On explaining the Rahasya mantras

[Guest guest]

Here is my two cents worth of contribution on the recent discussions on the

Rahasya Mntras

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

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"Mananaath Thraayate Iti Mantrah"- Mantra is that which protects by being

remembered and recited. But, a Mantra to be effective has to satisfy the

following 3 conditions:

1. A Mantra uttered with an understanding and meditating on its meaning is

more efficacious than when repeated mechanically by rote.

2. More importantly, as Sayanaachaarya cautions-‘

"Not only should anyone repeating a Mantra know the Sage (Rishi) to whom it

was revealed, the name of the God (Devata) to whom it was addressed, its

germ(Bija), its potency (Sakti), its color(Varna), its locality (Sthaana), its

accent (Chandas), its dedication (Nyasa) and the correct Interpretation

(Viniyoga). Anyone not knowing these and attempting to repeat a Mantra is

called a "Mantra Kantaka"- a thorn whose ignorance and carelessness assuredly

cancel or obstruct the efficacy of the recital".

3. But, the most important is that the effect and efficacy of a Mantra

depends entirely on its due transmission by a Qualified Acharya to a deserving

disciple. The Sastras caution clearly that such a transmission should not be

resorted to indiscriminately by anybody to anybody. That is why, they are

called "Rahasyas".

This "Upadesa" of the Acharya will cover 1 and 2 above. This is specially so

in the case of the three great Rahasyas (Rahsya Traya) of Ashtaksharam, Dvayam

and Charamaslokam.

 

The Upadesam of Dvayam which our Acharyas perform at the time of Prapatti is

required to be done "Ashatkarna" i.e the Upadesam should not be audible to

anyone other than the Acharya and the disciple.. Only four ears can hear it;

not six ears. This means that Prapatti cannot be administered in a group

gathering of disciples, like mass Upanayanam or mass weddings we hear these

days.

 

The question arises whether in view of these restrictions, the Rahasya Traya

Mantras can be discussed in a public forum like the Internet media. True.

Strictly speaking they should not be discussed in public where deserving and

undeserving people could get access to it.

 

This does not refer to the Brahmin - Non - Brahmin syndrome. Judging by the

strict standards enjoined in the Sastras, we have long forfeited our

pretensions to be Brahmins.

 

We have given up our duties like grooming Agni and performing Agnihotram at

home, doing Vaiswadevam, wearing Panchkatcham, sporting a tuft wearing

Dwadasa Oordva Pundram and (at least in a few cases, doing Sandhyavandanam and

other Nitya and Naimittika Karmas) and many others and thus indulged in

"Kritya Akaranam" (Not doing what ought to be done).

 

We indulge also in several practices strictly prohibited like sporting a

mustache, having a hair style and sideburns, taking over the occupations

prescribed for other Varnas and even coming over to foreign lands by crossing

the oceans- thus committing "Akritya Karanam".

 

We have thus incurred "Bhagavan Nigraham"(the displeasure of the Lord). We

also try to exonerate ourselves under the pretext that these lapses are due to

the great Time-divide and Space-divide and Economic compulsions.

 

It is a good sign that we are now awakening to our plight and are trying to

salvage our conduct first by familiarizing ourselves with our Siddhantam. It

is a fact that though we have the desire to learn, some of us are not able to

approach an Acharya for the purpose. In this situation, the best course would

be to learn 1 and 2 from erudite Bhagavatas who have done Kalakshepams at the

feet of Acharyas and obtained Upadesams from them.

 

Since our ignorance of "Pramaanam" is abysmal, we have to go by what is known

as "Sishtaachaaram" or "Satsampradaayam" which our Acharyas follow.

"Pramanams" ordain the Dos and Dont’s through scriptures, but doubts may still

arise as to what is right in any given circumstance. The wordings of the

scriptures are sometimes in the form of Aphorisms which might lend themselves

to varied interpretations. And, here enters what we call "Anushtanam" or

"Sishtaachaaram"(traditional code of conduct practiced by our great teachers)

trained in such discipline. These conventions are sometimes considered even

more valid than these aphorisms because more than the written law, the

traditions established make us "learn the scriptures the easy way" for

regulating our conduct in our day to day activities.

