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

Oh Paaduka! We are taken in the yacht to cross the ocean of samsara, that is difficult to cross. You are the yacht; the gem-rays serve as the ropes with which the yacht is fastened all around. The navigator is the First of the class, the Lotus-eyed Lord!

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

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

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Swamy Desikan compares the pAdhukAs of the Lord to a wodden ship that transports the evolved soul across the vast expanse of this universe after the soul leaves the body through the brahma naadi. He says: " Oh PaadhukE! You are bound together by the rays associated with the gems adorning You; You transport us like a ship across the ocean that is the most difficult to cross. You have a boatman, who is none other than Your lotus-eyed Lord. It is for all these three reasons You became the ship to cross the ocean of samsaaram .

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that Lord RanganAtha standing on top of You transports the jeevans to Parama Padham through the sadAchAryAs, who have the power of influence over Him.

3) Oh PadhukE! You become the ship to cross the ocean of samsAram ( Thvam Na: bhava payOdhE: pOthapAthri bhavasi). Who is the navigator/boatman of that ship transporting the Jeevans? That boatman is the primordial Lord of Srirangam with the lotus eyes (aadhyam kamala nayanam karNadhAram). That boat is tied with the ropes of rays emanating from the gems on the Paadhukai (maNinAm rasmi jaalai: asiTila pariNaddhA). Where does the boat under the captain's directions transport the muktha jeevans too? To the most difficult to reach parama padham, which is on the opposite shore of the ocean of samsAram ( dhuradhigamatamam paaram ). Thou art that Boat to us…V.S

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

Oh Paaduka! Lord Ranganatha laying You as a lure, You being a veritable hind, kept hushed in a bush-namely, of radiation-arrays from Your gems-entices the hearts of devotees, as if they were stags (male deer) tying them with the rope of Bhakti and He leads them on to You!

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

SlOkam 522:

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Allusion is made here to the act of a hunter, who uses a trained deer to attract other deers for catching them. The hunter is Lord RanganAthan and the trained deer is the PaadhukA. The rays radiated by the gems form the bush, where the trained deer stands as a decoy. The path by which the flock of deers come to the trained deer is through bhakthi maarga. Here Swamy Desikan suggests that the bhakthi of the evolved souls increase , when led by the paadhukAs on the archirAdhi maarga to the Lord (the Hunter). Swamy says: " Oh PaadhukE! RanganAthA, the hunter benefits from Your service as a trained deer that attracts the herd of deer roaming in the forest. When the herd is brought near the bush of rays originating from Your gems, RanganAtha binds the deers with His rope known as Bhakthi.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that Lord RanganAtha makes use of the SadAchAryAs to hekp the chEthanams struggling in samsAram with their deluding attachments to family, money and career and through them instructs them on the vaibhavam of Himself, Moksham and freedom from the cycles of births and deaths and lifts them upto His supreme abode. SadAchAryAs help to generate bhakthi in the chEthanam's minds and prepares them through upadEsams on Tathva –Hitha –PurushArTams.

3) Paadhukai is compared to a female deer that the hunter (RanganAtha uses to catch a herd of deers (Ranganatha: bhavyAm thvAm puraskruthya hariNayUTam harathi). What are these deers ? They are the minds of the chEthanmas. The rope that is used to catch them is the rope of Bhakthi ( RanganAtha: bhakthi paasa avaruddham prANinAm hrudhaya: harathi )..V.S

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

Oh Paaduka! You perennially stay below the Lord's Feet. The Koustubha gem is high above, in the Lord's chest. Nevertheless Your gems alone are capable of burning the sins of people by their mere brilliant light (as a lamp-flame burns the circling moth). Now the Koustubha gem has been lowered in status compared to You!

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

SlOkma 523:

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Swami Desikan compares here the excellence and power of the gems resting on the PaadhukAs with that of the KounsthubhA gem found in the chest region of Lord RanganAtha. He says: " Oh PaadhukE! You are resting under the feet of the Supreme Lord. The Kousthubha gem occupies a dominant position on Your Lord's chest. Inspite of that choice location, the KousthubhA gem it does not have the power to destroy the sins of jeevans as You do. Therefore, I consider that the KousthubhA gem is inferior to the gems adorning You. The jeevans taking refuge in You by approaching Your Lord's lotus feet have their sins destroyed by the rays originating from the gems on You.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that NammAzhwAr was born in a lower jaathi as a Sudran. Yet, through His superior vairAgyam, anushtAnam and Bhaakthi, He demonstrated that He is far superior to even nithya sooris or the eternally liberated ones.

