Wednesday, November 11, 2015

NARAYANA PRASNAM 6 WHAT IS " TAPAS? "



                                                                             Narayana  Prasnam 6

Concentration of the mind can be defined as ‘tapas’. That is the means for Jnana. The following mantra is intended for attaining such ‘tapas’

Mantra:  rutam tapas satyam tapasrutam tapassantam tapodamas tapassama tapodanam tapoyajnam tapobhurbhuvassuvar  brahma tadupasyaitat tapaha

1.       Ruta, Satya, and Sruta are all considered as tapas.
2.       Rutam: contemplation of Truth by the mind
3.       Satyam: Speaking the Truth
4.       Srutam:  to read and practice poorva mimamsa to clarify doubts in the earlier part of the Vedas and uttara mimamsa to clear doubts from the Upanishads that form the later part of the
5.       Vedas.
6.       Santam: Control of external and internal organs of the body.
7.       Dama: Reducing the body through accepted methods of upasana.
8.       Sama: Absence of anger  or hatred against enemies.
9.       Dana: Offering money to eligible and  deserving  people without expecting any help or reward.
10.   Yajna:  Performing ‘agnihotra’etc.
Upasana is great concentration and focus on the chosen deity always without any hindrance..
Tatvopadesa  for the person performing holy deeds  and avoiding the prohibited ones;

Mantra:  anoraniyan mahatomahiyan atma guhayam nihitosya jantoh tamakratum pasyati vitasoko dhatuhprasadan mahimanamisam

Paramatma is the smallest of the small atoms and the greatest of the great sky and the directions. He is attainable through the mind placed in the ‘guha’ or ‘hrudaya pundarika’ of devas,  mortals, and other creatures. It is only through the benign grace of Parameswara one can have his direct view. He is the greatest and bereft of any sankalpa. Thus he releases himself from the vicious cycle of birth and death. It  is   only through Adwaita-non dualism that the cycle of birth and death can be annihilated through the grace of Iswara who has no sankalpa.(akrutum) He is beyond enjoyment of activities like bathing and drinking which are only for jiva, He is not bound  by the factors of ‘antahkarana’ One who has the direct presence of Him through ‘vidya or jnana’ shall obliterate the cycle of birth and death.

Mantra:  saptapranah  prabhavanti tasmat saptarchis hassamidhas saptajihvaha saptaime loka eshu charanti  prana  guhasayam nihitas saptasapta

How parmatma is the cause of this creation of the universe is now described according to ‘sakhachandranyaya’It is through Him ,the master of illusion (maya), that the seven pranas have emerged, It is reported in the Vedas “saptavaiirshanyahpranaha”. So it is only through paramatma that the seven openings in the head  forming the seven pranas are created. They are     1.two  eyes  2  two ears  3 two nostrils and 4 mouth. The special individual qualities of these seven organs form ‘saptarchis’ As these senses are realized by these they are called ‘samidhas. Agni  has seven tongues-‘saptajihva’. They are according to ‘adharvanikas’:
1.       Kali
2.       Karali
3.       Manojava
4.       Sudhumravarna
5.       Sulohita
       6     Sphulingini and 7  Viswaruchi
These  have  emanated  from paramatma  as also the seven worlds and the ‘saptarshis (the seven great sages)  As He reclines in the ‘guha’ or buddhi, He is called ‘guhasaya’ Therefore the mantra      ‘atma  guhayam nihitosya janto’,

After describing the creation of the internal pranas, outward oceans, and inanimate objects, the significance of Parameswara  in animate creatures is described;
Mantra:   brahma devanam padavih kavinam rushirvipranam mahisho mruganam syeno grudhranagum swadhiti rvananaggum somahpavitra matyetirebhan

Parameswara is the four faced Brahma, the ordainer,  for  Indra,  Agni, and other devas. For epic poets and others He is ‘padavi’. The word ‘padavi’ is the fine sound according to rules of grammar and prosody.” Padamvyeti gachchatiti padavihi’ eg  great poets and sages like Vyasa and Valmiki. Among the followers of the Vedas , He is in the form of Kasyapa and Vasishta  the great sages. Among the birds He is the vulture or the eagle and the axe to cut the trees in the forest. During the soma yagas He is the ‘creeper ‘somavalli’, purer and holier than the Ganga and ‘darbha’ grass and other ingredients.

For one who rejects maya or illusion by his viveka,every  thing in the universe appears in the form of Brahman.

Mantra;  hagamsasas suchi shad vasu rantariksha saddhota vedi shaditi dirdhurona sathvrush sdvarasad rutasad vyoma sadabja goja rutaja adrija rutam bruhat

The Sun in the pure radiant zone in the sky, the form of ’ahavaniya agni’ in homas, yagas, the unexpected guest(atithi) in people’s homes, the jiva in human beings, the resident in holy shrines like Kasi, Dwaravati, the reward for all vedic karmas, the form of stars in the sky ,the conch and the crocodile in water, the milk of the cow, Truth and renown ,trees ,and mountains-----all these in the Universe  are the very Brahman Himself.

This mantra is recited as ‘arghyapradana’ mantra during madhyahnikasandhyavandanam  (afternoon).

 

 
 

 


































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