SrI sArasAram -- I (12)

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SrI sAra sAram – I (12)

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I – ThirumantrAdhikAram

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The Meaning of the PraNava (continued)

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We just saw the explanation given by PrasnOpanishad about the effects of

uttering the praNava from one mAtra to three mAtras for getting different

benefits. The quote from the PeriyAzhvAr Thirumozhi given by SwAmi Desikan also

revealed the fact that uttering the praNava in three mAtras and meditating on

the Lord, one will attain SrI VaikunTa to enjoy the bliss of being with the

Lord.

SwAmi Desikan has dealt with the potency of praNava in detail in his magnum

opus, SrImad rahasyatrayasAra. We shall now take note of new points made by him

there.

Besides the mAtras mentioned in the Upanishad quoted earlier, SwAmi Desikan

mentions one more – three and a half mAtras for uttering the praNava and says

it refers to the Lord as in His causal state. In this state, the Lord is

referred to as Para Brahman known as Para VAsudEva.

A mAtra is the unit of time taken in crackling once of the thumb and the middle

finger, which is almost like a second. When the PraNva becomes an independent

mantra by itself, it is such an effective mantra to yield different benefits for

different mAtras.

The glory and greatness of praNava are well-known from scriptural passages.

Continuing with Sri sArasAram, SwAmi Desikan now quotes from the Manusmriti:

“Adyam tu trayaksharam Brahmaâ€. We shall see the SlOka in full:

“Adyam tu trayaksharam Brahma trayee yatra pratishThitA /

sa guhyOnyastrivrudvEdO yastam vEda sa vEdavit //†(Manusmruti, 11-265)

(The three-syllable praNava is at the beginning of all the Vedas. It contains

the essence of the three Vedas, namely, Rg, Yajus and sAman each represented by

each of the three syllables. The praNava itself is a Veda with three letters and

is different from the other Vedas. One who knows the praNava alone is called a

Veda-vit – one who has mastered all the Vedas.)

SwAmi Desikan now refers to another passage from the PeriyAzhvAr Thirumozhi:

“moonRezhutthanai†–

Here is the verse in full:

“moonRezhuththathanai moonRezhuththathanAl

moonRezhuththAkki moonRezhuththai

EnRukoNDiruppArkku irakkam nankuDaiya

empuruDOththamnirukkai

moonRaDi nimirnthu moonRinil thOnRi

moonRinil moonRuruvAnAn

kAnthaDam pozhil coozh kankaiyin karaimEl

kanDamenum kaDinagarE.†(PeriyAzhvAr thirumozhi, 4-7-10)

(Our Lord, PurushOttama, has deep compassion towards men who have learnt the

three-lettered praNava, with the help of three auxiliary scriptures (nigama,

nirukta and vyAkaraNa), the three powerful meanings. He dwells in the

ThirukkaNDa city on the banks of the Ganges. The Lord took three steps in His

incarnation as Trivikrama for three purposes (to measure the Universe, to appear

as UpEndra and to be with MahAbali in the nether world); and glowed in three

worlds.)

Here, nigama refers to a work auxiliary to and explanatory of the Vedas.

Nirukta is another auxiliary work which contains glossarial explanation of

obscure words, especially those occurring in the Vedas. VyAkaraNa is yet another

auxiliary work to provide grammatical analysis of Vedic words.

Such is the greatness of the praNava which is the original source of all the

Vedas, says SwAmi Desikan:

“ithyAdikaLiRpadiyE, anantaSAkhangkaLAna vEdangaLukkum im-mantram thanakkum

moolamAkiya ithai aRinthavanai vEda-vit ennumpadi

sarva-sAra-sangrahamAyirukkum.†–

The praNava is the source of not only all the branches (SAkhas) of Vedas, but

also the Thirumantram. Hence, one who knows the praNava is called Vedavit, that

is, knower of the essence of all the Vedas.

The praNava is epitome of the essence of all scriptures:

“sarva-sAra-sangrahamAyirukkum.â€

SwAmi Desikan further says:

“Eka padamAna ithil akshara-trayam nirvacana-balatthAlE thanit-thaniyE padamAi

moonRum kooDa oru vAkkiyamAkiRathu. in-nyAyam namas-silum varum.†–

The praNava is one word. But, it contains three syllables, ‘a’, ‘u’,

‘m’. If we go by the scripture, called ‘akshara nigaNdu’, each of these

three syllables becomes a word each. If we analyze the meanings of these

letters, each letter appears to be a full sentence. Hence, the praNava contains

three sentences within itself.

The same definition is applicable to ‘namah’, the next word in the

Thirumantram. ‘namah’, which has two syllables, is an independent sentence

consisting of two words, ‘na’ and ‘mah’.

Thus, SwAmi Desikan has revealed to us the glory of the praNava, the first word

of the Thirumantram.

(To continue)

dAsan

Anbil S.SrInivAsan

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