A great tribute to water..

A great tribute to water..

a landmark mantram used in the process of ceremonial purification of water.. Udaka Shanti.. The mantram comes partially from Yajurveda Samhita, Brahmanams and Rigvedam too..

अ॒पः प्रण॑यति। श्र॒द्धा वा आपः॑ ।

श्र॒द्धां ए॒वारभ्य॑ प्र॒णीय॑ प्रच॑रति।

अ॒पः प्रण॑यति । य॒ज्ञो वा आपः॑ ।

य॒ज्ञं ए॒वारभ्य॑ प्र॒णीय॑ प्रच॑रति।

अ॒पः प्रण॑यति । व॒ज्रो वा आपः॑ ।

वज्र॑मे॒व भ्रातृ॑व्येभ्यः प्रहृत्य॑ प्र॒णीय॑ प्रच॑रति ।

अ॒पः प्रण॑यति । आपो॒ वै रक्षो॒घ्नीः ।

रक्ष॑सां अप॑हत्यै ।

अ॒पः प्रण॑यति । आपो॒ वै दे॒वानां᳚ प्रि॒यंधाम॑ ।

दे॒वाना॑मे॒व प्रि॒यंधाम॑ प्र॒णीय॒ प्रच॑रति ।

अ॒पः प्रण॑यति । आपो॒ वै सर्वा॑ दे॒वताः ।

दे॒वता॑ ए॒वा॒रभ्य॑ प्र॒णीय॒ प्रच॑रति ।

आपो॒वैशा॒न्ताः । शा॒न्ताभि॑रे॒वास्य॑ शुचग्ं शमयति ॥

देवो वः सविता उत्पुनातु। अच्छिद्रेण पवित्रेण।वसोः सूर्यस्य रश्मिभिः।

स हि रत्नानि दाशुषे। सुवति सविता भगः। तं भागम् चित्रमीमहे॥

Apah praNayati | shraddhAvA Apah |

shraddhAm evArabhya praNIya pracharati

Apah praNayati | yagyou vai Apah |

yagyam evArabhya praNIya pracharati

Apah praNayati | vajro vai Apah |

vajrameva bhrAtRuvyebhyah prahRutya praNIya pracharati |

Apah praNayati | Apo vai rakShoghnIh |

rakShasAm apahatyai |

Apah praNayati | Apo vai devAnAm priyamdhAma |

devAnAmeva priyamdhAma praNIya pracharati |

Apah praNayati | Apo vai sarvA devatAh |

devatA evArabhya praNIya pracharati |

ApovaishAntAh shAntAbhirevAsya shuchagmshamayati ||

devo vassavitA utpunAtu | acChidreNa pavitreNa | vasoh sUryasya

rashmibhih |

sa hi ratnAni dAshuShai suvAti savitA bhagah | tam bhAgam chitramImahe

||

om

Water is the object of great respect and adoration..

Waters indeed deserved great attention

The waters are treated with great adoration and great devotion..

Water is the object of great respect and adoration

waters are the substance of yajnas or sacrifices

Waters are treated as yajna and held with great adoration and devotion

Water is the object of great respect and adoration

Waters are verily like thunderbolt, shining with resplendence and tough

Waters are treated as the best of resplendent things, the thunderbolts and are propitiated with great adoration and devotion

Water is the object of great respect and adoration |

waters are the annihilators of Rakshasas or demons.

May the waters be adored for the destruction of Rakshasas.

Water is the object of great respect and adoration

Water is the favourite abode of the gods

May waters be adored as the favourite dwelling places of Gods alone

Waters are propitiated with adoration

Waters are verily the embodiment of all gods

The Gods, propitiated in the form of waters remain in the forefront leading us ever.

