Dasasänti

Daçaçänti

These Ten Sänti-mantras from all the four Vedas, are traditionally chanted before an Advaita Vedänta class.

Text in Roman with Free Translation

1. oà çanno mitraç-çaà varuëaù| çanno bhavatvaryamä|

çanna indro båhaspatiù| çanno viñëur-urukramaù|

namo brahmaëe| namaste väyo|

tvam eva pratyakñaà brahmäsi|

tvam eva pratyakñaà brahma vadiñyämi|

åtaà vadiñyämi| satyaà vadiñyämi|

tan-mäm avatu| tad vaktäraà avatu|

avatu mäm| avatu vaktäram|

oà çäntiççäntiççäntiù||1||

- Kåñëa-Yajurveda, Taittiréya Upaniñad - I. 1

May Mitra, the Sun deity be auspicious to us.

May Varuëa, the Ocean deity be auspicious to us.

May Aryamä, the Lord of the manes be auspicious to us.

May Indra, the King of the gods be auspicious to us.

May Båhaspati, the preceptor of the gods be auspicious to us.

May Viñëu, the all-pervasive sustainer of the creation be auspicious to us.

May Urukrama, Lord Vämana be auspicious to us.

Salutations to Brahman (Hiraëyagarbha/Saguëa Brahman).

Salutations to Väyu, the Wind deity.

You (Väyu)! are indeed the perceptible Brahman.

I understand (declare) you to be the perceptible Brahman.

I declare you to be the right understanding.

I understand you to be the truthfulness in speech.

May that Truth protect me.

May that Truth protect my teacher.

May that Truth protect me. May that Truth protect my Teacher. 

Om Peace Peace Peace. (1)

- Kåñëa-Yajurveda, Taittiréya Upaniñad - I. 1

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2. om sa ha nävavatu|

sa ha nau bhunaktu|

saha véryaà karavävahai|

tejasvinävadhétamastu|

mä vidviñävahai|

oà çäntiççäntiççäntiù||2||

- Kåñëa-Yajurveda, Taittiréya Upaniñad - II. 1

May He (the Lord) protect both of us (the teacher and me).

May He indeed nourish both of us.

May we together acquire the capacity (to study and understand the scriptures).

May what is studied, be brilliant.

May there not be disagreement between both of us (the teacher and the disciple).

Om Peace Peace Peace. (2)

- Kåñëa-Yajurveda, Taittiréya Upaniñad -  II. 1

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3. oà yaçchandasäà åñabho viçvarüpaù|

chandobhyo’dhyamåtät saàbabhüva|

sa mendro medhayä spåëotu|

amåtasya devadhäraëo bhüyäsam|

çaréraà me vicarñaëam|

jihvä me madhumattamä|

karëäbhyäà bhüri viçruvam|

brahmaëaù koço’si medhayä pihitaù|

çrutaà me gopäya|

oà çäntiççäntiççäntiù||3||

- Kåñëa-Yajurveda, Taittiréya Upaniñad - I.4

That Oàkära, which manifested from the eternal Vedas, is the greatest among the Vedic mantras, and is endowed with all forms. May that Lord (Om) strengthen me with intelligence. O Lord!  May I become upholder of that eternal knowledge. May my physical body remain fit for the pursuit of knowledge. May my tongue speak pleasing words. May my ears listen to the scriptures more and more. You are the abode of Brahman, veiled by the knowledge of objects. May you protect my knowledge.

Om Peace Peace Peace. (3)

- Kåñëa-Yajurveda, Taittiréya Upaniñad - I.4

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4. ahaà våkñasya rerivä|

kértiù påñöhaà girer-iva|

ürdhvapavitro väjinéva svamåtam-asmi|

draviëagà savarcasam|

sumedha amåtokñitaù|

iti triçaìkor-vedänuvacanam||

oà çäntiççäntiççäntiù||4||

- Kåñëa-Yajurveda, Taittiréya Upaniñad - I. 10

After gaining Self-knowledge, the Seer Triçaìku declared, 'I am the sustainer of the tree of samsära. My fame is like the peak of a mountain. I am pure. I am in the form of pure awareness' that is the same as that which exists in the Sun. I am in the form of shining knowledge that is like wealth. I am endowed with the most auspicious knowledge. I am free from death and decay.

