parisEshaNa mantram

[Guest guest]

Dear members,

adiyEn's namaskArams.

I would like to know the meaning and the import of the parisEshaNa mantrams,

that we recite before having food in the day and in the night. I am not sure if

this has been posted in this list anytime.

Many years back, someone made a sarcastic comment before me (but not

targetting me) while we were having food in a restaurant where food was served

on a table. The comment was that " parisEshaNam is for keeping away ants and

other insects around the plate.. But some people out of ignorance do

parisEshaNam even when eating on a table.." . At that time I wasn't sure what he

was talking about and so couldn't defend. Later I came to realise that the

tradition has a spiritual intent rather than what the naive comment above means.

I request experts like Sri Anbil, Sri Sadagopan, Sri M.G.Vasudevan and other

erudite members to please provide this.

 

adiyEn,

chandrasekaran.

[Guest guest]

Dear Shri Chandrasekaran:

 

I will share a little bit of what I know and have been able to retain from

what I have learned under the lotus feet of Navalpakkam Swamigal on

pariseshana mantras.

 

First you address the food "AsmAkam nityam astu Etat"

 

1. Om Bhurbhuvasuvaha: Sarva sAdhArana Prokshana Mantram for purifying the

food

 

2. Satyam tvA ruthEna ParishinchAmi: Here the food is addressed as satyam.

I encircle you with 'rutham'. These two words are often used in vEdAs. For

eg. Brhma Yagnyam etc., In the evening the address is reversed. I recall

the meaning of rutham as righteousness. Learned members please correct me.

3. amruta upastaranam asi; Be a 'lining' to the amrutam(i.e. the food)

4. amruta abhidAnam asi: Be a 'lid or cover' to the amrutam.

 

I am sure learned members will be able to add more on what adiyEn has been

able to provide and I will look forward to more info on this subject.

 

dAsan

Vijayaraghavan

____

[Guest guest]

Bhojana kramam - Pariseshanam, prANAhoothi et al - Part 1 of 2

 

All of you may know about this, I'll share what I've been taught. Please

add/modify if I missed any.

 

1) Wash your feet and palms and perform aachamanam.

 

2) After the rice and ghee are served, sprinkle little water on the food

while chanting the following mantra, inorder to do nivedhanam to

Bhagawan who resides in you as an antharyAmi.

Om antharyAmiNE nama:

 

3) In your right palm, have some water, and put it around your leaf(or plate)

in clockwise direction and chant the following mantra.

Om bhurbhuvassuva:

 

4) Do the following nyasam.

prANAgnihotramanthrasya bhrahmA rushi: (touch top of the head)

anushtup cchandha: (touch the tip of the nose)

vaishvAnarAgnirdevathA (touch the heart)

prANAgnihotrE viniyOgha: (both the palms together do the

semicircular motion starting from outside towards you)

 

5) In your right palm, have some water, and put it around your leaf(or plate) in

 

clockwise direction and chant the following mantra.

sathyam thvarthEna parishinchAmi (during the day)

rutham thvA sathyEna parishinchAmi (during the night)

 

6) Then partially lift the top left corner of the leaf or you could touch the

plate.

Use only the thumb, index finger and middle finger of the left hand. You can

skip

this step if perumAL theertham is self-served.

 

7) Request for the perumAL theertham to be served. First, sprinkle the

theertham

onto the food. Second, hold the perumal theertham(pAdhyam). Don't have yet,

wait until the theertham is served for all.

 

8) Chant the following manthra and then have the theertham without noise.

amruthOpastharaNamasi

 

9) Then perform the following prANAhoothi. Use only the thumb, index finger

and middle finger of the right hand and take a very little amount of the rice

and ghee

mixed and swallow it without touching the teeth.

Om prANAya svAhA (east)

Om apAnAya svAhA (south)

Om vyAnAya svAhA (west)

Om udhAnAya svAhA (north)

Om samAnAya svAhA (center)

Om bhrahmaNE svAhA (center)

Om bhrahmaNi mama AthmamruthathvAya (center)

SriGovindhAya nama:

 

10) Now, switch the one you are holding with left hand to right hand. Request

to

serve water to purify your left hand at that corner.

