the meaning of pranavam

[Guest guest]

friends,

 

i have been thinking of the meaning of the manthra ohm.

we use it with all gods names. say om namo narayana,om namasivaya,om

sakthi, om muruga etc. if we are not to worship other than vishnu who

is paramapurusha then why is this ohm attached with other gods.is

this ohm denote the parabrahmam which has no form. i shall be grate

ful if any one can enlighten me on this.

 

balaji

[Guest guest]

Sri Krishnaya Namah!

 

In BG Lord Krishna says that Among Vak, he is 'OM' and among letters, he is

'A' (in vibhuti yoga).

 

If we take into consideration 'Om Namo Narayanaya', as per PBA Swami's

Sarartha Deepikai's explanation - Om is the pranavam and Namo Narayanaya is

the manthra sesham. So for every manthra these two variables are constant.

If we chant only 'Om' also that refers to the Supreme Lord.

 

I read in the vishnusahasramas that with respect to His Nama, Madhava, the

syllable MA refers to Goddess Lakshmi and I want to know how this syllable

can be referred to as 'jivatma'.

 

Net net, Om is a pranava and it is Lord Krishna Himself. This by itself

leads us to Supreme God.

 

Humble pranams if there are errors in this and I seek further feedback from

the acharyas in this group.

 

Sukumar

 

Sri Krishna Parabrahmane Namah!

 

 

balajiv_54 [sMTP:balajiv_54]

27/04/2003 10:56 PM

bhakti-list

the meaning of pranavam

 

friends,

 

i have been thinking of the meaning of the manthra ohm.

 

[**Rest deleted--Moderator**]

[Guest guest]

Dear friend:

 

As per our Siddhantam, PraNavam comprises of three syllables "a", "u" and

'ma". "a" denotes Sriman Narayana. "u" represents "Thaayaar". In another

yojana, it is said to denote "only", since "a" itself is taken to denote the

divine couplle (Sriman Narayana and His inseparable Consort, Sri

Mahaalakshmi") "ma" represents the Jivatma. Taken together, it means that

the Jeevatma exists as the servitor ONLY for the divine couple as aforesaid.

 

Swami Desikan in his "Srimad Rahasya Traya Saaram" has established this

truth beyond any doubt quoting appropriate PramaaNams from the Vedas down to

the least of our scriptures.

 

As it always happens, there is a tendency on the part of others to literally

highjack this sacred term and use it with all and sundry deities (and

sometimes even fake Gurus)! No doubt, the votaries of these would advance

spurious expalantions (not based on PramaaNams)

to justify this misuse.

 

Perhaps, this is also a leela of our meciful Lord to allow this blasphemy!

 

Sometime ago, I discussed this issue with Sri Ananta Narasimhachar Swami,

Srikaryam of Srimad ANDavan, PounDarikapuram Swami Ashramam, Srirangam. He

gave a very interesting reply.

 

"Whatever it may be, the very mention of the PraNavam at the beginning

proves that knowingly or unknowingly, they have paid their respects to the

Divya Dhampatis first and what follows may relate to any "entity" about

which we need not bother!"

 

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

==========================================================

>"balajiv_54" <balajiv_54

>bhakti-list

>bhakti-list

>the meaning of pranavam

>Sun, 27 Apr 2003 17:25:41 -0000

>

>friends,

>

>i have been thinking of the meaning of the manthra ohm.

>we use it with all gods names. say om namo narayana,om namasivaya,om

>sakthi, om muruga etc. if we are not to worship other than vishnu who

>is paramapurusha then why is this ohm attached with other gods.is

>this ohm denote the parabrahmam which has no form. i shall be grate

>ful if any one can enlighten me on this.

>

>balaji

>

>

>

>-----------------------------

> - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -

>To Post a message, send it to: bhakti-list

>Group Home: bhakti-list

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>

>

>Your use of is subject to

>

>

 

 

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[Guest guest]

this is a vast topic...the writer is on leave presently,....will respond

once he resumes after 2 weeks...meantime, please continue with your

Sandhiyavandanam with an utterly ruthless sincerity....It is possible

you may get an inkling of what you r are seeking in brief flashes.

