Tag: Agasthya

Aditya Hridayam Verses 28-31

in the concluding phase of Aditya Hridayam, the impact that the Sun had on a tired and weary Rama is brought out. While these verses might sound “unrealistic” to some of the present time “rational thinking” personnel, the fact that Sun has a refreshing effect on life and rejuvenates millions of living beings into action is undeniable.

Verse 28

एतच्छ्रुत्वा महातेजाः नष्टशोकोऽभवत्तदा ।

धारयामास सुप्रीतो राघवः प्रयतात्मवान् ॥२८॥

– EtacchrutvA mahAtEjA naShTashOkO$bhavattadA

– dhArayAmAsa suprItO rAghava: prayatAtmavAn

Meaning of the Sanskrit Words

tadA = then

mahAtEjA = one with tremendous energy

Etat = this

shrutvA = having heard

naShTashOka: = losing grief, cheered up

abhavat = became [Simple Past, la~Ng lakAra:]

suprIta: = pleased, gladdened

prayatAtmavAn = one with a pious-minded, subdued mind

rAghava: = of the Raghu dynasty (“Rama” here)

dhArayAmAsa = held, retained [Past Perfect, lit lakAra:]

Meaning of the Verse

On hearing this advice, Raghava, who is endowed

with extraordinary energy, found his grief dispelled

immediately. Feeling greatly delighted, he, who has a

subdued mind, retained (Aditya Hridayam) in his memory.

Meaning in Tamil

ஆதவனின் புகழ் செவிமடுத்து சோர்வு நீர்ந்து

புதுப்பொலிவு கொண்டான் பேரொளியுடன்

மாவீரன் ராகவன் மனதில் நிறுத்தி மறைதனை

————————————————————

Verse 29

आदित्यं प्रेक्ष्य जप्त्वा तु परं हर्षमवाप्तवान् ।

त्रिराचम्य शुचिर्भूत्वा धनुरादाय वीर्यवान् ॥२९॥

– Adityam prEkshya japtvA tu param harShamavAptavAn

– trirAcamya shucirbhUtvA dhanurAdAya vIryavAn

Meaning of the Sanskrit Words

Adityam = Surya (in subject form)

prEkshya = on looking/gazing at

japtvA = having recited

param = high, excellent

harSha: = joy, delight, satisfaction

avAptavAn = received, experienced

tri: = three times

Acamya = having sipped

shuci: = purity; cleansed, hallowed state

bhUtvA = having become

vIryavAn = brave one

dhanu: = bow [from ‘dhanus’]

AdAya = having taken [indeclinable]

Meaning of the Verse

Gazing at Surya, and reciting the hymn, Rama

experienced supreme joy. Purifying himself by

performing “Acamanam” (Sipping water thrice with

the name of the Lord in one’s lips), Rama took up his bow.

Meaning in Tamil

ஒருமையுடன் உதயவனை உற்றுநோக்கி

வெறுமைநீக்கி ஒப்புயர்வற்ற மகிழ்வுடனே

ஆதவனை மனதினில் நிலை நிறுத்தி

அருந்தினான் புனிதநீரதனை மும்முறை

அடைந்திட்டான் ராமன் ஆற்றல்மிகு தன் வளைவில்தனை

——————————————————————-

Verse 30

रावणं प्रेक्ष्य हृष्टात्मा युद्धाय समुपागमत् ।

सर्वयत्नेन महता वधे तस्य धृतोऽभवत् ॥३०॥

– rAvaNam prEkshya hR^iShTAtmA yuddhAya samupAgamat

– sarvayatnEna mahatA vadhE tasya dhR^itO$bhavat

Meaning of the Sanskrit Words

hR^iShTAtmA = pleased, glad person [hR^iSh, 4P, harShati, hR^iShTa]

rAvaNam prEkshya = seeing/facing Ravana

yuddha: = battle/combat; yuddhAya = for combat

samupAgamat = approached near, advanced

mahatA = with greatness [mahAn yuddha:; mahatI vEdanA]

yatna: = effort, attempt; yatnEna = with effort

tasya = his (Ravana’s)

vadha: = killing, murder; vadhE = in the slaughter, killing

dhR^ita: = resolved, firm, determined one

abhavat = became [Simple Past]

Meaning of the Verse

Fixing his eyes on Ravana, a delighted Rama advanced for

the combat; He became resolved in Ravana’s killing with an

intense all-out effort.

