sSreeh

Srimate Ramanujaya Namaha

Bhoo Stuti

by Sri Vedanta DesikaINTRODUCTION

Vande vrishageerisasya mahisheem viswadharineem

Takripaapratighaataanaam kshamayaa vaaranam yayaa

Bhoodevi, Mother Earth is a Consort of Lord Srinivasa like Sri Devi, (Mahalakshmi). VedantaDesika who sung Sri-Stuti in praise of Lakshmi has eulogised Bhoodevi in another stotra known as Bhoo Stuti, a hymn in praise of Bhoo (Earth). In the Daya Sataka there is a sloka inpraise of Bhoodevi and that is given above. There are references too to this Consort of the Lord in that hymn in praise of the mercy of Lord Srinivasa who has been personified as Daya Devi. In Daya Sataka Daya Devi is regarded as Guneshwari Empress among all theauspicious qualities and virtues of the Lord, and also as combining in herself all the excellences pertaining to each of the Consorts of the Lord. The particular virtue of Bhoo helpful to us, and to the Lord in protecting us, is Patience, or forbearance. In the Daya Sataka sloka quoted above it has been said that Bhoodevi removes the obstacles in the way of the flowof the mercy of the Lord. However merciful a person may be, if the man who seeks his mercy isknown to that person as a confirmed sinner who deserves no quarter and no help, anger will bethe first reaction of that person towards such a man: and once anger steps in there will be noscope for the play of mercy. Unless that person is able to put up with and forgive the errorsof the sinner he will never extend his mercy to the latter. The function of counseling patience has been attributed to Bhoodevi. In fact Kshama means earth and also patienceand pardoning propensity. Sri Devi approaches the Lord with a request to extend His grace tothose who come to Him seeking for it, and Bhoodevi, who also has an equal extent of sympathy and consideration towards them, aids and helps Sri Devi by invoking the Lord’s quality of forbearance. This is how the two Consorts who are always with the Lord, one on eachside of Him, Sri Devi to the right of the Lord and Bhoodevi to His left function in thematter of our protection,-help Him to protect us, and help us to earn His protection.

The Lord’s fondness towards Bhoo, however, is no whit less than that towards Sri. Thatfondness of the Lord towards Bhoodevi found full expression during the Varaaha-Avatara of theLord. Tirumala- the sacred Hill- is celebrated in the Puranas as Varaaha-Kshetra, Varaaha’s sacred spot. To this day we find worship and Naivedyam being first offered to Lord Varaaha on the banks of the Swami Pushkarani (Tank) and only then to Lord Sri Varu, the beloved Deity of millions of devotees of this sacred land. We shall find the greatness of Varaaha-avataara enjoyed in several aspects in this stotra in praise of His beloved Consort Bhoodevi. If Padmavati, who is only an alias for Daya Devi is praised in the Daya Satakaand the Sri-Stuti as a Consort of Lord Srinivasa, Bhoodevi receives full praise and adoration as the Consort of Lord Varaahaswami—Svechcha Varaaha Mahishee— in the Bhoo Stuti.

Sloka: 1.Sankalpa-kalpa-latikaam avadhim kshamaayaahSvechchaa-Varaaha-mahisheem sulabhaanukampaam|Vishvasya maataram akinchana kaamadhenumVishvambharaam asharanah sharanam prapadye|| One ||

I having no other refuge, seek refuge in Vishwambhara (Bhoodevi) who is the kalpaka-creeper in

regard to the conferment of desires longed for, who is the limit, (so to say), of the quality ofendurance, who is the Consort of the Lord- who out of His own will took the form ofVaraaha (Boar), whose mercy is easily available to one and all, who is the mother of the entire universe and who is the Kamadhenu (divine cow) granting the prayers of the helpless.

Sloka: 2.Tvaam vyaahritih prathamatah pranavah priyam teSamvedayati akhilamantraganastameva|Ittham prateeta vibhavaam itareshvidaaneemStotum yathaavad avane ka ivaarhati tvaam|| Two ||

Bhoodevi! The first vyaahriti (mystic syllable) describes thee. The sacred Pranava describes thy Consort. All the several mantras describe only thy Lord. Elsewhere also inthe Vedas Thy glory is extolled. That being so, who is there here to praise Thee adequately?

Bhoodevi is addressed in this sloka as avane. Avani is one of the several names of the Earth.

Sloka: 3.Nityam hitaahitaviparyaya baddhabhaaveTvad-veekshanaika-vinivartya-bahuvyapaaye|Mugdhaaksharaih akhiladhaarini modamaanaaMaatah sthanandhaya-dhiyam mayi vathayethaah|| Three ||

Sustainer and Protector of All! Mother mine! In regard to me who is eternally inclined to reversewhat is good (for me) and what is bad, and who has to dispel all sins of commission solelyby Thy merciful Kataaksha (glances), I beseech Thee to regard me as Thy suckling(baby) pleased by my indistinct-lettered prattle.

Sloka: 4.Sankalpa-kinkara-charaachara-chakravaalamSarvaatishaayinam anantasayasya pumsah|Bhoomaanam aatmavibhavaih punar-uktayanteeVaachaam abhoomir-api bhoomir-asi tvam ekaa|| Four ||

The immense wealth and glory of the Lord on whose will alone depends the multitude ofmovables and immovables in this world, Who excels everything and everyone, and Who reclines on His serpent couch,-that wealth is doubled by Thee (i.e., by Thy being His Consort). Thou alone art above the limit (Bhoomi) of words and yet Thou art Bhoomi.

In this sloka the poet speaks about Bhoodevi increasing the glory and wealth (Bhooma) of theLord. The Lord’s domain extends over the entire creation—sentient and non-sentient. He istherefore rightly talked of as One who excels everything and everyone—adviteeyam.Reclining on His favourite Serpent (Sesha) Couch He rules over all the worlds. But Hisglory and effulgence are seen doubled when one thinks of this vast Earth with its mountains, hillsand dales, its several seas, its golden mount Meru and its inexhaustible mines of gold andsilver. They are all His because Bhoodevi is His beloved Consort. Thus by Her own Vibhava or glory mother Earth doubles the Lord’s glory and wealth. She is Eka-unique. And she is Vaachaam-Abhoomi beyond words. (Her greatness baffles description). And yet She isBhoomi-Earth.

A nice pun on the word Bhoomi. It means earth; it also means limit, extent. Vaachaam-a-Bhoomimeans unlimited by words. The word Bhooma in the third line is also a name or Mother Earththough here it indicates abundant wealth.

Sloka: 5.Vedhas-trinaavadhi vihaaraparichchadam teVishwam charaacharatayaa vyatibhidyamaanam|Amba tvadaashritatayaa pariposhayantee

Vishwambharasya dayita asi tadeka naamaa|| Five ||

Mother! This cosmos divided as movable and immovable is Thy plaything. It is so from thefour-faced creator (Brahma) down to a blade of grass. As it has sought protection at Thyhands Thou protect it. Thereby thou art a sustainer of the cosmos even like Thy Consort;and Thou bearest His name and art beloved of Him.

The full significance of the name Vishwambhara—one of the several names of Bhoodevi—is very poetically enjoyed in this sloka. Vishwam is cosmos—the entire world and all theworlds. (It is the first name of the Lord in the Sahasranama), Bhoodevi, as much as the LordHimself, is their support sustainer and protector. So She is a Vishwambhara even as He is aVishwambharah. They depend on Her and they depend on Him for their existence and safety.Added to it Bhoodevi is the beloved Consort of the Lord. And they bear the same name.Can we find another pair-husband and wife—with such similarities and identical tastes andinterests?

Sloka: 6.Sarvamsaheti avaniriti achaleti maatahVishwambhareti vipuleti vasundhareti|Anyaani chaanyavimukhaani abhidhaanavrittyaaNaamaanyamooni kathayanti tavaanubhaavam|| Six ||

Mother mine! Thy names such as Sarvamsahaa, Avani, Achalaa, Vishwambhara, Vipulaa and Vasundara, and other similar names which are all exclusively relevant to youand are not capable of being applied to any one else loudly proclaim Thy glory by their primaryimport.

As in sloka 8 of Sri Stuti which dealt with several names of Lakshmi, this sloka refers to thegreatness of Bhoodevi as reflected in Her several names. Each one of the several names bywhich She is known indicate only Her by their primary import (Abhidhana Vritti). They areAnya-vimukhaah,-- inapplicable to anyone else. Each one of the names proclaims one aspect ofBhoodevi’s many sided greatness.

Thus, Sarvam-sahaa points to a peculiar characteristic of Bhoodevi viz., the capacity to putup with anything and everything; extreme inexhaustible patience and forbearance. It is reallyproverbial as is well known—the patience of Bhoomidevi which has already been referred to.

Then comes Avanih. It indicates protection. Not only does Bhoo bear all the created beings butShe feeds them, nourishes and protects them by producing grains, fruits and otherthings which are indispensable to their existence, sustenance and growth.

Achala shows to us Her immobility and firmness. Only when there is an earthquake—a very rare exception which proves the rule—are we reminded of the normal condition of earthbeing terra firma—or firm earth. The word may also mean Her stead-fastness in protecting Her devotees. Even as He is Achyuta not capable of letting slip His devotees, She is Achala, firm that unshakable in Her resolve to protect Her votaries.