 

Om tat Sat

 

friends,

 

i have been thinking of the meaning of the manthra ohm.

we use it with all gods names. say om namo narayana,om namasivaya,om

sakthi, om muruga etc. if we are not to worship other than vishnu who

is paramapurusha then why is this ohm attached with other gods.is

this ohm denote the parabrahmam which has no form. i shall be grate

ful if any one can enlighten me on this.

 

balaji

[Guest guest]

The praNavam applies exclusively to nArAyaNa as it is inherently

present in the 8 sylabled ashThAksharam only.

 

If you look at any other mantra like the panchAkshara

(na-ma: Si-vA-ya), for instance, the praNavam is not

directly part of the mantra.

 

//Ramkumar

[Guest guest]

dear sir,

iam grateful for your apt replt to the meaning of pranavam(aum or ohm)

i am thinking in this way.

ohm is the begining of all,including brahma,vishnu and shivan.it is

this shakti which makes all gods do their functions like brahma does

the job of producing,vishnu does the job of protecting and shiva does

the job of destroying. all the three take their orders by yogic

power. as lord krishna says in geetha after he shows the virata

roopam. he says he could show this because of the yogic power he has

and all that is possible because he is an avatar of vishnu.

 

in sandyavandanam we invoke this ohm after doing achamanam and

ganpathi dhiyanam.shuklam paradharam vishnum sasivarnam

chathurbhujam,prasanna vadanam dhiyayeth sarva vikhnoba shanthayedh.

in doing pranayamam we invoke the ohmkaram

 

i do not know if iam correct.the learned may guide me.

 

balaji

 

bhakti-list, "Ram Anbil" <Ramanbil@h...> wrote:

> Dear friend:

>

> As per our Siddhantam, PraNavam comprises of three

syllables "a", "u" and

> 'ma". "a" denotes Sriman Narayana. "u" represents "Thaayaar". In

another

> yojana, it is said to denote "only", since "a" itself is taken to

denote the

> divine couplle (Sriman Narayana and His inseparable Consort, Sri

> Mahaalakshmi") "ma" represents the Jivatma. Taken together, it

means that

> the Jeevatma exists as the servitor ONLY for the divine couple as

aforesaid.

>

> Swami Desikan in his "Srimad Rahasya Traya Saaram" has established

this

> truth beyond any doubt quoting appropriate PramaaNams from the

Vedas down to

> the least of our scriptures.

**************************

[ Rest clipped --Moderator]

[Guest guest]

Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha

 

Dear Shri Balaji,

> ohm is the begining of all,including brahma,vishnu and shivan.it is

> this shakti which makes all gods do their functions like brahma

> does the job of producing,vishnu does the job of protecting and

> shiva does the job of destroying.

 

The above philosophy that you have mentioned is proposed by the

Vyakarana Shastram(The science/study of Grammar, Phonetics i.e

basically the Sanskruth language). It separates the pranavam from the

Supreme lord and says that pranavam is the lord and the supreme

beings work by its power. This philosophy is strongly condemned by

Shri Vyasa Maharishi for separating out the pranavam from the

supreme. The supreme, Shriman Narayanan is the "Parama-atma" i.e

the "supreme-being", please note the word "being" which means a

faculty. This faculty possesses infinite attributes and manifests in

infinite forms(Sahasra sirsha purushaha). Out of these forms, amongst

the shabdas i.e the sounds, HE manifests as the pranavam i.e HE binds

HIMSELF directly to it. But, this by no way means that the pranavam

is the base power for HIM. It is like calling a person by name. While

other namams i.e the names refer to one form or the other of the

supreme, the pranavam "directly" refers to the supreme being as a

whole and does not refer to any of HIS forms.

 

I humbly request learned scholars to correct me for my mistakes.

 

Yatheendra Pravanam Vandhe RAMYA Jamataram Munim

 

Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan,

Lakshmi Narasimhan

[Guest guest]

If the praNavam is used in salutation to a devata (a sandhyAdi

devata, for instance), it should be understood to refer to SrIman-

nArAyaNa, Who is the inner-dweller of the devata.

or it could be understood as an aupachArikam usage ie glory of the

aatman is sometimes extended to its attribute, the SarIram.

