Hamsa Sandesam Slokas 16 & 17

The importance of carefulness to avoid dangers en route

Dear Swan Friend! From Your Lotus pond, You must now climb up to the sky to start your journey southward. There will be number of mountains on the way. There will be lot of creepers in those mountains spreading all over making them look like houses. In those “houses”, the girls belonging to the hunter’s tribe would be enjoying the lazy afternoons with their husbands. From their locations, They will see you as you fly over. You will appear like the Moon to their eyes. They will get confused as to how the Moon can rise in broad daylight (asamaye drSya candra udaya SrI:) and will get perplexed. You should not be distracted by all these happenings and keep your attention firmly on your flight southward. During the occasion of your flight, strong winged birds like GaruDan might share the skies with You. When You see these big birds, You must think of your safety first and give them the right of way and let them go ahead instead of blocking their path and courting danger.

The Beauty of the shadow of the Swan on the mountains as the Swan flies south

Oh Swan friend! There is a reputed mountain on your path with the name of MaalyavAn. This mountain has a large assembly of indra nIla (sapphire) gem stones spread all over its surface (maNimaya yEsha: mAlyavAn Saila). As you fly joyously (salIlam utpatishNo:) over the mountain heading south, your beautiful white image charming the viewers like delectable nectar will be reflected on those blue sapphires. Your beauty far exceeds that of the Candran (ati indo:tava amrta rucirAm chAyAm) and wins the mind of those who se e you. The sapphire mountain now appears like the Supreme being Sriman nArAyaNan. Vedam says: “candramA manaso jAta:” (The Moon took its birth from the mind of Sriman nArAyaNan). SrI Raaman suggests that the image of Candran must have been in the mind of the Lord, if the Moon were to take birth from the Lord’s mind. The blue gem strewn mountain is equated here to the nIlamegha SyAmaLan, Sriman nArAyaNan and the reflected white image in the middle of the mind of the blue-hued Lord is identified with the Swan. Clearly, SrI Raamacandran had His beautiful swan ambassador very much on His mind.