Line by Line summarized meaning of the sanskrit verses in Shivananda Lahari discourse
Day 4 – July 31 – verse 6 and 7
Verse 6
In this Verse, Adi Shankaracharya cautions vedantins who are eternally engrossed in sankhya and tantra debates not to waste time on them.
He who prayed that he is ignorant of the taraka or shastra knowledge, now gently demonstates his knowledge, through this verse. In the previous verse his humility was shown. The one who knows everything always states and deeply believes that he knows nothing. The one who knows nothing always claims to know everything.
Ghato vā mrithpindo pyaṇurapi ca dhoomognir achalah
Pato vaa tantur vā pariharati kim ghorasamanam
Vrithā kantakshobham vahasi tarasā tarka vachasa
Padāmbhojam shambhōr bhaja parama soukhyam vrajasudhīh.
Vedantins argue-
Ghato vā mrithpindō pyanurapi ca – this is a pot …no… it is mud. Is it made of atoms (anu rapi) or is it earth? How did the atoms come together?
This statement is for those who believe in sankhya shastra. This sankhya is different from Sankhya yoga of Bhagavad Gita which is a jnana shastra. This sankhya is about the numbers. Such persons endlessly debate upon the object that is seen. When they see a pot, they debate whether it is a pot or is it mud to such an extent that they remain at this level itself. It is not a small debata; beginning with this statement they go into very minute details and their debate goes on for days at stretch. This statement is of very great importance in the shastra debates.
Dhūmougnir acala- Is it smoke or is it fire that is seen atop the mountain?
Dhooma, agni and acala are three prominent words used in taraka shastra. A boy spotted smoke from atop a mountain and declared that the mountain is on fire. He concluded so because he had earlier seen smoke being emitted from the fire in the kitchen. This led to a debate about the orgin of the smoke atop the mountain. Such debates do not enable the person to progress further.
Pato vaa tantur va – Is this a cloth or is it composed of only thread?
There are many in the tarka shastra who discuss about the quality and method of creation of cloth, instead of wearing the clothes given to them.
Pariharathi kim ghorasamanam – Can these discussions save you from the terrible pains (ghora samanam) of death (yama)?
This taraka is so deep that once a person enters it, he will think of it even in his dreams. If in his dreams they do not debate/ reflect about taraka, then they are written off. A person studying / practicing law, will only dream of this subject.
Vritha kantakshobham vahasi tarasā tarka vacasa – Such taraka debates are nothing but a sheer waste of the energy that flows from the throat.
Padāmbhojam shambhōr bhaja parama soukhyam vrajasudhi – Instead seek refuge in the lotus feet of the Lord Shambhu; O wise man (vraja sudhi), with this you will get supreme happiness (parama sukha).
Sudhi means ‘ O learned buddhiman’. Taraka shastra is undoubtedly plays a very important role in our life. Goutama Maharishi and Kanaka Maharishi have authored this important shastra. But it is wrong to completely sink into it and believe it to be the only aspect of importance in life. Here Bhagavad pādacharya condemns those who out of their ego, live only in the world of taraka.
Sudhih bhokta states the Bhagavad Gita. The person who adheres to the statements of the Vedas is truly a wise man.
Even in the stotra Bhaja Govindam, Bhagavad pada charya emphasizes on the same point. What is the point of practicing grammer lessons again and again, o fool you are wasting your time. Please recite the name of Govinda, he preaches.
Here we should understand that he is not condemning taraka shastra, he is only condemning that people get so engrossed in it that they forget God and due to this they are wasting the life given to them.
Verse 7
In this verse Bhagavad pādācharya beseeches the Lord to make sure that his mind and all indriyas should be focused upon Him. The one who applies the mind and indriyas in the service of the Lord is truly a wise man.
Manaste pādābje nivasatu vachah sthotra phanitou
Karou cābhyarchāyām sruthir api kathā karnana-vidhou
Tava dhyāne budhir nayana yugaḷam moorthi vibhave
Para granthān kim vā paramashiva jane paramatah
Manastē pādābjē nivasatu – Let my mind eternally dwell upon your lotus feet. Let it merge into your feet.
Manaste- manas (mind)+aste (dwell in)
Mind (manas) is the king of all the indriyas because the indriyas (senses) act based on its orders.
Pādabje- pāda (feet) + abja (lotus); in the lotus feet.
The bee is tiny, and has transparent wings and is almost invisible. It goes about with a buzzing sound. It has 6 feet- shatpadi. Manas is also known as ‘shatpadī’ – that which has 6 divisions (pādam). The 5 indriyas + mind. There is a famous stotra known as ‘Narayana shatpadi stotram’. The bee always searches for a lotus because the amount of nectar available in a lotus is very high. It searches for the lotus the entire day and gets tired in the process. In a similar manner this mind wanders the entire day and gets tired. I pray that this mind that is tired due to this endless wandering come and rest in your lotus feet.
To stabilize the mind (manah) you have to do namah- worship and obeisance. Namaz has been derived from it.
