Aghamarshana manthras.

Aghamarshana manthras.

हिरण्यशृङ्गं वरुणम् प्रपद्ये तीर्थं मे देहि याचितः।
यन्मया भुक्तमसाधूनाम् पापेभ्यश्च प्रतिग्रहः॥५५॥
यन्मे मनसा वाचा कर्मणा वा दुष्कृतम् कृतं
तन्न इन्द्रो वरुणो बृहस्पतिः सविता च पुनन्तु पुनः पुनः॥५६॥
नमोऽग्नयेऽप्सुमते नम इन्द्राय नमो वरुणाय नमो वारुण्यै नमोऽद्भ्यः॥५७॥
यदपां क्रूरम् यदमेध्यं यदशान्तं तदपगच्छतां॥५८॥
अत्याशनादतीपानात् यच्च उग्रात् प्रतिग्रहात्।
तन्मे वरुणो राजा पाणिना ह्यवमर्शतु॥५९॥
सोऽहमप्यपापो विरजो निर्मुक्तो मुक्तकिल्बिषः

नाकस्य पृष्टमारुह्य गच्छेत्ब्रह्मसलोकतां॥६०॥
यश्चप्सु वरुणः स पुनात्वघमर्षणः॥६१॥
इमम् मे गङ्गे यमुने सरस्वती शतुद्रि स्तोमग्ँ सचता परुष्णिया
असिक्निया मरुद्दृधे वितस्तयार्जीकीये शृणुह्या सुषोमया॥६२॥
तैत्तरीयारण्यके महानारायणोपनिषत्सु  प्रथमभागः
hiraNyashR^i~NgaM varuNam prapadye tiirthaM me dehi yaachitaH.
yanmayaa bhuktamasaadhuunaam paapebhyashcha pratigrahaH..55..
yanme manasaa vaachaa karmaNaa vaa duSkR^itam kR^itaM
tanna indro varuNo bR^ihaspatiH savitaa ch punantu punaH punaH..56..
namo.agnaye.apsumate nama indraaya namo varuNaaya namo vaaruNyai namo.adbhyaH..57..
yadapaaM kruuram yadamedhyaM yadashaantaM tadapagachchhataaM..58..
atyaashanaadatiipaanaat yachcha ugraat pratigrahaat.
tanme varuNo raajaa paaNinaa hyavamarshatu..59..
so.ahamapyapaapo virajo nirmukto muktakilbiSaH
naakasya pR^iSTamaaruhya gachched brahmasalokataaM..60..
yashchapsu varuNaH sa purtwghamarSanaH..61..
imam me ga~Nge yamune saraswatii shatudri stomag.N sachataa paruSNiyaa>
asikniyaa maruddR^idhe vitastayaarjiikiiye shR^iNuhyaa suSomayaa ..62..
taittariiyaaraNyake mahaanaaraayaNopaniSatsu  prathamabhaagaH

Our ancestors believed that the ultimate relief from sins can be delivered to us only by water.. They praised the various deities presiding over water and its sources and also the great rivers found in India at that time with a request the all their sins should be washed off, 
This is aghamarshana mantram.

"I take refuge in Varuna who is having the golden hue and who adorns a golden diadem.
 O Varuna, having been entreated by me please grant me the tiitham  (saving grace in the shape of holy waters)
 Let the waters purify me of the sin of enjoying the belongings of bad people and acceptance of gifts from sinners.
 May Indra, Varuna, Brihaspati and Savita completely destroy whatever sin my people or I have committed in thought word and action.
 My respectful salutation to the Badvaanala (The fire submerged in water), my salutations to Indra,  my salutations to Varuna, my salutations to Vaaruni, the consort of Varuna, and my salutations to all the deities of waters.
 May,  as a result of my this prayer and the power of this mantra, all that is injurious, impure and troublesome in water be destroyed.
  May the king Varuna efface by his benevolent and strong hand whatever sins I have incurred by unlawful and limitless eating, unlawful drinking and accepting gift from one who is not eligible to grant a gift, or which gift is given to me impelling me to perform an unlawful act.
 Thus being sinless,spotless,unbound from evil and bondage, may I become eligible to ascend the path of heaven and gain equal status with Brahman.
May Varuna the effacer of sins who dwells in all sources of water like ocean, rivers, tanks and wells  purify us.
O Ganga, O Yamuna, O Saraswati, O Sutudri, O Marudhwrudhaa, O Arjikiya, all of you mother rivers, come together to listen to this hymn of mine along with Parushni,  Asikni, Vitasta and Sushoma.."