Vishwambhara, means one who supports the entire world. Vishwam is the first name of theLord in the Sahasranama. Bhoodevi bears Him too not only in His subtle form of Antaryami orin dweller in all men and things, but also in His numerous avataara as Rama, Krishna, etc., andin His innumerable forms as Archa Emberumans—(Images in Temples).

The vast extent of the Earth gives Bhoomi, the name Vipula.

Next, She is Vasundhara—possessing immense wealth, such as gold silver and several otherminerals in mines, which are her womb so to say, and priceless gems and corals at the bottom

of the seas. Vasu is wealth. As she bears them she is Vasundhara.

Having set out of six of Bhoodevi’s proper names the poet refers to Her having several othernames. Some of them are Bhoomi, Dhatree, Anantaa, Sthiraa and Kshamaa.

Thus the names of Bhoodevi by themselves proclaim Her greatness and glory.

Sloka: 7.Taapaan kshipan prasavitaa sumanoganaanaamPrachchaayasheetalatalah pradishan phalaani|Tvatsangamaat bhavati maadhavi labdhaposhahShaakhaashatair adhigato harichandanosou|| Seven ||

Maadhavi! This Lord who is like a greenish sandalwood tree (and is therefore known asHarichandana) by His association with Thee and as a result dispels the scorching heat(suffered by His devotees), becomes the generator of hosts of celestials, becomes the bestower of cool and refreshing shade (on those who resort to Him), fulfils all human desires andis praised by hundreds of Vedic texts.

(another meaning)

This Harichandana tree rendered luscious and fat by Thee (earth) dispels the heat of the sun,produces very fragrant flowers, has a very cool and pleasant shade at its foot, yields nice fruitsand has numerous branches.

Harichandana is according to some, one of the mythical trees of Paradise like the Kalpaka,Mandara, Paarijata. Hari the Lord ever fragrant and delightful like chandana (sandal) is also aHarichandana. In the Goda-stuti Goda is referred to as the Kalpaka creeper sweetly windingitself round that Harichandana that is Lord Ranganatha.

In this sloka of Bhoo Stuti, several loveable aspects of the Lord are dealt with and all of themattributed to His association and contact with Bhoodevi. The ideas are nicely developed in theform of a slesha employing words which will apply both to the Lord (Hari) and to theHarichandana tree. There are five such descriptions applicable to both.

1. Taapaan kshipan: Dispelling all kinds of heat. The tree gives shelter to all those whoresort to it, shelter from heat engendered by sun, hot winds etc. The Lord similarly drivesaway taapa-traya, or threefold heat known as aadhyaatmika, aadhibhoutika and aadhidaivikaof His votaries who pray to Him for relief from age long taapa (suffering) to which they havebeen subjected.

2. Prasavitaa-sumano-ganaanaam: Yielding multitudes of flowers (in case of the tree) ordevas (in the case of the Lord). Sumanas means flower, also deva (a celestial). Gana isgroup of multitude. The tree yields numerous clusters of flowers. The Lord brings into existence several celestials from time to time investing several individual souls, who have good deeds to their credit, with the status of devas—the denizens of devaloka.

3. Prachchaaya-sheetala-talah: The tree because of the side sweep of its numerous branchesaffords cool and refreshing sports round its trunk. The Lord also confers cool and refreshing shades Vasudeva taruchchaaya. The shade of the tree of Vasudeva is a familiarexpression. The Bhagavata Purana as is well known describes the Lord as an Aadivriksha, theprimordial tree.

Talah meaning spot refers to the place round the trunk of a tree in the meaning of tree forHarichandana. In the meaning Hari it must be taken to refer to the Feet of the Lord whichfurnish a cool heaven for devotees.

4. Pradishan phalaani: This of course is the most important and vital aspect of the tree aswell as of the Lord-bestowing fruits. The fruits that a tree yields are ofcourse its best andmost appreciated aspect. Ofcourse there are trees and it is not all trees whose fruitsconstitute its best part, as for instance the banyan tree. The trees that yield fruits which men highly cherish are numerous. The Harichandana tree is evidently one of them.

Phala means fruit and also any desired object or end. The Lord is noted for His ability andreadiness to fulfill the desires of His devotees. Their desires are classified and referred to asPurushaarthas-four in number, Dharmam, Artam, Kaamam, and Moksham. The Lord confersthen on His devotees. He rejoices to confer the desired fruits on a devotee. That is indicatedby the prefix pra in pradishan. He gives with prakarsha or joy.

Pradishan phalaani may also refer to His being the giver of the fruits of our karma. Hegives the phalam according to what each one deserves.

5. Shaakaashatair-adhigatah: The tree has hundreds of branches. The Lord is the subject ofpraise by hundreds of Vedic texts. (Shaakha-Veda Shaakha).

Thus the tree is seen well fed and nourished by the earth. Thus the Lord is seen to obtain allthese great traits because of His association with Bhoodevi who feeds and enriches the severalaspects of the Lord set out above.

Even as we enjoy the fine slesha and the nice words employed in this sloka we must enjoy thesentiments contained in the sloka about the Lord being invested with so many sweet andattractive qualities, all due to His having Bhoodevi as His Consort.

Bhoodevi is addressed in this sloka as Maadhavi. That is one of the names by which She ispraised in the Bhoosookta-Maadhaveem Maadhavapriyam. Maadhavi is a creeper known alsoas Kurukkatthi in Tamil. Andal refers to Maadhavi pandal mel in verse 18 of her Tiruppavai.The appropriateness and aptness of referring to Bhoodevi as a Maadhavi creeper in a sloka inpraise of Harichandana tree have to be specially enjoyed. The full force of tvat sangamaat canbe fully comprehended. Lord and Bhoo are united as a tree and a creeper entwining itself roundthat tree.

Sloka: 8.Smerena vardhitarasasya mukhendunaa teNispandataam vijahato nijayaa prakrityaa|Vishraantibhoomirasi tattva taranga panktehVeleva Vishnujaladeh aprithagbhavantee|| Eight ||

To the ocean (that is Vishnu) whose waters swell the sight of the full moon which is theearth’s face (whose enjoyment is enhanced by Thy moonlike face with its captivating smile),and which by its very nature has given up the state of motionlessness (who by His own will—maya—has given up inactivity). Thou art the ultimate limit for the rows on rows of its waves (the ultimate tava or real) and art inseparable like the shore.

Vishnu and the ocean are the subjects of the Slesha in this sloka even as the Lord and theHarichandana tree were the subjects of that fine alankaara in the previous sloka.

The ocean and the earth are inseparable—one cannot be without the other. The Earth forms theshore of the ocean. The moon which is poetically referred to as the face of the Earth makesthe water of the ocean swell. The reference obviously is to the high tide of the seas during fullmoon. The waters of the sea are ever restless always whipping themselves into a seething mass of waves which rise and fall endlessly and stop always with the shore (earth) beyond whichthey never go. This is the substance of the points relating to the earth and the sea that are set out

in the sloka.

The words employed give an entirely different meaning with reference to Vishnu and Bhoodeviwho have many similarities with the ocean and the Earth respectively.

Bhoodevi being a fond Consort of the Lord, the Lord’s amorous feelings (rasa) become moresweet and enjoyable at the sight of Bhoodevi’s bright and effulgent moonlight face, lit up, so tosay to a higher degree of brightness by a lovely smile lurking on Her sweet lips.

Another point of similarity between Vishnu and Jaladhi (ocean) is that like the latter which isever restless the Lord is ever and anon alert, active and moving. Creation, protection, destruction—these cosmic acts are always there making the Lord ever and incessantly active.

And if the earth and the sea cannot exist one without the other, the Lord and Bhoodevi toocannot exist one without the other (apritak—inseparable).

To the waves of the sea, the earth is the final limit, as they terminate with the shore. So too for theseveral tattvas that emerge like waves one after the another by the will of the Lord at thetime of creation, Bhoomi is the last. The reference here must be to the 24 Tattvas made up ofprakriti, mahat, ahankara, the five Jnaanedriyas, the five Karmedriyas, manas, the fivetanmaatraas and the 5 elements of which the Earth is the last. As Bhoomi is the last, it is saidhere to be the Vishraanti bhoomi with a nice pun on the word Bhoomi the place of termination,--where the tattvas terminate. Sloka: 9.Svaabhaavike vasumati shrutibhir vibhaavyePatyur mahimni bhavateem pratipannavaasaam|Shanke vimaanavahanapratimaasamaanaahStamberamaprabhritayopi vahanti satvaah|| Nine ||

Vasumati! Thou hast Thy residence in the inexpressible glory of Thy Husband, which is of theessence of His existence and which can adequately be understood only by the Vedas. I thereforethink that the belief that Thou art being supported by the eight dig-gajaas (elephants) or by theeight Nagas (Serpents) is like the belief which some people entertain that the figures that adorn a Vimaana or Gopuram are the supporters of that Vimaana or Gopuram.

It is popularly believed—and there are certain references in the Puranas which justify that belief—that the Earth is kept in its place by Elephants according to some and Serpents according toothers, which hold aloft the earth from the eight directions, north, north-east, east, south-east,south, south-west, west and north-west (cf. The belief of westerners that one Atlas a Titan lifts up the earth and holds it on his shoulders). Referring to that belief the poet says that it is as true as the belief held by some that a Gopuram (temple-tower) is being supported by theseveral images carved in it. The Gopuram supports those images, not the other way about. So too the eight elephants or the eight serpents must receive support from the Earth; the Earthcannot and does not receive support from them.

