Friday, December 23, 2016

Sandhyavandana 2 - significance of water.

<Continued from the previous post where we set up the stage: http://gita-god-hinduism.blogspot.ca/2016/12/sandhyavandana-1.html>

मम उपात्त समस्त दुरितक्षयद्वार  श्री परमेश्वर प्रीत्यर्थं प्राथः संध्यां उपास्ये ।

I engage in morning sandhyavandana for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord so as to remove all my accumulated impediments (sin, evil, discomfort).

[At this time we look at the water, sprinkle it all over us body and appreciate its role in our existence]

ॐ आपॊहिष्ठा मयो भुवः । ता न ऊर्जे दधातन ।  महे रणाय चक्षसे ।  यो वः शिवतमॊ रसः ।  तस्य भाजयतेह नः । उशतीरिव मातरः। 

Om! Its on water (or pious actions) alone that this world is sustained | That [water] gives (preserves) the vigor to make one refreshed (to live, to be happy, to be powerful) | For the radiantly (clear*) abundant pleasure (delight, joy, movement) | Oh water, you bestow the most auspicious (prosperous) essence (nectar) that gets distributed in this [body of] ours just like a wishing mother [who sustains the child willfully] |

[I discovered here that chakshas could also refer to a spiritual guru who opens one's eye to see] 

तस्मा अरं गमाम वः। यस्य क्षयाय जिन्वथ। आपो जनयथा च नः॥
[तस्मै॑  अर॑म्  ग॒मा॒म॒  वः॒  यस्य॑  क्षया॑य  जिन्व॑थ  आपः॑  ज॒नय॑थ  च॒  नः॒ ॥]

We swiftly (suitably, readily) move towards (to partake, to perceive, to receive) for the consumption (diminution, establish) of that [rasa] that you enable (impel, help, incite, promote, animate, liven, refresh) us to, and water helps us beget (produce, create, generate). 

[It is water that enable us, gives the vigor to move, to be happy, to live, to gain clarity and abundant pleasure. It is water that creates auspiciousness and prosperity, that is distributed [as blood] within us satisfying the various wishes (of the various organs) like a mother (satisfying her children). We swiftly partake in the consumption of that essence because it enables us to*, and to also help us procreate (generations)].

*We forcefully, helplessly move towards water and it is energy in the water that enables us to... It is no surprise that water was central to our activities, and civilizations always prospered around water. 

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It took me a while to wholly appreciate the beauty of this composition. It is literally impossible to translate as it is because these verses manifest in various forms depending on how we see them and put them together. Its like bouquet of flowers. It is like a jigsaw puzzle. Your ability to put them together will reveal something that best suits your abilities at that time. 

Sarvam Shri KrishNArpaNam! 

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