SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
In this part, we shall look at the meanings of the following, which forms part of chUrNai 3
sarvadhA anubhUyamAnairabi apUrvavath
AScharyam Avahadhbhi: krIdASailaSatha
sahasrair alankruthai:, kaiSchin nArAyaNa dhivyaleelA asAdhAraNai:,
kaiSchith padhmavanAlayA dhivyaleelA asAdhAraNai:,
sAdhAraNaischa kaiSchith Suka SArikA mayUra kOkilAdhibhi:, kOmalakUjithai:, Akulai:
dhivyOdhyAna Satha sahasrairAvruthE, maNimukthA pravAlakrutha sOpAnai:
dhivyAmala – amrutha rasOdhakai: dhivyANdajavarai: athiramaNIya dharSanai:
athimanOhara madhura svarai: Akulai:
anthastha mukthAmaya dhivya krIdA sthAna upaSObhithai:,
dhivya saugandhika vApI Satha sahasrai: dhivya rAjahamsAvalee virAjithai: AvruthE,
nirasthAthiSaya Anandhaika rasathayA cha
AnanthyAchcha pravishtAn unmAdhayadhbhi: krIdOdhdhESai: virajithE,
thathra thathra krutha dhivya pushpa paryanka upaSObhithE,
nAnA pushpa Asava AsvAdha maththa brungAvaleebhi:
udhgeeyamAna dhivya gAndharvENa ApUrithE,
chandhanAgaru karpUra dhivya pushpa avagAhi mandha anilAsEvyamAnE,
madhyE (dhivya) pushpa sanchaya vichithrithE,
mahathi dhivya yOga paryankE anantha bhOgini,
SrImath vaikuNta aiSvaryAdhi dhivyalOkam Athma kAnthyA viSvam ApyAyayanthyA,
SEsha SEshASana Adhi sarva parijanam bhagavatha:
thath thath avasthOchitha paricharyAyAm AgyApayanthyA, Seela rUpa
guNa vilAsAdhibhi: Athma anurUpaya, SriyA saha Asinam,
prathyagra unmeelitha saraSija sadhruSa nayana yugalam,
svachcha neela jImUtha sankASam, athyujjvala bItha vAsasam,
svayA prabhayA athinirmalayA athiSIthalayA svachchayA mANikyAbhayA
kruthsnam jagath bhAsayantham, achinthya dhivyAdhbhutha nithya yauvana
svabhAva lAvaNyamaya – amrutha sAgaram
athisaukumAryAth Ishath prasvinnavath AlakshyamANa
lalAtapalaka dhivyAlakAvalee virAjitham,
prabhudhdha muktha ambhuja chArulOchanam, savibhrama bhrUlatham ujjvalAdharam,
Suchismitham, kOmala gaNdam, unnasam,
udhagrapInAmsa vilambi kuNdala alakAvalee bandhura kambu kandharam,
priyAvathamsa uthpala karNabhUshaNa
SlathAlakAbandha vimardha Samsibhi: chathurbhI:
AjAnu vilabibhi: bhujai: virAjitham, athikOmala dhivyarEkhAlankrutha
AthAmra karathalam, dhivyAnguleeyaka virAjitham,
athikOmala nakAvalee virAjitham, athirakthAnguleebhi: alankrutham,
thathkshaNOnmileetha puNdarIka sadhruSa charaNayugalam
Word-by-Word meaning
sarvadhA – always
anubhUyamAnairabi – even if experienced
apUrvavath – incomparable
AScharyam – wondrous
krIdA – for playing
Saila – mountains
Satha – hundreds
sahasrair – thousands
alankruthai: – decorated
kaiSchith – some
nArAyaNa dhivya leelA – for the pastime of nArAyaNa
asAdhAraNai: – special
kaiSchith padhmavanAlayA dhivyaleelA asAdhAraNai: – Similarly there are exclusive orchards for the pastime of SrI mahAlakshmi
sAdhAraNaischa kaiSchith – There are some orchards which are common to both mahAlakshmi and nArAyaNa.