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Further thoughts on bath

Further thoughts on bath

उदयात् प्राक् चतस्रस्तु नाडिका अरुणोदयः

तत्रस्नानं प्रशस्तम् स्यात् स हि पुण्यतमः स्मृतःI

udayaat praak chatasrastu naaDikaa aruNodayaH

tatrasnaanaM prashastam syaat sa hi puNyatamaH smR^itaH

The period within four naazhika (96 minutes) before the sunrise is the period of Arunodaya.  The most appropriate time for bath  is  time of raise of Aruna.  This time  is praised by sastraas as endowing the performers with great vitue

आपो नारा इति प्रोक्ताः ता यदस्यायनं पुनः

तस्मान्नारायणं देवं स्नानकाले स्मरेत् बुधः॥

वायुभूतास्तु गच्छन्ति तृषार्त्तास्सलिलार्त्थिनः

निराशा ते निवर्त्तन्ते वस्त्रनिष्पीडने कृते॥

शिरो वारि शरीराम्बु वस्त्रतोयं यथा क्रमात्

पिबन्ति देवा मुनयो पितरो ब्राह्मणस्य तु॥

सुरा बिन्दुसमं चाम्भः शिखायाः पृष्ठपातितं

तदेव पुरतोवर्त्ति गङ्गा बिन्दुसमं भवेत्॥

aapo naraa iti proktaaH taa yadasyaayanaM punaH

tasmaannaaraayaNaM devaM snaanakaale smaret budhaH..

vaayubhuutaastu gachchhanti tR^iSaarttaassalilaartthinaH

niraashaa te nivarttante vastraniSpiiDane kR^ite..

shiro vaari shariiraambu vastratoyaM yathaa kramaat

pibanti devaa munayo pitaro braahmaNasya tu ..

sura bindusamam chaambhaH shikhaayaaH pR^iSThapaatitaM

tadeva puratovartti ga~Ngaa bindusamaM bhavet..

Waters are also known by the name Naaraas… and the Lord of Lords Mahavishnu assumed the name of Narayana because he is sleeping over his aadisesha bed floating in the waters.  Therefore the benevolent  God Narayana should be remembered with reverence by the wise people while they are engaged in bath.

When a Brahmin sets out  towards a source of water for bath, the gods,the sages and pithrus who are thirsty also follow him in the air.  If the Brahmin just dries up his body with a cloth without offering the waters to the pithrus and devas, they turn away from him in disappointment. (It has to be remembered that one should not take bath without at least minimum clothes, and one should not enter a source of water with naked body and he should not urinate in water during bath) .  The water from the head of the Brahmin is partaken by the devaas, the water flowing from the body of the brahmin is drunk by the sages  and the departed elders (pitrus)  quench their thirst from the waters flowing from the clothes of the Brahmin. ( Remember in  pitrukaaryaas, we offer vaasodakam – offer water from cloth to them)
The water from the Shikha after bath, if allowed to flow down keeping the hair in the back takes the shape of alcohol or sura. If the sikhodakam is allowed to flow keeping the sikha to the front, that water is like the theertham of Ganga.. It means we should allow water to drip from our Sikha keepin the sikha to the front and keeping the head bowed to the front and not arrogantly keeping the head erect and the hair being allowed to fall back.

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More thoughts on bath

More thoughts on  bath

स्नानं तु द्विविधम् प्रोक्तम् गौणमुख्य प्रभेदतः

तयोस्तु वारुणं मुख्यं तत्पुनः षड्विधं भवेत्

नित्यं नैमित्तिकं काम्यम् क्रियाङ्गं मलकर्षणं

क्रियास्नानं तथा षष्ठं षोढा स्नानं प्रकीर्तितं

मन्त्रपूतैर्ज्जलैः स्नानं प्राहु स्नान फलप्रदं

न वृथावारिमघ्नानां यादसामिव तत्समं

snaanaM tu dvividham proktam gauNamukhya prabhedataH

tayostu vaaruNaM mukhyaM tatpunaH SaDvidhaM bhavet

nityaM naimittikaM kaamyam kriyaa~NgaM malakarSaNaM

kriyaasnaanaM tathaa SaSThaM SoDhaa snaanaM prakiirtitaM

mantrapuutairjjalaiH snaanaM praahu snaana phalapradaM

na vR^ithaavaarimagnaanaaM yaadasaamiva tatsamaM

Bath is of two categories. 

They are Gaunam and Mukhyam (also called Vaarunam).  The Vaaruna snaanam is of six categories. 

Daily bath, bath occurring on account of some good or bad happenings, pollution etc., bath taken in waters with a view tow fulfill  some desire, bath taken as a part of some rituals  (eg. Mangala snanam after Saptaham,  bath during upakarmam etc.,), bath to remove dirt and bath to regain purity after some Kriyaas.  

