O Lord! I, Thy devotee, by long practice will be able to visualize in my mind Thy beautiful form with all limbs clear and vivid. So I will devote myself to meditation, without any effort, always surrendering to Thee.
Meaning of the Sanskrit Words
विस्फुट-अवयव-भेद-सुन्दरं - with distinctly clear limbs and very beautiful
त्वत्-वपु:- Thy form
सुचिर-शीलनावशात् - by long practice
अश्रमं मनसि - without any effort in the mind
चिन्तयाम - (I) we shall contemplate
ध्यान-योग-निरता:- intent on meditation
त्वत्-आश्रयाः - (I) we who have taken refuge in Thee
asphuTe vapuShi te prayatnatO dhaarayema dhiShaNaaM muhurmuhuH |
tena bhaktirasamantaraardrataamudvahema bhavadanghrichintakaaH || 4
Meaning in Tamil
துவக்கத்தில் தெளிவிலா யானறிந்த உன் வடிவமதில் துவங்கிடுவேன் என் மனதை நிலை நிறுத்தி தியானம் தொடருவேன் கடின அப் பணிதனை இடைவிடாது அடிபற்றுவேன் உன்னிரு திருப்பாதம் அதன் முடிவில் அடைவேன் பக்திப் பேரின்பமுடன் கனிவான மனது 4.4
Meaning in English
O Lord! I will then start meditating on Thee. Initially with great effort I shall try to fix my mind on Thy form, which will be vague in the beginning. Practicing thus again and again I shall attain bliss of devotion and tenderness of heart
Meaning of the Sanskrit Words
अस्फुटे वपुषि ते - on the hazily perceived form of Thine
प्रयत्नत: - with great effort
धारये - (I) we shall fix
धिषणां - the mind
मुहु: मुहु: - again and again
तेन - by (doing) this
भक्तिरसम्-अन्त: - आर्द्रताम् - melting of the heart through the bliss of devotion
उद्वहेम - shall attain
भवत्-अङ्घ्रिचिन्तका: - (I) (we who) meditate on Thy holy feet
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
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
O Lord! Bestow on me just that much of health necessary to worship Thee. Then I shall practice the eight-limbed yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) and earn Thy grace.
Meaning of the Sanskrit Words
कल्यतां – health; मम – for me; कुरुष्व – kindly bestow; तावतीं – (at least) that much; कल्यते – (by which) I can perform; भवत्-उपासनं – worship of Thee; यया – by which; स्पष्टम्- definitely; अष्ट-विध-योग-चर्यया – by practicing the eight limbed yoga (Ashtanga Yoga); पुष्टय-आशु – (I will) be nourished soon; तव तुष्टिम् – (with) Thy grace; आप्नुयाम् – I will attain i
We commence our study of Dasakam 4 of Narayaneeyam with a couplet from Adi Sankaracharya’ Viveka Chudamani.
न देशकालासनदिग्यमादि लक्ष्याद्यपेक्षाप्रतिबद्धवृत्तेः । संसिद्धतत्त्वस्य महात्मनोऽस्ति स्ववेदने का नियमाद्यवस्था ॥ ५२९ ॥
na deśakālāsanadigyamādi lakṣyādyapekṣāpratibaddhavṛtteḥ | saṃsiddhatattvasya mahātmano’sti svavedane kā niyamādyavasthā || 529 ||
529. The noble soul who has perfectly realised the Truth, and whose mind-functions meet with no obstruction, no more depends upon conditions of place, time, posture, direction, moral disciplines, objects of meditation and so forth. What regulative conditions can there be in knowing one’s own Self?
Adi Sankaracharya- Viveka Chudamani
Rediscovering one’s fullest potential on all levels of human consciousness—physical, physiological, psychological, and spiritual, by controlling the Body-Mind-Intellect Complex, therefore should become the uninterrupted philosophy of life for ordinary mortals like us.
The science of “controlling of the mind” [“citta vrtti nirodhah” otherwise called as Yoga] in all the levels human consciousness has eight (“ashta”) distinct processes (called as the limbs “anga”) as per Sage Patanjali. This science is what is called as Ashtanga Yoga.
The first four limbs—yama (self restraint) , niyama (things to do), asana (posture) , pranayama (breathing technique) —are considered external cleansing practices. The internal cleansing practices are —pratyahara (detachment), dharana (steadying the mind) , dhyana (contemplation).
