Mantra Pushpam -- Part 4

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***NAVARATHRI SEASON: SARASWATHI PUJAA DINAM

 

***MANTRA PUSHPAM RKS & THEIR MEANINGS

 

*** PANCHASAT 78

 

yOapAm pushpam veda I pushpavAn prajAvAn

bavathi I chandramA vaa apAm pushpam I

pushpavAn prajAvAn pasumAn bavathi I

ya yevam veda I yOpAmAyathanam veda I

aayathanavAn bavathi I agnirvaa apaamaayathanam I

aayathanavAn bavathi I yOagnerAyathanam veda II

 

Here the two way relationship between the Moon and

Waters (Aapa: ) is explored . The mantram states :

" One who understands the nature of the flower of

the waters becomes blessed with flowers , good

progeny , abundunant cows and cattle . Moon is

indeed the flower of waters (Chandramaa vaa

apAm pushpam) . "

 

Here the reference is to the birth of the Moon , when the

"waters" of the milky ocean were churned by BhagavAn.

The moon rose like a lotus flower from those waters.

Hence the Moon's originating place, abode , base is

the waters . Therefore Aapa: is the Aayathanam (the abode)

for the Moon. Water has another relationship to the Moon.

It arises from the cool rays of the Moon. Hence , the Moon

serves as the Aayathanam for the waters. The Rk therefore

declares " ChandramA vaa ApaamAyathanamI aapO vai

Chandramasa Aayathanam ". Thus Water is the Aadharam and

Aadheyam for the Moon.

 

The relationship betwen the Moon , Heavens, firmament and waters

and their directing force PraNava svarupi , the Supreme Purusha of

Purusha Suktham has been alluded to in the earlier section. Many

other Vedic passages dwell on this important relationship. For example,

Yajur Veda manthram ( XXIII--59& 60 ) asks a question on this subject

The question is :

 

"Who knoweth the paramount Lord of this World ?

Who knoweth the heven , the earth and the wide

space between them ? Who knoweth the creator of the mighty Sun ?

Who knoweth the Moon , and whence she was generated ?

 

The answer in the next mantram is :

 

VEDHAHAMASYA BHUVANASYA NAABHIM VEDA

DHYAAVAA PRUTHVEE ANTHARIKSHAM

VEDA SURYASYA BRUHATHO JANITHRAMATHO

VEDA CHANDRAMASAM YATOJAA:

 

" O Questioner ! I know the paramount Lord of this

World. I know the Heaven, the earth and the wide space between

them . I know the efficient and physical cause of the mighty

Sun . I know the Moon and her creator ."

 

In another mantram (Yajur Vedam VII-- 16 ) , the relationship

between the Moon and the waters, the subject of the first

panchasat of Mantra Pushpam is hinted . Veda Purusha

declares " -- I fix in its orbit , in the midst of spacious regions ,

this beautiful Moon that covers the luninous stars , and is linked

with the Sun and the Waters that it attracts .---".

 

Two Saamans from Sama Veda pay homage to

the interdependence between the Purusha and the

created entities such as Water, Air, Agni , Sun , Earth,

Heaven and firmament .The firsyt is from Aranya KhAnda

( Decade V-3 ) . This is the famous mantram :

 

CHITRAM DEVAANAAMUDHAGAADHANEEKAM

CHAKSHURMITRASYA VRUNASYAAGNEH I

AAPRAA DHYAAVAA PRUTHVEE ANTHARIKSHAGUM

SURYA AATMAA JAGATHASTASTHUSHASCCHA II

 

" God is wonderful and powerful amongst all the forces

of nature and learned persons . He is the manifestor of air,

water and fire. He pervades the Sun , Earth and atmosphere.

He is the creator and sustainer of all that moveth and

moveth not ." The realtion between Aapa: , Agni , Vaayu ,

Sun, Moon , Stars and Time and Purusha , the subject matter of the

mantrams of Mantra Pushpam , is covered here.

 

Yet another (Uttaraarchika) Saman talks specifically

about the relationship between Aapa: and the blessings

arising from the true understanding of the Sarva Devatha

Svarupam of the waters . That Saman is the 1839th Saman:

 

TASMAA ARAM GAMAAMA VOH YASYA KSHAYAAYA

JINVATHA I AAPOH JANAYATHAA CHA NA : II

 

" O Waters , for the removal of which impurity ye impel us ,

for the removal of the same we speedily go unto ye . Give

us children , who mkae the right use of water." The suggestion

is that those , who use the water correctly and understand its

significance would become " PushpavAn, PrajAvAn and

PasumAn ."

 

One verse from Atharva Veda ( Anuvaka 5- hymn XX!-2 )

refers to the relation between the Agni and water and states :

" All fires that are in Water ( Vadavaanalam in the Ocean, lightning

in Clouds, digestive fire found in humans, ripening fire found in

herbsand plants ) -- may all these fires be put to proper use ".

 

The realtion between Agni and Water is the topic of the

firsy mantram of Mantra Pushpam ( Agnirvaa apaam

aayathanam I aayathanavaan bavathi I yOagneraayathanam

veda I ) , In the order of creation, Upanishad states "Agneraapa: ".

Agni thus the receptacle of Jalam . From Jalam , the fire under

the ocean (Vadavaagni ) is produced. Hence as in the case of

Chandran , Agni also has a dual relation (Aadharam and Aadheyam ).

 

In a similar vein , Vayu, Surya, Stars , Rain and Time have the dual

relationship to Aapa: . " Kaalaa Apsu Nivasanteh I

Aapaa Suryeh Samaahitaa: I

 

The all encompassing nature of Aapa: in the spirit

of Maha Narayana Upanishad Vakhyam ( AapOvaa

Idagum Sarvam , Sarva Bhoothaanyaapa: -- Bhur bhuva

suvaraapa OM ) , the 84th panchasat visualizes the entire

Universe as a gigantic ship floating on the immensity

of Water . An Upaasaka , who understands the world as

a ship moving steadily in the gigantic waters is recognized by the

84th panchasat as a Sthitha Prajnan . He understands the

cosmic relationship between the Water as a sarva Devathaa svarupi

entering into Purusha .

 

V.Sadagopan