[Advaita-l] Sivaanandalahari - 3

[Anbu sivam2]

Sivaanandalahari - 3 (contd.)Our Charanaar has said that of the three Vedas,
Yajur Veda is in the middle. In the middle of Yajur Veda is Sri Rudram. And
in the middle of Sri Rudram is the great Panchaakshari manthra “Namasivaaya
cha”. This shows that the essence of the Veda is the revelation of Shiva.
Consider the following the following Thevaaram that highlights the
importance of the Pachaakshari manthra.

மந்திரநான்மறையாகியவானவர்
சிந்தையுணின்றவர் தம்மையாள்வன
செந்தழலோம்பியசெம்மைவேதியர்க்
கந்தியுண்மன்திரமஞெழுத்துமே.
(பன்சாக்ஷரத்திருப்பதிகம்)

காதலாகிக்கசிந்துகண்ணீர்மல்கி
ஓதுவார்தமைநன்னெறிக்குய்ப்பது
வேதநான்கினுமெய்ப்பொருளாவது
நாதனாமநமச்சிவாயமே.
(நமச்சிவாயதிருப்பதிகம்)

The dhyaana mahimaa of this greatest of all manthras destroys the kaama
krodha lobha madha maathsaryam of all the living beings and brings unto them
the nirmala aananda swaroopam. If dhyaanam of the panchaakshari could bring
this loftiest peace what will be the effect if a person could abandon
karthruthvaabhimaanam, abandon the fruits of karma and dedicating them to
Parameswara? Bhagavan Ramana says: “Easwaraarpitham nechyayaakritham
chithasodhakam, mukthi saadhakam.”

In the puraana the three asuras Thaarakaakshan, kamalaakshan and vidyunmaali
had made mayan to construct for them three fantastic flying forts made of
iron, silver and gold with which they would fly into every city of the naras
and devas and harass them. These three forts would join in a single line
once every three thousand years. If at that time these three forts could be
shot by a single missile then only they could be destroyed. Devas
surrendered to Parameswara and pleaded with him to come to their rescue from
the harassment of these three asuras.

KshoNi yasya rathO rathaangayugaLam chandraarka bimbadhvayam, kodhanda:
kanakaachalo hariraboodhbhaaNo vichissaaradhi| ThooNiro jaladhirhayaa:
sruthichayO mourvI bhujangaadhipa: ThansminmE hrudhayam ramathaam
parabrahmaaNi|| To him this bhoomi became the chariot, Chandra sooryaaL
became the wheels, mahaa Meru parvadham became the bow, Vaasuki the great
sarpa raja became the thick thread that ties the ends of the bow, Mahaa
Vishnu became the arrow, Brahma was the charioteer, the four Vedas became
the four horses of the ratham and the ocean became the ambaraadhooNi. This
was the spectacular vehicle on which Shiva rode towards the three asuras who
have joined in a single line and shot them all with one single arrow and
destroyed them. Such is the feat of this greatest Parameswara. The
thathwaartham of this story is that the jeeva raasis with their three bodies
(sthoola sukshma kaarana sariras) do greatly suffer from the ills of the
miserable samsaara which is due to not knowing who we are. It is only due to
the relationship that we have to this sthoola sookshma kaaraNa sareerams
that these sufferings ensue. It is the Shivaanubhavam and Shivagnanam that
removes these sufferings and brings us the Moksha. ‘Gnanam
Maheswaraadhichcheth’ is the saasthra. To attain this advaita gnana
Parameswara’s grace is absolutely necessary.

(to be continued)