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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00047 Apr 2005

 
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SrI :
 
Dear Sri Ranganatha BhakthAs :
 
On April 9 , Sri Ranganatha Temple celebrated Nava Kalasa Thirumanjanam
for Lord RanganAtha with the recitation for the first time of Swamy Parasara
Bhattar's Thirumanjana Kattiyam for Lord RanganAtha.
 
adiyEn and Sriman AMR Kannan took part in reciting the Thirumanjana Kattiyam
in front of the Lord as He enjoyed the sanathana Kaappu and before the Sahasra
Taarai abhishEkam . It was a wonderfully fulfilling experience for us .
 
The genius of Swamy ParAsara Bhattar
****************************************************
Swamy Paraasara Bhattar was a genius with proficency in many areas of VedAntham
and Saasthrams including JyOthisham . He was a poet ( Aasu and Vara Kavi) , debater , intrepreter of Ubhaya VedAntham and an authoritative figure . The best role for him was
that of serving the Lord as the PurOhithar of Lord RanganAtha for Veda ViNNappam , PurANa Patanam and being at the front of all Vaidhika anushtAnams ( PourOhithyam ) for the Lord's daily AarAdhanam and uthsavam related functions .
 
The sources for the postings
*******************************
We shall make reference to three important sources of reference to compose
this series of postings on the Thirumanjana Katiyams of Swamy ParAsara Bhattar : 
 
(1) Swamy ParAsara Bhattar's own commentary on these Muktaka slOkams(Stray verses)
composed on different Thirumanjanam days of Lord RanganAtha by Bhattar .
 
(2) Thirumanjana Kattiyams by Sri ParAsara Bhattar , Publisher : Sri VaishNava SrI
A. KrishNamAchAr Swamy , 1999 .
 
(3) Parasara Bhatta : His Contribution to VisishtAdhvaitha , Dr.S.Padmanabhan ;
Publisher : Sri VisishtAdhvaitha Research Centre , Chennai , 1995
 
The First SlOkam of Thirumanjana Kattiyam
*******************************************************
Amrutha-prabhavam prabhAprabhAva
    prahatadhvAntalasadh vilAsajAtham
sakalam sakalAnumOdhahEthum
    Sasinam ThvAm kalaymi RangarAja
 
The moving Sevai of the Lord  enjoying Thirumanjanam was such
a delight to ParAsara Bhattar that he compared Lord Ranganathan
to the Moon . The concept of Chandra Saamyam was explored by
Bhattar here . Dr. Padmanabhan comments: " The Moon is a source of amruta
(nectar) .The Moon dispels the darkness of the world by its rays and
pleases the people , who are in love . Moon (Chandran) has (sixteen) parts
(Sakala) and is the source of happiness  for all . The Lord , in turn , is also
the source of immortality ( amruta). He , by His glory dispels the inner darkness
(ignorance) and gladdens the ever-liberated beings .  He is the abode of all
the sixty-four fine arts (Sakala) and is a source of happiness for one and all " .  
 
Additional Thoughts on  Amruta Prabhavam : 
************************************************************
The word " Prabhava" means excellent  , distinguished , Source and origin .
When "Prabhava" comes at the end of a group of words  like here in " amruta
prabhavam " , then it means arising or originating from or derived from . 
" Prabhava " is also an epithet for VishNu (  RanganAthan here ).
 
Excerpts from Bhattar's ManipravALa commentary:
*****************************************************************
Chandran ( Moon) is SudhA nidhi ( treasure of nectar) . Chandran is the source
( birth place) for amrutam , which is deva bhOgyam . Bhagavaan is amruta
sabdhavAchyan  as well . He is the sEthu (aNai) for that nectar , Himself :
" amrutasyaisha sEthu: ". He is the means ( UpAyam) and the goal ( UpEyam /
PrApyam ) . He is therefore amruta prabhavan as Chandran . RanganAthan
(amruta Prabhavan) is also the nirvAhakar ( supreme director ) of that amruta
sabdha vaachya Moksham and is hence recognized as amruta sabdha
vaachyan . Therefore , it is said that anyone seeking Moksham should approach
only JanArdhanan ( VishNu) : " Moksham icchEth JanArdhanAth " . He alone
is the grantor of  Moksham ( Veedu) : " VeedAmteLi taru nilamaiya thozhivilan " .
His occupation is to grant Moksham . Thus both ( Moon and the Lord) are
"amruta prabhava " roopa sampannAL although Lord RanganAthan
far excels the Moon in areas of BhOgyathvam and Moksham granting power .
The Moon's sakalam ( Kalais ) will wax and wane . Lord's kalais never undergoes
any change (vikAram )
 
