Rudra Mantras As an Internal Yajnya Dr.R.L.Kashyap (Adapted from a Lecture Delivered at Prashanthi Nilayam, Hyderbad in 2006)

Rudra Mantras as an Internal Yajnya Dr.R.L.Kashyap (adapted from a lecture delivered at Prashanthi Nilayam, Hyderbad in 2006)

n our culture, the basis of everything is the Veda and Veda man- ati ratra paramo yajnath kratuH – Among all the yajna kra- tras. The Veda mantras are not one or two but over 25,000. So, tus (sacrificial offerings), ati raatra is the famous one. our great sage Vyasa has divided them into four parts. Rigveda, I There are three different yajnas – jyothiryajnya, Ayuryajnya Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda. But he made sure that there were no fanatical view of superiority of any of and the gowyajnya. gow is not cattle. gow is the mental the vedas. . So, many mantras that are in Rigveda are also knowledge. jyothi is the higher knowledge and the Ayu is in Yajurveda and vice versa. In the yajurveda itself there are the prana. two divisions, Shukla and Krishna. We have to understand that there is a bAhya yajnya (exter- We need to first understand who rudra is! Normally we nal offering) such as pouring of ghee, and other offerings think rudra means he who makes us cry, “rudhati” (cries). in the oblation and then, antar yajnya (internal offering) But, that is far from the truth. He is a beneficent God. What which is in our hearts. How do we do this inner yajnya? is his purpose? We have to know a little bit of Vedic San- During bAhya yajnya, the ritwik normally shaves off his skrit for this purpose, not the classical Sanskrit of Kalidasa head before he participates in the offering. Similarly, in the and others. Vedic Sanskrit says, “dra” is that flows, and “ru” internal yajnya we have to shave off all the emotions and is that which breaks. Therefore, he breaks all our obstacles we have to take out the koshas (various internal sheaths), and makes us grow fast. That is the greatness of rudra. one by one till we locate the atman. Then it is atman that we have to offer to the higher spirit. That is Inner yajnya. Sri Aurobindo says that brahma, vishNu and maheshwara In this Inner yagnya only us, our concentration and enthu- are not some new people or things, as western academ- siasm are needed. Nothing more! We all can practice this ics portray (we have a tendency to blindly accept what Inner yajnya every day. the western academics say), but they are the prototypes st th th of brahmaNaspati of the vishNu and of the rudra of the The 1 , 4 and the 7 KAndas are very interesting in Krish- th th th Veda. brahmaNaspati is the Lord of the mantra (the po- na yajurveda. In the 4 KAnda, again, 5 and the 7 prapA- th tent word). Lord gaNapati is the creator of the mantras. It takas are very interesting. It is in the 5 that we chant ‘na th is Vishnu who gives the space and rudra the force of evo- me’, ‘na me’, na me’, etc. So, the 5 is called as namaka and th lution. Rudra makes us go forward. He is Time. Therefore, the 7 is called as chamaka. Rudra is always pushing us and does not allow us to stay in So, what is the basis of namaka litany and chamaka litany? the same place. That is why in the Veda we call this world All said and done, these are not in the beginning but in the as ‘jagat’ – that which is continuously changing. If we think 5th prapAtaka. Then, what are the purposes of the 1st, 2nd, we are comfortable at a place, then the Lord woudn’t allow 3rd and 4th prapAtakas? Why are namaka and chamaka us those comforts. He will always break those comforts - not performed at the beginning? Normally when there is a ‘pain is the hammer of the Gods’ generally so said in the series of lectures, the most important person is given the West. opportunity to speak at the end and not at the beginning. In 7th Kanda of Krishna Yajurveda and in the 4th prapAtaka, The argument of the Vedic sages is that, before we can get “ati raatra” is described. rAtra is night and ati is exceeding. the full benefit, we have to energize ourselves. Again, for So, what this means here is that we have to exceed the example, if we do not bake a jar properly, it breaks while rAtri, - not the ordinary darkness (or night) but the dark- cooking. Similarly, it is called as ataptha-thanu (this is the ness of ignorance. In another discussion in the same place word used in the Rigveda, 9.83.1). We want a body that they say, brahma vaadinaH vadanti – “the great people does not break; so it needs to be baked or seasoned by the who know the brahma discuss”. It is well known, they say, fire of tapas (penance). Therefore, we need to prepare our- MAHARUDRAM 2012 27 Rudra Mantras as an Internal Yajnya selves first; then we are ready for the 5th prapAtaka which Na mama means surrender. The first thing in Vedic practice is namaka. In this namaka itself, we start saying namasthe is ‘aspiration’. We should really ‘love’ God; secondly we have rudra manyave. manyu is a anger; therefore, does it mean to reject all the ’negative qualities’ in us, and third ‘surren- Rudra is angry? If it is not so, .so, what is manyu? In the der’. In bhagavad gItA, Krishna says, nimitta maatram bha- Rigveda, in the 10th manDala, there are 2 sUktas, 10.83 and va savyasAachin – ‘I have done everything here, you just be 10.84. They are about manyu. Sri Aurobindo says manyu there as an instrument’. That is