Gems from vEdAs and upanishads

[Nagaraj]

Friends, it occurred to me, that we open a thread exclusively to present the voice of the vEdAs and upanishads as they are the original source of all wisdom. Also, we will get an opportunity to have a small peak into the the ocean of vEdAs. Let us begin with this shAnti mantrA (prayer) that appears in the bruhadAranyaka upanishad. ॐ भद्रड् कर्णेभि: शृणुयाम देवा: । भद्रम् पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्रा: । स्थिरैरङ्गैस्तुष्टुवांसस्तनूभि: व्यशेम देवहितं यदायु: ॥ स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृध्दश्रवा: । स्वस्ति न: पूषा विश्ववेदा: । स्वस्ति नस्तार्क्ष्योऽअरिष्टनेमि: स्वस्ति नो बृहस्पतिर्दधातु ॥ ॐ शान्ति: शान्ति: शान्ति: Om bhadram karNEbhih shruNuyAma dEvAh bhadram pashyemAkShabhiryajatrAh sthirai rangaih stuShtuvAmsastanUbhih vyashEma dEvahitamyadAyuh svastina indrO vRudDhashravAh svasti nah pUShA viShvavEdAh svasti nasthArkShyO arishtanEmih svasti nO bRuhaspatirdadhAtu May we hear and what is auspicious (dEvA, Gods) May we see what is auspicious May we be blessed with healthy body May we praise the Gods all our life May indrA bless us with great swiftness May pUshan bless us with the wisdom of vEdas May tArkShya (garudA) protect us from all harms May bRuhaspati bless us with the best Om Let there be Peace, Let there be Peace, Let there be Peace ॐ

[Nagaraj]

यो रुद्रौ अग्नौ यो अप्सु य ओषधीषु यो रुद्रो विश्वा भुवना विवेश तस्मै रुद्राय नमो अस्तु ॥ yO rudrau agnau yO apsu ya OShadhIShu yO rudrO vidhvA bhuvanA vivEsha tasmai rudrAya namO astu Let our salutations be offered to that Rudra, Who is in fire, Who is in water, Who is in plants and trees, And who is in everything in the world. (sri rudram) ॐ

[Nagaraj]

ॐ पुरु॑षस्य विद्म सहस्रा॒क्षस्य॑ महादे॒वस्य॑ धीमहि । तन्नो॑ रुद्रः प्रचो॒दया॑॑त् ॥

puruShasya vidma sahasrAkShasya mahAdEvasya dhImahi . tannO rudrah pracOdayAt ..

puruShasya - the Supreme Person
vidma - may we know
sahasrAkShasya - thousand eyed (meaning seer of everything)
mahAdEvasya - the Great God
dhImahi - may we meditate
tannO  - tat (tatra) + na = tannO: in that meditation tat (tatra), we or us (na)
rudrah - rudra (God, supreme God, Reality, Truth)
pracOdayAt - may impel (us)

May we know the Supreme Person, and for the attainment of His Knowledge, may we meditate upon Him, the thousand eyed Great God! May that rudrA, impel us towards such meditation in it!

ॐ

[Nagaraj]

ऋतं तपः सत्यं तपः श्रुतं तपः शान्तं तपो दमस्तपः शमस्तपो दानं तपो यज्ञं तपो भूर्भुवःसुवर्ब्रह्मैतदुपास्यैतत्तपः ॥ Rutam tapah satyam tapah shRutam tapah shAntam tapO damastapah shamastapO daanam tapO yajnyam tapO bhUrbhuvahsuvarbrahmairtadupAsyaitattapah .. Rutam - as what is to be (suitable, the way, samskAra, culture, values) is austerity satyam - Truth (speaking, living by truth) is austerity shRutam - studying (of scriptures) is austerity dama - restraint, self control (in anger, joy and sorrow, moderation, modesty) is austerity shama - practice of calmness, equanimity, Tranquillity, samAdhAna (exercise of pacification) is austerity daana - charity is austerity yajnya - to worship is austerity bhUr-bhuvah-suvar-brahmair-tad-upAsya - engaging in the quest for the brahman, through the study of bhU, bhuvah and suvah tatvA (Self Enquiry) is austerity These are various tapas or asuterities as declared by the vEdAs ॐ

[Nagaraj]

न तत्र सूर्यो भाति न चन्द्रतारकं
नेमा विद्युतो भान्ति कुतोऽयमग्निः ।
तमेव भान्तमनुभाति सर्वं
तस्य भासा सर्वमिदं विभाति ॥ १५ ॥

na tatra sUryO bhAti na candratArakam
nEmA vidyutO bhAnti kutOayamagnih .
tamEva bhAntamanubhAti sarvam
tasya bhAsA sarvamidam vibhAti ..