Calm and soothing are the waters.. May those waters through their soothing nature provided purity to the worshipper..

may that God Savita purify the worshipper.. may he purify through this sacred, seamless and uninterrupted acchidara may He purify us through the uninterrupted flow of effulgence in the form of the rays of the Sun who is the Vasu

May that great provider of boons Bhaga, the source of all fortune, shower all fortunes on the one who makes offerings. We seek from Bhaga, all sorts of enjoyments.

water.. pure and divine

While doing pooja (worship of God) today I was just thinking over the reverential prayers we offer to the water and the even the pot of water ..

I think our people always realized the vital importance of the wholeness and unity of our India and her lifelines, the rivers..

A man in Kerala, or Tamilnadu or in the North offers prayers to all the rivers and water sources spread all over the vast Indian subcontinent, and requests all those holy waters to be present in the water we use to offer pooja to the Lord..

I thought I should share the mantrams with meanings just as a reminder..
Everyone who has performed poojas or watched poojas would have already heard these mantrams..

गङ्गायै नमः 

यमुनायै नमः 

गोदावर्यै नमः

 सरस्वत्यै नमः 

नर्मदायै नमः 

सिन्धवे नमः 

कावेर्यै नमः

gaṅgāyai namaḥ

 yamunāyai namaḥ 

godāvaryai namaḥ 

sarasvatyai namaḥ 

narmadāyai namaḥ 

sindhave namaḥ 

kāveryai namaḥ

Pranams to Ganga, Pranams to Yamuna, Pranams to Godavaree, Pranams to Saraswathi, Pranams to Narmda, Pranams to Sindhu, Pranams to Kaveri

आपो वा इदग्ँ सर्वं विश्वाभूतान्यापः
प्राणा वा आपः पशवः आपः अन्नमापः।
अमृतमापः च्छन्दाग्ँस्याप ज्योतीग्ँष्याप
यजूग्ँष्याप सत्यमाप सर्वा देवता आपः॥
ॐ भूर्भुवस्सुवराप ॐ श्री केशवाय नमः

āpo vā idagm sarvaṁ viśvābhūtānyāpaḥ
prāṇā vā āpaḥ paśavaḥ āpaḥ annamāpaḥ|
amṛtamāpaḥ cchandāgmsyāpa jyotīgmṣyāpa
yajūgmṣyāpa satyamāpa sarvā devatā āpaḥ ||
om bhūrbhuvassuvarāpa om śrī keśavāya namaḥ

All that is found in this world has origin in water, whatever is manifest as universe is water, water is the life-breath in us , all living beings are manifested in water, food is emanating from water, water is ambrosia (nectar) , water forms the vedas (chandaas) , water is the energy found in light, water is the yajus, water is the truth, all gods are manifested in water--
Om, I invoke water in the three worlds bhoo, bhuva and suvaH... OM I prostrate before the God with copious hair, kesava, the Lord Krishna

कलशस्य मुखे विष्णुः कण्ठे रुद्रः समाश्रितः।
मूले तत्र स्थितो ब्रह्मा मध्ये मातृगणाः स्मृताः॥
कुक्षौ तु सागराः सर्वे सप्तद्वीपा वसुन्धरा
ऋग्वेदो अथ यजुर्वेदः सामवेदोऽप्यथर्वणः
अङ्गैश्च सहिताः सर्वे कलशाम्भुसमाश्रिताः॥
गङ्गे च यमुने चैव गोदावरि सरस्वती
नर्मदे सिन्धु कावेरि जलेऽस्मिन् सन्निधिम् कुरु।
सर्वे समुद्राः सरितः तीर्थानि च ह्रदा नदः।
आयान्तु शिवपूजर्थम् दुरितक्षयकारकाः॥

kalaśasya mukhe viṣṇuḥ kaṇṭhe rudraḥ samāśritaḥ |
mūle tatra sthito brahmā madhye mātṛgaṇāḥ smṛtāḥ ||
kukṣau tu sāgarāḥ sarve saptadvīpā vasundharā
ṛgvedo atha yajurvedaḥ sāmavedo'pyatharvaṇaḥ
aṅgaiśca sahitāḥ sarve kalaśāmbhusamāśritāḥ||
gaṅge ca yamune caiva godāvari sarasvatī
narmade sindhu kāveri jale'smin sannidhim kuru|
sarve samudrāḥ saritaḥ tīrthāni ca hradā nadaḥ|
āyāntu śivapūjartham duritakṣayakārakāḥ||

