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Tenth SlOkam of SrI DevanAyaka PanchAsath
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dhivyE padhE jalanidhou nigamOtthamAngE
svAnthE sathAm savithru-maNDala-madhya-bhAgE
BrahmAchalE cha bahumAnapadhE muneenAm
vyakthim Tava ThridasanATa vadhanthi nithyAm
Extended Meaning
***************
This slOkam is about the description of the various
abodes of the Lord including the dhivya dEsam of
ThiruvahIndhrapuram.
Oh DhaivanAyakA! Those who are proficient in PurANams
and SaasthrAs state that You reside as Para VaasudEvan
at SrI Vaikuntam and as the KsheerAbdhi NaaTan on the bed of
AdhisEshan at the Milky Ocean . You are also described by
them as residing on Veda Siras (Upanishads) and are saluted
by them. You are recognized by them as the resident of the heart
lotuses of righteous ones and in the middle of the orbit of
Soorya (Soorya MaNDalam). These respected PourANikAs point out
that You are present in Your archA form at BrahmAchalam
(ThiruvahIndhrapuram) , which is a dhivya dEsam of great
reverence for the Sages .
At one time , Chatur-mukha BrahmA was travelling around
the BhUlOkam on the back of His Vaahanam , the Swan .
He arrived at the banks of Garuda Nadhi and saw a fragrant
nandhavanam (sougandhya Vanam) on top of the hill known
as Oushadha Giri. The fragrance of the divine flowers from
that nandhavanam overwhelmed Brahma Devan . He heard then
an asarIri vaak (voice in the ether) , which commanded
Brahma Devan to stay on that mountain and perform tapas .
Lord DevanAthan was pleased with the penance of His son
on what came to be known later as BrahmAchalam and blessed
Brahma dEvan with His anugraham.
Additional Thoughts on the various residences of the Lord
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Today , we will focus on the first ofthe five abodes of
the Lord giving His sevai as Lord DeavanATan at Thiruvayindhai.
1. Dhivya Padham : The first of the abodes of the Lord
saluted by Swamy Desikan is the dhivya padham of SrI Vaikuntam
( Dhivya padhE Tava Vyakthim nithyAm vadhanthi).
This dhivya Padham is one of the five manifestations of
the Lord: Param , VyUham, Vibhavam, antharyAmi and archA.
Param is where Parama padha NaaTan shines in His Supreme
glory and is slauted by AzhwArs and AchAryAs as " TeLi Visumpu ,
ThirunAdu , nalamanthamillathOr naadu , Sudar oLiyAi ninRa
Tannudai ChOthi". To attain this dhivya padham is the sole
goal of the Jeevan (Vaikuntham puhuvathu maNNavar vidhiyE).
There are 36 AzhwAr Paasurams on this Dhivya padham (vyOma puri):
aNdatthamarkaL soozha atthANiyuLL-angu irunthAi..PeriyAzhwAr
PoocchUttal Paasuram 9
Reference here is to the Lord seated on AdhisEsahan
under AnanthAnga VimAnam on the banks of aayiramatha pushkaraNi
in SrI Vaikuntam
MaamAyan Maadhavan Vaikunthan yeRenRu--
ANDAL: ThiruppAvai paasuram 9 salutation to SrI Vaikunta Naatan
ViNNuLAi...punanthuzhAialamkalam PunithanE
Thirumazhisai: Thirucchantha Viruttham 45
on Lord of Vaikuntam with the garland of
sacred ThuLasi.
ViNnahatthAi..naal vEda PaNNahatthAy
Poygai: Mudhal ThiruvandhAthi Paasuram 68
The Lord of Vaikuntam is saluted here as
Chathur Vedha Purushan.
NalamanthamillathOr naadu
Swamy NammazhwAr: ThiruvAimozhi 2.8.4
Sudar oLiyAi ninRa Tannudai ChOthi
Swamy NammAzhwAr: ThiruvAimozhi 3.10.4
TeLivisumpu ThirunAdu--Swamy NammAzhwAr: TVM 9.7.5
TeLithAhiya sENN visumpu --Swamy NammAzhwAr: TVM 10.8.4
The parathvam (Supermacy ) of the Lord is manifest
in a permanent way at Sri Vaikuntam saluted by Swamy
Desikan as "DhivyE PadhE " in this PanchAsath sLokam.
AchArya RaamAnujA's outpourings at the blessed sight of
SrI Vaikuntam , while he stood in front of BhUlOka
Vaikunta Naatan at SrI Rangam took the form of
SrI Vaikunta gadhyam.The raptourous description of
the dhivya soundharyam of SrI VaikuntanAthan by
AchArya RaamAnujA has no parallel in its beauty .
