[Vaideekam] '''++++

[Guest guest]

Dear Members:

 

There was a question from a Member of a sister group on

the words , VidhmahE , Dheemahi and PrachOdhayAth.

 

Some reflections on the topic is included below.

 

Mahaa NaarAyaNOPanishad has many manthrams ,

which are known as Rudra Gaayathri , Garuda Gaayathri ,

Durga Gaayathri et al.

 

Rudra Gaayathri is :

 

TathpurushAya vidhmahE MahAdEvAya dheemahi

tannO Rudhra: prachOdhayAth

 

( Meaning ) : We meditate upon that PurushA - Sriman NaarAyaNan .

For that purpose , we devote ourselves to MahA Deva . May that Rudra

prompt /invigorate us for that meditation on the Supreme Purushan .

 

Devotees of these deities recite these ManthrAs.These are not required

recitation for all every day . For us , NaarAyaNann is Sarva BhUtha

antharAthmA including Rudran , Durga , VinAyaka et al . PurushA in

this Manthram refers only to ParamAthmA Sriman NaarAyaNan .

 

Rudra UpAsanam is the hEthu for Sriman NaarAyaNa (SankarOpAsanasya

Bhagavadh upAsana hEthuthvAth) . Why SanakrA specially? The adage is :

" SankarAth Jn~Anam icchEth " (One should seek Jn~Anam from SankarA

to meditate on Sriman NaarAyaNa .Sankara is the Parama BhAgavathA ,

who as DakshiNAmoorthy grants that Jn~Anam and sets the Four Maharishis

on the correct path toward Jn~Anam as a result of Lord HayagrIvan's anugraham.

 

The recommended manthram for PrapannAs and ParamaikAnthis is

the celebrated VishNu Gaayathri :

 

NaarAyaNAya VidhmahE VaasudEvAya dheemahi ,

tannO VishNu: PrachOdhayAth .

 

(Meaning ): We meditate ( VidhmahE) upon NaarAyaNa .

For that ( success in that ) , we devote ourselves ( dheemahi)

to VaasudEva . May that Lord VishNu invigorate us ( prachOdhayAth) .

 

The names of the Vaikunta NaathAn thru his three VyApaka

manthrams are integrated here . NaarAyaNa Manthram

or AshtAkshari is the PoorNa VyApaka Manthram ( Moola

ManthrAdhikAram of Srimath Rahasya Thraya Saaram ).

The other two are asampoorNam .

 

VidhmahE means then we meditate ( UpAsanai) .

 

Dheemahi means , we devote ourselves .

 

PrachOdayAth means Let that Rudra , the MahA Tapasvi, stimulate

or invigorate us.

 

In the MahA Gayathri Manthram , there are only two steps in the UpAsanai :

BhargO Devasya Dheemahi---na: prachOdhayAth .

 

V.Sadagopan

 

 

 

 

-

Emmaarkay-NJ, USA

vaideekam

Thursday, January 05, 2006 1:49 PM

[Vaideekam] '''++++

 

Dear VAsuVAdyAr, NamskArams!

 

Will you please enlighten the meaning of 'VidmahE' , 'Deemahi' and 'PrachodayAt', which follow each of the lines respectively in various GAyatri Mantrams.

 

Again NamaskArams

 

Emmaarkay