A Sanskrit riddle

By Shri Kesava Rao Tadipatri

An interesting prahelika – A Sanskrit riddle verse using the power of Sanskrit language.

kumAratAtaH shashikhaNDamauli laMkeshasaMpUjitapAdapadmaH | 

gavIshapattro nagajArtihArI pAyAdanAdiH parameshvaro vaH (naH) ||

कुमारतातः शशिखण्डमौलि लंकेशसंपूजितपादपद्मः । 

गवीशपत्त्रो नगजार्तिहारी पायादनादिः परमेश्वरो वः (नः) ॥

Just note that the word “patra” means leaf, but the word “pattra” means a vehicle or “vaahana”.

Thus the vigrahavAkya-s will be as follows

kumAratAtaH = kumArasya tAtaH – ShaShTI-tatpuruSha-samAsa
This means “Father of KumAraswAmy”, which is an attribute of UmApati Rudra devaru.

shashikhaNDamauli = shashikhaNDaH maulau yasya saH - bahuvrIhi-samAsa This means “One who wears the crescent moon on his head”, which is an attribute of UmApati Rudra devaru.

laMkesha-saMpUjita-pAda-padmaH = laMkeshena saMpUjitau padmau iva pAdau yasya saH - bahuvrIhi-samAsa

This means “One who has the lotus feet, that are worshiped by Ravana, the king of LaMka”, which is an attribute of UmApati Rudra devaru.

gavIshapattraH = gavIshaH pattraM yasya saH - bahuvrIhi-samAsa

This means “One who has the king of bulls(NandIshvara) as vehicle”, which is an attribute of UmApati Rudra devaru.

nagajArtihArI = nagajAyAH ArtiM harati iti - ShaShTI-tatpuruSha- samAsa
naga means mountain or parvata. NagajA is one who is born to ParvatarAja, HimavAn. That denotes ParvatI devi.

This means “the remover of the worries or difficulties of ParvatI devi”, which is an attribute of UmApati Rudra devaru. We have to note the great austerities or penance done by ParvatI devi to please Rudra devaru and how he blessed her as the fruits of that tapas.

anAdi = beginningless pAyAt = may protect.

VaH means “you” and naH means “us”. So as a whole this verse means -
“May the beginningless Lord Parameshvara, who is the father of KumAra swamy or Subrahmanya, who wears the crescent moon on his forehead, who has the lotus feet, that are worshiped by Ravana, the king of LaMka, who has the king of bulls(NandIshvara) as vehicle, who is the remover of the worries of ParvatI devi, protect you (us).”

One question surely pops up in our minds – as all the Jivas are beginningless, Rudra devaru is also beginningless. That is fine. But Rudra padavi has begin and end.

There is niravakAsha-vAkya(very specific sentence with no alternate interpretation) in Vedas specifying that Rudra was born and that too from Narayana.
“nArAyaNAdbrahmA jAyate, nArAyaNAdrudro jAyate, nArAyaNAdindro jAyate,...” (“Brahma was born from Narayana, Rudra was born from Narayana, Indra was born from Narayana,...)

But there is not a single shruti vAkya that says that NarayaNa was born from any one else.

Further there are specific shrutivAkyas that specify the time when only Narayana is there and neither Brahma, nor Rudra are there.
“vAsudevo vA idamagra asinna brahmA na ca shaMkaraH”
(“Vasudeva was there at the very beginning, there was no Brahma and no Shamkara”)

“eko nArAyaNa asinna brahmA neshAnaH”.
(“Narayana was there alone and no Brahma and no IshAna or Rudra”)

Thus only NarAyaNa is anAdi and ananta. That is why He is also called “Achyuta”, meaning it is not a padavi or post and no one can displace Him.

Why are we talking about NarAyaNa, when the verse is talking about Rudra. We want NarayaNa, who does not have “Adi” or beginning. So,
take away the “Adi” or first letter for the main word as well as the attributes and see the magic happening.

Parameshvara becomes “Rameshvara”, when the first letter “pa” is taken out. That is RamApati Narayana.

kumAratAta becomes “mAratAta”, when the first letter “ku” is taken out. That is “the father of mAra or manmatha”, Narayana.

shashikhaNDamauli becomes “shikhaNDamauli”, when the first letter “sha” is taken out. That is “one who wears the peacock feather on his forehead”, Narayana.

laMkesha-saMpUjita-pAda-padmaH becomes “kesha-saMpUjita-pAda-padmaH”, when the first letter “laM” is taken out. Here “ka” means Brahma. Isha means Rudra. ka + Isha becomes kesha. That is “one who has the lotus feet, that are worshiped by Brahma and Rudra”, Narayana.

gavIshapattra becomes “vIshapattra”, when the first letter “ga” is taken out. Here “vi” means bird. Isha means king. vi + Isha becomes vIsha. That is “One who has the king of birds(Garuda) as vehicle”, Narayana.

nagajArtihArI becomes “gajArtihArI”, when the first letter “na” is taken out. Here we have to note “GajendramokSha”. He removed the “Arti” of Gajaraja. That is “the remover of the pains or difficulties of Gajendra”, Narayana.

So as a whole this verse becomes - 

mAratAtaH shikhaNDamauli keshasaMpUjitapAdapadmaH | 

vIshapattro gajArtihArI pAyAdanAdiH rameshvaro vaH (naH) ||

मारतातः शिखण्डमौलि केशसंपूजितपादपद्मः । 

वीशपत्त्रो गजार्तिहारी पायादनादिः रमेश्वरो वः (नः) ॥

So as a whole this verse means -
“May the beginningless Lord RamApati Narayana, who is the father of mAra or Manmatha, who wears the peacock feather on his forehead, who has the lotus feet, that are worshiped by Brahma and Rudra, who has the king of birds(GaruDa) as vehicle, who is the remover of the pains of Gajendra, protect you (us).”

Shri Krishnarpanamastu !