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

The white cloth wound round the head of the Devas, who bow in great devotion-as a prelude to the placement of the Lord's Paaduka (or Sataari) appears like the lustrous halo emanating from the moon of the nails of the feet, a halo-nectar uncontrollably overflowing and therefore spread out as it were, on the head. (The white cloth is referred to as Seshapata, appropriate to the Seshas we are. It is called Parivattam in Tamil parlance).

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

(1)UthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Here , Swami Desikan decribes the action taken by DevAs , who become afraid of losing their high positions to the devotees of PaadhukhAs . Those DevAs now rush to adorn the PaadhukhAs on their heads with devotion and reach a state of happiness that is beyond the partaking of nectar. As a result of wearing the PaadhukhAs, their erstwhile insecuties are removed . Swami Desikan also describes here the sEshA paDam or parivattam , a white silken piece of unstitched cloth that is wrapped around the dEvA's heads prior to placing the PaadhukhAs on their heads. Swami DSesikan observes that the Parivattam enhances the cool and nectar like rays associated with the foot nails of the Lord resident on top of the paadhukhais .Swami Desikan suggests that the coolness of the nectar emanating from that parivattam is like the dam of floods of amrutham that originate from the nails of the Lord's sacred feet .

(2) Andavan Swamy's anubhavam : Swami Desikan salutes the PaadhukhAs dear to Lord RanganAthA's chittham .When our revered AchAryA sees the dazzling whiteness of the parivattam/paryattam on which the PaadhukhA rests over the heads of dEvAs , he is reminded of the matchless lustre of the finger nails of the Lord and the PadhukhAs drinking those nakha kaanthi and releasing it to share that anubhavam with us.

(3) In the earlier slOkam , Swami referred to the anxieties of the DevAs about losing their exalted positions to those bhakthAs , whom Paadhukhais favor . In this slOkam , Swami Desikan describes the clever strategem of the devAs to have no surprises . They rush to the sannadhi of the Lord and wear the Paadhulhais over their heads as insurance against any calamities ...V.S

(4) In the first line of the slOkam , Swami Desikan shows his deep devotion for the Lord's PaadhukhAs : " PadhmA Kaantha: padha antharanga: vibhava udhriktham padathram bhajE "( adiyEn offers my bhakthi-laden salutation to those Paadhukhais , which are intimate with the Sriya: Pathi's sacred feet ...V.S

(5) Swami Desikan compares the bright lustre of the parivattam sitting under the Paadhukhais over the heads of the DevAs with a similie : " antha : amAntham nithya aapItha nakha Indhu dhIdhithi: sudhA sandhOham ucchai: VAMATHI noonam ". The Paadhukhais drink without let the moon-like rays of the lustre emanating from the foot nails of the Lord . The lustre of the parivattam circumscribing the heads of the DevAs appears to Swami Desikan as the outpourings of what the Paadhukhais consumed abundantly earlier (viz )., the white lustre of the nakha kaanthi .Vamathi means in Tamil , Kaakuthal or ejecting ... V.S

Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

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

May the Paaduka pair of Vishnu, of benefit-conferring potency infinite, Confer on us ever-and-ever-rising affluence! These Paadukas, stationed at the top position of the Vedas, that is Upanishads, relish a permanent placement on the bent head of Siva, probably because there is their friend, the Ganga river (Which flowed from the feet during the Trivikrama-Avatara), the Paadukas recalling that original association.

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

(1) UtthamUr Swamy anubhavam:In the previous slOkam , Swami Desikan referred to the flood of nectar flowing from the nails of the Lord's feet resting on the top of the PaadhukhAs and parivattam . In this slOkma , Swami links this nectar pravAham to that of the Sacred GangA pravAham that originated from the washing of the holy feet of the Lord by Brahma Devan duirng ThiruvikramAvathAram .That GangA found its first home in the matted locks of Lord SivA , who comes often to offer His salutation to Sri RanganAthA . During those occasions , the nectar flood associated with the lord's radiant nails mingles freely with the cool floods of GangA resting inside the Jatai of Lord SivA; when this parama bhakthan of Sri RanganAthan bends His head to receive the Paadhukhais on His head , then the two floods intermingle.Both these floods have their origins in the Lord's sacred feet and therefore have a deep friendship .Swami Desikan invokes the blessings of these holy PaadhukhAs adorning the Lord's lotus feet.

