CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED TWENTYSIX

The Meaning of the Mantra (Formula)

Shankara said:

1-5. At (the time of) a nyasa or worship, one should resort to Vishnu's formula (mantra). The highest position is not had by means of a formula not sacred to Vishnu. If the former couple of sacred names (i.e. the one mentioned above) is imparted by one who is a non-Vaisnava, then one should again receive it from a follower of Vishnu. Even if a man has studied a thousand branches (of the holy texts), even if he was initiated into all (kinds of) sacrifices, even if he is born in a good family, he should not be a preceptor if he is not a follower of Vishnu. That follower of Vishnu who properly imparts the two sacred names, should be known as the preceptor, tearing off the bond of the mundane existence. A brahmana should, after resorting to a preceptor, live (with him) for a year. The preceptor, knowing his behaviour, should impart him the formula.

6-9. Having first done the sacraments as burning his body (i.e. putting sectarian marks on it), he should then utter the formula, after burning, putting the sectarian mark and giving a name (to him). Then he should teach his disciple of a pure heart. The rite of burning with (i.e. putting marks like) the (heated) disc (etc.) is called tapa (or burning). The sectarian mark is said to be vertical and the name (accepted by) the Vaisnava sect is pronounced. Then in accordance with the rule (about the mantra) the teacher should teach the formula to the disciple. (He should teach him) nyasa, the eight-syllabled or any other formula sacred to Vishnu. O you of an auspicious face, here nyasa is of a high value to the followers of Vishnu.

10-12. Therefore, for them nyasa is said to be superior. A brahmana highly devoted to nyasa is said to be the best. There is no greater mantra than a nyasa. I am telling you the truth. Nyasa and the couple of mantras are synonyms for devotion. Learn it from me. After having instruction in the two, he should practise all rites. He who is not entitled to both does not deserve to perform all rites.

13-16. Therefore, the best brahmana, having studied the two, should study the eight-syllabled formula properly. The formula is said to be eight-syllabled due to the inclusion of (the syllable) Om. The wise say that that is a sacred formula which naturally has Om at its beginning. Except at the beginning of all formulas Om is not naturally there. One should use it before (i.e. at the beginning of) all formulas. O you of an auspicious face, the sacred syllable Om is Brahman. It is the chief of all formulas. One should use it at the commencement of all formulas.

17-21. At the root-formula Om is naturally settled. The first (syllable) is Om, having one letter. Then is (the word) namah having two letters. Then in proper order are the five letters Ndrdyandya. Thus the formula, accomplishing all objects, should be known to be eight-syllabled. It removes all sorrows; it is glorious; it contains all formulas; it is auspicious. Its seer is Narayana, and (he) himself, the lord of ishri, is its deity. Its metre

3146 is the divine Gayatri and origin is Om. The power of the formula is goddess Shri who is never-failing. The first foot is said to be the letter Om; the second to be Namah, and the third to be Narayanaya. Thus the three feet are told.

22-26. The letters a, u, and m form the syllable Om, which is Brahman's word, and is of the nature of the three Vedas. Vishnu is expressed by the letter a, Shri by the letter u; the letter m is the servant of these two, and is said to be the twentyfifth (letter). It is said by the wise that a expresses Vishnu's form. The sages say that u expresses the form of the goddess Shri. The letter m expresses the soul, the purusa, the twentyfifth (principle of the Samkhyas). The elements are expressed by the class of letters beginning with ka; and the senses are denoted by the class of letters beginning with ca. The class of letters beginning with ta and that beginning with ta denote knowledge, so also the letters like dha (indicate the same). The mind is expressed by the letter/> a only; and ego by the letter pha.

27-30. Mahat (i.e. Intellect) and Prakrti (Primordial Matter) (the principles enunciated in the Sarhkhya System) are (respectively) expressed by the letters ba and bha. The soul is said to be the letter ma and is said to be the twentyfifth (principle). It is different from the body, the senses, the mind, the vital breath; and has no other means. He is the remnant of the lord, is denoted by ma and is sentient. Some say that ma indicates just the emphasis. According to them the principle of Shri is expressed by the letter va (mal) only. As the sun's lustre does not go away from him, so Lakshmi does not go away from him. Vishnu, the ocean of auspicious qualities, is expressed by the letter a.

