempted by BhAshyakArar ,KurESar, ParAsara Battar or Swamy DeSikan in their
stOtrams on MahA Lakshmi.
10.
Isvarya staBakam ( 19 slOkams)
Following
the dictats of Saastram , the poet establishes that MahA Lakshmi possesses power
, wealth and other four guNams in a measure equal to BhagavAn and hence is
saluted as Bhagavaty ( ShADguNya ParipoorNai) . Inspite of this , thru Her own
choice , She has chosen to be subservient to Her Lord
.
11. KshAnti staBakam ( 30
slOkams)
MahA Lakshmi's infinite patience with us who trespass Her Lord's
commands forever is the subject of this staBakam . As the abode of the guNam of
Kshamaa/KshAnti , She listens to our soulful cries and pleads with Her Lord
on behalf of us all .
12. Utsava staBakam ( 50 slOkmas
)
The utsava vaibhavams of
ThirucchAnUr PirAtti are described . Inside the garbha gruham at ThirucchAnUr ,
there is the archA of BhOga SrinivAsar . In all the utsavams involving
Veethi PuRappAdu , Only PadmAvati ThAyAr steps out . At Thirumala , Ubhaya
NaacchiyArs accompany Their Lord .
13.
VadhAnya staBakam (20 SlOkam)
VadhAnya means One who gives
without let all one desires as boons and more . PirAtti is truly a VadhAnya
tilakam . Her oudhAryam is legendary .This staBakam deals with that oudhAryam.
14 . Yamaka staBakam (
61 slOkams)
The poet is rightfully known
as Yamaka slEsha chakravarty . He uses his abundant skills in creating slOkams
with many kinds of Yamakams such as PaadhAnta Yamakam , Paadha madyama
yamakam , PaadhAdhi Yamakam , anulOma-prathilOma gathi yamakam and MahA yamakam
. The use of the same word with different meanings inside the same slOkam is
known as Yamakam . slEsham means the use of a word with double meaning
.
A classic example of the use
of Yamakam is seen in slOkam 60 of this staBakam:
ThvAm gathim jananee yaccha
vaibhavee
mA nayAamitarasA
mahO dayA
mAnayAmi
tarasAmahOdayA
mAnayAmitarasAmahOdayA
15.
Nakshatra MaalA staBakam (28 slOkams )
There are 27 nakshatrams
starting from Asvini . There is no poet who has attempted a stuti of this kind ,
where the names of each of these nakshtrams are included and , where the first
13 slOkams have meters that increase sequentially ( the number of letters) ,
reach the biggest size in the 14th slOkam and then decrease step by step until
the 27th slOkam . An unusual garland of stars created in this manner is
presented to MahA Lakshmi by the poet .
16. (Vi)chitra charitra
staBakam ( 12 slOkams )
The astonishigly wonderous (
vichitram) stories ( charitrams) of MahA Lakshmi is saluted here . In the very
first slOkam itself , the poet salutes th vichitra caritrams
:
Pavithram PadhmanAbhasya
kaLatram tat punAtu na:
vichitram trishulOkEshu
caritram Yasya geeyatE
17. Naama Vaibhava staBakam (
42 slOkams)
The glories of the sacred
names of MahA Lakshmi are eulogized here. The 100th ebook of Sundara Simham
gives an annotated commentary on the individual slOkams of this 17th
Chapter:
18. DhAma Vaibhavam (40
slOkams)
This chapter deals with the Vaibhavam of
PirAtti's three places of residence : (1) The Milky Ocean (2) The Lotus flower
and (3) Her permanent residence of the Lord's chest . This
chapter
is linked traditionally with the 18th
slOkam of SrI Stuti ( Ureekarthum kuSalamakhilam--- ).
19. Abhaya PradhAna (
Abheeti ) staBakam ( 30 slOkams)
PirAtti's supermacy in
removing the fears of Her devotees is celebrated here . Abhayam extends all
the way to the granting of Moksham to remove the fear of samsAram .