Additional Thoughts on " PrabAprabhAva prahatadhvAntha lasath vilAsa Jaatham " :
**********************************************************************************************************
Chandran through his cool and comforting beams drives away darkness all
around the world : " pani vaLar senkOl iruL veeRRirunthathu paar muzhuthum " .
The power to drive away tamas (darkness and taapam ) through the vaibhavam of
Chandrikaa ( cool Moon beams) is also referred to this way : " rundhE sarva disAm
niranthara tamas-tantrALuthAm Chandramaa " .
 
Oh RanganAtha ! You are also a dispeller of darkness with Your JyOthi (tEjas) .
This power  has been saluted as: " sObhayan DaNDakAraNyam dheeptEna
Sva tEjasaa " and the salutation : " nilavum sudar soozh oLi Moorthy" . With Your
dhivya MangaLa vigraha prabhai and svaroopa ( intrinsic) prabhai known as
Sankalpam , Oh Lord RanganAtha , You discard the internal external darkness
for those who seek You as their sole refuge .
 
Additional Thoughts on " Sakalam "
********************************************
Sakalam for Moon is the shOdasa (16) kalaas . ShOdasa kalaa sahithan
is Chandran , the Sa+kalan . Bhagavan is also Sa+kalan for two profound 
reasons : (1) He is with Kalaa sabdha Vaachyai , MahA Lakshmi (2)  He is
with the Kalaa sabdha Vaachyams of Vedams . There is the samyam
between them and both are Sakalans .
 
Additional thoughts on " SakalaanumOdha hEthu: "
******************************************************************
Chandra Saamyam is again examined by the great poet , Bhattar here . 
Chnadran is the cause for joy (aanandha hethu ) . He is " sakala anumOdha
hEthu" as revealed by : thrijagadhAm aanandha naadindhama: " For all
the three worlds , Chandran is the cause for aanandham .  Lord Ranganaathan
is also celebrated as "SakalaanumOdha hEthu " since He is recognized as
"Sarva jana sammOdha KaaraNa bhUthar" . For those , who stay rooted in
adhyAthma saasthrams , He is the aanandha hEthu bhUthar .
 
Additional Thoughts on " Sasinam ThvAm kalayAmi RangarAja "
************************************************************************************
RanganAthan is enjoyed by Jn~Anis as " Idham Ranga Chandra: " .
As the Chandran generates huge tides , Oh Lord , You make the waves
of aanandham rise from Your sEvai . Just as the Moon's rays become
the nourishing nectar for ChakOra Pakshis , we as sEvamAna jana lochana
chakOrams thrive on You as our nectar .
 
Saamyam and Vaishamyam betwwen Moon and the Lord
**************************************************************************
The saamyams (Similarities) were covered in the above analysis.
RanganAthan as the Lord of MahAlakshmi has unique qualities  ,
where He is uniquely different :
 
(1) PadhmOllAsakarathvam : ability to make the Lotus bloom
or gladden the heart of Padhma .   The Moon unlike the Lord can not
make the lotus bloom . Only lillies bloom in moon light . In the case of
RanganAthan , He is PadhmOllAsakaran for another reason : bringer of
joy to the heart of RanganAyaki ( PadhmA ).
 
(2) adhOshakarathvam : freedom from dhOshams . The Moon has
kaLangam . Bhagavaan in contrast is adhOshan , akaLangan .
 
(3) RaTAnga Priyathvam : RaTAngam is both ChakravAkam and Sudarsanar .
Moon is a friend of ChakOram and not ChakravAkam . Lord  is the dear friend of
His mighty ChakrAyudham ( RaTAngan) .
 
Thus there are vaishmyams ( differences ) between the Lord and the Moon
althought they have many similarites .
   
 
 

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