 

//Ramkumar

>

> The praNavam applies exclusively to nArAyaNa as it is inherently

> present in the 8 sylabled ashThAksharam only.

>

> If you look at any other mantra like the panchAkshara

> (na-ma: Si-vA-ya), for instance, the praNavam is not

> directly part of the mantra.

>

> //Ramkumar

[Guest guest]

-SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA.

 

Please find here some information on pranavam. Any mis-interpretation

is entirely mine and may be pardoned.

 

Omkara – upasana was the very basis of upanishadic-shAram.

 

According to AruNyupanishad, a sanyasin is supposed to chant the

Upanishad mantra "OM hi OM hi OM hi" while seeking bhikshA. That is

his yangyOpavitham. (verse 5)

 

In Katohpanishad, Yama explains NachikEtas the importance of OM.

NachikEtas asks Yama (Ka – 2.14) to unveil what he (Yama) sees as

beyond dharma & adharma, cause & effect and the created & the yet

to be created ones.

Yama's answer is "OM"

(Ka 2.15 & 2.16) "Let me explain you in brief that which is glorified

by all vEdas, sought after by all tapas and to attain which

brahmacharyam is followed. It is OM. This akshara is Brahmam. This

alone is para-brahmam. This belongs to the one who desires for it."

Yama continues to extol the greatness of this akshara and relates it

to Brahman in the succeeding verses.

 

NarayanOpanishad expresses the similar view , " Brahma purusham

pranava swaroopam / akAra ukArO makAra ithi / tha anEkadha samabhavat

thadOmithi yamukthwa muchyathE yOgI janma samsara bhandhanAt/ (Na Up

5)

The meditation on Om relieves one from the cycle of rebirth.

When a person anchors pranvam in his Atman and continues the

meditation, he can see the paramAtman, so says BrahmOpanishad.

(AtmAnamaraNim kruthwa pranavanchOthraraNim.. 18)

 

KaivalyOpanishad expresses the similar view to weed off pApam. (Brah

up- 1.11)

 

SvEthaswatara upanishad echoes the same in verse 1.14 as a means to

see God.

 

But a scientific definition of Brahman as Om has been given by

Taiittriya upanishad while the working of Pranava is detailed in

MAndukya upanishad.

In verse 1.8, Taii upanishad claims that OM symbolises `acceptance'

of whatever we do by chanting OM in the beginning. It symbolises that

you are being listened to when you chant OM and begin any activity.

It is Brahmam. It is sarvam.

 

But what happens when we chant OM and meditate on other devatas -

like OM ganEshaya namaha, Om Shivaya namaha etc? The answer can be

found in the teachings of PippalAdha in Prashna Upanishad. Without

mincing words the sage says that the upAsakA reaches the abode of the

Lord meditated by OM. It is herein the logic is derived that the one

meditating on Narayana with Omkar (ashtAkshara manthra) reaches

moksha / Brahman. But those mediatating on, say, Shiva (Om shivaya

namaha) reaches the abode of Shiva and so on.

 

The derivation of Omkar found in Mumukshuppadi (MP)can be said to be

traced (in my opinion) to the prakaran 1 of Mandukya upanishad

wherein kArikai 24 to 29 explain Omkar as the kAraNathwa of entire

creation thereby holding Brahman / Narayana as the karanthwam and

rakshkathwam –something expounded in depth by MP.

 

The characteristics associated with a, u and m have already been

discussed in the list and fellow devotees may also be aware of MP

explanation of the same (akAra with piratti sambhandam as

rakshakathwam, makAra as the 25th letter signifying jiva and ukAra as

signifying that the jiva is subservient to Lord.) Hence I am not

going into the details of the same and instead confine myself to

the discussion on what Mandukya says.

