authorkoushik

[authorkoushik]

Pranam

Firstly, I am  conveying my  humble gratitude for your articles on what is a superb website -  I am deeply grateful.  As you may have already perceived, there has been a rise in Bhairava tattva of late.  There’s an upsurge in Bhairava  related practices not just in Bharat but around the world. I am part of Telegram group created by Bhairava Sadhakas. On that site, we collectively pitch in and take a sankalp to do x number of rounds of  a rudraksha mala of a basic mantra ( OM Bhairavaya Namaha) on Kalabhairava Ashtami tithi monthly . There purpose the the japa is solely for Dharma raksha  of Bharat as a geographical location ( even for non Indian citizens like myself). We are cognisant of the geopoloitlcal tensions in the subcontinent and the pressures that India faces as a nation defending its borders against neighbouring countries. The end goal is for the awakening of Bhairava as a kshetrapala of India and the defeat of adharmic enemies. 

There are a few moderators of the Telegram group who have to deal with a phenomenal amount of questions related to vishesh and nitya sadhana of Bhairava. On that group, many devotees have seeked to find out the word by word meaning of the Shri Batuka Bhairava Brahma kavacham. Why specifically this kavacham? This is because the proprietor of the group ( Rajarshi Nandy ) has suggested we do this kavacham once we have become firmly rooted in basic Bhairava nama mantra sadhana. We have been directed by the group moderators to  search on google ourselves to decipher  the meaning of it. I have combed through the web extensively and nowhere is there any mention of the meaning of this  kavacham, let alone the related nyasam prior to chanting the kavacham. This telegram group does not offer any mantra deeksha or initiations.

I along with the rest of the devotees  on the Telegram group would like to take our sadhana to a new level with gaining an in depth meaning of the kavacham. I would be very grateful if you could post the meaning of it on your website along with any related nyasam. I wish to declare that I don't have a physical Guru at the moment and have taken Sri Batuka Bhairava as my devata Guru for now until I source  a physical Guru. I have used this webpage from another website as a guidelines for finding a suitable Guru: https://manblunder.com/articlesview/qualities-of-a-guru Until I find a suitable Guru, I rely on expositions from excellent websites such as yours to broaden my knowledge on Sanatana Dharma.

Further to this, if you offer mantra deeksha or initiation,I would be grateful if you could offer initiation of the above Kavacham along with the Batuka Bhairava Apadudhharana Beej mantra. I can be contacted at:

rajdevsingh@yahoo.com

I will be happy to purchase any book of yours related to the initiation of the above kavacham if I am required to purchase any books.

Thank you kindly for considering my request

Kind regards

Rajdev

Thank you for the question , vatuka bhairava brahma kavacha is found in batuka bhairavopasanadhyaya in brahad jyotisharnava. That text says that this kavacha is from Rudyard Yamaha tantra

The text only gives rushyAdi nyAsa which is Bhairava Rishih ( touch the head) , anushtup chandah ( face - lip ) and vatuka bhairavo devata ( touch the heart )

Vatuka bhairava prasada sidhyarthe pAthe viniyogah ( namaskAra mudra)

I will try to write on this kavacha soon , currently working on translating another stotra .

Sorry to inform you that I don't provide deeksha , manblunder website has a page where you can contact senior sadhakas to get deeksha ( as you are familiar with the website.

I have translated texts like bhairava stavaraja, bhairava dashanama stotra, Kala bhairava ashtakam etc. You can find them in amazon.in

[authorkoushik]

Garuda Dhyanam - Happy Garuda Panchami!

अमृतकलशहस्तं कान्तिसम्पूर्णदेहं सकलविबुधवन्द्यं वेदशास्त्रैरचिन्त्यम् । कनकरुचिरपक्षोद्धूयमानाण्डगोलं सकलविषविनाशं चिन्तयेत्पक्षिराजम् ॥ amṛtakalaśahastaṃ kāntisampūrṇadehaṃ

sakalavibudhavandyaṃ vedaśāstrairacintyam . kanakarucirapakṣoddhūyamānāṇḍagolaṃ

sakalaviṣavināśaṃ cintayetpakṣirājam ..

amṛtakalaśahastaṃ - one who is holding a pot of nectar (amruta) that stops death

kāntisampūrṇadehaṃ - one whose body is filled with a pleasant light,

sakalavibudhavandyaṃ - one who is worthy of being adored by all the gods.

vedaśāstrairacintyam - one who is inconceivable  even by the Vedas and other shastras

kanakarucirapakṣoddhūyamānāṇḍagolaṃ - one who is tossing away the anda golas with his golden wings

sakalaviṣavināśaṃ - the destroyer of all kinds of poisons and venom

cintayet - one should contemplate on

pakṣirājam - King of birds

One should contemplate on the King of birds Garuda, the destroyer of all kinds of poisons and venom, who is holding a pot of nectar (amruta) that stops death, whose body is filled with a pleasant light, who is tossing away the anda golas with his golden wings , who is worthy of being adored by all the gods and inconceivable  even by the Vedas and other shastras. meaning he is beyond words, and thoughts.

by meditating on him we are relieved from poisons, snake bites and toxins

[authorkoushik]

Bhanasuropasita Shiva Kavacham from brahmvavaivarta purana

सौतिरुवाच ।। शिवस्य कवचं स्तोत्रं श्रूयतामिति शौनक ।। वशिष्ठेन च यद्दत्तं गन्धर्वाय च यो मनुः ।। ३९ ।। ॐ नमो भगवते शिवाय स्वाहेति च मनुः ।। दत्तो वशिष्ठेन पुरा पुष्करे कृपया विभो ।। 1.19.४० ।। अयं मन्त्रो रावणाय प्रदत्तो ब्रह्मणा पुरा ।। स्वयं शम्भुश्च बाणाय तथा दुर्वाससे पुरा ।।४१।। मूलेन सर्वं देयं च नैवेद्यादिकमुत्तमम् ।। ध्यायेन्नित्यादिकं ध्यानं वेदोक्तं सर्वसम्मतम्।।४२।।

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ध्यायेन्नित्यं महेशं रजतगिरिनिभं चारुचन्द्रावतंसं

रत्नाकल्पोज्ज्चलाङ्गं परशुमृगवराभीतिहस्तं प्रसन्नम्।

पद्मासीनं समन्तात् स्तुतममरगणैर्व्याघ्रकृत्तिं वसानं

विश्वाद्यं विश्वबीजं निखिलभयहरं पञ्चवक्त्रं त्रिनेत्रम्॥

]

ॐ नमो महादेवाय ।। बाणासुर उवाच ।। महेश्वर महाभाग कवचं यत्प्रकाशितम् ।। संसार पावनं नाम कृपया कथय प्रभो ।। ४३ ।। महेश्वर उवाच ।। शृणु वक्ष्यामि हे वत्स कवचं परमाद्भुतम् ।। अहं तुम्यं प्रदास्यामि गोपनीयं सुदुर्लभम् ।। ४४ ।। पुरा दुर्वाससे दत्तं त्रैलोक्यविजयाय च ।। ४५ ।। ममैवेदं च कवचं भक्त्या यो धारयेत्सुधीः ।। जेतुं शक्नोति त्रैलोक्यं भगवन्नवलीलया।।४६।। संसारपावनस्यास्य कवचस्य प्रजापतिः।। ऋषिश्छन्दश्च गायत्री देवोऽहं च महेश्वरः।। धर्मार्थकाममोक्षेषु विनियोगः प्रकीर्तितः ।। ४७ ।। पंचलक्षजपेनैव सिद्धिदं कवचं भवेत् ।। यो भवेत्सिद्धकवचो मम तुल्यो भवेद्भुवि ।। तेजसा सिद्धि योगेन तपसा विक्रमेण च ।।४८ ।। शम्भुर्मे मस्तकं पातु मुखं पातु महेश्वरः ।। दन्तपक्तिं नीलकण्ठोऽप्यधरोष्ठं हरः स्वयम् ।। ४९।। कण्ठं पातु चन्द्रचूडः स्कन्धौ वृषभवाहनः ।। वक्षःस्थलं नीलकण्ठः पातु पृष्ठं दिगम्बरः ।। 1.19.५० ।। सर्वाङ्गं पातु विश्वेशः सर्वदिक्षु च सर्वदा ।। स्वप्ने जागरणे चैव स्थाणुर्मे पातु सन्ततम् ।। ५१ ।। इति ते कथितं बाण कवचं परमाद्भुतम् ।। यस्मै कस्मै न दातव्यं गोपनीयं प्रयत्नतः ।। ५२ ।। यत्फलं सर्वतीर्थानां स्नानेन लभते नरः ।। तत्फलं लभते नूनं कवचस्यैव धारणात् ।। ५३ ।। इदं कवचमज्ञात्वा भजेन्मां यः सुमन्दधीः ।। शतलक्षप्रजप्तोऽपि न मन्त्रः सिद्धिदायकः ।। ५४ ।।

sautiruvāca .. śivasya kavacaṃ stotraṃ śrūyatāmiti śaunaka .. vaśiṣṭhena ca yaddattaṃ gandharvāya ca yo manuḥ .. 39 .. oṃ namo bhagavate śivāya svāheti ca manuḥ .. datto vaśiṣṭhena purā puṣkare kṛpayā vibho .. 1.19.40 .. ayaṃ mantro rāvaṇāya pradatto brahmaṇā purā .. svayaṃ śambhuśca bāṇāya tathā durvāsase purā ..41.. mūlena sarvaṃ deyaṃ ca naivedyādikamuttamam .. dhyāyennityādikaṃ dhyānaṃ vedoktaṃ sarvasammatam..42..

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dhyāyennityaṃ maheśaṃ rajatagirinibhaṃ cārucandrāvataṃsaṃ

ratnākalpojjcalāṅgaṃ paraśumṛgavarābhītihastaṃ prasannam.

padmāsīnaṃ samantāt stutamamaragaṇairvyāghrakṛttiṃ vasānaṃ

viśvādyaṃ viśvabījaṃ nikhilabhayaharaṃ pañcavaktraṃ trinetram..