Nivasatu- means please bless that it should rest eternally and not make a temporary visit.
Why are the Lord’s feet compared to a lotus while the mind is compared to a bumble bee (brungi)? Normally the bumble bee has the capacity to cut through any flower to obtain the nectar. But, suppose it enters a lotus and for some reason the lotus closes, the bumble bee gets trapped within it. it cannot cur through a lotus. Such is the power of the lotus. In a similar way, our mind (bumble bee) should remain trapped in the lotus feet of the Lord.
Observe the Guru’s feet. When see together they appear like a half closed lotus; neither fully closed nor fully bloomed. We should pray that this mind (bee) goes and latches there and if the lotus closes it will get struck there forever. We should seek this from the Lord.
It is said that guru’s/ god’s feet should be thought of both at the time of sleeping and waking up. If we think of the Guru’s feet at the time of sleeping, we will get sound sleep. If we think of them soon upon walking up, our entire day will go smoothly. Upon waking up, think that His feet are in the Sahasrara.
We should see His feet in everything and every object. This should be the only one visible to the eyes. Mentally offer him prayers. Wash his feet and apply sandal paste. Even mentally handle his feet with tenderness and care. O Guru you are traveling endlessly; You will be so tired. I am pressing your feet. May you get the desired rest. Keep him in your mind and gently swing the cradle. With this your mind relaxes and you will get good sleep. Believe that you are actually serving his feet. This is a Sadhana. Practice it.
Feet and heart should be kept warm. Both of them have a prominent place. Germans believe that this itself result in good health.
Vacā stotra phanitou – May my speech (phani) be eternally directed towards recitation of your hymns (stotras).
After the mind, the next most important organ to be controlled is the speech. It is said that mouna vrata should be taken up at least once a year. This should be gradually practiced. During Mouna, we should not scold or converse with others through actions. Only japa can be performed loudly. Bhajans can be sung loudly. Gradually with practice we will learn silent japa. During such singing if the spit falls on the book or on any other person, then no problem. There is no dosha. It is amrita. Swallowing the spit generated during bhajans is equivalent of swallowing amrita. This is the first lesson before the student begins Veda recitation. The student states- while reciting Veda, accidently my spit may fall on you. Please excuse me. the Guru replies- no problem, I shall treat it as if amrita is falling upon me.
Karou cābhya archāyam – May my hands both be eternally engrossed in worshipping You.
This means offering worship with both the hands. It is said that primarily we should worship with the right hand. This is because the right hand symolizes sattva guna. Although we have two eyes, one of them is the master eye, which is predominantly used. Both eyes do not see equally.
As per Vedas, the hand is a Devata in itself. The five fingers represent the five elements. The thumb represents the akasha tattva- the all pervading space element. It symbolizes the Paramatma element. The forefinger (tarjani) represents the individual jeevatma- it stands for Aham. When these 5 forces are united, they get the shakti. These fingers teach us that the combination of the five elements brought about this entire creation. Joining the forefinger with the thumb reflects the merging of the jeevatma and Paramatma. The Lord as Dakshinamurty gives away knowledge with this mudra. Dakshinamurthy in this mudra holds a thorn between the forefinger and thumb. The thorn represents our ignorance. Only a thorn can remove another thorn. He uses the thorn held by him to remove our ignorance.
The Lord has blessed us with hands (bahu) so that we will adhere to dharma.
Sruti rapi katha akarnana vidhou – May my ears be focused eternally on listening to Your glories.
The ears play a prominent role in spirituality. It is said that even if other senses are missing there is no problem; the ears should be intact. Such is its importance. It is said that the ears are the vessel through which the amrita can be sucked.
Tava dhyāne budhir – May my buddhi be eternally focused in your dhyāna.
Buddhi is the discriminatory sense that we possess. It is the one which takes decision and ensures that we focus on Paramatma.
Where is this buddhi located? Just like the mind, it pervades the entire body. It just operates from the head. That is why when an object is about to fall on the legs, we withdraw the legs and save ourselves. If the nerves fail and the sensation is not known, it means that the buddhi pertaining to that organ has failed.
Nayana yugalam moorthi vibhave – May my eyes be engrossed in admiring Your divine form (vaibhavam).
When seeing the form of the Lord in the idol, it should be imprinted in the mind. Lock it off so that eternally the mind can rest on it.
Para granthai kim vā paramashiva jāne para matah – What is the use of studying other granthas when Parama Shiva is the supreme bliss (and supreme goal).
This is the ultimate state in bhakti. Shivananda Lahari is full of bhakti. Soundarya Lahari teaches some yoga sutra; but here it is only bhakti. Hence it states that with all my organs I offer worship.
Mind, speech, hands (skin), ears, buddhi and eyes represent the mind and the 5 indriyas which should be focused upon God. This is the supreme state in bhakti. ‘If I worship You with all parts of my body, is it not enough? What can other granthas give me?’ With such prayer, all mistakes/ doshas committed with mind, buddhi and body are all washed away.