Raghava Yadivyam: A Unique Sanskrit Poem

Introduction

Raghava Yadivyam is a Sanskrit poem written by the 17th century poet Venkatadhvari. The poem is unique in that it can be read in two different ways: forwards and backwards. When read forwards, the poem tells the story of Lord Rama from the Ramayana. When read backwards, the poem tells the story of Lord Krishna from the Mahabharata.

The Name of the Poem

The name of the poem, Raghava Yadivyam, is also interesting. The word “Raghava” refers to Lord Rama, while the word “Yadava” refers to Lord Krishna. This suggests that the poem is a synthesis of the characters of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna.

What Makes the Poem So Unique

The unique feature of Raghava Yadivyam is that it is an anuloma-viloma-kavya. This means that it is a poem with two meanings, one that can be read forwards and one that can be read backwards. This is a very rare feat in Sanskrit poetry, and it is one of the things that makes Raghava Yadivyam such a unique and special work.

The way this is achieved is through the use of a technique called sandhi. Sandhi is a system of rules that govern how words are joined together in Sanskrit. In Raghava Yadivyam, the poet has used sandhi in a very clever way to create two different meanings for the same poem.

The poem consists of 30 shlokas, or verses. Each shloka can be read in two different ways, depending on how the sandhi rules are applied, hence there are 60 shlokas in total. For example, the first shloka of the poem can be read as follows:

वन्देऽहं देवं तं श्रीतं रन्तारं कालं भासा यः ।

रामो रामाधीराप्यागो लीलामारायोध्ये वासे ॥

When read forwards, this shloka means:

“I pay my obeisance to the Lord, who is radiant and glorious, who is the controller of time and space, who is Rama, the embodiment of strength and compassion, who has returned to Ayodhya after his long exile and is now enjoying his life with his beloved wife, Sita.”

When read backwards, this shloka means:

“I pay my obeisance to the Lord, who is Krishna, the embodiment of love and joy, who has returned to Dwaraka after his long exile and is now enjoying his life with his beloved wives, Radha and Rukmini.”

This is just one example of how the shlokas in Raghava Yadivyam can be read in two different ways. The poem is full of such double meanings, and it is up to the reader to decide how they want to interpret the poem.

The Author of the Poem

The author of Raghava Yadivyam is Venkatadhvari. He was a 17th century poet who lived in the town of Arasanipalai near Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu. Venkatadhvari was a follower of Sri Vedanta Desikan, a great philosopher and theologian of Sri Vaishnavism.

The Significance of the Poem

Raghava Yadivyam is a significant work of Sanskrit literature. It is a unique and beautiful poem that tells the stories of two of the most important figures in Hindu mythology. The poem is also a testament to the genius of the poet Venkatadhvari, who was able to create a work of art that can be read in two different ways.

Conclusion

Raghava Yadivyam is a unique and special work of Sanskrit poetry. It is a poem with two meanings, one that can be read forwards and one that can be read backwards. This makes it a challenging and rewarding poem to read, and it is a poem that can be enjoyed by people of all levels of knowledge of Sanskrit.

I hope you enjoyed this blog post on Raghava Yadivyam. If you would like to learn more about the poem, I encourage you to read the original Sanskrit text or to find a translation in your language.

Additional Information

• Raghava Yadivyam is a very popular poem in India, and it has been translated into many languages.
• The poem has been praised by scholars for its unique structure and its beautiful style.
• Raghava Yadivyam is a valuable contribution to the world of Sanskrit literature, and it is a poem that will continue to be enjoyed for many years to come.

You can read the entire Raghava Yadaviyam with English translation by clicking the following link.

/https://www.sanskritebooks.org/2009/09/raghava-yadaviyam-with-english-translation/

Thanks for reading!

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