prAtah sankalpa gadyaM -9

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Hari Sarvottama Sri Gurubhyo namaha

Vayu Jeevothama

 

SOURCE:

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Pratas-Sankalpa Gadyam, Sarva-Samarpana Gadyam & Gayathri

By Srimushnam V Nagarajachar, Published by Devarnama Bhajana Sangha,

Srirangam, 1972.

 

pUjyAya rAghavendrAya satyadharmaratAya cha |

bhajatAM kalpavR^ixAya namatAM kAmadhenave ||

 

shrIsudhIndrAbdhisambhUtAn.h rAghavendrakalAnidhIn.h |

seve sadAGYAnsaukhyArthaM santApatrayashAntaye ||

 

|| shrImaddhanumabhImamadhvAntargatarAmakR^iShNAvedavyAsAtmaka

shrIlaxmIhayagrIvAya namaH ||

 

atha shrImandrAghavendra yati shiromaNibhiH virachitaM

 

 

NOTE: The whole text of Pratah Sankalpa Gadyam is one sentence, as also

the other work, Sarva Samarpana Gadyam. If the text is shown as passages &

numbered, it is all for the convenience of easy reading by laymen &

therefore imaginary.

 

 

31. nirupacaritasarvavAgarthapratipAdaka

shrIdevyAdiramArUpAShTakAbhimanyamAna

chakrasha~NkhavarAbhayayuktahastachatuShTayopetapradIpavarNasarvAbharaNabhUShita

vishvAdi bhagavadrU pAShTa kapratipAdaka akArAdyaShTAxarAtmaka

32. shrImatpraNavAdyaShTa mahAmantra

pratipAdyAShTarUpAtmaka

33. mantrAdhyAyoktabhUvarAdyasheShavaiShNavamantrapratipAdya

bhUvarAhAdyasheSharUpavisheShAtmaka

34. ramAdimantrapratipAdya

ramAdiniShTharamAdinAmaka rUpavisheShAtmaka

35. shrIlaxmInR^isiMhAtmaka

paramadayAlo xamAsamudra bhaktavatsala

bhaktAparAdhasahiShNo deshakAlAdhipate dehendriyAdhipate sUryavaMshadhvaja

raghukulatilaka

laxmaNabharatashatrughnAgraja shrIhanUmadupAsitacharaNa sItApate

shrIrAmachandra

 

 

It was seen in the previous passages how the author visualized his Upasana

Moorthy Sri Ramachandra in Gayathri. In the two passages now under review,

he holds Pranava 'OM' & the eight maha mantras as the symbols denoting the

same Sri Ramachandra.

 

Of all the mantras, eight are specially recommended for dailly japa. These

eight are collectively known as Ashta maha mantras. Of these, Pranava is

the first

 

CONSTITUENTS OF PRANAVA:

 

Akara, Ukara, Makara, bindu, nAda, ghosha, shAnta, atishAnta

 

This is referred to in the text as akArAdi aShTAxarAtmaka shrImatpraNava

 

These eight constitute Pranava & each symbolizes a bhagavad roopa. Sri

Lakshmi Devi accompanies these eight roopas in Her own eight forms as 'Sree'

'Devi' etc...The eight Bhagavad Roopas symbolized by the above eight

constituents of Pranava are given in the following table:

 

CONSTITUENTS OF PRANAVA ------ -----------SYMBOLIZING THE BHAGHAVAD ROOPA

 

1. akara-----------------vishva

2. ukara--------------- taijasa

3. makara-------------- prAGYa

4. bindu-----------------turIya

5. nAda------------------AtmA

6. ghoSha-------------- antarAtmA

7. shAnta---------------GYAnAtmA

8. atishAnta------------paramAtmA

 

vishvAdi bhagavadrUpAShTaka pratipAdya akArAdi aShTaxarAtmaka shrImatpraNava

 

MEDITATION ON PRANAVA

 

To meditate on Pranava is to meditate upon the sweet looking Divine forms

mentioned above. Holding Chakra & Shanka in His two hands, the other hand

offering Vara (boon) & another hand assuring Abhaya (refuge), the Lord, in

all the eight forms stands majestic & magnificent as a Divya Mangala

Moorthy, exuberantly bedecked with all the ornaments from head to foot.