Then who supports the earth? The Lord’s incomparable Strength is the answer afforded by thissloka. Bhoodevi finds support from Her Husband’s Mahima or glory. The idea underlying thissloka is taken from the famous Mahabharata sloka.

Dyaussachandraarka nakshatram kham disor bhoormahodadhihVaasudevasya veeryena vidhritaani mahaatmanah

It is Vasudeva’s veerya (valor) that support the sky, sun, moon, stars, earth, and oceans. Thesupport that Bhoodevi receives is thus only from the Lord and no one else.

That Mahima or glory of the Lord in which lies safety and support for Bhoodevi can beunderstood correctly and adequately only by the Vedas. For is He not known only to theVedas? His Mahima or glory is svaabhika, natural to Him, not acquired. And He is Bhoodevi’sPati (Husband). The wife finds support from the Husband and no one else. To attribute any outside support to a wife is sure to be resented by her. So Bhoodevi finds immense pleasure in thethought that Her husband alone is supporting Her.

Sloka: 10.Sambhaavayan madhuripuh pranayaanurodhaatVakshahsthalena varunaalayaraajakanyaam|Vishwambhare bahumukha pratipannabhogahSheshaatmanaa tu bhavateem shirasaa dadhaati|| Ten ||

Vishwambhara! The Lord, who is the slayer of the asura Madhu, out of the abundance of Hisfondness for that Daughter of the King of ocean (Lakshmi) has accorded a seat to Her on Hischest. But because of His extreme and many-sided amorous disposition towards Thee, Hesupports Thee, bears Thee on His head taking the form of Adisesha.

It is pointed out in this sloka that the Lord is even more fond of Bhoomidevi than He is ofSridevi. And that is done by showing that while Lakshmi has been given a seat in HisVakshastala. Bhoodevi finds a place on the Lord’s head. Popularly a husband who is a willingslave to his wife is said to dance to her tunes by keeping her on his head. One poet is said to have sung about such a person as a Sirastadhaarah (with a veiled reference to Sheristadar, an officer in court of law). Desika appears to sing in a similar humorous vein here by saying that the Puranic sentiment that Adisesha is keeping the earth in its position in spaceby bearing it on his head (vide-previous sloka also). The word Seshaatmana is very cleverlyused to suggest three meanings at least. One is as Adisesha or in the form of Adisesha. Thesecond is, by the remaining portion of Himself, i.e., having given His chest to Lakshmi, by His entire remaining self, He lifts up Bhoodevi on His head. The third is, as a sesha or dasa—a servant, a willing slave. The particle ‘api’ after Seshaatmana in the sloka is designedly usedto suggest the above and other similar meanings.

In regard to Laksmidevi the word used is Sambhaavayan regarding with great pranaya or love.But for Bhoodevi the word is Shirasaadadhaati. He may be fond of Lakshmi in His heart but inaction He bears Bhoodevi on His head. There is pranayaanurodhaat here it is Seshaatmana.

The Lord is referred to as Madhuripu (enemy of Madhu the asura). In Sri Stuti, Desika seems tothink of Lord Srinivasa as Madhusoodhana. And He is the one Lord who is well knownto be Alar mel mangaiyuraimaarban in the language of Nammalwar.

Even like the word Seshaatmana the compound word Bahumukha pratipanna bhogah hasdifferent meanings—one as applied to the Lord and one as applied to Adisesha. Theamorous enjoyment of Bhoodevi by the Lord is many-sided and multi faced. Adisesha hasseveral hoods or heads. Bhogah means enjoyment; it also means the body of a serpent.

Adisesha is the Sesha nonpareil. As Poigai Alvan in Tamil and Alavandar in Sanskrit have put it, Adisesha takes several forms and serves the Lord from time to time as need be. Thatis why people refer to him as Sesha. His avataara Lakshmana has described this service in anutshell in the words Aham Sarvam Karishyaami—I shall do everything for you.

The address Vishwambhare in this sloka once again shows how Bhoodevi bears everything and everything is in turn borne by the Lord.

Sloka: 11.Kreedaa varaaha dayite kritinah kshiteendraah

Sankrandanas taditare api dishaam adheeshaah|Aamodayanti bhuvanaanyalikaashritaanaamAmba tvadanghri rajasaam parinaama bhedaih|| Eleven ||

Beloved of the sporting Varaaha! Mother Mine! The fortunate kings of this world, and Indraand other Digpalakas gladden all worlds, each in his own way, dependent upon the extent of thedust of Thy feet that has stuck to their foreheads (while paying their respects to Thee).

The strength of the kings of this world and the chiefs of the Devas of Devaloka is derived fromthe grace and bounty of Bhoomidevi. They prostrate before Her out of their love and adoration towards Bhoomidevi. When they do so their foreheads come into contact with Her feetand the dust of those feet sticks to those foreheads. The larger the quantity of the dust, thegreater is the blessing that they receive and the greater is the strength they derive in ruling overthe realms under their way.

The fact that one king is superior to another or that one God is superior to another is attributed tothe fact that the grace of Bhoodevi has descended on the former to a greater extent than on thelatter. This sloka is very reminiscent of Sri Parasara Bhattar’s sloka in Srigunaratnakosham wherein the great Acharya and poet has sung to the effect that the extent to which Lakshmi-kataaksha falls upon a person determines the extent of greatness of his powerand position. The term used here for Indra, the chief of Devas is Sankrandana. That has been taken to be a reference to Indra because he is reputed to have the power of making hisenemies, the Asuras, weep.

Sloka: 12.Bhooteshu yat tvadabhimaanaviseshapaatramPosham tadeva bhajateeti vibhaavayantah|Bhootam prabhootagunapanchakam aadyam evaPraayo nidarshanatayaa pratipaadayanti|| Twelve ||

That being (denizen of the world) who is the recipient of Thy special grace obtains theplentitude of wealth (in the shape of money, grace etc.,). This is what those who know of thingsunderstand to be the truth. They point out as an illustration the fact that out of the five elements all the five characteristics are present only in the first of them, namely, earth (Bhoomi).

A great truth is mentioned in this sloka and from that an inference is also drawn. Out of the fiveelements, earth, water, fire, air and space, the first is the earth. There are five characteristicspresent in these five elements—smell, taste, form, touch and sound (gandha, rasa, roopa,sparsha, and sabda). Though the order in which the elements are referred to is as above withPrithvi (earth) as the first and akasha (space) as the last, evolution of the elements as described in the Upanishads and elsewhere is in the reverse order. First it is space. From space comes air. From air fire; from fire water; from water, earth. The element known asakasha (space) has got only one characteristic, namely, sound. It does not possess the other four.The next one, according to the order of evolution, air, has got both sound and touch, but not theother three. Agni, fire has got sound, touch and also form (roopa). Water has got sound, touch,form and also taste. The earth alone, the last in the process of evolution—but the first incomputation—has got all the five characteristics; sound touch, form, taste and smell. Smellbeing the exclusive characteristic present in earth, earth is known as Ghandhavati Prithvi.The first verse in Tirumazhisai Alwar’s Triuchchanda Viruttam sings about this—how Lord is Himself five characteristics present in earth, the four present in water, the three present in fire, the two present in air and the one present in akasha or space. The full complement of the five characteristics can thus be seen to be present only in the earth, both as laid down in thetexts and also as easily verifiable in our experience.

This is shown by the learned ones as an instance which exemplifies the fullness that a person can

attain in regard to life by becoming the recipient of the grace of Bhoodevi who is theAbhimanidevata, so to say, of earth (Prithvi). By offering worship to Bhoodevi and obtaining hergrace in a large measure a person is sure to get in plenty; all that makes for a full life here andhereafter.

Not only the kings of this world and of the Devaloka but even an ordinary being in thisworld by becoming the special object of the bounty of Bhoodevi leads a full and rich life.

Sloka: 13.Kaantas tavaisha karunaajaladhih prajaanaamAajnaatilanghanavashaad upajaataroshah|Ahnaaya vishwajanani kshamayaa bhavatyaaSarvaavagaahanasahaam upayaati avasthaam|| Thirteen ||

Mother of all the worlds! This Consort of Thine who, though Himself and ocean of mercy,becomes enraged at the transgressions of His command by people; but very soon by Theewho art Kshama (forbearance) itself, He attains a state in which He becomes approachable byevery one.

This sloka explains how in spite of our numerous sins of commission and omission the Lordbecomes our protector. By nature He is an ocean of mercy—Karuna Jaladhi as stated here, or Karunaa Varunaalayam, but His mercy alone will not suffice to secure His protection to us for we have to credit innumerable transgressions from the path marked out by Him. The Shastras contain His commands. In fact they are so called only because they containcommands. Saasanaat Shastram—Do like this, don’t do like this, they say. But due to our innate love for the pleasures of the flesh and to our identifying ourselves with the body, wedo not pay heed to those commands which are all calculated for the uplift of our Aatma. As pointed out in sloka 3 we have, with a thoroughly perverted notion of values, deliberatelydisobeyed those commands, desisting from doing ordained acts and persisting in doing prohibited acts, and that in spite of warnings received by us from elders and by visitations of punishment in some form or another. No wonder therefore that the Lord’s ire is roused andwhen in a mood of contrition and penitence we think of resorting to Him for help and protection but are afraid to approach Him. He is certainly a merciful Lord but the flow of His mercy is obstructed by the anger engendered in His heart. That is what is referred to asKripaa-pratighaataah. That obstruction to the flow of Daya can by removed only by exercising the faculty of patience. Bhoodevi is Patience incarnate. She is Kshama which meanspatience and also earth.