Om Peace Peace Peace. (4)

- Kåñëa-Yajurveda, Taittiréya Upaniñad - I. 10

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5. om pürëam-adah pürëam-idam pürëät pürëam-udacyate|

pürëasya pürëam-ädäya pürëamevävaçiñyate’||

oà çäntiççäntiççäntiù||5||

- Çukla-Yajurveda, Éçäväsya I.1, Båhadäraëyaka V.1

That (Brahman) is whole. This (jagat) is whole.

From that (Brahman) whole, this (jagat) whole has come.

This (jagat) whole (in spite of) having come from that (Brahman) whole,

Whole (Brahman) alone remains.

Om Peace Peace Peace. (5)

- Çukla-Yajurveda, Éçäväsya I.1, Båhadäraëyaka V.1

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6. om äpyäyantu mamäìgäni väk-präëaç-cakñuç-çrotram-

atho-balam-indriyäëi ca sarväëi|

sarvaà brahmaupaniñadam| mähaà brahma niräkuryäm|

mä mä brahma niräkarod|

aniräkaraëam-astvaniräkaraà me-'stu|

tad-ätmani nirate ya upaniñatsu dharmäs-

te mayi santu te mayi santu|

oà çäntiççäntiççäntiù||6||

-Sämaveda, Kenopaniñad I.1, Chändogya Upaniñad- I.1

May my limbs including speech, präëa, eyes, ears and other sense-organs, and my strength grow in their power. Everything is Brahman that is unfolded in the Upaniñads. May I not reject Brahman (for want of çraddhä). May not Brahman, the Lord, reject me. May there be non-rejection (acceptance) of the Lord by me; may there be non-rejection (acceptance) of the Lord for me. May all those qualities that are mentioned as qualifications in the Upaniñads be in me, who is committed to the pursuit of knowledge of Brahman. May those qualities be in me.

Om Peace Peace Peace. (6)

- Sämaveda, Kenopaniñad I.1, Chändogya Upaniñad- I.1

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7. väìg me manasi pratiñöhitä|

mano me väci pratiñöhitam|

ävirävirma edhi|

vedasya ma äëésthaù|

çrutaà me ma prahäséù|

anenädhétena|

ahoräträn sandadhämi|

åtaà vadiñyämi| satyaà vadiñyämi|

tan-mäm avatu| tad vaktäram avatu|

avatu mäm| avatu vaktäram| avatu vaktäram||

oà çäntiççäntiççäntiù||7||

- Ågveda, Aitareya Upniñad

May my speech be in harmony with my mind. May my mind be in harmony with my speech. O Self-effulgent Brahman! May You reveal yourself to me. May my mind and speech enable me to comprehend the truth revealed in the Vedas. May not my studies abandon me. May I contemplate day and night what is studied by me. I understand that as the Truth. I declare that as the Truth. May that (Truth) protect me. May that (Truth) protect the teacher. May that (Truth) protect me. May that (Truth) protect the teacher. May that (Truth) protect the teacher.

Om Peace Peace Peace. (7)

- Ågveda, Aitareya Upniñad

                                                                                          

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8. bhadraà no apivätaya manaù||’

oà çäntiççäntiççäntiù||8||

- Ågveda-X.20.1

O Mind! May you bring about auspiciousness for us.

Om Peace Peace Peace. (8)

- Ågveda-X.20.1

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9. oà bhadraà karëebhiç-çåuëuyäma deväù|

bhadraà paçyemäkñabhiryajaträù|

sthirair-aìgaistuñöuvägà sastanübhiù|

vyaçema devahitaà yad-äyuù||

svasti na indro vådhhaçraväù| svasti naù puñä viçvavedäù|

svasti nastärkñyo ariñöanemiù| svasti no-båhaspatir-dadhätu||

oà çäntiççäntiççäntiù||9|

- Atharvaveda, Praçna, Muëòaka, Mäëòükya Upaniñad

O Gods! May we listen with our ears, to what is meaningful.

May we see with our eyes, things that are blemish-free.

May we enjoy our complete lives,

glorifying You with the Vedic mantras, with strong limbs.

May the famous Indra bless us with auspiciousness.

May the omniscient Sun deity bless us with auspiciousness.

May Garuòa, of unobstructed flight bless us with auspiciousness.

