Line by Line summarized meaning of the sanskrit verses in Shivananda Lahari discourse
Day 12 – August 9 – verse 22 and 23
Verse 22
In this verse Bhagavad padacharya asks the Lord to take away our bad samskaras and to fill us with good samskaras.
Pralobhādyair arthāharana-para tantro dhani gruhe,
Pravesd yukthassan bramathi bahudha taskarapate,
Imam chetas choram katha miha sahe śankara vibho,
Tavadeenam kruthvā mayi niraparadhe kuru krupam.
Pralobhādyair arthāharana para tantro dhani gruhe – solely focused upon (para tantra) using deceptive words (cheating, pralobha) to steal (artha harana) the wealth from the houses of the rich (dhani gruhe)
This is the way wealth influences us and causes us to operate. Money influences us, takes away our capacity of discrimination and causes us to behave in terrible ways.
Pravesad yukthassan bramathi – searching suitable opportunities on how and when to steal
Bahudha – In various ways
Taskarapate – O Lord of thieves, Shiva
Taskarapate – In Rudram there is a verse – taskarānam pataye namaha, vanchate pari vanchate. Taskara means thief. Taskara pate means the leader of thieves. Tat karoti- He does that. What is it? He steals that which is most dear to us.
Imam chetas choram – this mind is stealing my wealth called viveka (chitta).
Mind is the thief which enters into us and robs us of our viveka (power of discrimination). It further goads us to commit sins. You are the Lord of thieves and hence you will understand what I am trying to say. Please come to my rescue.
katha miha sahe – How do I tolerate him?
Śankara vibho – O Lord Shankara (giver of auspiciousness)! O Vibho (You are the Lord of all universes)!
Tavādeenam kruthva – Please keep this thief called mind under Your control
Mayi niraparadhe kuru krupam – I am faultless and sinless (niraparādhi), Please shower Your compassion on me.
Why are we said to be faultless? This is because the past samskaras (impressions) stick to the mind and cause us to indulge in evil desires. We have been unable to get rid of these vasanas and periodically get into its grip. The Lord steals from us our sins.
We should at all times remember our pure faultless state of existence and firmly believe that we are pure. ‘I am a sinner; I am useless; I cannot achieve anything’ such statements are against the Shastras.
We are all inherently Shiva (Chidananda roopa Kevala Shivoham) but due to the association with the mind, we have forgotten our true self. The mind brings with it plenty of luggage and binds us. All our Sadhana is to bring this monkey mind under control.
The Lord, be it Krishna or Shiva steals from us our sins
Verse 23
Karomi twatpoojām sapadi sukhado me bhava vibho,
Vidhitwam Vishnutwam diśasi khalu tasyāh phalamiti,
Punascha twām drastum dhivi bhuvi vahan pakshi mrugata-
Madrushtwā tat khedam katha miha sahe Sankara Vibho.
Karomi twatpoojam – I am worshipping You
Puja is Pu+ja. It relives us from punar janma.
Sapadi sukhado me bhava vibho – O all pervading Lord, please grant me instant (sapadi) happiness (puja phala).
Vidhitwam – Perhaps you may want to give me the position of Brahma or
Vishnutwam – Perhaps You may want to give me the position of Vishnu
Dhiśasi khalu tasya phalamiti – as a reward for my puja
Punascha twam drastum – but to have Your darshan thereafter
Dhivi bhuvi vahan pakshi mrugatha – I will have to become a bird (pakshi) and fly in the sky (vahan) or become a boar (murgatha) and dig into the depths of earth (bhuvi)
An argument once ensued between Brahma and Vishnu as to who was superior. Shiva appeared before them in the form of illumination (unending pillar of light). To locate the beginning and end of Lord Shiva, who had appeared before them in this manner, Vishnu took on a boar form while Brahma took on the form of a swan. The former went down towards digging the earth while Brahma travelled all across the skies. Yet they could not reach the end points even after travelling unimaginable distances. Brahma finally asked the help of Surabhi cow and Ketaki flower to come as witnesses and declare that they, along with Brahma, have seen the end of the universe. For His ahamkara Brahma incurred the wrath of Lord Shiva. Swan is the most superior amongst birds, yet it lost because of ahamkara. Surabhi is the wish fulfilling cow and is very sacred. Yet it was cursed that the cow’s face would never be worshipped.
This is to teach us that no matter how great you are, lying has its repercussion. Ketaki is a sweet smelling flower and yet it was cursed. This teaches us that no matter how good vasana (smell) you have, if you lie then you will be punished.
Madrushtwa tat khedam – Even then these Lords were not blessed with Your darshan
Kada miha sahe – How will I withstand this grief of not seeing you again
Sankara Vibho – O all pervading Lord Shankara
Pleased with my prayers, do not give me the position of Brahma or Vishnu. Thereafter I will have to grieve because I will be deprived of your darshan. These positions are meaningless if I cannot have your darshan thereafter.