pachai maamalai pol mene

Showing posts with label women. Show all posts
Showing posts with label women. Show all posts

Sunday, March 08, 2020

She manifests in every woman...



विद्याः समस्ताः तव देवि भेदाः स्त्रियः समस्ताः सकला जगत्सु। 
त्वयैकया पूरितमंबयैतत् का ते स्तुतिः स्तव्यपरापरोक्तिः॥ 
देवीमाहत्म्यं ११-६ मार्कण्डेयपुराणे 

vidyāḥ samastāḥ tava devi bhedāḥ striyaḥ samastāḥ sakalā jagatsu। 
tvayaikayā pūritamaṃbayaitat kā te stutiḥ stavyaparāparoktiḥ॥ 
devīmāhatmyaṃ 11-6 mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇe

This is a slokam and mantram in Devi Maahatmyam or Saptashati chandi.. Equating all the women in the universe with the Divine mother.. 

Meaning 
=========== 
Mother, All the Vidyas or Art forms are manifestations of your Grace 
All the women in the universe and all the sixty four kalaas are too your various forms 
The entire universe is filled to the brim by your eminent Grace 
When you have manifested in all that is conceivable in para or the supreme and apara or the mundane, how can we praise you in any way ? ( as we have to use the resources which are just your forms,,, and so we would be praising you using you alone) 

( We do not have adequate power even to praise you) 

============ 
I quote this sloka specially on the Women's day.. 
In our country every woman is supposed to represent the Divine mother.. according to our ancient scriptures and philosophy.. We are duty bound to revere womanhood.. not just to celebrate it.. 



വിദ്യാഃ സമസ്താഃ തവ ദേവി ഭേദാഃ സ്ത്രിയഃ സമസ്താഃ സകലാ ജഗത്സു। 
ത്വയൈകയാ പൂരിതമംബയൈതത് കാ തേ സ്തുതിഃ സ്തവ്യപരാപരോക്തിഃ॥ 
ദേവീമാഹത്മ്യം ൧൧-൬ മാര്‍കണ്ഡേയപുരാണേ 

മാര്‍കണ്ഡേയപുരാണം ദേവീമാഹാത്മ്യം (സപതശതി ചണ്ഡി) എന്ന സ്തോത്രത്തില്‍ നിന്നുള്ള ഒരു മന്ത്രം. ഇവിടെ എവിടെയെല്ലാം സ്ത്രീകള്‍ ഉണ്ടോ അവരെല്ലാം ആ ദേവിയുടെ പ്രതിരൂപങ്ങള്‍ ആണെന്ന് പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്. 

അര്‍ഥം 

അമ്മെ, ദേവി, ഈ ലോകതിലുള്ള എല്ലാ വിദ്യകളും അവിടുത്തെ പ്രത്യക്ഷ രൂപങ്ങളാണ്.
എല്ലാ ലോകങ്ങളിലും ഏതു രൂപത്തിലും ജന്മമെടുത്തിരിക്കുന്ന ഓരോ സ്ത്രീയും അവിടുത്തെ രൂപഭേദങ്ങള്‍ അല്ലാതെ മറ്റൊന്നുമല്ല.
അറുപത്തിനാല് കലകളിലും അവയുടെ കേന്ദ്രബിന്ദുവായി അവിടുന്നു നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു. 
ആധ്യാത്മികമായ പരാ വിദ്യയിലും, ലൌകികമായ അപരാ വിദ്യയിലും എല്ലാം അവിടുത്തെ നിറസാന്നിദ്ധ്യം എന്നും ഉണ്ട് 

ഞങ്ങളുടെ അകത്തും പുറത്തും വാക്കിലും കാഴ്ചയിലും എല്ലാം അവിടുന്നുതന്നെയാണ് പ്രചോദനമായി നിലനില്‍ക്കുന്നത്. ഞങ്ങള്‍ അവിടുത്തെ തന്നെ വാക്കുകള്‍ കൊണ്ട്, അവിടുത്തെ സ്തുതിക്കുന്നു.. 
യഥാര്‍ത്ഥത്തില്‍ ആ സ്തുതി ഞങ്ങളുടെതല്ല. 
അതും അവിടുന്നു തന്നെയാണ്. 
അവിടുത്തെ പുകഴ്ത്താന്‍ ഞങ്ങള്‍ വേറെ വാക്കുകള്‍ എവിടെനിന്ന് കണ്ടുപിടിക്കും

വനിതാദിനത്തില്‍ എല്ലാ സ്ത്രീകള്‍ക്കുമായി ഈ ശ്ലോകം ബഹുമാനത്തോടെ സമര്‍പ്പിക്കട്ടെ. 