AchArya RaamAnujA prostrates before the Lord of
SrI Vaikuntam with the salutation:
" Samastha ParivArAya SrImathE NaarAyaNAya nama:"
Our AchArya utters the Moola manthram thereafter
and begs for the blessings of nithya kaimkaryam
at SrI VaikuntanAthan's Thiruvadi :
" Bhagavann! mAm IykAnthikAthyanthika parcharyAkaraNaaya
ParigruNishva"
In this posting , we will continue with the second
residences of the Lord besides His permanent presence
at ThiruvahIndhrapuram in the archA form.
Lord's presence as AnanthasAyee at the Milky Ocean
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Swamy Desikan salutes EmperumAn here as " JALA NIDHOU
Tava vyakthim nithyAm vadahanthi" . The knowledgable ones
describe Your manifestation as the One , who is resting on
AdhisEshan permanently at the Milky Ocean.
References to ThiruppARkkadal Dhivya dEsam
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AzhwArs have saluted extensively this aprAkrutha dhivya
dEsam (beyond human perception) . The name of the Lord
at this dhivya dEsam is KsheerAbdhi NaaTan . He is
served by ThAyAr , Kadal MahaL NaacchiyAr. His vimAnam
is AshtAnga VimAnam .This is Lord's Vyuha manifestation.
He presents Himself to BrahmA , RudrA and DevAs at
this dhivya dEsam.
Ten AhwArs have enjoyed KsheerAbdhi NaaTan as VyUha
Moorthy and blessed us with 51 Paasurams.
We will refer to selected passages from some of
these paasurams:
1) "Paarkkadal VaNNA" --PeriyAzhwAr: 3.3.7
2) In the appotthaikkippOthE solli VaitthEn paasuram
decade , PeriyAzhwAr seeks the protection of Lord
KsheerAbhdhinATan:
" paiyya aravinaNaip-pARkkadaluL paLLi koLhinRa Parama Moorthy
---Iyya ini yennaik-Kaakka vENDum"
here , periyAzhwAr appeals to the Sukha Saayee at
the milky ocean and begs Him to protect him. In this
Paasuram, AzhwAr also refers to the creation of Brahma
Devan from the Lord's Naabhi Kamalam .
3) The Lord spreading His bed of AadhisEshan on the white
waves of Milky ocean (VeLLai veLLam)and resting in a state of
faked sleep (KaLLa Nidhrai) is beautifully visualized by the AzhwAr
and he gets horripulations over that vision of that Vyuha Moorthy
(PeriyAzhwAr Thirumozhi : 5.1.7).
4)In the pasuram 5.2.10,PeriyAzhwAr describes how this
Lord of KsheerAbdhi came and occupied his heart lotus to
offer protection (pattiNak-Kaapu). In this beautiful paasuram,
Azhwar describes how the Lord of KsheerAbdhi (Jala Nidhi)
came with His milky ocean, MahA Lakshmi(Aravindap-Paavai)
and the bed of AadhisEsha and entered in to him to rest.
5) In the famous SenniyOngu Paasuram decade , PeriyAzhwAr
again celebrates His SoubhAgyam in having the Lord of
the Milky Ocean (Panik-Kadal)and opting to rest in
the ocean of his mind (Manak-Kadal)and salutes the Lord as
Maaya MaNALa Nampi...PeriyAzhwAr Paasuram: 5.4.9
6) Andal salutes the Lord of KsheerAbdhi in the third
ThiruppAvai Paasuram as " PaaRkkadaluL Paiyat-thuyinRa
Paraman " and salutes His Thiruvadi as a part of the vratham.
Two more NacchiyAr Thirumozhi Paasurams also salute this
Jala Nidhi Naatan.
7)KulasEkharar visualizes KsheerAbdhinATan as :
" ONN PavaLa vElai ulavu taNN paaRRkkadalUL
KaNN thyuilum MaayOn" . The Asccharya GuNa seelan
(MaayOn) resting on the cool Milky ocean known
for its gentle waves bringing the bright coral
gems to the shore is visualized here ( PerumAL
Thirumozhi: 4.4).
8) Thirumazhisai, who gave us the Vyuham details based
on PaancharAthram first has 13 paasurams , where He refers to
the Jala Nidhi, KsheerAbdhi Naatan. The excerpts
from Thirucchanda Viruttham are:
"Naaka Moorthy sayanamAi nalam kadal kidanthu" ,
" Paal niRak-kadal kidantha ParpanAbhan " ( the Lord
PadmanAbhan resting on the milky ocean ),
"kadaintha PaaRkkadal kidanthu" ( resting on the Milky
Ocean, which He churned earlier to produce nectar
and to enjoy the nectar among women , MahA lakshmi).
