Manyu Suktham-English Meaning(Achalatwam)

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Dear Members,

You must have all been reading my posts on Anger(control thereof) in Achalatwam series. I still have many more parts of the email addressed to "LP" coming.Meanwhile, I felt like sharing some information on Manyusuktham.

This suktham helps in the control of anger and lust.A regular recitation with the appropriate chandas will help a lot to control anger and lust. Vaishnavites believe that this suktham is connected with Nrusimha and Hanuman and thus chant it to please the ire-some forces.

These days some people use it to conquer external enemies as in a court battle but the original purpose was to decimate the internal foes{Shadripus-6 enemies as in Kama(Lust), Krodha(anger),Lobha(Greed),Moha(Attachment of a negative kind),Mada(Arrogance-to be differentiated from ego) and Maatsarya(Jealousy)}

 

This suktha refines the nuetral energy of anger within ourselves and paves way for subtle dharmic anger and prevents from "sinning" with anger.

I myself have a sankalpa to chant this suktha, lest I sway a-dharmically with anger.Let us chant this suktham and find the refinement of the force in us and a transmutation of negativity inside us.This suktha provides an alchemical touch to the process of antar-yaaga(samayachara) and aids in the transcendence of a negative trait to that of positive vibrant energy.

Manyú, Vedic sanskrit for "spirit, temper, ardour, passion, anger" is the name of two rishis, one, the son of Tapas(austerity), author of Manyusuktham Rigveda 10(Mandala)83-84 and the other, the son of Vasishta, author of Rigveda 9(Mandala)97.(Wikipedia info)

 

Though my Swa-shaka is KrishnaYajur Vedam, I have taken special permission from my Gurunathar and learnt the Rik-meter.I have uploaded the Rigveda X Mandala and 83-84 hymns have the Manyusuktha(In devanagiri script). I have also uploaded a Telugu script in pdf(it has not come out perfectly.You can also view it at Telugubhakthipages website : http://www.telugubhakti.com/telugupages/Hanuman/Hmsooktam.htm. However, the site does not give the swaras, so one must not chant this suktham apa-swara(a-swaranthakam) so it is advisable that those desirous of chanting it learn from a vedacharya with shraddha and bhakthi.

Those who have a real temper problem must chant this suktam 11 times.

One must be aware of Krodha and Kama but not give in to these negativities nor try to suppress them.Chanting Manyu suktam s not an exercise in supression. It is simple attempt to know them for what they are.The chanting creates a distance in your mind and with this distance one can view these emotions at a distance as if they were strangers.They are infact strangers they do not belong to your athmic psyche.You will be surprised to find that without your support, they cannot exist, they simply drop away! This may not make much sense to you when it is just someone else's experience - but through constant practice you will experience the truth for yourself. It is only this awareness that can awaken Self-knowledge, and free you of these concepts of all dualities.Manyu suktham aids this journey towards self-knowledge.

Below please find a notable translation of-- by Ralph T.H. Griffith, [1896], at sacred-texts.com(Rigveda Book X).

{A few lines about the author from Wikipedia online information about him:

Ralph Thomas Hotchkin Griffith (1826-1906), scholar of indology, B.A. of Queen's College was elected to the vacant Sanskrit Scholarship on Nov 24, 1849. He translated the Vedic scriptures into English. He also produced translations of other Sanskrit literature, including a verse version of the Ramayana and the Kumara Sambhava of Kalidasa. He held the position of principal at the Benares College in India.

His translation of the Rigveda follows the text of Max Müller's six-volume Sanskrit edition. His readings generally follow the work of the great scholar Sayana who was Prime Minister at the court of the King of Vijaynagar - in what is now the District of Bellary in the Indian state of Karnataka - in the fourteenth century.

Now long out of copyright, copies of his translation of the Rigveda, Samaveda, White Yajurveda, Atharvaveda and Ramayana are available on the internet.

 

The Ramayan of Valmiki (published 1870) (read online) Hymns of the Rigveda (published 1889) (read online) Hymns of the Samaveda (published 1893) (read online) Hymns of the Atharvaveda (published 1896) (read online) The Texts of the White Yajurveda (published 1899) (read online) }

Manyusuktha translation:

 

Sthambodbhava(One who emanated from a pillar in reference to Lord Nrusimha who emanated from a pillar to kill Hiranyakasipu Asura)

-83-

1. HE who hath reverenced thee, Manyu, destructive bolt, breeds for himself forthwith all conquering energy.Arya and Dasa will we conquer with thine aid, with thee the Conqueror, with conquest conquest-sped.2 Manyu was Indra, yea, the God, was Manyu, Manyu was Hotar, Varuṇa, Jatavedas.The tribes of human lineage worship Manyu. Accordant with thy fervour, Manyu, guard us.3 Come hither, Manyu, mightier than the mighty; chase, with thy fervour for ally, our foemen.Slayer of foes, of Vṛtra, and of Dasyu, bring thou to us all kinds of wealth and treasure.4 For thou art, Manyu, of surpassing vigour, fierce, queller of the foe, and self-existent,Shared by all men, victorious, subduer: vouchsafe to us superior strengith in battles.5 I have departed, still without a portion, wise God! according to thy will, the Mighty.I, feeble man, was wroth thee, O Manyu I am myself; come thou to give me vigour.6 Come hither. I am all thine own; advancing, turn thou to me, Victorious, All-supporter!Come to me, Manyu, Wielder of the Thunder: bethink thee of thy friend, and slay the Dasyus.7 Approach, and on my right hand hold thy station: so shall we slay a multitude of foemen.The best of meath I offer to support thee: may we be first to drink thereof in quiet.

 

Ugrahanuman holding kamini(demoness of lust) in one hand and legs on asuras)

-84-

1. BORNE on with thee, O Manyu girt by Maruts, let our brave men, impetuous, bursting forward,March on, like flames of fire in form, exulting, with pointed arrows, sharpening their weapons.2 Flashing like fire, be thou, O conquering Manyu, invoked, O Victor, as our army's leader.Slay thou our foes, distribute their possessions: show forth thy vigour, scatter those who hate us.3 O Manyu, overcome thou our assailant on! breaking, slaying, crushing down the foemen.They have not hindered thine impetuous vigour: Mighty, Sole born! thou makest them thy subjects.4 Alone or many thou art worshipped, Manyu: sharpen the spirit of each clan for battle.With thee to aid, O thou of perfect splendour, we will uplift the glorious shout for conquest.5 Unyielding bringing victory like Indra, O Manyu, be thou here our Sovran Ruler.To thy dear name, O Victor, we sing praises: we know the spring from which thou art come hither.6 Twin-born with power, destructive bolt of thunder, the highest conquering might is thine, Subduer!Be friendly to its in thy spirit, Manyu, O Much-invoked, in shock of mighty battle.7 For spoil let Varuṇa and Manyu give us the wealth of both sides gathered and collected;And let our enemies with stricken spirits, o'erwhelmed with terror, slink away defeated.

Yours yogically,

Shreeram Balijepalli