31-36. The lord of Shri is the remnant of all souls, is the seed (i.e. source) of the world, and the highest person. He is the author and the sustainer of the world, the lord, and people's kin. (Lakshmi) always controls the worlds, does not go away from Vishnu. She is mother of the entire world and Vishnu's charming wife. Here (i.e. in the mantra) the letter u expresses Shri, who is the support of the world. The wise say that the letter ma expresses the soul, the servant of the two (i.e. Vishnu and Lakshmi). He is the support of knowledge, has knowledge as his quality, is sentient, and is beyond Prakrti. He is not insentient; he is without any modification; is uniform in nature and has (no other form than) his own form. He is subtle, eternal, pervading, of the nature of intellect and joy, is of the nature of ego, immutable, the soul, of different forms, and eternal. He cannot be burnt, cannot be cut off, cannot be made wet, cannot be dried, and is indestructible; he is (thus) endowed with such qualities and is an effect of the highest (soul).

37-42. The letter ma expresses the individual soul, always dependent. He is the servant of Vishnu only and of none else. Thus is determined his servitude to be mediocre. O sinless one, the meaning of Om should be known like this. I have explained it (to you). O auspicious one, the exposition of Om (is done) by means of the remnant of the meaning, the formula(? ). In this world, he who is the servant of another, does not get freedom. Therefore, with (the help of) the mind one should turn away Mahat and Ahamkara (i.e. Intellect and Ego). That act which is done by the knowledge of one's means, is also prohibited. The letter ma is (i.e. stands for) ego, and the letter na prohibits it. Therefore, with his mind only he gets freedom from the ego. Every accomplishment is due to the mind. Otherwise he would perish. Whatever is with the mind is said to be the ego.

43-46. One having egotism has absolutely no happiness. He whose mind is deluded by egotism sinks in the blinding darkness. Therefore, his freedom through mind is not prohibited. He is dependent upon the lord and lives under his influence. Therefore, the sentient is not the author of the means. The mobile and the immobile exist due to the will of the highest lord. Therefore, he would completely give up the application of his own power. Due to the lord's power there is nothing that is not obtained by him.

47-53. Having placed the burden (i.e. the responsibility) on that lord of Lakshmi, he should do acts of (i.e. sacred to) him only. The highest soul, Vishnu, is the master. I always belong to him. His mind should be employed according to the desire of that lord only. Thus it is noble when egotism and sense of mineness are abandoned by the mind. In the mundane existence the sense of mineness is the root of the bondage due to the deeds. Therefore, a Wiseman should avoid Mahat (Intellect) and Ahamkara (ego) with (the help of) the mind. (Now) O you auspicious Girija, I shall explain (to you) the word Ndrdyana. Ndrd is the assemblage of the souls. This Purusa (Narayana) is their refuge. And they are his abode; therefore he is said to be Ndrayana. The entire world — the sentient and insentient objects — is heard, is seen. He, who always remains after pervading it, is said to be Ndrayana. The groups of all men are said to be Ndrd. He is their refuge and support. Therefore, he is said to be Narayana. The wise know the principles produced from Nara (i.e. the Supreme Spirit) as Nara.

54-59. They alone are his abode. Therefore, he is called Ndrayana, by whom the world, after devouring it even at the end of thekalpa, is supported, and by whom it is again created. Therefore he is said to be Ndrayana. The entire world consisting of the mobile and the immobile is called Nara. To it he is connected; therefore he is said to be Ndrayana. The Nara — the host of men — is his abode or refuge. Therefore, he is always called Ndrayana by the sages; from him spring the worlds, as the massive foam in the ocean. Since they again merge into him, therefore, he is said to be Ndrayana. He is (residing) at the eternal position, is eternal, and is always free and alone enjoys; he is the lord of the entire world. Therefore, he is called Ndrayana. Ndrayana is the highest Brahman. Ndrayana is the highest principle.