 

11) Until you come to this point don't have anything other than what you had

during parisEshanam.

 

12) Have thrupthi bhOjanam.

 

13) Have what you need to (food, fruits, water etc) before the utthara bhojanam.

 

14) utthara bhojanam. Request for the perumAL theertham to be served. Hold the

 

perumal theertham(pAdhyam). Don't have yet, wait until the theertham is served

for all.

Chant the following manthra and then have half what was served.

amruthApidhAnamasi

 

15) And pour the rest around the leaf while chanting the following.

rauravE apuNyanilayE padmarbudha nivAsinAm |

arththinAmudhakam dhaththam akshayyamupathishtathu ||

 

16) Then, gargle 16 times, wash your feet and perform the Achmanam twice.

 

--- continued to Part 2.

 

adiyen rAmAnuja dAsan,

srirAm

 

 

 

Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan wrote:

> Dear Shri Chandrasekaran:

>

> I will share a little bit of what I know and have been able to retain from

> what I have learned under the lotus feet of Navalpakkam Swamigal on

> pariseshana mantras.

>

> First you address the food "AsmAkam nityam astu Etat"

>

> 1. Om Bhurbhuvasuvaha: Sarva sAdhArana Prokshana Mantram for purifying the

> food

>

> 2. Satyam tvA ruthEna ParishinchAmi: Here the food is addressed as satyam.

> I encircle you with 'rutham'. These two words are often used in vEdAs. For

> eg. Brhma Yagnyam etc., In the evening the address is reversed. I recall

> the meaning of rutham as righteousness. Learned members please correct me.

> 3. amruta upastaranam asi; Be a 'lining' to the amrutam(i.e. the food)

> 4. amruta abhidAnam asi: Be a 'lid or cover' to the amrutam.

>

> I am sure learned members will be able to add more on what adiyEn has been

> able to provide and I will look forward to more info on this subject.

>

> dAsan

> Vijayaraghavan

> ____

>

> ------

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[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/13/00 2:54:20 PM Eastern Standard Time,

vchandra writes:

 

<< I would like to know the meaning and the import of the parisEshaNa

mantrams, that we recite before having food in the day and in the night>>

 

Both Sri Vijayaraghavan and Sriram have explained "What" should be recited

and "How" the procedure should be observed in great detail.

 

But, the point raised is not addressed viz.

<<Many years back, someone made a sarcastic comment before me (but not

targeting me) while we were having food in a restaurant where food was served

on a table. The comment was that "parisEshaNam" is for keeping away ants and

other insects around the plate.. But some people out of ignorance do

parisEshaNam even when eating on a table.." >>

 

There is no reference in our scriptures. to taking food on a table or eating

out at a restaurant or eating from a plate (stainless steel or paper plate /

Paper cup etc) From SwAmi DEsika's AahAra Niyamam, we know that these are

definitely taboo.

 

Though most of our customs have some spiritual import, they also do have some

mundane purpose like the one commented viz, to ward off insects, ants etc

which may contaminate the food on the leaf.

 

In fact, we seem to specialize in doing what should not be done "akritya

karaNam" and abandoning what should be done "kritya akaraNam" not only in the

matter of eating but also in all our activities whether we are in the

PuNyabhoomi of BhAratha Varsha or in the BhOgabhoomi like USA.and in an alien

environment.

 

This raises more questions than answers.

 

But, why do we do precisely what has been prohibited?

It is because we have given up our duties prescribed (Including this one, let

alone doing our nitya and naimittika anushtAnams). No wonder, we have become

the butt-end of such remarks.

 

Why have we given up?

It is because our elders instructed us on "what" and "how" they had not cared

to explain the "Why" of it all. We also never cared to question either out of

apathy or fear. And, we remained non-starters throughout.

 

When we ourselves do not know, how can we guide youngsters?