(2) Andavan Swamy's anubhavam : Upanishads salute the auspiciuous PaadhukhAs and their limitless vaibhavams. May those mangaLa PaadhukhAs confer us on all auspiciousness! The paadhukhAs are always found on the bent head of Lord SivA in the company of the sacred GangA , since both gangA and the PaadhukhAs have the Paadha Sambhandham of the Lord VishNu .

(3) Swami Desikan's reference in this slOkam to the Lord's Paadhukhais "Tadh VishNO: paramam Padhathra-yugaLam " takes its origin from the Vedhic pasage : "Tadh VishNO: Paramam Padham sadhA pasyanthi Sooraya: ".The divya Sooris find the PaadhukhAs of indescribable glory and richness at the feet of the Lord , when they have the sevai of the Lord's feet .Swami Desikan prays for the rich blessings of the PaadhukhAs here ( Na: bhUyAmsi ShrEyAmsi Vitharathu)..V.S

Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

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

Translation of Paaduka Sahasram by U.Ve. Sri V.N. Vedanta Desikan Swamin

How far can the fish go in the sea, even if they live in it and go about freely, horizontally and vertically, at will? How far can the monkey-chiefs too cross with their exceedingly high speed, with full exertion even? How far could the Manthara mountain fathom the milk-ocean's depth? Of what use were all they, pressed into action? Even about us, the same can be said. What is the use? We merely stand on this side in the shore only-when the greatness of the Paaduka lies ahead as a vast ocean.

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

(1) UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam : Swami Desikan develops further the meaning of " Paramam " , the word that he used in the previous slOkam starting with "Tadh VishNO: Paramam Padham padhathra YugaLam --" .He used the word " paramam " there to describe the matchless glory of the PaadhukhAs . Swami also focused on the cool floods of the scared river GangA arising from the Lord's holy feet (padha: prasyanthi paaThasvini).Swami now shifts now from GangA to the ocean into which she flows.

Swami Desikan equates the auspicious attributes of the PaadhukhAs to an ocean and compares that unique ocean the familiar slaty ocean and the purANic milky ocean . He describes some of the happenings at these two oceans to provide a perspective on their dimensions and goes on to say that the ocean of the kalyANa guNAs of the Lord's Padhukhais is amny times vaster than the other two Oceans .He prays for the boon of standing at the shores of this vast , tractless ocean of PaadhukhA Samudhram . Regarding the Salty Ocean's dimension , Swami refers to the interminable distances that the fish swim .Swami also points out that the monkeys were unable to determine the depth of the oceans with one exception , when they built the Raama Sethu .Regardig the dimensions of the milky ocean , Swami refers to the time when the MandrA mountain sank and the Lord had to rescue it from sinking by taking the form of a giant KoormA . In comparison to these two Oceans , which appear to be limitless , Swami Desikan states that the auspicious qualiites of the PaadhukhAs taking the form of the unique ocean far exceed the dimensions of the other two oceans .

(2) Andavan Swamy anubhavam : The fish travel only in water and yet they travel only a limited distance in the salty ocean.Even the powerful ones like hanumAn jumped only limited distances. The mandhara parvatham coped only with the limited depth of the milky ocean . Knowing the depth and breadth of the MahA samudhram of the Lord's Paadhukhais as limitless compared to other two Oceans , adiyEn has stayed on this side of the PaadhukhA samudhram ( on the banks of this immense , tractless samudhram ). The inner meaning is that the prabhAvam of the Paadhukhais (NammAzhwAr ) is limitless and incomparable .

(3) Swami Desikan states movingly his position : " Vayam Kesava PaadhukhA GuNa MahAmbOdhE: taDasthA : " We are staying on this side of the great ocean of the GuNAs of the PaadhukhAs of the Lord .Swami seems to suggest that it will be futile to swim to the other shore of the MahA Samudhram or to jump over it or plunge deep to determine its depth . This multidimensional Ocean of kalyANa GuNAs of NammAzhwAr are not fathomable in view of its unique immensity . Swami therfore decalres that he will stand at the shores of this great ocean with reverence instad of engaging in futile efforts to comprehend the depth of this ocean and its trackless vastness .

Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

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

The Lord's feet are at home in Vedanta. (They are spoken of in the Vedanta.) The dust from such feet of Lotus, flavours the Paadukas. Those who bear these Paadukas would be entitled to wear an unchanging moon on the head as well as to be seated on the lotus that is the origin of the whole universe-that is they would get the seats of Siva and Brahma.