“There the sun cannot illumine, nor the moon, nor the stars, the flash of lightning cannot illumine the place, what to speak of this mortal fire? (ourselves, mind, intellect, etc.)”

na tatra sUryO bhAti na candratArakam There is no sun, no moon, no stars; what to talk of the fire of this world – kutOayamagnih. tamEva bhAntamanubhAti sarvam: The sun shines, the moon shines, stars shine, fire blazes forth due to borrowing the radiance of another thing altogether which is not of this world. na tad bhAsaytE sUryO: The sun does not shine there, because the light of the sun is like darkness before that radiance. na sashAnkah: Not even the moon is there. na pAvakAh: The radiance of the earth, which is born of the fire and heat – that too is there to illumine.

(swAmi kRuShNananda)

ॐ

[Subramanian.R]

Dear Nagaraj,

Yes. Sri Soundarya Lahari Verse 14 says:

O Mother! Your two feet are beyond all the six chakras, and for those who meditate on your Pada, expereiences
the Effulgence beyond compare. There, with the Effulgence of Your Feet, the sun, moon and stars and the lightning -
cannot shine. How can they shine? Are their lights dependent only on the effulgence of Your golden feet?

The original verse regarding stars etc., appear in Kathopanishad  5.15.

Arunachala Siva.

[Nagaraj]

ओमिति ब्रह्म । ओमितीदं सर्वम् । ओमित्येतदनुकृतिर्ह स्म वा अप्यो श्रावयेत्याश्रावयन्ति । ओमिति सामानि गायन्ति । ओ ँ्शोमिति शस्त्राणि श ँ्सन्ति । ओमित्यध्वर्युः प्रतिगरं प्रतिगृणाति । ओमिति ब्रह्मा प्रसौति । ओमित्यग्निहोत्रमनुजानाति । ओमिति ब्राह्मणः प्रवक्ष्यन्नाह ब्रह्मोपाप्नवानीति । ब्रह्मैवोपाप्नोति ॥१॥

Omiti brahma . OmitIdam sarvam . OmityEtadanukRutirhasma vA apyO shrAvayEtyAshrAvayanti . Omiti sAmAni gAyanti . OgmshOmiti shastrANi shagmshanti . Omittyadhvaryuh pratigaram pratirgRuNAti . Omiti brahmA prasauti . OmityagnihOtramanujAnAti . Omiti brAhmaNah pravkShyannAha brahmOpnavAnIti . brahmaivApnOti ..

OM is the Eternal, OM is all this universe. OM is the syllable of assent: saying, OM ! let us hear,' they begin the citation. With OM they sing the hymns of the Sama; with OM SHOM they pronounce the Shastra. With OM the priest officiating at the sacrifice says the response. With OM Brahma begins creation. With OM one sanctions the burnt offering. With OM the Brahmin ere he expound the Knowledge, cries "May I attain the Eternal." The Eternal verily he attains.

(taittirIyaupanishad, 8 )

(translated by Sri Aurobindo)

ॐ

[Subramanian.R]

Dear Nagaraj,

Sri Bhagavan tells in Talks No. 511:

Pranava means real japa. It is however interpreted to be A, U, M. Nada and Bindu.  Of these the first three are interpreted
as Visva, Taijasa, Prajna and Virat, Hiranyagarbha, Isvara.  Nada and Bindu correspond to prana and manas.  The Mandukya Upanishad
(someone asked about this Upanishad this morning) speaks of the three matras and turiya matra. The final meaning is that it represents
the real state.

Arunachala Siva.       