 The bath should be taken only in waters that are purified with manthraas.  Mere floating on water will give the effect as if one is just a fish or some other marine creatures .

The Gouna snaanaas are also of six types.  

Paarthivam, Aagneyam, Vaayavyam, Divyam, Maanthram and Maanasam.   

If one covers his body with mud with the manthras in Taittariya aranyakam, "Mruttike hana me paapam" and removes the mud, it is the parthiva snaanam.  

 Smearing  the body with  agnihotra ashes  chanting the manthra " IsanaH sarvavidyaanaam, iswaraH sarva bhootanam brahmaadipatir brahmanaadipathir brahma sivo me astu sadaasivom.." is called aagneya snaanam.

If one smears the dust coming from the hooves of a cow with chanting the Go Savitri mantram, it is called  vaayavya snaanam.  

 Divya snaanam is the one where, during Uttaraayanam, a person stands in open sunlight facing the raising Sun  when there is also small rain with sunlight.   

Manthra snanam is where one sprinkles water on the various parts of his body with manthraas  "Aapohista mayo bhuvaH" etc . 

When one contemplates on the form of Narayana wielding  shanka, chakra and gadha and  residing in the nucleus of solar disc and invokes the pranic powers from mooladhara  to aajna chakra,  with the vision that the Ganga is flowing from the golden thumb of the Lord and entering us through the brahmarandhram  it is maanasa snaanam 

Various types of gouna snanams may be useful when one is in a conditiion where he is not able to find  pure water, or is prevented from taking water bath for some reasons.

 

aiming his existence at you he leaves the microcosmic body and simply merge with your supreme being.

इत्थम्भ्यसननिर्भरोल्लसत्त्वत्परात्मसुखकल्पितोत्सवाः
मुक्तभक्तकुलमौलितां गताः सञ्चरेम शुकनारदादिवत्॥८॥
त्वत्समाधिविजये तु यः पुनर्मङ्क्षु मोक्षरसिकः क्रमेण वा
योगवश्यमनिलं षडाश्रयैरुन्न्यत्यज सुषुम्नया शनैः॥९॥
लिङ्गदेहमपि सन्त्यजन्नथो लीयते त्वयि परे निराग्रहः
ऊर्द्ध्वलोककुतुकी तु मूर्द्धतः सार्धमेव करणैर्न्निरीयते॥१०॥
श्रीमन्नारायणीये चतुर्थस्कन्दं
itthambhyasananirbharollasattvatparātmasukhakalpitotsavāḥ
muktabhaktakulamaulitāṁ gatāḥ sañcarema śukanāradādivat||8||
tvatsamādhivijaye tu yaḥ punarmaṅkṣu mokṣarasikaḥ krameṇa vā
yogavaśyamanilaṁ ṣaḍāśrayairunnyatyaja suṣumnayā śanaiḥ||9||
liṅgadehamapi santyajannatho līyate tvayi pare nirāgrahaḥ
ūrddhvalokakutukī tu mūrddhataḥ sārdhameva karaṇairnnirīyate||10||
śrīmannārāyaṇīye caturthaskandaṁ

वयं इत्थम् अभ्यसन निर्भरोल्लसत् त्वत् परात्मसुख कल्पितोत्सवाः मुक्त भक्त कुल मौलितां गताः शुकनारदादिवत् सञ्चरेम।
हे अज यः तु त्वत् समाधिविजये मङ्क्षु क्रमेण वा मोक्षरसिकः सः योगवश्यं अनिलं षडाश्रयैः सुषुम्नया शनैः उन्नयति।

निराग्रहः अधो लिङ्गदेहं अपि सन्त्यजन् परे त्वयि लीयते।  ऊर्द्ध्वलोक कुतुकी तु मूर्द्धतः करणैः सार्द्धं एव निरीयते॥

Bhattathiri describes how the people who have attained the state of samaadhi through the  means of Rajayoga merrily go around the universe  according to their wishes.
Guruvayurappa, please permit us who have attained your realization and the supreme ecstasy attained therefrom, to travel all around without impedence like Shuka and Narada, praising you always.
You Guruvayurappa the eternal, if one who has attained nirvikalpasamaadhi through yoga and the concomittant eligibility for communion and emancipation in your self, he can at once, or in due course, move up the pranic energy through the six chakras,  mooladhara(seat), swadhistaana(navel), manipoora (heart or abdomen), anahata ( urobhga..or thorax), vishuddhi (the neck portion connection head and heart) and aajna ( the middle of the brows) and elevating the prana from there to the Sahasraara attain moksha from the apparent physical body and go up to the higher worlds in his sookshma  (microcosmic) body.
If such a yogi  is not having any desire to enjoy the pleasures of swarga and brahmaloka he simply arrest the praanic energy in the aajnaachakra between the brows and aiming his existence  at you leaves the microcosmic body  and simply merge with your supreme being.
The ideal emancipation is to attain dissolution of the self in the supreme being, for then there are no come backs.  Those who leave for brahmaloka etc., in their microcosmic body may have to come back  according to the effects of their karmas.