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

(1)Sri UttamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Swami Desikan plays with the word " Rajas" in this verse to illustrate the unlimited glory of the PaadhukhAs of Lord RanganaathA . "Rajas" has the meaning of either a speck of dust or one of the three guNAs , which gives rise to thirst and attachment to worldly things.

Swami Desikna says that the PaadhukhAs of the Lord are praised by the VedAs regarding their auspiciousness. VedAs bow unto them to receive their blessing and worship them with lotuses.The dust "rajas" from the PaadhukhAs mingle with the lotus petals placed on them during the AarAdhanam by the VedAs .

The devotees who wear the PaadhukhAs worshipped by the vedAs on their heads succeed in capturing the dust that shakes off from the lotuses that adorn the PaadhukhAs .As a result of contact with the dust (rajas) of the PaadhukhAs, the erstwhile passionate nature ( rajas or rajO GuNam ) of the devotee is destroyed completely ; the devotee attains then parama Saatvic tendency that qualifies him to reach the status of a BrahmA or a Rudran . Such is the sanctifying power of even a speck of dust associated with the Lord's sacred Paadhukhais , which have the contact with Sri RanganAthA's Paadha Kamalam .

(2) Sri Andavan 's anubhavam : Even the speck of dust associated with the lord's Paadhukhais have Vedic fragrance ( Nigama parimaLam ).When one wears the Lord's Paadhukhais on his or her head , the dust from the Paadhukhais elevate them to the status of BrahmA or Lord SivA.

(3) Here, Swami Desikan is referring to the Veda parimaLam (vedic fragrance ) of the Sri Sookthi of NammAzhwAr (viz)., ThiruvAimozhi. Swami Desikan wrote a commentary on Swami NammAzhwAr's ThiruvAimozhi by the name of "Nigama parimaLam or the Seventy four Thousand " , an elaborate commentary of the doctrinal principles of VisishtAdhvaitham elaborated by the paasurams of the ThiruvAimozhi.For Swami Desikan, ThiruvAimozhi had Vedic fragrance in every one of its Paasurams. Why ? It is because these Paasurams eulogize the lotus feet of the Lord , which are worshipped by the VedAs . He considerd ThiruvAimozhi and the rest of the Divya prabandham as Tamil Vedam at Srirangam and Kaanchipuram and was honored by the Lord for establishing the Veda Saamyam of the ThiruvAimozhii and other aruLiccheyalkaL ....V.S

(4) Swami Desikan states that the devotee , who adorns the Lord's Paadhukhais on his/her head does not even know what happened to them ( avidhitha paripAkam is Swami Desikan's words). They were not longing for any special boons to attain such as the high status of BrahmA or Lord SivA . But that happens even without their awareness due to the contact with the dust assoicated with the Lord's Paadhukhais ...V.S

(5) Swami Desikan describes the PaadhukhAs have two exemplary attributes: (1) " Ranga Bharthu: Padha Kamala rajObhi: vaasithE (They have been made fragrant by the dust from the Lord's lous feet )and (2)"parichitha nigamAnthE " ( having the friendship of the VedAs , whose heads have been in contact with the Lord's lotus feet). Swami weaves these two attributes to suggest that the Rajas (dust ) on the PaadhukhAs have the power to eliminate the Rajas (rajO guNam ) of the devotee and elevate him to Brahma padham or Siva Padham (status)..V.S

Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam,

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

Oh Paaduka of Sarngapani! Whosoever has borne You but once on his head, for him, at the time of death, Your servants, the path-showers, pay due homage according to their respective roles.Yama who is waiting to take the dead persons, keeps the attendants under restraint and keeps idle!

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

(1)UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: The blessings arising from adorning the PaadhukhAs on one's head is further described here . The wearing of the PaadhukhAs even once on one's head with devotion will result in being led to Sri Vaikuntam by the AadhivAhikAs through the archirAdhi margam at the end of one's life on this earth. Since the AadhivAhikAs take over, Dharma RaajA (Yama Devan )is unable to intervene to order the soul to undergo the punishment associated with the sins committed by the soul during its earthly existence . The PaadhukhAs though their sanctifying touch destroy all the sins of its devotee and puts Dharma RajA and his staff out of their anticipated business .

(2)Sri Andavan's anubhavam : Oh Paadhukhais of Lord SaarangapANi! When a bhakthan places You on his head even once , he is taken at the time of his death by Your servants, the Nithya Sooris, to Your Lord's Parama Padham .Dharma Raajan and his servants tremble and they do not even come near the blessed soul .

