Need meaning of the sloka from Sundarakandam

[VK RAMAN]

Shantam saswatam prameya managham
Nirvan shanti pradam
brahma vishnu fanindra shavya manisham
Vedanta vaidyam vibhum
ramakyam jagdishwaram sur gurum maya manusyam hari
vandeham karuna karam
raghuvaram bhupal chuda manim
Nanya spriha raghupate hrideye smrideye
satyam vadami ch bhawan khilantratma.
bhakti pryachha raghupungham nirbharame
kam adi dosh rahitam kuru man san ch
Atulit bal dhamam
Hemshailavadeham.
Raghupati priya bhaktam
vat jatam namami.

Correction welcome

[Rsachi]

SAntaM SaSvatam apramEyaM anaghaM him, the embodiment of tranquility, the eternal one, the causeless one, sinless one
nirvANa SAntipradaM him who confers liberation and peace
brahmAviShNu phaNIndra sEvyaM aniSaM the lord to whom Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva offer service
vEdAnta vEdyaM vibhuM the one knowable through Vedas, the Cosmic one
rAmAkhyaM jagdISvaraM suraguruM mAyAmanuSyaM hariM named Rama, the lord of the world, the preceptor of gods, the one incarnated by Hari as a man as an act of Maya
vandEhaM karunAkaraM I bow down to him, the ocean of mercy
raghuvaraM bhUpAlacUDAmaNiM the scion of Raghus, and a crest jewel among kings


nAnyAspRuhA raghupatE hRudayEsmadIyE oh Lord of Raghus, I have no other desire in my heart
satyaM vadAmi ca bhavAn akhilAntarAtmA I am telling you the truth, oh Lord, the one who resides in everyone's heart
bhaktiM pryaccha raghupungava nirbharAM mE please grant me total devotion, oh king of Raghus
kamAdi dOSarahitaM kuru mAnasaM ca And rid my mind of defects like lust

atulita baladhAmaM the repository of immeasurable strength
hEma SailAbhadEhaM whose form is like a big golden mountain
raghupati priyabhaktaM the favourite devotee of Rama
vAtajAtaM namAmi. him I bow down to, who is the son of Vayu

[rshankar]

RSachi - excellent!

A couple of questions:
I thought phaNIndra was AdisESa (king of serpents)
Isn't 'raghu pungavam', the most excellent of the raghUs?

[Rsachi]

The context here clearly establishes it as Shankara=Shiva, Ravi!
MW definition:
puMgava m. a hero , eminent person , chief of.
So we can say the Best of Raghus or Chief of Raghus also.

[Rsachi]

Dear Ravi and VKR,
Spurred by Ravi,I went on a search. This shloka is from Tulsidas, and it seems to be Brahma-Shambhu-PhaNindra... Which would be Brahma, Shiva and Adisesha.

[classicallover]

The sloka is very clear : brahma, shambhu, phaniindrasevyam anisham vedaantavedyam vibhum. It means I pray to that Raama who is beseeched or prayed to by Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu always and who is the essence of philosophy and my Lord. Phaniindrasevya: is Vishnu.

[rshankar]

Thank you all!...so phaNIndra is AdiseSa.
I looked up Smt. MSS' version of this slOkam and realized that it was 'brahmA Sambhu phaNIndrasEvyamaniSam...'
It is interesting that gOsvAmijI refers to rAma (an incarnation of vishNu) as someone whom vishnU prays to.

[Rsachi]

No Ravi, you were right the first time. See the RCM scanned above.
Sevyam is second Vibhakti and applies to Rama.
Rama, who is worshipped by Brahma, Shiva and Adisesha.

[VK RAMAN]

Thank you Rsachi for taking interest in finding the source and giving the meaning of this Tulsidas sloka and the ensuing discussion and explanation by rshankar classicallover and Rsachi.

[Rsachi]

You're most welcome, Sir,

[rshankar]

Rsachi - thank you! I was being a tad tongue-in-the-cheekish...
Anyway, here is a track of Smt. MSS singing this in heart-melting yamunAkalyANi as a prelude to pibarE rAma rasam...I can hear it a million times without getting tired..and each time, I love the flourish at the end - the 'pibarE rAma nAma rasam' part: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FpgNqQTx0Qw

[cmlover]

phaNindra means the best of the serpents (the term indra being used to denote the best of any kind). Hence can refer to Adi shESha.
On the other hand indra also dentes the Lord of the kind and hence it may refer to the master of the serpents which refers to Lord shiva.
Hence 'brahma viShNu phaNInda' may be appropriate.

[rshankar]

Hence 'brahma viShNu phaNInda' may be appropriate.

May or could be appropriate, but the text posted by Rsachi shows that gOsvAmI jI composed it as 'brahmA Sambhu phaNIndra sEvyam...' - and really, why would he say that rAmA, an incarnation of vishNu, would be worshipped by himself/vishNu?

[cmlover]

Good point.
But doesn't. Thyagaraja state Rama is the supreme Lord worshipped by the Trinity?

[Rsachi]

Thanks Ravi, MSS is as usual spellbinding.