Line by Line summarized meaning of the sanskrit verses in Shivananda Lahari discourse
Day 8 – August 4 – verse 14 and 15
Verse 14
In this verse, Bhagavad pādacharya teaches us a novel poetic way of worshipping the Lord using our buddhi. It explains our relationship with Lord Shiva.
Prabhu sthvam dīnānām khalu parama bandhu pasupate,
Pramukhyōham teshām api kimuta banduthva-manoyoh
Twayaiwa kshantawyāh Shiva madha parādaśca sakalāh
Prayatnāth kartavyam madavana miyam bandhu saranih
Prabhu sthvam dīnānām khalu parama-bandhu paśu pate – O Lord Paśupate, You are the Lord (Prabhu) for every being, You are the Lord as well as the supreme relative (parama bandhu, atma bandhu) for all those who are helpless and poor (deena).
God has fixed all relatives including spouse when we are in heaven itself; He has allowed us to choose our friends on earth. Our friends determine our true nature. We should select the supreme friend – Sadguru. God is a relative for every being on earth. This is a true relationship which cannot be broken at any time.
Tesham api kimutha banduthva manoyo – What more can I say about our relationship (bandhutva), O great Lord?
Pramukhyo (a)ham – I am the foremost amongst the deena (pramukhya); poorest of the poor.
You are the protector and I am the one who needs your protection, O Lord, this is our special relationship. Amongst the most deprived persons, I stand first O Lord.
Twayaiwa kshanthawyāh – Only You can have the ability to forgive
Śiva – O Lord Shiva
Mada parādaśca sakalāh – So you please forgive me for my sins in entirety.
Aradha and aparadha are antonyms. Radha means worship. Those who dislike good deeds, prevent people from offering worship, curse those who pray etc. are maha aparadha.
Prayathnāth kartavyam – This is a task for which you will need to put in tremendous efforts.
This is to state that the sins are very deep and will not be easily erased. Even the Supreme Lord has to put in efforts towards this, out of His mercy.
Madavanam iyam bandhu sarani – O Lord, you know our relationship and so please help me.
All of us are related to Shiva. He is our atma bandhu. No one can come in-between this relationship. Based on this relationship this verse is based.
O Lord, Pasupate, You are the dearest amongst all my relatives. You come to aid when needed. You are the Lord. You have poured prana into this body. You are addressed as the savior of the poor. I am the poorest of the poor and therefore I am the most eligible for your favours. Our relationship is that of (savior- protected) raksha- rakshaka. Therefore as my dearest relative, you have to step in and cleanse me of my sins. Towards this you will have to put in effort. But O Lord, this is the only way out for me. Please hear my pleas, O Lord.
Verse 15
In the previous verse He prayed to the Lord for protection. He did not see results and so he changed the mode of prayer and is asking the Lord why He is negligent in His duties. Only a person with total devotion can demand in this manner.
Upekshaāno cheth kinna harasi bhavadh dhyāna-vimukhām
Durāśa booyishtām vidhi lipi maśaktho yadi bhavān,
Shira sthadvai dhathram na nakhalu suvrutham paśu pathe,
Katham vā niryathnam kara nakha mukhe naiva lulitham
Upekshā no cheth kim – Why this indifference/ negligence (upeksha) towards me?
Bhagavad pada was a great devotee. He was not seeking any personal gain through his prayer to the Lord. At such a tender age, he began travelling on foot all across the country. During this third padayatra he composed this hymn while at Srisailam. His physical body was tormented by various afflictions. He suffered a lot due to this. Yet he continued his routine. He was a very great mahatma. It is said that some black magic was also performed on him.
A kapālika asked him once to give his head. Using Bhagavad pada’s skull he wanted to perform some yagnas and acquire great powers. Adi shankara swami agreed. He further told the kapālika that to organize the human sacrifice ritual very early morning because his devotees would otherwise object to it. The muhurtham was fixed for early next morning. Without saying a word to any of his disciples, Adi Shankara swami woke up much prior to his routine time and set out from home. His disciple Padmapada observed his Guru leaving and quietly followed him. The Guru reached the banks of the river where the kāpāli was waiting. The kapali put a garland around the neck of Adi Shankara and was about to kill him with his knife. Padmapada who was observing this suddenly was possessed with Narasimha avatara. Like ferocious Narasimha he intervened and saved his Guru. Thereafter Adi Shankara swami prayed to Lord Narasimha – he composed the Lakshmi Nrusimha karavalba stotra to calm the Lord.
It is said that many of his disciples requested him to use his powers and cure himself. But Shankara Bhagavad pada would not do so. He begged to the Lord to give him total concentration eventhough his body was thus tormented.
Bhavadh dhyāna vimukham – My mind is not able to (vimukham, turing away from) focus upon You (bhavad dhyana).
Durāśa booyishtām – Durāsa has filled me up in totality (bhooyista). This is taking me away from focusing upon you.
Vidhi lipim – Isn’t this fate (vidhi lipi)?
Na harasi – Why are You not wiping it out then?
Aśaktho yadi bhavān – Do not say that it is impossible for you.
(I know your capacity)
Shira sthadvai dhathram na nakhalu suvrutham paśupathe – Because just by the tip of your nail, did You not throw away Brahma’s face?
At one point of time Brahma had 5 faces. At that time He began to develop desires (kāma bhavana). At that time, Shiva, with just the tip of his nail, threw away that face of Brahma. This head of Brahma had become lustful. In this context, we should understand that Brahma represents all the beings (jeevi) in the creation. He is the first to be created (adi). He is the Pitamaha. He is the supreme – most being. By removing His kāma bhavana, Shiva is sending a message that whosoever worships Him (Shiva), will be relieved of such desires.
Katham vā niryathnam kara nakha mukhe naiva lulitham – Please explain to me how You could accomplish this feat of removing Brahma’s face and thereafter explain to me why you can’t help me now?
My problem is far simple and easy to handle.
Adi Shankaracharya was disappointed that the Lord did not heed his prayers even after so many pleas. He now demands the Lord’s protection. He wants to know why the Lord was indifferent to Him. He explains that because of the durasa his mind is drifting away from the Lord. He further declares to the Lord not to claim his inability to help. Did this Lord not go and remove the fifth head of Brahma with just the tip of his nail? When you have this capacity, what are my problems in front of this great task? You who have the ability to accomplish this feat can you not do this for me? you who can remove Brahma’s head, can you not change my fate? My real problem is that my mind is not able to focus totally on you. Can you not solve this problem of mine? The body is not able to co-operate with the mind.