]

oṃ namo mahādevāya .. bāṇāsura uvāca .. maheśvara mahābhāga kavacaṃ yatprakāśitam .. saṃsāra pāvanaṃ nāma kṛpayā kathaya prabho .. 43 .. maheśvara uvāca .. śṛṇu vakṣyāmi he vatsa kavacaṃ paramādbhutam .. ahaṃ tumyaṃ pradāsyāmi gopanīyaṃ sudurlabham .. 44 .. purā durvāsase dattaṃ trailokyavijayāya ca .. 45 .. mamaivedaṃ ca kavacaṃ bhaktyā yo dhārayetsudhīḥ .. jetuṃ śaknoti trailokyaṃ bhagavannavalīlayā..46.. saṃsārapāvanasyāsya kavacasya prajāpatiḥ.. ṛṣiśchandaśca gāyatrī devo'haṃ ca maheśvaraḥ.. dharmārthakāmamokṣeṣu viniyogaḥ prakīrtitaḥ .. 47 .. paṃcalakṣajapenaiva siddhidaṃ kavacaṃ bhavet .. yo bhavetsiddhakavaco mama tulyo bhavedbhuvi .. tejasā siddhi yogena tapasā vikrameṇa ca ..48 .. śambhurme mastakaṃ pātu mukhaṃ pātu maheśvaraḥ .. dantapaktiṃ nīlakaṇṭho'pyadharoṣṭhaṃ haraḥ svayam .. 49.. kaṇṭhaṃ pātu candracūḍaḥ skandhau vṛṣabhavāhanaḥ .. vakṣaḥsthalaṃ nīlakaṇṭhaḥ pātu pṛṣṭhaṃ digambaraḥ .. 1.19.50 .. sarvāṅgaṃ pātu viśveśaḥ sarvadikṣu ca sarvadā .. svapne jāgaraṇe caiva sthāṇurme pātu santatam .. 51 .. iti te kathitaṃ bāṇa kavacaṃ paramādbhutam .. yasmai kasmai na dātavyaṃ gopanīyaṃ prayatnataḥ .. 52 .. yatphalaṃ sarvatīrthānāṃ snānena labhate naraḥ .. tatphalaṃ labhate nūnaṃ kavacasyaiva dhāraṇāt .. 53 .. idaṃ kavacamajñātvā bhajenmāṃ yaḥ sumandadhīḥ .. śatalakṣaprajapto'pi na mantraḥ siddhidāyakaḥ .. 54 ..

[authorkoushik]

A prayer for Relief from Fever from The Harivamsha Purana  (Khila Bhaga) of Mahabharata

These two shlokas of prayer are found in the 123th chapter of Vishnu parva of harivamsha purana.

त्रिपाद् भस्मप्रहरणस्त्रिशिरा नवलोचनः । स मे प्रीतः सुखं दद्यात् सर्वामयपतिर्ज्वरः ।।

tripād bhasmapraharaṇastriśirā navalocanaḥ .

sa me prītaḥ sukhaṃ dadyāt sarvāmayapatirjvaraḥ ..

tripād – the three legged one

bhasmapraharaṇas = having bhasma (holy ash) as his main weapon

triśirā – having three heads

navalocanaḥ - having nine eyes

sa – he

me – to me

prītaḥ - pleased

sukhaṃ - bliss, joy, happiness, (by healing)

dadyāt – may grant

sarvāmayapatir – the king of all diseases and illnesses

jvaraḥ - the lord of fever

Lord jvara the king of all diseases, having three legs, having holy ash as his weapon, having three heads and nine eyes, pleased upon me, may he grant me happiness and bliss.(by taking away diseases and protecting us from diseases.

आद्यन्तवन्तः कवयः पुराणाः

सूक्ष्मा बृहन्तोऽप्यनुशासितारः ।

सर्वाञ्ज्वरान् घ्नन्तु ममानिरुद्ध

प्रद्युम्नसंकर्षणवासुदेवाः ॥

ādyantavantaḥ kavayaḥ purāṇāḥ

sūkṣmā bṛhanto'pyanuśāsitāraḥ |

sarvāñjvarān ghnantu mamāniruddha pradyumnasaṃkarṣaṇavāsudevāḥ ||

ādyantavantaḥ - they, who possess the beginning and the end,  that is, they who have the beginning and end, creation and destruction under their control. They are the ones who can create and destroy at their disposal.

kavayaḥ - the ones who are kavis, kavi means

क्रान्तदर्शी कविः सर्वदृक् सर्वज्ञः इति

krāntadarśī kaviḥ sarvadṛk sarvajñaḥ iti

He who sees everything, he who knows everything is kavi,

नान्योतोस्ति द्रष्टा- इति बृहदारण्यकोपनिषत्

nānyotosti draṣṭā- iti bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣat

There is no one else who is the seer. (i.e.) there is no seer different from him.

purāṇāḥ - पुरा पुर्ब्बस्मिन् काले भव इति ।

purā purbbasmin kāle bhava iti .

They who existed even in the ancient times, in other words those who pre-exist creation.

sūkṣmā – the subtle ones

सूक्ष्मः सर्वान्तरः इन्द्रियाद्यगम्यः नतु परमाणुतुल्यः

sūkṣmaḥ sarvāntaraḥ indriyādyagamyaḥ natu paramāṇutulyaḥ

sūkṣma – the one who is very subtle, he who resides in everything, he who cannot be reached by the sense organs.

सूक्ष्मं सौम्यं पुरुषमिति श्रुतिः

sūkṣmaṃ saumyaṃ puruṣamiti śrutiḥ

The complete supreme god who is very subtle and soft.

महाभारते च

चैतन्यं सर्वतोनित्यं सर्वप्राणिहृदिस्थितं

सर्वातीततरं सूक्ष्मं तस्मै सूक्ष्मात्मने नमः

mahābhārate ca

caitanyaṃ sarvatonityaṃ

sarvaprāṇihṛdisthitaṃ

sarvātītataraṃ sūkṣmaṃ

tasmai sūkṣmātmane namaḥ

in mahābhārata it is said,

That which is eternal and resides in the heart of every being and is beyond everyone and everything, is subtle I bow to that subtle one.

Sometimes they also the size of the atom, or smaller sizes and dwell in our souls.

bṛhantaḥ - the great and huge ones. They who posses great strength and have pervaded the world in different forms. Though they are beyond the senses, and sometimes in the size of the atom.

apy – also

anuśāsitāraḥ - the ones who rule, govern

sarvāñjvarān - all fevers. In other words, all kinds of fevers.

ghnantu – May destroy

mama - my

aniruddhapradyumnasaṃkarṣaṇavāsudevāḥ - aniruddha, pradyumna, saṃkarṣaṇa and vāsudeva.

The four vyuha murtis (aspects manifested as forms) OF LORD NARAYANA

May - aniruddha, pradyumna, saṃkarṣaṇa and vāsudeva who have control over beginnings and ends,  who are all knowing and full of wisdom, who pre-exist creation, who are the subtlest, yet great, who govern everyone and everything  kill my all kinds of fevers and diseases.

[authorkoushik]

Namaskaram I watched your complete video on batuka Bhairava on YouTube , can I chant the batuka bhairava mantra u taught without any guru Deeksha please advise as per your knowledge.

yes you can chant sir, since the mantra was given within the stotra , hence i published it through video, traditionally getting a deeksha is idea, if you don't have favourable circumstances to do so. then there is a proceedure which is suggested by certain tantric scholors for self initiation. i am with sharing you the same here. https://www.manblunder.com/articlesview/self-initiation-of-mantras

[authorkoushik]

Namaste

Do you give Bhatuk Bhairava mantra initiation ?

No sir, I dont give initiations.

[authorkoushik]

Bhadrakali Kavacha from Brahmavaivarta Purana

।। नारद उवाच।। कवचं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तां च विद्यां दशाक्षरीम् ।। नाथ त्वत्तो हि सर्वज्ञ भद्रकाल्याश्च साम्प्रतम् ।। १ ।।

नारायण उवाच ।। शृणु नारद वक्ष्यामि महाविद्यां दशाक्षरीम् ।। गोपनीयं च कवचं त्रिषु लोकेषु दुर्लभम् ।। २ ।। ॐ ह्रीं श्रीं क्लीं कालिकायै स्वाहेति च दशाक्षरीम् ।। दुर्वासा हि ददौ राज्ञे पुष्करे सूर्य्यपर्वणि ।।३।। दशलक्षजपेनैव मन्त्रसिद्धिः कृता पुरा ।। पञ्चलक्षजपेनैव पठन्कवचमुत्तमम् ।।४।। बभूव सिद्धकवचोऽप्ययोध्यामाजगाम सः ।। कृत्स्नां हि पृथिवीं जिग्ये कवचस्य प्रभावतः ।। ५ ।।

नारद उवाच ।। श्रुता दशाक्षरी विद्या त्रिषु लोकेषु दुर्लभा ।। अधुना श्रोतुमिच्छामि कवचं ब्रूहि मे प्रभो ।। ६ ।।

नारायण उवाच ।। शृणु वक्ष्यामि विप्रेन्द्र कवचं परमाद्भुतम् ।। नारायणेन यद्दत्तं कृपया शूलिने पुरा ।। ७ ।। त्रिपुरस्य वधे घोरे शिवस्य विजयाय च ।। तदेव शूलिना दत्तं पुरा दुर्वाससे मुने ।।८।। दुर्वाससा च यद्दत्तं सुचन्द्राय महात्मने ।। अतिगुह्यतरं तत्त्वं सर्वमन्त्रौघविग्रहम् ।। ।।९।। ॐ ह्रीं श्रीं क्लीं कालिकायै स्वाहा मे पातु मस्तकम् ।। क्लीं कपालं सदा पातु ह्रीं ह्रीं ह्रीमिति लोचने ।। 3.37.१० ।। ॐ ह्रीं त्रिलोचने स्वाहा नासिकां मे सदाऽवतु ।। क्लीं कालिके रक्ष रक्ष स्वाहा दन्तान्सदाऽवतु ।। ११ ।। क्लीं भद्रकालिके स्वाहा पातु मेऽधरयुग्मकम् ।। ॐ ह्रीं ह्रीं क्लीं कालिकायै स्वाहा कण्ठं सदाऽवतु ।। १२ ।। ॐ ह्रीं कालिकायै स्वाहा कर्णयुग्मं सदाऽवतु ।। ॐ क्रीं क्रीं क्लीं काल्यै स्वाहा स्कन्धं पातु सदा मम ।। १३ ।। ॐ क्रीं भद्रकाल्यै स्वाहा मम वक्षः सदाऽवतु ।। ॐ क्लीं कालिकायै स्वाहा मम नाभिं सदाऽवतु ।। १४ ।। ॐ ह्रीं कालिकायै स्वाहा मम पृष्ठं सदाऽवतु ।। रक्तबीजविनाशिन्यै स्वाहा हस्तो सदाऽवतु ।। १५ ।। ॐ ह्रीं क्लीं मुण्डमालिन्यै स्वाहा पादौ सदावतु।। ॐ ह्रीं चामुण्डायै स्वाहा सर्वाङ्गं मे सदाऽवतु।।१६।। प्राच्यां पातु महाकाली चाग्नेय्यां रक्तदन्तिका ।। दक्षिणे पातु चामुण्डा नैर्ऋत्यां पातु कालिका ।। १७ ।। श्यामा च वारुणे पातु वायव्यां पातु चण्डिका ।। उत्तरे विकटास्या चाप्यैशान्यां साट्टहासिनी ।। १८ ।। पातूर्ध्वं लोलजिह्वा सा मायाऽऽद्या पात्वधः सदा ।। जले स्थले चान्तरिक्षे पातु विश्वप्रसूः सदा ।। १९ ।। इति ते कथितं वत्स सर्वमन्त्रौघविग्रहम् ।।