(3)AadhivAhikAs are different dEvAs assigned to lead a liberated soul (Muktha Jeevan )to the abode of the Lord ( Sri Vaikuntam ) through a designated divine route decribed by Brahma SoothrAs (chapter 4.3.1-6), , ChandhOgya , BrahadAranya and KaushitikI Upanishads.Swami NammAzhwAr describes this joyous journey along the path of light (archirAdhi margam )to parama Padham led by AadhivAhikAs in his ThiruvAimozhi Paasurams (10.9).. V.S

Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

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

Oh Paaduka of Lord Ranganatha! These two lotus feet have acquired by their own greatness, the honour of being Your deputy. If this were not so, how will knowledgable persons always worship You when the feet are there? (The chief official will have a deputy only in the former's absence. The chief official and the deputy will be similar. But when the chief is available, the deputy will be disregarded.)

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

(1)Uttamur Swamy's Anubhavam :Oh Paadhukhais of Lord RanganAthA ! The lotus feet of the Lord have earned the status of becoming Your representative. If it is not so, how can one explain the learned seers offering their worship to the Lord's feet and yet wear You on their heads to acquire all blesings including Moksham ? Lord's holy feet are in front of these seers , but they elect to wear You on their heads . This can only imply that You are the primary One and the Lord's sacred feet embodying His glory are Your representative .Such is Your superior status !

(2) Sri Andavan's anubhavam : Oh PaadhukhE ! Why do the most learned seers place You on their head in Bhagavadh sannidhAnam ? Why do not they opt for the Lord's sacred feet for their heads? The reason is that You are the primary One. The lord's feet as Your prathinidhi is second in rank.The inner meaning is that the AchAryAs are superior to BhagavAn .

(3) Swami Desikan points out the clear path followed by the great seers (mahAnthA: ), who are well versed in the inner meanings of the SaasthrAs (VidhithArthA:).They have two choices for the objects to adorn their heads . One is the Lotus feet of the Lord of Srirangam ( Rangabharthu: Padha sarasijam ). The other is the Paadhukhai of the Lord.They choose deliberately the Paadhukhais to adorn their heads. Why so ? Swami Desikan reveals that the Lord's sacred feet has conceded supermacy to the Paadhukhais ( NammAzhwAr)and has become its deputy . The Sri Sookthi of Madhura Kavi AzhwAr's KaNNInuNN SiRutthAmpu is the pramANam that Swami Desikan seems to have in mind for this anumAnam ... V.S

Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

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

Oh Paaduka! That even scripture-ordained rituals ought to be performed as a kind of pleasure to You is the secret kept concealed in the Vedantas. Fools who cannot understand this might do Yajnas which would in effect, be mere animal-slaughter activity. Discerning persons ridicule such actions.

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

(1)UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam : Here , Swami Desikan points out that those who worship Lord RanganAthan get His blessings through wearing His SatAri on their heads.By wearing His satAri as crown on their heads, the devotees invite the Lord and thereafter perform worship to His SatAri .There are however those , who do not understand this tradition and conduct YagAs and rituals involving sacrifice of animals for much less benfits . This indeed is a laughable matter for the realized ones.

(2)Sri Andavan's anubhavam : When aasthikAs perform Nithya Naimithika karmAs, they conclude these performances with the utterance , "KrishNArpaNam ". They thus place all these karmAs at the sacred feet of the Lord .The SaasthrAs edict thru upanishads as a rahasyam that all these karmAs should be presented as samarpaNams for the Paadhukhais of the Lord .If any one performs Yaagams without understanding this requirement , then the Yaagam is Yaagam in name only . The only left over then is pasu vadham according to the learned ones. The inner meaning of this slOkam is that we should place all of our saasthrA-ordained karmAs and their Phalan at the feet of our AchAryAs .

(3)Swami Desikan says here that pandithAs will laugh at those , who do not know the injunction (Vidhi) that all the karmAs should be submitted to the Paadhukhais (NammazhwAr)are fools and whatever YaagAs they do are YaagAs by name only(naama Yaj~nam). The reference is perhaps to the Paasuram passage of Madhura Kavi AzhwAr : " Takka sIr SatakOpanen- nampikku, aatpukkAthaladimaip payananRE "..V.S

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

Oh Paaduka of the Lord, who won the asuras! When Siva the Mahadeva (this name having been acquired after Tripurasamhara) stands bowing his head before You, the waters of Ganga on His head get splashed by the collision with the gemstones on the head of Vasuki snake which is a head ornament of Siva. The splashed-out drops look like ablutions, such as Arghya, for You!