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।श्रीकृष्णो रक्षतु।
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
blog   http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI
तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनंII
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my life  is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|

The rules of bath according to Dharmasaastraas

The rules of bath according to Dharmasaastraas.

स्नात्वा कर्माणि कुर्वीत  Snaatwaa karmaani kurveetha… is the first instruction by Sastraas.  One should do the daily rituals, spiritual or temporal only after having a bath, is one of the fundamental rules of our religious culture.  The intense sense of self-hygiene and reverence to the sources of water and the keenness of our ancestors to keep such sources absolutely clean have no parallels in any civilization.   If we had imbibed that sense of  reverence to rivers and springs, wells and lakes, by not polluting them by effluents of various nature, and cared to regulate the maintenance of the ground waters our lives would have been  much happier.  The praise of water finds expression in Pavamana suuktam.. or punyahavachanam practiced by us.  That can form part of another essay. Here the importance of bath as ordained in dharmasaastraas is  dealt with in brief.

सततं प्रातरुत्थाय दन्तधावन पूर्वकं

आचरेदुषसि स्नानं तर्पयेद् देवमानुषान्।

अगम्यागमनात् स्तेयात् पापेभ्यश्च प्रतिग्रहात्

रहस्याचरितात् पापात् मुच्यते स्नानमाचरन्।

मनः प्रसादजनकं रूपसौभाग्यवर्धनं

शोकदुस्स्वप्नहं स्नानं मोक्षदं ह्ळादनं तथा

स्नानमूलाः क्रियाः सर्वाः श्रुतिः स्मृत्युदिता नृणां।

तस्मात् स्नानं निषेवेत श्रीपुष्ठ्यारोग्यवर्धनं।

याम्यं हि यातना दुःखं प्रातस्नायी न पश्यति

अप्रायत्यं निहन्त्येव स्नानेनैकेन मानवः॥

द्वितीयेन निमज्जेन निर्मलत्वं भवेत् ध्रुवं

त्रितीयेतितृप्तिः स्यात् निमज्जनबलम् त्विदं॥

सङ्कल्पं सूक्तपठनं मार्ज्जनं चाघमर्षनं

देवतातर्पनं चैव स्नानं पञ्चाङ्गमुच्यते

satataM praatarutthaaya dantadhaavana puurvakaM

aachareduSasi snaanaM tarpayed devamaanuSaan.

agamyaagamanaat steyaat paapebhyashcha pratigrahaat

rahasyaacharitaat paapaat muchyate snaanamaacharan.

manaH prasaadajanakaM ruupasaubhaagyavardhanaM

shokadusswapnahaM snaanaM mokSadaM hLaadanaM tathaa

snaanamuulaaH kriyaaH sarvaaH shrutiH smR^ityuditaaa nR^iNaaM.

tasmaat snaanaM niSeveta shriipuSThyaarogyavardhanaM.

yaamyaM hi yaatanaa duHkhaM praatasnayii na pashyati

apraayatyaM nihantyeva snaanenaikena maanavaH..

dwitiiyena nimajjena nirmalatwaM bhavet dhruvaM

tritiiyeaaatitR^iptiH syaat nimajjanabalam twidaM..

sa~NkalpaM suuktapaThanaM maarjjanaM chaaghamarSanaM

devataatarpaNaM chaiva snaanaM pa~nchaa~Ngamuchyate.

A  person on waking up in the morning should perform the cleaning of the teeth  as prescribed ( the rules have been already discussed) and in the early hours of morning called UshaH kalam before sunrise should  perform oblations through giving water (tarpanam) to the gods and the departed elders.

By performing the bath, a man is released of the sins incurred by  having carnal relationship with prohibited counterparts,  from the sins of theft,  from the sins of receiving presents from the sinful people and   from the sins  committed in secret.

The bath  gives us equanimity and pleasantness of mind.  It endows on us great beauty and health and helps us in maintaining these two for a long time  It is the elixir relieving us from mental agony, bad dreams and it gives us ultimate emancipation from worldly toils (moksham) and it makes us jubilant and excited

All the practices prescribed in Vedas and Saastras  are to be performed by men only after bath and therefore all should stick to the schedule of morning bath which is the enhanced of wealth, welfare and good  health.

