Mukunda mala 5 & 6/40

5. Nastha dharmenavasu nichaye naiva kamopabhoghe,

    Yadyath bhavyam bhavathu bhagawan poorva karmanuroopam,

    Ethath prarthyam mama bahumatham janma janamatharepi,

   twatpadambhoruha yuga gatha nischala bhakthirasthu

Shadguna Roopa Narayana                     

 Nishchala – un shakable bhakthi

           1.       Hey Bhgavan – Sriman Narayana with the six qualities Shad Guna Roopam – Gnanam - knowledge), balam - strength    aishwaryam - wealth, veeryam - valor, shathi - power and tejas - splendor

          2.       Mama – my,me

          3.       Dharme – the dharma as doing, yagna, and good deeds providing water, planting trees etc.

          4.       Astha na – have no liking

          5.       Vasunichaye – money, wealth

          6.       Kamopabhoghe – sensual pleasures

          7.       Aastha na iva – do not have any liking at all

          8.       poorva karmanuroopam – in accordance to my previous deeds

          9.       Yadyath bhavyam – whatever should happen

        10.   Bhavathu – let it happen (but)

        11.   Twat pada ambhoruha yuga gatha – The one that the impressions of you lotus feet

        12.   Bhakthi – devotion

        13.   janma janamanthare api – birth after birth

        14.   nishchala – firm, undoubted

        15.   asthu – should be present

        16.   ethath – ithi+ath – this only

        17.   prarthyam – request, worthy of request

        18.   mama bahumatham – my liking, I would like to

Hey Bhagawan I am not interested in good deeds (dharma karyam) as doing yagnas, helping other people etc. that is supposed to take me to heaven, I also do not have lust for wealth. I never ever have any involvement or liking for sensual pleasures. Let everything happen in accordance to my past deeds. I feel the only thing worthy of requesting you is to bless me with firm, unshaken faith in you in all my brth after birth. “Twatpadambhoruha yuga gatha nischala bhakthirasthu” can also be interpreted as I should reach your lotus feet and be there forever.

6. Divi va bhuvi va mamastu vaso

   Narake va narakantaka prakramam

   Avadhirita-sarada  aravindau

   Charanau the marane api chintayami       

              Twat Charana aravindau sada  chinthayami

         1.       Narakantaka – one who ends life in hell

         2.       Mama – for me

         3.       Divi va – either in heaven (Swarga lokam)

         4.       Bhuvi va – either on earth – bhoo lokam

         5.       Narake va – or in hell

         6.       Prakramam – in accordance to your wish

         7.       Vasa: - life

         8.       Asthu – happen

         9.       Avadhirita-sarada  aravindau – beauty of the lotus that blooms in the autumn season

       10.   Charanam – feet

       11.   Marane api – at the time of death when all my sense do not function also

       12.   Chinthayami – I should think

Oh Bhagavan, Let it be your decision whether I happen to live in heaven the place where we enjoy the fruits of our good deeds or hell the place where we experience the results of my bad deeds or on earth where one experiences the results of both good and bad deeds . I am not happy or sad over that choice made by you. All I request is that even at my death bed when all my senses including my sight and muscular actions seize to function please bless me to think of your feet that is as beautiful as the lotus that blooms in the autumn season.

Narakantaka – (as referred from vyakyanam by Kanchipuram P.B.Annangaracharaiar Swamy) can mean as the one who can prevent going to hell or the one who killed Narakasura

Narakasura being killed by Sriman Narayana who came on his garuda with Sathyabhama an incarnation of Bhooma Devi

 Narakasura was born during perumals Varaha avataram when perumal pricked Bhoomi Devi with his boar. As he was born at an inauspicious time he had the qualities of an asura or a rakshasa. Living in his kingdom of  Pragjyotisha he captivated the daughters of the devas, gandharvas and many princesses with the intention of marrying them. Narakasura also carried away Lord varunas umbrella,  mandhakinis cliff rathaparvatham and Athithi Devis’s earings. He was also waiting for an opportunity to carry away Indras Iravatham elephant. Indra out of fear came to Lord Krishna requesting for be help. Lord Krishna summoned his Garuda and came along with his consert Sathyabhama who is the incarnation of mother earth Bhooma Devi to the town of Prakjothisha and his ministers and others in his army and eventually killed Narakasura himself with his Chakrayudham or the Sudarshana Chakram. Lord Krishna also released all the 10,100 women, took them to Dwaraka and married them.

