NARAYANA PRASNAM 9 Sadyojata Mantras

                          The significance of the FIVE faces of Parameswara and their meaning is described in the following:

                                              

                Out of the five faces of Mahadeva the west face is described for attaining Jnana:

Mantra: sadyojatam prapadyami sadyojatayavai namonamaha bhave bhavenati bhave bhavasvamam bhavod bhavaya namaha

I surrender myself to Parameswara who has ”Sadyojata” as his ‘paschimavaktra’(western face), Again and again I offer my pranams to that form ‘sadyojata.’ O Parameswara of the form of sadyojata! do not  persuade me to take birth again and again. Egg me on to a state of birthlessness. My pranams to you who ferries human beings across theshoreless sea of samsara safely.

Mantra for the ‘uttaravaktra’-North facing face:  

 Vamadevaya namo jyeshtaya namas sreshtaya namo rudraya namah kalayanamah kalavikaranaya namo balavikaranaya namo balayanamo balapramathanaya nama ssarvabhutha damanaya namo manonmayaya namaha

I offer my pranams to the beautiful, radiant ‘uththaravaktra’of Parameswara which is the first born. Therefore it is called ‘jyeshta’, the best and the renowned. It is called ‘rudra’ as it becomes destructive and makes people weep during the deluge or ‘pralayakala’. It is named as ‘kala’ since it reduces the longevity o all creatures. It is called ‘kalavikarana’ as it creates different kinds of universe. It is called ‘balavikarana’ as It afflicts and destroys the power and strength of the demons. It is called ‘bala’ as it is thebase for all strength and power. It is called ‘balapramathana’ as  it can withdraw into itself all energy independently .As it can punish all creatures it is called’ sarvabhuthadamana’ Since it is all knowing, ‘sarvagna’ it is called ‘unmana’ My pranams to that face of Parameswara!

Mantra for ‘Dakshinavaktra’  south  facing face:

  Aghorebhyotha ghorebhyo ghoraghora tarebhyaha sarvebhyas sarva sarvebhyo namasthe asthu rudra rupebhyaha

Parameswara’s face towards the south is called ‘aghora’ which is peaceful and calm. It is ‘sathwika‘ in nature. Other  idols are horrible to look at and ‘rajasika in nature. A few others are of ‘thamasa’ in nature and look the most horrible. O Parameswara! My pranams to your different faces, when they, during the period of destruction, afflict and trouble the entire universe!

Mantra for the face turned to the east:

 That purushaya vidmahe mahadevaya dhimahi tanno rudrah prachodayath

East facing god is called ‘tathpurusha’ We learn about him through the upadesa  of the preceptor and  practice. Having known him thus, we meditate on him. Let that Rudra encourage us into his meditation.

Mantra for the upward face:

Isanas sarva vidyanam iswaras sarvabbhutanam brahmadhipathir brahmanodhipatir brahma sivo me  asthu sadasivom

The god situated in the upward face of Parameswara  is the ordainer of all vidyas (knowledge)and the elements(bhutas) He is ,besides, the protector of  the Vedas. He is also the lord of “Hiranyagarbha’ let him be peaceful and bring me all good things. In short, I become that Sadasiva.

Other mantra related to Lord Siva:  namo hiranya behave hiranyavarnaya hiranyarupaya hiranyapathayem bikapathaya umapataye pasupataye namonamaha

Pranams to Siva the pasupati. All beings from Brahma to the very ordinary stick are called ‘pasus’Their lord is pasupati. That Siva is also Umapati..When Parvati performed penance to get Siva as her husband, her mother called her  uma.U = o maiden; ma=avoid penance; The name came into vogue from that time onwards  Ambikapati  is Siva, Hiranyabahu is one with golden shoulders or golden parts of the body. Hiranyavarna is the father of the Vedas as rare as gold. Hiranyarupa is effulgent. Hiranyapati is the lord of ‘ navanidhis’—Nine Treasures.

Mantra for upasana:   rutagam satyam param  brahma  purusham Krishna pingalam urdhwaretam virupaksham viswarupayavai namonamaha

This Brahma is the best and the truth. This is not Hiranyagarbha. In the form of umamaheswara, Parabrahma showers grace on devotees. That form is of dark yellow color. The part of Maheswara is dark and the part of Uma is yellow. ‘Urdhwareta’is theone who by his yogic power gets the semen into the’ brahmarandhra’  above. One with a unique eye is called ‘virupaksha’ As he is the cause for the entire  universe  I offer my pranams to him.

