Day 22, Shivananda
Line by Line summarized meaning of the sanskrit verses in Shivananda Lahari discourse
Day 22 - August 23 - verse 42, 43 and 44
After praying to the Lord to bless him in a way that all his indriyas are busy with Divine Worship, in this verse He invites the Lord to come and reside in the fort called mind together with Goddess Durga. He assures the Lord that the fort is well designed, strong and impenetrable.
Our body is a jala durga (water fortress) within which there are many prakaras; they are followed by dwaras; the necessary samagri i.e. vidya is there within. All these together form the durga (fort) called mind. Dukhena gantuṃ yogyaṃ durgaṃ- that which is reached only after tremendous difficulties is called Durga.
It is not an easy journey. Even the enemy army has no easy approach to a fort (Durga). A impenetrable forest-fort is created (vana durga) in all four directions as a first enclosure; thereafter a deep water body (moat) with crocodiles etc. is created (jala durga) such that a person cannot jump across it; one more forest enclosure is built after this jala durga; the fort (durga) is protected within these enclosures.
Verse 42
Gāmbeeryam parikhā padam ghanadruthih prākāra uddhad guna,
Sthomaschāptha balam ghanedriya chayo dwārāṇi deha stithah,
Vidhya vasthu samruddhi rithyakila sāmagri samete sadā,
Durgāti priya deva māmaka mano durge nivāsam kuru.
What are the requirements/ qualities of a good fort (durga)?
Gāmbeeryam – which is deep and profound (gāmbhirya).
This is the deep water canal (jala durga). This mind is deeper and vaster than even akasha, because even those objects that can’t fit into space find a place in our mind. A big city or a entire Brahmandam or even a state beyond the Brahmandam can fit into the mind. For this reason it is addressed as chidākāśam. This Chidākāśam is even bigger than the visible akasha.
Parikha padam Ghanadruthih praakarah – to which my strong and firm determination (dritih)/ courage is the durga (enclosure)
uddhyas guna Sthomas chaaptha balam – my sadgunas are the strong and reliable army of soldiers who are guarding (āpta balam).
They are my most trustworthy soldiers.
ghanedriya chayo dwaraṇi – My indriyas are the doors within this fort.
In a palace there are many secretive doors and doors which can mislead a enemy who has entered the fort. Visible and invisible doors.
deha stitha – inside the fort
vidya vasthu samruddhi – abundant knowledge is the food grains and other resources that are stored in large quantities.
Ithya akhila sāmagri samethe - along with other required materials.
The most important line of this verse is the ‘Vidya vastu samagri’. Jnana plays the most important role for the Lord to settle in this temple. If Jnana is not there, then He will go away.
Sadā - I will be eternally waiting for You.
Durgāti priya – You who is loved by Durga; who loves Durga; who resides in fort (durga)
Deva – O Lord
Māmaka mano durge nivāsam kuru – Please come and reside in my durga called mind. O Mother Goddess Durga, You please come and reside in my mind.
May this mind of mine become Your temple.
Verse 43
In this verse Bhagavad padacharya states – O Lord now that you have come into my mind, please do not leave and go away. Like an idol that has been consecrated please remain eternally seated here.
Maa gachas twam itasthito Giriśa bho mayyeva vāsam kuru,
Swamin ādhikirata māma kamanah kāntara seemantare,
Vartante bahuśo mrugā mada jusho mātsarya mohādaya,
Sthan hathvā mrugaya vinoda ruchitā lābham ca samprāpsyasi.
Maa gachas twam itasthito - Please remain without going here and there
Giriśa bho – O Lord who moves about in the mountains
Mayyeva vāsam kuru - Please reside within me for ever
Swamin – O Lord who rules every being; you are all knowing
Ādikirata – You are the first kirata (hunter) in this creation.
There are many rules and regulations that even hunters have to follow. They should not kill birds that are playfully engaged; not kill a single deer that is roaming about and the like.
At one point of time from Brahma’s mind a girl called Saraswati was born (not his wife Saraswati). Strangely, seeing this girl, feelings of *** emerged in Brahma, her father. He began to chase her. The girl took on the form of a deer and began to run hither and thither. Brahma took on the form of a male deer and began to chase her. Lord Shiva was annoyed seeing this. He took on the form of a hunter and holding a bow and arrow in his hand, began chasing the male deer. Brahman then repented for his evil intentions.
This is the Mrigashira Nakshatra. In another angle, it is said that Mrigashira Nakshatra has immense tyaga guna and this is what it teaches. Mrigashira is very dear to the Lord. One hunter was seated upon the bilwa tree hoping to hunt down any animal. After some time a deer came by. Just as he was about to shoot the deer, it said, “Please do not kill me. My wife is pregnant. As soon as she delivers the fawn I will return here. I will then give up my life to you”.