Om Peace, Peace, Peace. (9)

- Atharvaveda, Praçna, Muëòaka, Mäëòükya Upaniñad

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10. oà yo brahmäëaà vidadhäti pürvaà, yo vai vedäàç-ca prahiëoti tasmai|

taà ha devam ätmabuddhi prakäçaà mumukñur-vai çaraëam aham prapadye||

oà çäntiççäntiççäntiù||10||

- Kåñëa-Yajurveda, Çvetäçvatara.Upaniñad.-VI.18

I, a seeker of freedom, seek refuge in that Lord, who reveals self-knowledge, who created Präjapati Brahma (Hiraëyagarbha) in the beginning of the creation, and who indeed taught him the Vedas.

Om Peace, Peace, Peace. (10)

- Kåñëa-Yajurveda, Çvetäçvatara.Upaniñad.-VI.18

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Dakshinämurti-Stotram

Dakshinämurti-Stotram

Meditation Verses

I salute Sri Dakshinämurti, the Young Guru, who teaches the knowledge of Brahman through silence, who is surrounded by disciples, who are themselves Rsis and scholars in the Vedas. (I worship Sri Dakshinämurti), who is the teacher of teachers, whose hand is held in the sign of knowledge (cin-mudrä), whose nature is fullness, who reveals in himself, and who is ever silent. (1)

I bow down to Sri Dakshinämurti, the teacher of the three worlds, the Lord, the destroyer of the miseries of birth and death, who seated on the ground under the Banyan Tree, grants knowledge to all the Rsis, who have assembled near Him.(2)

Wonderous indeed! Under the Tree are the aged disciples around the Young Guru. He taught them with silence, but the doubts of the disciples were all dispelled. (3)

Salutations to Sri Dakshinämurti, the storehouse of all learning, the healer of all those who suffer from the disease of ‘saàsära’, and the teacher of the whole world. (4)

Salutations to Sri Dakshinämurti, who is the meaning of Praëava (Om), who is in the form of pure knowledge, who is taintless, who is silence, to that Sri Dakshinämurti, my salutations. (5)

Sri Dakshinämurti-Stotram

This salutations to Sri Dakshinämurti, who is manifest in the form of my teacher, who on account of Mäyä (ignorance) sees the universe, which is like a city seen in the mirror (mithyä-unreal), and which really exists within the self, but who (on account of Mäyä) sees it as though existing without, as in a dream, and upon waking up (to his true nature) beholds it as his own non-dual self. (1)

This salutations to Sri Dakshinämurti, who is manifest in the form of my teacher, who by his own will , like a magician or a mighty yogi, projects this universe repeatedly outside, undifferentiated in the beginning like a sprout in a seed, and which after creation, is made variegated by the power of time and space created by Mäyä. (2)

This salutation to Sri Dakshinämurti, who is manifest in the form of my teacher, whose light (consciousness) is existence itself, appears as unreal (creation), who imparts immediate knowledge, with the help of the Vedic statement 'That thou art' to those who have sought refuge in Him, and by the direct knowledge of whom there is no more return to the ocean of birth and death. (3)

This salutation to Sri Dakshinämurti, who is manifest in the form of my teacher, whose knowledge, like the light of a luminous lamp placed inside a pot with many holes, issues forth through the sense-organs such as the eyes etc., and this entire creation shines after Him, when He shines in the form of Consciousness 'I know'. (4)

This salutation to Sri Dakshinämurti, who is manifest in the form of my teacher, who destroys the stupendous delusion caused by the inscrutable power called 'Mäyä', impelled by which vociferous pseudo-philosophers, whose comprehension is comparable to that of the unseeing, childish, misguided and dull-witted, continually speak in error, of the body, life-breath, sense-organs, or the fleeting cognitions of the mind, or even the non-existence as 'I' (Ätmä). (5)

This salutations to Sri Dakshinämurti, who is manifest in the form of my teacher, who as the self, becomes one existence in deep-sleep upon the withdrawal of sense-organs, being enshrouded by (the veiling power of 'Mäyä'), like even the Sun or the Moon intercepted by Rähu (during eclipse), and who, upon waking, recognises, 'It was I who slept.' (6)