सर्वेषां कवचानां च सारभूतं परात्परम् ।।3.37.२०।। सप्तद्वीपेश्वरो राजा सुचन्द्रोऽस्य प्रभावतः ।। कवचस्य प्रभावेन मान्धाता पृथिवीपतिः ।। २१ ।। प्रचेता लोमशश्चैव यतः सिद्धो बभूव ह ।। यतो हि योगिनां श्रेष्ठः सौभरिः पिप्पलायनः ।। २२ ।। यदि स्यात्सिद्धकवचः सर्वसिद्धीश्वरो भवेत् ।। महादानानि सर्वाणि तपांस्येवं व्रतानि व ।। निश्चितं कवचस्यास्य कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम् ।। २३ ।। इदं कवचमज्ञात्वा भजेत्कालीं जगत्प्रसूम् ।। शतलक्षं प्रजप्तोऽपि न मन्त्रः सिद्धिदायकः ।। २४ ।। इति श्रीब्रह्मवैवर्ते महापुराणे तृतीये गणपतिखण्डे नारदनारायणसंवादे भद्रकालीकवचनिरूपणं नाम सप्तत्रिंशत्तमोऽध्यायः ।।

nārada uvāca.. kavacaṃ śrotumicchāmi tāṃ ca vidyāṃ daśākṣarīm .. nātha tvatto hi sarvajña bhadrakālyāśca sāmpratam .. 1 ..

nārāyaṇa uvāca .. śṛṇu nārada vakṣyāmi mahāvidyāṃ daśākṣarīm .. gopanīyaṃ ca kavacaṃ triṣu lokeṣu durlabham .. 2 .. oṃ hrīṃ śrīṃ klīṃ kālikāyai svāheti ca daśākṣarīm .. durvāsā hi dadau rājñe puṣkare sūryyaparvaṇi ..3.. daśalakṣajapenaiva mantrasiddhiḥ kṛtā purā .. pañcalakṣajapenaiva paṭhankavacamuttamam ..4.. babhūva siddhakavaco'pyayodhyāmājagāma saḥ .. kṛtsnāṃ hi pṛthivīṃ jigye kavacasya prabhāvataḥ .. 5 ..

nārada uvāca .. śrutā daśākṣarī vidyā triṣu lokeṣu durlabhā .. adhunā śrotumicchāmi kavacaṃ brūhi me prabho .. 6 ..

nārāyaṇa uvāca .. śṛṇu vakṣyāmi viprendra kavacaṃ paramādbhutam .. nārāyaṇena yaddattaṃ kṛpayā śūline purā .. 7 .. tripurasya vadhe ghore śivasya vijayāya ca .. tadeva śūlinā dattaṃ purā durvāsase mune ..8.. durvāsasā ca yaddattaṃ sucandrāya mahātmane .. atiguhyataraṃ tattvaṃ sarvamantraughavigraham .. ..9..

oṃ hrīṃ śrīṃ klīṃ kālikāyai svāhā me pātu mastakam .. (head) klīṃ kapālaṃ sadā pātu (skull) hrīṃ hrīṃ hrīmiti locane .. 3.37.10 .. (eyes) oṃ hrīṃ trilocane svāhā nāsikāṃ me sadā'vatu .. (nose) klīṃ kālike rakṣa rakṣa svāhā dantānsadā'vatu .. 11 .. (teeth) klīṃ bhadrakālike svāhā pātu me'dharayugmakam .. (lips) oṃ hrīṃ hrīṃ klīṃ kālikāyai svāhā kaṇṭhaṃ sadā'vatu .. 12 .. (throat/neck) oṃ hrīṃ kālikāyai svāhā karṇayugmaṃ sadā'vatu .. (ears) oṃ krīṃ krīṃ klīṃ kālyai svāhā skandhaṃ pātu sadā mama .. 13 .. (shoulders) oṃ krīṃ bhadrakālyai svāhā mama vakṣaḥ sadā'vatu .. (chest) oṃ klīṃ kālikāyai svāhā mama nābhiṃ sadā'vatu .. 14 .. (naval) oṃ hrīṃ kālikāyai svāhā mama pṛṣṭhaṃ sadā'vatu .. (back) raktabījavināśinyai svāhā hastau sadā'vatu .. 15 .. (hands) oṃ hrīṃ klīṃ muṇḍamālinyai svāhā pādau sadāvatu.. (feet) oṃ hrīṃ cāmuṇḍāyai svāhā sarvāṅgaṃ me sadā'vatu..16.. ( all the body parts) prācyāṃ pātu mahākālī (east) cāgneyyāṃ raktadantikā .. (south east) dakṣiṇe pātu cāmuṇḍā (south) nairṛtyāṃ pātu kālikā .. 17 .. (south west) śyāmā ca vāruṇe (west) pātu vāyavyāṃ pātu caṇḍikā .. (north west) uttare vikaṭāsyā (north) cāpyaiśānyāṃ sāṭṭahāsinī .. 18 .. (north east) pātūrdhvaṃ lolajihvā sā (up) māyā''dyā pātvadhaḥ sadā .. (down) jale sthale cāntarikṣe pātu viśvaprasūḥ sadā .. 19 .. ( water, land and space) iti te kathitaṃ vatsa sarvamantraughavigraham .. sarveṣāṃ kavacānāṃ ca sārabhūtaṃ parātparam ..3.37.20.. saptadvīpeśvaro rājā sucandro'sya prabhāvataḥ .. kavacasya prabhāvena māndhātā pṛthivīpatiḥ .. 21 .. pracetā lomaśaścaiva yataḥ siddho babhūva ha .. yato hi yogināṃ śreṣṭhaḥ saubhariḥ pippalāyanaḥ .. 22 .. yadi syātsiddhakavacaḥ sarvasiddhīśvaro bhavet .. mahādānāni sarvāṇi tapāṃsyevaṃ vratāni va .. niścitaṃ kavacasyāsya kalāṃ nārhanti ṣoḍaśīm .. 23 .. idaṃ kavacamajñātvā bhajetkālīṃ jagatprasūm .. śatalakṣaṃ prajapto'pi na mantraḥ siddhidāyakaḥ .. 24 .. iti śrībrahmavaivarte mahāpurāṇe tṛtīye gaṇapatikhaṇḍe nāradanārāyaṇasaṃvāde bhadrakālīkavacanirūpaṇaṃ nāma saptatriṃśattamo'dhyāyaḥ .. I have given you the body parts and directions within brackets. you can visualize that the particular mantra or the particular goddess is protecting that body part and guarding you and pray to her and request her to protect that. example oṃ hrīṃ śrīṃ klīṃ kālikāyai svāhā me pātu mastakam - while chanting this verse visualise that goddess kaalika is protecting your head and pray to her for protection and thank her for protecting and so on.

and for directions also

prācyāṃ pātu mahākālī - goddess mahākālī protecting the devotee (you) residing in the eastern direction. and so on. This becomes a simple yet powerful sadhana. (spiritual practice)

[authorkoushik]

Thank you to everyone who got me to 100 likes!

[authorkoushik]

Jaya mantram from Sundara Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana 

Jayamantra means the mantra of victory. Jaya mantra is a collection of verses from sundara kānda of valmiki Rāmāyana.These are loud roars of hanuman in the ashoka garden of lanka and the streets of lanka. These are the battle cries of hanuman challenging his opponents, ravāna, and his men. 

In our tradition, we recite these battle cries of hanuman to seek blessings of victory from rama, lakshmana, sita and hanuman. These verses praise, rama, lakshmana, surgreeva and proclaim their victorious nature. Hance chanting these verses bring positive energy, hope, zeal, happiness and confidence to the devotees. 

These verses resulted in fear amongst demons. Hence these verses can keep away negative forces from us. 

This jaya mantra has three occurrences in sundara kanda of valmiki ramayana with mild variations. The scholars tell us that this verse is repeated in multiple occasions in sundara kanda to indicate that this is a mantra and this must be chanted by the devotees. 

This is said by hanuman for the first time in chapter forty two of sundara kanda. 

सर्ग ४२

जयत्यतिबलो रामो लक्ष्मणश्च महाबलः।

राजा जयति सुग्रीवो राघवेणाभिपालितः॥ ३३॥

दासोऽहं कोसलेन्द्रस्य रामस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः।

हनूमान् शत्रुसैन्यानां निहन्ता मारुतात्मजः॥ ३४॥

न रावणसहस्रं मे युद्धे प्रतिबलं भवेत्।

शिलाभिश्च प्रहरतः पादपैश्च सहस्रशः॥ ३५॥

अर्दयित्वा पुरीं लङ्कामभिवाद्य च मैथिलीम्।

समृद्धार्थो गमिष्यामि मिषतां सर्वरक्षसाम्॥ ३६॥

jayatyatibalo rāmo lakṣmaṇaśca mahābalaḥ.

rājā jayati sugrīvo rāghaveṇābhipālitaḥ.. 33..

dāso'haṃ kosalendrasya rāmasyākliṣṭakarmaṇaḥ.

hanūmān śatrusainyānāṃ nihantā mārutātmajaḥ.. 34..

na rāvaṇasahasraṃ me yuddhe pratibalaṃ bhavet.

śilābhiśca praharataḥ pādapaiśca sahasraśaḥ.. 35..

ardayitvā purīṃ laṅkāmabhivādya ca maithilīm.

samṛddhārtho gamiṣyāmi miṣatāṃ sarvarakṣasām.. 36..

In chapter 43 its repeated again with a small variation 

सर्ग ४३

अस्त्रविज्जयतां रामो लक्ष्मणश्च महाबलः।

राजा जयति सुग्रीवो राघवेणाभिपालितः॥ ८॥

दासोऽहं कोसलेन्द्रस्य रामस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः।

हनूमान् शत्रुसैन्यानां निहन्ता मारुतात्मजः॥ ९॥

न रावणसहस्रं मे युद्धे प्रतिबलं भवेत्।

शिलाभिश्च प्रहरतः पादपैश्च सहस्रशः॥ १०॥

धर्षयित्वा पुरीं लङ्कामभिवाद्य च मैथिलीम्।

समृद्धार्थो गमिष्यामि मिषतां सर्वरक्षसाम्॥ ११॥

astravijjayatāṃ rāmo lakṣmaṇaśca mahābalaḥ.

rājā jayati sugrīvo rāghaveṇābhipālitaḥ.. 8..

dāso'haṃ kosalendrasya rāmasyākliṣṭakarmaṇaḥ.

hanūmān śatrusainyānāṃ nihantā mārutātmajaḥ.. 9..

na rāvaṇasahasraṃ me yuddhe pratibalaṃ bhavet.