നമ്മുടെ ഭാരതദേശത്തില്‍ ഓരോ വനിതയും ആ രാജരാജേശ്വരിയുടെ, ഉമാ പാര്‍വ്വതിയുടെ, മഹാലക്ഷ്മിയുടെ, വാഗ്ദേവിയായ സരസ്വതിയുടെ പ്രത്യക്ഷ രൂപങ്ങളായി ആദരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. എന്നും ആദരിക്കപ്പെടട്ടെ. 

സ്ത്രീയെ ബഹുമാനിക്കുക എന്നത് ആഘോഷമല്ല. എല്ലാവരുടെയും കടമ ആണ്.

Saturday, April 09, 2011

devoted conjugal bliss

इहैव स्तं मा  वि यौष्टं
विश्वं आयुर् व्यश्नुतम्।
क्रीळन्तो पुत्रैर् नप्त्रुभिर्
मोदमानो स्वे गृहे
ऋग्वेदं १०-८५-३७
ihaiva staṁ mā  vi yauṣṭaṁ
viśvaṁ āyur vyaśnutam|
krīḻanto putrair naptrubhir
modamāno sve gṛhe
ṛgvedaṁ 10-85-37

This is a very sweet and beautiful mantra of benediction to the newlyweds..found in the Rigvedam.. 
This I remember to have quoted earlier along with a large number of vivaahamanthras and in that process the unique greatness of this simple couplet got omitted to be highlighted.

The married couple  are blessed by the elders that  they should live on this earth perfectly wedded together for long period (for the whole of the lifetime), never should they get separated  either in body or mind, 
 they should live the whole of the life as prescribed in the Vedas, 
and their life should be a saga of fun and frolic, 
enjoying themselves playing with their own sons (children) and grandchildren all living together in a household   which is their own.

The lofty idea of the strong fabric of family forged together is unique for us...first the couple should not separated for a lifetime, and they should live in extreme joy with blessed longevity (implying perfect health.)  
They should be in the happy company of sons and grandsons all living under one roof.
What a beautiful picture...
The primordial Veda is capable of blessing all the people, and being the godhead of eternal truth, such best wishes would be enjoyed naturally by all.

The Indian psyche cannot conceive multiple marriages and flirting in the simple vedic life.
(may be the situation was not exactly same in the later puranic times, where the Kshatriyas would marry as many times as possible...example are Dasaratha and Arjuna and even that god in cowherd form, Krishna) 
 but even in these modern days of nuclear families we can feel the safety and security in the company of a thatha or paatti, appa and ammai, self and wife, brothers and their families, and the sons and daughters.  If one's life is full of step-parents, step grandparents, half-siblings etc..at least even for the contemporary Indians life would look very odd.

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Saturday, September 18, 2010

the unbreakable knot

पूषा त्वेतो नयतु हस्तगृह्य
अश्विना त्वा प्र् वहतां रथेन
गृहान् गच्च गृहपत्नी यथासौ
वशिनी त्वम् विदथं आ वदासि
ऋग् १०-७५-२६
सुमङ्गलीरियं वधू
इमां समेत पश्यत
सौभाग्यम् अस्यै दत्त्वाया
ऽथास्तं वि परेतन    
ऋक् १०-८५-३३  अथ  १४--२--२७
सम्राजी श्वशुरे भव
सम्राजी श्वश्र्वां भव
ननान्दरि सम्राजी भव
सम्राही अधि देवृषु
ऋग् १०-८५-४६  अथ  १४-२-४४
समञ्जन्तु विश्वे देवाह्
सं आपो हृदयानि नौ
सं मातरिश्वा सम् धाता
समुद्रेष्ट्री दधातु नौ

ऋक् १०-८५-४७

दीर्घायुरस्तु मे पतिर् जीवाति शरदः शतम्।
अथ्  १४-२-६३
इहेमाविन्द्र सं नुद चक्रवाकेव दंपती
अथ् १४-२-६४
इहैव स्तम् मा वि यौष्ठं
विश्वं आयुर् व्यश्नुतं
क्रीळन्तो पुत्रैर् नप्तृभिर्
मोदमानौ त्वे गृहे
ऋग्  १०-८५-४२
पुत्रिणा ता कुमारिणा
विश्वं आयुर् व्यश्नुतः
उभा हिरण्यपेशसा