 

One practical answer, however, is that as a first step, we should make a

conscious effort to avoid such habits but if it is clearly not possible and

we are forced by circumstances, we should at least feel remorse and regret

called "PaschAthApam". We are told that this is a kind of "ParihAram" though

not regularizing or sanctioning a misdemeanor.

 

May be, other erudite scholars in the group may be able to offer better

solutions for this dilemma.

 

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Chandrasekharan,

 

There is actually philosophical significance to

the parisecana and prANAhuti mantras.

 

1) Parisecana

-------------

 

As Sri Vijayaraghavan has explained, after we sit down

for our meal, we say the mantra:

 

satyam tvartena parishincAmi

 

(O Food! You are True. I encircle you with

divine righteousness.)

 

and we circumambulate our food with a sprinkling of water.

This sprinkling of water is known as "parisecana".

 

At night, this mantra is 'Rtam tvA satyena parishincAmi',

transposing the 'Rtam' and 'satyam'.

 

I am not sure of the exact philosophical details as to

why Vaidikas do this particular part, but I can surmise one

meaning from the mantra. "Satya" means that which is real

or true. "Rta" is a notion of the Divine Law or moral principle.

The term "Rta" is often found in the Rg Veda, and it is

from this that the idea of "dharma" later evolved.

>From this we can gather that the parisecana mantra is sort of a

formulaic "protection" for the food we are about to eat.

Practically, it does also serve to ward off insects, etc.,

and perhaps this is another reason why the ritual developed

in this particular form.

 

2) prANAhuti -- the offering to the vital breaths

----------------

 

The next step is the part of greater philosophical significance.

Recall that in the Vedic tradition, every act eventually becomes

an act of worship, an act of recognition of the pervasiveness of

the Supreme Brahman and Its power.

 

When we eat, we nourish our bodies. Food is therefore essential

for bodily sustenance. Within our body is the "ana" or

vital breath. The "ana" has five activities or "prANa-s".

The five prANa-s represent the various bodily functions that are

critical for survival. They are considered a manifestation

of the power of the Supreme in the bodily plane.

 

[ It is almost a universal cultural idiom to recognize breath

as the vital force behind life. In English, when someone dies

they are said to have "breathed their last". In Tamil,

the word "ushir" or "uyir" can mean both breath or life. ]

 

The idea is that by first making an offering to the prANa-s,

we pay homage to their life-giving power by virtue of their

performing the bodily activities that are crucial to our

survival. In this way, this ritual recognizes that not

only is food important to survival, but the very bodily

functions that we take for granted are essential, and we

owe all of this to the Supreme, who sits as the superintending

power behind all bodily activity, no matter how mundane.

 

The vital breaths or "prANa-s" are five in number. The latter

four are derived from the first. They are:

 

prANa -- the principal breath

apAna -- responsible for excretory activity

samAna -- responsible for digestive activity

vyAna -- responsible for circulatory activity

udAna -- respiratory activity

 

This act of thanksgiving to God who through these bodily

functions sustains life is done by saying the following

mantras, and eating a little bit of rice and ney (ghee)

without chewing it (because, after all, the food is an

offering, not meant for personal consumption):

 

om prANAya svAhA

om apAnAya svAhA

om vyAnAya svAhA

om udAnAya svAhA

om samAnAya svAhA

 

om brahmaNi ma AtmA-amRtatvAya

 

The last line means, "May my self be united

in Brahman (the Supreme), so that I may attain

immortality."

 

Eating, then, is a profound act of worship which

sustains the body so that we may further worship

Brahman. There is also an implication that the

swallowing of tasty food symbolizes the oblation

of the individual self to God, so that God may,

in a sense "eat" and "enjoy" us.

 

Before and after eating the meal, water is sipped,

once again with a mantra. The rishis of yore found

this aspect of the ritual so important that they

mention it in both of the largest Upanishads, the

Brhadaranyaka and the Chhandogya, in virtually

identical terms:

 

Realized people, while eating, do as follows: before and

after their meal, they "dress up" the prANa with water.