3)Oh PadhukE ! You stay humbly at the feet of the Lord ( Thvam parichitha padha padha moola : ). The Kousthubham gem shines brilliantly in the chest region of Your Lord ( ayam Kousthubha: bhuja madhyE prabhavathi). Even then , the glory Of the rays from Your gems surpasses that of the vaibhavam of the Kousthubha gem. Why ? Your gems can destroy the sins with their sanctifying rays like The fire flies falling into the bright lamp ( salabhitha dhurithAnAm ThAvakAnAm MaNinAm ). Koudsthubha rathnam does not have that power… 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 Deluge of darkness of the night of Brahma at the end of Kalpas! All is lifeless; the Lord and His consort alone keep awake. They are an Ever-Youthful Couple. To provide them light, You serve as a lamp with dense rays emitted by Your gems.

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

SlOkam 524:

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Swamy Desikan hints here that the Paadhukais are not destroyed even during the time of praLayam. He describes next the service rendered by the Paadhukais to the Lord during praLayam. He says: "at the end of the series of days and nights of Brahma , praLayam sets in. There is utter darkness everywhere. The animate beings in deep slumber. Only the Lord and His PirAtti are wide awake. At that time , they are able to traverse the enormous universe with the help of light radiating from the gems adorning You. Those rays serve as big and bright lamps illuminating Their house.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: During the darkness associated with praLayam The lustre of the gems of Paadhukais serves as illuminating lamps. During the era of Kali Yugam, dharmam declines and the Lord's aarAdhanam is not done properly and often it is interrupted. During these difficult times , the dhivya dampathis are pleased to hear the recital of AzhwAr's ThiruvAimozhi by bhakthAs, who attempt to overcome the kali dhOsham.

3)The time is that of praLayam , the time when the day for a BrahmA is completed ( kalpa srENi dhina pariNathou ). The great multitude of chEthanams are overcome with fear at the sight of the engulfing darkness and have fallen into deep sleep ( janthu: jaalE prasupthE , thaadhrusEna tamasaa jagathi vishvak vyApthE ). Who is awake then ? An eighteeen year old youth and His pirAtti are wide Awake ( KamalayA saha jaagarUkasya Yuna : ). He is at His residence under PraNavAkAra VimAnam ( vaasagEhE KamalayA saha Yuna: asthi). There, the residence is illumined with bright beams made up of your cluster of rays originating from the gems on the Paadhukais( VaasagEhE pradhIpA: sthyAna aalOkai: Tava maNigaNai: sampadhyanthE )…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! You become haughty I imagine by reason of service to the Lord's lotus feet. So, what You do is to step on the gem-studded crowns of the devas. And the flawless and fearless gemstones on You pick up a quarrel-clasping the hairlocks mutually-with the gems on the crowns!

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

SlOkma 525:

1) Swamy Desikan points out here a picture of battle between the egotistic gems of DevA's crowns and the gems of the Paadhukais. He pictures the battle taking place at the time, when the Paadhukais sit on the crowned heads of DevAs. He imagines that the rays from the DevA's crowns lock in battle with the rays of gems adorning the Paadhukais and losing miserably in that battle and being chastised. He equates the rays of gems to the hair on the head. This analogy extends to the scene, where the two kinds of rays combat with each other by catching their hairs. There is no doubt as to who wins. The gems adorning the Paadhukais wins because they are free from defects and are fearless. Swamy Desikan says: " Oh PaadhukE! You adorn the holy feet of the Moon of Srirangam and are filled with justifiable pride. You ascend the crowned heads of the dEvAs, who partake the food offered in Vedic sacrifices. When dEvAs prostrate before You , the gems on their crowns become jealous and out of their ignorance about the mighty power of Your gems quarrel with them and lose mightily.

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: When the dEvAs prostrate before You out of Reverence for the fact that You are at the sacred feet of the Lord, there arises a Quarrel between the gems on the crowns of the dEvAs and those on the paadhukais. AzhwAr ( RanganAtha Paadhukai) through the power of his paasurams easily overcomes the lustre of the gems on the crowns of dEvAs And is celebrated .

