Give an account of the unique features of Emperuman’s paduka as rendered by Swami Desikan in Samakya Paddhati and Prabhava Paddhati.

Sri Nigamantha Maha Vedanta desikan is the author of Paduka Sahasram which runs into 1008 verses. The verses seem to flow as majestically as the ganges from the Himalayas amidst beauty and holy environment. Swami desikan is said to have composed these 1008 verses in a single night. This great feat called for mastery in imaginative versification of the highest order. Although Paduka Sahasram speaks of multifaceted quality of Ranganatha Padukas. It is generally acknowledged that he had not eulogized sri Nammalwar and hence he was happy to compose the string of verses on him also known as satagopan. Also the Lord was so greatly pleased with Nammalwar’s thiruvaimozhi that he desired and inspired swamy desikan to return his gratitude to the alwar in the form of Paduka sahasram.

It is a poetic creation of the highest order. The main theme centers round the sandals of Sri Rama which were given to Bharatha by the Lord himself. It is classified into what is known as Paddatis. It is said to be swamy desikans contribution to sri Namazhwar who is gods holy feet personified, and also known as Shataree. It is in the style of Maha Kavya, It has prapathi or Sharanagathy abject surrender to god as its central theme. Although the verses appear easy to understand, the scholars find lofty vedantic meanings in them. Amongst the various poetic creations “Kavya Nataka alankara” granthas are considered to be the best and poetry is at the center of such creations. Kavyas themselves are classified as either those which can be seen or those which can be heard. Further there are few gradations to kavyas according to merit and the best is know as utthama. Amongst utthaama kavyas the ones with superlative quality. Utthamotthama are a rare class and Paduka sahasram belongs to this class.

Paduka sahasram revels in varied and beautiful descriptions of paduka with the help of figures of speech alliterations puns galore used to describe the glory and grandeur of Padukas shapes, sounds produced during Lords walk and ornamentation. Swamy desikan followed a unique method of classifying the contents of this Mahakavya. Previously authors used to divide them into sargas, sthabakas or kandas. He divided them into what are known as Paddatis. Paddati means route or path. It is a significant classification in that each path refers to the course the sandals of the lord chooses to take.

Paduka sahasram is a monumental work of poetic genius an extraordinary gold mine of prodigious literary expressions and philosophic thoughts standing alongside the epic Ramayana itself. It shows swami desikans rare command over Sanskrit language as evidenced by magic creations of metre and melody, euphony and elegance, assonance and alliteration to a perfect combination of sublimity and subtlety. It is a unique blend of enchanting poetic beauty and a fountainhead of the loftiest of Tatvas propounded by the great masters of Srivaishnava Siddhanta. Paduka Sahasram has 32 paddatis and in this classification he is understood to have thought about 32 brahma Vidyas which are said to be the various means of getting to his lotus feet. As the study of any one vidya is sufficient to reach our ultimate goal His Thiruvadi. Is it to expect that our understanding of even one paddati is sufficient to get to our goal. The first 14 paddatis are considered to be the first half and the remaining 18 are the second half.

The mahakavya starts with wishing victory to bhagvathas and ends with the same wish. The first two paddatis Prasthaavana and Samaakya contain Bharata revealing to the world the greatness of padukas and details of Nammalzwar acquiring the name of Paduka himself being known as satagopan. The Prabhava Paddati expresses the greatness of Paduka / Kavyam owing its origin to Ramayana. Swami Desikan discusses in the 32 paddatis the comparative benefits of bhakti and prapathi (abject Surrender) and shows that compared to bhakti prapathi is the easier course. Further in regard to Prapatthi itself, that to padukas rather than to the Lord is still simpler. Padukas are shown to have the Soulabhya ability Aashritavatsalatva (divine kindness towards prapannas) i.e. those who have done prapatthi.

Samaakya Paddati’s meaning a “Name” the paddati says that for our sake Nammalwar became the soul of padukas. Further since the fourth varna originated from Gods feet Nammalvar chose that varna for his birth as it were there is a stress on bhagvatha kainkaryam as being more important than service to god.Nammalvar being the 7^th dassa in the order there is a prayer to Nammazhwar in this paddati and there is a mention of adisesha being another roopa of Paduka.

Prabhaava; Padukas unlimited power and extra ordinary greatness is described I this paddati and it owes its origin to Ramayana through Bharatha. The poet is swami desikan says that if the entire land became paper and the seven seas the ink and narrator none other than god himself. Only then the greatness of Paduka can be fully described. If any one has done kainkaryam to paduka even for a short while the devatas stand in queue to do kainkaryam to him. At the time of ones death what are known as athivahika ganas will show hospitality.