Mantra for good rain and the god of rain to remove troubles and difficulties:  apovai dagam sarvam visvabhutan yapaha  prana vaapaha pasava aponnamapo mrutamapas samradapo viradapas swaradapas chandagam syapo jyotigamsh yapo yajugam shyapas satyamapas sarvadevata apo bhurbhuvas suvar apaom

The entire universe and all animate and inanimate objects that we see are water in essence!  This  is because water becomes semen and is the root cause for the formation of the bodies of all beings. So all bodies are water only. The pranas in the body are also water. Water quenches the thirst of all beings So pranas  are also water. Chandogyopanishad says “apomayah pranonapi batovichchetsyate”   Water  forms  into milk. So all cattle  are  water. Anna, ie   rice, wheat and other grains are cultivated with water. So they are also water. Hiranyagarbha, Virat Purusha,Iswara,Chandas like Gayathri, Adityamantras,Truth,  Indra and other devas and bhurbhuvassuvarlokas  belong to Water. In short water is the creation of  paramatma

Mantra:

 Tryambakam yajamahe sugandhim pushtivardhana murvaruka miva bandhananmrthyormukshiyamamrutath

‘Sugandhi’ is one whose fragrance is felt at a great distance like the smell of jasmine and other flowers.  One who increases robustness in day to day life Is  ‘pushtivardhana’ .One with three eyes is ‘Tryambaka’ We worship such a Purusha with our good deeds. Please detach us from death, like how you separate the cucumber from it’s stalk!  Do not detach me from Moksha or salvation!

NARAYANA PRASNAM 7

                                                                    

Total sacrifice that leads to the realization of the Brahman is described

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Mantra: nakarmana naprajaya dhanena thyage naike amrutatwa manasuhu parena nakam nihitam guhayam vibhraja detad yatayo visanti

Mukti cannot be attained by  performing  karmas like ‘agnihotra’ for years together .”prajayapitrubhyaha”   says the Sruthi. Children are expected to release  pitrus  from their debt. But even children cannot offer mukti.  Money given in charity is said to grant multiple benefits, “dane sarvam pratishtitam thasmath danam paramam vadanti” Even that shall not offer salvation. Therefore mukti is possible only for those who give up all these common worldly activities and turn their attention inward-people who have absolute control over their indriyas  shall obtain moksha  which is greater than Swarga or heaven and which is in one’s own intellect or buddhi.

Attainment  of jnanaandsanyasa  0r monkhood also help in achieving moksha

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Mantra:   Vedanta  vignana sunischitartas  sanyasayogad yatayas suddha satwaha  the brahmaloketu parantakale paramrutat parimuchyanti sarve

By learning Vedanta or Upanishads at the feet of the preceptor one gets the jnana that removes the world of samsara. Through that he realizes the unity of jiva and deva or Brahma. Such people are bereft of avidya and maintain absolute purity of mind. After realizing the Brahman, those immersed in samsara are freed from the shackles of family life

Aparantakala is the period when the person is immersed in agnana when he is bound to be born again. Parantakala is the time when agnana is removed and there is no rebirth. During the deluge agnanis are released from their physical and subtle bodies but not from the causal bodies (karanasareera) But jnanis alone are freed from the bonds of causal bodies,

A short cut to Brahmopasana for a person unfit for tatvopasana:

Mantra: dahram vipapam parameswa bhutam yatpundarikam puramadhya saganstam tatrapi dahram gaganam visokas tasmin yadantas tadupasitavyam

Pure and  minute  paramatma resides in the heart---hrudayapundarika centrally placed in the body. This is also called ‘dahra’.It is here that the minutest, formless like the sky Brahman resides. It is on this Brahman that one should perform upasana

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Mantra:  yovedadau swarah prokto vedantecha pratishtitaha tasya prakruti leenasya  yah parasya maheswaraha ajosyaa vivesa sarve chatvaricha

The Pranava that has been pronounced at the beginning of the Vedas is the same as described in the Upanishads   “o mityetadaksharamidamsarvam” The best part of Pranava that has merged in Prakruti or Nature should be understood as Maheswara. Meditate akara,ukara,and makara  of Pranava as Virat,       Hiranyagarbha, and the unmanifest respectively. Merge Viratakara into ukara. Merge Hiranyagarbha ukara into moolaprakruti(basic Nature) Makara  that part of Pranava merging into the moolaprakruti  is the best fourth part-----and  the sound to be meditated

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).