Meaning in Tamil

முழுமையுடன் போர் புரிந்து உயிர்வதைக்கும் உறுதியுடன்

முன்சென்றான் ராவணணை எதிர் நோக்கி மகிழ்மிகு ராமன்

———————————————————-

Verse 31

अथ रविरवदन्निरीक्ष्य रामं मुदितमनाः परमं प्रहृष्यमाणः ।

निशिचरपतिसंक्षयं विदित्वा सुरगणमध्यगतो वचस्त्वरेति ॥३१॥

– atha raviravadan nirIkshya rAmam

– muditamanA: paramam prahR^iShyamANa:

– nishicarapatisankshayam viditvA

– suragaNamadhyagatO vacastvarEti

Meaning of the Sanskrit Words

atha = here; hence begins (to indicate auspiciousness) [indeclinable]

muditamanA: = delighted mind

paramam = highest, chief

prahR^iShyamANa: = delighted one

ravi: = Aditya

nishicarapati: = lord of the night-stalkers (Ravana here)

viditvA = on observing

suragaNa: = the group of Devas

madhyagata: = on going amidst

rAmam nirIkshya = seeing/facing Rama

avadat = said (simple past)

vaca: = speech/word [from vacas; used in subject form here]

tvara = (you) hurry; make haste

iti = as/that [to follow a quote]

Meaning of the Verse

Then, delighted in mind, supremely exhilarated Aditya,

on observing Ravana’s destruction, amidst the assembly

of the Devas, seeing Rama, said “Make Haste”.

Meaning in Tamil

கதிரவன் களிமிகு முழுமனமகிழ்வுடன்

எதிரியின் வதம் எதிர்பார்த்து ராமனிடம்

விரைந்திடுவாய் வீழ்த்திடு ராவணன்தனையென

வின்னவர் புடைசூழ விழைத்திட்டான ஆதவன்

Aditya Hridayam Verse 7-10

Verse 7

सर्वदेवात्मको ह्येषः तेजस्वी रश्मिभावनः ।

एष देवासुरगणान् लोकान् पाति गभस्तिभिः ॥७॥

sarvadevAtmakO hyESha tEjasvI rashmibhAvana:

ESha devAsuragaNAn lokAn pAti gabhastibhi:

Meaning of the Sanskrit words

sarva deva Atmaka: = all the devAs’ embodiment/real nature/form

hi ESha: = indeed, this [sUryA]

tEjasvI = bright, sharp

rashmi bhAvana: = creator/cause of His rays

ESha: = this [AdityA]

devA asura = devAs and asurAs

gaNa: = group/collection [gaNA: = plural; gaNAn = used in object sense]

lokAn = all the worlds [used in an object form here]

pAti = sustains/takes care [pAti: = master, husband; pAlanam = take care

comes from this root]

gabhasti: = rays/beams of light [gabhastibhi: = by His rays]

Meaning of the Verse

Indeed, He is the real form (embodiment) of all devAs, bright, and creator of His rays.

He sustains the groups of devAs and asurAs and their worlds by His rays.

Meaning in Tamil

கருத்துருவமன்றோ ஆதவன் அனைத்து தேவரினத்தின்

கதிரொளி படைத்துக்காப்பான் தேவ அசுர கணங்களை

——————————————————————-

Verse 8

एष ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश्च शिवः स्कन्दः प्रजापतिः ।

माहेन्द्रो धनदः कालो यमस्सोमो ह्यपां पतिः ॥८॥

ESha: brahmA ca vishnushca shiva: skanda: prajApati:

mahEndrO dhanada: kAlO yama: sOmO hyapAm pati:

Meaning of the Sanskrit words

ESha: = He

brahmA ca vishnu: ca shiva: ca = the trinity

skanda: = shivA’s son

prajApati: = Lord of all creatures

mahA indra: = great Indra (Lord of Celestial Beings)

dhanada: = Kubera (Lord of Wealth)

kAla: = Lord of Time

yama: = Lord of Death

soma: = moon, nourisher (Moon God)

hi = indeed

apAm pati: = Varuna (Lord of Waters)

Meaning of the Verse

He is indeed Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Skanda, Prajaapati, Indra, Kubera,

Kaala, Yamaa, Soma, and Varuna.