What a transformation does it work on the Lord! The ernst-while angry and wrathful Lord Whomwe are afraid to approach suddenly becomes approachable and accessible to every one. TheLord gets into Sarva-avagaahana-sahaam-avasthaam, a state in which any one and every onecan without fear go near Him and plead for mercy. The word avagaah also means get immersed in, bathe. He becomes a tank in which every one can have his bath. He is Hari-Saras asMukundamaala has it or Dheerighikaa as Daya Sataka puts it. By immersing ourselves therein we shed our taapa-traya, the threefold heat we are suffering from. This benefit results to us solely because of Bhoodevi being near Him. She is therefore fondly addressed here as Vishwa-jananee—the mother of all. Mother that she is, She pleads to the Lord on our behalf to overlook our numerous sins and to extend His protection to us. But for Her, the mercypossessed by Him will not become available to us, and His face would remain turned against us,as sated in sloka 24 of Goda Stuti. Sloka: 14.Aashvaasanaaya jagataam purushe parasminAapannarakshanadashaam abhinetukaame|Antarhitetaragunaat abalaasvabhaavaatAoudanvate payasi majjanam abhyanaisheeh|| Fourteen ||

Seeing that the Supreme Lord-Paramapurusha—with a view to bring succour and solace to the(beings of the) world, becomes desirous of attaining a state of protecting those in distress,Thou (with a view to obtain His protection) drowned Thyself in the Sea allowing yourfeminine qualities (for the nonce) to hide Thy other qualities.

According to the Puranas the asura Hiranyaksha took hold of this earth and hid her in thePaataala-loka below the seas. This is incompatible with Bhoomi Devi’s great and divinequalities. So Vedanta Desika beautifully suggests that Bhoodevi getting into the clutches of that asura and being taken below the sea was really due to Bhoodevi’s own desire to getinto some sort of trouble in order to obtain the Lord’s protection,--even as Sita Devi allowedHerself to be carried away by Ravana though She was quite capable of preventing him fromdoing so. For we see Sita Devi telling Ravana to his face in the Sundara Kaanda why she doesnot reduce him to ashes.

Kamban makes Sita Devi sing in a similar strain: Ulagangal yaavayum en shollinaal suduven(I can scorch all the worlds by one word of mine). So it is not out of any sense of impotencythat Sita allowed Herself to be captured by Ravana, or Bhoodevi allowed Herself to be takenaway by Hiranyaksha down into the sea. Even as Sita entered prison in Lanka, Bhoodevi gotsubmerged and immersed in the sea. Both hid their higher powers underneath the sheath of femininity. The weakness (abala) of the sex was used as a cloak to hide the other gunas orattributes. So Bhoodevi became immersed in the sea. The word used here ‘abhyanaishee’ is also capable of suggesting that she acted a part while getting immersed in the sea.

But why? The answer is furnished in the first half of the sloka. There is the Lord to protectthose in distress. So when a state of distress is attained by Bhoodevi the Lord’s protection issure to come to Her. The Lord has taken a desire to protect persons in distress and give themaasvaasa-solace. To fulfill that desire Bhoo is here suggested to have got into distress of Herown volition. On the one hand she gets protected and the other the Lord’s desire to protect getssatisfied. This also establishes the Supremacy of Lord over Bhoo.

It is said that Kunti Devi—mother of the Pandavas prayed to Lord Sri Krishna that she mayalways be afflicted with perils so that her mind may ever think of Him and pray to Him to get herout of those perils. Sloka: 15.Poorvam varaahavapushaa purushottamenaPreetena bhogisadane samudeekshitaayaah |Paadaahataah pralayavaaridhayas-tavaasanUdvaahamangalavidheruchitaa mridangaah|| Fifteen ||

The Lord (Purushotama) Who had assumed the form of Varaaha lovingly searched for Thee andfound Thee in Nagaloka (the place of serpents), and in the process of lifting Thee through theSeas His kicks administered to the waters of the seas of pralaya sounded like appropriatemridanga sounds for the auspicious function of Thy marriage.

Coming to know of Bhoodevi’s distress in having been taken to Nagaloka (the world of snakes)under the seas, the merciful Lord who was very fond of Bhoodevi took the Varaaha form andsaw Her there. The seeing is referred to as preetena samudeekshanam. Eekshana is looking.Udeekshana indicates that He was looking out for Bhoodevi. Samudeekshana shows it was athorough and careful search. This was done with preeti or love as shown by the word preetena.For carrying out this search He took the form of a Varaaha (Boar) so that the search may bemade beneath the surface of the earth and also under the seas. Ultimately, the Lord sighted Bhoodevi in Nagaloka which is the land of the serpents (Bhogi Sadana). And His love towardsHer shone in His eyes. Preetena Samudeekshana may be used to give this meaning also.

At once He lifted Her up and carried Her through the seas which were so big andimmense as to be referred to as pralayavaari or the water of Pralaya, and brought Her out ofthe seas. The passage through the waters could be accomplished only by striking at the waterswith the legs as in swimming. That is poetically referred to here as creating sweet sounds likethose of the mridangam—a drum capable of producing musical notes. And it sounds to the poetas if a mridangam is played at the wedding of the Lord and Bhoodevi. Udvaaha means liftingup. It also means a wedding or marriage. This auspicious act is indicated by the use of the word“mangala”. And the appropriateness of the music for the wedding is shown by the use of theword uchita meaning appropriate.

Sloka: 16.Vyomaathilanghini vibhoh pralayaamburaashouVeshantalesha iva maatum ashakyamoorteh|Sadyah samudravasane! SarasairakaarsheehAanandasaagaraam apaaram apaanga paataih|| Sixteen ||

Sea garmented Lady!The huge waters of the Pralaya seas became like a small pond to that LordWho assumed a form (as Varaaha) whose size is beyond measurement. But at the same timethe glances emanating from the corner of Thine eyes, accompanied as they were by great love,created a limitless ocean of Ananda (bliss) to the Lord.

When the Lord rescued Bhoomidevi and carried Her through the Seas to safety, she lookedupon Him with gratitude and love and that is described in this sloka. The sloka also makesreference to one feature of Varaaha avataara which has been mentioned in the Puranas and inthe verses of the Alwars—viz., His size. Tirumangai Alwar for instance gives us an idea of the hugeness of the Varahavapus (Body of Varaaha) when he refers to Mount Meru as being one of the myriads of stone inserted in the jewel (anklet) adorning the feet of Varaaha. Here in this sloka the size of Varaaha’s body is shown to us against the volume of the watersof pralaya through which the Lord had to wade while bringing Bhoodevi to the surface. Thoseimmense and immeasurable waters were a mere corner of a small pond (veshanta-lesha) to Varaaha. We are left to imagine His size there from, even as Tirumangai Alwar left us to imagine by stating that the mighty Mount Meru was one of the stones in the anklet on one of the Feet of Varaaha. The size of Varaaha is so proverbial that Desika refers to this avataara in his Dashavataara Stotra as Mahaa-potrin—Big Varaaha, almost translating the description Maanamilaapanri of Andal.

So big was the Lord in this avataara, He was soon drowned in another sea, the sea of blissgenerated by the lovely and loving side-glances that issued out of Bhoomidevi’s eyes out of abundance of Her gratitude and affection for Him. That is the very fine sentiment enshrined inthe second half of the sloka. It is said that Bhoomidevi created an Anandasaagaram-ocean ofbliss, which was limitless—by casting Her love laden glances from the corners of Her eyes.

The appropriateness of the address to Bhoomidevi in this sloka is there, as usual. She isreferred to as Samudra-Vasane—having the seas as Her garment. A person is sure to be bigger insize than his dress. So Bhoodevi is by being referred to as Samudra-Vasane—pointed out tobe greater in size than the seas that encircle Her like a garment. No wonder therefore that HerLord is depicted as big enough to regard the seas as a portion of a small pond.

But He was not big enough for the ocean of bliss which Bhoodevi created. Even asNammalwar encircled the great Parabrahman by his love Bhoodevi also created an ocean bigenough for Him too, out of her love.

Sloka: 17.Damshtraavidaarita mahaasurashonitaankaihAngaih priyasthava dadhe parirambhaleelaam|

Saa te payodhijalakelisamutthitaayaahSairandhrikeva vidadhe navam angaraagam|| Seventeen ||

Thy beloved Lord indulged in the sport of fondly embracing Thee with the several parts ofHis body which bore stains of the blood of that big asura, Hiranyaksha whose body was torn tobits by His teeth. That sport was the chambermaid who beautified Thy body by smearingsandal etc.at the time when Thou had just emerged from the sea after sporting in its waters.

The intense pleasure derived by the Lord when He became the target of Bhoodevi’s armorousglances, referred to in the previous sloka resulted in the Lord’s close and warm embrace. For asBhartruhari puts it in his Sringara Sataka in a sloka , "a lover while his beloved is away from his desires just for a sight of her, when she comes to him and is seen by him he gets anintense desire to embrace her".

