Introduction to MahAnArAyaNOpanishat by Dr.NSA

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Dear Bhaktas,

 

This is an introduction to MahAnArAyaNOpanishat which

will be followed by the slokas also. This is the work

of Dr.NSA which is still not printed.

 

I am highly thankful to my cousin Balaji.C.G., grand

son of Dr.NSA and also a member of this list, for

having typed this material. He has also taken the

initiative of typing out the slokas to follow also.

Many thanks to him once again.

 

MAHANARAYANOPANISHAT

 

 

This upanishat is well known as 'yAj~nikI upanishat'.

ShIkshavalli that

expounds samhitopasana is called " sAmhithI: " ; the

Anandavalli and

Bhriguvalli are called " vAruNI: " as they relate to the

meditation of

Anandamaya.

 

In this 'prashna' the significance of the term

'anantham' in the statement 'satyam, jn~anam,

anantham' of Anandavalli is expounded. The

word'anantham'

signifies by usage Narayana. It is pointed out by

sudarshana sUri in his shrutaprakAsika, under 'sarva

vyAkhyAnAdhikaraNa', that there is no reason

to abandon the meaning conveyed by convention for the

term 'anantham' and the derivative meaning of

'apariccHinnatva' is also to be taken along

with that.

 

It amounts to saying that the term anantham signifies

'aparicHinnatva' and 'Narayanatva'. That very

ananthatva is described in this upanishat in

various ways such as 'all-pervasiveness' and others.

NyAsa or self surrender is praised in the end of this

section through terms like Brahma,Samvatsara

and others. Then Aditya of the form of samvatsara is

expounded. Through the rays of aditya the the gaining

of vijn~ana is described through rain,plants, food,

life, strength, penance, faith, intellect, manisha,

peace, chitta and remembrance, in the successive

order. Then the attainment of Ananda-brahman is

declared and the unity of Aditya and Anandamaya is

expounded. The Anandamaya, the innerself in the

purusha (Individual

self)and the purusha in Aditya are one and the same.

The Anandamaya is verily the self of 'annamaya,

prANamaya, manOmaya and vijnAnamaya'.

 

This part of the upanishat is also called as

NarAyaNOpanishat' and 'yAj~nikOpanishat' because of

the fact that bhArgava nArAyana, well known by

the name 'yAj~na' is its seer and it expounds the

'yaj~na' of the form of worship of that Lord.

 

The term yaj~na denotes the worship of God as well as

all karmas associated with it. Upasana is to be

performed after the performance of the nitya

and naimittika karmas. So, here the upasanas are

described through the indication of the daily

routines. So, at the very commencement of this

upanishat, the reflection of the Lord reclining on the

Adishesha in the milky ocean is prescribed for one who

gets up from his bed in the early morning. The Lord

who resides within the heart of all living beings and

who

incarnates Himself as a human being for uplifting

humanity is also to be thought of.

 

All those things that are necessary for making a firm

resolve to attain the Lord by discarding all ungodly

things, are gradually introduced. After ablution, the

daily worshiip of yhe Lord is described. The various

deities other than paramAtman that are related to the

nitya-karmas, such as MahadEva

and others are to be known as those that serve the

Lord and the discriminatory knowledge between them

and paramAtman is taught furthur. The

collection of dUrvA and mrttikA, follows and ablution

is performed with the 'aghamarshaNa' sUktas, oblations

and the different upasanas meant for gaining

liberation are then undertaken.

 

Then the duties that are to be performed at noon are

mentioned. Then follow mantras that are to be recited

while taking the sanctified food after duly

offering it to the Lord - bhagavannivedithAmrtha. Then

follow the process of swAdhyAya. Renunciation is

described in respect of one who has developed

dispassion. There is a special reference to 'nyAsa' or

'prapAdAna or self-surrender and in the conclusion,

there is a reference to yOga as AtmAnam yunjItha. This

upanishat expounds the pAnchakAlika prakriyA of

the form of abhigamana, upAdAna, ijyA, swAdhyAya and

yOga.

 

This upanishat contains a variety of subjects of great

importance in the daily observances of a religious

person. The work commences with the description of

paramAtman and concludes eulogizing nyAsa. Passages

used in connection with the religious acts of worship

abound in this upanishat and so the epithet 'yAj~nikI'

is appropriate.

 

The mantras given here are according to the Andhra

pATha. The english translation and notes there under

are furnished according to the commentary

of Sri Ranga Ramanuja Muni, the celebrated commentator

of the dashopanishats.

 

 

Deep Pranamams

dAsI

padmini

 

 

 

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