Meaning in Tamil

அயனும் மாயவனும் அழழேந்தியும் அவனே

அறுமுகனும் ஆக்குபவனும் அவனே

காலமும் காலனும் அவனே

இந்திரனும் சந்திரனும் அவனே

பொன்னரசனும் பொழிமழையரசனும் அவனே

(அறிந்திடுவாய் இராமா)

—————————————————————

Verse 9

पितरो वसवस्साध्याः ह्यश्विनौ मरुतो मनुः ।

वायुर्वह्निः प्रजाप्राणा ऋतुकर्ता प्रभाकरः ॥९॥

pitarO vasava: sAdhyA hi ashvinOu marutO manu:

vAyu: vahni: prajAprANa R^itukartA prabhAkara:

Meaning of the Sanskrit words

pitara: = revered spirit of dead/manes

vasava: = (8) gods who attend to indrA [vasu: – singular] 8 Vasus

sAdhyA: = (12) yogIs

hi = indeed

ashvinOu = (2) physicians in devaloka: ( Ashwini kumaras)

maruta: = (49) more gods

manu: = another god

vAyu: = wind god

vahni: = agni, fire-god

prajAprANa = air that sustains life

R^itukartA = creator of seasons

prabhAkara: = producer of light

Meaning of the Verse

Indeed He is the Pitrs, Vasus, Sadhyas, Ashwins,

Maruts, Manu, Vayu, Agni, life-breath, source of

seasons and light in the universe.

Meaning in Tamil

முன்னோரும் முனியோரும் இறையோரும் இறையோரின்

மருத்துவரும் இயற்கையின் ஐம்புலன்களும் அவனே

பருவ காலங்களும் பகலொளி படைப்போனும் அவனே

————————————————————

Verse 10

आदित्यः सविता सूर्यः खगः पूषा गभस्तिमान् ।

सुवर्णसदृशो भानुर्हिरण्यरेतो दिवाकरः ॥१०॥

Aditya: savitA sUrya: khaga: pUShA gabhastimAn

suvarNasadrushO bhAnur hirenyaretaa divAkara:

Meaning of the Sanskrit words

Aditya: = son of aditi [srimad bhAgavatam has great

details on lineages]

savitA = creator/generator/inspirer (of senses)

sUrya: = sun

khaga: = moving/flying in the air; here it is the sun;

it is also used to mean “bird”

pUShA = nourisher [pUSh dhAtu has the meanings of

nourish, to grow, increase; pOShanam is a noun

form]

gabhastimAn = owner of rays of light

suvarNasadrusha: = like (sadrusha:) pearls (suvarNa:)

[golden, sparkling]

bhAnu: = brilliant

Hirenyareta = fertility seed (rEtA) of the world (vishva)

divAkara: = maker (-Akara:) of days (diva:)

Meaning of the Verse

He is the son of Aditi, the inspirer/creator of senses, the sun,

the traveller in the heavens, sustainer, possessor of

rays, golden, brilliant, and the cause of the universe

and creator of day.

Meaning in Tamil

புலன் ஐந்தும் ஊக்குவிப்போன் அதிதிஅன்னையின் புதல்வன் அவன்

வான் உலவிப்பேணி உலகூட்டமளித் திகழொளிக்கதிரவன் அவன்

பொன் ஒளியினால் இயலுலகுக்கு கருவான வித்தவன் பகலவன் அவன்

Aditya Hridayam Verses 4-25 Prelude

The Sun—the heart of our solar system—is a yellow dwarf star, a hot ball of glowing gases.

