Four Mystical utterances

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Four Mystical utterances--Vyaahriti Sambandhita Vignaanam.

 

 

 

Dear Govindanji and worshippers of internal light and wisdom,

 

 

 

Govindanji on the other day was asking me the significance of Vyahriti and

what it is?I had replied that I would udumbrate on it later in a posting.

 

Today I thought let me do some justice to this long procrastinated task.

 

 

 

Tripura Tapini Upanishad says thus

 

I praise that Supreme Truth which is Knowledge Absolute, which is to be known

through the Vidya of the Tripura-Tapini-Upanishad.

The Lord assumed the form of destructive ferociousness and then He covered

Himself all over the three worlds, Bhuh, Bhuvah and Svah. Then He had that

power of the Adi-Sakti, i.e., the Adi-Sakti burst out from His heart. This is

The Sakti called the Maya of Siva and She is understood by the fundamental

syllable 'Hrim'. This Sakti then covered the whole universe. Since She

Covered the three worlds or Tripuras, She has been styled as 'Tripura'.

 

This Tripura Sakti has the following Vidya called Sri Vidya, which can be

Derived from the following Vedic Mantras:

TATSAVITURVARENYAM BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI | DHIYO YO NAH

PRACODAYÀT | PARO RAJASE SÀVADOM |

JÀTAVEDASE SUNAVÀMA SOMAMARÀTÃYATO NIDAHÀTI VEDAÞ |

SANAÞ PARÙADATI DURGÀÕI VI÷VÀ NÀVEVA SINDHUÜ DURITÀTYAGNIÞ ||

TRYAÜBAKAM YAJÀMAHE SUGANDHIM PUSTIIVARDHANAM |

URVÀRUKAMIVA BANDHANÀTHMIRTYORMUKTIYA MÀMRITÀT ||

 

This Vidya consisting of one hundred letters is the Supreme Vidya in its

entirety. This is Paramesvari, Tripura Herself. Out of the above Mantras, the

first four stanzas deal with the exposition of the glory of the Para-Brahman.

The second set of stanzas deals with the Mahima of Sakti. The third set deals

with the glory of Siva Himself. In this Vidya, all the worlds, all the Vedas,

all the Sastras, all the Puranas and all the Dharmas have been dealt with and

this is the Effulgence that has come out of the combination of Siva and Sakti.

 

 

Now, we shall comment on the most important and the hidden meanings of these

verses.

 

Here the great word 'Tat' means Para-Brahman Itself, the Eternity. This is the

symbol used for that Lord who is beyond all definitions and arguments. This Lord

is the embodiment of Supreme Knowledge itself. That is, He wishes to be in the

form of Knowledge Absolute. He alone is the great Lord Siva who is always

desired by sages, Yogins, etc., in Yajnas. Therefore there is the creation of

desire. Thus, this Lord who is beyond the reach of all desires, still desires

and is being desired. He creates the alphabetical list of language. Therefore,

the Lord is called 'Kama' or desire. The letter representing Kama is called

'Ka'. Therefore the word 'Tat' represents the letter 'Ka'. This is the meaning

of the word 'Tat'.

 

 

 

'Savituh' comes from the Sanskrit root-word 'Sunj Praniprasave', which means the

Generator or producer of all beings. He is the great Power. Power means Sakti.

This great Sakti or Devi called Tripura, is embodied in the Mahakundali

(Yantra). Thus, the fire-globe (of the sun,Savituh) should be known by the

intelligent. This Sakti or power of Trikona (triangular figure) bears out the

letter called 'E'. Therefore we should learn the word 'E' from the word

'Savituh'.

 

'Varenyam' means that which is fit to be adored and worshipped, which is the

imperishable and the praiseworthy. Therefore, it should be understood that the

letter 'E' should be taken from the word 'Varenyam'. 'Bhargo' and 'Dhimahi' will

be now commented upon. The letter 'Dha' means Dharana or concentration. The Lord

is always concentrated upon by the 'Dhi' or the intellect or Buddhi. 'Bharga' is

the Lord Himself who can be understood only by reaching the fourth stage or

Avastha and this is the Being that pervades all and all. The letter representing

this fourth stage is called 'I' and this is the real meaning of the

above-mentioned words of the Mantra. We shall now talk of the word 'Mahi'.

