Ratha Saptami-AruNam: Part III( First anuvAkam) : three panchAtees.

[Guest guest]

Sri: Dear VedAbhimAnis :In the First post in the series , adiyEn mentioned about the links of AruNa PraSnam ( SuryaUpanishad/ AaruNam/ Surya NamaskAraMantrams ) to Ratha Sapthami celebratingSurya NaarAyaNa Murthy sitting in the middle

of the Sun's orbit .

 

In the second posting , adiyEn covered the

summary of the 32 anuvAkams of AruNam .

 

Today , we will start the study together

the meanings of the individual PanchAtis

of the different anuvAkams .

 

I was a student at VivekAnadha college

Mylapore many years ago . Next door was

Sri RamakrishNa Matam . There was a great

Aasthika-Scholar by name "ANNA " there ,

who was a beacon of sampradhAyic Knowledge.

He authored many books on Vedams ,

AarAdhanam et al. One of the books was on

Soorya NamaskAram . adiyEn will be following

Brahma SrI ( Late) ANNA's BhAshyam based on

Saayana BhAshyam .

 

The AruNam (Soorya NamskAram) starts with

the Saanti PaaTham of " Om Bhadram KarNEbhi:

SruNuyAma dEvA: ". This and other Saanti PaaThams

are for warding off the three kinds of afflictions

((Taapa Trayams) that plague the human beings

and to make them unhappy . The Taapa Trayams are :

AadhyAtmikam , Aadhi Bhoudhikam & Aadhi Boudhikam.

 

Taittireeya ArANyaka Prathama Prasnam

***************************************************

The Saanti PaaTham cited above is the first

Mantram of the First PraSnam :

 

bhadram karNEbhi: SruNuyAma dEvA :

bhadhram paSyEmAkshibhir-yajatrA:

sthirairangais-tushDuvAgumsastanUbhi:

vyaSEma dEvahitam yadhAyu:

 

svasti na IndhrO vrudhdaSravA:

svasti na: pUshA visvavEdhA:

svasti nas-tArkshyO arishtanEmi:

svasti nO Bruhaspatir-dadhAtu

AapamApAmapa: sarvA:

asmAdhasmAdhitOamuta:

 

( Meaning): (dEvA:) Oh dEvAs ! (karNEbhi: ) thru our ears (bhdaram) of auspicious things (SruNuyAma: ) May we Hear !

 

(YajatrA:) We , who worship You thru AahUtis (akshibhi:) through our eyes (bhadram)

of auspicious sights (paSyEma) May we see !

 

(sthirai: angai: tanUbhi: ) with firm limbs constituting our bodies , (tushtuvA: ) we who eulogize You (dEvahitam yat Aayu: vyaSEma) May we attain the longevity , which is pleasing to You , the dEvAs !

 

( VruddhaSravA: Indhra: na: svasti ) May Indhran of great fame grant us all auspiciousness !

 

( ViSvavEdhA:) the Omniscinet ( PooshA ) Sooryan ( na svasti) , May He grant us all MangaLams !

 

(ArishtanEmI: Taarkshya: ) Garudan of uninterrupted speed engaged in VishNu Kaimkaryams (na: svasti) May that SuparNa Gaudan bless us with all soubhAgyams !

 

( Bruhaspati na: svasti) May the Deva Guru, Bruhaspati grant us auspicious Jn~Anam!

 

( apa: sarvA:) of all kinds of sacred waters ( asmAth asmAth) from all appropriate places ( itOamuta:) from here on earth and from the upper worlds (AapamApAm)

May I access them without any obstacles !

 

The prayer of the First Mantram is thus for blessing one to hear auspicious news , see auspicious sights and enjoy disease free , long life . The prayer is addressed to the Vedic Gods , Indhran , PooshA , Garudan and Bruhaspathy . Finally , the prayer is for all healing waters , which remove the Taapa Trayams in the spirit of the SandhyA Vandhana Mantram, "AapO hishtA mayO bhuva: " . Jalam or water is the abode of all MangaLam granting DevAs. The salutation is made to the Jalam for blessing one with auspiciousness both in this and the other world .

 

The second mantram of the First anuvAkam continues with the prayers to the JalAbhimAni Devatais and states why such a prayer for long disease free life and the wealth of Putran ( Putra Sampath) is offered by the UpAsakan of Suryan .

 

Agnir-vAyusccha Sooryasccha ,

saha-sanchaskararddhiyaa ,

VaayvSvaaraSmipataya: ,

mareechyAtmanO adhruha: ,

DeveerbhuvanasUvaree: ,

putravatvAya mE suta ,

MahAnAmneer-MahAmAnA: ,

MahasO mahasa: sva: ,

Devee: parjanya Soovaree: ,

putravatvAya mE suta .