 

This is what Sri Madhva says in Tantra sAra:

 

mUrtayo aShTAvapi dhyeyAH chakrasha~Nka varAbhayaiH |

yuktAH pradIpa varNAshcha sarvAbharaNA bhUShitAH ||

 

Sri Madhvacharya elucidates further in his Aitareya Bhashya:

 

sR^iShTi kartA brahmanAmA yo.asR^ijat.h chaturAnanaM |

antaryAmI viri~nchasya so.akArArtho janArdanaH ||

 

vaikuNThaloke Aste sa dvitIyavapuShA hariH |

ukAra vAchyaH sa vibhuH nR^isimho rudranAmakaH ||

 

raudratvAt.h sa shivasyApi shraShTA saMhArakArakaH |

aMtaryAmI shivasyApi makArArthaH prakIrtitaH ||

 

evaM triyAtmakaM viShNuM praNavo.ayaM triyAtmakaH |

evaM pR^ithagivAchaShTe bindur vak.h tyaniruddhakaM ||

 

pradyumnAdyAH nAda pUrvAH sarvAn.h nArAyaNAtmakAn.h |

padmanAbhAdikAH eva mUrtIH nArAyaNottarAH ||

 

praNavo.ayaM vadatyaShTau tasmAnnAnyAbhidhAyakaH ||

------ aithareya bhAShye " tachvasAra

vachanaM 2-3-8

 

Pranava - 'OM'

vyAhriti - bhUH, bhuvaH, svaH

AshtAkshara - OM namo nArAyanAya

Brahma Gayathri- tatsaviturvareNyaM, bhargo devasya dhImahi dhiyo yo naH

prachodayAt.h

Dwa dasakshara- OM namo bhagavate vAsudevAya

purusha sukta

mAtruka Mantras: a to aH, ka to xa- All these 51 aksharas have originated

from OM kara.

shadakshara Vishnu mantra- oM viShNave namaha

 

These are symbolic of the different forms of one & the same Supreme Being.

 

mAtrukA mantra ( Sri Hari roopa) = **Taken from the book PSG in Tamil by

Sri R Sridharan**

 

a= ajaH, A= Ananda, i = indraH, ii = Isha, u = ugraH, uu - UrjaH, R^i

= R^idambaraH, R^I = R^IkaH, L^i = lushaH, L^I- lujiH, e= ekAtmA, ai

= iraH, o- ojabhR^it.h, au = aurlaiH aM = antaH, aH = artkarbaH

 

ka = kapilaH, kha = khapapiH, ga = garudAsanaH gha = gharmaH, ~Na =

~NasAraH

ca = cArvA~NgaH, Cha = chanddoghamyaH, ja = janArdanaH, jha =

jhatidAriH, ~na = ~namaH

Ta = Ta~nki, Tha = ThalakaH, Da = DarakaH, Dha = DharI, Na = NAtmA

ta = tAraH, tha = thabhaH, da = daNDI, dha = dhanvI, na = namyaH

pa = paraH, pha = phali, ba = bali, bha = bhagaH, ma = manuH

ya = yaj~naH, ra = rAmaH, la = laxmIpatiH, va = varaH, sha = shadguNa

sa = sArAtmA, ha = hamsaH, La = lALukaH, xa = laxmInarasimha

 

EXPLANATORY NOTES:

 

PRANAVA: ITS SIGNIFICANCE **also taken from Upanishad Khandarthas of

Raghavendrayati by Dr. K. B. Archak**

 

Life is a constant flow of experiences & these are of three kinds viz, the

waking state (jAgrat.h), dream state (svapna), & the deep sleep state

(suShupti). These three states are controlled by the Lord in His three

forms & the akAra, ukAra, Makara (A- U- MA) of Pranava are the

representations of these forms. It corresponds to Visva, Taijasa, Prajna,

& nAda corresponds to Turiya.

 

This interpretation of the four forms of Brahman receives full support from

Srimad Bhaghavatha

 

sa vishvataijasaH prAGYasturIya iti vR^ittibhiH | athendriyAshayaGYAnaiH

bhagavAn.h paribhAShyate.... 11-12.

 

The paramount significance of these forms of Brahman is as under:

 

a. VISVA OR VISVANARA form of Brahman:

 

The Supreme Brahman in the waking state is called as VaisvAnara designated

by the sound A. The letter A which symbolizes VaishvAnara aspect of Brahman

is the contracted form of the Apti which means 'Bringer'. The Visva aspect

of Brahman brings all desired objects to the souls in accordance to their

fitness to apprehend the nature of all objects in the waking state. The

soul wakes up from the deep sleep & thus the prAjna becomes the Adi or the

beginning of Viswa. Similarly, the soul often wakes up from the dreaming

state to the waking state. Therefore, the Taijasa also becomes the

beginning of the Visva form of Brahman.

 

b. TAIJASA FORM OF BRAHMAN:

 

The Taijasa aspect of the Supreme Brahman who is seated in the throat, the

place of dreams, is designated by U sound of OM. It draws up the soul from

dehAbhimAna (false identification with one's body) & takes him to the region

of stored impressions or dreams. This is one reason to designate Taijasa by

U sound. Another rason is that it stops the perception of the external

things causing the perception of internal dream objects. Taijasa form of

Brahman is called Antah prajna because it causes the internal perception to

the soul. In other words, it makes the soul to perceive the objects which

are the revivals of impressions received in the waking state. He is

PRAVIVIKTABHUK, as He enjoys i.e. experiences, the impressions left by the

objects perceived in the waking state.