Lord Vishnu resides on the face of this water pot,
Lord Rudra is present in its neck,
Lord Brahma is present at its base
and the Divine Mothers are there in the whole body of the holy pitcher of water
.
All the oceans are present in its belly region, along with Vasundhara the Mother Earth with all Her seven continents (Islands).

In the waters contained in the Kalasha or pot, all the four Vedas Rik, Yajur, Saman and Atharva with all their ancillary parts are present.

Mothers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Sarasvati, Narmada, Sindhu, Kaveri, may you all be seated in your glorious presence here in this waterpot.

May all the seas, brooks, sources of holy waters, rivers flowing from east to west, and rivers flowing from west to east, who are all capable of removing all our sins and hardships,
manifest here to enable me to offer pooja to Lord Shiva ( Or Vishnu or any deity as the case may be,)

In fact, it should be a universal prayer.. we see no traces of any particular religions here..

may the entire universe be pleased...

ये देवासो दिव्येकादश स्थ पृथिव्यामध्येकादश स्थ | 

अप्सुक्षितो महिनैकादश स्थ ते देवासो यज्ञमिमं जुषध्वम् ||

ഏതൊരു ദേവന്മാര്‍ പതിനൊന്നു രൂപങ്ങളില്‍ ആകാശത്തിന്റെ മധ്യത്തിലും, ഭൂമിയുടെ മധ്യത്തിലും ജലത്തിന്റെ നടുവിലും നിലകൊള്ള്ന്നുവോ ആ ദേവന്മാര്‍ എല്ലാം ഈ യജ്ഞം ഭുജിക്കട്ടെ

ये देवताये दिव्यलोक, पृथिवी और अंतरिक्ष में ग्यारह के संख्या में रहते है | आप हमारी आहुति ग्रहण करे ||

this Rigvedic Mantra is chanted when food is offered to a Leanred Brahmin or a great Yati.

Here, the assumption that through their mouths, the Food in the shape of Yajna goes to all devas who are occupying the heaven, earths and the water in eleven forms..( The eleven Rudras?

And that all forces of nature are satisfied and become benevolent to the occupants of the earth.

The difference between Vishnu and Shiva 

is only our invention.. it is not envisaged in the Religion) Rigveda 1.139.11

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.."

--

Prayer to water at the time of upasana to sandhya.

आपो वा इदग्ँ सर्वं विश्वाभूतान्यापः
प्राणा वा आपः पशवः आपः अन्नमापः।
अमृतमापः च्छन्दाग्ँस्याप ज्योतीग्ँष्याप
यजूग्ँष्याप सत्यमाप सर्वा देवता आपः॥
ॐ भूर्भुवस्सुवराप ॐ श्री केशवाय नमः

āpo vā idaglm sarvaṁ viśvābhūtānyāpaḥ
prāṇā vā āpaḥ paśavaḥ āpaḥ annamāpaḥ|
amṛtamāpaḥ cchandāgmsyāpa jyotīgmṣyāpa
yajūgmṣyāpa satyamāpa sarvā devatā āpaḥ ||
om bhūrbhuvassuvarāpa om śrī keśavāya namaḥ

All that is found in this world has origin in water, whatever is manifest as universe is water, water is the life-breath in us , all living beings are manifested in water, food is emanating from water, water is ambrosia (nectar) , water forms the vedas (chandaas) , water is the energy found in  light, water is the yajus,  water is the truth, all gods are manifested in water--
Om, I invoke water in the three worlds bhoo, bhuva and suvaH... OM I prostrate before the God with copious hair, Kesava, the Krishna

Prayer to water at the time of upasana to sandhya.