The result of the embrace by Varaaha is invested with a poetic touch and it is stated thatthereby Bhoodevi was adorned and beautified in a manner in which a princess is bedecked andadorned by her maids who apply perfumed oil to her hair, sandal and other powders to herbody and so on, after a bath. Here Bhoodevi had just come out of the sea in the companyof Her Lord and lover. That is referred to as a jalakreeda or sport in water. No wonder that Herhair got disheveled and all anga-ragaas (body-beautifying pastes and anointments) had disappeared as after a bath. The necessity therefore arose for a chamber-maid to attend on Her and help Her. The sport of embrace parirambhaleela acted as the female attendant.

Sloka: 18.AnyonyasamvalanajrimbhitatooryaghoshaihSamvartasindhusalilaih vihitaabhishekaa|Ekaatapatrayasi vishwam idam gunaih svaihAdhyaasya bhartur-adhikonnatam amsapeetam|| Eighteen ||

Attended by the sound of musical instruments in the shape or the sounds caused by the wavesbeating against one another, Thou wert bathed (had Thy abhishekam) in the waters of theencircling seas, and thereafter Thou ascendest (as on a throne) the very eminent shoulder ofThy Consort, and from there rulest over this Cosmos by Thy numerous gunas, under oneumbrella.

This sloka refers to the Pattabhishekam and enthronement of Bhoodevi after which She beginsto reign Supreme over all the worlds as an Empress.(In the Sri Stuti also the coronation of Lakshmi was described in sloka 13). The setting here is different.

Coronation usually consists of an Abhishekam (which gives the name Pattabhisheka to it) with theplaying of music, then being seated on the throne as a prelude to ruling over the Kingdom,with a wide white umbrella held overhead, an insignia of royalty. All these stages are described inthis sloka.

The Abhisheka or drenching with holy water to the accompaniment of music is first described.The music is here furnished by the waves of the sea beating against one another. That is theVaadya gosha for this coronation. The water used for the Abhisheka is the water of the sea as thecoronation takes place in the sea out of which Bhoomidevi was brought to the surface. ThenShe is seated on the grand, eminent and dignified shoulder of the Lord and that is Her throne.From there She reigns with the help of Her great and noble qualities which are Her armoury.

The word used here for reigning is Ekaatapatrayasi, meaning you bring under oneumbrella. The reign of feminity under a moonlike white umbrella Chattra-chchaaya or theshade of an umbrella is an essential insignia or royalty.

Gunoughaih: by the multitude of Her auspicious qualities.

(In the Sri Stuti it is told that Lakshmi’s Coronation took place in front of the Lord—Her Consort-sloka 31). Here the coronation takes place while Bhoodevi is seated on theshoulder of the Lord. (In sloka 14 of Sri Stuti reference was made to Lakshmi seated on the Chest of the Lord -Vishnu-vakshasthala). Bhoodevi is seated higher—on the shoulder ofthe Lord which is referred to as adhikonnatam-amsa-peetam—very lofty pedestal viz., the Lord’s shoulder.

Sloka: 19.Bharthus-tamaala-ruchire bhuja-madhya-bhaageParyaayamouktikavatee prishataih payodheh|Taapaanubandhashamanee jagataam trayaanaamTaaraapathe sphurasi taarakitaa nisheva|| Nineteen ||

Thou shinest on the tamala-green chest of Thy Spouse like nights along with stars, studded asThou art with seeming pearls in the shape of the ocean’s water drops and dispelling as Thou dostthe discomforts engendered by heat.

This sloka is couched in the form of a slesha. The words employed apply to the night aswell as to Bhoodevi. The close association of the Lord and Bhoodvi stirs up in the poet’s mindthoughts about a night clinging to the sky. The chest of the Lord is likened to the sky andBhoodevi is the night.

During nights the firmament is studded with stars. During nights the heat of the day and the irksomeness and discomforts due to the heat disappear.

Bhoodevi is reported to be greenish in colour. The spray caused by the waves of the seasettles on Bhoodevi like white pearls which resemble stars on the night firmament. Then again asnight advances the heat of the day is forgotten and a sense of relief from heat creeps in to themind of men. So too as we become the recipients of Bhoodevi’s grace our taapa-traya(threefold heat) disappears. There is thus similarity between Bhoodevi and the night. Even asthe night settles on the sky Bhoodevi settles on the sky like chest of the Lord.

This sloka thus enjoys the combination of colours in the combination of the Lord and Bhoodevi.

Sloka: 20.Aasakta-vaasava-sharaasana-pallavais-tvaamSamvriddaye shubha tatid-guna-jaala-ramyaih|Devesha-divya-mahisheem dhrita-sindhu-toyaihJeemoota-ratna-kalashair-abhishinchati dyouh|| Twenty ||

The sky (firmament) performs abhishekam to Thee—who art the divine Consort of the Lordof the Devas—with clouds as gem-set vessels adorned with tender (mango) leaves in the shapeof the bow of Indra and rendered beautiful by auspicious threads of lightning, and containingthe waters of the sea for the prosperity of the world.

Another abhishekam for Bhoodevi. The pouring rains are figured as an abhishekam to the Earthby the Sky.

During the performance of Kalasha Abhishekam we have noted how pure and consecratedwater contained in numerous vessels, which have thread wound round them, and with pallavas (mango leaves) and other auspicious articles in them, is poured on the God. Thesedetails are set out in this sloka.

The kalashas or vessels are clouds (Jeemoota). They are set with gems and other precious stones (Ratna-kalashas). The leaves (pallavas) placed in those vessels for purpose of auspiciousness are variegated colours of the rainbow present in the clouds. Pallavas like those of

the Mango tree maantulir are noted only for their silken softness but also for the various coloursthey contain. (It is only later they become green in colour). These various colours are likened tothe several colours of the rainbow.

If the rainbow, which is believed to be the bow of Indra (indradhanus), is the pallava added tothe water in the kalashas, the thread wound round those kalashas as per rules is said to be thelightening.

The kalashas have been rendered pretty to look at by having tatidguna-jaala, numerousthreads of lightning, wound round them. And they are all shubha—auspicious.

Of course the waters contained in the kalashas are the waters of the sea. For, the clouds arenothing but seawater drawn by the process of evaporation through space. This truth isexpressed in the words dhrita-sindhu-toyaih.

This picturesque abhishekam is performed to Bhoo, the Consort of the God of Gods, by dyouhthe sky, with a view to the improvement and betterment of earth. Only because of the rains theearth becomes full of crops, plants and trees for the benefit of mankind.

Sloka: 21.Aavirmadaih amaradantibhiruhyamaanaamRatnaakarana ruchiraam rashanaagunena|Maatastrilokajananeem vanamaalineem tvaamMaayaavaraahamahisheem avayantisantah|| Twenty One ||

Mother!hou ridest on celestial elephants which are in rut, shinest beautiful because of Thy waist-ornament studded with precious stones, art the mother of the three worlds, art theConsort of that Lord Who shines by His Vanamala (known as Vaijayanti) being His Spouse in his wonderful Varaaha avataara—this is what Thou art understood to be by the greatand true ones.

The earth is supported on the heads of the dig-gajas which are ever in rut, it is surrounded bythe seas (as by a waist-ornament) and looks grand and imposing thereby, it gives birth to thethree worlds, and it has rows and rows of forests as its garlands.

Earth and Bhoomidevi, -this sloka contains a slesha applicable to the two of them.

1. Earth: The earth is supported by the dig-gajas (elephants bearing the earth on their headsfrom all the eight directions as stated earlier.) Poets often refer elephants as being in rutand exuding fluid which is known as mada-jala.

The earth is encircled by the seas which are known as Ratnaakara and that is described bysaying that the seas are the waist ornaments of the earth which make it look nice and beautiful.

The earth is next said to be the progenitor of the three worlds. Probably it means that it givesplace to swargaloka above and narakaloka below to provide for men who do good deeds and forthose who are guilty of evil deeds respectively. The karma done on this earth must normallyresult in life in Swarga (Paradise) or in Naraka (hell).

Lastly it is said that the earth has forests for its garlands, and there are rows and rows of forests.

2. Bhoodevi: As She is an Empress as pointed out already, She rides on celestial elephants. Shehas a waist-ornament-Mekhala (or oddiyanam in Tamil)—which is set with precious stonesand so makes Her beautiful and grand. She is the mother of all the worlds. And She whobelongs to Vanamala is Vanamalinee.

The Upanishads know about the greatness and glory of Bhoodevi and they refer toHer as Mayyaa-Varaaha-Mahishee, the Queen-Consort of Lord Varaaha. Such a gloriousBhoodevi is our mother.

Sloka: 22.Nishkantaka prashama yoga nishevaneeyaamChaayaavishesha paribhoota samasta taapaam|SwargaapavargasaranimbhavateemushantiSwachchanda sookaravadhoom avadhootapankaam|| Twenty Two ||

Thou art worshipped by those who practice the thorn less path of dhyana; Thou art onecapable of dispelling all heat by Thy excellent shade, and Thou art the Spouse of Him who ofHis own will assume the form of Varaaha. Therefore Thou art resorted to as the path toSwarga and Moksha by the great ones who have shed all faults.

The help rendered by Bhoodevi to aspirants to Swarga (Devaloka presided over by Indra) orVaikunta is the topic of this sloka.

