Sunday, May 6, 2007

Shivopasana Mantras

शिवोपासनामन्त्र

निधनपतये नमःनिधनपतान्तिकाये नमःऊर्ध्वाये नमःऊर्ध्वालिड्गाये नमःहिरण्याये नमःहिरण्यलिङ्गाये नमःसुवर्णाये नमः । सुवर्णलिङ्गाये नमःदिव्याये नमःदिव्यलिङ्गाये नमःभवाये नमःभवलिङ्गाये नमःशर्वाये नमःशर्वलिङ्गाये नमःशिवायेनमःशिवलिङ्गाये नमःज्वलाये नमःज्वललिङ्गाये नमःआत्माये नमःआत्मलिङ्गाये नमःपरमाये नमःपरमलिङ्गाये नमःएतत सोमस्य सूर्यस्य सर्वलिङ्गस्थापयति पाणिमन्त्रं पवित्रम् ।।

nidhana-pataye namaH | nidhana-patAntikAye namaH | UrdhvAye namaH | Urdhvali.ngAye namaH | hiraNyAye namaH | hiraNyali.ngAye namaH | suvarNAye namaH | suvarNali.ngAye namaH | divyAye namaH | divyali.ngAye namaH | bhavAye namaH | bhavali.ngAye namaH | Sarvaye namaH | Sarvali.ngAye namaH | SivAye namaH | Sivali.ngAye namaH | jvalAye namaH | jvalali.ngAye namaH | AtmAye namaH | Atmali.ngAye namaH | paramAye namaH | paramali.ngAye namaH | etat somasya sUryasya sarvali.ngasthApayati pANimantraM pavitram ||

Salutations to the Lord, the Dissolver of the Universe. Salutations to Lord, the Ender of the Lord of Dissolution. Salutations to the Highest One. Salutations to the Highest Icon the Lord. Salutations to the Golden One. Salutations to the Golden Icon the Lord. Salutations to the Splendrous One. Salutations to the Splendrous Icon the Lord. Salutations to the Effulgent One. Salutations to the Effulgent Icon of the Lord. Salutations to the Source of All (outflow at creation). Salutations to the Icon of the Lord, the Source of All. Salutations to the Suppressor of All (inflow at dissolution). Salutations to the Icon the Lord, the Suppressor of All. Salutations to the Auspicious One. Salutations to the Auspicious Icon of the Lord. Salutations to Brilliant. Salutations to the Brilliant Icon of the Lord. Salutations to the Soul of All. Salutations the Icon of the Lord, the Soul of All. Salutations to the Supreme One. Salutations the Supreme Icon of the Lord. All is purified upon repetition of these mantras holding in the hand the Linga Icon, which represents Soma and Surya.

~ Mahanarayana Upanishad (XVI.1-2) of the Krsna Yajurveda
(Taittiriya Aranyaka X.16.1-2 of the Krsna Yajurveda)
-----o-----

The above comes to us from the Taittiriya Aranyaka (X.16.1-2) of the Krsna Yajurveda. Since the tenth chapter of the Taittiriya Aranyaka is called the Mahanarayana Upanishad (or Yajniki Upanishad), it is equally correct to say that these mantras come from the Mahanarayana Upanishad. The above mantras are called the Shivopasana Mantras (mantras for worship of Shiva), and are recited at the end of the chanting of the Sri Rudram hymn. What is most interesting about this above passage is the final mantra in the series. Two important points are made in the final mantra: the image of holding Linga icon in the hand; and that the Linga icon represents Soma (Moon) and Surya (Sun). Holding the small Ishtalinga icon in the palm of the hand is an important part of daily Vira Shaiva puja. Whether the above has any connection to Vira Shaivism is not known. More importantly, what the last mantra shows is that iconic (murti) worship is present in this Upanishad, and the murti is said to be representative. What does it represent? Soma and Surya. In Tantric texts, one finds that Soma stands for Shakti, and Surya stands for Shiva. The Linga icon, therefore, is the Oneness of Shakti and Shiva. This passage from the Mahanarayana Upanishad establishes using Vedic mantras the worship of the Shiva Linga icon, and briefly elaborates its meaning using Vedic imagery.

More to come on Shiva-Shakti and Shiva Linga icon in future posts.

|| नमः शिवाय ||

© Agnideva, 2007

6 comments:

tat_tvam_asi said...

Great! Thanks a lot. Nice blog.

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing this translation.
Namo Namah

Anonymous said...

thank u very much....

Unknown said...

Thanks for showing the meanings and little intro to understand

Unknown said...

Thank you so much, I can learn easily using your mantra

Unknown said...

Thanks
For translation of English
And for this mantra which i wanted to learn
It is very useful for me

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