Introduction

This Paddhathi is known as ParAg Paddhathi . The word "ParAg" means the pollen of a flower or a speck of dust. Swamy Desikan composed thirty verses in this section to celebrate the mystery and the holiness of the specks of dusts associated with the Lord's Paadhukais.

Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)

May the dust of the Paaduka's movement protect You all, the dust which perhaps proved to be the atoms to generate the body of Ahalya.

Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan

(1) Sri Utthamur Swamy's anubhavam: Swamy Desikan says: "May the specks of dust assoicated with PadmanAbhA protect us! They were the ones responsible for reconstructing AhalyA's body from its stony existence into her original human form ". When RaamA travelled on His novel journey to SiddhAsramam with Sage ViswAmithrA ,the dust specksfrom His PaadhukAs subdivided into atomic particles and reconstructed AhalyA's body into that of the wife of Sage Gautama. Her curse was removed by the power of the holy dust assoicated with the Raama PaadhukAs.

(2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Swamy's prayer is : " Oh Lord's PaadhukE! Just as You brought back to life AhalyA from her stony form into physical form , may You bless us to have a dhivya sarIram fit for Your Lord's Kaimkaryam !".

(3) Swamy Desikan suggests some type of reconstructive surgery ( dEha nirmAnam ) done by the sub-atomic particles ( ParyAya paramANava:)of dust genearated from the movement of the Padhukais. " ParyAya" means approaching or coming near. Swamy Desikan seems to indicate that even before they came into contact with the stony form of AhalyA , the potency of the sub-atomic dust particles had their benovolent effect...(V.S)

Srimate Sri Laksminrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)

Oh Ranganatha Paaduka! The dust produced by Your walk here and there would prove sufficient to clarify the minds which are confused, even like Ketaka-seed-powder (Thenkottai thool in Tamil) would quickly clarify muddy water.

Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan

(1) Sri Utthamur Swamy's anubhavam: Here, Swamy Desikan explains how the specks of dust from the Lord's Paadhukais cleanse muddy matter. Normally , specks of dust soil a cloth or water. He says:

" Oh RanganAtha PaadhukE! The dust specks arising from Your movement have the power to cleanse the minds of agitated people just like the KathakA nut powder purifies the muddy water. kathakA nut ( tEtthAnkkottai) is crushed into fine powder and that is used to remove the dirt from the body , clothes and muddy water.

(2)Srimath Andavan's anubhavam:The inner meaning is that the accompaniment of the Lord by us during His uthsavams will remove all sins just as the tEtthAnkottai powder clears up the muddy water on contact . Our minds will be purified by the parAg of Paadhukai .

(3) Swamy Desikan addresses the "RanganarEndhra padha Rakshai" and says that the dust particles (Raja:) arising from their sanchAram ( SanchAraNAth vidhUtham yath raja:) will cleanse the muddy minds of ours quickly ( MaanasAni aasu anAvilAni karthum alam) just as the tEtthAnkottai powder ( kathakashOdha iva )cleanses muddy water...(V.S)

Srimate Sri Laksminrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)

Oh Paaduka! There are these few Sadhus, who have no other love and who have received the dust from You, and for that reason, purify the whole world by their existence. Their greatness is so much that one imagines them to be Brahmas, other than the one who is charged with the duty of creation.

Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan

(1) Sri Utthamur Swamy's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! You are closely related to the lotus feet of MadhusUdhanan.Through their association with Your dust specks , a fortunate few attain a superior status that helps them to cleanse this universe through their mere presence. Their status is superior to that of BrahmA by a two fold measure.

(2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam:Oh PadhukE ! Whoever that receives the dust particles associated with You on their head do not long for anything but Your Lord. Even the attainment of the status of Brahma does not interest them.The inner meaning is that those who have been blessed with Swamy nammAzhwAr's katAksham lose all desires except the one to perform kaimkaryam for PerumAL.

(3) Here Swamy Desikan salutes the Lord's Paadhukai as , " Madhuvairi padhAravindha Bhandhu". He says that the bhAgyasAlis who have received the parAgs of the Paadhukai attain a status twice more noble than that of BrahmA ( Punaruktha PithAmaha anubhAvA:) and are freed of all desires ( aparAgA :) and cleanse the universe through their presence (amee visvam punanthi)...(V.S)

Srimate Sri Laksminrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)

Oh Paaduka! Knowledgable people would apply on their children, many times too, the dust from You. This is for warding off of evil spirits like ahamkara. (Your dust has the potency of inducing a pure personality, without ahamkara, that is, conceit).

Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan

(1)Sri Utthamur Swamy's anubhavam: Oh RanganAtha Paadhuke! Discriminating people with good faith in You smear the dust specks associated with You on their children to drive away the malevolent spirit of egotism. They smear that dust many times over their children's body to make sure their egotism is completely banished. These faithful devotees of Yours take this step , when the children are small to ward off the onset of any egotism at a later stage.

(2)The inner meaning is that the Sri Paadha Theetham of BhagavathAs and the dust particles associated with the Paadhukais would remove all dhOshams.

(3) The power of the Sri PaadhukA rENu is illustrated here. Swamy says that the most saathvik people ( abhiyuktha JanA:) smear ( limpathi) the dust particles ( rajas) from the Paadhukai's sanchAram .Why do they do it ? They do it for banishing (mOchanArtham) the demon ( pisAcha ) of egotism ( avalEpam)from their children's ( nijArbhakANAm) bodies and minds...(V.S)

Srimate Sri Laksminrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)

Oh Paaduka! The Devas, guarding the world like Indra, Varuna, etc., bear the dust from You and enter the battlefield against the asuras without any other shield for their heads-the dust from You would itself be an adequate shield!

Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan

(1) Sri Utthamur Swamy's anubhavam: Oh RanganAtha PaadhukE! The protectors of the eight directions such as VaruNA , YamA , Agni et al wear with humility , the dust specks associated with You on their heads prior to engaging in battles with their enemies .During the time of battle, they do not wear any other protection for themselves. Your dust specks protect them fully.

(2)Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that for those who have true bhakthi for the SadAchAryan's Thiruvadi , there is no fear from inauspicious guNams like avarice , anger and pride .

(3)Swamy Desikan says that the dust from the Paadhukais of the Lord worn by IndrA and other LokapAlAs serve as the protective head gear (anya sirasthram ), when they enter into battles with the powerful armies of the asurAs (DhAnavAnAm vishamEshu bhalEshu aavisanthi)...(V.S)

Srimate Sri Laksminrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)

Oh Paaduka! The fortunate ones, the Punyatmas, who bear the rajas or dust from You are enabled to see very well, the pure-sattvika world, Paramapada, which has no trace of connection even with rajas or tamas gunas.

(Rajas means both dust and rajo guna)

Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan

(1)UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh Kesava PaadhukE! A fortunate few wear the dust specks associated with You on their heads and transcend the three guNAs --satthva , rajas and tamas--and reach Your Lord , who is beyond all the three guNAs.They thus realize Moksham and are liberated from the cycles of births and deaths. They become blessed to focus on the Lord at all times and serve him forever. ( Three guNAs are the primary constituents of Prakrithi and are the basis of all substances .They are present in different proportions in the different human beings . Our Lord is beyond all the three guNAs. When a human being receives Moksham , he or she becomes elevated to the state of Suddha SatthvA . The guNA known as rajas is of the nature of passion and gives rise to thirst for and attachment in action. The guNA recognized as Tamas is born of ignorance and it causes delusion , miscomprehension , indolence and forgetfulness/ sleep. Satthva guNA is free from evil and attaches itself to knowledge/Jn~Anam.Swamy Desikan suggests that those , who are lucky enough to wear the dust specks from the Lord's PaadhukAs go beyond these three guNAs out of which their body is evolved and are freed from birth, death, decay , pain and attain immortality).

(2)Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: For those , who have sought refuge at the sacred feet of SadAchAryAs , all attachments other than PerumAl are banished and they reach parama padham at the end of their days here. AchAryan cures diseases such as desire in SamsAram, anger , jealously , pride et al and prepares the sishyan for Moksham .

(3)Swamy Desikan says that the dusts from the Lord's Paadhukais destroy Rajo and TamO guNams and bless the wearers of those auspicous dusts to attain Suddha Satthva Maya paramapadham (Kruthina: raja: sirasA samudhvahantha: --visuddha satthvamEva Paripasyanthi)...V.S

Srimate Sri Laksminrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)

Oh Paaduka! Brahma is born in Naabhi (the navel)-yet he, notwithstanding his high office, is not of high pedigree! He seeks with a pure heart, a high birth by contact with Your dust! (This Your dust, alone can confer high birth and elevation that even Brahma longs for)

Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan

(1)UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam:Oh RanganAtha PadhukE! Brahma has attained the highest status among DevAs . Inspite of it , He is concerned that he is not of noble descent , since he was born out of the Lord's navel.Therfore , he likes to wear the specks of dust belonging to You for sanctification in the belief that they are born of noble lineage (viz) Yourself. Here , Swami Desikan uses the words "AbhijAtha" and Naabhijatha" deftly. "NaabhijAtha" can mean both "not born of " (na+abhijAtha) or "born of navel " (Naabhi+jAtha ), when one splits the word , "NaabhijAtha" in two ways.