This salutation to Sri Dakshinämurti, who is manifest in the form of my teacher, who reveals to his worshippers (disciples), with the help of the auspicious ‘jnäna-mudrä’ (the hand-gesture of joining the forefinger with the thumb, symbolising the identity of the self and Brahman), the true nature of the self, which manifests in the heart as the ever present sense of 'I' that remains unchanging in and through all the ever-changing states of infancy etc., waking etc., and so on. (7)

This salutation to Sri Dakshinämurti, who is manifest in the form of my teacher, who as the self under the sway of 'Mäyä', in the waking and dream, sees the universe as consisting of the divisions of cause and effect, master and servant, teacher and disciple, father and so, and so on. (8)

Phalasruti

This salutation to Sri Dakshinämurti, who is manifest in the form of my teacher, whose eight-fold manifestation  is the sentient and insentient (universe) consisting of (the five elements) earth, water, fire, air, space, (the luminaries namely) the sun, the moon, and the conscious being, and beyond whom, the all pervasive Lord, there exists none else for the discerning persons. (1)

Because the all-pervasiveness of the self is clearly revealed in this hymn, by listening to it, by reflecting upon it, by meditating upon its meaning, and by reciting it, a person attains unrivalled lordship endowed with the great glory of being the all pervasive self, as also receives effortlessly, without impediment, the eightfold divine powers. (2)

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Bhägya-Süktam

Bhägya-Süktam (ÅV-VII.41, also Taittiréya-Brähmaëa-II.8.9)

In the Ågveda, out of the 10 Maëòalas, 2^nd-7^th Maëòalas are known as vaàça-maëòalas or family-books. Of these, the 7^th maëòala is known as ‘Väsiñöha-Maëòala’. This maëòala has 104 süktas revealed to Vasiñöha and his 12 descendants, the Väsiñöhas. The süktas are addressed to Agni, Indra, Varuna, the Açvins, Miträ-Varuëa, Dyävä-Påthivé, Äditya, Viçvedevä, Västoñpati, Savitä, Bhaga and Uñä.

Bhägya-Süktam (ÅV.VII.41) containing seven åcä was envisioned by Vasiñöha. This Süktam invokes all the Devatäs and Bhaga for prosperity and well-being. This Süktam is repeated in Taittiréya Brähmaëa II.8.9.

Free Translation:

1. oà, prätar-agnià prätar-indragà havämahe prätar-miträ varuëä pratar-açvinä|   

   prätar-bhagaà püñanaà brahmaëaspatià prätas-somam-uta rudragà huvema||1||

Early in the morning, we invite Agni (the fire deity), Indra (the rain deity), Miträ (the Sun), Varuna (the ocean deity), the Açvins (the celestial physician twins), Bhaga (the wealth deity), Puñan (the Sun as the deity of nutrition), Båhaspati (the god of the Vedas), Soma (the Moon), and Rudra (the god of dissolution). (1)

2. prätar-jitaà bhagam-ugragà huvema vayaà putram-aditer yo vidhartä|

   ädhraçcidyaà manyamänasturaçcid räjä cidyaà-bhagaà bhakñétyäha||2||

Early morning, we invite the victorious Bhaga, the son (manifestation) of Aditi (the Cosmic Power). Bhaga is the very sustainer of the creation. Whether a pauper, a busy person, or a king, everyone worships and contemplates upon Bhaga saying, 'I would worship Bhaga.' (2)

3.  bhaga praëeta bhaga satyarädho bhagemäà dhiyam-udavadadan-naù|

     bhagapraëo janaya gobhir-açvair-bhagapranåbhir-nåvantas-syäma||3||.

O Bhaga! You are a great leader, and truth is your wealth. Bestow it upon us, and elevate our intellect and protect it. Bless us with cattle-wealth, horses, and good people (offspring, relatives, domestic help, and other support system). (3)

4. utedänéà bhagavantas-syämota prapitva uta madhye ahnäm|

    utoditä maghavan süryasya vayaà devänägà sumatau syäma||4||

May we be blessed by Bhaga now (during this fire-ritual), and in the morning, afternoon, and evening day after day, O Lord Indra! May we find favor with the Sun, and other gods. (4)