This hunter was surprised to hear it speaking and so he permitted the deer to leave. A short while later a female pregnant deer came there searching for its mate. Just as the hunter was about to shoot it, it said, “please do not kill me now. I am going to deliver this baby soon. Thereafter I shall return to become your food’. The hunter agreed.
The female deer delivered shortly. Soon the fawn came there and requested him to kill it and spare its parents. The mother deer came and said that she should be killed. The father deer came there and said that he was the one who should be killed. Hearing them all, the hunter had a change of heart. He threw his bow and arrow and told them that he was impressed by their vow of truthfulness and hence he would not kill any of them. This is the Mrigashira constellation. Mrigashira is a very special nakshatra. It is said that Shiva came in the form of hunter in order to test the truthfulness and tyaga of the deer.
Even after all this, Shiva did not want to give up his hunter appearance and hence remained as Kirata. Even to this day in Trissur, there is a temple dedicated to Adi kirateshwara.
Māmakā mana kāntara seemāntare - please sit in the middle (seemāntare) of this forest (kāntara, vana durga) called my mind.
What will be your food O hunter Lord in this forest?
Vartante bahuśo mrugā – in this forest called mind, there are plenty of animals
Madā jusho – wild animals that are obsessed with extreme ego (mada)
In the earlier eons, kings used to hunt and kill only those animals which caused trouble to other animals/ humans. It was considered wrong to kill innocent harmless animals.
Mātsarya mohādaya - and ruled by the arishadvargas (jealousy, anger, greed etc).
In my forest, these wild animals are challenging and not so easy to catch. You will enjoy chasing and hunting them.
Tan hathvā – You can hunt them down and kill
Mrugaya vinoda ruchitā lābham Ca samprapsyasi – You will enjoy the fruit of hunting (mrugaya).This is what you will get.
From the 44th verse it is in Vasanta Mālika chandas. From here the aksharas undergo a change.
Verse 44
Kara Lagna mrugah kareendra bhango,
Gana Shardūlām vikkhandanostha Jantuh,
Giriso viśadakruthischa chethah
Kuhare Panchamukhosti me kutho bhih.
In the cave called heart (chetah kuhara), the Lord with 5 faces is seated. He is known as Pancanana. Each of these 5 faces looks in one direction i.e. east, west, north, south and upwards (urdhva mukha). These are known as Sadyojata etc. Why should I fear when this Lord with 5 faces is seated within me? Panchamukha means lion. This verse can be interpreted in two ways
1) it refers to Shiva
2) it refers to lion.
Kara Lagna Mrugah - The Lord who holds the deer head in His hand;
Or - the lion that firmly holds the deer with its paw
Mind is eternally running like a deer; Shiva holding the deer symbolizes that he holds the mind.
Kareendra Bhangah - who has destroyed the mighty elephant (kareendra) Gajasura;
in case of lion it is to be understood as - You, who have killed a mighty elephant (kareendra)
The Lord takes on the name krutti vāsaha. When He killed Gajasura, this demon sought a boon that in some form or other he should eternally remain with the Lord. In order to satisfy this desire, the Lord worn Gajasura’s skin (elephant skin) as his robe, even when the blood, muscles etc. were still stuck to it.
The elephant never dreams of a lion. If at all it dreams of a lion, it will immediately give up its life; such is its fear of a lion. The mahout can identify the dreams, and fears of an elephant based on its leg movements, hair movements, movement of trunk, ears, whether there are tears in its eyes etc.
Ghana Shardulām vikkhandanah - The Lord who has killed the mighty tiger (shardula, demon Vyaghrāsura));
When interpreted as lion, this verse means - the lion which has killed a mighty tiger
Astha Janthuh- into whom all beings merge (astama, set) ultimately
It is said that the lion’s roar can be heard 2 kms away; such is its thundering roar; so animals run in fear.
Girisah - Who is the Lord of mountains; the lion wanders in the mountains (giri) and is addressed here as Girisha.
Visadhakruthi – Who is vast (vishada akara) vishwaroopa form; when the lion opens its mouth it appears vast and fearsome.
Vishadakruti means the Lord who is white complexioned; the white lion.
Brahma is said to be red in colour; Vishnu blue and Shiva white.
cha chetha Kuhare – in the cave (kuhare) called mind (cheth)
Pancha mukhosthi – when the five faced Lord- Tatpuruśa, īśana, Vāmadeva, Agora and Sadyojata resides
Or- When the lion resides in my mind
Lion is known as Panchamukha.
Me kutho bhih – why should I fear?
Five faces of the Lord indicate that he will protect in all the 4 directions and will also take care when we reach the upper worlds (urdhva loka). Why should we fear when we have the protection of such a Lord?