The tortures for the sins that  one may face after death and after reaching  the house of yama will never vist the person who is performing his morning-baths regularly.  With one dip in the water during bath, all the sins and evils stored in a man vanishes.  With the second dip in water, one becomes absolutely clean in body and mind.  With the third dip there will be satisfaction for the self, devaas and pitrus.  These are the benefits of a nice bath

There are five limbs to the ritual bath.  First is the sankalpa or declaring with devotion that one is going to take bath in the name of and for the satisfaction of the God. Then the mantras  worshipping the presiding deities of the water and the source of water like the river should be chanted. Then one should clean oneself  of all the physical dirt with water.  Then one should chant the Aghamarshana mantra ( found in Taittareeya Aranyaka..Mahaanaarayanopanishat…starting with Hiranyashringam Varunam…).  As the final ritual one should pay oblations with water to the Gods (and departed elders wherever called for.)

It is reiterated that the dharmasastras state that very grave sins will be washed away by bath.  It should be understood that the intention is to praise the greatness of bath and its impact on the physical and mental welfare of the people.  It should never be construed to mean that one can commit all the sins in the world and get away with it by just having three dips in water in the morning.

A second chapter for this with details for various types of  bath, the prayers connected with such baths etc., will follow.

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Greatness of Gayatri as per Dharmasaastras

Greatness of Gayatri as per Dharmasaastras 

प्रणवे नित्ययुक्तस्य व्याहृतीषु च सप्तसु

त्रिपादायां च गायत्र्यां न भयं विद्यते क्वचित्।
परिहाप्यापि वेदांस्त्रीन् कर्माणि विविधानि च
सावित्रीमात्रमाश्रित्य द्विजो भवति निर्भयः॥
पूर्वां सन्ध्यां जपंस्तिष्ठन् नैशमेनो व्यपोहति
पश्चिमां तु समासीनो मलं हन्ति दिवाकृतं।
ऋषयो दीर्घसन्ध्यत्वात् दीर्घमायुरवाप्नुयुः
प्रज्ञां यशस्च कीर्तिम् च ब्रह्मवर्चसमेव च॥
praṇave nityayuktasya vyāhṛtīṣu ca saptasu
tripādāyāṁ ca gāyatryāṁ na bhayaṁ vidyate kvacit|
parihāpyāpi vedāṁstrīn karmāṇi vividhāni ca
sāvitrīmātramāśritya dvijo bhavati nirbhayaḥ||
pūrvāṁ sandhyāṁ japaṁstiṣṭhan naiśameno vyapohati
paścimāṁ tu samāsīno malaṁ hanti divākṛtaṁ|
ṛṣayo dīrghasandhyatvāt dīrghamāyuravāpnuyuḥ
prajñāṁ yaśasca kīrtim ca brahmavarcasameva ca||

 From Dharmasaastraas.

One who is always in meditation of OM the pranavam, the seven vyahritis namely bhuuH , bhuvaH, suvaH, mahaH, janaH tapaH satyam  and the three paadams of gayatri  tatsavitur.......(1)  bhargo.......(2) and dhiyo...(3),  for whom there can be no fear from anything anywhere.

Even if a person (twice-born) is not able to or has not equipped himself with the knowledge of trayee... the three vedas rk, yajus, and sama, or the other rituals and practices which are usually ordained to him and still he holds on to the upasana of Gayatri alone  he will be bereft of sins and fears..

A dwija should chant Gayatri in the post brahma sandhya muhurta in the morning in a standing pose and all his sins committed during the previous night vanishes from him.  He should chant Gayatri  in a sitting posture in the sandhya period of the evening and all the sins committed by him during the day departs from him.

It has to be noted that the Maadhyahnikopasanam is practically an expiation for  the consumption of prohibited and leftover food and perfoming actions unbecoming of a dwija and if the morning and evening sandhya and Gayatrijapam are peformed with necessary caution , skipping of Madhyahnikam may not be seriously harmful.. Of course this is only a contemporary view and nod purist will approve with this view.  Personally I do not agree with the view than Maahyahnikam can be skipped. 