60-64. Narayana has remained after pervading whatever is seen or heard within and without this world. Hari, Narayana, Acyuta is the Supreme soul with the sins destroyed. He resides within all beings. He is divine, always (all) alone, and is eternal. He is the seer and is what is to be seen. He is the listener and is what is listened to also. He is the one that touches and is also what is touched. He meditates and is what is meditated upon. He is the speaker and what is spoken. He is the knower and what is known. He is the sentient and insentient world. All that is said to be Hari, the lord of S" ri, Narayana. He, the Supreme Being, has a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet. Having pervaded all the worlds he stands above them by (the measure of) ten ringers.

65-69. All that was and will be is Narayana Hari. And he is the lord of immortality and the Virat; the Supreme Being (grows beyond) by the means of food. He alone is the Supreme Being, Vishnu, Vasudeva, Acyuta, Hari, Hiranmaya, and the lord; he is immortal, eternal, auspicious (S" iva). He is the master of the entire world, is the lord of all people, and the master. He is Hiranyagarbha, the Sun, is Ananta (the endless) and the great god. The word Bhagavat, so also the word Purusa and the word Nirupadhi stand for Vasudeva, the soul of all. The god, the lord Vishnu, the highest soul, the friend of the world, the only ruler of the movable and the immovable is the greatest refuge of the ascetics.

70-73. That one who is naturally merged into the sound uttered at the beginning of the Veda and who is settled in the Vedanta(i.e. the Upanisads), who is the greatest, is the great god. That one, viz. Vishnu, who is (indicated by) the letter a, the one who is Narayana Hari, is the eternal Supreme Being, the highest soul, the great lord. Sages use the word Isvara (i.e. the lord) also for him in whom wonderful glory exists. Unconditional lordship exists in Vishnu. The ancient words of Veda have described him as the soul, the lord. Therefore, in Vasudeva the great lordship exists.

74-88. Due to his splendour he is Tripad (literally, having three feet). He is the lord of sport. He, the soul of all, has two kinds of grandeurs and glory. He who is the lord of jShri, Bhu and Nila is called the lord. Therefore, mastery over all exists in Vasudeva. He is the lord of sacrifice, is the sacrifice, the enjoyer of sacrifice, the performer of sacrifice, the lord, the enjoyer of sacrifice, the Purusa (i.e. the deity) of sacrifice. He alone is the highest lord. He is the lord of sacrifice. He is the enjoyer of the oblations made to gods and all offerings to the dead ancestors. He is immutable. He, Hari, is the lord here. All goblins and demons go away from his vicinity. He, Vishnu, who became Virat and Hari, is himself the highest lord, who pleases the three worlds. With him as the complete oblation gods performed a sacrifice. Those who have a double row of teeth are born from that sacrifice. From that sacrifice with all the oblations sprang rks, samans. From it sprang horses, cows, men etc. The entire world consisting of the mobile and the immobile sprang from the body of the Supreme Being consisting of everything. The castes were his face, arms, thighs and feet in due order. From his feet the earth came up and the heaven from his head. From his mind the moon was produced, and the sun from his eye. Fire with a thousand eyes (sprang) from his mouth, and the ever-moving wind from his breath. From his navel came up Brahma, the sky, the movable and immovable world. Since the entire world came up from the eternal Vishnu, therefore, Vishnu full of all, is called Nara3150 Padma Puraria yana. Hari, having thus created the world again devours it, as a spider does the web produced from its saliva. Since, having curbed Brahma, Indra, Rudra, Yama and Varuna, he subdues them, therefore, he is called Hari. This ancient Supreme Being having put the world in his belly, sleeps in the coating of (his) Maya, which has become an ocean. (In the beginning) here this Vishnu, Narayana, Acyuta was alone.

89-93. Brahma, Rudra, gods, great sages, this heaven, this earth, the moon, the sun, the stars, the world, the (cosmic) egg covered by Mahat (were) not there. O auspicious one, since the entire world was held by that Hari (in his belly) and was again created at the time of creation, therefore he is said to be Narayana. O Parvati, service to him is described in the formula by the dative case. This entire world, beginning with Brahma, is his slave. Knowing the meaning to be like this one should then use the formula. O you of an excellent face, without knowing the meaning of the formula, one would not get success, so also enjoyment, devotion and salvation.

 

⇐ Предыдущая386387388389390391392393394395Следующая ⇒

Поделиться: