some musings on Ucchista Sukta and related Ganapati

[Guest guest]

Dear members,

 

There were 7 shakhas in Atharvana veda but as of now only 2 are available. They

are: Pippalada and Saunaka. The pippalAda shAkha is quite popular in Northern /

Eastern India like Kashmir / Bengal & Orissa.

 

One can see two famous mantra prayogas in these two shakhAs. One is Atharvana

Bhadrakali otherwise called Pratyangira which is also called *Para Mantra

Bhakshini*. The mantras related to Atharvana Bhadrakali are called *Pratyangira

Sukta* which are found in 16th Kanda. It is the 5th sukta in this 16th Kanda of

Pippalada Atharva Samhita. They are 44 mantras in number. 32 more mantras are

taken from 1st sukta of 10th Kanda from Saunaka Samhita.

 

Traces of Pratyangira Upasana were found in the times of Ramayana where she was

worshipped as Nikumbila Devi by the Indrajit / Meghanath who was the son of a

great Kaulachari and Tantrika Ravana Brahma.

 

It is said that for pratyangira upasana, one should be free from certains vices

like krodha, lobha & matsarya.

 

In Saunaka Shakha, there are several suktas for kamya prayogas like:

 

Ayushya sukta & Uttareni Mulika Sukta: For good health & long life

Hrid roga nivritti sukta : For heart problems

sukla sukta : For leukemia

prishniparni vanaspati sukta : For cough & fevers

 

vashikarana sukta (stri) : This is not para-stri but when wife does not listen

to her husband, husband can do this prayoga (anukula dampatya)

 

vyapara sukta : For good business relations

Aikamatya sukta : For unity among brothers and close family relations

krishi sukta : For agriculture and good harvest

nidra sukta For sound sleep

Rohini mulika sukta : For curing piles, constipation

Jaya sukta : For karya siddhi and victory

Vishaharana sukta : For snake bites

Vastoshpati sukta : For vastu doshas

netra sukta : For eye related problems

Amavasya sukta : For pitri devata anugraha

Purnima sukta : For grace of Mother

Smara sukta : Deployed on Husbands who are attracted towards para-stri and donot

care their wife (para-stri gamana nirodhaka)

Go sukta : For go-dana and worship of Holy Cow

 

Pratyangira Bhadrakali Sukta : Deployed to counter the *kritya* prayoga

 

Hiranya Sukta : Deployed for male progeny.

 

When Aditi wanted a male progeny, the Prajapati Tvasta deployed this Sukta and

made his wife to wear golden bangles. Even today this ritual is followed in some

parts of south india as a part of *pumsavana* and *simantotsava*.

 

Nakshatra sukta : On janma nakshtra as a part of birthday celebrations.

 

Apart from these there are wonderful mantras called Shalya chikita mantra (for

wounds/bruises/fractures), mano chikitsa mantra for will power and confidence,

Indrajala mantras for magic, suryakirana chikita (sun bathing) etc.

 

The most important sukta in Saunaka Shakha is *UCCHISHTA BRAHMA SUKTA* which

forms the base of the principle of the upasana of Ucchishta Ganapati.

 

What exactly is called the word *Ucchishta* is given in this Sukta which forms

the part of 7th sukta of 11th Kanda. The seer of this *Ucchishta Brahma Sukta*

is Atharva Rishi; the Devata is *Ucchishta* devata; there are 27 mantras with

the following meters: *Anushtup*, *Ushnik*, *Svarat*, *Virat*, *Brihati*.

 

I don't have the patience of typing the entire sukta having 27 mantras but i

would dive into some of the words which have deep significance as far as the

principle of *ucchista* is concerned.

 

UCCHISTA BRAHMA SUKTA - 11 KANDA -7TH SUKTA - ATHARVA RISHI -

UCCHISTA DEVATA - ANUSHTUP CHANDAH - 6 PURA USHNIKGVARHATA PARA CHANDAH; 21 -

SVARAT CHANDHA - 22 VIRAT CHANDAH

 

Ucchishte namarupam cha ucchiste loka ahitah

ucchishte indrascha agnischaa vishwamantah samahitam//1

ucchishte dyava prithivi vishwam bhutam samahitam

apah samudra ucchishte chandramavata ahitah

sannucchishte asanschaubhou mrityurvajah prajapatih

loukya ucchistah ayatta .......

rig sama yajurucchishta udgita prastutam sutam

aindragnam pavamanam mahinamni mahavratam

ucchishte yajnasyanga .......