the idea of surrender. That starts with the word man ‘mind’. manyu is the ‘force of the is why we say ‘na me’, ‘na me’ ‘na me’. We want this aspect of mind’. That is why, if we want to invoke ‘Lord narasimha’ or surrender to go to every fiber of our consciousness, every ‘sudarshana chakra’ then we invoke sUktas 10.83 and 10.84 fiber of our body and into our mind. So, this way, the idea as they bring up a force. Therefore right interpretation of of all-sided perfection can surely be achieved. rudramanyave is, “Oh Rudra - who has the power and force of the control of mantra - please release all of our energies In the Veda, when we say faith, ‘Hey Agni’, He comes there. one by one”. In Sama Veda we say in the first mantra – agni ayahi vithaye – ‘Oh, Agni! Come here’, for what purpose? ‘For your mani- In this Rudram, there are 11 anuvAkas; in the 10th anuvAka festation. We prepare a seat for you. Oh agni, we do not is the famous mantra – shivAyacha, shivatarAyacha. That know what is correct, so please sit here and tell us what is means ‘Oh lord, you are not only shiva – auspicious, but correct and wrong’. That is the prayer. So, the Vedic Gods you are one degree more’; ‘tara’ means more. The point is come and help us at every stage of our journey, as our life that we can’t really describe Him, as we are just humans is a journey. Why is agni so important? agne naya – ‘Oh, and so we have to use adjectives and epithets. agni! Lead me’ we say. Lead me to what? Lead me to greater and greater heights of consciousness and perfection. Once we develop energy, then we have to make This point is very important. prANashakti (life energy) strong. Therefore in 4th kAnda, and in 6th prapAtaka, we invoke the famous mantras of the How do we realize all this? Firstly, by having faith; second- horse, means vital energy. Then the 7th prapAtaka says - ly, by realizing the value of it. It is not an ordinary man- ‘you have to continue your journey every day, every year tra or a verse, like Kalidasa or Keith, shelly or Bering of the to go from peak to peak’. Rigveda, 1st manDala, 10th sUkta, modern world from which some people are very eager to 2nd mantra says: yatsaanoh saanumaaruhat – ‘You have to quote. That is why our Rigveda says, ruche akshare parame go from one peak to another’. But it also says that God’s vyoman – ‘the mantra comes from highest flame.’ A person help is always there. yutheravidam-ye vijati – ‘Lord Indra who does not know it – yamruthe kimkarishayati – ‘what comes on his own and offers help’. can he do with a mantra’? Therefore only when we recite a mantra with faith that it manifests its power to us. That is The goal of the Veda is all–sided perfection. What is that? the importance of the Vedic Mantras. We should be perfect in the body, perfect in the prana, mind, creativity, technology, music and everything. For People always state that Vedas are ritualistic and Upani- all these, we need powers. That is the list of powers “cha shads are the books of wisdom. We should not believe in me”, “ cha me”… stronger will power, clarity of mind and so all these things, because those who comment like that on. So they are not mere epithets we blindly use, no. Each have usually never read Veda or Upanishads properly. word therein, has a power. When does it become mantra? Among the Upanishads, the greatest is Brihadaranyaka It becomes a mantra when we make it a part of our struc- Upanishad. All the 10 Upanishads are not of equal size. ture. Then what does it do? It reveals its own power. ye- Chandogya and Brihdaranyaka are bigger, too big ones, shatama, vivruvanthe tanuswaam – is the Mundaka quota- like 300 pages. All others are smaller, 10 pages or 5 pages. tion that means: ‘Atman reveals its own body’. Therefore, when we make each mantra our own personal friend, then Let us consider one of the biggest, the Brihadaran- it says ‘Oh boy, you really deserve it, and so I am going to yaka. The last section of the Taittareeya Samhita of give you my power’. Krishna yajurveda is identical to the first section of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. According to the Bri- 28 MAHARUDRAM 2012 Rudra Mantras as an Internal Yajnya hadaranyaka Upanishad in the first section ushava is usha. That is the beginning of our journey. Finally aswasya, medhyasya shirah – ‘ushA, the dawn, is the it says, the ‘whole world, the horse, is in the ocean’ – sacrificial horse’. Then it continues to explain the ear, samudro yonih, samudro bandhuH. What is the ocean? eye and hair of this sacrificial Horse. ‘Sacrificial’ does It is the ocean of supreme consciousness which was not mean cutting up. In yajnya there are two words – there before all of this manifestation. We came much ya + jnya. ya means, to strive and gnya means knowl- later, after all. That is how the Krishna yajurveda also edge. yagnya means to strive for knowledge. Here ends. the Yagna is meant to be Innner Yagna using ushA or Awakening as a symbol. ushA is not just the dawn Therefore, we have to take the trouble of reading the origi- of the morning, but is the beginning of the spiritual nal texts. Vedic Sanskrit is much, much easier to read and consciousness which we find when we see a noble not hard at all. Please try it. With Grace of God, everything sage or a saint. Suddenly a ray of light starts and that is possible. That is the whole idea.