śilābhiśca praharataḥ pādapaiśca sahasraśaḥ.. 10..

dharṣayitvā purīṃ laṅkāmabhivādya ca maithilīm.

samṛddhārtho gamiṣyāmi miṣatāṃ sarvarakṣasām.. 11..

For the third time, it is retold by hanuman in sarga 59, while he narrates everything that happened in lanka to the varanas, when he returned to the sea shore after meeting mother sita. 

मयैव निहता लङ्का दग्धा भस्मीकृता पुरी।

राजमार्गेषु सर्वेषु नाम विश्रावितं मया॥ १८॥

जयत्यतिबलो रामो लक्ष्मणश्च महाबलः।

राजा जयति सुग्रीवो राघवेणाभिपालितः॥ १९॥

अहं कोसलराजस्य दासः पवनसम्भवः।

हनूमानिति सर्वत्र नाम विश्रावितं मया॥ २०॥     

mayaiva nihatā laṅkā dagdhā bhasmīkṛtā purī.

rājamārgeṣu sarveṣu nāma viśrāvitaṃ mayā.. 18..

jayatyatibalo rāmo lakṣmaṇaśca mahābalaḥ.

rājā jayati sugrīvo rāghaveṇābhipālitaḥ.. 19..

ahaṃ kosalarājasya dāsaḥ pavanasambhavaḥ.

hanūmāniti sarvatra nāma viśrāvitaṃ mayā.. 20..

This proves the significance of this event. It was reiterated by hanuman himself three times. 

Let us discuss the meaning of these verses, including the variations word by word. 

Jayati - जयति सर्वोत्कर्षेण वर्तते 

jayati sarvotkarṣeṇa vartate

He remains victorious. He wins, he 

atibalah - extremely strong and powerful

अतिशयितं बलं यस्य सः 

atiśayitaṃ balaṃ yasya saḥ

One whose strength and power is abundant.  One who is excessively powerful. One whose strength is extraordinary. One who can surpass or exceed others with his strength.  One who is superior by strength. One who can excel others in strength and prowess. 

In other words one who can overpower or defeat those who stand against him. As he is always excessively powerful and hence invincible. 

अतिशयबलवान् । प्रकृष्टबल- विशिष्टः 

atiśayabalavān . prakṛṣṭabala- viśiṣṭaḥ

He who is characterized with supreme strength. He who is limitlessly powerful. 

The word atibala also give us a mystic indication, which suits lord rama alone. 

One who possesses the wisdom of the atibala vidya is atibala

गृहाण द्वे इमे विद्ये बलामतिबलां तथा । न ते श्रमो जरा वाभ्यां भविता नाङ्गवैकृतम् ॥ न च सुप्तं प्रमत्तं वा धर्षयिष्यन्ति नैरृताः । न च ते सदृशो राम! वीर्य्ये- णान्यो भविष्यति । सदेवनरनागेषु लोकेष्विह पुमां- स्त्रिषु । न सौभाग्ये, न दाक्षिण्ये, न बुद्धिश्रु तिपौरुषे ॥ नोत्तरे प्रतिपत्तव्ये त्वत्तुल्यो वा भविष्यति । एतद्विद्याद्वयं प्राप्य यशश्चाव्ययमाप्स्यसि ॥  - इत्यादि विश्वामित्र वचनाः 

gṛhāṇa dve ime vidye balāmatibalāṃ tathā . na te śramo jarā vābhyāṃ bhavitā nāṅgavaikṛtam .. na ca suptaṃ pramattaṃ vā dharṣayiṣyanti nairṛtāḥ . na ca te sadṛśo rāma! vīryye- ṇānyo bhaviṣyati . sadevanaranāgeṣu lokeṣviha pumāṃ- striṣu . na saubhāgye, na dākṣiṇye, na buddhiśru tipauruṣe .. nottare pratipattavye tvattulyo vā bhaviṣyati . etadvidyādvayaṃ prāpya yaśaścāvyayamāpsyasi ..  - ityādi viśvāmitra vacanāḥ

“O rāma, Accept these two vidyas (feminine mantras) named  balā and atibalā, you will then not have tiredness, you will not experience aging, or fear. Neither will you face disfigurement of your body. The demons cannot defeat you even when you are asleep, or when you are careless.  There will be no one like you in prowess, vigour and strength amongst gods, humans, serpents, men  and women, also in fortune, skill, intellect and bravery. There shall be none to match you in these great qualities, by accepting these two vidyas, you will attain eternal glory and fame.” - these are the words of sage viśvāmitra when he gifted these mantras to rama. 

rāmo - the word rama has multiple meanings which signify different facets of the lord. 

रमन्ते सर्वे जनाः गुणैः अस्मिन् इति रामः

ramante sarve janāḥ guṇaiḥ asmin iti rāmaḥ

All the people are pleased by his great qualities, hence he is called rāma

lakṣmaṇaśca - लक्ष्मणो लक्ष्मिसंपन्नः

lakṣmaṇo lakṣmisaṃpannaḥs

One who is blessed with immense wealth, lustre, knowledge, charm, and various skills is lakṣmaṇa. 

when  sage vashishta named him, 

Mahābalaḥ.- very Strong, robust, powerful. mighty

महदुत्कृष्टं बलं ऐश्वर्य्यं यस्य 

mahadutkṛṣṭaṃ balaṃ aiśvaryyaṃ yasya

He, whose power and might is great, superior

महदतिशयितं बलं सामर्थ्यमस्मात् । महत् बलमस्येति वा ।

mahadatiśayitaṃ balaṃ sāmarthyamasmāt . mahat balamasyeti vā .

He who has great efficacy, ability, strength. In Ramayana, we can  evidently see the multi-faceted abilities of Lakshmana,  he builds a house for lord Rama in Panchavati, he builds a small boat for them to cross the rivers and seas during their exile. He takes care of lord rama and sita just like a father would.  Lakshmana’s skill has no bounds. 

He who has great strength. 

rājā - राजते शोभते इति 

rājate śobhate iti

He who rules over, governs, shines, reigns is rājā

He shines because he is the chief and he leads his subjects.  An extensive definition is given below. 

यथा प्रह्लादनात् चन्द्रः प्रतापात् तपनो यथा । 

तथैव सोऽभूदन्वर्थो राजा प्रकृतिरञ्जनात् ॥

yathā prahlādanāt candraḥ pratāpāt tapano yathā .

tathaiva so'bhūdanvartho rājā prakṛtirañjanāt ..

The king is called rājā as he pleases his subjects and ensures their joy.  says kalidasa in his epic raghuvamsham. 

jayati - wins

sugrīvo - suegreeva the monkey king. He is the representation of a normal devotee of rama. He loves rāma, he treats rāma like his best friend, he respects rāma, he has his own set of flaws. He isn't perfect. His friendship or love for rāma is not selfless like hanuman's love. At the same time his love for rāma is pure. 

Rāghaveṇa - by the descendent of king Raghu. Here rāmais addressed as Rāghava to indicate to the family values of rama, A promise given by them is always fulfilled. 

Abhipālitaḥ - अभितः पालितः रक्षितः  

abhitaḥ pālitaḥ rakṣitaḥ

On who is Completely protected by 

Dāsa - servant

दास्यते भृतिरस्मै दासति ददात्यङ्गं स्वामिने उपचाराय वा दास 

dāsyate bhṛtirasmai dāsati dadātyaṅgaṃ svāmine upacārāya vā dāsa

One who offers his service, one who offers ones own body and mind for the service of his master is dāsa. 

Hanuman’s mind, body and soul works for lord rāma, all his skills and his life benefits rāma.  Hanuman offered himself to lord rama. He has given himself completely to the lord, that is indicated by the word Dāsa. 

a'haṃ - I am 

kosalendrasya - the lord of kosala kingdom

Rāmasya - of Rāma

Akliṣṭakarmaṇaḥ - unwearied in action.

अक्लिष्टम् अनायाससाध्यं कर्म्म यस्य 

akliṣṭam anāyāsasādhyaṃ karmma yasya

One who does his deeds effortlessly. 

अक्लेशेन कर्म्मकर्त्ता 

akleśena karmmakarttā

One who can painlessly do anything he wishes to. 

Hanūmān - there are many meanings for the name hanuman but here, the main implied meaning is he whose cheek could only be slightly damaged even by the ferocious attack of vajra, the great celestial weapon of indra, his name stands as a testimony for his divine strength. 

śatrusainyānāṃ nihantā - the destroyer of enemy armies

Mārutātmajaḥ -  the son of Māruta (the wind god vāyu)

na - no / not 

rāvaṇasahasraṃ - thousands of  rāvaṇa

me - to me 

yuddhe - in battle

pratibalaṃ - equally matched or powerful, a worthy match or opponent 

प्रतिस्पर्धार्हबलवत्

Pratispardhārhabalavat

Strong enough worthy to combat, 

Bhavet - will be 

śilābhiśca - with rocks 

praharataḥ - as i attack, hit, strike

Pādapaiśca - and with trees

 Sahasraśaḥ - thousands of 

Here it implies that hanuman doesnt  need celestial weapons to defeat ravana, even by fighting with rocks and trees he could effortlessly defeat the entire demon army and return home. 

Ardayitvā - अर्दति हिंसायति, हिंसति 

ardati hiṃsāyati, hiṃsati 

To hurt, afflict, 

यातना ताडनं 

yātanā tāḍanaṃ

To cause suffering, by hitting 

after hurting or killing 

purīṃ - city

Laṅkām

abhivādya - नामोच्चारणपूर्ब्बकनमस्कारः । 

nāmoccāraṇapūrbbakanamaskāraḥ .

Abhivāda means to offer salutation along with the utterance of the name. 

तत्तु पादस्पर्शपूर्ब्बकनमस्कारः 

tattu pādasparśapūrbbakanamaskāraḥ

Offering salutation by touching the feet out of respect. 

अभिमुखीकरणाय वादनं वदनम् 

abhimukhīkaraṇāya vādanaṃ vadanam

Offering salutation to make them turn towards us

ca - and 

Maithilīm - the princess of mithila. 

Samṛddhārtho - having increased substance or wealth  , having fully accomplished my task

gamiṣyāmi - I will go

miṣatāṃ - as they keep looking, seeing, , this implies that they cannot stop him while he destroys

Sarvarakṣasām  - all the demons. 