Through the practice of correct breathing (Pranayama), postures (asanas), and gazing point (driste), we gain control of the senses and a deep awareness of our selves. By maintaining this discipline with regularity and devotion, one acquires steadiness of body and mind.
However, it is “not possible to practice the limbs and sub-limbs, when the body and sense organs are weak and haunted by obstacles”.
Bhattathri and Ashtanga Yoga
In Dasakam 4, Narayana Bhattathiri is therefore requesting Lord Guruvayoorappan to give him, good health adequate enough to practice Ashtanga yoga and earn his grace.
In that process, Bhattathri explains the devotional path to be practiced through ashtanga yoga for ordinary devotees like us to understand.
He also explains the benefits of practicing this Yoga by highlighting the gains that Sage Naradha and Sukhadeva enjoyed.
Bhattathri also outlines the two distinct routes (the immediate and gradual routes ) that devotees can follow for attaining liberation.
Bhattathiri concludes the Dasakam, with a request to Lord Guruvayoorappan, the embodiment of pure consciousness to cure him of his internal and external afflictions and protect him, who is always singing only Lord’s glories.
Schedule
Like we did in Dasakam 3, starting from June 24, on every Ekadasi Day of the month, we will take up one sloka for study and present its chanting, transliterations, translations and meaning in English and Tamil.
YO Lord! What is the use of my mere prattling? O Bestower of boons! I have resolved that till Thy Grace descends on me, giving up all my lamentations, I shall do prostration at Thy holy feet which are in front of me, sing Thy glories and do service to Thee as best as I can. Thus worship Thee !
bhavatsnehii sO(a)haM subahu paritapye cha kimidam |
akiirtiste maa bhuudvarada gadabhaaraM prashamayan
bhavadbhaktOttamsaM jhaTiti kuru maaM kamsadamana ||
Tamil Transliteration
மருத்₃கே₃ஹாதீ₄ஶ த்வயி க₂லு பராஞ்சோ(அ)பி ஸுகி₂நோ
ப₄வத்ஸ்நேஹீ ஸோ(அ)ஹம் ஸுப₃ஹு பரிதப்யே ச கிமித₃ம் |
அகீர்திஸ்தே மா பூ₄த்₃வரத₃ க₃த₃பா₄ரம் ப்ரஶமயந்
ப₄வத் ப₄க்தோத்தம்ஸம் ஜ₂டிதி குரு மாம் கம்ஸத₃மந || 9||
Meaning in English
O Lord of Guruvaayur! I find that even those who are indifferent to Thee are leading a happy life. O Bestower of boons! Even though I am an ardent devotee of Thine, I am undergoing various sufferings. Why is this so? O Lord! Will this not bring disrepute to Thee? Hence, O slayer of Kamsa! Kindly eradicate my diseases and soon make me one of your foremost devotees
O Lord! In my mind, which is now very agitated due to mental and physical afflictions, may Thy beautiful form manifest, which is of the nature of Knowledge-Bliss absolute. This will excite me with supreme devotion causing horripilation all over the body and tears flowing in ecstasy and in such a thrill, my endless sorrows will melt into insignificance.
vidhuuya kleshaanme kuru charaNayugmaM dhR^itarasaM
bhavatkshetrapraaptau karamapi cha te puujanavidhau |
bhavanmuurtyaalOke nayanamatha te paadatulasiiparighraaNe
ghraaNaM shravaNamapi te chaarucharite ||
Tamil Transliteration
விதூ₄ய க்லேஶாந்மே குரு சரணயுக்₃மம் த்₄ருதரஸம்
ப₄வத்க்ஷேத்ரப்ராப்தௌ கரமபி ச தே பூஜநவிதௌ₄ |
ப₄வந்மூர்த்யாலோகே நயநமத₂ தே பாத₃துலஸீ-
பரிக்₄ராணே க்₄ராணம் ஶ்ரவணமபி தே சாருசரிதே || 7||
Meaning in English
O Lord! Be graceful to remove all my afflictions so that my two feet will take delight in reaching Thy temple, my hands in performing worship to Thee,my eyes in seeing Thy enchanting form, my nose in enjoying the fragrance of the Tulsi leaves offered at Thy feet and my ears in hearing the stories of Thy glories and great deeds
Prabhu's Ponder 