ऋग् ८-३१-८
pūṣā tveto nayatu hastagṛhya
aśvinā tvā pr vahatāṁ rathena
gṛhān gacca gṛhapatnī yathāsau
vaśinī tvam vidathaṁ ā vadāsi
ṛg 10-75-26
sumaṅgalīriyaṁ vadhū
imāṁ sameta paśyata
saubhāgyam asyai dattvāyā
'thāstaṁ vi paretana    
ṛk 10-85-33  atha  14--2--27
samrājī śvaśure bhava
samrājī śvaśrvāṁ bhava
nanāndari samrājī bhava
samrāhī adhi devṛṣu
ṛg 10-85-46  atha  14-2-44
samañjantu viśve devāh
saṁ āpo hṛdayāni nau
saṁ mātariśvā sam dhātā
sanudreṣṭrī dadhatu nau
ṛk 10-85-47
dīrghāyurastu me patir jīvāti śradaḥ śatam|
ath  14-2-63
ihemmamindra saṁ nuda cakravākeva daṁpatī
ath 14-2-64
ihaiva stam mā vi yauṣṭhaṁ
viśvaṁ āyur vyaśnutaṁ
krīḻanto putrair naptṛbhir
modamānau tve gihe
ṛg  10-85-42
putriṇā tā kumāriṇā
viśvaṁ āyur vyasnutaḥ
ubhā hiraṇyapeśsā
ṛg 8-31- 8
One friend had asked me to indicate some important marriage manthras and accordingly I do it. 
 The procedural rituals vary from place to place and I shall try to convey the basic rituals in a different individual message.  The manthras quoted above  are tribute to all ladies who enter the conjugal vow with men..The respect given to the woman in the house as a wife perhaps may not find any parallel in any other culture.  There may be the mother icons everywhere, but the importance as a wife herself is underlined without room for equivocation in the hoary traditions recorded in the Vedas. The uniformity in thought can be gauged from the fact that the manthras get repeated in the most ancient rig veda and the comparatively modern atharva veda.

 The bride is entering the ritualistic location, her hand held by the god puushan (one form of the sun god) the twin gods of medicine the Ashwins are accompanying her in the chariot.. and she is going away from her house to that of her husband and she is blessed that she may become the ruler of the household and the main spokesperson of the assembly in her husbands place.

The nubile bride who has become sumangalii is introduced to all. 'This bride has attained the status of a wife..she is bringing fortune to this house..come all of you and look at her...Please wish her full happiness before you return home'.
The bride is blessed to join the supreme place in the household " May your father in law treat you with affection as if you were a queen.  May your mother in law treat treat you with love as if you were a queen.  May your sisters in law love and respect you as if you were a queen. May your brothers in law repect and adore you as if you were a queen"

The husband prays for conjugal unity  " May all Gods and all waters unite our hearts.  Especially the gods Mathariswa, dhaata, and dheshtri, make us very close.
The bride prays to the gods and elders " May my husband live long, and we will live together for hundred years...bless us"
The elders pray for the couple " Join the couple here, Indra... they resemble the chakravaka and its mate. ( The chakravaka is a symbol for mutual devotion of the couple. if one loses its life, the mate will die in grief.)
The lifelong union of the ideal couple as expressed by elders in their blessing "May you two dwell in this house, never parted, you enjoy the full life span as prescribed by vedas, may you have the fotune to play together with your sons and grandsons,"
The prayer of the couple "With sons and daughters abounding, may we live long adorned in rich dresses an precious ornaments".


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Thursday, September 16, 2010

i hold thy hand

गृह्णामि त्वाम् सौभगत्वाय हस्तं
मया पत्या जरदष्ठिर् यथासः।
भगो अर्यमा सविता पुरन्दिर्
मह्यम् त्वादुर् गार्हपत्याय देवाः।

ऋग्वेदं १०-८५-३६  अथर्वणवेदं १४-१-५०
gṛhṇāmi tvām saubhagatvāya hastaṁ
mayā patyā jaradaṣṭhir yathāsaḥ|
bhago aryamā savitā purandir
mahyam tvādur gārhapatyāya devāḥ|
ṛgvedaṁ 10-85-36  atharvaṇavedaṁ 14-1-50

gruhnami twaam saubhagatvaaya hastham
mayaa patyaa jaradhashtir yadasah
bhago aryamaa savitaa purandir
mahyam twaadur gaarhpatyaaya devaah

I take your hand in mine for good fortune with the prayer that you also will grow  old along with me, your husband.
Deities bhaga, aryamaaa savitha and purandhi have given you to me to be the mistress of my house.
This paanigrahana mantram has united couples of India for thousand of years.  The word garhapathyam implies that the good wife becomes the real leading spirit of the household taking the husband to her protection and affection. There is another aaseervadahmanthram in vedas, दशास्याम् पुत्राणम् अन्ते पतिमेकादशम् कृधि daśāsyām putrāṇam ante patimekādaśam kṛdhi, you beget ten sons and make your husband the eleventh son..  the position given to woman as a wife in our cuture was indeed very exalted

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