 

An individual experiences the gross world through three states of

mind, viz, the waking, the dream and the deep sleep state. In the

deep sleep state the body is causal. OM represents the Turiya state

of conscience. It is the fourth apart from the three states of

Waking (Jagrat) Dream (Swapna) and deep Sleep (Sushupti) which have

no independent existence. OM is the essence of all the vEdas and

represents the super consciousness, the Bliss and the Brahman.

(Moondru thazhiyilE (MP) and `aaichiyar matthinaal vOsaippaduttha.."

(Thiruppavai) The relevance of these in this context is omitted here

on the assumption that readers are already aware of this. )

The three factors of gross body earth, water and fire constitute the

waking state and is represented by `a'. This is the visva (microcosm)

and virat(macrocosm)

 

The sound ceases when `m' is uttered which represents the deep sleep

state where the individual is in union with Brahman. It is Prajne in

the individual level and Isvara at the cosmic level.

The intermediate `u' represents the dream state when ego, the mind

functions the role of both the subject and the object. The mind

creates its own universe. The total subtle body of the universe is

known as Hiranyagarbha and Taijasa at the individual level.

 

The combined utterance of the 3 sounds is OM. The sound ultimately

gradually calms into stillness or silence. In this state the

individual has transcended the 3 states of gross level and

experiences absolute bliss and resides in the transcendental self.

The combined OM sysmbolises the subtle Brahman from which all sound

forms emnate. This is the 4th stage of the mind, the Turiya state

which is the characteristic feature of the Atman.

 

In all these three states the objects are limited by the space., time

and cause and the Turiya is beyond 3 states where the atman is

divested of all its ignorance and becomes aware of the perpetual

identity with the Brahman. It is by constant practice an aspirant

endowed with faith, devotion and having overcome the senses and anger

attains perfect absorption with the Brahman.

 

The opening verse of Chandogya upa claims (1.1.1) that the syllable

OM is the closest to Brahman and it should be recited aloud.

The sound has its origin in the naval (Pashyanti) heart (Madhyama)

and speech ( vaikhari) The three forms of sound are related to

Prana, manas and Buddhi. The fire that exists in the pores of woods

manifests itself through the vigourous friction as spark. Similarly,

the Paramatman which lies in the spinal column with the Prana

manifests itself in the vaikhari form of sound (Uddhva Gita –vii 18)

 

OM is discovered by the upanishadic seers to represent Brahman in

sound form –Nada Brahman. The a, u & m represent creation,

protection & dissolution ( the controversy on vishnu in this context

is needless as the idea propounded is that all these 3 jobs are based

on the substratunm called Brahman)

Om also represents the three gunas.

 

Finally,

Ishavasyam declares (verse 17) that the `Lord who is OmkAra

swaroopi, sankalpa swaroopi and agni swaroopi would think of me (the

jiva) and of my actions when my body is reduced to ashes.'

 

A reciprocative view of this is found in BG 8.12 &13, wherein the

Lord says that the one who leaves the body by chanting OM attains

His abode.

 

In essence, the Lord who is the Omkara swaroopi thinks of the Jiva

at the time of his death (Isha up) and the jiva must meditate on the

Lord as OmkAr at the time of his death (Gita). Either way it is OM

that is the route to salvation!!

 

Jayasree Sarnathan.

 

 

 

In bhakti-list, "balajiv_54" <balajiv_54> wrote:

> friends,

>

> i have been thinking of the meaning of the manthra ohm.

> we use it with all gods names. say om namo narayana,om

namasivaya,om

> sakthi, om muruga etc. if we are not to worship other than vishnu

who

> is paramapurusha then why is this ohm attached with other gods.is

> this ohm denote the parabrahmam which has no form. i shall be grate

> ful if any one can enlighten me on this.

>

> balaji

-- In bhakti-list, "balajiv_54" <balajiv_54>

wrote:

> friends,

>

> i have been thinking of the meaning of the manthra ohm.

> we use it with all gods names. say om namo narayana,om

namasivaya,om

> sakthi, om muruga etc. if we are not to worship other than vishnu

who

> is paramapurusha then why is this ohm attached with other gods.is

> this ohm denote the parabrahmam which has no form. i shall be grate

> ful if any one can enlighten me on this.

>

> balaji