                                                          

Mukunda Mala 4/40

4. Naham vandhe thave charanayor dwndwamadwandham hetho.

    Kumbhi pakam guru mapi hare, narakam napanothum,

    Ramya rama mrudhthu thanu  latha anandhanena  apirama

   Bhave bhave hridaya bhavane bhaveyayam bhavantham

    

             Azhwar    

  Mukunda in the residing in the heart

               1.       Naham = Na – Not,  aham  - I

               2.       Vandhe – pray

               3.       Thava – your

               4.       Charanam – feet

               5.       Dwam – two

               6.       Hetho – for the sake of

               7.       Guru – respectable, teacher

               8.       Narakam – hell

               9.       Kumbhipakam – That [art of the hell where people are tortured

             10.   Ra\mya- beautiful

             11.   Raamaa – lovely charming women

             12.   amRutham – sweeant nectar like food

             13.   thanu – minute little

             14.   latha – slender woman

             15.   anandhanena – with joy

             16.   Bhave Bhave – birth after birth

             17.   Hridaya – heart

             18.   Bhavanam – home

             19.   Bhava – situation

             20.   Bhavantham – you

Here the Azhwar describes what he is not praying for at the feet of Lord Mukunda. Azhwar says he is not praying for the sake of escape from the samsaric (family) difficulties. He also not praying to escape from Kumbhipakam (a place in hell where people are tortured). He is surely not praying in the least to enjoy playing with beautiful slender women  in Indra’s garden. He is praying only for one thing and that is for the enjoyment of sweet nectar of Lord Mukunda residing in his heart birth after birth and in every birth.

Mukunda Mala 3/40

3. Mukunda, murdhna prani pathya yache,

     Bhavantha mekantha miyantha martham,

     Avismrithi swacharanaravinde,

     Bhave bhave meastha bhavat prasadath

   

     Kulasekara Azhwar

 

Swa Charabaravindham - Lotus feet

                 Krishna

           

       1.       Mukunda – one who give mukthi or redemption

             2.       Murdhna – head

             3.       Prani pathya – bow respectfully with devotion

             4.       Yacha – beg

             5.       Bhavantham – you

             6.       Ekantham – one , only

             7.       Artham – for the sake of

             8.       Avismrithi – remembering, not forgetting

             9.       Swacharanaravinda – your lotus feet

           10.       Bhave – birth

           11.       Astha – die

           12.       Bhavat – your worship

           13.       Prasada – loving kindness, grace

In this verse Kulasekara Azhwar bows his head in devotion to Lord Krishna and begs him makes a sole request. He requests perumal that by the loving grace and kindness of Lord Krishna he should not forget or he should always remember the Lotus feet of perumal in all his births and deaths - janmas.

Mukunda Mala 2/40

2. Jayathu jayathu devo devaki nandhanoyam,

    Jayantha jayathu krishno vrishni vamsa pradheepa,

    Jayathu jayathu megha shyamala  komalango,

     Jayathu jayathu prithvi bhara nasho mukunda

        Devaki Nandana

                               

Vrishni Vamsa

 Megha Shyamala Komala

Prithvi Bhara Nasa - Mukunda

             1.       Jaya – Victory

                  2.       Deva – God, God on earth among men

                  3.       Devaki – Wife of Vasudeva an dmother of Lord Krishna

                  4.       Nandhan – son

                 5.       Vrishni vamsa – descendants of Vrishni

                 6.       Pradheepa – lamp, light

                 7.       Megha – cloud

                 8.       Shyamala – dark color

                 9.       Komala – sweet, pretty, charming

               10.   Prithvi – earth

               11.   Bhara – burden, weight, pressure

               12.   Nasha – ruin, elimination, disappearance, extinction

In this verse Kulasekara Azhwar hails Lord Krishna, tells his lineage and describes the Lords beauty and gunas. Victorious is he who is the son of Devaki matha. Victory be to the leading light of the Vrishni vamsa. The lineage can be interpreted in a simple manner as

                    Vrishni Vamsa (Lineage)

According to the puranas the Vrishni’s are said to have been the residents of Dwaraka.