In the second iteration of the same shloka , 

The words अस्त्रविज्जयतां (Astravijjayatāṃ) replaces the words jayati atibalah 

Astravit - the knower of celestial weapons. He who obtained an abundance of celestial weapons from sage  vishvamitra 

And in the place of Ardayitvā, we find dharṣayitvā 

dharṣayitvā  - शक्तिबन्धने संहतौ हिंसायाञ्च 

The root verb dharṣa means to control one's power, to kill, to hurt, to destroy. 

In the third iteration, hanuman , tells the vanara warriors about what he did in lanka. 

I alone, destroyed lanka and burnt the whole city, and in all royal roads, I made the Name Popular, meaning I roared the names of Rama, Lakshmana and sugriva, 

jayatyatibalo rāmo lakṣmaṇaśca mahābalaḥ.

rājā jayati sugrīvo rāghaveṇābhipālitaḥ.. 19..

ahaṃ kosalarājasya dāsaḥ pavanasambhavaḥ.

Hanūmān

I also roared “I am hanuman, the son of god pavana,  the servant devotee of the lord of kosala, thus I made them hear the names out loud.  This also indicates that hanuman made them realize the glory of rama, by my deeds. 

Hence this is regarded as a prayer for victory, since all the greatness required for attaining victory is enumerated in the form of these verses. 

[authorkoushik]

Protection From Snakes - The Sanatana Dharma Way

We as Hindus do not believe in unnecessary violence, we are allowed to fight to defend ourselves but we do not invite battles, this is true even with venomous creatures. You may probably already know that there is a tale about the sarpa yaaga - a sacred sacrifice for killing all kinds of serpents, demonic, mortal and divine, hosted by the great king Janamejaya the son of Pareekshit.

His intention was to avenge his father’s killer - takshaka the serpent king. in this post I wont be narrating the whole story in detail. May be that's for another day. Today I received a question regarding protection from serpents and i Remembered this chapter of Mahabharata. ‘

With the help of powerful sages like utthanga and others, King Janamejaya conduction this sacrificial fire ritual for days and months, yet his anger did not come down as he still couldn't attract Takshaka and push him into the holy fire and finish him off  . Meanwhile, The divine serpent kings requested Astika a sage who was born to Jaratkaaru rishi (male) and Jaratkaaru devi (female) . Jaratkaaru devi is one of the great serpent mothers (naaga maatas)

Astika went to janameyajas yagya and praised him with poetry. pleased by the praises janameya offered to grant anything he wanted. Astika wished that this sarpa yaaga should stop. bound by the vow, the honest and noble king janamejaya stopped the sacrifice ritual. There sage astika also made a promise  that if he astika and this incident is remembered by humans and they request serpents not to hurt them, they will have to leave silently without causing any harm and the humans shouldnt kill the snakes unnecessarily.

Whenever a human encounters a snake this pact is reminded to the snake in the form of 2 shlokas. this shloka is a part of sandhyawandanam (daily morning and evening prayer rites to the sun) of some sects the verses are : सर्पापसर्प भद्रं ते दूरं गच्छ महायशाः |

जनमेजयस्य यज्ञान्ते आस्तीक वचनं स्मरन् ||

sarpāpasarpa bhadraṃ te dūraṃ gaccha mahāyaśāḥ |

janamejayasya yajñānte āstīka vacanaṃ smaran ||

O snake, please move away quickly, me there be good fortune to you , blessings to you. O glorious one please go far away , remembering the promise given by sage āstīka  during the end of janamejaya’s yajña.

जरत्कारोर्जरत्कार्वां समुत्पन्नो महायशाः | आस्तीकः सत्यसन्धो मां पन्नगेभ्योऽभिरक्षतु ||

jaratkārorjaratkārvāṃ samutpanno mahāyaśāḥ | āstīkaḥ satyasandho māṃ pannagebhyo'bhirakṣatu ||

May the truthful and greatly glorious āstīkaḥ  who was born to jaratkāru through jaratkāru protect me from snakes. 

This shloka is the shloka 22 from chapter 53 of adi parva (the first canto) of Maharbharata.

These two shlokas are prayer verses to protect ourselves from snakes. if you notice the nature of the verses they show no hate for snakes , they respectfully request the snakes to move away to avoid mutual harm.

Its said that when anyone sees a snake in reality or in dream ,  chanting these shlokas and requesting the snake not to cause any harm and to go away. is followed since the time of janamejaya

[authorkoushik]

मानस पूजा के विशेषताएं

करस्थे हेमाद्रौ गिरिश निकटस्थे धनपतौ

हस्थे स्वर्भूजामरसुरभिचिन्तामणिगणे।

शिरःस्थे शीतांशौ चरणयुगलस्थेऽखिलशुभे

कमर्थं दास्येऽहं भवतु भवदर्थं मम मनः

- शिवानन्दलहरी

यह श्लोक शिवानन्दलहरी का है | यह आदि शंकर भगवत्पाद द्वारा विरचित है | इस श्लोक के आखिरी चरण में भगवत्पाद शंकर कहते है की  ‘भवतु भवदर्थं मम मनः’ - इसका अर्थ यह है की मेरा मन आपकी संपत्ति हो जाये. ऐसा प्रार्थना करते है | मन कैसे और कब ईश्वर की सम्पत्ति बनती है ?  इस स्थिति का तात्पर्य शरणागति और समर्पण से है| पूरी तरह अपने मन को ईश्वर को सपर्पित करना है मन को भगवान की संपत्ति बनाना होता है | अपने आत्मीय संकल्पों विकल्पों और इच्छाएँ को छोड़कर ईश्वर के संकल्प के अनुसार जीवन बिताना , उनके संकल्प से मिले हुए सुख और दुःख को उनकी इच्छा और लीला समझकर समभाव से स्वीकार करना और सुख भोगते समय और दुःख अनुभव करते समय ईश्वर का ही चिंतन करते हुए समान अवस्था में मन को संतुलित रखना आदि इस समर्पण का लक्षण बताए गए हैं | यही भक्ति की पराकाष्ठा है | सर्वोच्च लक्ष्य है | इस अभ्यास और जीवन से अमनीभाव की समान स्तिथि की प्राप्ती होती है |  अमनी भाव का अर्थ है मन के बिना रहना या मन से अतीत (परे) हो जाना  | अमनीभाव योग द्वारा प्राप्त किया  जाता है | वही स्थिति को हम पराभक्ति और संपूर्ण समर्पण के द्वारा पा सकते है  |

मन को ईश्वर को समर्पित करने के लिए अनेक मार्ग हैं जिनमे से पहला चरण है ईश्वर की गुण, महिमा और लीलाओं को सुनना | उनको स्मरण करना  (उन्हें याद करना , उन्ही के बारे में सोचना, चिंतन करना)  उनके सम्बंधित कामो को करने के द्वारा उनमें ही अपने मन और हृदय को लगाना जैसे की - उनके बारे में पढ़ना और जानना, पुराण पठनादि के माध्यम से और उनके सेवा करना, मंदिरों और आलयो में सेवा करना , पूजा करना. आदि कार्यो से मन को ईश्वर में ही लगाये रखना. 

मन को ईश्वर को समर्पित करने का एक् और मार्ग उनके रूप और स्वरूप को ध्यान करने से संभव होता है | हमारे महात्माओं ने कहा है की मन को नियंत्रित और एकत्रित करने के लिए एक दैनिक आन्हिक विधि जरूरी होती है |  इसलिए वे हर दिन एक नियत समय पर मानस पूजा करने की उपदेश देते है |  मानस पूजा का अर्थ मन मे ईश्वर के मूर्ति को स्थापित करके उनको ध्यान करके विभिन्न उपचारों (दीप धूप नैवेद्यादी) को मन से ही कल्पित करके आपके मन मे स्थित ईश्वर के रूप को उन मनोनिर्मित उपचारों से अर्चित करने से है | 

यह मानस पूजा का अभ्यास मन को प्रशिक्षित करता है और मन को पक्व बनाता है और ईश्वर के चिंतन की ओर और अग्रसर करवाता है | 

मानस पूजा करना ध्यान लगाने से तोड़ा और सुलभ है क्यूँकि ध्यान लगाते समय एक ही वस्तु पर मन को केंद्रित करना होता है और मानस पूजा में यद्यपि ईश्वर के रूप में मन को केंद्रित करते है तथापि और मानसिक क्रिया भी की जाती है जैसे की  ईश्वर को स्नान करवाना, उनको फल आदि समर्पित करना, उनको विविध आभूषण  से अलंकृत करना आदि } इससे मन विचलित होने की संभावना कम होती है  | मन एक क्रिया से दूसरी क्रिया ,  एक संकल्प से दुसरे संकल्प पर तो जा पहुचता है ही | पर सभी  संकल्प और चित्तवृत्तियो किसी ना किसी तरह ईश्वर से ही जुड़ती हैं 

मन स्वभावतः ही विचलित होता ही है | एक वस्तु से दुसरे वस्तु के बारे में सोचता है |  एक ही परमात्मवस्तु में मन को केंद्रित करना प्रारम्भिक साधको के लिए अति कठिन है | इस विषय को मन में रखते हुए आचार्य शंकर  भगवत्पाद शिव मानस पूजा स्तोत्र की रचना करते हैं और हमें ईश्वर पर मन लगाने की और अपने मन को ईश्वर को समर्पित करने के लिए मार्गदर्शन करते हैं |   

बाह्य पूजा पद्धति तो उपलब्ध है ही |  मानस पूजा की क्या आवश्यकता है और क्या विशेषता? अब इस प्रश्न के ऊपर विचार करेंगे |

बाह्य पूजा की सबसे बड़ी समस्या यह है कि लोग बाह्य पूजा को यांत्रिक डंग से मन लगाए बिना भी कर सकते हैं | ऐसे करने से मन ईश्वर में लीन नहीं  होगा | पूजा का पूर्ण लाभ मिलना भी विचारणीय है |  इस समस्या का समाधान मानस पूजा में है | कोई भी मन लगाए बिना मानस पूजा को संपन्न नहीं कर सकेगा |  क्यूंकि मन ही मानस पूजा का आधार है|  मानस पूजा मन के लिए एक श्रेष्ठ अभ्यास है जो बाह्य पूजा को भी मन लगाके करने में मन को प्रशिक्षित करेगा | मन एकत्रित होना प्रारम्भ हो जाता है और ईश्वर के प्रति भक्ति और प्रेम भी बढ़ने लगती है | 

मानस पूजा हमें ईश्वर के और निकट ले  जाती है | हम जितना ज्यादा ईश्वर को स्मरण करेंगे हम उतना ही निकट हो जाएंगे | उनसे हमारे अटूट सम्बन्ध का अनुभव हमें रहेगा | 