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

(1)UttaamUr Swamy's anubhavam : Oh PaadhukhAs of the Lord! Lord Sivan bends over to worship You . At that time , the waves from the river GangA residing in His matted hair break forth and collide with the gems of the hood of the Serpent Vaasuki coiled around those matted locks (Jatai). That collision causes the waves of Ganga to break up into little droplets that appear as arghyam offering to You.

(2) Sri Andavan's anubhavam : Oh PaadhukhE ! The tresses of Mahesavaran is the home for both the sacred GangA and the great Serpent king , Vaasuki .There are rathnams in the hood of Vaasuki .The waves splashing from the GangA pravAham bump into those hard gems on the hood of Vaasuki and create a shower of droplets on You .That shower of GangA theertham appears like Lord SivA's arghyam to You .

(3)Offering of Arghyam , Paadhyam , Aachamaneeyam to the worshipful ones such as BhagavAn ,the PaadhukhAs of the Lord and one's AchAryan is part of the poojA rites known as Saamsparsikam ( where sparsam is involved ).The BhUtha Suddhi portion of the AarAdhanam also invokes the creation of the pure body fit to perform AarAdhanam with the sprinkling of GanghA theertham ( --divyAmrutha ThArayA AathmAnam Saatvika- Bhasma cha abhishEchayAmi ).That divyAmrutha ThArai is the GangA theertham referred to by Swami Desikan here ... V.S

(4) Lord Sivan is an expert in the Bhagavadh AarAdhana kramam . He could also be visualized here as offering Arghyam as the first of the Various Aasanams of AarAdhanam to Sri Ranganathan here,(Viz) manthrAsanam .After inviting the Lord to be present at the AarAdhanam , the next step is to say , " PaadhukhAbhyAm nama:, manthrAsanam alamkrushva ". Here , BhagavAn is beseeched by the worshipper TO ADORN HIS PAADHUKHAS and THEN be seated in the Aasanam to accept the offered AarAdhanam . At this stage, arghyam is offered with the statement , " Bhagavan! math PoojAm prathigrhuNIshva "( OH Lord ! Please accept my AarAdhanam ).Thus arghyam with GangA Theertham and the worship of the PaadhukhAs are referred to by Swami Desikan in this slOkam ....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! Being one, You are many too and you constitute the entire universe. You are under the lotus feet of Ranganatha; You are in the mind of Rishis; You are in the head of the Vedas (i.e. Upanishads); You are also in the speech of good poets. Thus you are ever everywhere! Your taking different forms is thus understood.

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

(1)UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam :Oh Paadhukhais of Lord RanganAthA ! Thou art spread all over Your Lord's Universe and are worshipped everywhere . You may be one entity , but , You are found under the holy feet of Your Lord , in the minds of sages , on top of the VedAs and on the tongues of the celebrated poets .Like Your Lord , Thou art present all over the Universe as VisvarUpi.

(2)Sri Andavan's anubhavam : Oh Lord's PaadhukhE ! Even if you may be considered as an unitary presence under the Lord's CharaNAravindham , You are not limited to that presence . You are seen not only under the Lord's paadha Kamalam , but also in the minds of Sages, on top of Upanishads and the tongues of poets .Your Lord adorns You on His feet ; Upanishads salute You; the Sages meditate on You; poets like adiyEn eulogize You .

(3) Swami Desikan says to the holy PadhukhAs here : Rangabharthu's PaadhukhE ! " thvam yEkA sathi , VaisvarUpyam (darsayathi)". In Tamil , it is easier to translate this powerful statement :" nee oruvaLAi irunthukoNDE , pala sarIrangaLai udaitthAi irukkirAi" . The moving tribute of Swami Desikan to the VisvarUpam of the Paaadhukhais are : " Thvam Rangabharthu: Padha- SarasijayO: nithyam varthasE;Muni janAnAm manasi nithyam varthasE ; SruthInAm moulidEsE nithyam varthasE; SukavInAm vachasi cha nithyam varthasE ;Tath thE VaisvarUpyam Saasvatham idham avagatham ". The reference here is to Sukavis like the AzhwArs and Sage VaalmIki ....V.S