Those with flawless conduct, i.e., who have got rid of dirty ways of life and conduct, look up to,i.e., rely on, Bhoodevi to help them on the path to Swarga or Moksha which ever they desire.They see that Bhoodevi is resorted to by Yogis who practice dhyanayoga which is the thornless path of saama and daama (control of the mind and of the Indriyas). They also see that once they obtain the grace of Bhoodevi they shake off their taapatraya (threefold heat in thisworld of samsaara) as those who rest under the cool shade of big trees.

Above all She is the fond Spouse of Varaaha who assumed that form out of His own will.He is the bestower of all good—be it evanescent Swarga or the eternal Vaikunta. So persons whohave cleansed their minds of evil thoughts and desires rely on Bhoodevi for their uplift. Sloka: 23.Gandojvalaam gahanakuntala darshaneeyaamShailastaneem taralanirjharalamba haaraam|Shyaamaam svatastriyuga sookaragehinitvamVyaktim samudravasanaamubhayeembibharshi|| Twenty Three ||

Wife of Varaaha! Thou art at the same time a woman and also (immobile) earth. As a womanThou hast shining cheeks, charming locks of hair, huge (mountain like) breasts, garlands andornaments adorning Thy neck, and art by nature youthful in appearance. As earth Thou shinestby the numerous rocks on Thee, rendered beautiful by dark forests, with big mountainsprotruding from Thy surface, having as garlands swift streams and rivulets flowing down the hills, by nature dark and with the sea as Thy garment.

Another slesha describing Bhoodevi (a lady) and Bhoo (earth) by the same words which give one meaning as applicable to Woman and another as applicable to the Earth.

Bhoodevi is said to bear two forms, exist in two states ubhayeem as a Lady and as Earth.

Bhoodevi is addressed in this sloka as Triyuga-sookara-gehini wife of Varaaha who is aTriyuga. Here Triyuga refers to the Lord as it gives the meaning “possessor of six qualities”—Jnaana, Bala, Aishwarya, Veerya, Shakti and Tejas. This term is used here just to show that as the wife of Triyuga, Bhoodevi is Ubhayee double.

Gehini gives the same meaning as Illaal in Tamil, both refer to a woman as the owner of thehouse.

Sloka: 24.Nissamshayair nigama seemani vishnupatniPrakhyaapitam bhrigu mukhairmunibhih prateetaih|

Pashyantyananya paradheerasasamstutenaSantah samaadhi nayanena tavaanubhaavam|| Twenty Four ||

Vishnu’s Spouse! The great and true ones properly and adequately visualise Thy greatnessand glory established by the Vedanta and declared by great sages like Bhrigu and others whohave no doubts (in this behalf) and who are themselves celebrated sages, with the help of theiryogic eyes rendered superior by unflinching and one-pointed intellectual taste.

The greatness and glory of Bhoodevi is properly understood and declared by great sages likeBhrigu and the rest. Bhrigu receives special mention here probably because he is one of thesages who is regarded as the promulgators of the sapta-vyaahritees. A point about thosesages is that they know what they know clearly and definitely and without any doubts.Moreover Bhoodevi has been praised in the Bhoo-Sookta and in the Upanishads(nigama-seema). How can there by any doubt about Her anubhaavam, glory?

That glory of Bhoo is visualised by the great ones (Santa) in their dhyana. Its onepointedness is emphasised by the term ananyapara which refers to its exclusiveness and its excellence by the compound word dheerasa-samstutena meaning praised by intellectualraasikya.

Sloka: 25.Sanchoditaa karunayaa chaturah pumarthaanVyaatanvatee vividhamantra ganopageeta|Sanchintyase Vasumati! Sthira bhaktibandhaihAntarbahishcha bahudhaa pranidhaanadakshaih|| Twenty Five ||

Possessor of wealth! Well and truly impelled by thy grace, Thou enhancest the fourPurushaarthas. Thou hast been sung about by various and varied groups of mantras. Bythose persons who are adepts in keeping their minds in a state of concentrations and whohave developed a constant and unflinching devotion towards Thee Thou art thought of(worshipped) both inside and outside.

This sloka refers to the devotees of Bhoodevi and how they contemplate upon the greatqualities of Bhoodevi within their mind and also worship her outside in the form of Archa.They have attained the capacity to keep their mind in a state of concentration by dhyana and they have also developed Bahktiyoga which consists in contemplating upon the objectof bhakti with unflinching earnestness and devotion. Bhoodevi is herself Vasumati—possessor of great wealth. Moreover She possesses mercy and grace to such an extent that in regard to her votaries she helps in an ever-increasing degree the realisation by them of the four Purushaarthas Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. The upasakas were described by Lord Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita as of four kinds—those who want to berestored to lost wealth, those who want to obtain wealth that they never had before, those who areanxious to know themselves—that is, the true nature of their souls, and those who arereferred to as Jnaanis, and those who want the Lord and the Lord alone, and that too, for theLord’s own sake and not for theirs. Here also the upasaka of Bhoodevi is said to in quest of the four well-known Purushaarthas. In other words, four kinds of upasakas can also be taken to be referred to here. The upasaka has developed the art of Dhyanayoga and Bhaktiyoga. By Dhyana and Samadhi he is able to cleanse his mind of diverse tastes and interests and to concentrate upon the one-pointed object of contemplation. In course of time Dhyana develops into Bhaktiyoga where the feeling of love or devotion predominates. In addition to contemplating upon Bhoodevi and Her great qualities mentally, he is also fortunateto enjoy and worship Her outside. The reference obviously is to the Archa forms of Bhoodevi. As is well known, in most of the Vaishnavite Shrines Bhoodevi is worshipped in an Archa form along with the Lord and Sridevi. In Tiruvinnagar (better known as Oppiliappankoil near Kumbakonam in Tanjore District) the shrine is dedicated to

Bhoodevi and Lord Srinivasa, Lakshmi or Sridevi being conspicuous by Her absence. InTiruvidanthai, a temple near Covelang on the Madras –Mahabalipuram road, Bhoodevi is seenbeing lifted up and borne by Lord Varaaha in His two hands. These exclusive Bhoodevi’sshrines apart, in almost every shrine the Lord gives darshan with Sri Devi on one side andBhoodevi on the other. So the Archa form of Bhoodevi is worshipped by Her votaries who derive great spiritual joy and benefit thereby. The contemplation by the mind is of the Antaryami form of Bhoodevi, and the worship outside is of the Archa form. Both these are referred to in this sloka.

Sloka: 26.KreedaagriheetakamalaadiviseshachinhaamVishraanitaabhayakaraam vasudhe! Sabhootim|Dourgatya durvisha vinaashasudhaanadeem tvaamSanchintayan hi labhate dhanadaadhikaaran || Twenty Six ||

Bhoodevi! Those persons who contemplate on Thee with singular devotion as associated withwealth attain the power and position of Kubera the god of wealth; for Thou bearest the specialmarks like lotus etc., held by Thee in sport, Thou hast the hand that bestows respite from fear;and Thou art a veritable stream of nectar capable of destroying the deadly poison like evil andpoverty.

In several slokas Bhoodevi has been equated to Lakshmidevi. This is another such. LikeLakshmi, Bhoo also holds flowers like the lotus and water lily in Her hands. Though it is said“lotus etc.,” here, it has to be understood as the blue water lily (neelotpala), because even as the lotus is the flower that adorns Lakshmi’s hand, the blue water lily adorns Bhoodevi’s hand.It is a Visesha chinna(peculiar mark). The holding of the flower is a kreeda or sport as indicatedby the words Kreeda-griheeta- taken hold of in sport.

Next the grant of abhayam (don’t be afraid) by one hand is referred to. This is common toLakshmi also.

Both again are like rivers of nectar capable of destroying the evil effect of the poison-like state ofdistress and poverty.

When therefore the votaries of Bhoodevi think intensely of Bhoodevi with these attributes,and in conjunction with bhooti or wealth, no wonder they attain a state of wealth like thegod of wealth himself,--Kubera.

Sloka: 27.Udvela kalmasha paramparitaad-amarshaatUttamsitena harim anjalinaapyadhrishyam|Aakasmikoyam adhigamyayati prajaanaamAmba! Tvadeeyakarunaaparinaama eva|| Twenty Seven ||

Mother! It is only this, the flow of Thy causeless (spontaneous) compassion (mercy) that enablespeople to approach Hari, whom no one can go near even with hands folded together (as ananjali) on one’s head because of His anger caused by the excessive and boundless sins.

The great poet Kaalidasa sang about King Dileepa that he was adhrishya and abhigamya, unapproachable and approachable at the same time like the ocean. Vedanta Desikasings in this sloka to the effect that the Lord is also both, unapproachable because of our sins,and easy to approach because of the spontaneous grace of His Consort Bhoomidevi that descendson us. In the Stora, Nyasa Tilakam, the same sentiment has been given expression to aboutLakshmi.