बाह्य पूजा करते समय हमें उपचार कि सभी वस्तुएं मिले और सारे वस्तुएं उच्च गुणवत्ता कि ही हो ऐसा तो संभव नहीं है | कभी कभी पूजा के सारे उपकरण मिलते नहीं है , अगर मिलता है तो पूर्णतः शुद्ध होने की संभावना भी नहीं होता | 

कभी कभी हमें पूजा करने का अवसर भी प्राप्त नहीं होता, उदाहरण के लिए : जब हम यात्रा में रहते हैं या कार्यालय में तब पूजा हमसे नहीं हो पाती है | यह सारी समस्याएँ मानस पूजा करने में नहीं होती | बाह्य पूजा करने के उपरान्त मानस पूजा करना बाह्य पूजा को पूर्णता देती है  | 

मानस पूजा के निरंतर दैनिक अभ्यास से ईश्वर भक्ति बढ़ती है और मन धीरे धीरे  ध्यान लगाने के लिए भी परिपक्वता प्राप्त करती है और सज्ज होती है |

शिव मानस पूजा नामक स्तोत्र ग्रंथ के द्वारा आचार्य आदि शंकर भगवत्पाद हमें शिवजी कि मानस पूजा करना सिखाते है जो साधकों के लिए बहुत ही उपयोगी है और लाभकारी भी | 

अगर आपको शिव मानस पूजा स्तोत्र का अर्थ पूर्णतया ज्ञात करना है और समझाना है तो आप नीचे दिए हुए लिंक से ई-पुस्तक को डाउनलोड करें. धन्यवाद |

https://books2read.com/u/mlWKR9

[authorkoushik]

Ganesha in Upanishads, Puranas, Tantras and Stotras

Today I would like to share from a list of sources (which are currently available) which discuss and elaborately explain the Ganesha tattva. let us remember lord Ganesha, his glory on this auspicious day.Upanishads

1. Ganapati Atharvashirsha Upanishad

2. Ganesha tapini Upanishad

3.Vallabheshopanishad

4.Heramba Upanishad

are the upanishads that establish ganapati as the para brahman (supreme absolute god)

Puranas

1. Ganesha purana (also known as the bhargava purana)

2.mudgala purana

3. Ganesha Khanda of brahma vaivarta purana tell us about Ganesha

skanda mahapurana, shiva purana, varaha purana, agni purana, narada purana  and other puranas also contain texts  or even dedicated chapters to Ganapati. apart from these texts, mantra shastras and stotra sahitya (hymns) by various sages, saints and scholars praise the glory of lord Ganesha.

A tantra work called vainayaka tantra or vinayaka tantra also elaborately discuss Ganesha and the mode of worshiping his different forms. certain samhitas (of agamic or tantric tradition) like vashishta samhita and kumara samhita (describing specific forms of ganesha are also found.)  and fragments of rudrayamala tantra.

Adi Shankara bhagavad pada the great guru belonging to advaita doctrine has composed many hymns on Ganesha like Ganesha pancharatnam, Ganesha bhujanga prayata stotra, Ganapatya the tradition of worshiping Lord Ganesha as the supreme tattva has many more texts and philosophical aspects and explanations which are passed through in the tradition.

As you may already know I have published commentaries about

Ganesha pancharatnam - https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07BQWNSWK/ and

Ganesha sahasranama stotram with shree bhaskara rayas commentary  - https://www.amazon.in/Ganesha-Sahasranama.../dp/B07H9C12HW

Heramba Upanishad - https://www.amazon.in/Heramba-Upanishad-Koushik-K-ebook/dp/B08HHN8L62

Forms of Ganesha - https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B09RTLXD39/

Sankata Nashana Ganesha Stotra - https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B0BCH4FP4D/

Avvaiyar Iyatriya Vinayagar Agaval: ஔவையார் இயற்றி��� விநாயகர் அகவல் (Tamil Edition) - https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B09L1NGWCP/

Hundred and Eight Names of Ganesha: Vighneshwara Ashtottara Shatanama Stotra  - https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B0B7NWBKT4/

Runahara Ganesha Stotra : A Hymn on Ganesha for Removal of Debts and Loans  - https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B09FQ8Y8H6/

Hoping to write more on Ganesha and praying him to bless me  to accomplish it by his grace

Jaya Shree Ganesha

P.S: If you know about or have other traditional Sanskrit works which deal with Ganesha, Please do comment. Thank You

[authorkoushik]

Happy Deepavali - Let us all celebrate Light

Wish you a very happy and blissful deepavali dear readers!

In sanatana Dharma light is always celebrated and revered, light is synonymous to wisdom and happiness. Light indicates clarity and also the self.

शुभं करोति कल्याणम् आरोग्यम् धनसंपदा।

शत्रुबुद्धिविनाशाय दीपकाय नमोऽस्तु ते।।

śubhaṃ karoti kalyāṇam ārogyam dhanasaṃpadā.

śatrubuddhivināśāya dīpakāya namo'stu te..

 Salutations to you, the light of the lamp, the creator of auspiciousness, good health and wealth, the destroyer of the thought and feeling of enmity.

 Through this verse light is prayed to as the purest wisdom which takes away enmity and keeps everyone happy and prospering,

 दीपज्योतिः परब्रह्म दीपज्योतिर्जनार्दनः ।

दीपो हरतु मे पापं दीपज्योतिर्नमोऽस्तुते ॥

dīpajyotiḥ parabrahma dīpajyotirjanārdanaḥ .

dīpo haratu me pāpaṃ dīpajyotirnamo’stute ..

 The light of the lamp is the supreme absolute divinity. Lord Vishnu, May the light take away my sins, O light of the lamp May salutations be for you.

In this verse it is prayed to as the supreme lord non dual to the self and which is purifying in nature,  let us all celebrate our inner light.

तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय 

lead us from darkness to light

[authorkoushik]

Reasons Public Domain Images Are Better Than Creative Commons

Whether we are content writers or designers, we crave information and inspiration for our work. If we can get content or media to use in our work legally without hassles, it is a great opportunity to dive in. That is what Public domain images and creative commons images offer us. However, there are subtle differences between the two, which give room for comparison. Let us briefly understand the differences. Public domain works are those works whose copyright has expired and can be freely used by the public.  Creative commons is also a copyright license where ‘all the rights are not reserved’ like the traditional copyright license. Some rights are shared with the public. Which vary based on the license type.

Attribution

For public domain images, giving credits is not mandatory; though giving a credit to the artist is considered a good practice.  All the creative commons licenses require the user to give a credit to the artist. The act of giving a credit is called attribution according to the licenses’ legal terminology.  Some artists and writers avoid the usage of creative commons images in their works for the same reason.

Commercial use

Both public domain images and creative commons images can be used for commercial purposes. (i.e.) the users can use such images in their works and be able to sell them.  There are three creative commons image licenses namely Attribution-NonCommercial CC BY-NC, Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA, and Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs CC BY-NC-ND that prohibits commercial usage of any kind. Some experts in the field suggest that images under these licenses can be used in web content like blogs, YouTube videos etc., as long as the image the work is not sold.  For example, these images cannot be printed in a shirt or mug and put for sale but they can be used in blogs and websites, though they are monetized through ads. However, the expert opinions differ in this matter.  Public domain works doesn’t have any kind of restrictions on commercial use, hence if the user is sure that the work is in public domain, one can sell it with or without modification. 

Modification and derivation 

Public domain images can be modified, adapted and be used as a part of another work, creative commons NoDerivs licenses only allow the users to share the work or art as it is. They cannot be modified in anyway, both commercially and non-commercially. This is another disadvantage, which leads artists and writers to avoid certain creative commons images and videos because they will not be able to own it or make it their own work without modifying it.  It is to be noted that some CC licenses allow modification.  Attribution CC BY (allows modification even commercially).

License of derived work 

When you derive or adapt a work from creative commons images which allows commercial usage, the license of the derived work also falls in creative commons, meaning anyone can use your work for free by giving attribution to you, they do not need to pay any kind of royalty to you for selling those images. 

However, in the case of public domain images, the modified image is protected by copyright and no one else can use the modified version of the image designed by you without your permission. This is one of the main features, which attracts artists and designers toward public domain.  Let me quote a popular example here. 

Though everyone is free to copy, use the image of the Mona Lisa even commercially, the modified version of the same image (with mustache and hat) is protected by copyright and it is not considered a public domain work though it is a derivative work. 

How to find whether an image is under public domain

Though there are many advantages of using public domain works, determining that the work is under public domain becomes very crucial to stay out of any legal trouble.  The fact that copyright status of a work differs from country to country makes things more complex. 

In India, Copyright expires in 60 years after the death of the last author. Using popular works whose copyright status we know for sure, like paintings of Raja Ravi Varma for example, will be a safe play.

There are different websites, which lists such images 

https://www.pexels.com/public-domain-images/

https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/

However, most of the websites listing images determine the copyright status based on US Laws. 

Fun facts about public domain:

Public domain is called CC0 (creative commons 0) though it is not bound by the rules of any other CC licenses. 

CC0 license allows copyright owners to release their works with no restrictions. Hence, CC0 is free of copyright protection.

Some questions regarding Creative commons answered

What is the best way to use creative commons to your advantage? 

Many popular artists may release their work under creative commons, in that case, using their work along with your content can be a good strategy, and its attribution can serve as a factor which drives traffic to your content. 

Another place to use such content would be on social media, you can include hashtags related to the artist to bring more eyeballs to your posts and you may even tag them with a thank you note in some cases. 

Where to find creative commons content?

https://wordpress.org/openverse/ is a good place to search for creative commons content from valid sources. 

 Flickr has a filter to find only creative commons images. Visit https://www.flickr.com/creativecommons/

To summarize, both public domain and creative commons licenses have their own advantages for different kinds of usage. However, in the opinion of the experts, public domain images are far more advantageous for creating derivative works or for selling the works as they are. Secondly, public domain status of a work is determined based on the law posed by the governments that varies from country to country, but creative common status is willfully granted by the original author or creator of the work. Though public domain is better, the generosity of authors who keep creative commons alive deserve great appreciation. 

[authorkoushik]

A Prayer for Safe and Successful Travel from Sundara Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana

In sundara khanda of valmiki ramayana, Valmiki describes what hanuman did  and whom hanuman prayed before making his mind to cross the ocean 

 स सूर्याय महेन्द्राय पवनाय स्वयंभुवे। भूतेभ्यश्चाञ्जलिं कृत्वा चकार गमने मतिम्।।5.1.8।।

sa sūryāya mahendrāya pavanāya svayambhuve.

bhūtebhyaścāñjaliṃ kṛtvā cakāra gamane matim..5.1.8..