The prANa receives clothing in this manner, and

is does not remain naked.

 

-- Chhandogya 5.2.2 & Brhadaranyaka 6.1.15

 

I am not quite sure why "clothing the prANa" with

water is so important, but both Sankaracharya and

Ramanujacharya write that meditation on prANa having

water as its garments is very important.

 

It does make some sense, however, from other angles.

Water is a purifier, and drinking water before and

after (Acamanam) is a purifier and sustainer of

the body. Furthermore, the yoga shastras recommend

that we eat food to fill only half our stomach;

one half of the rest, i.e., one quarter of the

stomach we should fill by drinking water. The rest

should be air. This is supposed to be the ideal

proportions for spiritual and bodily health.

 

The mantras recited when sipping water before and

after imply this as well:

 

amRtopastaraNam asi -- Oh water! You are the seat

of immortality.

 

Since water is drunk before and after the food,

perhaps this is a suggestion that to approach

immortality, one should drink water to fill the

stomach 1/4 way. But this is just a guess.

 

adiyEn raamaanuja daasan

Mani

[Guest guest]

Dear members,

I actually wanted to know the meaning of the "svAhA:" mantrams as to what

each means. The first one "prANAya svAhA:" means we offer the food first to our

life-sustaining breath (prANa maya kOsham) and finally by saying "brahmaNe

svAhA:" we offer the food to the Ultimate brahman, our inner self. I would like

to know the meanings of the other four mantrams, if someone can provide.

 

As Sri Anbil has pointed out, I am one of those youngsters who is facing the

dilemma of abidance to one's customs and at the same time having to sustain

one's course of life which is non-brAhmaNic. It's a sad course indeed. I have

some times, as Sri Anbil prescribed regretted for this and craved to have taken

a vEda brAhmaNa's life which is devoid of anxieties and irregularities. But that

was too late, when I woke up. I sincerely go by Sri Anbil's words here.

 

Looking forward to your kind response to my above request for the meanings.

 

Thanks.

adiyEn,

chandrasekaran.

> Sri Anbil wrote:

> In fact, we seem to specialize in doing what should not be

> done "akritya

> karaNam" and abandoning what should be done "kritya akaraNam"

> not only in the

> matter of eating but also in all our activities whether we are in the

> PuNyabhoomi of BhAratha Varsha or in the BhOgabhoomi like

> USA.and in an alien

> environment.

>

> This raises more questions than answers.

>

> But, why do we do precisely what has been prohibited?

> It is because we have given up our duties prescribed

> (Including this one, let

> alone doing our nitya and naimittika anushtAnams). No wonder,

> we have become

> the butt-end of such remarks.

>

> Why have we given up?

> It is because our elders instructed us on "what" and "how"

> they had not cared

> to explain the "Why" of it all. We also never cared to

> question either out of

> apathy or fear. And, we remained non-starters throughout.

>

> When we ourselves do not know, how can we guide youngsters?

[Guest guest]

>From a friend not on the Bhakti-List:

 

---

 

Once all the organs of the body got together to find out who among them was

the greatest - one on whose leaving the body would be destroyed. The organ

of speech left, but the body did not perish, though the person became mute.

In the same manner the organ of sight, hearing, touch etc. left, but then

the body was not destroyed. Ultimately, Prana started leaving and in doing

so, started uprooting all the other organs - resulting in the destruction of

life - upon which the rest of the organs recognized Prana as the greatest.

This recognition they bestowed by clothing and feeding Prana. Water is thus

the clothing of Prana, offered before and after food and all food eaten is

offered to Prana as its food.

 

This is the Upanishadic lore. This is the Vidya that Sankara and Ramanuja

comment on. The meditation on Prana in this form confers immortality.

 

I am sure you remember this tale. But I seem to recollect that this

meditation in the Upanishads is different from the reason mentioned in the

Karma kaanDa for parisecaNam - Sankara also says this in his commentary ( I

vaguely remember this - we need to check ).