The statement that chanting gayatri alone can protect even in spite of non-practice of other rituals or study of vedas again, is a view which is to support people who are in dire distress or incapability for anything.. it is like liquid food and oxygen mask and life supporting system, meant for the sinking patient.  But when one is healthy, affluent and is capable of performance, he should practice all Karmas and engage in study of Vedas  with all earnestness.

some thoughts on pranavam and gayatri

ॐ तत् सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधा: स्मृताः
ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञIश्च विहिता: पुरा॥
 Om tatsadut nirdesho brahmanaH trividhaH smaritaaH

Brahmanaastena vedaashcah yajnaashcha vihitaaH puraa

By Om tat sat, the primordial god qualified  three things.. 
("Om let if be good, great, sublime etc.," is the meaning of
Om tat sat...
it is also "Om, it is the only being" ) 

Om Tatsat is 
(1)  the Brahmin, 
(2) the Vedas and 
(3)  the Vedic yajnaas.

 Twentyfour sages  presiding  over  the 24 letters of Gayatri

they are:-
विश्वामित्रो भरद्वाजो गौतमः कुत्स एव च
 भृगुः शन्ण्डिल्यकश्चैव लोहितो गर्ग्ग एव च
शातातपः सनत्कुमारः तथ सत्यतपाः स्मृतः
भार्गवः पराशरश्च पुण्डरीकः  क्रतुस्तदा
दक्षश्च कश्यपश्चैव जमदग्निश्च वत्सकः
विमलश्चाङ्गिरश्चैव अत्रिः कण्वस्तथैव च्
कुम्भ्योनिश्चतुर्विम्शत् ऋषयः परिकीर्तिताः॥॥

स्मृतिरत्नाद्

vishwamitra, bharadwaaja, gauthama, kutsa, bhrigu, shandilyaka, lohita, garga, shatatapa, tanatkumara, satyatapaa, bhargava, parasare, pundarika, kratu, daksha, kashyapa, jamadagni, vatsaka, vimala, angiraa, atri, kanva, kumbhayoni (agastya,)

the authority is from smritiratna..

For the fowler the meaning of sacrifice was alien

For the fowler the meaning of sacrifice was alien

Another episode from Panhatantram of Vishnu Sharma

In a city there lived an erudite brahmin by name Jeernadhana. As if by a quirk of fate he became a thief and he took up cheating others as his means of livelihood. With his great knowledge he was quite successful in this field also. It is a fact of life that t most of the people with great knowledge also possess the capacity to cheat but usually they practice the deceit discreetly. Maybe, only in old parables that one can see the professions like burglary and steling being listed as a practical means of livelihood. But in reality, in the present context burglary seems to be a not so hidden part of any profession.

Once it came to his knowledge that four brahmins from another town had reached the city as traders and that they had amassed substantial wealth in very little time by selling their merchandise. Our Brahmin the thief was now eager to apply his own professional skills to divest them of their wealth by hook or crook. So he cultivated their friendship meticulously, taking out his extraordinary charm and gift of the gab and applying them to good use. The four traders fell flat to his friendly overtures. 

It would appear to be a fact of life that when the circumstances suit her even a prostitute will feign shyness. The arrogant will exhibit good sense and feign humility and even the garrulous rogue will hover around you with sweet words.

Time passed, and the brahmins has sold all their merchandise, and with the profit, they purchased some valuable gems and started their journey back to their own town. 

Our Brahmin the thief who was clinging to their doing odd works for them and awaiting a chance to cheat them and steal away their wealth, was now desperate. 

" Fie, on me, these fellows are ready to leave with all their money converted to precious stones. Had I been good and true to my profession, the gems should have been mine by now. I have allowed a golden chance to slip away. Now the choice left with me is that, I have to join their company by hook or crook when they travel to their native town, and en route I can try my hands in poisoning them and then the gems can be mine. "

Having chalked out his action plan, he presented himself before the four brahmins with effusive cordiality manifesting itself as tears in the eyes flowing as if out of pangs of imminent separation. 

" My venerable friends, are you going away leaving me alone? I have developed very great affection for you in the course of the last few months of jubilant company with you and a separation from you four is unthinkable for me. It breaks my heart So pray, have kindness on me and take me also with you on your journey. I shall justify my company with you by any service that you may deem fit to expect and order."

The brahmin traders were very kind and magnanimous by nature. The pleas of the glib thief offering them his company was irresistible for them. They permitted him to join them in their journey homewards.

While they were travelling through a village inhabited by wild fowlers, the crows in the trees of the locality started crowing, 

"People who are owning lakhs in money are coming.. fowlers can come running and rob them" 

The group of fowlers believed in the signals given by the crows and duly accosted the five travelers and having beat them to pulp removed their clothes to see where the money was hidden securely . Their search proved futile. They could not find any cash or valuables. Apparently the four brahmins had swallowed the gems. ( to be taken out when they reached safe locations.. we see smugglers do that even these days)

The leader of the fowlers guessed this and ordered that the five brahmins be killed and their stomach cut up to get the gems.