 He (Hanuman) joined his hands in reverence and offered salutation to sun god, Mahendra, air God (Vaayu), Brahma the creator, the five great elements and all the beings. Then he made up his mind for the travel. 

 This verse from Valmiki Ramayana becomes a perfect prayer verse, a powerful mantra that can be chanted by us devotees for safe and successful travel and to accomplish the tasks for which we travel.

 This becomes a great prayer for two reasons, remembering the glorious deed of hanuman prayer to gods and crossing the ocean earns us the blessings of hanuman and we are granted with protection and success.

 The second reason is the gods hanuman prayed to protect us and ensure success and safety.

 In this article, we are going to discuss both these aspects.

 Contemplating on how hanuman devotedly prayed to various gods and made a strong resolution to go (and reach lanka) his destination to find Mother seetha, helps us set a strong positive mind and attain confidence in self and in god, just like lord hanuman.

 Generally also remembering hanuman blesses us with intellect, strength, glory, bravery, fearlessness, health and all good qualities.

 This verse reminds us that even the mighty hanuman surrendered himself to god and became a tool of god to accomplish the great task. This teaches us humility and makes our mind calm and helps us surrender to the higher power and become its tool, and because of that everything happens well.

 Now let us discuss the glory of the gods discussed in this verse and let us see how they bless us during travel and when starting any new endeavor.

 sa – he

 sūryāya - to sūrya, the sun god. Surya is the god who rules our intellect and impels wisdom in us,

 One who impels and inspires the living beings into performing their duties. Surya also means the omnipresent supreme god who resides inside every stationary and mobile object.

 One who creates rain through his light and one who is the reason behind creation of food grains for all the beings.

 mahendrāya – to mahendra, the king of all gods. Indra means he who leads,

 The lord of the clouds, rain and lightning. Mahendra means the greatest indra, one who is the leader of all other leaders.

 He who leads and directs everyone into their duties.  Indra also means one who has the power to control.

Indra represents strength

 pavanāya – to the wind god,

 pavana also means Clean, pure

 pavana refers to vital air, breath

 purifier (wind);

 परितो दुरितानि यः पुनीते सः

 parito duritāni yaḥ punīte saḥ

 he who completely purifies us from our sins.

 pavana represents speed and vital energies

 svayambhuve- to brahma, the creator

 The creator represents the cosmic power, which is, present everywhere

 If the creator is with us, the creations cannot be against us as the creator can always overpower the creations when needed.

 bhūtebhyah – to the bhutas, the word bhutas gives many meanings, in this context, two prominent meanings can be taken,

 The five great elements, the beings

 Here we can understand that surya is the greatest fire (source of light and heat), indra is strength and is invoked by the prithivi beeja hence he represents earth, he is the lord of rain, so he also represents water, pavana is the wind god, brahma the creator represents ether. Hence, the word bhootebhyah indicates that hanuman prays to fire, earth, water, wind and ether by prayer to these gods.

 When we pray to the five elements and seek their blessings, we are protected from calamities that can occur because of these great elements,

 If we study the chapter of hanuman crossing the ocean, it can be noted that hanuman climbed mountains (which constitutes of earth). he crossed the ocean jumping and floating in the wind, he used the sky as his path way, he crossed the ocean (made of water) the was protected when his tail was set on fire by the orders of king of Lanka.

 All the five elements helped him, guarded him and gave way to him.

 Now let us discuss the meaning for the word bhuta by taking the meaning beings.

 Hanuman being an accomplished devotee of lord rama, sees rama in all the beings as the omnipresent supreme lord hence he folds his palms together in reverence to the supreme lord residing in all the beings.

 Hanuman is one such perfect devotee who experiences the presence of the lord in everyone and everything. This is the highest level of devotion that has been expressed by hanuman through this prayer, hence we can also conclude that in surya, mahendra, pavana and svayambhu, and all the other beings he sees lord rama and he knows that all of them are forms of rama himself. Hence, he bows to them all with utmost devotion and respect.

 ca – and

 añjaliṃ - having folded palms (in reverence)

 kṛtvā – after doing

 cakāra – did

 gamane matim – resolution to go,

 After bowing in reverence to the mentioned gods, he made an auspicious conviction in his mind to go and reach lanka.

 We after praying to the mentioned deities and to hanuman, must make an auspicious conviction in our mind that we shall reach our goal by the blessing of the gods and our right efforts.

 Now let us discuss why the above mentioned deities are prayed before travel.

 During travel, we need to plan, take decisions, find new ways. Lord surya is the sarva-sakshi all witness, he sees all, he is the god who impels wisdom in us and helps us take the right decisions. He is the one who always travels with us during the day, wherever we go, hence he is our guide and companion during travel.  By praying to sun god, we are also protected from his heat. His heat and light protects us and not makes us tired.

 Travel requires strength and efforts, whether in olden days or in present day context, we go to different places, we walk we travel by various modes. This requires strength, indra is the lord of  physical strength. If the travel is an adventure, then we may even face unknown dangers, which requires strength.  Indra is the leader, if we are traveling, we may have to interact, lead, organize and co ordinate, hence indra is prayed to.

 Travel and speed are always correlated, wind god blesses us with speed. Pavana also means one who purifies; he blesses us to help us maintain our internal and external purity and cleanliness though we may be put through different situations during travel.

 The svaymbhu, the creator lord, is prayed to so that all his creations be favorable to us and not hindrance or afflict in any way.

 The whole world is made of  five elements, all the energy we get are in the form of fire elements food (earth) water, air,  heat (fire) etc. all the natural calamities are outcomes of imbalance or change in the five elements. By praying to them we are blessed with strength and energy and we are protected from various dangers that is an outcome of weather.

 The second meaning to bhutebhyah is all the beings, the life forms, by seeing the supreme god in all beings and bowing to them in reverence, the supreme one residing inside every being blesses us and everything becomes favorable to us.

 By praying to all these deities we receive complete protection and auspiciousness. We are blessed with everything we need for a pleasant, swift, enjoyable and safe travel.

 Though this shloka is recommended or prescribed to be chanted before traveling, this shloka can also be chanted before starting new endeavors or taking action for achieving goals.

[authorkoushik]

Patneem Manoramam Dehi... - A Prayer for Marriage

Today we will discuss about a prayer seeking a good life partner, or in other words a prayer for marriage. The prayer is address to goddess durga.

 The verse is

 पत्नीं मनोरमां देहि मनोवृत्तानुसारिणीम्।

तारिणींदुर्गसं सारसागरस्य कुलोभ्दवाम् ||

 patnīṃ manoramāṃ dehi manovṛttānusāriṇīm.

tāriṇīndurgasaṃ sārasāgarasya kulobhdavām ||

 This verse is from the argala stotra and it can be chanted as a separate mantra to pray for a good wife / or husband.

 When the girls are using this mantra they can either chant the same and ask for a good husband to the goddess

 Or if they wish, they can change the gender given in the verse as below

 We must note that though the verse prays for a wife, the qualities of the wife listed in the verse is gender neutral, hence the girls who are praying to the goddess for a good husband change change the shloka as shown below.

 पतिं मनोरमं देहि मनोवृत्तानुसारिणं

तारिणं दुर्गसंसारसागरस्य कुलोद्भवं

patiṃ manoramaṃ dehi manovṛttānusāriṇaṃ

tāriṇaṃ durgasaṃ sārasāgarasya kulodbhavaṃ

 Now let us discuss the meaning of the verse

 पत्नीं मनोरमां देहि मनोवृत्तानुसारिणीम्।

तारिणींदुर्गसंसारसागरस्य कुलोभ्दवाम् ||

 patnīṃ manoramāṃ dehi manovṛttānusāriṇīm.

tāriṇīṃ durgasaṃsārasāgarasya kulobhdavām ||

 patnīṃ   - wife

 manoramāṃ - who is gratifying the mind, attractive, pleasant, charming, beautiful

manoramā means pleasing, delighting, rejoicing, and dear to the mind.

 या मन आनन्दयति सा

yā mana ānandayati sā

She who makes your mind and heart happy.

 यस्याः दर्शनं भावं च शोभनं वर्तते वा

Whose presence and appearance is beautiful, pleasant and auspicious

 She who is pleasing to me , so dear to me that she makes my life beautiful by her mere presence,  one who is dear to me in all states and situations of life, a person who is always lovable by me. She who is always beautiful for me, and attractive to my mind by her appearance, thoughts, characteristics and qualities.

 In other words, someone who I can love equally as I love myself (in all conditions) someone who makes my mind happier naturally by being herself.

dehi  - give

 manovṛttānusāriṇīm. - Who is in accordance with my mana (mind) and vṛtta (action, mode of life, conduct, behaviour) in other words we can interpret as who is in sync with my thought and action.  

This word can be interpreted as one who supports and participates with me in my thoughts and actions, which are good, having similar values and ideals, and core believes.  Who respects and rejoices my thoughts and actions being in-line with them,  who understands well the reasons of my thoughts and actions and also help and participate in my thoughts and actions through discussions and

tāriṇīn durgasaṃsārasāgarasya  - she who rescues, saves, helps to pass over, Helps through the difficulties of  the ocean of mundane life cycle and worldliness which is very difficult to pass through and go over.

She who helps us float through the ocean of worldly difficulties like a helmswoman giving her hands in help to us all the time.

 Meaning she who always extends her supports to sail together the difficulties of the world as a duo

 She who encourages, supports my spiritual endeavours, and practices which can liberate us from the ocean of mundane cycle of birth, life and death.

 A true everlasting companion who stands by my side to make life beautiful pass through all difficulties of life.

kulobhdavām – who is born in a good lineage.

 न कुलं कुलमित्याहुराचारः कुलमुच्यते

na kulaṃ kulamityāhurācāraḥ kulamucyate

 kula doesn’t mean a cast, community or creed  but kula represents good conduct which is a result of a good upbringing and  good surrounding (association with the righteous people, people of high values, morals and conduct)

[authorkoushik]

A Mantra of Mrutyunjaya Shiva for a Healthy Long Life Explianed

मृत्युंजायाय रुद्राय नीलकंठाय शंभवे l

अमृतेशाय शर्वाय महादेवाय ते नम: ll

 mṛtyuñjāyāya rudrāya nīlakaṇṭhāya śambhave l

amṛteśāya śarvāya mahādevāya te nama: ll

 mṛtyuñjāyāya – to mṛtyuñjāya

 Mruthyu - death

Jaya - one who wins

One who has won death. One who wins the death of his devotees. (i.e.) one who stops death from touching his devotees.

यस्मिम् युक्ता ऋषयो देवताश्च तमेव ज्ञात्वा मृत्युपाशान्छिनत्ति

yasmim yuktā ṛṣayō dēvatāṡca tamēva jñātvā mṛtyupāṡānchinatti

In whom the devas and rishis are always connected by understanding him one cuts all the bonds of death.

