Category: Spirituality

Durga Pancharathnam – Verse 4

Audio Link

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7d025kljtj94cka/Durga%20Pancharatnam-RYKQcQQ3Evs.mp3?dl=0

Sanskrit Verse

देवात्मशब्देन शिवात्मभूता

यत्कूर्मवायव्यवचोविवृत्या ।

त्वं पाशविच्छेदकरी प्रसिद्धा

मां पाहि सर्वेश्वरि मोक्षदात्रि ॥ ४॥

English Transliteration

dēvā atma śabdēna śivā atma bhūtā

yat kūrma vāyavya vacō vivr̥tyā

tvaṁ pāśa vicchēdakarī prasiddhā

māṁ pāhi sarvēśvari mōkṣadātri || 4 ||

Meaning of the Sanskrit Words

देव – God

आत्म – Soul

शब्देन – sound

शिव – Lord Siva

आत्म – Soul

भूता – being

यत् – that

कूर्म – one of the outer winds of the body

वायव्य – one of the inner winds – the air passage from heart to centre of the forehead

वचो – speech

विवृत्या – manifest

त्वं – you

पाश – chain

विच्छॆदकरि – विच्छे करि – seek for

प्रसिद्धा – famous/well known

मां पाहि सर्वेश्वरि मोक्षदात्रि ॥ ४॥

Meaning in English

Formed by Self-power of sound of Siva’s aatma, You are declared by sacred texts as the sound of Anahatha**, Which exists in Kurma and Vayavya*** as Shakthi. You are known as one cutting off worldly attachments (or the rope that drags you to death), And so please protect me, oh goddess of all and oh giver of salvation.

Note: From the heart to the middle of the eyebrows is said to be the region of Vayu. It is black in colour and shines with the letter ‘Ya’. Carrying the breath along the region of Vayu, one should contemplate on Isvara, the omniscient. The Yogi does not meet his death through Vayu.) ( Naga, Kurma, Krikara, Devadatta and Dhananjaya are the five sub-Pranas; Kurma performs the function of opening the eyes

OM

**Anahata sabda – just before one enter Samadhi in yoga one can clearly hear Om inside which is not heard outside the physical body after this the person goes into Samadhi.

* **Vayavya Dharana

Meaning in Tamil

சிவான்மச்சக்கர ஒலி வழி உருவெடுத்த சுயசக்தியே

உள்மூச்சு வெளிமூச்சு வாக்கினிலும் உறை சக்தியே

பாசக்கயிற்றினை செயலாக்கும் பெயர் பெற்ற சக்தியே

அண்டமதின் அன்னையே காத்தருள்வாய் முக்தி

Durga Pancharathnam – Verse 3

Audio Link

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7d025kljtj94cka/Durga%20Pancharatnam-RYKQcQQ3Evs.mp3?dl=0

Sanskrit Verse

परास्य शक्तिः विविधैव श्रूयसे

श्वेताश्ववाक्योदितदेवि दुर्गे ।

स्वाभाविकी ज्ञानबलक्रिया ते

मां पाहि सर्वेश्वरि मोक्षदात्रि ॥ ३॥

English Transliteration

parāsya śaktiḥ vividhaiva śrūyasē

śvētāśvavākyōditadēvi durgē |

svābhāvikī jñānabalakriyā tē

māṁ pāhi sarvēśvari mōkṣadātri || 3 ||

Meaning of the Sanskrit Words

परास्य – Absolute

शक्तिः – Shakti

विविधैव- several

श्रूयसे – heard/extolled

श्वेताश्व – white horses ? Here it refers to Swethavatara* Upanishad,

वाक्योदित- from the words

देवि दुर्गे । – devi Durga

स्वाभाविकी – innate, natural

ज्ञान – knowledge

बल – fruit

क्रिया – act/operation

ते –

मां पाहि सर्वेश्वरि मोक्षदात्रि

Meaning in English

You are His Shakthi called Para, which is spoken in different ways, You are the one who is being celebrated by Swethavatara* Upanishad, You are by your nature , the power force in all actions and wisdom, And so please protect me , oh goddess of all and oh giver of salvation. * This major Upanishad gives the basic teachings and concepts of Bhagwad Gita.

