Ratha Sapthami-AruNam : Part XXIII (11th AnuvAkam completed : PanchAtis 48-50).

February 20, 2009

SrI:

Dear VedhAbhimAnis:

48th Mantram Introduction

This mantram salutes Sooryan and concedes that his UpAsanai is widely spread aroud the world. A contrast is made between those who are engaged in such upAsanAs and those who are not.

48th Mantram Text

pavitravanta: parivAjamAsatE

pitaishAm prattO abhirakshati vratam

mahassamudhram VaruNastirOdadhE

dheerA icchE kurdharuNEshvArabham

pavitram tE vitatam BrahmaNaspatE

prabhurgAtrANi paryEshi viSvata:

atapta tanUrnatadhAm aSnutE

SrutAsa idhvahantastathsamASata

BrahmA dEvAnAm

asatassadhyE tatakshu:

Word by Word Meaning of the 48th Mantram

Pavitravanta: vAjam pari AasatE=The pious ones perform with ardour the upAsanai of Sooryan for multiplication of the food sources .

PitA pratta:yEshAm vratam abhirakshati =Sooryan stands as the Father and ancient One and protects their vratam.

VaruNa: maha: samudram tirOdadhE = King VaruNan uses the water from the big oceans to form the clouds and hides the heavens .

dheerA: ith dharuNEshu Aarabham chEku=The heroic ones , who have conquered their indhriyams,become capable to begin their upAsanais at the places appropriate for such worship.

BrahmaNaspatE! tE pavitram=Oh Lord SooryA ! Your UpAsanai is spread well all over the world.

Prabhu: viSvata: gAtrANi paryEshi=You as the Lord are pervading the bodies of all janthus all over this universe with your rays.

ataptatanU: AamA:,tath na aSnutE=The body of one who has not done the penance ( upAsanai) is like incompletely cooked food. He will not attain the fruits of the tapas.

SrutAsa ithvahanta: tatsamASata=The ones who have performed the upAsanA are like well cooked havis and they thru these auspicious acts enjoy the puNyams.

BrahmA dEvAnAm=the mantram starting with "Brahma dEvAnAm" should be recited here .

This mantram is a description of RaajA Soman : " BrahmA dEvAnAm padhavee kaveenAm Rishir-viprANAm mahishAm mrughANAm , SyEnO gruttrANAgum Soma: pavitramathyEti rEphan".

The meaning of this Mantram is: Soman stays eulogized and stands above all sacred/auspicious entities . He is Brahma dEvan among dEvAs; Master of words among the poets, Rishi among Brahmins, strong Buffalo among animals, mighty Garudan among birds and among splitting weapons , He is the axe .

asata: sat yE tatkshu: Those who made the manifest universe ( Kaarya roopa world) out of the unmanifest( KaaraNa poruL) are hailed as PrajApatis or Aadhi Rishis .

49-50th Mantrams( 11th AnuvAkam ) Introduction

The UpAsana of SooryantaryAmi BahgavAn and its glories continue to be covered here . Gaayatri Mantram is invoked in this context .

Texts of the 49-50th Mantram

Rushaya: saptaadhrisccha yath

sarvEatrayO Agastyasccha

nakshatrai: SamkrutOavasan

atha savitu: SyAvAscchasthAvarti-kAmasya

amee ya rukshA nihitAsa ucchA

naktam dadhruSrE kuhachiddhivEshu:

adhaBdhAni VaruNasya vratAni

vichAkaSac-chandramA nakashtramEti

tatsaviturvarENyam

bhargO dEvasya dheemahi

dhiyO yO na: prachOdhayAth

tathsavithurvruNeemahi

vayam dEvasya bhOjanam

SrEshtagumsarvadhAtamam

turam bhagasya dheemahi

apAgUhatasavitA trubheen

sarvAn dhivO andhasa:

naktam tAnyabhavan dhruSE

asthyasthnA sambhavishyAma:

nAma nAmaiva nAma mE

49-50th Mantram:Word by Word Meanings

rushaya: sapta atrisccha yath sarvE Atrya: Agasytya: cha=The seven rishis of this Vaivastha Manvantram ( KaSyapar,Atri, VaSishtar, ViswAmitrar, Goutamar, Jamadhagni and BhardhvAjar) have the Vaibhavam of creating this universe because of their power of UpAsanA , which makes them unify with the BhagavAn . Those who perform the UpAsanA of the BhagavAn , who is the indweller of Sooryan will attain the lofty status similar to that of the sapta Rishis .

The group of sapta rishis change in each manvantaram( Bhagavatam: 8.13.5).

Nakshatrai: Samkruta: avasan=These upAsakAs will attain the form of stars and bless the world just like the sapta Rishis.These are statements by Sage Angeerasa.

SaastrAs state that the Aadhi rishis stay in the form of stars in the sky.The

sapta rishi maNDalam is said to be near Dhuva MaNDalam .

atha savitu: avartikAmasya SyAvAscchvasya =Now , we will recite the mantrams seen by the dispassionate mantradhrushtA SyAvaaSvar , who had no desire to be reborn . (This rishi is one of the AtrEya gOtra rishi.The mantrams seen by him are stated now).

amee rukshA: yE ucchA nihitAs: naktam dadhrSrE=These stars( nakshatrams), which have been held aloft by BhagavAn are seen at night .

dhivA guhachityeeu:=They disappear somewhere during the day.

VaruNasya vratAni adaBdhAni=The will of VaruNan are neither known to us nor controlled by us.( In the morning SandhyA upAsanam , Sooryan is worshipped as Mitran and in the evening as VaruNan).

ChandramA vikASat nakshatramEti= Chandran is united with well shining assembly of stars.( Chandran shines at night with his 27 wives in the form of Nakshatrams).

Ya na: dhiya: prachOdhayAt tath Savitu: dEvasya varENyam bharga: dheemahi=

Let us meditate on that BhagavAn the creator( Savitu:) , who stimulates the power of our minds and who is the embodiment of supreme jyOthi !

Bhagasya Savitu: dEvasya bhOjanam SrEshtam sarvadhAtamam tath vayam turam dheemahi vruNeemahE =May we rush to meditate upon and pray to that MangaLa svaroopi , Savithuru dEvan , who has the enjoyable and lofty power to protect all beings. ( Savithru dEvan is the Supreme Being inside the savitru MaNDalam).

SavitA andhasa: sarvAn trybheen dhiva: naktam apAgUhata:=SavitA ( Soorya antaryAmi BhagavAn ) hides all his rays

that hide the stars from the sky during the night.

tAnidhruSe abhavan=then , it becomes possible to see the stars at night .

asthyasthanaa sambhavishyaama:=We are born in this earth with bodies supported by bones and flesh and have a name.

mE nAma nAma yEva nAma=After we are blessed with Jn~Anam thru upAsanA of

Sooryan , the names linked to the physical body are mere names without any meaning.

IsaavAsya Upanishad mantrams 15 and 16 are relevant in SooryOpAsanaa.

Mantram 15:HiraNmayEna PatrENa -

The face(i-e.the mind) of Truth

(i-e. Jeevatan) is covered by the golden Vessel( i-e.Rajas/Passion) .

Oh Pushan! Do remove that ( cover of the mind) for the sake of perceiving Brahman , which is the function(dharma) of the Jiva( satya)".

Mantram 16: PushannEkarshE ---