pANi mantraM pavitraM...

[Guest guest]

Namaste.

 

The " pANi mantra " which comes in Maha Narayanopanishad Mantras of Shiva Puja is

somewhat misunderstood by AradhyAs i.e, the followers of Sroutha Saiva

Siddhanta.

 

The following is the mantra:

 

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nidhana-pataye namaH | nidhana-patAntikAye namaH | UrdhvAye namaH |

Urdhvali.ngAye namaH | hiraNyAye namaH | hiraNyali.ngAye namaH | suvarNAye namaH

| suvarNali.ngAye namaH | divyAye namaH | divyali.ngAye namaH | bhavAye namaH |

bhavali.ngAye namaH | Sarvaye namaH | Sarvali.ngAye namaH | SivAye namaH |

Sivali.ngAye namaH | jvalAye namaH | jvalali.ngAye namaH | AtmAye namaH |

Atmali.ngAye namaH | paramAye namaH | paramali.ngAye namaH |

 

|| etat somasya sUryasya sarvali.ngasthApayati pANimantraM pavitram ||

 

This mantra " etat somasya…. " is called the pANi mantra.

 

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Taking the above pANi mantra as pramana, the Aradhyas hold the view that the

Siva Linga is to be held in one's palm and worshipped because pANi means Palm in

literal sense.

 

Their view is given below:

 

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All is purified upon repetition of these mantras holding in the hand the Linga

Icon, which represents Soma and Surya.

 

Two important points are made in the final mantra: the image of holding Linga

icon in the hand; and that the Linga icon represents Soma (Moon) and Surya

(Sun).

 

Holding the small Ishtalinga icon in the palm of the hand is an important part

of daily Vira Shaiva puja.

 

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Maharishi Bodhayana in his Mahanyasa Kalpa holds a different view to this pANi

mantra.

 

The dhatu of pANi is paNa which means " stuthi " or " praise " . pANi means stotra.

Hence, pANi-mantra implies " stuthi mantra " .

 

This " stuthi-mantra establishes the " Agni-ShomIya " Linga Tattva in all the

principles of Creation. Surya & Soma represents the Agni-Shomiya Tattva.

 

Regs,

sriram