Meaning in Tamil

பலர் போற்றும் பரம் எனும் சக்தியே

உபநிடம் போற்றும் துர்கா தேவியே

உள்ளியல்பான உயர் அறிவுச்சக்தியே

அண்டமதின் அன்னையே காத்தருள்வாய் முக்தி

Durga Pancharathnam – Verse 2

Audio Link

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7d025kljtj94cka/Durga%20Pancharatnam-RYKQcQQ3Evs.mp3?dl=0

Sanskrit Verse

देवात्मशक्तिः श्रुतिवाक्यगीता

महर्षिलोकस्य पुरः प्रसन्ना ।

गुहा परं व्योम सतः प्रतिष्ठा

मां पाहि सर्वेश्वरि मोक्षदात्रि ॥ २॥

English Transliteration

dēvātmaśaktiḥ śrutivākyagītā

maharṣilōkasya puraḥ prasannā |

guhā paraṁ vyōma sataḥ pratiṣṭhā

māṁ pāhi sarvēśvari mōkṣadātri || 2 ||

Meaning of the Sanskrit Words

देवात्म – divine nature

शक्ति – power

श्रुति – Veda

वाक्य – utter/saying

गीता – song

महर्षि – saints

लोकस्य – people

पुरः – inside place (heart)

प्रसन्ना – kind/delight

गुहा – (deep inside) heart

परं – absolute

व्योम – Sky/heaven/space

सतः truth

प्रतिष्ठा – rest/permanently reside

मां पाहि सर्वेश्वरि मोक्षदात्रि ॥ २॥

Meaning in English

You are the self power of the divine , sung about by the Vedas,

Delighted the hearts of great saints propitiating you ,

Who have established yourselves in their hearts as Truth,

And so please protect me, oh goddess of all and oh giver of salvation.

Meaning in Tamil

இறைமையின் உள்ளடக்கம் நான்மறைபோற்றும் நாயகி

உன்துதி பாடும் பேர்முனிகள் இதயம் மகிழ்விப்பவளே

உள்ளக்குகை வெளியில் உண்மையென உறைபவளே

அண்டமதின் அன்னையே காத்தருள்வாய் முக்தி

Durga Pancharathnam – Verse 1

Audio Link

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7d025kljtj94cka/Durga%20Pancharatnam-RYKQcQQ3Evs.mp3?dl=0

Sanskrit Verse

ते ध्यानयोगानुगता अपश्यन्

त्वामेव देवीं स्वगुणैर्निगूढाम् ।

त्वमेव शक्तिः परमेश्वरस्य

मां पाहि सर्वेश्वरि मोक्षदात्रि ॥ १॥

English Transliteration

tē dhyāna yōgānu anugatā apaśyan

tvām eva dēvīṁ svaguṇaihi nigūḍhām |

tvamēva śaktiḥ paramēśvarasya

māṁ pāhi sarva eshwari mōkṣadātri || 1 ||

Meaning of the Sanskrit Words

ते – those

ध्यान – meditation

योग – contemplation/yoga

अनुगता – follow

अपश्यन् – not seeing

त्वं – you

एव – indeed

देवीं – goddess

स्व – of self

गुणै – virtues

निर्गूढाम् – concealed/hidden

त्वं – you

एव – only

शक्तिः – Shakti

परमेश्वरस्य – better half of Parameshwara

मां पाहि – protect me

सर्वेश्वरि – Universal Mother

मोक्षदात्रि – liberator

Meaning in English

Those, who follow meditation(dhyana) and contemplation (yoga), can’t see you; indeed the Goddess hidden in your own virtues. You are the energy behind Lord Parameshwara. Protect me oh Universal Mother, the liberator for salvation

Meaning in Tamil

தியானம் தவம் புரிவோர் காண இயலா

தன்நற் பண்பினில்மறை தேவி நீதானே

சடையோனின் சக்திவடிவம் நீதானே

அண்டமதின் அன்னையே காத்தருள்வாய் முக்தி

Guru Purnima & Dedication to the Guru

Last year in 2019, it was July 19th. July is normally the month of Guru purnima. This year it is on 5th July 2020.

Last year being the first year of my blogging, I dedicated the blog to my Guru, my father. This year I was contemplating as to what to do. What better way to dedicate & observe this month than to try and understand the unique composition by the greatest legend who lived in the 20th century – Kanchi Maha Swami fondly known as Paramacharya, Kanchi Periavaa, Shri. Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi.

In this month starting July 3, on every Friday, over 5 blogs I will try and understand His Durga Pancharathnamala. The available information in the world wide web was of immense help to me in this process.

It is also a strange coincidence that the first Carnatic Music Composition that came to me for my Tamil translation work in July is on Goddess Kamakshi, the principal deity on whom Paramacharya Kanchi Maha Swami composed Durga Pancharathnamala. This is scheduled on July 5th.

