Day 9, Shivananda
Line by Line summarized meaning of the sanskrit verses in Shivananda Lahari discourse
Day 9 - August 5 - verse 16 and 17
Verse 16
Bhagavat pāda now prays for the longevity of Brahma itself!
Virinchi dheergāyur bhavatu bhavatā tat para śira
Schatushkam samrakshyam sa khalu bhuvi dainyam likhitavān,
Vicharah ko vā mām vishda kripaya pāti shiva me,
Katāksha vyāpārah swayamapi na dīnāvana parah.
Virinchi dheergāyur bhavathu – Let Him enjoy his longevity
Bhavatha tat para śira Schatushkam samrakshyam – O Lord, so please protect the remaining 4 heads of Lord Brahma
(I should not have prayed to You to erase the destiny that has been fixed by Lord Brahma).
Sa khalu bhuvi dainyam likhitavān – for He is the one who writes the fate (Brahma lipi) for all beings in this creation; is He not the one who has written this poverty in my destiny?
Vichara ko vā mām vishada – Why am I worrying and grieving about this
Kripaya pāthi shivā te Katāksha vyāpāra – when Your glance (kataksha) has taken on the job (vyapara) of compassionately protecting us.
Why should I ask the Lord to erase the Brahma lipi? I should instead have asked for protection irrespective of my Brahma lipi.
(IT is enough if Your glance falls upon us). Katāksha means the sideward’s glance of the Lord. It is said that God’s direct glance should not fall upon us. We should be graced only with his sideward’s glance for this is His krpa katāksha. This is His mangala drishti (auspicious glance)
Swayamapi ca dheenavaan para – Your kataksha (glance) has the freedom to (is enough to) take care of the poor and pitiable persons like me.
We go to temples and to Sadguru sannidhi so that his Kataksha falls upon us. Just this glance is enough.
In the earlier verse, Bhagavat pāda had commented about Brahma. So now He asks the Lord to allow Brahma to live because he is the one who writes the fate/longevity of all beings on earth. He further states that the Lord does not make a sankalpa to protect devotees; his glance does this work automatically even without His knowledge.
Verse 17
Phalādvā punyānām mayi karunayā vā twayi vibho,
Prasannēpi swamin bhava damala pādābja yugaḷam,
Katham paśyeyam mām sthagayati namasambrama jushām
Nirlepānām śrenir nija kanaka māṇikya makutaih.
Phalādvā punyānām - Perhaps as a result of the punya accumulated by me or
Some form of punya phala takes us to the state wherein we can get the darshan of that Lord. It is important therefore to do charitable and good deeds. Annadana and Vidyadana take the most important position amongst the charitable deeds.
Mayi karunayā vaa twayi vibho – Due to Your compassion, O all pervading Lord
Prasannēpi swamin - Your grace has fallen upon me; You are pleased with me.
Bhava damala pādabja yugalam - Your feet have appeared before me
I have come so far only to have the darshan of Your lotus feet;
To the person whose focus is entirely upon the Lord, He sees the Lord in each and every object and in every being. Once, a little boy was eager to see God. His mother told him that God resides beneath a tree on the hill top. The boy packed some snacks and food items and set out to see God. When he reached almost the top, after a long walk, he saw an old lady who was tired. She begged him for food. The boy gave his food to her and she empitied the box totally. The boy returned back home and told his mother that he had seen God in the form of an old woman. Likewise the old woman too had set out to see God. She returned home with the satisfaction that she has seen God who appeared before her in the form of a 12 year old boy.
Katham paśyeyam maam – but how can I have Your darshan (of your feet) when
Nirlimpānām sthagayathi namassambrama jushām – crores of Devatas waiting for the darshan
Srenih nija kanaka mānikya makutaih – are trying to offer obeisance to You along with their dazzling golden/ ruby crowns. With this they are blocking my view. The radiance of those crowns dazzles me and I am unable to get darshan.
O Lord, I have reached your vicinity and am eagerly waiting to have the darshan of Your lotus feet. You have also blessed me and are making yourself visible to me. But here, the Devatas have thronged in large numbers and they too are eagerly surrounded You seeking darshan. The illumination from the dazzling crowns is blocking me from having the darshan of Your feet. I beg of You to please notice my presence here and to grant me that darshan. The other meaning is - kindly send away these Devatas and instead bless me with this divine darshan.