'Mahi' means greatness, idleness, strength, stubbornness, and this applies to

that element which possesses all these qualities. That is the earth which is

represented by the letter 'La'. This is the Supreme state. Thus, this Lakara

shows the quality of the earth in its being the embodiment of all

oceans, forests, mountains

and the seven islands. Therefore the form of Devi called the earth, is termed

'Mahi'.

 

Now about 'Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat'. Para or the Supreme is the Imperishable

Siva Himself, the Eternal Soul. The underlying meaning here is this: We should

meditate on the immobile form of Lakara or Jyotirlinga or Lord Siva which is the

most supreme thing that ever exists anywhere. Here, there is no desire for any

Dhyana whatsoever. It is beyond all Dhyanas. Therefore, we are requesting the

Lord to direct our minds to be established in that Nirvikalpa State where there

is no thinking at all. This request should not be made through the mouth. It

should be simply thought of in the mind. Then 'Paro Rajase Savadom'. After

meditating on the form of the Supreme Truth, there will come out a big

effulgence, pure and blissful, full of knowledge which is residing inside the

heart. This is the essence of all speech and Knowledge. This is the true Sakti.

And this is called the Panchakshara, since it is the creator of the Pancha

Bhutas or the five elements. This should be understood correctly by

the intelligent.

 

This is the Vidya giving all desires to the devotee. Thus, after understanding

in its true aspect, this Vidya of thirtytwo letters, the devotee Should think of

the letter called 'Ha' which is the form of Siva, who is the Imperishable, pure

State. The letter derived out of the combination of the sun and the moon, that

is, the combination of Siva and Sakti is 'Ha' and it is also named as 'Hamsa'.

This is the seed of Kama. Through this Vidya, we can know the Supreme Lord Siva.

This combination is also understood as being the merging of the Jivatma in the

Supreme Paramatman. Thus 'Ha' means the Eternal Stage or the Final Emancipation.

This is the derivation of the Sri Vidya. One who knows this, attains the form of

Rudra. He bursts open the residence of Vishnu and reaches the Para-Brahman.

 

Thus we can understand that the Tripura Tapini Upanishad directly points to the

Para Brahman, the Mantra words of the Gayatri.

 

 

 

Taittriyaa Upanishad contains a reference to Vyaahriti(the most popular

reference)

 

In Chapter 5 of the Holy Upanishad (titled 'The four mystical utterances')

Says thus:

 

'Bhuh, Bhuvah, Suvah-these are, verily, the three utterances. Besides these

there is a forth, called Mahwah, which became known to the son of Mahachamasa.

That is Brahman, that is the Self. The other gods are its limbs.

Bhuh is, verily, this world; Bhuvah, the mid-region; Suvah, the world yonder;

Mahah, the sun. Through the sun, indeed, do all the worlds become great.

Bhuh is, verily, fire; Bhuvah, the air; Suvah, the sun; Mahah, the moon. By the

moon, indeed, do all the heavenly lights become great.

Bhuh is, verily, the Rik-verses; Bhuvah, the Saman; Suvah, the Yajus; Mahah,

Brahman. By Brahman, indeed, do all the Vedas become great.

Bhuh is, verily, the prana, Bhuvah, the apana; Suvah, the vyana; Mahah, food. By

food, indeed, do all the breaths become great.

They, these four, become fourfold. Four and four are the vyahritis. He who knows

these knows Brahman. All the gods bring offerings to him.'

 

It further elucidiates with much granularity thus,

 

There is a space within the heart; in it lies the Person consisting of mind,

immortal and luminous.

The Sushumna passes through the piece of flesh which hangs down like a nipple

between the two palates and ends where the skull splits and the roots of hair

lie apart. That Sushumna is the path for the realisation of Indra. The souls of

the aspirants, passing through the Sushumna, rests in fire, represented by the

vyahriti Bhuh; the rests in the air, represented by the vyahriti Bhuvah.

 

 

He rests in the sun, represented by the vyahriti Suvah; he rests in Brahman,

represented by the vyahriti Mahah.

He attains self-rule. He attains the lordship of the mind; he attains the

lordship of speech; he attains the lordship of sight; he attains the lordship of

hearing; he attains the lordship of intelligence. Furthermore, he becomes

this-he becomes Brahman, whose body is space, whose nature is true, who delights

in life and rejoices in the mid, who abounds in peace, who is immortal.

 

Those who are familiar with Gayathri Tantra are familiar with this term. It is

said in Gayathri Tantra that 'Every Brahmana (one who seeks Brahman) who does

Gayathri Japa is a Shaktha'.I do not understand then that why many brahmins fear

Shaktha.The fear lies in not clearly understanding the path.