 

c. PRAJNA FORM OF BRAHMAN:

 

If we get beyond the dreaming state & sleep a profound undisturbed sleep,

the jeeva is in contact with the Lord PraGYna & gets a dip into the essence

of bliss.

Prajna aspect of Brahman who is seated in the petal of the heart, the place

of susupti, is designated by M sound of OM.

 

Prajna aspect of Brahman does not cause the perception of any object

external or of dream, except jivasvarupasukha, kAla & ajnana to the soul.

 

The reason to designate Prajna by the sound 'M' are: Prajna draws in the

souls within Himself & overpowers their consciousness, Secondly, He

destroys all conciousness of objects outside one's self. He is called

Anandabhuk since He always enjoys happiness. The soul engrossed in the

susupti is called suptah because he, being concealed by nescience,

approaches the Lord who is Blissful. Prajna is also called ekibhuta, as

Visva & Taijasa have entered the state of oneness here. Prajna is called

also PrajnAnaghana (or Ghanaprajna) as He is the Revealer of the nescience,

eternal time & soul's essential nature.

 

d. TURIYA FORM OF BRAHMAN:

 

Turiya or Turya aspect of Brahman is designated by nAda of the sound OM, &

the same resides in the brain.

 

The opening mantra of the second Khanda explains that the Turiya aspects

does not function like Visva, Taijasa & Prajna aspects of Brahman. There

are two ways the distinct nature of the Turiya aspect of Brahman, in

interpreting the word adrsta: 1. In the states of waking, dreaming & deep

sleep, there is a standard by which one can know Visva, Taijasa & Prajna but

not so in the case of Turiya. 2. Turiya aspect of Brahman cannot be

visualized by those who have not been liberated. In the same context, he

suggests that the words avyavahAryaM & agrAhyaM represents that He cannot be

perceived but in the state of liberation.

 

He is beyond thought (achintya), undefinable (avyapadesyaM). He explains

the word AikAtmyapratyayasAra: Eka means Supreme, ATma means Full,

Pratyaya means knowledge & sAra means bliss. Thus, it means that the Turiya

aspect of the Supreme Brahman is the form of All knowledge & All bliss. The

Turiya aspect of Brahman is understood also as Sarvadrk because He displays

all objects to the freed soul in salvation according to his fitness. Or, He

sees everthing. Then Mandukya Upanishads declares that the Visva & the

Taijasa are bound by cause (kArana) & effect (kArya). The Prajna is bound

by cause alone.

 

 

33, 34. mantra adhyAya means the fourth chapter in TantrasAra, which is

one of the 37 works of Sri Madhvacharya. This chapter elaborately deals

with Vaishnava Mantras & therefore, this is known as Mantra Adhyaya. The

first mantra in the said chapter is Bhoo Varaha Mantra.

 

Sri Raghavendra Theertharu, not content with seeing his UpAsana moorthy in

Pranava, Gayathri & other Asta mahA mantras, visualizes his Sitapati Sri

Ramachandra in all the mantras contained in the whole of mantra Adhyaya.

Again, the same Moorthy is seen even in Lakhmi Mantra.

 

The Lord has a stree Roopa also & in this Roopa He dwells in Sri Lakshmi &

He is therefore the ultimate PratipAdya Devata even in Lakshmi mantras. Sri

Raghavendra Theertharu says that Sita pati Sri Ramachandra is the essence in

all the innumerable mantras which depict different forms of the Lord.

 

35. Addressing the Lord directly, the author proclaims " Oh, my Lord,

Sita pati Sri Ramachandra, the adorable brother of Lakshmana, Bharatha &

Sathrugna. Oh, the figure of constant worship by Hanuman, Oh, the

controller of space & Tiem the most celebrated among the rulers of Soorya

Vamsa, Oh Raghu kula tilaka, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha (Upasana of Sri

Lakshmi Narasimha is specially recommended for those desiring Mukthi & for

those who need redemption from the adversities in life), the extreme

merciful, the ocean of grace, the loving friend of Bhakthas, oh, the

forbearer & forgiver of the Aparadhas of your bhakthas, " I pray to youmy

Lord " continues Sri Raghavendra.

 

 

shrImadrAghavendratIrtha gurvantargata shrI bhAratIramaNa

mukhyaprANAntargata sItApati shrI rAmachandra charaNAravindayoH samarpyate

shri kR^iShNArpanamasthu