Adhrishyatvam dhootva Kamitur abigamyutva jananee—Driving away Hisunapproachableness, She (Lakshmi) renders Him approachable. This sloka of Bhoo Stuti while

voicing that same sentiment gives the reasons for the two apparently irreconcilable states ofthe Lord. He is unapproachable to us because of our multitude of sins which have angered Hisheart. Kalmasha is sin. It is udvela kalmasha- sin that breaks all bounds. And then it isparamparita growing form more to more. All these naturally irritate the Lord. The extent to which He becomes angry is emphasised by the phrase uttamsitena anjalinaapi i.e., even byfolding our hands on the top of our heads and thereby offering a shirasyanjali, that anger does not subside, but He continues to be unapproachable. One is reminded of Valmiki’s—Kasya bibhyati devaascha jataroshasya [who is that Person of whom even the Devas areafraid when He becomes angry?) The reference to the anjali on the head—the form of which is beautifully stated in the Gopala Vimshati by the words moulina vinatenaanjalim isvery significant. Anjali is the bringing together of one’s palms of the hand. It is said to bea paramaa mudra or a paramount position or posture of the hand which incites and procuresto us the protective grace of the Lord. And when that anjali is coupled with a bent head onwhich the anjali is placed that must be even more potent in the matter of appeasing the Lord.For the Lord Himself has shown to us as Rama in avataara; how He values a request made with bowed head. Referring to Bharata, Rama says, ‘Shirasaa yachitastasya vachanam na kritam mayaa’—I have not complied with the request that he made to me with bowed head.When even such an act on our part as doing an anjali clasped on the head has failed to have effect, and the Lord’s ire continues unabated and He continues to be adhrishya,(unapproachable), such a plight on our part evokes the maternal love and mercy of Bhoodevi.Note the address in this sloka as “Mother.” Her grace flows out towards us spontaneously and lo and behold! The Lord has become an adhigamya—approachable person.

Bhoodevi has in several earlier slokas been referred to as the embodiment and personification of Patience. Out of the maternal fondness she entertains towards us, Herchildren, She intercedes on our behalf and by counseling patience and invoking the Lord’squality of forbearance She makes it possible for us to go near the Lord, pray to Him to forgiveus from our sins and protect us. The Karuna or grace of a mother is natural and spontaneous –not conditioned or limited by any other factor. Its parinaama or taking shape is so evident to thepoet that he points out to it as ayam—this. The eva shows that it is only that grace that hasworked this miracle—rendering the unapproachable approachable.

The name by which the Lord is referred to is Hari. That name itself when uttered by one hasgot the power to dispel sins—Harirharati paapaani! Our sins have angered even such a One,and but for our mother Bhoodevi’s karuna we can never think of going near the Lord.

Sloka: 28.Pratyekam abdaniyutair—api durvyapohaatPraapte vipaakasamaye janitaanutaapaat|Nityaaparaadhanivahaat chakitasya jantohGantum Mukundacharanou sharanam kshame tvam|| Twenty Eight ||

Each one of the sins committed by beings is such that it cannot be wiped out even in millionyears (by enjoyment or expiation). And they have to their credit a multitude of them thickand dense. Afraid of them, human beings get contrition at the time when they—the sins—begin to yield fruit, and obtain a desire to seek protection at the feet of Mukunda. For this Thoualone are adequate and responsible.

It is the way of human beings to go on committing sins completely unmindful of the direconsequences. But when they realise that their misdeeds have begun to yield the appropriatefruit, they get afraid; they get repentant—though only for the nonce. When they look back theyare taken aback at the immensity of the atrocities they have committed. Each one of them is suchthat it cannot be worked out or expiated even in hundreds of thousand of years.

Of such sins we have heaps thickly besetting us. A mere thought of them makes us afraid and

scared. And when we find that some of those sins have begun to bring in the results in theshape of distress in one form or another, we begin to feel repentant. Even a great sage likeYaamunacharya (Alavandar) has cried out in the Stotra Ratna. (There is not a single blame-worthy act in the world that I have not committed thousands of times. Now when they are mature and I have to reap the consequences, I cry out to you, Mukunda, having no other refuge.)

But that Mukunda must have become greatly angry at us for the reason as pointed out in theprevious sloka. To approach Him therefore one has to seek the aid (purushakaara) of Bhoodevi. To help us to go near Him and to seek protection at His Feet, we resort to Bhoodeviand invoke Her grace in the full belief that Her grace is sufficient to protect, and help us toachieve our object.

Kshamaatvam—You are Bhoodevi (or) you are quite fit and competent to make us resort to thefeet of the Lord. The reference to the Lord as Mukunda and the words vipaakasamaye here show that Alavandar’s sloka is ringing in the poet’s mind when he sings this sloka.Mukunda means one who confers material happiness in this world and blissful beatitude in thenext.

Sloka: 29.Dharmadruham sakaladushkriti saarvabhoumamAatmaanabhignam anutaapalavojjhitam maam|Vaitaanasookarapateh charanaaravindeSarvam sahe! nanu samarpayitum kshamaatvam|| Twenty Nine ||

Bhoodevi who can put up with anything and everything! I am the enemy of Dharma, everplotting against it and those who follow it. I am the emperor ruling over every kind of sin. Ihave no knowledge of my own self and I never had any pang or remorse or contrition. Thouhowever art there ever possessing the capacity to offer even such a despicable person as myself as a sharanagata at the feet of Lord Yajnavaraaha.

As if the poet will catalogue his iniquities he sets out four aspects of himself which normallywould act as a barrier to securing the feet of the Lord, but actually become the cause forinvoking the grace of Bhoodevi and thereby obtain the grace of the Lord.

The first one is to the effect that he is an enemy of Dharma or righteousness, and also ofthose who practice righteousness. The word druham means injury or hurt but it conveys adeeper significance of hatred or even contempt towards dharma. The poet seems to say, I ama Dharma-drohi. Not only is dharma unpalatable to me, but I have got an aversion to it andtherefore I dislike people who purport to follow dharma.

Next, the poet describes himself as a saarvabhouma or universal monarch ruling and havingsway over all sins—every kind of it and every form of it.

About the true nature of my own self, I know nothing. In other words I have noparaavaraviveka sense of what is para, or superior, and what is avara, inferior. To crown all,I never suffer from any sense of repentance or contrition. It is true that however much I may sinyet if I repent for it, the Lord will be pleased, and be inclined to overlook the sins committed by me, but I woefully lack that sense of contrition—anutaapa or paschataapa. I have not goteven a grain, even a minutest particle of it—lava.

The poet here appears to echo the sentiment given expression to by Srivatsanka Misra in hisVaradaraja Stava where he says: Niranusadhiyo hataa haivayam. By my own unrepenting attitude, disaster overtakes me.

In spite of my woeful lack of any good quality and in spite of my possessing abundant evil

qualities, the all-forgiving nature of Bhoomi-devi comes to my rescue and places me at the Feetof the Lord, pleading for mercy and protection.

Like the previous sloka this sloka ends with the words kshamaatvam. In both slokas thepurushakaara aspect of Bhoodevi by which She recommends our case for favourableconsideration to the Lord is very beautifully pointed out. But for Bhoodevi’s intervention wewill be left without any succour even though the Lord is there waiting to render help to one andall.

Sloka: 30.Traanaabhisandhisubhage api sadaa MukundeSamsaaratantra vahanena vilambamaane|Rakshaavidhou tanubhritaam anaghaanukampaaMaatah! svayam vitanushe mahateem apekshaam|| Thirty One ||

Mother! The Lord possessed though He may be of the quality of easy accessibility, becauseof His desire to protect the world, He also delays the extension of His protection because He isalso the cause of samsaara (creation, protection and destruction of the world). Thou however art possessed of blemishless and causeless (spontaneous) sympathy towards us beingsborn on this earth and hence Thou of Thy own accord resolvest to protect us.

Having referred to the samarpanam of the chetana by Bhoodevi at the Feet of the Lord in theprevious sloka, the poet explains in this sloka the need for such a samarpana or offering. TheLord is Himself a merciful person. Why then should He expect any act like aatmasamarpanam before He protects the chetana? This question has been put, and adequately answered inLakshmi-Tantra 17-78 thus:

It is true that the Lord of all is omniscient and ever merciful; yet in order to properly conduct theaffairs of the world, He expects a craving for protection in the person who desires to have it. Butfor this, the Lord will be regarded as either cruel (nirghrina) or partial (vishama). If He canof his own volition lift up a mortal from the world of sin and sorrow without any need even fora petition for protection, His keeping this world in this miserable state would show Him to be a heartless person quite indifferent to the sufferings of human beings. He will be regardedas a nirghrina or a merciless person. If on other hand without rhyme or reason He extends His protection to some, it will be a capricious act bordering in partiality. Therefore He hasmade it a rule that He will protect only those who come and seek protection at His feet, and follow the procedure laid down by Him and adopted by great persons like the Alwars and the Acharyas, before ever He thinks of protecting a person. It is easy to blame the Lord for notextending His grace to one and all. A little thought and reflection however will convince anythinking man that being the Lord of all (Vishwasah), He could not be capricious or partial.He can protect only according to laws and rules and regulations laid down by Him in thatbehalf. Ask, and it shall be given. Desire, and it will be fulfilled.

Sloka: 31.Taapatrayeem niravadhim bhavateedayaardraahSamsaaragharmajanitaam sapadi kshipantah|Maatah! Bhajantu madhuraamritavarshamaitreemMaaya Varaahadayite! mayi te kataakshaah|| Thirty One ||

Consort of Maaya Varaaha! May Thy glances drenched, and thereby rendered cool andrefreshing, by Thy grace, and therefore capable of instantaneously dispelling the limitlesstaapatraya generated by the heat of samsaara, attain similarity with a downpour of sweet nectar.