Suka – parrots
SArika – a sub-species of parrots
mayUra – peacocks
kOkila – cuckoo
Adhibhi: – many others such as swans etc
kOmala – sweet
kUjithai – cooing (making sounds)
Akulai: filled with
dhivya – divine
udhyAna – gardens
Satha sahasrai: – hundreds and thousands
AvruthE – surrounded
maNi mukthA pravAla – ruby, pearl, coral
krutha – made of
sOpAnai: – steps to tank or lake or river
dhivya – aprAkrutha (divine)
amala – without any fault
amrutha – nectar like
rasOdhakai: – taste of water body
dhivya – divine
aNdaja – born from egg (birds)
varai: – different species
athi – very
ramaNIya – pleasant
dharSanai: – to see
athi – very
manOhara – enchanting
madhura – mellifluous
svarai: – voice or sound
Akulai: – filled with
anthastha – inside
mukthAmaya – made of pearls
dhivya – divine
krIdAsthAna – locations for playing
upaSObhithai: – adorned with
dhivya – divine
saugandhika – sweet smelling (white or blue lily)
vApi – lake
Satha sahasrai: – hundreds of thousands of
dhivya – divine
rAjahamsa – royal swan
Avalee – row of
virajithai: – adorned
AvruthE – surrounded with
nirasthAthiSaya Anandhaika rasathayA cha – incomparable, wondrous, joyful pleasure
ananthyAchcha – unlimited
pravishtAn – one who entered
unmAdhayatha – mad
krIda – play
dhESai: – location
virAjithE – adorned
thathra thathra – here and there
krutha – carried out
dhivya – divine
pushpa – flower
paryanka – bed
upaSObhithE – adorned
nAnA – different types
pushpa – flowers
Asava – nectar (honey) of flowers
AsvAdha – drink
maththa – drunken (overjoyed)
brunga – bee or wasp
Avalee – a collection of wasps
udhgeeyamAna – singing (humming)
dhivya – divine
gAndharvENa – like divine singers
ApUrithE – filled with
chandhana – sandal
agaru – kind of sweet smelling grass
karpUra – camphor
dhivya pushpa – divine flowers
avagAhi – immersed
mandha – gentle
anila – breeze
sEvyamAnE – worshipped
madhyE – in the centre
pushpa sanchaya – cluster of loose flowers
vichithrithE – like an art work
mahathi – huge
dhivya – divine
yOga – total
paryankE – on the bed
anantha – thivananthAzhvAn (AdhiSEshan, 1000 hooded serpent)
bhOgini – serpent
SrImath – filled with kainkarya SrI (serving bhagavAn)
vaikuNta – SrIvaikuNtam (nithya vibhUthi)
aiSvarya – wealth
Adhi – starting with this
dhivyalOkam – divine realm
Athma – self (refers to pirAtti here)
kAnthyA – radiance
viSvam – entire realm
ApyAyayanthyA – relaxed; gladden
Sesha – AdhiSEshan
SEshASana – vishvaksEnar (head of emperumAn’s army)
Adhi – and many others following them
sarva – all
parijanam – servitors
thath thath avastha uchitha – appropriate to various states
paricharyAyAm – for carrying out service
AgyA payanthyA – issue order
Seela rUpa guNa vilAsAdhibhi: Athma anurUpayA – she is appropriate to emperumAn in her Athma guNa (qualities of her AthmA, soul) as well as in her rUpa guNa (qualities of her physical form)
SrIya saha Asinam – seated with such a SrI (pirAtti) by his side
prathyagra – just then
unmeelitha – blossomed
saraSija – born in pond (lotus)
sadhruSa – equivalent
nayana – eye
ugalam – two
svachcha – clear
neela – bluish black
jImUtha – cloud
sankASam – appearance
athi – very
ujjvala – bright/luminous
pItha – yellow
vAsasam – clothed in
svayam – self
prabhayA – radiant
athi – very
nirmalayA – without any dOsham (fault)
athi – very
SeethalayA – cold
mAnikka – ruby
bhayA – radiance
kruthsnam – without leaving out anything
jagath – world
bhAsayantham – illuminate
achinthya – beyond thoughts
dhivya – aprAkrutha (divine)
adhbhutha – wonderful
nithya – without any time-limit (always)