Masterpiece

Last Friday, the last of six verses of Nirvana Shatakam (Atma Shatakam) was posted along with the Tamil Translation thereof. This Shatakam addresses the very complicated inquiry of “Who am I?”. Though the answers provided by Adi Sankara appears very simple from an over all reading perspective, the subject itself is the essence of the Advaita philosophy and I can vouch for myself that my understanding is not even at the “skimming” level in this field. My attempt however provides me a reminder that what was attempted was just a drop of water in an ocean. This was also reinforced by the quality of comments that I received from my friends and relatives. One of them was in the form of a poetry rightly titled “Master Piece”. It simply moved me – what deep understanding of the subject and what an expression! The author wanted to remain Anonymous and clearly stated that “spirituality decreases when it is attributed to a person. I was but a scribe.” Here is that Masterpiece

Master Piece

And so I chiseled

Stone by stone

For there was to be none

Better

Than this

For He had given me the skill par none

They had borne support as they must

And All the world had but come together

To make this dream come alive

The sculpture that would reveal it all

That masterpiece before we fall

The true identity that we all search

The salvation I was looking for

And as I painstakingly

chipped each piece away

True hue of its, I want to bare

Art of mine I trust

Though in me, I felt rust

And as it revealed itself

The masterpiece I see! All its glory!

In shock, I recognize

The masterpiece!

The masterpiece…

Its nothing but me! my story!

For while in search of

Our destiny

We fail to see

Lost our sight

For such is our plight

This masterpiece is the star

That carves the stone beyond par

For however tall the sculpture stands

Shows it not

But What a masterpiece

The sculptor was!

NIRVANA SHATAKAM (ATMA SHATAKAM) Verse 6

Sanskrit Verse

अहं निर्विकल्पो निराकाररूपो

विभुत्वाच्च सर्वत्र सर्वेन्द्रियाणाम् ।

न चासङ्गतं नैव मुक्तिर्न मेयः

चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥६॥

English Transliteration

Aham Nirvikalpo Niraakaara-Ruupo

Vibhu-Tvaacca Sarvatra Sarve[a-I]ndriyaannaam |

Na Caa-Sanggatam Naiva Muktirna Meyah

Cid-aananda-ruupah Shivo[a-A]ham Shivo[a-A]ham ||6||

Meaning of the Sanskrit Words

निर्विकल्पो (Nirvikalpo): Without any Variation

निराकाररूपो (Niraakaara-Ruupo): Nature of Formless

रूप (Ruupa) = Form, Nature

विभुत्वाच्च (Vibhu-Tvaacca): Existing as the substratum

विभू (Vibhuu) = Existing

त्वच् (Tvac) = Cover

सर्वत्र (Sarvatra): Everywhere

सर्वेन्द्रियाणाम् (Sarva-Indriyaannaam): Everyone’s Sense Organs

सर्व (Sarva) = All

इन्द्रिय (Indriya) = Sense Organ

चासङ्गतं (Ca-Aasanggatam): And Attachment

च (Ca) = And

आसङ्ग (Aasangga) = Clinging, Attachment

मुक्तिर्न (Muktirna): Neither Freedom

मुक्ति (Mukti) = Freedom, Liberation

न (Na) = Not

मेयः (Meyah): Measurable

चिदानन्दरूपः (Cid-Aananda-Ruupah): Nature of Blissful Consciousness

चित् (Cit) = Consciousness

आनन्द (Aananda) = Bliss

रूप (Ruupa) = Nature

शिवोऽहम् (Shiva-Aham): I am Shiva, the Blissful Consciousness

शिव (Shiva) = signifying Consciouness

अहम् (Aham) = I

Meaning of the Verse

6.1: I am Without any Variation, and Without any Form,

6.2: I am Present Everywhere as the underlying Substratum of everything, and behind all Sense Organs,

6.3: Neither do I get Attached to anything, nor get Freed from anything,

6.4: I am the Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness; I am Shiva, I am Shiva, The Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness

6. I have neither dualities nor shape or form; I am present everywhere (omnipresent) and pervade all the senses; I am always equanimous; I am neither liberation nor bondage; I am of the nature of Pure Consciousness-Bliss-Absolute, I am Shiva, I am (verily) Shiva.