[Nagaraj]

Sir,

another infomation that i just remembered is that, in the entire names of Goddess, only the name "UMA" is derived of pranava akAra ukAra makAra.

umA is ukAra makAra akAra

Hence umA is also apitakucalAmbAl, is Om herself.

ॐ

[Subramanian.R]

Dear Nagaraj,


Arunagiri Nathar says: Himavan's wife Mena Devi called her Uma. This is the first name for her. Parvati came because she
was the daughter of Parvatha Rajan. Meenkashi came in Madurai because she had fish like eyes. Kamakshi came in Kanchipuram,
because she had eyes showering Love and Compassion. Dakshayani came because she took birth as Daksha's daughter.
Akhilandeswari came in Tiruvanaika because she had been the Queen of the Worlds. All are kArana Namas. Only Uma representing
Pranava is the natural name given by her mother.

Arunachala Siva.     

[Nagaraj]

durgA sUktam

जा॒तवे॑दसे सुनवाम॒ सोम॑मरातीय॒तो निद॑हाति॒ वेदः॑ ।
स नः॑ पर्ष॒दति॑ दु॒र्गाणि॒ विश्वा॑ ना॒वेव॒ सिन्धुं॑ दुरि॒तात्य॒ग्निः ॥

jAtavEdasE sunavAma sOmamarAtIyatO nidahAti vEdah .
sa nah parShadati durgANi vishvA nAvEva sindhun duritAtyagnih .. (1)

O' jAtavEdas (that which gave birth to vEdAs), may we offer Thou oblations of sOmA juice (the product or essence of bhakti, jnyAna rasa) through the fire of vEdA (knowledge) May Thou be pleased to destroy/burn those that are unfriendly (vAsanAs) to us. Help us to cross the sea of difficulties (samsArA) us by a boat (of Thy grace) and save us and take across to the beyond, from wrongs (having done)

Prayer to Lord saying, O' Lord, I am offering my pure and sincere sAdhanA at Thou holy feet, please be pleased and burn all our sins and help us cross over the ocean of samsAra through the boat of your grace and protect us from all wrong doins.

Note: Translations, re interpreted from various books, upon reflection. Kindly feel free to point out any corrections. Thank you.

ॐ

[Nagaraj]

durgA sUktam (2)

ताम॒ग्निव॑र्णा तप॑सा ज्वल॒न्तीं वै॑रोच॒नीं क॑र्मफ॒लेषु॒ जुष्टा॑॑म् ।
दु॒र्गां दे॒वी ँ् शर॑णम॒हं प्रप॑द्ये सु॒तर॑सि तरसे॒ नमः॑ ॥२॥

tAmagnivarnAm tapasA jvalantIm vairOcanIm karmaphalEShu juShtAm .
durgAm dEvigm sharaNamaham prapadyE sutarasi tarasE namah .. (2)

O' (Lord), Thou, who art a lustre of fire (effulgence) radient that comes from That (effulgence), blesses upon those as a fruit of their karmAs (sincere fulfiolment of scripture-ordained duties) I take refuge in (Goddess) durgA, at Thy (Holy Feet), who is skilled at taking across (the ocean of samsAra), Thou please be pleased to takes (us) across (to yourself).

I take complete refuge in Goddess durgA, who is a lustre of fire, effulgence such as radiated from the Sun (Supreme Self) itself, and who bestowes choicest blessings in the form of fruits for sincere actions (sanctioned by vEdAs) Please be pleased and take us across the ocean of samsAra, O' Lord, as none is as skilled as Thou in taking us across (the samsAra)

Note: Translations, re interpreted from various books, upon reflection. Kindly feel free to point out any corrections. Thank you.

ॐ

[Nagaraj]

3 durgA sUktam

अग्ने॒ त्वं॑ पा॑रया॒ नव्यो॑ अ॒स्मान् स्व॒स्तिभि॒रति॑ दु॒र्गाणि॒ विश्वा॑॑ ।
पूश्च॑ पृ॒थिवी ब॑हु॒ला न॑ उ॒र्वी भवा॑ तो॒काय॒ तन॑याय॒ शंयोः ॥

agnE tvam pArayA navyO asmAn svastibhirati durgAni vishvA .
pUshca pRuthivi bahulA na urvI bhavA tOkAya tanayAya shamyOh ..