Hail the Lord who has color of the dark colored clouds and is very beautiful and charming. Victory to him Lord Mukunda who is the only one who can make the pressures of the living beings of the earth disappear. 

Mukunda Mala 1/40

Mukunda Mala

By

Kulasekara Azhwar

Srimaan Venkata Nadhaarya Kavithaarkika kesari

Vedantaachaaryavaryome sannidhatththaam sadaahridi

Gushyate Yasya Nagare, Rangayaatraa DinehDineh |

Tamaham Sirasaa Vandeh, Raajanam Kulasekaram ||

 

       Mukunda              Srirangam Ranga Ranga Gopuram

                                        

                                      Kulasekara Azhwar

         1.       Mukun = Mukti  - Salvation, liberation, bliss, 

                 redemption

               2.       Da = dehi =  to give

               3.       Mala – garland, string of beads of flowers

               4.       Gushya – to be proclaimed aloud

               5.       Yasya – to be endeavored

               6.       Nagare – in the city / town

               7.       Ranga – Srirangam

               8.       Yaatraa - travel, journey, expedition

               9.       Dineh dineh – everyday, day after day

             10.       Aham – I, me

             11.       Sirasa - head

             12.       Vandeh – I praise

             13.       Raja – King

             14.       Kulasekaram – Kulasekara Azhwar

      

Mukunda Mala is a Sanskrit verse written by Kulasekara Azhwar in praise of Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam. Kulasekara Azhwar also known as Kulasekara Varman made his avataram in this bhoomi in Kerala in 3102 BC. He is said to be the representation of the Kausthubam a gem studded jewel on the chest of Sriman Narayanan.He was a king of the Chera Dynasty. Kulasekara Azhwar wrote Perumal Thirumozhi (105 verses) part of the Naalayira Divya Prabandham.  

Mukunda is the 518^th name of Lord Vishnu in Vishku Sahasranamam.

Mukunda meaning: Vishnu Sahasranamam

Sankara Bhashyam : Mukunda is one who give salvation

Paraasara BhattarbBhashyam: Worshipped as the one and only God who gives salvation.

Kulasekara Azhwar has given us the 40 verses as a garland in praise of Sriman Narayanan who is the onl one who can give us redemption from the samsara sagara cycle of rebirth.

I Raja Kulasekara bow my head to Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam. Salutations to Lord Ranganatha is heard every day in all the nook and corners of the town of Srirangam.

              1.       Sri Vallabhethi Varadhethi Dhaya Parethi,

    Bhakthi priyethi Bhavaluntana kovidhethi,

    Nathedhi, Naga sayanethi, Jagannivasa,

                Thyalapinam prathi dinam kuru maam mukunda     

 
 Sri Vallabethi                             Bhaktha Priyethi, Daya Parethi

                      
                           
                              Nathethi Naga Sayanethi

              1.       Sri Vallabha – Maha Lakshmi’s Thayaar’s beloved

              2.       Vara – boon

              3.       Dehi – to give

              4.       Daya paran– one has mercy, compassion, 

                      sympathy, loving kindness

              5.       Bhakti – worship

              6.       Priya- loves

              7.       Bhavaluntana kovidhan – Only one who can give 

                      redemption from the cycle of rebirth by giving 

                      moksha or salvation

              8.       Nathan – Lord of the universe

              9.       Naga – serpent

            10.       Sayanam – sleeping, bed

            11.       Jagath – this world

            12.       Nivasa – abode, residence

            13.       Aalapinam – to speak or converse

            14.       Prathi dinam – every day

            15.       Kuru – do

            16.       Maam – me

Kulasekara Azhwar in this verse salutes Lord Sriman Narayana with whom he speaks and converses every day. He describes perumal as, the beloved of Thaayaar Mahalakshmi (Sri), Varadarajan the giver of boons   (Kanchipuram), embodiment of mercy, compassion and love. Sriman Narayana loves being worshiped and loves his devotees. He is the only one who can give us Moksha and redeem us from the difficulties of samsara and the cycle of rebirth. He is the Lord of the Universe and is omnipresent. Mukunda is sleeping on Adhiseshan (serpent) bed in the Ksheerabdhi the milky ocean.