Day 21, Shivananda
Line by Line summarized meaning of the sanskrit verses in Shivananda Lahari discourse
Day 21 - August 22 - verse 40 and 41
This verse should be recited to wipe away Durbhiksha (famine, scarcity, poverty).
Every person, especially those with Jnana, must mandatorily pray to the Lord to bless the land with good rain and crops. This is more important for those who perform the pancha yagnas. How can there be durbhiksha when You are with me, O Lord? Durbhiksha can happen in many ways - due to lack of rain and crops, or due to lack of time not listening to good advice and knowledge (jnana); inability to acquire knowledge. All these are dispelled by the Supreme Lord out of His compassion.
In this verse Bhagavad padacharya explains how the Lord has dispelled the durbhiksha from his life and cultivated it properly. Through this hymn He teaches us that mandatorily we should pray for timely rains every single day.
Dhee yantreṇa vacho ghatena kavita-kulyōpa kulya kramaih,
Aneethaiśca sadashivasya caritām bhoraśi divyāmruthaih.
Hrit kēdāra-yuthāśca bhakti kalamah sāphalya māthanvathe,
Durbikshān mama sevakasya bhagavan viswesha bheethi kruthah.
Dhee yantrena – With the buddhi as the yantra (the central pulley)
Yantra refers to the instrument used for the functioning. In music, mridamgam etc. are Yantras. That which helps us to complete the task easily is Yantra.
Vacho ghatena - the voice as the *** (that is used to lift the water from the sump/ well and pour it out into the fields)
Kavita-kulyo upakulya kramaih - poetry as the systematic kulya and upakulya (the main and the sub-canals that are used to irrigate the agricultural land).
It is well known that Rudrabhishekam yields good rains. The Lord is addressed in it as- kulyāya ca, varśāya ca avarśaya ca, meghyāya ca, prataranāya ca, utteraya ca- i.e. with all the words that relate to rain.
Āneetaiśca – the water thus pulled out is
Sadāshivasya charitam bhoraśi divya amruthai - the divine nectar (divya amruta) called Sadashiva’s charitra
Using the intellect as the central force/ pulley, the voice as the *** and poetry as the channels which ensure that the water thus pulled from the well, the amruta called Shiva’s charitra is flowing into the field.
Sada shivah means He who remains unchanged even after the destruction of the world; He who is over and above the births and deaths.
Hrit kēdāra – (such nectar is channeled into) the field called heart
Kedara means field.
Yuthāsca bhakthi kalamah – wherein the seeds (kalama) called bhakti are sown
Sāphalya māthanvathe - the produce/ crop reaped is excellent
Durbikshān mama sevakasya – Why should a servant like me worry about durbhiksha
Bhagavan – O Bhagawan
Only Parabrahma is entitled to the name Bhagawan; it means He who possesses the 6 inherent traits.
Aishwaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yashasaha sriyah jnana vairagya yos chaiva shannām bhaga itiranam – these 6 traits are known as bhaga. He who knows about our utpatti, gati, past, present, future etc. is bhagavan.
Viswesha – O Lord of this creation (vishwa)
Bheethi kutha - why should I fear?
The Shastras state that when a tree/ plant is plucked out, minimum of two trees should be replanted. In its absence, the prani hatya dosha will stick to him. This is essential for protecting nature. At least once in a lifetime every person has to plant the pancha pallava trees. This is a rule per Shastras. In its absence, life is a waste and we will be sent back so as to complete this task.
Verse 41
In a very poetic way, Bhagavadpadacharya teaches us how to beg and pray to the Lord.
Pāpothpātha –vimocanāya ruchir aiswaryāya mrutyunjaya,
Stotra-dhyāna-nati-pradakshina-saparyālokana akarnane,
Jihwa-chitta-sirongri-hasta-nayana-srothrair aham prārthithah,
Māmāgnapaya thannirupaya muhur māmeva maa me vacha
Pāpothpātha–vimocanāya – In order to get rid of all our sins
If our problems have to disappear, it is essential that we increase our punya and wash away our sins.
Ruchir aiswaryāya – in order to taste prosperity
Prosperity also means that aishwarya which is needed to perform good deeds.
Mrutyunjaya Stotra dhyāna nati pradakshina saparyā alokana akarnane Jihwa, chittha, sirongri hastha nayana srothrair aham prārthithah –
-My tongue (jihwa) is asks me when I will recite Mrutyunjaya stotra;
-My chitta wants to know when I will contemplate upon You (dhyana);
-My head (shira) is asking when I will pay obeisance (athi) to You (when will my head touch your lotus feet);
-My feet (anghri) want to know when I will offer pradakshina to You;
-My hands (hasta) want to know when they can serve You (saparya);
-My eyes (nayana) want to know when they can see you (ālokana);
-My ears (shrotra) are asking when I will hear about Your glories(ākarnane);
Here He says that indriyas are asking him when He will focus upon the Lord. What am I to answer them, O Lord? This is similar in essence to the bhajan Re mana re re mana jhoo mata gavo hari ke guna…
Every being has a fear of death. To dispel this fear Mrutyunjaya stotra should be recited. The form of Mrutynjaya in the photo depicts the Lord holding pots in 2 out of His 4 hands. In all He has 8 hands or 10 hands of which with 4 hands he performs abhishekam upon Himself. It is said that at the time of Pralaya, there will be none to offer Abhisheka to Him. At such time He performs His abhisheka. He is in the ghora roopa at that time. It is said that the jeevis within Him are struggling seeking re-birth. To calm Himself He performs abhishekam. Only after He is calm, can He focus on creation. This Lord gives Parama shanti.
Pradakshina trayam deva prayatnena mayā krutam - With my efforts (prayatna) I am doing pradakshina thrice to You; please treat me as your dāsa and accept this pradakshina.
That is why in temples, we should offer atma pradakshina or go around the garbha gruha thrice where possible. It is also a good exercise which gives good phalam. In skanda purana extensive details about pradakshina are given. The meaning of pra, da, shki and na are detailed.
Mām agnapaya – Please command me
Thannirupaya - bless me (tann nirupaya) and prove that
Muhur māmeva maa me avachah – that my words (my pleading) do not go for a waste (words come true).
One of the Alwars, commands every organ to be engrossed in the services of the Lord as mentioned above. We too should put it into practice. Else it will pull us in according to its whims and fancies.
Each indriya is a Devata. When we pray to that Devata He will listen to you and bless us accordingly.
‘Indra you are seated in my arms; please bless me with strength; O Surya, you are seated in my eyes; bless me with good eyesight, the ability to look at only good and bless me that I will never lose vision; Saraswati Devi is the deity for the tongue (vak devata).