In the 3rd paasuram of Naanmukhan ThiruvanthAdhi(NMT),
Thirumazhisai AzhwAr "boasts " about his unparalleled
knowledge of the Lord (Roopam, Svaroppam, GuNam ,
Vaibhavam ) and challenges others about their levels of
Comprehension of the Tatthvam of the Lord (Paalil
Kidanthavum--Paasuram). In the 36th paasuram of NMT,
Thirumazhisai salutes the Lord of jala nidhi as :
" NaahatthaNaip-PaaRkkadal kidakkum Aadhi nedumaal ".
He is ancient and eternal ( Tava Vyakthim nithyAm
Vadhanthi is Swamy Desikan's mangaLAsAsanam).
9) ThoNdardaippodi AzhwAr has a beautiful
Paasuram ( ThirumAlai: 18) , where he visualizes
in Lord RanganAtha as the KsheerAndhinAthan :
"inithirait-tivali mOdha veRiyum taNN paravai meethE
Tanik-kidanthu arasu seyyum Taamaraik-KaNNan yemmAn "
"Paravai" means the ocean and not the river CauvEri.
It can also mean the ocean like , huge Cauveri.
Here the sweet waves of milk are breaking on the shore
to form fine droplets(spray).There in His solitary
majesty , the Lord rests and rules the Universe.
What a beautiful visualization !
10) Thirumangai has 11 Paasurams relating to
KsheerAbdhinATan.In NaimichAraNya Paasuram ,
AzhwAr calls the Lord with great Aathuram
and decalres that he has sought and arrived at
the ThiruvadigaL of the Lord resting at the Milky
Ocean as the Supreme being: " ParamanE PaaRkkadal
KidanthAi, Naadi naan vanthu unn Thiruvadi adainthEn".
At ThiruveLLiyankudi, Thirumangai acknowledges
the Sayana Moorthy as the KsheerAbdhinATan:
" PaaRk-Kadal thuyinRa ParamanAr PaLLIkoLL koil".
11) At ThiruvazhunthUr , Thirumangia gives a total
description of the KsheerAbdhi NaaTan( Periya Thirumozhi 8.1.1):
Senkamalat-ThirumakaLum puviyum semponn
thiruvadiyininai varuda munivarEttha
vangamali tadam kadalul Ananthan yennum
vari aravinaNait-thuyinRa MaayOn kANmin"
The beatuiful domestic scene at Milky Ocean
with the Lord resting on the Serpent bed and
His divine consorts , SrI and BhU Devis pressing
His lotus soft feet and the sages eulogizing the Lord
are described here.
12) At ThirukkaNNapuram, Thirumangai has the vision of
the Lord as KsheerAbdhi Naatan( Periya Thirumozhi: 8.10.7):
"VeLLai neer veLLatthanaintha aravanai mEl
thuLLU neer meLlat-ThuyinRa PerumAne"
The whiteness of the Milky Ocean , the gently
swaying waves rocking the Lord for His enjoyable
sleep on the bed of AadhisEshan are saluted here.
13) At ThirumAlirumchOlai, Thirumangai visualizes
the Jagath SamrakshaNa , Srushti& samhAra VyApArams
( Bhuvanam padaitthu uNDu umizhntha DevarkaL
Naayakan) of the KsheerAbdhinATan and salutes Him
as "Moovaril Munn Mudhalvan (PradhAna Purushan)".
The mangaLAsAsanam as "DevarkaL Naayakan" has
association with the Lord of ThiruvahIndhrapuram,
SrI Deva Naathan.
14) Poygai salutes this Sayana Moorthy as " Thirai
mEl KidanthAn". ButhatthAzwAr worships Him as
" PaaRRk-kadalAn" ( the One who has the abode of
the Milky Ocean).pEy AzhwAr has a beautiful salutation
of Him as Jala Nidhi :
" SankOthap-PaaRkkadalAn PaampaNain mElAn".
pEy AzhwAr recognizes this Lord of ThiruppARkkadal
as the 0ne , who is the object of praise by all
the Four VedAs , who excels the sweetness of even honey ,
who is eulogized by the SaasthrAs and as the One resting
in the Conch-filled milky ocean on top of His bed of
AadhisEshan.