(2)Swami Desikan says that even BrahmA occupying a noble post seeks the sambhandham of the specks of dust from the Paadhukais to gain the higher status of those who are born in good kulam (Vidhi: abhijAthai: tava parAgai: sangamam abhivAnchathi)...V.S

- SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -

Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)

Oh Paaduka! You are made of pure sattva-without rajas or tamas. That You keep the Lord's feet free of dust, free of rajas is understandable. But how does it happen that Your dust (rajas) creates for men, who bear it, a character of pure unalloyed sattva?

Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan

(1)UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Swamy Desikan hints here that BrahmA and others are purified by wearing the dust specks from the Lord's paadukai and the Lord's feet are proteced from dust by wearing the Paadhukais. The word "Rajas" has two meanings.When we refer to guNAs , it relates to passionate nature and at other instances , it means dust particle.Using theirdouble meanings, Swamy Desikan says: " Oh paadhukE! You are beyond three guNAs like Your Lord. Hence You also do not have relation to prakruti (viz), You are of aprAkruthA form .That is why Your Lord's feet are virajas (devoid of rajO guNA).You also protect His feet from the dust (rajas). It is also understandable that dust emanting from You makes human beings virajas (devoid of rajO guNA) , when they wear Your dust on their heads . They become of the form of Suddha Sattva and transcend the three guNAs and attain immortality.

(2)Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: During the uthsava kaalams , those who follow the Lord get their rajO guNam removed from the sambhandham of the rajas (dust specks) from the Paadhukais of the Lord.They become fileld with Sathtva gunam.

(3)Swamy addresses a question to Paadhukai :Oh PaadhukE! Lord wears You with Suddha Satthava svaroopam and His feet becomes free of dust ( Suddha satthva vapushA yEva BhavathyA Hari-Paadhou Virajasou). Let it be ! How come the dust specks associated with You make the people receiving them free of RajO gunam (thE rajasA manujAnAm suddha satthvamayathA asthi). Please explain how that transformation came to be? (idham puna: kim?)..V.S

Srimate Sri Laksminrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)

Oh Paaduka! That dust from You, which conferred on to a hard stone, on the way, the life of a wife to a sage, can equally well transform men's minds soft!

(Once the dust transformed stone into a soft and tender lady, Ahalya. It can as well convert hard-hearted people into soft and gentle ones).

Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan

(1)Utthamur Swamy's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! The speck of dust associated with You has the power to soften the minds of embodied ones. That very same dust speck , when it fell on the hard stone form of AhalyA transformed her back into that of soft-limbed wife of Sage GautamA.

(2)Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! when the dust speck associated with you falls even by accident upon a human being , their sins and fears are removed and they develop ruchi for serving AcAryAs and the Lord with preethi.

(3)Swamy Desikan says that the power of the dust specks from the Lord's Paadhukais make even hard-hearted men fear about doing unrighteous acts ( tath tava raja: dEhinAm maanasAni akatinAni tanOthi). The powerful dust specks seem to soften the hearts of such people , just as it transformed a stony AhalyA into asoft-limbed Rishi Pathni (prastharasya Muni dharmadhArathAm vyAchakAra)...V.S

Srimate Sri Laksminrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

Meaning (translated by Sri. U.Ve. V.N. Vedanta Desikan)

Oh Manipaaduka! When Lord Ranganatha, the Super-person walks on a procession through the streets, the dust generated from You gets deposited on the head's parting line, of the Sruti-Damsels, of purest word, as if it were sindoora powder. (The dust from the Paaduka is enough to confer purity of speech).

Special Notes from Sri. U.Ve. V. Sadagopan

(1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh Gem-bedecked Paadhukais of the Lord ! When Your Lord goes around the streets of Srirangam on Your back for protecting the world , He raises specks of dust through His movements. Those dust specks associated with You decorate the parting line of the hair around the forehead marked with auspicious vermillion (red lead) dot in the case of great scholars .They become enriched in Vedic knowledge as a result of wearing those dust specks associated with You on their heads. They become blessed thus with true scholarship on divine wisdom.

(2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam:The dust from the Padhukais are worn on the parting hair line of Veda MaathA as alankAram (i-e), the Upanishads sing about Your glory .

(3)Oh PaadhukE! The dust arises from the Veethi sanchAram of the Lord of Srirangam on Your back( RangEsasya Purushasya raTyA Parikrama vidhou bhavathi charithA parAgA:). Those dust specks are collected and worn on the vahidu ( parting line of the hair )by blemishless Vedams as alankAram causing auspiciousness( anvadhya SarasvathInAm Seemantha-dEsam ParAgA: sindhUrayanthi)..V.S