5.  bhaga eva bhagavägà astu deväs-tena vayaà bhagavantas-syäma|

     taà tvä bhaga sarva ijjohavémi sano bhaga pura etä bhaveha||5||

O gods! May Bhaga indeed be full of good fortune, so that we may be blessed with good fortune by that god. O Bhaga!, all the people including myself invite you to bring in good fortune. O Bhaga! Kindly lead us being present in the ritual. (5)

6.  samadhvaräyoñaso'namanta dadhikräveva çucaye padäya|

     arväcénaà vasuvidaà bhaganno rathamivaçväväjina ävahantu||6||

May the presiding deities of the early morning-hour arrive here, like the horse that puts its foot in the place of Vedic ritual for establishing the fire altar. (May they bring Bhaga, the Lord of wealth, as speedily as swift horses would pull a chariot. (6)

7.  açvävatér-gomatér-na uñäso véravatés-sadam-ucchantu bhadräù|

     ghåtaà duhänä viçvataù prapénäyüyaà päta svastibhis-sadä naù||7||

May the presiding deities of the morning-hours bless us with many horses and cattle, and milk-products in plenty. May these auspicious gods bless us with good progeny, and nourish all life. May they herald auspiciousness in the place of worship. May they always ensure our good fortune. (7)

8.  yo mä'gne! bhäginagà santam-athäbhägaà cikirñati|

     abhägà agne! taà kuru, mäm agne! bhäginaà kuru||8||

O Agni! I am fortunate as of now, but if anyone desires to see me divested of my fortune, strike him down, and bless me with wealth and fortune. (8)

Om Peace Peace Peace.

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Anantasäyi Vishnu at Dhenkanal. Odisha

Rock-cut Anantasäyi Vishnu (9^th century CE) at Dhenkanal. Odisha

Odisha is fortunate to have a stupendous rock-cut image of Anantasäyi Vishnu in Dhenkanal district. The image is carved on a boulder on the bank of River Brähmani, in village Säranga, around five miles from Talcher town. The motive behind carving out such an unusual figure with the stamp of dynastic vitality, and forceful vigour was perhaps inspired by the rock-cut monuments of Ajanta (2^nd century BCE - 7^th century CE), Ellora (8^th century CE), and Mahäbalipuram (6^th century CE). This stupendous figure measuring 49’-10” from the head of Seshanäga (the Snake), to the heel of the deity is the largest image of its kind in reclining posture in India. The figure holds a chakra in its upper right hand (4’), a gadä in its lower right hand (8’-10”), a sankha in its upper left hand (5’-3”), and a symbolic padma in its lower left hand. From the navel of the image is carved a lotus, on which Brahmä (single-faced here) is seated. The chin is pointed, the nose is sharp and the nose prominent.



  Anantasayi-Vishnu on the bank of River Brahmani (Photo - Author) 

  Observe the kirita-mukuta and the sharp nose (Photo - Author)   

  Brahma emerging from Visnu's navel (Photo - Author)  

The measurement of different limbs of the figure i.e. 26’ from the hood of the serpent to its waist, 10’-1” from the chin to the top of the crown, and the ear with ornament having a length of 5’ are simply astonishing. The head of the deity is facing east, which apparently bestows peace in the region. Considering the relatively calm and contented disposition of people of Odisha, this cannot be denied. The depiction of kirita-mukuta on the head put this image in the later part of rule of Bhauma Dynasty in Odisha. However, the real purpose that prompted the builder to carve out such a colossal specimen out of a living rock on the banks of Brähmani River in a place without corroborative archaeological evidence, or antiquarian remains worth the name, is still shrouded in mystery. It is presumed that some devout Vishnu-worshipper created this gigantic figure out of living rock, in order to excel the large Buddhist statue of Ratnagiri, Lalitagiri and Udayagiri complex of Cuttack district.

 Symbolic Padma in lower left hand (Photo - Author) 

 The Gada in the lower right hand (Photo - Author) 

 The Sankha in the upper left hand (Photo - Author) 

I visited Anantasäyi Vishnu in Säranga, Talcher on 6th December 2009. I first came to about its existence in a local newspaper. Initially I thought it was a natural formation of the rock by the river. I enquired from many people, but got lukewarm response. Finally, ‘Sambäd’ carried a coverage about its possible destruction by the industrial exploration nearby. I wanted to see it before either of us were to vanish. I made it in 2009. It was an overwhelming experience, although it was difficult to photograph the whole figure. I climbed on the Government-made wall to photograph the whole figure. To click the ayudhas, one has to be careful so as to not step on the figure. I am still doubtful about the position of the sankha, chakra, gadä and padma. However, I have gone ahead with the official Gazette report. I may not be able to make another visit.