Meaning in Tamil

வரையில்லோன் வடிவமுமில்லோன் யான்

உட்கூறென நீக்கமற நிறை ஐந்தவித்தோன் யான்

பற்றேதும் எனக்கில்லை வீடுபேறேதுமெனக்கில்லை

உள்உணர்வின் பேரின்ப வடிவான சிவமே யான் சிவமே யான்

NIRVANA SHATAKAM (ATMA SHATAKAM) Verse 5

Sanskrit Verse

न मृत्युर्न शङ्का न मे जातिभेदः

पिता नैव मे नैव माता न जन्मः ।

न बन्धुर्न मित्रं गुरुर्नैव शिष्यं

चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥५॥

English Transliteration

Na Mrtyur-Na Shangkaa Na Me Jaati-Bhedah

Pitaa Naiva Me Naiva Maataa Na Janmah |

Na Bandhurna Mitram Gurur-Na-Iva Shissyam

Cid-Aananda-Ruupah Shivo[a-A]ham Shivo[a-A]ham ||5||

Meaning of the Sanskrit Words

मृत्यु (Mrtyu) = Death

न (Na) = Not

शङ्का (Shangkaa): Apprehension, Fear

जाति (Jaati) = Caste or Creed

भेद (Bheda) = Distinction

पिता (Pitaa): Father

माता (Maataa): Mother

जन्मः (Janmah): Birth

बन्धु (Bandhu) = Relation

न (Na) = Not

मित्रं (Mitram): Friend

गुरु (Guru) = Guru or Spiritual Preceptor

न (Na) = Not

इव (Iva) = In the same manner

शिष्यं (Shissyam): Disciple

चित् (Cit) = Consciousness

आनन्द (Aananda) = Bliss

रूप (Ruupa) = Nature

शिव (Shiva) = signifying Consciouness

अहम् (Aham) = I

Meaning of the Verse

5.1: Neither am I bound by Death and its Fear, nor by the rules of Caste and its Distinctions,

5.2: Neither do I have Father and Mother, nor do I have Birth,

5.3: Neither do I have Relations nor Friends, neither Spiritual Teacher nor Disciple,

5.4: I am the Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness; I am Shiva, I am Shiva,

The Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness.

5. I have no apprehension of death; neither do I have any distinction of caste (or creed); I have neither father, nor mother, nor (even) birth; neither friend nor kith and kin; neither teacher (guru) nor disciple; I am of the nature of Pure Consciousness-Bliss-Absolute, I am Shiva, I am (verily) Shiva.

Meaning in Tamil

மரணமும் மரணபயமும் சாதியும் மதமும் எனை வரையறைவதில்லை

தந்தையும் தாயும் எனக்கில்லை இப்புவியில் பிறப்பும் எனக்கில்லை

உற்றாரும் உறவினரும் எனக்கில்லை ஆசானும் சீடனும் எனக்கில்லை

உள்உணர்வின் பேரின்ப வடிவான சிவமே யான் சிவமே யான்

NIRVANA SHATAKAM (ATMA SHATAKAM) Verse 4

Verse 4

न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दुःखं

न मन्त्रो न तीर्थं न वेदा न यज्ञाः ।

अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता

चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥४॥

English Transliteration

Na Punnyam Na Paapam Na Saukhyam Na Duhkham

Na Mantro Na Tiirtham Na Vedaa Na Yajnyaah |

Aham Bhojanam Naiva Bhojyam Na Bhoktaa

Cid-Aananda-Ruupah Shivo[a-A]ham Shivo[a-A]ham ||4||

Meaning of the Sanskrit Words

पुण्यं (Punnyam): Merits

पापं (Paapam): Sins

सौख्यं (Saukhyam): Worldly Joy

सुख (Sukha) = Worldly Joy

दुःखं (Duhkham): Worldly Sorrow

मन्त्रो (Mantro): Sacred Hymns

तीर्थं (Tiirtham): Sacred Place, Pilgrimage

वेदा (Vedaa): Sacred Scriptures

यज्ञाः (Yajnyaah): Sacrificial Offerings

अहं (Aham): I

भोजनं (Bhojanam): Enjoyment or Experience

भोज्यं (Bhojyam): Object to be Enjoyed or Experienced

भोक्ता (Bhoktaa): Enjoyer or Experiencer

चिदानन्दरूपः (Cid-Aananda-Ruupah): Nature of Blissful Consciousness

चित् (Cit) = Consciousness

आनन्द (Aananda) = Bliss

रूप (Ruupa) = Nature

शिवोऽहम् (Shiva-Aham): I am Shiva, the Blissful Consciousness

शिव (Shiva) = signifying Consciouness

अहम् (Aham) = I

Meaning of the Verse

4.1: Neither am I bound by Merits nor Sins, neither by Worldly Joys nor by Sorrows,

4.2: Neither am I bound by Sacred Hymns nor by Sacred Places, neither by Sacred Scriptures nor by Sacrifies,

4.3: I am Neither Enjoyment (Experience), nor an object to be Enjoyed (Experienced), nor the Enjoyer (Experiencer),

4.4: I am the Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness; I am Shiva, I am Shiva, The Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness.