|| Om Namah Shivaya || Dr. Kashyap is the Director of Sri Aurobindo Kapali Sastry Institute of Vedic Culture in Bangalore. This Vedic Institute has been set up to demystify the ancient Vedas with the modern day perspective. After heading the computer engineering department at the Purdue University, United States, he dedicated his life in expounding the significances of the Vedas. A doctor- ate from Harvard University, Dr.Kashyap has received prestigious awards such as “Vedanga Vidwan” and “Jnana Keerthi”. He has authored several commentaries on the Vedas and has presented 350 research papers at various conferences. He is a rare blend of a distinguished scientist and a Vedic Scholar.

Golden Words of HH Sri Chandrashekara Bharati Once you experience the bliss of God, you will realize that time is not something to be merely spent in worldly pursuits, but has to be intensively lived in the pursuit and enjoyment of the bliss of God. Then there will be no more room for pes- simistic thoughts nor will life seem a blank with no purpose to serve. A nantha Panchakam Shashank Davanagere Poem in Sansrit AlÉliÉ mÉÇcÉMüqÉç || AlÉliÉ-uÉåSÉkrÉrÉlÉ-oÉÉåkÉMÇü Wåû M×üwhÉ! pÉeÉåÅWÇû iÉuÉ mÉÉSÒMüÉqÉç || A¥ÉÉlÉ-ÌiÉÍqÉU-ÌuÉcNåûSMü-zÉx§ÉÇ ÌlÉwmÉ¤ÉmÉÉiÉ-¥ÉÉlÉuÉwÉï-ÌlÉUiÉqÉç | iÉuÉ aÉXçaÉåuÉ sÉÍsÉiÉ-uÉÉafÉUÏ Wåû M×üwhÉ! pÉeÉåÅWÇû iÉuÉ mÉÉSÒMüÉqÉç || ÌlÉUWûXçMüÉU-ÌlÉirÉ-eÉÏuÉlÉ-ÌuÉÍkÉÇ pÉaÉuÉ³ÉÉqlÉÉÇ xÉÉælSrÉïsÉWûUÏ | A²æiÉ-aÉÏiÉ-SÏmÉÉåeeuÉÍsÉiÉå Wåû M×üwhÉ! pÉeÉåÅWÇû iÉuÉ mÉÉSÒMüÉqÉç || xÉqÉÍcÉ¨ÉÇ ZÉsÉÑ pÉuÉiÉÉå qÉÑMÑüOÇû kÉqÉïmÉjÉå xÉÑxjÉÉÌmÉiÉ-SØ¹å | lÉlS-lÉlSlÉxqÉUhÉÉlÉÎlSiÉÇ Wåû M×üwhÉ! pÉeÉåÅWÇû iÉuÉ mÉÉSÒMüÉqÉç || ÂSìåhÉÉrÉlÉ-ÂÇ SìÉmÉrÉÍxÉ iuÉÇ zÉÉUSÉqoÉÉrÉÉÈ MåürÉÔU-pÉÑeÉXçaÉqÉç | M×ümÉÉNû§ÉÇ ÌMüsÉ aÉÑÂmÉÉS§ÉÇ Wåû M×üwhÉ pÉeÉåÅWÇû iÉuÉ mÉÉSÒMüÉqÉç || cÉlSìzÉåZÉUxiÉuÉ mÉrÉÉïrÉ-lÉÉqÉÇ qÉÔZÉïiuÉ-uÉÉirÉÉ-oÉÉÍkÉiÉ-NûÉ§É§ÉqÉç | Meaning

You, who tells to do adhyanam of the vedas which are anantam Your sthitapragnata is the crown you wear You, who does not differentiate amongst people when showering gnanam Hey Krishna, I pray to your paadukas. You, who sets example with your selfless and humble living Gurupaadukas is like an umbrella of krupa Hey Krishna, I pray to your paadukas. Which protects the affected students (shishyas) from the storm of stupidity You love when someone says Nandanandana, It (gurupaadukas) is the sastram which remove the darkness of agnaanam You are the keyuram in Saradamba’s bhujamgam, Hey Krishna, I pray to your paadukas. You can also be called as Chandrashekara You illuminate with Advaita geetam (the path of Dharma) Hey Krishna, I pray to your paadukas. and with gaze is transfixed on the path of dharma, Words flow from you like the mellifluous ganga Your saying of Sri Rudram removes the obstacles in the path It is like soundaryalahari of bhagavan’s names Hey Krishna, I pray to your paadukas.

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