At this juncture, as if by miracle, the power of knowledge and the greatness of the sastras came to the mind of the brahmin who had been a thief all his life . He thought, " By my activities till day I have lost all the virtues of a brahmin. It would seem that I have already secured my firm berth in hell by my sinful life. However, If I could be of some service to these poor brahmins, there would be some expiation and my existence in the nether world at least will be less miserable. I have to do something about it. "

Thinking so, he addressed the chief of fowlers. “You say you are going to kill all of us to find the gems. In truth we do not have anything with us or within us. Those crows should be mad. But to satisfy your doubt I offer myself to be killed, cut up and searched. If you find nothing inside me it should be sufficient proof for you that all the five of us have nothing with us. “

The king of fowlers agreed. They cut up the brahmin who even though he was a thief throughout his lifetime has through his noble gesture of trying to save his four friends from sure death by offering the supreme sacrifice, had atoned for all his sins and started his journey towards heaven. 

The other four brahmins were saved because the leader of the fowlers was sure that no one would have given up his life if the group really carried such wealth . 

For the fowler life meant only money and loot and the meaning of sacrifice was alien and strange to him. 

He could never imagine that a man could give up his life just to save others.

Apparently, even the worst persons have some magnificent streaks of greatness left in their character. The knowledge, nobility of birth and the background of life ultimately shows.

you in your eternal kindness sits clear in our hearts as if etched in a picture, nay, you dance there too, you cunning naughty urchin.!"

विस्फुटावयवभेदसुन्दरं त्वद्वपुः सुचिरशीलनावशात्

अश्रमं मनसि चिन्तयामहे द्यानयोगनिरतास्त्वदाश्रया॥५॥

ध्यायतां सकळमूर्त्तिमीदृशीमुन्मिषन्मधुरतहृतात्मनां

सान्द्रमोदरसरूपमान्तरं ब्रह्मरूपमयि तेऽवभासते॥६॥

त्वत्समास्वदनरूपिणीम् स्थितिं त्वत्समाधिमयि विश्वनायक

आश्रिताः पुनरतः परिच्युतावारभेमहि च धारणाधिकम्॥७॥

श्रीमन्नरायणीये चतुर्थं दशकं ५६७

visphuṭāvayavabhedasundaraṁ tvadvapuḥ suciraśīlanāvaśāt

aśramaṁ manasi cintayāmahe dyānayoganiratāstvadāśrayā||5||

dhyāyatāṁ sakaḻamūrttimīdṛśīmunmiṣanmadhuratahṛtātmanāṁ

sāndramodarasarūpamāntaraṁ brahmarūpamayi te'vabhāsate||6||

tvatsmāsvadanarūpinṇīm sthitiṁ tvatsamādhimayi viśvanāyaka

āśritāḥ punarataḥ paricyutāvārabhemahi ca dhāraṇādhikam ||7||

srīmannarāyaṇīye caturthaṁ daśakaṁ 567

त्वदाश्रयाः वयं ध्यानयोगनिरताः विस्फुट अवयवबोधाः सुन्दरं त्वद् वपुः सुचिर शीलन वशात् अश्रमं मनसि चिन्तयामहे ॥५।

अयि कृष्ण ईदृशीं सकळमूर्तिं द्यायतः उन्मिषन् मधुरता आहृत आत्मनां योगिनां सान्द्र मोद रस रूपं आन्तरं ते रूपं ब्रह्म अवभासते।६॥

अयि विश्वनायक तत् समास्वदन रूपिणीं स्तितिम् त्वत् समाधिम् आश्रिताः। अतः परिच्युताः पुनः च धारणादिकं आरभेमहि॥७

In Srimannaaraayaneeyam the seeker poet Melpathur Narayana Bhattathirpad continues on his description of upasana of Guruvayurappan through ashtangayoga parctices constituting the yoga system of philosophy in our culture.. but here is a difference..

it is not mere yoga. 

Yoga here is only as a tool to keep Guruvayurappan in our hearts..

.It is yogabhakti to be more appropriate.

In the earler stanzas of Narayaneeyam the preliminaries like seating, mental and physical purification and such aspects leading to the mirror of mind and thought opening up to concentrated thinking on Guruvayurappan have been dealt with

"Our Lord Guruvayurappa may we your staunch devotees, who are entirely dependent on you apply our mind to Dhyanayoga and by constant practice, allow ourselves through your sweet grace, to have your describable form ( with beautiful black body, yellow silk garment, with sankah chakra gadha, padmam, with butter on one hand, with flute in the other hand hand, you wearing your loinclothes like an adorable nubile boy, with golden aranjaan (waistband ) and kausthubahm ..all the forms we see you adorning in Guruvayur) 

which are unclear to us normally will become manifest in our mind with constant practice of Dharana 

and with practice and deep devotion you in your eternal kindness sits clear in our hearts as if etched in a picture,

nay, you dance there too, you cunning naughty urchin.!"