 

A meditative study of Vyahriti will certainly throw light on the issue.

 

(Pandit Shreeram Acharya)

 

I have with me the Hindi version of Gayathri Tantra and other books on Vedas

in Hindi by Pandit Shreeram Acharya and the revered saint extols the greatness

of Gayathri Adbhuta Shakthi vis-a-vis the Vyahriti concept.I liked his

description of the Vyahriti Sambandhitha Vishaya.Also one book written by

S.Viraswami Pathar(in 1969) throws ample light on the subject.

 

Earth, the mid-region, heaven, the quarters and the intermediate quarters.

Agni (fire), Vayu (air), Aditya (sun), Chandrama (moon) and the Nakshatras

(stars). Water, herbs, tree, space and the body. So much with reference to

material objects.

 

 

Now with reference to the body: The prana, vyana, apana, udana and samana; the

eye, the ear, the mind speech and touch; the skin, flesh, muscle, bone and

marrow.

Having thus ordained, a rishi said: "Whatever exists is fivefold." Through the

fivefold one becomes united with the fivefold material object.

 

Vyahriti is that which gives knowledge of entire cosmos or "ahriti". The

scripture says: "Visheshenh Aahritih sarva viraat, praahlaanam prakashokaranh

vyahritih".

 

Bhuhu Bhuvaha Suvaha(Swah)

 

BBhuhuhuh Bhuvah Svah Earth Atmosphere Beyond Atmosphere

Past Present Future Morning Noon Evening Tamas Rajas Sattwa

Gross Subtle Causal

 

Thus, by uttering these three words, the chanter contemplates the Glory of God

that illumines the three worlds or the regions of experience.

 

The fourteen worlds are represented in the upward movement and downward

movement of the kundalini pravaaha shakthi.

 

The vedic seers have pointed out fourteen fields of experiences or fourteen

worlds.

 

(Second from left is Composer Thyagaraya who had done many purascharanas of

Gayathri Mahamantra and did the RamaTaraka Mantra many crores of times along

with panchayathana puja)

 

During my childhood days when I was learning some Carnatic music I remember my

mother teaching me a Thyagaraya krithi

 

"Gnaanam Osaga Raadha..."

 

In that Thyagaraya refers to Lord Rama as the paramaatma and himself as the

jeevatma and then talks of the 14 worlds(padunaalugu lokamulu) and then go on to

suras,kinkaras,kimpurushas and naradaadi munis.

 

There are seven higher and seven lower worlds making it 14 worlds.

 

Bhur Loka(earth)

Bhuvaha loka(the world next to the earth closely connected but subtler)

Suvaha(heavenly world where punyaatmas stay)

 

The 4 higher worlds beyond this are

Mahaloka

Jana loka

Tapa Loka

And Satya Loka.

 

 

 

In these the go comes to move about and enjoy in its higher evolutionary life.

 

The seven nether or lower worlds are

Pa...Tala(Patal)

Maha...Tala

Rasa...Tala

Tala...Tala

Su...Tala

Ni...Tala

A...Tala

 

Of these 14 the reference to vyahritis is with respect to Bhur,Bhuvah and

suvaha.

 

There are three distresses which afflict humans

 

Adhyaatmika(pertaining to body and soul--rather the ignorance thereof)

 

Adibhowtika(Pertaining to enemies and elementals)

 

Adi Daiveeka( Arising from causes beyond control from suric forces e.g,

excessive rain and mental worry due to graha movements,etc)

 

The removal of these three afflictions is the paramount duty of any human

being as per Sankhya Shastra.(It is the first formula in Sankhya Shastra)

 

Vya means extensivity aspect

 

Hri means destroyer aspect

 

Thi means pain ,affliction and distress

 

Vya-Hri-Thi thus cures the threefold afflictions of humanbeings when uttered.

 

Vyahrithis are the first sounds uttered by the Brahman when creating the

Universe.

 

Hope this much is enough for now. I will dilate later on this topic in an

elaborate fashion.I will also give a posting later on 'Paro Rajasi Savadhom

Swaha' as asked by you Shree Govindanji.

 

 

 

Yours Yogically,

 

 

 

Aunmaa Aunm Aum Om Ityaadi Veda Satyaha Vyahriti Huyathe' Havihi!!

 

Shreeram Balijepalli