Its gravity holds the solar system together, keeping everything from the biggest planets to the smallest particles of debris in its orbit. Electric currents in the Sun generate a magnetic field that is carried out through the solar system by the solar wind—a stream of electrically charged gas blowing outward from the Sun in all directions.

The connection and interactions between the Sun and Earth drive the seasons, ocean currents, weather, climate, radiation belts and aurorae. Though it is special to us, there are billions of stars like our Sun scattered across the Milky Way galaxy.

With a radius of 432,168.6 miles (695,508 kilometers), our Sun is not an especially large star—many are several times bigger—but it is still far more massive than our home planet: 332,946 Earths match the mass of the Sun. The Sun’s volume would need 1.3 million Earths to fill it.

(Ref: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/solar-system/sun/in-depth/)

I never get tired of seeing the Sun rise and the Sun set. Everyday I try and make it a point to watch the Sun Rise & Sun set. I am amazed at the splash of colors and contrast that Sun provides. I was fortunate to watch the Sun Rise from my apartment roof top on one fine morning. I have posted the video in the Photography Section of my blog.

Now, let us read carefully the above description of the Sun particularly on its critical role in the universe and relate them to the Verses that will follow on Sunday. From Verse 4 to Verse 25, Sage Agasthya brings out through his praise for Aditya, the features and characteristics of the Sun and its importance. One can see the striking similarity between the century old views to the scientific description. No wonder you will see temples for the Sun God in several States of India such as Orissa, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Andra Pradesh , Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

Aditya Hridayam Verses 1-3

Verse 1

ततो युद्धपरिश्रान्तं समरे चिन्तया स्थितम् ।

रावणं चाग्रतो दृष्ट्वा युद्धाय समुपस्थितम् ॥१॥

tatO yuddha parishrAntam samarE cintayAsthitam

rAvaNam cAgratO dR^iShTvA yuddhAya samupasthitam

Meaning of Sanskrit words

tata: – Then (at that very time)

yuddham – battle

parishrAnti: – exhaustion/fatigue

samara: – battle(-field)

cintayA – in the middle of a thought

sthitam – staying/standing

rAvaNam – ravana (used as an object of the sentence)

ca – and

agrata: – in front of

dR^iShTvA – on seeing (Dhrusti – seeing)

yuddhAya – for the battle

Sam-upa-sthitam – standing prepared (‘Sam’ – popular prefix to indicate correctness/propreity – in this case, ravana is standing, correctly prepared to fight)

Meaning of the Verse

When Lord Rama (implicit subject of the sentence) is standing absorbed in thought, on the battlefield, as He is exhausted by the fight till now; seeing Ravana facing Him (in front of Him) duly prepared for the fight…

Verse 2

दैवतैश्च समागम्य द्रष्टुमभ्यागतो रणम् ।
उपागम्याब्रवीद्राममगस्त्यो भगवानृषिः ॥२॥

daivatai: ca samAgamya draShTum abhyAgatOraNam

upAgamya: abravIt rAmam agastyO bhagavAn R^ishi:

Meaning of Sanskrit Words

daivatai: – with Devas

ca – and

sama-Agamya – arriving (at the same time) [Sam is prefixed for

‘simultaneously’] Aagaami is come, Aagamya is coming

draShTum – to see/witness [dR^iShTi: = sight]

abhyAgata: – he who had come

raNam – battle

upAgamya: – approaching [Agamya – coming, upa – near => to come near]

abravIt – spoke (past tense)

rAmam – Sri Rama

agastyO

bhagavAn – “blessed” is one of the meanings

R^ishi: – sage

Meaning of the Verse

The ‘Blessed’ Sage, Agastya, who had come to see the battle with the Devataas, on approaching Sri Rama, spoke…

Verse 1 & 2 – Tamil Version

சரிநிகர் சமமென நின்ற இலங்கையன் எதிரே

புரிபோர் விளை சோர்வுடன் சிந்தனைநடு நின்ற

கோசலைமைந்தனை நோக்கி தேவரினம் சூழ

போர் காண களம் வந்த குருமுனி சென்றுரைத்தான்

Verse 3

राम राम महाबाहो शृणु गुह्यं सनातनम् ।
येन सर्वानरीन्वत्स समरे विजयिष्यसि ॥३॥

rAma rAma mahA bAhO shrunu guhyam sanAtanam

yEna sarvAn arIn vatsa samarE vijayiShyasi

Meaning of Sanskrit Words

rAma – Agastya is talking to Raama directly, and addresses him “Hey Raama,

the Great-Shouldered Rama”

mahA – Great, mighty

bAhO – Shoulder

shrunu – listen [the word Shruthi has the same root]

guhyam – secret [Hindi word “Gupt” comes from this]

sanAtanam – forever, unending, eternal [as in Sanaathana Dharma]

[In fact, in AH, you will find several words for the same – akshaya,

nitya, shAshvatasya]

yEna – With which [ya: + Ena = yEna; ya: = whom/which, Ena = by/with]

sarvAn – all [used as an object here]

arIn – enemies [Krishna is “murAri” since he was the enemy of the demon

murA; kEsava since he killed the demon Kesi]

vatsa – child [Agastya addresses Rama as a child here]

samarE – on the battlefield

vijayiShyasi – You will win [vijayasi = You win; vijayAmi = I win;

vijayiShyAmi = I will win]

Meaning of the Verse

This stanza is a direct address from Agastya to Rama :

Hey Rama, the Great-Shouldered Rama, Listen to the eternal secret,

With which, Over all the enemies, Hey Child, You will win on the

battle-field!

Verse 3 – Tamil Version

தோள்வலி மிகுராமா கேளாயோ அழியாநிலையுடை மறைசெய்தி

அதன்வழி நடப்பின் அடைவர் அனைத்துப்பகைமீது உறுதிவெற்றி

இப்போர்களத்தில் உன் வெற்றி உறுதி பால ராமனே கவலைதவிர்

Aditya Hridayam

Preamble

The Dictionary Definition of resilience is “ the capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after defamation caused especially by compressive stress “ or “ the ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change “. American Psychological Association defines it as a “ process of adapting well in the face of adversity “.

Resilience is always built through learning, not acquired as a gift. Harvard Business School professor Bill George in his book “ Discover your true North “ highlights the method of “revisiting your crucibles”, viz our earlier trials and tribulations to draw from our inner strengths and lessons learnt. This however is a post facto process. We survived the storm and then we realised that we survived. We use the learning in the next storm not knowing whether it helps or not.

In the thick of the adverse situations most of the times, we need someone to confirm to us that we have what it takes to be resilient. We long for help. Ancient Indian history brings out several such adverse situations where the Principal Character derives his/her inner strength through the advice from a either friend or a philosopher or guide. Arjuna in the Indian epic Mahabharata finds Lord himself as Krishna to help him with “Bhagwad Gita” to launch the successful war against the Kauravas.

On many occasions, Nature’s manifestations themselves will provide the necessary impetus to us to recharge ourselves and have a go at the challenges that we face. If such manifestations are explained by an eminent Philosopher/Saint/Guru at the adverse situation, then it is an accelerator for rejuvenation.

This is exactly the theme of my next series of blogs on “Aditya Hridayam” by the diminutive ancient Hindu Sage Agasthya where we will see how Lord Rama finds his inner strength to defeat the Lankan King Ravana on hearing the manifestations of Aditya (The Sun) in the other epic of Sage Valmiki’s “Ramayana”.

Again a word of caution – As a novice, I am neither an expert in languages nor have adequate knowledge of religion/spirituality. I am just a mind seeker.

Note: Based on the feedback received on my earlier blogs, I have added meaning of Sanskrit words & the meaning of the Verse in English. Needless to say that I haven’t put any effort in these two additions as they are reproduced with courtesy from the information available in books and the Worldwide web!

True to the Indian name “Bhanu” for Sun & Sunday, I will try and update this blog every Sunday