3) The fight between the rays of the gems on Paadhukai and the gems on The crowns of prostrating davAs is decribed by Sawmy Desikan as "kEsAkEsi" Yuddham , where the forelocks are grabbed intensively in combat. The results are Predictable. " SrI ranghEndhO: charaNa kamala dhvandhvam " , the Paadhukais win effortlessly ….V.S

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

Oh Mother, Madhava Paaduka! Those who wear the armour of the cage of rays emitted by Your gems, will face no chance of standing before a rich man-a veritable cobra-or of being sent out with the stick of his gate-keeper and of falling down and removing dust from the body.

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

SlOkam 526:

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam : Oh PaadhukE! Evolved, dispassionate beings, who worship You wear the rays emanating from the diamonds adorning You as their armour. This way, they protect themselves against the touch of the unfit ones, who stand in front of the rich , arrogant people's houses. These evolved souls reject the temptations of perishable wealth. They do not let the lowly ones , who spend their lives in service of the unrighteous rich people. The armour given to them by You protects them from the vile touch of the lowly ones, who guard the doors of arrogant, wealthy people .

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that those , who understand the updEsams of Swamy NammAzhwAr's paasurams will never ever be found at the gates of the unrighteous ones, who arrogantly display their wealth. They will never ever be humiliated by them.

3) Swamy Desikan addresses the Paadhukais here as "Maadhva PadhukE !" to remind us that the Lord of the Paadhukais is the grantor of the supreme wealth of mOksham. Swamy Desikan points out that the devotees of Paadhukais of the Lord wear permanently an armour created by the stitching of the lustre of the rays emanating from the gems adorning them ( sTiram panjara Thvath rathnOthpala rasmi tanuthrANam Bhibhratha: ). They never approach the abodes of the haughty rich ( dhUra uthsikitha dhurADya : ). Those arrogant ones have their gates guarded by angry gate keepers, who hiss like an angry snake ( jihvaga Bhila dhvA paala kOpAnala jvAlAmithra) spitting out flames of anger. Those angry servants of the haughty masters place their hands on the necks of the ones seeking help and push them out of the gates. Swamy Desikan says that those, who are blessed to wear the kavacham of the rays of Paadhukais do not make contact with the hands of the servants of the arrogant rich…(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! You emit an effulgence, from Your ornamental gems, equal to a crore of suns in the deluge of darkness. I fain believe that it is to dispel our inner darkness so that we can-even in the midst of our love to live in this earthly world-join the galaxy of Paramaikantis (like Adisesha and Azhvars) who know nothing except the Lord.

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

SlOkam 527:

1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: In the previous verse, Swami Desikan referred to the noble ones wearing the armour of the PaadhukA rays and thereby being protected from the association with unrighteous ones. Here, Swamy Desikan says that the radiance of the PaadhukA gems removes the extraordinary darkness prevailing at the time of the universal dissolution. That radiance removes the afflictions of even those, who do not expressly seek the companionship of the devotees of the Lord. He says: " Oh RanganAtha PaadhukE ! During the time of praLayam , the radiance of Your diamonds appear like crores of Suns. You destroy the fearsome darkness of the praLayam night so that we could leave our inertia behind and join the righteous ones offering service to You.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! with Your astonishing and superior lustre resembling the rise of crores of Suns, You seem to send the message that there is a joyous place that is the opposite of the sadness of this samsAric world known as Sri Vaikuntam and that You can take them there. The inner meaning is that the people of the world do not listen to the upadEsams of PerumAL in Geethai and Saasthrams and suffer form the continuation of their adharmic ways. AzhwAr takes pity on these suffering jeevans and creates disgust in them for samsAram and grows their longing for SrI Vaikuntam using His Dhivya prabhandhams.

3) What do the Padhukais do? They generate the lustre similar to the crores of Suns rising against the abysmal darkness of praLaya kaalam ( Thvam samvartha Udhitha Soorya kODi sadhrusI ). This originates from the multitudinous assembly of rays adorning You ( udhbhaDAm prathiyathna rathna nikara jyOthi: chaDAm Prasthoushi). You display that radiance for helping us banish the ignorance about Your Lord's supreme abode of SrI Vaikuntam and the blessings waiting for us there ( vaasa rasEapi andham asmAkam tama: bhEtthum manyE ). That supreme abode of Your Lord is populated by the assembly of Nithya Sooris, who do not think of anyone except Your Lord ( Tadhanya Soori parishath ). You intend to place us, the ignoramus , right in the middle of those Nithya Sooris like Garudan, AdhisEshan et al ( tadhanya Soori parishath madhyE nivEsathi)…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! when the Lord sets His Feet on You, for a sportive walk, You send arrays of rays to all directions to make it appear as though all palatial mansions are getting ready for the Lord, with festoons and flags!