.........

..

..

..

..

anandamodah pramudo(a)bhimoda mudaschaye

ucchishta yajnire sarve divideva divisritah

devah pitaro manushya gandharva apsarasaschaye

ucchishta .......divishritah.....//27

 

The essence of this sukta is that this entire cosmos of name & form is

ucchista-sambhuta. This entire universe including the devatas like Indra, Agni,

Prajapati etc., 5 gross elements, 4 vedas like Rg, Yajur, Sama & Atharva have

sprung forth from the *highest principle* which is the essence of this creation.

 

This *highest principle* from which the entire creation has been projected forth

is called the *ucchista*. Hence the entire creation is *ucchista-sambhuta*.

 

When such a principle in the form of Ganapati is worshipped, he is called

*Ucchista Ganapati* which is the highest principle.

 

with regards,

sriram

[Guest guest]

Namaste Sriram:

 

Can you elaborate on what you understand by the term " ucchiShTa " ?

 

Thnaks

 

Dr. Yadu

 

, " sriram " <sriram_sapthasathi wrote:

>

> Dear members,

>

> There were 7 shakhas in Atharvana veda but as of now only 2 are available.

They are: Pippalada and Saunaka. The pippalAda shAkha is quite popular in

Northern / Eastern India like Kashmir / Bengal & Orissa.

>

> > sriram

>

[Guest guest]

In a tantric ritual, the *ucchista sukta* is chanted where the remnants of the

food offerings are identified with *brahma tattva*. This *brahma tattva* which

is the remnants of the tantric offerings is what is called as *ucchista*.

 

Sayanacharya describes this as:

 

//Yajne hutasishtasya odanasya sarva jagatkAraNabhUta brahmAbhedEna stutih

kriyate//

 

It is this JagatkAraNabhUta brahma which is called *Ucchista*.

 

Usually, this term is related with *unclean* environment but i was told by my

gurunatha that Ucchista Ganapati Mantra Japa is performed while eating modakas.

My gurunatha describes this that *ut-sishTa* ie., highly sublime.

 

Guhananda Mandali is of different view here. However, Shri Vashishta Ganapati

Muni describes this as the most sublime form of Upasana in his work

*HerambopasthAna* thereby gives the mantra uddhara of U.Ganapati. No element of

vamachara is involved in this.

 

with regards,

sriram

 

 

, " ymoharir " <ymoharir wrote:

>

> Namaste Sriram:

>

> Can you elaborate on what you understand by the term " ucchiShTa " ?

>

> Thnaks

>

> Dr. Yadu

>

> , " sriram " <sriram_sapthasathi@> wrote:

> >

> > Dear members,

> >

> > There were 7 shakhas in Atharvana veda but as of now only 2 are available.

They are: Pippalada and Saunaka. The pippalAda shAkha is quite popular in

Northern / Eastern India like Kashmir / Bengal & Orissa.

> >

> > > sriram

> >

>

[Guest guest]

The Bali or nivedhya purely represents the desire and prayer of the upasaka that

the evil forces eat these as the divine energised prasad and attain moksha by

taking a human birth again and avoiding activities that would cause mental,

spiritual and physical injuries to others. That is the real meaning.

 

Regards,

 

S.SHANGARANARAYANAN

 

 

 

 

sriram_sapthasathi

Mon, 11 May 2009 05:26:35 +0000

Re: some musings on Ucchista Sukta and related Ganapati

 

 

In a tantric ritual, the *ucchista sukta* is chanted where the remnants of the

food offerings are identified with *brahma tattva*. This *brahma tattva* which

is the remnants of the tantric offerings is what is called as *ucchista*.

 

Sayanacharya describes this as:

 

//Yajne hutasishtasya odanasya sarva jagatkAraNabhUta brahmAbhedEna stutih

kriyate//

 

It is this JagatkAraNabhUta brahma which is called *Ucchista*.