O Fire (Effulgence of wisdom, Self) Thou who art worthy of praise and worship, be thou pleased and take us to the beyond, and (take us) across the difficulties in an easy and loving manner (without difficulties). (Gracious one, Thou please be pleased) and cleanse this earth (body) and the heaven (mind, intellect) and (we pray, Thou be pleased to) show the same grace to our children and their children with the same (this wisdom) bliss!

Friends, all the sources that i referred to, translated the second line "pUshca pRuthivi bahulA na urvI" interpretting 'pU' as hometown and urvI as a space of land, and conveyed a prayer to grant blessings so that their lands increase and crops raise and show blessings upon their children and grandchildren. Somehow it did not satisfy me, and upon checking with the dictionaries, i came to learn that 'pU' also meat to cleanse, and earth (pRuthivI) represented the body, and the urvI (also represented heavens) that is our mind, where lies all joys. I have taken the liberty to satisfy my understanding, thus and felt it nice, instead of praying for increase in crops and lands. Corrections are welcome. thank you

ॐ

[Nagaraj]

4 durgA sUktam

विश्वा॑णि नो दु॒गहा॑ जातवेदः॒ सिन्धुं॒ न ना॒वा दुरि॒ताति॑पर्षि ।
अग्ने॑ अत्रि॒वन्मन॑सा गृणा॒नो॑॑ऽस्माकं॑ बोध्यवि॒ता त॒नूना॑॑म् ॥४॥

vishvAni nO durgahA jAtavedah sindhun na nAvA duritAtiparShi .
agnE atrivanmanasA gRuNAnOasmAkam boDhyavitA tanUnAm ..4..

O' jAtavEdas (that which gave birth to vEdAs), Thou art the destroyer of difficulties (durgahA) who (only) art capable of taking (us) across by a boat beyond all evil sins. O' Fire (Effulgence of wisdom, tapas, pure mind), please protect us as desired by atri aatri's law-book) constantly (repeatedly meditating within)

O' jAtavEdas (that which gave birth to vEdAs), Thou art the destroyer of all difficulties and annihilator all all sins, please be pleased and take us across by the boat (of Thy grace!) O' Fire (Effulgence of wisdom, tapas, pure mind) please protect us as willed by Sage Atri (has described in his [law] books, ie., to be able to follow/live the ways prescribed by the Sage) and (help us, bless us) to (be able to) constantly (repeatedly) meditate within Thy (commandment!)

ॐ

[Nagaraj]

पृ॒त॒ना॒जित॒ ँ् सह॑मानमु॒ग्रम॒ग्नि ँ् हु॑वेम पर॒मात्स॒धस्था॑॑त् ।
स नः॑ पर्ष॒दति॑ दु॒र्गाणि॒ विश्वा॒ क्षाम॑द्देवो॒ अति॑ दुरि॒तात्य॒ग्निः ॥५॥

pRutanAjitagm sahamAnamugramagnigm huvEma paramAtsadhasthAt .
sa nah parShadati durgANi vishvA kShAmaddEvO ati duritAtyagnih ..5..

pRutanA - enemy, hostile (forces)
jitam - won, subduedm, overcomed, conquered
sahamAnam - possessing pride, arrogance
ugram - fierce, strong, mighty
agnim - Fire God (tapas)
huvEma - invoke, meditate upon,
paramAt - most excellent, greatest point, Supreme, source
sadhasthAt - (in) presence of, (in that) place,
sa - that
nah - us
durgANi - difficulties
vishvA - all, complete, everything
kShAmad - burning (to ashes), make weak, scorched, pardon,
ddEvO - O' God
ati - beyond
duritAt - bad, sinful, evil, difficulties
agnim - Fire God (tapas)

May the fierce (strong and the mighty) hostile forces (from within) possessed of pride (and arrogance) be subdued, O' Fire (Effulgence of wisdom, Self), i invoke Thou (from within) in 'that' presence (place) that source (most supreme, most excellent, the greatest point [from deep within]), O' God, May 'That' completely burn out, pardon all the difficulties and take us, beyond (these) sins, (evil tendencies and difficulties) in Thou (O' Fire [Effulgence of wisdom, Self])

ॐ