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

SlOkam 528:

1) UthtamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! Lord RanganAtha out of His enormous affection for Your companionship decides some times to take unplanned journeys. These are spontaneous decisions on His part. During those times, the rays from the diamonds adorning You make up for the absence of the traditional flags seen on top of the mansions, when Your Lord's journeys are announced. You order Your gems to extend their rays and form the flags on top of the mansions of SrIrangam to make up for the deficencies.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: The inner meaning is that a fortunate jeevan due to unknown good fortune gains AchArya KatAksham and thereafter Bhagavath anugraham . That blessed jeevan's speech and guNams are celebrated in all directions.

3) Lord is fond of Ranga VimAnam ( Ranga rasikan ). Some times, He leaves that favorite spot unannounced wearing You and steps out for a joyous journey enjoying Your company ( Thvayi nija padham saleelam vinyasya yadhrucchA-nishkrAnthE viharathi). At those times, You make up quickly for the absence of the traditional flags on top of the mansions in all directions that are seen, when the Lord's visit is known ahead ( Thvam tadhA ashtou disA soudhAn nirbhara miLath maNi cchAyA maayA ghana ghaDitha kEthu vyathikArAn janayasi)..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 Mother Paaduka! I deem that You are a veritable Veda-nidhi, which contains priceless gems, which outdoes the Sun in effulgence, which can be located with difficulty only by knowledgeable ones, and which is zealously kept under guard under the Lord's Feet.

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

SlOkam 529:

1) UthtamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! You with Your sparkling gems are the supreme treasure that one can hope to get. You share all the attributes of great wealth and yet surpass them all in every aspect. You are the treasure for vedAs and vEdic scholars. Embraced by gems of inestimable value, You occupy a Position under the lotus feet of Ranganatha and protect them. Your auspicious devotees have identified You as the wealth of all wealths.

2) SrImath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! Your Lord is wearing You with supremely radiant gems on His Thiruvadi. That appears like the invaluable treasure constituted by the Vedams, Smruthis and purANams .

3) Swamy Desikan salutes the greatnes of the lustre of the gems enmeshed in the Paadhukais of the Lord here . He says that they put to shame the radiance of many rising suns ( mahArgai: avadhUtha dhyumaNi maNibhi: aaslishtAm ThvAM). This radiant paahdukai and its svaroopam is comprehended by the fortunate jeevans with great effort ( KshEthraj~nai: kaTanchith adhigatha padhAm ). Such a glorious Paadhukai adorns the lotus soft feet of the Lord for the protection of the world ( MukudhEna thrAthum padha kamala moolE vinihithAm ). You are indeed veritable and inestimable treasure for the jeevans ( niravdhim nidhim manyE)..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! Your lustre incorporates the three-fold character of light from the moon, fire, and the sun, because it can give a cool relief from the three fold heat (tapatraya), it can help heat herbal liquids (burn metal dirt) and it can dry up mud.

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

SlOkam 530:

1) UthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE ! There are three brilliant sources of radiance in this universe. The integrated output of the above three sources constitutes Your brilliant lustre. Your radiance destroys the three afflictions known as AadhyAthmikam, Aadhidhaivam and Aadhiboudhikam. Your lustre acts as a powerful decoction of herbs to cure the illness caused by the above three afflictions. It dries up the muddy fields of sins.I consider Your lustre as a reinforcing combination of Sun, Moon and the Fire (Agni).

2) Srimath Andavan's anubhavam: Oh PaadhukE! In this prakruthi maNdalam, Your tEjas destroys both the sins of the jeevans and the three kinds of samsAric Taapams that they experience . I consider you in this act as an embodiment of the integrated powers of the Sun , Moon and Agni. The inner meaning is that the AchAryAs will some times speak sharply and other times display cool dayA to prevent us from performing acts not permitted by the SaasthrAs. They are recognized as Sarva vidha Bhandhus for the jeevans.

3) Oh Sri RanganAtha PaadhukE ! Your radiance destroys the three kinds of taapams of the jeevans( thE tEja: tApa thrayam nirundhE ). It evaporates /cooks the sins of the jeevans( kashAyAn pachathi). It dries up the muds of sins as well (pankam visOshayathi). Therefore , I think that Your lustre has the combined power of the three luminaries, the Sun, Moon and Agni ( atha: idham tEjasthriyam sankE … V.S

Rathna SaamAnya Paddhathi sampoorNam.