Ramana Gita study Group-Chapter 18, verse 10-Ganapati Muni's Bhashya

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om namo bhagavate sri ramanaya

> RamanaMaharshi, Alan Jacobs

> <alanadamsjacobs> wrote:

> Translation of Prof.K.Swaminathan and Sri Visvanatha Swami

> Chapter 18.

> 10.He is the mystic import of the mantra 'Om vachadbhuve namah'.*

> *'Salutation to the Fire of Brahman whence emerges the Word'

'In this world, there is no cognition which does not follow language. All

knowledge appears as if permeated by words.' (Bhartrhari)

Chapter 18, verse 10 of sri Ramana Gita - notes below - based on Ganapati Muni's

'gurumantrabhAshyam', also known as 'anubandham 2' (Sri Ramana Gita,

Tiruvannamalai; 6th Edition, 1977; p.116)

In this verse, Kavyakantha Ganapati Muni, as the Seer, reveals the bIjAksharas

(seed syllables and/or letters) which make up Sri Ramana Maharshi's special

mantra. This mantra reveals various correspondences and is said to be endowed

with Sakti (power).

vedAdi - beginning (and end) of the Vedas - bIja - 'om'

pAka damana (indra) uttara - mightier than Indra, the subduer of the demon

called PAka (symbolic of the overcoming of ignorance). Sri Maharshi lies

beyond even the Lord of the senses. Lord Indra's bIja is 'la'. When we go

beyond this we find... bIja - 'va'

kacchapeSa - kurmeSa - Lord of tortoises - supporter of the Earth and all its

jIvas - Rudra - bIja - 'ca'

dharAdhara - the Hill, Mount Arunachala - The Hill of Dawn. Supporter of the

Universe. Epithet of Siva and symbolic of transcendence. (note: dharAdhara is

also an epithet of Vishnu as preserver) - bIja - 'd'

sushupti - known as sleep - Here it represents Sakti - bIja - 'bha' (note: the

vowel 'a' is omitted.)

amareSvara - Lord of Gods (Rudra) - bIja - 'u'

amRta - toyabIja - water, syllable of offering signifying dative case (along with next letter) - 'v'

sUkshmAmRtA - Siva Sakti - bIja - 'e'

praNatyA (pra-Nati) - obeisance/surrender of body and mind with humility - 'namaH'

Altogether this reveals the Guru mantra - 'om vacadbhuve namaH' - 'Obeisance to

that 'place' of Being from whence the Word arises (and sets)'

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi is described as the secret import of this mantra,

so it is understood by the Wise.

'om namo bhagavate sri ramanaya'

'In this world, there is no cognition which does not follow language. All

knowledge appears as if permeated by words.'

'...that which purifies the word is the attainment of the Supreme Self. He, who

knows the truth of its origin, attains the immortal Brahman.'

(from the Vakyapadiya of Bhartrhari - Kanda 1)