yauvana – youthful (he is always 16 years old, irrespective of the number of years that have passed. He is that young, always)
svabhAva – as his nature
lAvaNyamaya – full of beauty
athi – very
saukumAryath – delicate (thin)
Ishath – a little bit
prasvinnavath – spread out
AlakshayamAna – visible
lalAta – forehead
palaka – flat part
dhivya – divine
alakAvalee – bundle of curled lock
virAjitham – adorned
prabhudhdha – blossomed
muktha – fresh
ambhuja – lotus
chAru – pleasant
lOchanam – divine eyes
savibhrama – knit
bhrUlatham – arched eye-brows
ujjvala – luminous
adharam – lips
Suchi – pure
smitham – smile
kOmala – pleasing
gaNdam – cheeks
unnasam – long (prominent) nose
udhagra – tall
pIna – large
amSa – shoulder
vilambi – hanging
kuNdala – ear-ring
alaka – curled lock
Avalee – bundle
bandhura – charming
kambu – three lines or marks in the neck
kandharam -neck
priyAvatha – beautiful
amsa – shoulder
uthpala – like a water lily
karNa – for the ears
bhUshaNa – ornament
SlathAlakAbandha vimardha Samsibhi: chathurbhI: AjAnu vilambibhi: bhujai: virAjitham – Thus the four shoulders on which the ear rings hang loosely, extend upto the knee (as an extension through the arms) and adorn emperumAn.
athikOmala – very beautiful
dhivya rekhA – divine lines
alankrutha – decorated with
AthAmra – several others starting from this
karathalam – palm
dhivya – divine
anguleeyaka – rings on fingers
virAjitham – adorned
athikOmala – very beautiful
nakAvalee – row of nails
virAjitham – adorned with
athi – very
raktha – reddish
anguleebhi: – fingers
alankrutham – decorated with
thath – that
kshaNa – moment
unmeelitha – blossomed
puNdarIka – lotus
sadhruSa – equivalent
charaNa – divine feet
yugalam – two
Explanatory Notes
sarvadhA anubhUyamAnairabi apUrvavath AScharyam Avahadhbhi: – sarvadhA – always; anubhUyamAnairabi – even if experienced; apUrvavath – incomparable; AScharyam – wondrous; Even if these are experienced on a daily basis, the novelty in them is incomparable. The happiness derived out of each moment is different from the previous moment.
krIdASailaSatha sahasrair alankruthai: – krIdA – for playing; Saila – mountains; Satha – hundreds; sahasrair – thousands; alankruthai: – decorated. There are hundreds and thousands of mountains for indulgence.
kaiSchin nArAyaNa dhivya leelA asAdhAraNai: – kaiSchith – some; nArAyaNa dhivya leelA – for the pastime of nArAyaNa; asAdhAraNai: – special. There are some special orchards which are exclusively for the use of nArAyaNa.
kaiSchith padhmavanAlayA dhivyaleelA asAdhAraNai: – padhmavanAlayA – one who has lotus orchards as dwelling place (SrI mahAlakshmi). Similarly there are exclusive orchards for the pastime of SrI mahAlakshmi.
sAdhAraNaischa kaiSchith – There are some orchards which are common to both mahAlakshmi and nArAyaNa.
Suka SArikA mayUra kOkilAdhibhi: – Suka – parrots; SArika – a sub-species of parrots; mayUra – peacocks; kOkila – cuckoo; Adhibhi: – many others such as swans etc. There are many species of birds in these orchards.
kOmalakUjithai:, Akulai: – kOmala – sweet; kUjithai – cooing (making sounds); Akulai: filled with. The entire place is filled with the sweet calls and cooing of these birds.
dhivyOdhyAna Satha sahasrairAvruthE – dhivya – divine; udhyAna – gardens; Satha sahasrai: – hundreds and thousands; AvruthE – surrounded. The ponds and lakes are surrounded by hundreds of thousands of divine gardens
maNimukthA pravAlakrutha sOpAnai: – maNi mukthA pravAla – ruby, pearl, coral; krutha – made of; sOpAnai: – steps to tank or lake or river. Inside the gardens and orchards are tanks/lakes with steps made of gems such as ruby, pearl, coral etc.
