[Advaita-l] Vatapi Ganapatim.....a few interesting observations

[V Subrahmanian]

The song 'Vatapi Ganapatim' is very popular. It is a composition of Sri
Muthuswamy Dikshitar, one of the composer-trinity who lived in Tiruvaru,
Tamilnadu:
The lyrics, with English meaning can be seen here:

 http://www.shivkumar.org/music/vatapi.htm

The lines/terms:

Bhoota Bhautika Prapancha Bharanam    =  *He pervades (“bharanam”)  the
world  (“bhoota bhautika”) consisting of the five elements (“prapancha”). *

Vishwakaaranam   Vighna Vaaranam  =  *He is the cause (“kaaranam”) of
creation(“viswa”)  and the obliterator (“vaaranam”) of obstacles (“vigna”).*


*are the subject matter of the 6th invocatory verse of Sarvajnatman's
'Sankshepa shariraka'.  The details can be seen here:*


https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6owbQlODVSLaHVrYk9mVXhsclE/view


The word: Nirantaram  =  Eternal or Impartite, is a term also found in
Shankara's famous 'mudaa karaatta modakam..' ( paraatparam nirantaram).


This line of the song is also something special:


Muraari Pramukhaadyupaasitam  ==  *He is meditated (“upaasitham”) upon
Vishnu (“muraari”) and other “Pramukhas” (important ones).*


Dikshitar is the composer of the famous songs 'ranga pura vihaara' on the
presiding deity, Sri Ranganatha, of Srirangam, and also 'Ranganatham
bhaje...'.


He has composed songs on all the deities of the Vedic dharma, including the
navagraha-s. His navavarna kriti-s on Devi are very famous. We see how
neatly aligned is Dikshitar to the Advaita sampradaya.


Om Tat Sat