 

I visited the Bhimakanda Anantasäyi-Vishnu also the same day, but do not want to upload the photo, or encourage anyone to see it. It is so badly placed inside the industrial area.

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Haiku

Haiku

The only grace of the first day of the Film Festival was Nandan Saxena’s Poetry Film ‘Third Removed from Reality’. It was a trilogy of three ‘short’ (adjective) short-films (noun), each one based on three Haikus. It is a pleasure to listen to Nandan. He knows so much about a myriad of subjects, and can present it cogently to his audience, creating natural interest. He was the natural sutradhar of the three-day festival.

My Sanskrit Professor writes Haikus in Sanskrit. Being a dry, and serious research person with an analytical mind, with no room for any kind of imagination, I never showed any interest in any poetry. This time, the filmmaker created an interest on Haiku in me.

So from him, I got to know that of the three lines in a Haiku (always plural), the middle line is the connection between the first and last lines; and unless one understands the middle line, one could be surprised/shocked where one finds oneself to be.

If I understood Nandan correctly, in his trilogy, that was screened, the middle film also was the connection between the first and third. And they (Nandan and Kavita, the Film-makers) had to wait a long time to get the connecting/connectable Haiku to complete the trilogy. Although I enjoyed the presentation, I think it was a challenge to everybody’s grey matter.

So the three films were - ‘I Sit Like Buddha’, O Autumn Winds!, and Nights and Days of the Bamboo Song. The last Haiku that read something like ‘This cold night, -----, the Buddha’s head will make a great fire’, indeed showed the maturity of the religion/culture, that is possible only in Buddhism and Hinduism (as aptly pointed by Nandan). Anywhere else, such a statement will be termed as blasphemy.

In the post-screen discussion, Nirad Mohapatra quoted a familiar Zen - ‘Sitting quietly, doing nothing, Spring comes, and the grass grows by itself’. Wonderful memory, connection and recollection. Mr. Mohapatra is a great scholar besides being a sensitive and acclaimed film-maker.

Coming home/ashram, I Google the famous Zen saying. It appears to have been hijacked by Osho. Finally I source it to ‘Zenrin Kushu’ = An Anthology of Passages from the Forests of Zen’ 134, 222, assiduously compiled by Toya Echi (1428-1504), and published as late as in 1668.

 Anthology "Zenrinkushu" was compiled by Eicho (1429-1504), a disciple of Secco of Myoshinji. The items (4000 in all) are collected from about two hundred books, including various Zen writings:

"The Analects", "The Great Learning", "The Doctrine of the Mean", "Mencius", "The Odes", "Laotse", "Chuangtse", "The Hekiganroku", "Mumonkan", "Shinjinmei", the poetry of Kanzan,
Toenmei, Toho, Ritaihaku, Hakurakuten. The first 73 of the following are taken from the book:  R.H.Blyth, "Haiku", vol.1, pp.25-33.

Enough research for the day.

Ardhanäriswara

Ardhanäriswara

The concept of Ardhanäriswara is unique in Hindu religion. It represents the Lord as the  abhinna-nimitta-upädäna-kärana of this manifest jagat. The left side represented by Sakti/Pärvati/Devi is the Prakrti, the upädäna-kärana – the material cause of the jagat. The right side represented by Siva is the nimitta-kärana – intelligent cause of the jagat.

Ardhanäriswara, Stone Khajuraho, Chandella, 11th century

Ardhanäriswara, Stone Däraäuram, Tamil Nadu (Photo - Author)

In Advaita Vedänta, mäyä is not an independent or parallel entity. She is ‘brahmäsrayä mäyä’. Hence, the female form is shown integrated into the male form.

 

Ardhanäriswara, Chola Bronze, 11th century, Govt. Museum, Chennai

Ardhanäriswara, Bronze, Vijayanagara, 16th century, National Museum, New Delhi

Ardhanäriswara Calendar Art

There are Puränic stories/explanation of this form. However, my understanding is as above.

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