dhivyAmala amrutha rasOdhakai: – dhivya – aprAkrutha (divine); amala – without any fault; amrutha – nectar like; rasOdhakai: – taste of water body. The divine water bodies inside the orchards have the taste of faultless nectar.
dhivyANdaja varai: – dhivya – divine; aNdaja – born from egg (birds); varai: – different species. Around the water bodies are trees which have many species of divine birds.
athi ramaNiya dharSanai: – athi – very; ramaNIya – pleasant; dharSanai: – to see. These birds are very pleasant to look at.
athi manOhara madhura svarai: Akulai: – athi – very; manOhara – enchanting; madhura – mellifluous; svarai: – voice or sound. Akulai: – filled with. Their voices are very enchanting and honey-like and the place is filled with such birds.
anthastha mukthAmaya dhivya krIdAsthAna upaSObhithai: – anthastha – inside; mukthAmaya – made of pearls; dhivya – divine; krIdAsthAna – locations for playing; upaSObhithai: – adorned with. Inside the orchards are places which are made of pearls.
dhivya saugandhika vApi Satha sahasrai: – dhivya – divine; saugandhika – sweet smelling (white or blue lily); vApi – lake ; Satha sahasrai: – hundreds of thousands of. There are hundreds of thousands of lakes or ponds with sweet smelling divine flowers.
dhivya rAjahmasa Avalee virAjithai: AvruthE – dhivya – divine; rAjahamsa – royal swan; Avalee – row of; virajithai: – adorned; AvruthE – surrounded with. The ponds are beautified by the flock of sudhdha sathva, royal swans.
nirasthAthiSaya Anandhaika rasathayA cha – incomparable, wondrous, joyful pleasure
ananthyAchcha – unlimited
pravishtAn unmAdhayathbhi: – pravishtAn – one who entered; unmAdhayatha – mad. Making those who enter such places (orchards, lakes etc), go mad (make them excited, losing their senses)
krIdOdhdhESai: virAjithE – krIda – play; dhESai: – location; virAjithE – adorned. Adorned with such locations for playing
thathra thathra krutha dhivya pushpa paryanka upaSObhithE – thathra thathra – here and there; krutha – carried out; dhivya – divine; pushpa – flower; paryanka – bed; upaSObhithE – adorned. Decorated with aprAkrutha (divine) flowery beds, here and there.
nAnA pushpa Asava AsvAdha maththa brunga Avaleebhi: udhgeeyamAna dhivya gAndharvENa ApUrithE – nAnA – different types; pushpa – flowers; Asava – nectar (honey) of flowers; AsvAdha – drink; maththa – drunken (overjoyed); brunga – bee or wasp; Avalee– a collection of wasps; udhgeeyamAna – singing (humming); dhivya – divine; gAndharvENa – like divine singers; ApUrithE – filled with. Wasps drink nectar dropping from different types of flowers and in an over-joyous mood sing like gandharvas (celestial singers) and the entire place is filled with their music.
chandhana agaru karpUra dhivya pushpa avagAhi mandha anila sEvyamAnE – chandhana – sandal; agaru – kind of sweet smelling grass; karpUra – camphor; dhivya pushpa – divine flowers; avagAhi – immersed; mandha – gentle; anila – breeze; sEvyamAnE – worshipped. Gentle breeze wades through different types of sweet smelling materials (such as sandalwood, agaru (a kind of grass), camphor and divine flowers) and worships…
madhyE pushpa sanchaya vichithrithE – madhyE – in the centre; pushpa sanchaya – cluster of loose flowers; vichithrithE – like an art work.
mahathi dhivya yOga paryankE – mahathi – huge; dhivya – divine; yOga – total; paryankE – on the bed.
anantha bhOgini – anantha – thivananthAzhvAn (AdhiSEshan, 1000 hooded serpent) bhOgini – serpent.
Till now, SrI rAmAnuja has described various parts of SrIvaikuNtam, starting with hundreds of thousands of lakes, ponds, tanks, how these are decorated with steps made of precious stones such as ruby, sapphire, pearl, coral etc, different types of trees that surround these lakes, the types of flowers that grow on the orchards, the pillars in the garden studded with precious stones, the floor made with precious stones, the bees and wasps that drink the nectar from the flowers, the gentle breeze that wades through several sweet smelling substances, how in the midst of all these, on a serpent bed, bedecked with flowery arrangement – emperumAn, along with his consorts, is giving audience to his ASrithars, as described below.