(4) In the previous slOkam , Swami Desikan addressed the Lord's Paadhukais as "dhaithyajith Paadha RakshE " ( the protectors of the holy feet of the Lord , who destroyed the asurAs ).The connections between His sacred feet , NammAzhwAr-the Lord's Paadharakshai, the celebrated Vedhams and upanishads extolling the glories of the Paadham and the attached Paadha Rakshai and the inkavi sollum sages are referred to here by our AchArya Saarvabhouman at number of places . Selected connecting references from his Sri Sookthis are :

"manatthilirunthu marutthamudhamAhiya MaadhavanAr ninaitthan maRatthal arithAya nannizhal neeLkazahalE" --Amrutha ranjani : Last half of Paasurams 30 &38. This Desika Prabhandham celebrates the unforgrettable glory (vaibhavam) of the Lord's long(pervasive) feet as our upAyam and Phalan , when we seek them as Tanjam . Those auspicious feet are protected by NammAzhwAr as His Paadha Rakshai. The VedAs and their Siras , upanishads are found there at the Lord's CharaNa kamalam protected by the SatakOpam . There , the SatakOpa Sri is dominant .In the first paasuram of his AdhikAra sangraham , Swami Desikan reveals to us that the recitation of NammAzhwAr's and the Tamizh Maalais of other Rishis helps us to understand the meanings of difficult Vedha BhAgams without any doubts : " ------------------------ivarkaNN mahizhnthu paadum seyya Tamizh maalaikaNAm teLiya Odhit- teLiyAtha MaRai nilangaL teLihinrOmE "

In this 49th paasuram of AdhikAra sangraham , Swami Desikan hints at the power of Paadhukhais in the 4th line of the 8 line paasuram , right in the middle: " adi iNaikk keezh adaikkalamenRu yemmai vaitthu " What is there below the pair of the Lord's sacred Thiruvadi ? There is the Paadhukhai , Sri SatakOpa Soori , the AchAryan, prapanna janasanthAna kUtasthar .Swami Desikan states that the Lord has placed us as refuge under those SatAris ( adaikkalam yenRu yemmai vaitthu ). The glories of those auspicious feet of the Lord RanganAthA and by extension , the glories of the Paadhukhais protecting His feet at all times and places are praised by Swami Desikan in a 16 line prabhandham of AdhikAra sangraham starting with , " uRu sakatam udaya orukaal uRRu uNarnthana " and ending with " vidal ariya Periya PerumANmen PadhangaLE "....V.S

Swami Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

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

Oh Lord's Paaduka! You transform the bad fate lines written on the head of a person, who stands bent-headed near You, into golden and good fate. You being far off from fraudulent persons have exhibited this skill of alchemy, How?

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

(1)Prefatory comments by V.S: Swami jocularly refers here to the paadhukhAs performing rasa vaadham on the skulls of its BhakthAs through Sparsa DhIkshai . Rasa Vaadham is (a) the conversion of bad deeds into good deeds and (b)the transformation of base metals into Gold thru a process of alchemy .These Rasa Vaadham powers are not within the easy reach of anyone. Swami Desikan wonderingly salutes the extraordinary powers of the PaadhukhAs in performing the rasAyanam of transforming the bad Brahma Lipi into good one thru its sambhandham . Swami uses the words DhurvarNam (Silver or bad proclivities) and SuvarNam (Gold or auspicious proclivities) to describe the rasa Vaadham . PaadhukhAs transform the dhushtan in to a sadhAcharan thru its own unique powers of rasa Vaadham .

(2)UtthamUr Swamy's anubhavam: Oh Lord's PaadhukhE ! When the devotees wear You on their heads , the writings of BrahmA on the skull dealing with inauspiciousness are transformed into auspicious ones. The pre-ordained misfortunes assoicated with those Brahma Lipi are renderd ineffective and auspicious results begin to happen to the BhakthAs after the contact with You . You seem to be performing the difficult rasavaadham on the skulls of Your BhakthAs with ease .How do You do this (rasa Vaadham ), which is normally the trade mark of savory characters ?

(3)Sri Andavan's anubhavam: The conversion of the base metals into gold (rasa Vaadham ) is typically the work of dhushtAs and charlatans . How come , You , the noble Paadhulhai, get involved in the typical activities of the ill-reputed rasa Vaadhins ? Swami asks the Paadhukhais jokingly to explain this vinOdham (novelty).

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