 

Let us start from the time of Alwars.

ALWARS

The Alwars (most of them Non-Brahmins by birth or upbringing) poured out their

devotion through what is known as "Divya Prabandam" also called "Dravida

Vedam". These outpourings are non-pareil in every sense, be it sentiment,

style or syntax. They take even a casual reader on a guided tour into the

esoteric exegesis of the Mantras without offending the provisions of

exclusions and preclusions enjoined in the study of Vedas in original. It is

clear from this that there is no embargo on propagating the meanings of Vedic

Mantras.

 

In fact, only when one has an inkling of what they are talking about, one

would develop a taste for the original and seek the Upadesa of an Acharya.

Otherwise, it will be a closed book forever denying the benefits they are

designed to confer. This closed door attitude has been the main reason for the

decline of our Siddhantam even in India.

 

ACHARYAS:

BHAGAVAD RAMANUJA:

There is a mistaken impression popularized by repetition ad nausea even by

great scholars that Bhagavad Ramanuja gave out the Mantras standing on top of

the Gopuram to the hearing of all. I have heard in Kalakshepam by our Acharyas

that this is not correct. What he actually gave out was- that he had found

out the way to attain Moksha through a holy Mantra called Astakshara and

invited those interested to follow him and get initiated through his own

Acharya. Also, he did not advise all and sundry. By the time of this episode,

he had already gathered a huge following of disciples who thronged the main

entrance of the temple. He was thus addressing his own trusted disciples. In

the absence of a public address system, he climbed on top of the Gopuram to

deliver the message.When some tale-bearer carried the gossip that Ramanuja

was giving out the Mantra, the irate Guru demanded an explanation. Ramanuja

replied that he had not given out the Mantra but advised them on the way to

acquiring Mantropadesa that would save them. He seems to have added that even

if he had given out the Mantra, he would not mind falling into perdition

while so many others would be saved. He indeed knew the dictum

Gurum Prakaasayet Dheemaan Mantram Yatnena Gopayeth /

Apraakasa Prakaasaabhyaam Ksheeyate Sampad Aayushi //

 

SWAMI DESIKA:

Acharyas like Swami Desika have written their granthas seeking to explain the

esoteric of the Veda Mantras in Tamil, Prakritam and Manipravalam (besides in

Sanskrit) so that even lay folk like us could understand.

 

It seems, therefore, that there is nothing wrong in explaining in English what

Swami Desikan and other Acharyas have written in a language we can understand.

Thus, it is clear that while Mantropadesam should not be done in public, there

is nothing wrong in kindling interest in others who will in due course be

induced to seek an Acharya for the Upadesam.

 

OUR OWN TIMES:

Coming to our own times, I had the Bhagyam of attending the Kalakshepams of

Azhagiyasinghar (in his Poorvaasramam) and other Yathivaras and Acharyas

before coming to USA. During the Azhagiyasinghar’s Kalakshepams on Rahasya

Traya Saram, some Advaitins, Saivites and Non- Brahmins used to attend. Yet,

the Swami would proceed with the discourses. The bottomline is though they may

not be "staunch Srivaishnavas" as claimed by some of us, they attended because

of an intense desire to learn and approached in the spirit advised by Lord

Krishna in Bhagavad Gita viz’

Tad Viddhi Prathipaadhena Pariprasnena Sevayaa /

Upadeshyanti Te Gnaaninah Tattva Darsinah //

 

And, Tatparya Chandrika comments with reference to Sloka 18/69 of Bhagavad

Gita that devotion is the ONLY qualification for listening to the exposition

of the highest mysteries.