"

Guruvayurappa, for those who have gained control over sense organs and mind, your form as the mind contemplates with all visible details first appears without going to greater details,..

This form even is so sweet that they get attracted and completely enchanted by such form so much so that they have no desire to think of anything else.

While in this excited state, gradually the realization that you are the Universal Brahman and are beyond any shapes gradually dawns upon them...

and the realization of the Supreme soul which has only ecstasy as form ( if one is to define a form to the formless), which could be realized only through the mind in that elevated state."

"But such nirvikalapasamadhi is not permanent.. 

So Guruayurappa, the master or the universe, we will elevate ourselves from contemplation of the manifest form of yours to the pure and unmanifest for some time, and when we are forced back by the mind to the lower state, we will again start yogic practices like Dharana to come back to your sublime form.

Evidently it is a mistake to say that the mystic poet Melpathur had approached the Universal Lord just with a plea to be relieved of some physical ailment. 

His mind is set on the eternal communion with 

Narayana the Param Brahma..

Discussion on Pranava-- omkaram

अकारश्चाप्युकारञ्च मकारञ्च प्रजापतिः

वेदत्र्यान्निरदुहद् भूर्भुवस्वरितीति च

तदित्र्यचोस्यास्सवित्र्याः परमेष्ठी प्रजपतिः

त्रिभ्य एवेतु वेदेभ्यः पादम् पादम्रूदहत् 

akāraścāpyukārañca makārañca prajapatiḥ 

vedatryānniraduhad bhūrbhuvasvaritīti ca 

taditryacosyāssavitryāḥ parameṣṭhī prajapatiḥ 

tribhya evetu vedebhyaḥ pādam pādamrūdahat 

from the three Vedas RK, yajus and Saama, Brahma the prajapati extracted the three letters A, U and Ma. He also extracted the three words BhuuH BhuvaH and SuvaH also from the three Vedas.

And the Savitri Gayatri Manthram.. tatasavithurvarenyam bhargo devasyas dheemahi dhiyo yo nah prachodatyaat is also extracted by the Brahma the paramesti. 

Hence the three things are worshipped togtether, ..the pranavam (OM), the thrivyahriti… bhurbhuva swaH and the savitri(gayatri) .manthra 

The supreme Brahman is not amenable to evaluation or description.

The pranavam which has come as the primordial sound from Brahma also has the same quality. Hence, an attempt to find meaning from the Omkara would take us nowhere.

However we can think in terms of speculating the meaning of the three words A, U and M constituting the pranavam.. even though such exmplanation is very incomplete. 

यो वेदादौ स्वरः प्रोक्तः वेदान्ते च प्रतिष्ठितः 

तस्य प्रक्रितिलीनस्य यः परः स महेश्वरः 

yo vedādau svaraḥ proktaḥ vedānte ca pratiṣṭhitaḥ 

tasya prakritilīnasya yaḥ paraḥ sa maheśvaraḥ

which is the word appearing at the beginning of the Veda, 

the word which is well established in vedantha, ( or found in the end of the Vedas) 

and 

in whose basic nature the presences of Maheshwara the Shiva is manifesting, that word is A  

(cf.. agnimeele purohitam.. start of rgvedam) 

There for the A in pranavam represent Lords Shiva. 

There is another view. 

अमुं कङ्काळ वपुषम् जटिलं जलजासनं 

नमामि नौमि ध्यायामि समं सोमं सभारतिं 

amuṁ kaṅkāla vapuṣam jaṭilaṁ jalajāsanaṁ 

namāmi naumi dhyāyāmi samaṁ somaṁ sabhā 

कालवपुषं समं नमामि 

जटिलं सोमं नौमि 

अमुं कं जलजासनं सभारतिं 

we worship with equal reverence 

kam (brahma who sits on a lotus and the husband of vagadevata)

kaalavapushum.. ( the Vishnu of the hue of dark clouds and the husband of maa lakshmi) 

and

jatila ( the matted haired one Shiva and the consort of uma.. the Parvathi)

with the words for namaskaram are

namaami A,

naumi… U 

and dhaayaami… Mi, 

here the A is given to Vishnu, U is given to Shiva and M is given to Brahma. 

Hence Omkaram is the combination of the three supreme Gods Brahama Vishnu and Shiva. Further discussion on Pranavam will follow.