SrImath vaikuNta aiSvaryAdhi dhivyalOkam – SrImath – filled with kainkarya SrI (serving bhagavAn) , vaikuNta – SrIvaikuNtam (nithya vibhUthi) aiSvarya – wealth; Adhi – starting with this; dhivyalOkam – divine realm. in the divine realm called SrImath vaikuNtam, with all its wealth
Athma kAnthyA – Athma – self (refers to pirAtti here); kAnthyA – radiance. With her radiance
viSvam ApyAyayanthyA – viSvam – entire realm; ApyAyayanthyA – relaxed; gladden. Keeping the entire realm in a relaxed, peaceful state
SEsha SEshASana Adhi sarva parijanam – Sesha – AdhiSEshan; SEshASana – vishvaksEnar (head of emperumAn’s army); Adhi – and many others following them; sarva – all; parijanam – servitors.
bhagavatha: thath thadhavasthOchitha paricharyAyAm AgyApayanthyA – bhagavatha: – for bhagavAn; thath thath avastha uchitha – appropriate to various states; paricharyAyAm – for carrying out service; AgyA payanthyA -issue order. pirAtti appoints all the servitors for carrying out appropriate kainkaryam (service) to emperumAn (bhagavAn) in various states
Seela rUpa guNa vilAsAdhibhi: Athma anurUpayA – she is appropriate to emperumAn in her Athma guNa (qualities of her AthmA, soul) as well as in her rUpa guNa (qualities of her physical form)
SrIya saha Asinam – seated with such a SrI (pirAtti) by his side (even though reference is only to SrIdhEvi, we have to infer that bhUdhEvi and neeLAdhEvi, his other consorts are also indicated here)
prathyagra unmeelitha saraSija sadhruSa nayana ugalam – prathyagra – just then; unmeelitha – blossomed; saraSija – born in pond (lotus); sadhruSa – equivalent; nayana – eye; ugalam – two. bhagavAn‘s two divine eyes are like lotus flowers which have just blossomed.
svachcha neela jImUtha sankASam – svachcha – clear; neela – bluish black; jImUtha – cloud; sankASam – appearance. His appearance is like the dark clouds.
athyujjvala pIthavAsasam – athi – very; ujjvala – bright/luminous; pItha – yellow; vAsasam – clothed in. He is dressed in an extremely bright yellow vasthram (clothe).
svayA prabhayA – svayam – self; prabhayA – radiant. He emits from his form, a brilliant radiance.
athinirmalayA – athi -very; nirmalayA – without any dOsham (fault). He is absolutely faultless.
athiSeethalayA – athi – very; SeethalayA – cold. He is very gentle and calm.
mANikyAbhayA – mAnikka – ruby; bhayA – radiance. He has brilliance like ruby.
kruthsnam jagath bhAsayantham – kruthsnam – without leaving out anything; jagath – world; bhAsayantham – illuminate. bhagavAn illuminates the entire world with the radiance from his physical form.
achinthya dhivya adhbhutha – achinthya – beyond thoughts; dhivya – aprAkrutha (divine); adhbhutha – wonderful. His form is beyond one’s imagination, it is divine and wonderful.
nithya yauvana svabhAva lAvaNyamaya amrutha sAgaram – nithya – without any time-limit (always); yauvana – youthful (he is always 16 years old, irrespective of the number of years that have passed. He is that young, always); svabhAva – as his nature; lAvaNyamaya – full of beauty, taken as a whole (as opposed to soundharyam which means beauty of specific feature such as nose or eyes or face etc), amrutha -nectar, sAgaram – ocean.
