Ranganatha Astakam
A Garland of names.. “May my mind revel in it!”
I was listening to this song. Shankaracharya’s outpour of melting sounds and naamams blended with shades of bhakti and advaita.
It brought some hazy images from college days. A few times, visiting the temple walls at Shrirangam, and soulful home food with local friends.
And adulations to river Cauvery.. For curling along and cradling the lands of Trichy and my homeland of Bengaluru..
Listening to this song curls and cradles up so many images.. The stage and walls of life, and its many colors, dramas, and pastimes.. of fighting battles.. of blessings.. of nurturing and innocence.. of alertness, ignorance, deep sleep and bliss.. sapta prakaare.. ranga leele.. aananda roope.. daitya anta kaale, brahma aadi vande.. raanga shaayi..
Do listen, enjoy and dissolve into the space of silence and bliss.
The Grammar and Structure of the song is quite simple. Mostly in locative saptami vibhakti..
May my mind delight in X..
May my mind delight in Y..
रमतां मनो मे
May my mind delight in that shriranga-roopam.. in that blissful, self-revealing, absolute, celebrated, peaceful, and in that shriranga-roopam
आनन्दरूपे
निजबोधरूपे
ब्रह्मस्वरूपे
श्रुतिमूर्तिरूपे
शशाङ्करूपे
रमणीयरूपे
श्रीरङ्गरूपे रमतां मनो मे
May my mind delight in that shriranga-leela..
By the banks of Cauvery, under the Mandara tree, in the playful pastimes, in his cats of termination, in that shriranga-leela ..
कावेरितीरे
करुणाविलोले
मन्दारमूले
धृतचारुकेले
दैत्यान्तकालेऽखिललोकलीले
श्रीरङ्गलीले रमतां मनो मे
May my mind delight in that shriranga-vaasa.. in that resident of Lakshmi.. that resident of the world.. resident of the hearts.. in that residence of compassion and virtues.. in that shriranga-vaasa
लक्ष्मीनिवासे
जगतां निवासे
हृत्पद्मवासे
रविबिम्बवासे
कृपानिवासे
गुणबृन्दवासे
श्रीरङ्गवासे रमतां मनो मे
And so on..
May my mind delight in the one venerated by Brahma, Vyasa et al..
श्रीरङ्गवन्द्ये रमतां मनो मे ॥४॥
May my mind delight in the Lord of the worlds..
श्रीरङ्गराजे रमतां मनो मे ॥५॥
May my mind delight in that cosmic stillness, auspicious deep sleep, and resting
श्रीरङ्गभद्रे रमतां मनो मे ॥६॥
श्रीरङ्गशायी रमतां मनो मे ॥७॥
Conjugation of रम् — Active Voice Imperative Mood Atmane Pada
रमताम् | रमेताम् | रमन्ताम्
रमस्व | रमेथाम् | रमध्वम्
रमै | रमावहै | रमामहै
