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Sri:

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

Translation by U.Ve. Dr. V.N. Vedanta Desikan Swamin:

981. aBhriakshasi thavamanapAyaniDhim
        maNipAdhukE! MaDhuBhidhascharaNam
        atha Eva dhEvi! ThadhananyaDhanA:
        shirasA vahanthi BhavathIm kruthina:

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.)      

Namo Narayana,

SriMuralidhara Dasan



Special Notes by V.Sadagopan(V.S):
 
SlOkam 981
 
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)...(V.S) . 



Sri:

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

Translation by U.Ve. Dr. V.N. Vedanta Desikan Swamin:

982. padhayugamiva pAdhukE! MurArE: 
        Bhavathi viBhUthirakaNtakA thvayaIva
        KaThamiva hrudhayAni BhAvukAnAm
        ThvadhanuBhavAdhupajAthakaNtakAni

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.    

Namo Narayana,

SriMuralidhara Dasan


Special Notes by V.Sadagopan (V.S):
 
SlOkam 982 
 
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 )...(V.S).










Sri:

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

Translation by U.Ve. Dr. V.N. Vedanta Desikan Swamin:

983. jnAnakriyABhajanasImavidhUravrutthE
        vaIdhEshikasya thadhavApthikruthAm guNAnAm
        moULoU mamAsi maDhusUdhanapAdhukE! Thvam
        gangEva hantha pathithA viDhinAiva pAngO:

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?

Namo Narayana,

SriMuralidhara Dasan


Special Notes by V.Sadagopan(V.S): 
 
SlOkam 983
 
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 
nirhEthukam.   
 
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!). 







Sri:

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

Translation by U.Ve. Dr. V.N. Vedanta Desikan Swamin:

984. rangEshvarasya yadhidham maNipAdharakshE!
        pAdhAravindhayugaLam BhavathIsamEtham
        pumsAmupOShithavilOchanapAraNArham
        kshIram thadhEthadhiha sharkarayA samEtham

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!

Namo Narayana,

SriMuralidhara Dasan


Special Notes by V.Sadagopan (V.S) :
 
SlOkam 984
 
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)...(V.S).









Sri:

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

Translation by U.Ve. Dr. V.N. Vedanta Desikan Swamin:

985. kAmAdhidhOSharahitham thvadhananyakAmA:
        karma thrayOdhashaviDham parishIlayantha:
        pAdhAvani! ThavdhanuShangavishEShadhrushya-
        mEkAnthina: paricharanthi padham murArE:

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.

Namo Narayana,

SriMuralidhara Dasan

Special Notes by V.Sadagopan (V.S):
 
SlOkam 985 
 
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 phalan
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 
rahitham ).  









Sri:

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

Translation by U.Ve. Dr. V.N. Vedanta Desikan Swamin:

986. moULoU sThithA maKhaBhujAmaThavA shruthInAm
        thadhrangarAjacharaNAvani! VaIBhavam thE
        asmAdhrushAmapi yadhi praThitham thatha: syAth
        soUlaBhyamamba! Thadhidham thava sArvaBhoUmam

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.  

Namo Narayana,

SriMuralidhara Dasan

Special Notes by V.Sadagopan (V.S):

SlOkam 986
 
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)...(V.S).








Sri:

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

Translation by U.Ve. Dr. V.N. Vedanta Desikan Swamin:

987. svapnEpi chEth thvamasi mUrDhani sanniviShtA
        namrasya mE narakamardhanapAdharakshE!
        SThAnE thadhEthadhiha dhEvi! Yatha: samADhoU
        SanthO vidhusthamapi thAdhrushabuDdhigamyam

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). 

Namo Narayana,

SriMuralidhara Dasan

Special Notes by V.Sadagopan (V.S):
 
SlOkam 987
 
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:)...
(V.S).





Sri:

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

Translation by U.Ve. Dr. V.N. Vedanta Desikan Swamin:

988. baddhAnjali: paricharanniyamEna rangE
        vishrANithAchyuthaniDhim maNipAdhukE! ThvAm
        kasyApi kUNithadhrushO Dhanina: purasthA-
        dhutthAnayEya na kadhApi karam vikOsham

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? 

Namo Narayana,

SriMuralidhara Dasan

Special Notes by V.Sadagopan (V.S) :
 
SlOkam 988 
 
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) ... (V.S).






Sri:

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

Translation by U.Ve. Dr. V.N. Vedanta Desikan Swamin:

989. thvayyarpithEna charaNEna sadhaDhvaBhAja:
     pAdhavani! praThithasAthvikaBhAvadhrushyA:
     rangEshavadhvidhaDhathE muhurangahArAn
     rangE mahIyasi natA iva BhavukAsthE

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.

Namo Narayana,

SriMuralidhara Dasan

Special Notes by V.Sadagopan (V.S) :
 
SlOkam 989
 
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 
their lives in this world ".
 
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)...(V.S).





Sri:

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

Translation by U.Ve. Dr. V.N. Vedanta Desikan Swamin:

990. yEna sThithA shirasi mE viDhinADhunA thvam
     thEnaIva dhEvi! niyatham mama sAmparAyE
     lakshIkariShyasi padhAvani! ranganATham 
     lakshmIpadhAmburuhayAvakapankalakshyam

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.

Namo Narayana,

SriMuralidhara Dasan

Special Notes by V.Sadagopan(V.S):
 
SlOkma 990
 
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)...
(V.S).