 

(Meanings)

 

(Agnir-Vaayusccha Sooryasccha): May Agni DEvan along with Vaayu Devan and Soorya

Devan shower their blessings on adiyEn !

 

(Saha ruddhiyA samchaskarE) : adiyEn performs this powerful UpAsanA for long , healthy life with their ( JalaabhimAn devatais) anugrahams .

 

( VaayvaSvA: raSmi pataya: MareechyAtmAnO adhruha: Bhuvanasoovaree: Devee: ):

Oh Devathaas empowering Jalam ( dEvee: ) ! You are the creators of this universe

( bhuvanasoovaree:) . The winds ( Vaayu:) are Your horses ( aSvaa:). You have the rays of the Sun (raSmi) as Your Lord ( Pataya:) . You have Agni as Your soul ( MareechyAtmAna:) . You never harm anyone ( adhruha:) and shower only auspiciousness .

 

(PutravatvAya mE suta): Please bless adiyEn to have the wealth of a son ( putra sampath) .

 

( Parjanya sUvaree dEvee:) Oh JalAbhimAna dEvathais , who drench the universe with rains !

 

( MahaanAmnee:) those with lofty and revered names

 

( MahAmAnA:) those who are fit to recieve magnificent worship

 

(MahasO mahasa: sva parjanya soovaree: ) Oh JalAbhimAna dEvathais , who guide the worship of the appropriate dEvathais on your own accord ! Oh Parjanya sUvarree dEvee: !

 

( PutratvAya mE suta) : Please blease adiyEn to have Putra sampath !

 

This Vedic prayer to Parjanya dEvathais is invoked by ANDAL in Her ThiruppAvai Verse 3 ( " theenginRi nAdellAm tingaL mummAri peythu) and verse 4 ( Azhimazhai KaNNaa! ---Vaazha ulahinil peytidAi ).

 

Third Mantram of the First anuvAkam

 

apASyanyushNi-mapaa raksha:

apASnyushNi-mapAragam

apAgrAmapachAvartim

apadEveeritO hita

vajram dEveerajeetaagumsccha

bhuvanam dEva suvaree:

AdityAnadhitim dEveem

yOninOrdhvamudheeshata

Sivaa na: SantamA bhavantu

dhivyA Aapa Oshadhaya:

sumreeDeekA Sarasvathy

maa tE vyOma sandhruSee

 

( dEvee ! aSnyushNim apahita): Oh JalAbhimAni dEvathais ! Please keep away the

Agni , which burns down enjoyable vasthus( possessions) !

 

The word "apa" has to be added each time to " hita" for providing the meaning in all these prayers .

 

( raksha: apahita) : Please chase away the RaakshasAs , ghosts and PisAsus ( ghouls) from me !

 

( aSnyushNim apahita) : Please banish the agni responsible for fever arising from the consumption of wrong kind of foods and drinks !

 

( ragam apahita): Please remove all disease-causing and the sin-causing things away form me ! ( Please refer to SandhyA vandhana mantrams)

 

( agrAm apahita): Please remove the impediments experienced by the indhriyams in grasping material pleasures ( vishaya Sukhams) . Arrest their diminishment with age!

 

( avartim apahaita) : Please chase away the difficulties in pursuing my livelihood ( JeevanOpAyam) !

 

( ita apahita): Please remove here from me all the inauspiciousness and bless me !

 

( dEvasUvaree: dEvee: vjram udheeshita) : Oh JalAbhimAni devatais empowering all dEvAs! Please establish the astral bow/weapon ( Vajram) of Indhran in the sky to protect us !

 

(cha ajeethAm udheeshita) : further, please establish as unvanquished !

 

( AadhityAn Aditim dEveem yOninA udheeshita) : For this same reason , firmly maintain the dEvAs and the Mother of dEvAs , Aditi dEvi , over in the sky for our protection !

 

( dhivyA: AapA: Oshadhaya: SivA: SantamA: bhavantu): May the divine waters, the medicinal trees , creepers and plants be munificient and benevolent to us ! (SivA: denotes MangaLam-producing; SantamA: indicate those that ward off aSubhams) .

 

(Sarasvati sumruDeekA bhavanthu ): Oh Sarasvati Devi ! May Thou bless us with the highest of Sukhams !

 

(tE vyOma maa sandhruSi ) : May there not be any gaps in the company between

Yourself and us !

 

First anuvAkam concluded .

Subhamastu ! Svastirastu ! MangaLAni Santu !

 

( To Be continued)

Daasan ,Oppiliappan Koil V.Sadagopan