20. DevatAntara ParisankhyA
staBakam ( 30 slOkams)
In this chapter , the poet
uses the parisankhyA vidhi of MeemAmsakAs to establish the fruitlessness of
worshipping dEvatAntarams for various kinds of boons including Moksham .
ParisankhyA means evaluation of many arguments and settling down on the correct
answer to a question that fits with sAstrams . Various rules of alankAra
sAstrams are used to establish
the supermacy of PirAtti over
all other dEvathAs ( Indhran , Vaayu , Nava grahams , Sivan , BrahmA et al).
21. DaSAvatAra staBakam ( 36
slOkams )
The poet points out that the
Lord's roopam during the ten main avatArams would have been fruitless for the
people but for the accompaniment of PirAtti in a befitting roopam (
anuroopam) to accompany Him . SlOkam 1 of this staBakam celebrates this
tatvam:
daSasvapyavatErushu dEvO
tatroopasamplavAth
sAdhayamAsa kaaryANi
satAm , Tasyai Sriyai nama:
22. Chitra staBakam ( 58
slOkams)
This being a Mahaa Kaavyam ,
Sri VenkatAdhvari engages in the creation and display of many chitra
Bandhams . Besides the traditional Bandhams used by other poets , SrI
VenkatAdhvari employed some rare chitra Bandhams like ashta daLa
Bandham to salute the Ashta Lakshmis .
23. SankeerNa staBakam ( 30
slOkams)
In this staBakam , the Kavi
discusses all aspects of MahA Lakshmi's auspicious attributes . In a beautiful
slOkam , the poet pays tribute to the many guNams of PirAtti
:
soundharyasaya nidhi:
, mudhAm udhaybhU: , sampatthi manjUshikA
kAntheenAm nilaya: ,
kalAjalanidhi: , kshAntErniSAntasthalee
dAkshiNyasya SaraNyasadhama ,
KamalE ! dhAtrutvaviSrAntibhU:
AasthAni yaSasAm , prabhAasi
satrushAm , Aadhyasya pumSO dhanam
(Meaning) : She is the
treasure of Beauty ( soundharyasya nidhi: ) ; abode of bliss ( mudhAm
udhayabhU:) , the
jewelery case for all wealth ( sampatthi manjUshikA ) ; the house for all
effulgence ( KaantheenAm nilaya: ) ; ocean for all kalais ( kalAjalanidhi:
) ; the resting place for forbearance ( kshAnthirniSAnta sthalee ) . She is in
the state of recieving the AaSrithALs and accepting their saraNAgati . She
is the water shed for all those who are thirsty . She is the Supreme wealth for
Her Lord .
24.
NirvEdha staBakam ( 12 slOkams )
After
gaining Tatva Jn~Anam , one develops nirvEdham ( sorrow over the days lost
chasing ephemeral pleasures ). One develops further nithyAnithya vasthu vivEkam
. The Jeevan cries over the opportunities lost in performing AarAdhanam for
PirAtti . The four steps before
SaraNAgati are : vivEkam , nirvEdham , virakti and bheetaya: as
per Swamy Desikan . In this chapter , the poet expresses his remorse over times
wasted .The poet begs PirAtti to chase away all his apachArams
.
25. SaraNAgati (
Phala) staBakam ( 18 slOkams)
In this concluding chapter of
Lakshmi Sahasram , Sri VenkatAdhvari is joyous over his bhAgyam to have
performed SaraNAgati to PirAtti as UpAyam and upEyam . He thanks Her for Her
grace . The poet concludes this stOtram on Her by reflecting on the
anugraha visEsham of his ancestors , AchArya RaamAnuja and Swamy Desikan
that enabled him to be the object of grace by PirAtti to complete this
MahA Kaavyam .
An agramaNi MaalA made
up of the first slOkam of the 25 staBakams is sacrd to recite as
nityAnusandhAnam to recieve the ParipoorNa anugraham of MahA Lakshmi . adiyEn
will cover it in one of the future postings .
NamO SrI VenkatAdhvari SwainE
Nama:
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil
VaradAchAri Sadagopan
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri
Sadagopan Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan http://www.sadagopan.org
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