15) swamy NammaazhwAr has 9 paasurams devoted to
KsheerAbdhinATan. In Thiruviruttham (79th paasuram),
AzhwAr salutes the Lord as : " PaaRRkkadal PaampaNai
mEl PaLLI koNDaruLum seethanayE ThozhuvAr ,viNNuLArilum
SeeriyarE" ( AzhwAr declares that those who worship
this KsheerAbdhinATan with asanchala bhakthi/Single minded
devotion, even in the middle of the distractions of
this world , are far supeiror to the Nithyasooris ,
who worship Him at Parma Padham in tranquil surroundings).
16) In ThiruvAimozhi (2.6.5), Swamy NammazhwAr
visualizes the Lord of KsheerAbdhi engaged in Yoga nidhrA
on the Five-headed AadhisEshan symbolizing the proof of
Seshathvam :
" Iyndhu PaintalaiAdaravaNi mEvip-PaaRRkkadal yOga Nitthirai
sinthai seytha YenthAi "
here the AzhwAr declares that he has now got a good grip
on what his duties are. He states that his sins have now
disappeared and he has gained the state of endless beautitude
and Jn~Anam about nithya kaimkaryam to the Lord to dwell in
and drink deep the pleasures of such service to the Lord.
AzhwAr says that he contemplates on the KsheerAbdhinATan
without let just as the Lord contemplates during His Yoga nidhrai
on His duties to the aasrithALs and the Universe that is
His property.
The Payilum SudaroLi Paasuram (ThiruvAimozhi 3.7.1)
is a beautiful one saluting the Lord of PaaRRkkadal,
where AzhwAr points out the greatness of those,
who have the SrEyas (prosperity/Sampath) of pondering over
the anantha kalyANa gunams of Parama Purushan reclining in
the Milky Ocean. AzhwAr declares those SrI VaishNava BhagavathAs
are his (AzhwAr's)unexcelled Masters and he would take any number of
births just to have their association .The blessed life under
the sacred feet of such BhAgavathAs is extolled here.
In the next posting , the Lord's residence on top of Upanishads,
inside the heart lotus and in the middle of Sun's orbit will be covered.
Lord's presence on top of Veda Siras
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Swamy Desikan salutes EmperumAn here as " Nigama
utthama angE Tava vyakthim nithyAm vadahanthi" .
Nigama means VedAs. Utthama angam is the head or Siras.
The Utthamangam of Nigama is constituted by Upanishads,
which are the end portions of the VedAs. They are visualized
as prostrating at the sacred feet of the Lord (Thiru adivAram)
and are eulogizing His glories.
The MahA NaarAyaNa Upanishad salutes HIm and says that I know
this Purusha, SrIman NaarAyaNan , who is immense/great (mahAntham),
who is radiant like the Sun and is beyond and above the primordial
matter . The blessed one who knows this ParamAthman becomes
immortal in this birth itself (iha amrutha: bhavathi). There is
no alternative path fr Moksham :
"vEdAhamEtham Purusham mahAntham , Aditya varNam tamasa: parsthAth
TamEvam vidvAn amrutha iha bhavathi, nAnya: panTA: vidhyathE ayanAya"
Taittiriyam joins in and defines Him "Sathyam Jn~Anam Anantham
Brahma "
( The Brahman that I am eulogizing is True ,uncontracted
Consciousness and is infinite in dimensions and is not
limited by place, time or substance).
IsAvasyOpanishad adds to the chorus of salutations as part
of the veda Siras and hails that all this whatsoever is
in the Lord's Universe is pervaded by Him (IsAvAsyamidham
Sarvam yath kincha jagathyAm jagath).
KatOpanishad as One of the Veda Siras is blessed by
the contact with the Lord's Sacred feet and declares:
yathaschOdEthi SooryOastham yathra cha gacchathi
Tamm dEvA: sarvE arpithA: tadhu nAthyEthi kascchana
( All gods without exception are established in Him from
whom the Sun rises and in whom the Sun also sets. None can
transgress this omnipotent Brahman, who is the Self of ALL).
Lord's presence inside the minds of Saadhu Janams
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SaasthrAs and PurANAs aver that the Lord enjoys as
One of His preferred residence , the minds of His BhaagavathAs .
MahA NaarAyaNopanishad points out this MahA Purushan
moves within the caves of the minds of the wise(DheerA:)
as the inner controller. Although He has no birth to
speak of(ajAyamAna:), He is born in many forms (BahudhA
VijAyathE) out of His own dhivya sankalpam (divine will).