SrI rAmAnuja now describes bhagavAn‘s physical features.
athisaukumAryAth Ishath prasvinnavath AlakshyamANa lalAta palaka dhivya alakAvalee virAjitham – athi – very; saukumAryath – delicate (thin); Ishath – a little bit; prasvinnavath – spread out ; AlakshayamAna – visible; lalAta – forehead; palaka – flat part; dhivya – divine; alakAvalee – bundle of curled lock; virAjitham – adorned. bhagavAn‘s curled lock are soft, thin, a little spread out, and come upto the flat surface of his forehead.
prabhudhdha mukthAmbhuja chArulOchanam – prabhudhdha – blossomed; muktha – fresh; ambhuja – lotus; chAru – pleasant; lOchanam – divine eyes. He is extremely happy on seeing his ASrithars due to which his eyes blossom like a lotus. Lotus is taken here as a simile. However, unlike the eyes, lotus (i) is not broad, (ii) does not secrete love and friendliness, (iii) does not blossom on seeing ASrithars, (iv) does not steal the hearts of those who come to have dharshan (vision) of it.
savibhrama bhrUlatham – savibhrama – knit; bhrUlatham – arched eye-brows. His eye brows are like the curved sugar-cane bow of manmathan (most handsome person).
ujjvalAdharam – ujjvala – luminous; adharam – lips. Lips are like coral and are bright.
Suchismitham – Suchi – pure; smitham – smile. There is no falseness in his smile. He is genuinely happy on seeing his ASrithars and it shows in his smile.
kOmala gaNdam – kOmala – pleasing; gaNdam – cheeks. His cheeks attract the ASrithars towards them with their beauty and well rounded nature.
unnasam – long (prominent) nose; like kaRpaga creeper (a type of plant) which grows only in celestial worlds.
udhagra pIna amsa vilambi kuNdala alakAvalee bandhura kambukandharam – udhagra – tall; pIna – large; amSa – shoulder; vilambi – hanging; kuNdala – ear-ring; alaka – curled lock; Avalee – bundle; bandhura – charming ; kambu – three lines or marks in the neck; kandharam -neck. Earlier SrI rAmAnuja had mentioned about the curly lock on his forehead. Now he describes bhagavAn‘s neck. The neck goes well with his shoulders. His curled locks hang upto the neck, which has three lines, signifying the identity of purushOththaman (highest among all AthmAs). His ear rings are also adding beauty to his neck.
priyAvathamsa uthpala karNabhUshaNa – priyAvatha – beautiful; amsa – shoulder; uthpala – like a water lily; karNa – for the ears; bhUshaNa – ornament. The ornaments for the ears are coming upto the shoulder. One wonders whether they are ornaments for the ears or for the shoulder or for the locks which also fall on to the shoulder.
SlathAlakAbandha vimardha Samsibhi: chathurbhI: AjAnu vilambibhi: bhujai: virAjitham – Thus the four shoulders on which the ear rings hang loosely, extend upto the knee (as an extension through the arms) and adorn emperumAn.
athikOmala dhivyarEkhAlankrutha AthAmra karathalam – athikOmala – very beautiful; dhivya rekhA – divine lines; alankrutha – decorated with; AthAmra – several others starting from this; karathalam – palm. bhagavAn‘s palms are decorated with special marks such as lotus, conch (Sankam), disc (SudharSana chakram) etc.
dhivyAnguleeyaka virAjitham – dhivya – divine; anguleeyaka – rings on fingers; virAjitham – adorned. His fingers are adorned with divine rings.
athikOmala nakAvalee virAjitham – athikOmala – very beautiful; nakAvalee – row of nails; virAjitham – adorned with. It is said that chandran (moon) took 20 forms and presented himself as nails on the fingers and toes of bhagavAn to carry out kainkaryam.
athirakthAnguleebhi: alankrutham – athi – very; raktha – reddish; anguleebhi: – fingers; alankrutham – decorated with. His divine fingers are deep reddish in colour.
thathkshaNOnmileetha puNdarIka sadhruSa charaNa yugalam– thath – that; kshaNa – moment; unmeelitha – blossomed; puNdarIka – lotus; sadhruSa – equivalent; charaNa – divine feet; yugalam – two. His divine feet are like lotus that has just blossomed.
Until now, SrI rAmAnuja has described various angams (physical features) of bhagavAn. Next he describes the ornaments and weapons that decorate his physical form. We shall see these and the remainder of this chUrNai in the next part.
Translation by krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan.
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