This is the last of the slokas of this stotra addressed to Bhoodevi. In and by this VedantaDesika prays for the merciful glances of Bhoodevi falling on him like a shower of sweetnectar on his parched and dried up soul.

The intimate connection between Bhoodevi’s glances and Her grace is given out by the words dayaardraah-kataakshaah. Here Daya and Kataaksha are pictured as inseparable in the case of Bhoodevi also. Those Daya-bound kataakshas must resemble a shower of sweet nectar. Madhura-amrita-maitree claiming kinship with sweet nectar. It is only bysuch a plentiful shower of sweet nectar on my dried and parched up self that the three fold taapa(heat)—taapatraya—will get dispelled-extinguished. The cause for such enormous heat is samsaara—the countless lives lived by me in samsaara, this world of births and deaths.There is no limit to the taapa. It is so immense. Acquired in the course of several millions of years it has gone to immeasurable proportions. It cannot be subdued or quelledeasily even in millions of further lives. That way also it is without limit. Even as a very plentiful downpour of rain is needed to put down a big forest-fire, only a plentiful showerof the sweet nectar-like glances of Bhoodevi will have the power to put out all the vast taapafrom which I am suffering. So pray turn your glances towards me—so Desika prays to Bhoodevi.

Sloka: 32.Patyur-dakshinapaanipankajapute vinyastapaadaambujaaVaamam pannagasaarvabhoumasadrisham paryankayantee bhujam|Potrasparsha lasatkapolaphalakaa phullaaravindekshanaaSaa me pushyatu mangalaani anudinam sarvaani sarvamsahaa|| Thirty Two ||

May that Endurer of everything (Bhoodevi) whose lotus-feet have been placed in theconcavity of the lotus-like right hand (palm) of Her spouse (Lord Varaaha), Who makes acouch (for Her reclining) of His left arm which is like the Serpent King—(Adisesha), Whoseslab-like (flat and broad) cheeks shine (thrilled) by the touch of (i.e., by contact with) Lord Varaaha and Whose eyes are like blossomed lotuses—may She foster (promote) for meeveryday (i.e., always) all auspiciousness and blissful welfare.

This is at once a dhyaanasloka of Bhoodevi and also a praarthanasloka praying for Herblessings, in regard to our welfare and well-being. All the 31 slokas were sung in the Vasanta-tilaka metre while this is couched in the Sardoolavikreedita metre (19 syllables to a quarter).

A beautiful pen-picture of Bhoodevi lounging in the arm of Her lover, Lord Varaaha. TheLord has bodily lifted Her up and is fondly caressing Her. As she reclines on His left arm Hecatches hold of Her soft lotus feet by His right hand and holds them in the cavity of His rightpalm.

The whole world thinks of the Lord’s Lotus Feet. To them those feet are the ultimate truth.That great Acharya—Doddayacharya of Sholinghur—while singing about the glory of theGarudaseva of Lord Varadaraja of Kanchi has given us the following idea in a sloka of his

“Ityevam chalachetasaam tanubhritaam paadaaravindam HrehTat sandarsayateeva samprati nrinaam taarkshyassruteenaam nidhih”

Weak minded human beings are unable to understand which is the real and ultimate Godheadand go on debating whether it is this God or that God. Garuda who is the store house(treasure) of the Vedas shows to them the twin lotus feet of Hari, bearing them on his hands—one in each—as if to say; “Here is the greatest of all truths.” Those who have worshipped Lord Varadaraja of Kanchi during His Garuda-seva will appreciate and enjoy this beautifuland apt description. That Great Lord, whose Feet are held up before human eyes by Garuda whois the personification of the Vedas, is here described by Vedanta Desika as holding the lotusFeet of Bhoodevi in the palm of His right hand, and showing the same to us as if to say, “Seekrefuge at these Feet.”

What is held is a lotus—paadaambujam of Bhoodevi. What holds it is also a lotus—paanipankajam. There is third lotus also in the same sloka—aravindam—occurring

while describing the eyes of Bhoodevi. So many lotuses float on the surface of this sloka!

The second quarter of this sloka describes how Bhoodevi reclines on the left arm of LordVaraaha. That arm is described as resembling Adisesha the serpent king who acts as the Lord’sarm is as long, as soft, as cool and as fragrant as the body of Adisesha. The couch of the Lordis necessarily the couch of His lady-love. So the Lord offers to His spouse Bhoodevi a couch inthe shape of His arm in which she will find all the desirable qualities to be found in Adiseshawhen he acts as a couch. To the Consort of the Lord accustomed to rest on His arm as a pillowit is impossible to think of any substitute for it—for there is none. Says Sita Devi to Ravana:

Upaadhaaya bhujam tasya Lokanaathasya satkritam (Sundara Kanda—21-16).

Having rested my head on that celebrated arm of the Lord of all as a pillow, how can I everthink of having the arm of any other as a pillow?

That is the extent of enjoyment the Lord’s Consorts desire and find in His arms. There it wasupadhaya bhujam; here it is parayankayantee bhujam.

Bhoodevi is pictured here as enjoying the rare pleasure and privilege of lounging andreclining on the Lord’s own arm.

The hand that holds Her feet is the right hand—dekshana. The hand on which she reclines isthe left vaama. Of course those words mean right and left respectively. They also mean thatthe right hand is clever and competent, and that the left is beautiful and charming.

The fond caress by the Lord of Bhoodevi thus nestling on His arms has thrown Bhoodevi into astate of exquisite enjoyment. This is reflected in Her face. The poet sees it and describes it tous in the third quarter of the sloka. Her cheeks and Her eyes exhibit the thrill She is experiencingin being thus lifted and caressed by the Lord. The cheeks, ever broad and shining, now give out anew luster due to the soft and loving touch, caress of that Lord who is now in the form of aVaraaha. Her whole body has received an exquisite thrill and there is profuse horripilation (hair standing on end) all over the body. That is naturally reflected in the shining cheeksand bright eyes which have widened, out of love and pleasure, like the full boom of a lotus.Lasatkapolaphalakaa and phullaaravindekshanaa.

The last quarter of the sloka, She is referred to as Sarvam-sahaa-endurer of anything andeverything, a quality of Hers which, more than any other, secures for us the protection of theLord.

May She foster and promote daily, and from day to day (anu-dinam), all mangalams (sarvaani-mangalaani)! Mangaladevata as She is, may She confer all auspiciousnessand ever promote and increase the same. Lakshmidevi is referred to as Kalyaanaanaam avikala nidhih in Sri Stuti. Bhoodevi as a Consort of the Lord also partakes of that same qualityand the prayer is therefore made in the penultimate sloka of this Stotra that Bhoodevi may promote auspiciousness. Reading the two slokas together it can be taken that the poet desires that Lakshmidevi should confer auspiciousness on us all and that Bhoodevi should increase and multiply it several-fold. The Saa that occurs here also occurs in that sloka of Sri Stuti.

Sloka: 33.Asyeshaanaa jagata iti yaa shrooyate VishnupatneeTasyaah stotram virachita idam Venkateshana bhaktyaa|Sraddhaabhaktiprachayagurunaa chetasaa samstuvaanoYadyatkaamah sapadi labhate tatra tatra pratishtaam|| Thirty Three ||

This is the phalasruti for this Stotra. As usual the excellence of the subject matter of the hymn(vishaya vailakshanya), the greatness of the author (vaktru vailakshanya) and the merit of the

work (Prabandha vailakshanya) are dealt with and the sloka winds up by mentioning thebenefits that will accrue to the devout reader.

The metre used for this concluding sloka is Mandaakraantaa (17 syllables in each quarter).

Asyeshaana jagato Vishnupatnee is a shruti vakya or Vedic text. That great Acharya SriParasara Bhattar had already showed the way in this regard. The 13th sloka of his famousSrigunaratnakosha uses the very same words in the first quarter: Asyeshaana jagat iti tedhimahesamruddhim. Here the same words of the Shruti inclusive of the word Vishnupatnee are made to form the opening quarter of the sloka. Asyeshaana jagata iti shrooyate Vishnupatnee—She who is referred to by the Vedas as “Asyeshaana jagato Vishnupatnee.”

This is a panegyric on that Goddess (tasyah) Who (yaa) has been praised by the Vedas asaforesaid. This Stotram has been sung by the Poet Venkatesha out of the fullness of hisdevotion. This is one of the few Stotras in which in the phalasruti is the author refers tohimself as Venkatesha simpliciter. Reference is made only to his devotion—bhakti—which hasbeen the cause for his singing this hymn. The merit of this Stotra lies therefore in its being theoutcome of the poet’s bhakti.

The phala or fruit is then set out in the second half of the sloka. that phala is promised only tothose who can bring to bear on the study or recitation of this stotra a mind in which faith(shraddha) and devotion (Bhakti) predominate. Even as the poet gave out this stotra in theabundance of faith, the readers too will have to approach a study of this stotra with devotion.

If they do so, it is certain that all that they may desire will be realised by them. Or rather thedesires, in whichever matter they may be entertained, will be realised on a safe and permanentfooting (pratishta).

The Stotra began with the word Sankalpa and ends with word pratishta. Sankalpa is the desireand pratishta is the firm and established form of realisation of that desire. By the grace of Bhoodevi those who reflect on this Stotra with mind filled with devotion will realise their heart’sdesire.

Bhoo Stuti Samaaptam