The Yogins in whose minds the Lord resides yearn to attain
the eternal abode of the nithya sooris through ceaseless
dhyAnam :
PrajApathisccharathi garbhE antha:
ajAyamAnO BahudhA vijAyathE
Tasya DheerA: parijAnathi yOnim
marIcheenAm padham icchanthi vEdhasa:
These blessed souls, whose minds the Lord seeks as
the preferred place of residence are saluted by one
manthram of SvEtasvatara Upanishad:
yunjathE mana utha yunjathE dhiyO viprA-
viprasya BruhathO vipascchitha:
vi hOthrA dhadhE vayunAvidhEka ith
mahIdEvasya Savithu: parishtuthi:
These saadhu janams (viprA:) unite their mind , where
the Lord resides with that ParamAthman (YunjathE). Through
their ParamAthma-centered meditation , they comprehend
that the Lord inside their minds is Omniscient , embodiment
of perfection , PoorNan , Controller of all (niyanthA) and
associated always with His divine consorts of SrI and BhU devis.
They also come to know that this ParamAthman relishes kaimkaryams
of those knowers of His essential nature (Brahma Vidhs).
Lord's presence in the middle of the Soorya MaNDalam
********************************************
MahA NaarAyaNOpanishad salutes Him as the One in the middle of
the orb of the Sun as the Golden-hued Purusha:
" ya yEshOantharAdhithyE HiraNmaya: Purusha: "
The entire Soorya NamskAra Prasnam also instructs us
on this truth of the Lord residing in the middle of
the Orbit of the Sun.
In the PrAtha: sandhyA vandhanam , after UpasthAnam ,
we recite a prayer as a part of the dhig vandhanam:
DHEYA: SADHAA SAVITHRU MANDALA MADHYAVARTTHEE
NAARAYANA: SARASIJAASANA SANNIVISHTA:
KEYURAVAAN MAKARA KUNDALAVAAN KIREETI
HAARI HIRANMAYA VAPU: DHRUTHA SANKHA CHAKRA:
( Sriman NaarAyaNan dwelling in the middle of the orb
of the Sun having a golden hue, seated on a lotus ,
adorning oranments of exquisite beauty such as shoulder
bands, ear rings , crown, garlands , holding Sudarsanam
and Paanchajanyam as dhivya aayudhams is the Parama Purushan
to be meditated upon always). This prayer ends up with
SaraNAgathi (Govindha PundareekAksha Raksha Maam SaraNAgatham).
This prayer has been pointed out to us by our AchAryAs
as the essence of SandhyA vandhanam.
Lord's presence as ArchA at BrahmAchalam/ThiruvahIndhrapuram
*****************************************************
The final permanent place of residence of the Lord besides
SrI Vaikuntam , Milky Ocean, Veda Siras, Minds of Saadhu Janams
and the center of the Sun is pointed out by Swamy Desikan
as BrahmAchalam(Place of penance of Brahma Devan /
ThiruvahIndhrapuram ):
BrahmAchalE cha bhaumAnapadhE munInAm
vyakthim Tava ThridasanATa vadanthi nithyAm
At BrahmAchalam revered by the Sages, Oh DeavanATaa ,
You manifest Yourself permanently says Swamy Desikan
in this slOkam.
NigamAntha Summary of the places of Lord's residences
*********************************************
This powerful slOkam of Swamy Desikan eulogizing
the Lord of ThiruvahIndhrapuram is a summation of
the renowned MahA NaarAyaNopanishad manthram:
ambhasya pArE bhuvasya madhyE
nAkasya prushtE mahathO mahIyAn
sukrENa jyOthigumshi samanupravishta:
PrajApathisccharathi garbhE antha:
Here the Lord's residences at the Milky Ocean
(ambhasya pArE) , inside the Sun's orbit(Bhuvanasya
MadhyE)are saluted. At the Milky ocean , He resides to be
accessible to BrahmA and DevAs. In the middle of Adithya MaNDalam,
(Bhuvanasya madhyE) He resides to enable the bhakthAs
to meditate upon Him during the SandhyA Kaalams.He resides
in SrI Vaikuntam (nAkasya prushtE), a world free from any sorrow ,
to recieve the Nithya Kaimakryam from the MukthAs and nithya Suris .
He resides in the minds of the Saadhu Janams to make Himself
readily accessible to those UpaasakAs.He is present as the inner self
in all beings as their controller. He is the Supreme Lord
(at ThiruvahIndhrapuram) with infinite Isvaryam and VyApthi.
In the next posting , the abundance of the PuNya Theerthams
(Sacred assemblies of waters) at ThiruvahIndhrapuram
is saluted by Swamy Desikan.