Here the lord gives us victory over death in two ways. The lord protects us from diseases, injuries and other harms and protects us from akaalamrutyu (death in young age)

The lord teaches us the wisdom of self-realization and makes us realize the fact that we are not body, mind or senses. Our true self is in no way attached with the body and is not affected when the body is affected. We are the part of that limitless brahman (so we are limitless) we have no separate identity from god. We are non-dual to him.

चन्द्रोपरिष्ठात्संबद्धपद्मासनविराजितं

चन्द्रवर्णं स्रवद्दिव्यामृतचन्द्रकलाधरं

योगमुद्रैकसंबद्धाधरहस्तद्वयान्वितं

अमृतापूर्णकनककलशाप्तकरद्वयं

सोमसूर्याग्निनेत्रं च बद्धपिङ्गजटाधरं

नागाभरणसंभूषं नागयग्योपवीतिनं

व्याघ्रचर्मांबरधरं देवं भक्तानुकंपिनं

भस्मानुलेपिनं रुद्रं मृत्युञ्जयमिमं समरेत्

 candropariṣṭhātsaṃbaddhapadmāsanavirājitaṃ

candravarṇaṃ sravaddivyāmṛtacandrakalādharaṃ

yogamudraikasaṃbaddhādharahastadvayānvitaṃ

amṛtāpūrṇakanakakalaśāptakaradvayaṃ

somasūryāgninetraṃ ca baddhapiṅgajaṭādharaṃ

nāgābharaṇasaṃbhūṣaṃ nāgayagyopavītinaṃ

vyāghracarmāṃbaradharaṃ devaṃ bhaktānukaṃpinaṃ

bhasmānulepinaṃ rudraṃ mṛtyuñjayamimaṃ samaret

He is seated upon the moon orbit in the posture of padmāsana. (lotus posture) he bears a half moon on his crest from which the amruta leaks. His lower two hands are joined in a yogic posture. His upper two hands are holding golden pot filled with amruta. He has moon, sun and fire as his three eyes. He has long twisted locks of hair which are knotted. He wears serpents as his ornaments and a serpent as his sacred thread (yagyopavita) he wears tiger skin and is very kind to devotees. He wears the holy ash all over his body. Such rudra the mrutyunjaya should be remembered.

rudrāya  -  to rudra

 Rud - sorrow, pain, obstruct, disease, grief,

Dra-  to drive away

 रुत् दुखं दुखहेतुरज्ञानं च द्रावयतीति रुद्र:

rut dukhaṃ dukhahēturajñānaṃ ca drāvayatīti rudra:

 in vāyu samhitā

 रुद्दुखं दुखहेतुर्वा तद्द्रवयति न: प्रभु:

रुद्र इत्युच्यते तस्मात् शिव: परमकारणम्

 ruddukhaṃ dukhahēturvā taddravayati na: prabhu:

rudra ityucyatē tasmāt ṡiva: paramakāraṇam

rud means sorrow and the reason of sorrow. Lord drives it away and hence he is known as rudra. The lord rectifies the pain and also the reason for all pains which is ignorance. The lord blesses us with wisdom and permanently solves all our troubles.

 in harivamsha

 रुद्रो देवो रोदनाद्द्रावणाचच

rudrō dēvō rōdanāddrāvaṇācaca

The lord is named rudra for he makes us cry and he also because drives away pains.  It may be surprising that it is written that the lord makes us cry. We know about the limitless compassion and kindness of the lord but he also punishes us to correct our mistakes so he is said to make us cry.

Rudra the destroyer - a form of Shiva is also referred here.

रोदयत्यन्तकाले सर्वं इति रुद्र:

rōdayatyantakālē sarvaṃ iti rudra:

 rudra is one who destroys the worlds and gives death to beings in the end .

 सूर्यात्मा भगवान् देव: सर्वदेवविभूतिद:

रुद्र इत्युच्यते देवैर्भगवान् भुक्तिमुक्तिद:

- लैङ्गे

 sūryātmā bhagavān dēva: sarvadēvavibhūtida:

rudra ityucyatē dēvairbhagavān bhuktimuktida:

- laiṅgē

 Lord who is in the center of the sun who gives powers to all other gods is called as rudra by the gods. He is bhagavān. He is the giver of all kinds of comforts, joy and pleasures and liberation

रुजं द्रावयतीति रुद्र:

rujaṃ drāvayatīti rudra:

 One who drives away diseases is called rudra.

 The group of eleven rudras are also called as rudra ghana (collective rudras)

 They are shambhu, pinaaki, girisha, sthanu, bharga, sadaashiva, shiva, hara ,sharva ,kapaali, bhava as given in shaivagamas. Quoted in the book shri tatva nidhi.

 This name is praised in the Vedas

  नमस्ते रुद्र मन्यवे

namastē rudra manyavē

 रुद्र यतते दक्षिणं मुखं

rudra yatatē dakṣiṇaṃ mukhaṃ

 इमा रुद्राय

imā rudrāya

 रुद्राय तीरसदे नम:

rudrāya tīrasadē nama:

 nīlakaṇṭhāya – to nīlakaṇṭha

the blue necked lord

nīla – blue

Kanta - neck

One who has poison in his neck

One whose neck is decorated with the venom of hālāhala. The dark blue mark of the venom which would be generally considered ugly also adds elegance to him.

 śambhave  -  to shambhu

Sham means changeless bliss (eternal bliss). 

One who creates eternal bliss is shambhu.

Shambhu means shivamkara - one who does good. One who blesses with bliss, pleasance.

One who helps us attain sham - eternal bliss. One who directs us towards eternal bliss. One who is the primal source of eternal bliss. One who is the birth place of all goodness, pleasance and bliss.

One who is in the form of bliss or happiness we get. One who is the embodiment of eternal bliss.

Upanishads say that all kinds of happiness that we experience or feel are only a glimpse of the eternal happiness that is non dual to our own true self.

आनन्दं ब्रम्हणो रूपं

ānandaṃ bramhaṇō rūpaṃ 

eternal bliss is the form of brahman

आनन्द आत्मा

ānanda ātmā

Real self is eternal bliss.

 amṛteśāya – to amṛteśa

 the lord of the death stopping nectar of the gods. The lord of elixir which puts a stop to death.

 śarvāya –  to śarva

 One who destroys everything in the end.

 Sharva is one of the eight important forms of lord Shiva. This name is also praised in the Vedas in Aghora mahā mantra. He is the one who bears us in the form of earth.

 His name is praised in the Vedas.

 सर्वत: शर्वसर्वेभ्य:

sarvata: ṡarvasarvēbhya:

 Verse of contemplation of the form sharva as given in shritattvanidhi

 तिसृणांच पुरांहन्ता कृतान्तमदभन्जनः

खड्गपाणिस्तीक्ष्णदम्ष्ट्रः शर्वाख्योस्तु मुदे मम

tisṛṇāṃca purāṃhantā

kṛtāntamadabhanjanaḥ

khaḍgapāṇistīkṣṇadamṣṭraḥ

śarvākhyostu mude mama

 He who has destroyed the three cities, he who has destroyed the pride of Yama the god of death, he who holds a sword on his hand and have sharp fang like teeth, may that sharva be for my happiness.  

 mahādevāya - to mahādeva

 The greatest of the gods.

 Vedas praise this quality of Shiva.

 तमीश्वराणां परमं महेश्वरं तं देवतानां परमं च दैवतं

tamīṡvarāṇāṃ paramaṃ mahēṡvaraṃ taṃ dēvatānāṃ paramaṃ ca daivataṃ

The greatness of Shiva is that everyone (even the gods) worship him and he controls and commands everyone

 in sāmba purāna, his greatness is described.

 पूज्य��े स सुरै: सर्वैर्महांश्चैव प्रमाणात:

धातुर्महेति पूजायां महादेवस्तत: स्मृत:

pūjyatē sa surai: sarvairmahāṃṡcaiva pramāṇāta:

dhāturmahēti pūjāyāṃ mahādēvastata: smṛta:

 He is worshiped by all the gods, the root word mahā means to worship and hence he is known as mahādēva.

 सहस्राक्षोयुताक्षो वा सर्वतोक्ष इवेक्षते

यच्च विश्वं महत्पाति महादेवस्ततस्मृत:

 sahasrākṣōyutākṣō vā sarvatōkṣa ivēkṣatē

yacca viṡvaṃ mahatpāti mahādēvastatasmṛta:

 He is the all-seeing eyes like he has thousand ten thousand or infinite eyes. He protects the whole universe and hence he is called Mahaadeva.

 This is the lord Shiva’s form which blesses is in the form of moon.

 आप्याययति यो नित्यं अमृतांशुर्निशाकर:

महादेवस्य सामूर्तिर्महादेव समाह्वया

- शिव पुराणे

āpyāyayati yō nityaṃ amṛtāṃṡurniṡākara:

mahādēvasya sāmūrtirmahādēva samāhvayā

- ṡiva purāṇē

 He who pleases us with his nectarous rays of light, that moon is of form of Shiva known by the name mahādēva

 This name is praised in the Vedas

 तत्पुरुषाय विद्महे महादेवाय धीमहि तन्नो रुद्र: प्रचोदयात्

tatpuruṣāya vidmahē mahādēvāya dhīmahi tannō rudra: pracōdayāt

 Verse of contemplation of mahādēva as given in devata murti prakaranam

 चि���्रवस्त्रधरं देवं चित्रयग्योपवीतिनं

चित्ररूपं महेशानं चित्रैश्वर्यसमन्वितं

चतुर्बाहुं चैकवक्त्रं सर्वालङ्कारभूषितं

खड्गं चापं शरं खेटं शशाङ्ककृतशेखरं

 citravastradharaṃ devaṃ citrayagyopavītinaṃ

citrarūpaṃ maheśānaṃ citraiśvaryasamanvitaṃ

caturbāhuṃ caikavaktraṃ sarvālaṅkārabhūṣitaṃ

khaḍgaṃ cāpaṃ śaraṃ kheṭaṃ śaśāṅkakṛtaśekharaṃ

 The lord of the gods, the greatest of the lords, who has a wonderful appearance, wonderful powers, four hands and one head, he is adorned with all kinds of ornaments and decorations, is holding sword, bow, arrow, and shield. Bearing the moon on his crest.

 te – to you

 namah – salutation

 salutation to you who is the conqueror of death (mrutyunjaya), destroyer of all sorrows (rudra), the blue necked lord (neelakantha) the birth place of all goodness (shambhu), the lord of amruta (amrutesha) the all destroyer (sharva) the greatest of gods (mahadeva)