 

NRISIMHAPRIYA

The readership of Nrisimhapriya journal of Ahobila Mutt is of the order of

50,000 copies. I was amazed the hear from Sri SVS Raghavan that there were

quite a number of Muslim rs. If this were so, why would our Acharyas

explain in detail the meanings of Mantras in that journal?. This shows that

once the intention and attitude are correct, there is no harm in explaining

the truths to any one who desires to learn.

 

NON-HINDU AUTHORS:

During the first 5 or 6 years of my stay on coming to USA, I went through

hundreds of books and articles by Non-Hindu thinkers from different regions

and different religions on what they had to say about our Siddhantam. Some of

these have drawn personal inspiration and meaning from our Siddhantam as much

from their native heritage.

 

Most of them have never gone through the rigors of discipline and training in

the "Patasala" tradition nor had they attended any expositions in the

confidential "Kalakshepa" tradition.

 

Yet their involvement was so palpably real, sincerity so stunningly stubborn,

dedication indisputably total and their grasp so incredibly gripping that they

reveal perfect mastery over the nuances of the inherent meanings (Svaapadesa)

lying buried in the innermost niches of our scriptures.

 

In fact, they tell us more about our religion than many of our own scholars

back in India. It is amazing to note how they dwell upon with clarity the

esoteric meanings of our Mantras which our scholars have been locking up as

‘Rahasyas’ leading to the conclusion that the so called ' Rahasyas' are no

more so.

 

TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES:

In these days when, thanks to technological metamorphosis, the world has

shrunk to a new low, when everything comes in cold print, when anyone has

access to anything at anytime (including the Internet and Home Pages of all

the Matams and Ashramams), it would be vainglorious on our part to ban

dissemination of knowledge of Rahasyas under the pretext of their being

Rahasyas. This will be like locking the stable after the horses had been

stolen.

 

PRAPATTI:

Since Prapatti is common to all without any discrimination as to age, sex,

caste, level of education, standard of education etc, it would indeed be a

service if more and people are made to understand the efficacy of Prapatti by

means of "getting to know". This would open up a yearning to go deeper, go to

an Acharya to secure Upadesam.

 

We should not abdicate our responsibility in this regard . Nor should this be

taken as conferring a ‘free for all’ license for anybody with just some book-

knowledge to dabble with any esoteric topic according to their own whims,

fancies and perceptions and thus distort and misinterpret their intent.

 

A certain amount of self-imposed discipline is needed. Only knowledgeable

persons who have undergone Kalakshepams in the traditional manner at the feet

of Acharyas and who will be scared to say anything contrary to the Siddhantam

(Sastra Viruddham) should venture to educate others. Only then the requisite

yearning can be generated in the readers to induce them, in due course, to

seek the Upadesam of an Acharya.

 

THE THREE GREAT RAHASYAS

Of the three Rahasyas -

i) Ashtaksharam : is allowed to be recited as a ‘Tantrik’ for all including

Stris and Sudras. Whether uttered with Pranavam or without it, it is said to

carry the same effect. What is prohibited is administering Upadesam with

Pranavam to those considered ineligible for this. In any event, nobody in this

forum is seeking to administer any Upadesam to anybody. Therefore, there seems

to be no bar to explaining the meanings treating it as a Tantrik recital.

 

ii.) Dvayam: can be uttered by anyone(since it does not contain Pranavam).

So, there seems to be no harm in explaining the meanings of Dvayam to those

who desire to learn.

 

iii.) Charamaslokam: is taken out from Bhagavad Gita which itself is a part

of Mahabharata, an Itihasa. Sastras which prohibit the study of Vedas in

certain circumstances by certain people, recommends to all, the study of

Puranas and Itihasas to understand clearly what is contained in the Vedas.

Thus, there can be no bar to explaining the meanings of Charamasloka.

 

Therefore, I believe that, there can be no objection to our explaining our

Siddhantam as revealed in the Granthas of our Swami Desikan which seek to

dispel doubts arising out of a study of the three great Mantras mentioned

above.

 

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy