SrI:
Dear Srimathy Jayashree Saranathan :
It is delightful to read your welcome reflections
on the Concept of Kula Dhaivam .
The Kulam that we all have in mind is
VaishNava Kulam in all its elaborate coverage
including every one ( anya DEvathAs as well ).
AzhwAr has rightfully said " Kulam Tarum ,
Selvam tanatidum " about the power of
His mantram .
In my mind , our Oppiliappan and Lord VenkatEsan is
one and the same since our PerumAL is celebrated as
" JyEshta BrAtaa " of Thirumalai SrinivAsan .
The situation is like " Pazham Nazhuvi Paalil
VizhunthAr pOlE " for us . Therefore , Oppiliappan is
Yennappan , Ponnappan , MaNiyappan , Mutthappan and
ThiruviNNagar sErnta appan . " KaanminkaL ulaheer yenRu
KaNNmuhappE nimirntha " PerumAn , YengaLappan .
For Saint ThyagarAja , Raamachandran is sakalam .
For LeelAsukhar , KrishNan is sakalam and He asked
Raamachandran to set aside His KOdhaNdam for
few minutes , take on VeNu in His hands and present Himself
for recieving his AarAdhanam . For Srimath Azhagiya Singars ,
Lord Narasimhan is sarvasvam . For Swamy Desikan
Lord VaradarAjan of Hasti SailAgram is
his " VAsthu Paithaamaham dhanam".
Let us enjoy the special Bhaandhavyam of
Saint ThyagarAja , who described His relationship
to Ramachandra succinctly : " NeevEraa Kula dhanamu ,
NeevEraa Jeevanamu ".
Let us reflect on some of the other declarations
by Saint ThyagarAjA in this context :
1. Yamunaa KalyANi Krithi: " NaarAyaNa Hari "
" Oh Raamachandra ! I am caught up in Your grip
( as my Kula dhaivam).Let my eyes be fixed upon
your refined beauty and my heart be transported
with Joy".
2. Kannada Raagam : "idhE bhAgyamu "
" This alone is the real blessedness to be
coveted--to worship incessantly at Your
lotus feet with the whole heart ( as my Kula dhaivam
and Kula Dhanam) .
3. Raagam SupOshiNi: Kriti : RamainchuvArEvaruraa?
" Oh RaghUttamaa! Who is there among the beings
in the whole universe , who can trasport one to
transcendental joy but You ( my KUla dhaivam ) ?
4. Raagam PantuvarALi : Kriti : SaaramEgAni
About he power of the Kula dhanam's name :
" saaramEgAni anyamArga vichAramEDikE ?"
Oh Mind! Raama naama alone is the precious
thing worthy to be coveted . Why bother with
others 9 other thoughts) ?
5. The power of the Kula dhaivam's name :
" Raama ! Raghukula jalanidhi Soma !
lOkAbhirAma ! ---SaraNAgata jana rakshaka !
DhAnta! SeetA Kaanta ! KaruNA svAnta !
It is not possible for me to describe
the joy one derives from the chanting of
Your name ( inta soukhyamani nE jeppajAla ) .
"smaraNE sukhamu Raama Naama ",
" dhyAnamE varameina GangA snAnamu
( The dhyAnam of my Kula dhaivam's
name is itself the most efficacious
Bath in the holy GangA ) .
6. The uniqueness of his kula dhaivam
as his AarAdhana Murthy :
" VaadEraa dhaivamu manasaa !
( Oh My mind ! He alone is my God ).
" UndEdhi RaamudOkaduyUraka chEdipOku
manasaa " ( There is Raama , the One Lord !
Oh my mind ! do not get needlessly ruined by
seeking after others)
7. Balahamsa Raagam : Kriti: Raama yEva
dhaivatam "
Raama alone is my God .
8.Raama ! nee samAnamevaru ?
( Raama! Who is there equal to You ?).
KalyANi Raagam :
9.Kaaru vlpulu neeku sarikaaru ?
Oh Raama! No God of this universe
can be equal to You .
10. In a Chaayaa tarangini raaga krithi ,
this Raama bhakthA asks : " Is happiness
possible of attainment thru other Gods ?
Oh Raama! to me, whose mind , without
harbouring any prejudices against other faiths ,
is constantly and passionately in love with You !
10. AtaaNaa / KaDDu jEsinAvu ; Raama Bhandhu !
" You have cast the prohibitory spell of
"Raama Bhandhu " on me , preventing me from
straying into numerous other faiths claiming
allegiance to other gods .
11. Bilahari : Naa JeevAdhAramu !
" Oh the prop of my Life ! Oh RaamA !
You are the fruit of my penance , the brilliance
of my eyes , the fragrance of my nose ,
the embodiment of the letters that I chant ,
You are the flower of my worship .
12. Yadhukula KaambhOji: Nee dayachE Raama
nityAnandhadhaiti
"Oh Raama ! By Your grace , I have attained
the everlasting bliss !
13. VaraaLi Raagam : Dharanu nee saridhaivamu
gaanaraa Raghuvara !
" I have not found in this universe a God like You .
Oh RaghuveerA ! --Your blessed feet are the sole
object of my meditation and Your mercy is
my wealth and eternal bliss !
14. Hari KaambhOji : YentarAni
" Whatever may come to me or go away
from me , I will never allow myself to be
seperated from YOu .
15. NaagasvarAvaLi Raagam : " SrIpathE !"
" Oh Sripati ! Meditation on Your holy feet is
the very life and sustenance to the bright -hearted
ThyAgarAja !
16. In a most beautiful Raama Priyaa krithi ,
ThyagarAja asks : " Oh Raama ! Pray clear
my sandEham ! Are Your holy feet great or are
Your elegant sandals (Paadhukais) great ?
17. PunnaagavaraaLi Raagam : "Tava DaasOham
Daasarathy "
" Oh Son of Dasaratha! I am Your servant ...Convinced
that there is no other God like You in the world , I have
taken refuge in You ."
18. Vijaya Vasantaa Raagam: Nee chittamu naabhAgyamu !
"Oh Raamachandra! Your will is my fortune and I am
Yours . Realizing that it is ineffective to be brooding ,
I have once and for all taken refuge in You . Whenever
I see or think of other Gods , I only see You shining
in them .
Raajillu SrI ThyAgarAja vinutha
SrI Raama JayarAma SrungAra Raama !
daya sEyavayyaa sadhaya Raamachandra !
Raama! neepai tanaku prEma BhOdhu !
NeerajAksha ! Naa JeevAdhAra!
Raaga Rasika ! Raaga rahita !
ninnu vinA sukhamu gaana !
tapasu yOga phalamu neevE !
bhAnuvamsa Tilaka! Aadhi DEva !
PrANa Naatha ! SuguNaBrundha !
Saadhujana Jeevana! Sanaatana !
Dayaraani ! Dayaraani !
Daasarathi RaamA!
ThiruviNNagrappan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,
Oppiliappan Koil V.Sadagopan