4. Neither virtue (punyam) nor sin (papam) nor happiness nor sorrow; nor a holy chant nor a holy place of pilgrimage nor Veda nor sacrifice; I am neither enjoyment, nor enjoyable object, nor the enjoyer; I am of the nature of Pure Consciousness-Bliss Absolute, I am Shiva, I am (verily) Shiva.

Meaning in Tamil

பாவ புண்ணியம் இன்ப துன்பம் எனக்கில்லை

பாசுரமும் திருத்தலமும் மறைநூலும் வேள்வியும் எனக்கில்லை

பலன் நுகர்வும், நுகர்வதும், நுகர்வோனும் நானில்லை

உள்உணர்வின் பேரின்ப வடிவான சிவமே யான் சிவமே யான்

NIRVANA SHATAKAM (ATMA SHATAKAM) Verse 3

Verse 3

न मे द्वेषरागौ न मे लोभमोहौ

मदो नैव मे नैव मात्सर्यभावः ।

न धर्मो न चार्थो न कामो न मोक्षः

चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥३॥

English Transliteration

Na Me Dvessa-Raagau Na Me Lobha-Mohau

Mado Naiva Me Naiva Maatsarya-Bhaavah |

Na Dharmo Na Ca-Artho Na Kaamo Na Mokssah

Cid-Aananda-Ruupah Shivo[a-A]ham Shivo[a-A]ham ||3||

Meaning of the Sanskrit Words

मे (Me): Relates to Me

द्वेषरागौ (Dvessa-Raagau): Hatred or Attachment

द्वेष (Dvessa) = Hatred

राग (Raaga) = Passion, Affection

लोभमोहौ (Lobha-Mohau): Greed or Infatuation

लोभ (Lobha) = Greed

मोह (Moha) = Infatuation

मदो (Mado): Pride, Arrogance, Passion

मद (Mada) = Pride, Arrogance, Passion

नैव (Na-Iva): Not Indeed

न (Na) = Not

इव (Iva) = Indeed

मात्सर्यभावः (Maatsarya-Bhaava): Feeling of Jealousy

मात्सर्य (Maatsarya) = Jealousy

भाव (Bhaava) = Feeling

धर्मो (Dharmo): Righteousness

धर्म (Dharma) = Righteousness

चार्थो (Ca-Artha): And Wealth

च (Ca) = And

अर्थ (Artha) = Wealth

कामो (Kaamo): Desire

काम (Kaama) = Desire

मोक्षः (Mokssah): Liberation

चिदानन्दरूपः (Cid-Aananda-Ruupah): Nature of Blissful Consciousness

चित् (Cit) = Consciousness

आनन्द (Aananda) = Bliss

रूप (Ruupa) = Nature

शिवोऽहम् (Shiva-Aham): I am Shiva, the Blissful Consciousness

शिव (Shiva) = signifying Consciouness

अहम् (Aham) = I

Meaning of the Verse

3.1: Neither do I have Hatred, nor Attachment, Neither Greed nor Infatuation,

3.2: Neither do I have Pride, nor Feelings of Envy and Jealousy,

3.3 I am Not within the bounds of Dharma (Righteousness), Artha (Wealth), Kama (Desire) and Moksha (Liberation) (the four Purusarthas of life),

3.4: I am the Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness; I am Shiva, I am Shiva, The Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness.

3. I have neither aversion nor attachment, neither greed nor delusion; I have neither arrogance nor jealousy; I have no duty (to perform) nor any wealth (to acquire); neither desire nor liberation; I am of the nature of Pure Consciousness-Bliss Absolute, I am Shiva, I am (verily) Shiva

Notes: Greed, delusion, pride and jealousy together with lust and anger constitute shad ripu (also called ari shad varga), the six-fold internal enemies of a human being. Dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), kama (desire), and moksha (liberation) are together known as purusharthas, the four objectives of a human being.

Meaning in Tamil

விருப்பு வெருப்பெனக்கில்லை பேரவாவும் காமமும் எனக்கில்லை

இறுமாப்பு ஆணவம் காழ்ப்புணர்வும் யான் கொண்டதில்லை –

நான்வாழ் இலக்காம் நேர்மை செல்வம் இன்பம் முக்திதனின் வரையெனக்கில்லை

உள்உணர்வின் பேரின்ப வடிவான சிவமே யான் சிவமே யான்