O Lord! by regulating my breath through Pranayama and having purified myself I will continuously chant the Pranava (Om) mantra mentally. Thus, withdrawing my senses from the sense objects, and being purified, I will prepare myself for meditation on Thee.
Meaning of the Sanskrit Words
तारम्-अन्तरम्-अनुचिन्त्य Pranava (Om) in the mind repeating
सन्ततं continuously
प्राण-वायुम्-अभियम्य the breath thus regulating
निर्मला: and being purified
इन्द्रियाणि विषयात्- sense organs from the sense objects
अथ-अपहृत्य then withdrawing
आस्महे (I) we will be
भवत् उपासन-उन्मुखा: for meditating on Thee, prepared
Jagadguru Saccidānanda Śivābhinava Nṛsimha Bhārati Mahāswāmiji, (referred as Nṛsimha Bhārati Mahāswāmiji henceforth) was 33rd Jagadguru in the unbroken chain of Ācāryas of Śrīngeri Śrī Śāradā Peetham, one of the foremost of the Mutt’s established by Śrḹ Śaṇkara Bhagavatpāda.
Jagadguru Śrī Śrī Saccidānanda Śivābhinava Nṛsimha Bhārati Mahāswāmiji, embellished the sacred peetham from 1879 to 1912. He is adorned as Śrī ‘Abhinava Śhankarā’, a spiritual reincarnation of the great saint Śrī Śaṇkara Bhagavatpāda.
Bhakthisudha Tarangini is a brainchaild of Nṛsimha Bhārati Mahāswāmiji comprising various poetic compositions which was published by his earnest disciple Śrī. T.S. Balasubrahmanya Iyer in the year 1913.
Bhakthisudha Tarangini is a voluminous work. Like the great Śrī Śaṇkara Bhagavatpāda, Śrī Nṛsimha Bhārati Mahāswāmiji composed many stotras in praise of various Gods and Goddesses at various Shrines throught India. This book is a collection of 170 stotras of different dieties categorised as follows- Ganesha stotras, Devi stotras, Guru stotras, Vishnu, Shiva and Vedanta stotras.
Here is one on Lord Subramanya. Lord Subramanya is also known as Dandapani. This Sloka is a Pancharathna Mala and has five verses.
I pray continuously Lord Dandapani, who destroys the cruel sins of the devotees; who wears earrings which makes the two cheeks glitter; who punishes the Asuras who are the enemies of the Devas.
I pray continuously Lord Dandapani, who is the son of the killer of Yama; who is the temple of mercy; who sports a matted hair decorated by the crescent moon and who is the representative (svarupa) of Lord Siva.
I pray continuously Lord Dandapani, who has a great luster similar to moon, the lord of stars, who is the enemy of Tharaka , who speedily grants the wealth sought by devotees, and who helps us to cross the deep sea of life cycles (samsara) like a boat .
I pray continuously Lord Dandapani, who destroys all the worries of the true devotees, who helps us to destroy our true enemies viz., anger and passion, and who is the one who helps us to reach his abode quickly.
I pray continuously Lord Dandapani, who is the destroyer of the Cupid and is handsome Himself, who is worshipped with hands folded by Lord Ram and Lakshman and who has tender and elegant looking form.
Self control and purity of Body/Mind (“Yama and Niyama”) are the “sine qua non” for beginning Ashtanga Yoga. This is followed by correct postures (“aasanaas”).
After seeking the Divine Grace, Bhattathri outlines these steps in Sloka 2 of Dasakam 4 of Sriman Narayaneeyam.
சுய கட்டுப்பாடு மற்றும் உடல்/மனத்தின் தூய்மை (“யமா மற்றும் நியமா”) – இவை இரண்டும், அட்டசித்தி (அஷ்டாங்க) யோகத்தின் முதல் படிகள். இதைத் தொடர்ந்து சரியான “ஆசனங்கள்”.
ஸ்ரீமன் நாராயணீயத்தின் தசகம் 4, முதல் ஸ்லோகத்தில் தெய்வீக அருளை வேண்டிய பிறகு, இரண்டாவது ஸ்லோகத்தில், பட்டத்திரி இந்த வழிமுறைகளை கோடிட்டுக் காட்டுகிறார்.
ஈரைது இயமமுடன் தன்னடக்கநிலைபூண்டு அனுதின நியமமுடன் தூயநிலை அடைந்து சுக, கமல ஆசனங்கள் புரிந்து உனை துதித்து உளம் உன்னில் நிறுத்திடுவாம் உலகுய்வோனே! 4.2
Meaning in English
O Lord!I (we all (the devotees) will strictly follow the discipline of Yama (self control) by practice of Brahmcharya etc. and also the discipline of Niyama (rules of right conduct) through routines of daily bath etc. and attain purity of body and mind. I (we) will then practice steady postures (Asanaa) like Sukhaasanaa and Padmaasanaa etc. for meditating on Thee.
Meaning of the Sanskrit Words
ब्रह्मचर्य-ढृढता-आदिभि:-यमै:- through the observances of disciplines of self control like strict continence etc.
आप्लव-आदि-नियमै:-च and daily bath like rules of right conduct
The term Avatāra (अवतार) in Sanskrit means 1) Descent, alighting; descending or going down into; 2) Form, manifestation; 3) Descent of a deity upon earth, incarnation in general.
The Vedas, the Puranas, the Epics and the Bhagavadgita acknowledge the incarnations of Vishnu as an essential and important function of creation to ensure the order and regularity of the worlds and keep the chaos and demonic forces under control.
An incarnation of God is also different in many respects from a manifestation (vibhuti) or an aspect (amsa) of God. Practically, everything is a manifestation of God. A manifestation may or may not be aware of its divine nature. Its purpose may be limited in scope and influence, and it may represent only some qualities or aspects of God such as his knowledge, intelligence, power, wealth, beauty, aura, grace, etc. Secondly, a manifestation of God may happen with or without a form, not necessarily upon earth, whereas an incarnation always happens upon earth and in corporeal form only.
Technically, all living beings are incarnations of God only, since the soul or the Self is an aspect of Brahman and identical to him in all aspects. However, there is a fundamental difference. The incarnations of God are full-fledged. He manifests all his power and knows inherently his divine purpose upon earth. In contrast, the living beings are subject to the impurities of egoism, delusion and attachments.
With the above introduction, let us now study a wonderful Sloka which depicts the qualities of Lord Rama, the seventh Avatar of Lord Vishnu.
Audio Link
Pl. Listen to a wonderful recitation of the Sloka by the young Carnatic Musician Sri. Ashwath Narayanan in Ragamalika as a Virutham (approx 9 mts).
1. SAntaM SaSvatam apramEyaM anaghaM - him, the embodiment of tranquility, the eternal one, the causeless one, sinless one.
2. nirvANa SAntipradaM - him who confers liberation and peace.
3. brahmAviShNu phaNIndra sEvyaM aniSaM - the lord to whom Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva offer service.
4. vEdAnta vEdyaM vibhuM - the one knowable through Vedas, the Cosmic one.
5. rAmAkhyaM jagdISvaraM suraguruM mAyAmanuSyaM hariM - named Rama, the lord of the world, the preceptor of gods, the one incarnated by Hari as a man as an act of Maya.
6. vandEhaM karunAkaraM - I bow down to him, the ocean of mercy.
7. raghuvaraM bhUpAlacUDAmaNiM - the scion of Raghus, and a crest jewel among kings.
Prabhu's Ponder 