Vageesh Express

December 2006 Edition

Vedic Bytes

Mantras & Religion

Mantras Continued….

Mantras in Different Religions

This month, we continue with the Mantras. The literal meanings of some of the commonly chanted Mantras are provided below.

The Santhi Mantras

Om sahanaavavatu

Sahanau bhunaktu

Saha viiryan karavaavahai

Tejasvi naavadhiitamastu

Maa vidvishhaavahai

May we be protected together.

May we be nourished together.

May we work together with great vigor.

May our study be enlightening

May no obstacle arise between us.

ॐ Om shaantih shaantih shaantih

Om peace, peace, peace.

-- Black[krishna] Yajurveda Taittiriya Upanishad 2.2.2

Universal Prayer

Sarveśām Svastir Bhavatu

Sarveśām Sāntir Bhavatu

Sarveśām Pūrnam Bhavatu

Sarveśām Mangalam Bhavatu

(May good befall all, May there be peace for all, May all be fit for perfection, and May all experience that which is auspicious.)

Sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ | Sarve santu nirāmayāḥ

sarve bhadrāṇi paśyantu | Mā kaścit duḥkha bhāgbhavet||

(Om, May all be happy. May all be healthy. May we all experience what is good and let no one suffer. Om, Peace, Peace, Peace!)

Tryambakam

The Shaivaite* Tryambakam mantra is a verse of the Yajurveda (TS 1.8.6.i; VS 3.60) addressed to Tryambaka "the three-eyed", identified with Shiva.

tryambakam yajāmahe sugandhi pushtiivardhanam

urvārukamiva bandhanān mrutyor mukshīya māmrutāt

"To Tryambaka we make offering, The fragrant, increaser of prosperity;

Like a cucumber from its stem, From death may I be loosened, not from immortality." (Translation by Arthur Berriedale Keith):

* One of three main forms of modern Hinduism, centered on the worship of Shiva. The earliest of the cults devoted to Shiva date from the 4th century BC. Texts written by devotees of Shiva in the 3rd century AD are the basis of Tantra in Hinduism and other Indian religions. Today Shaivism includes diverse movements, both religious and secular, all of which take Shiva as the supreme and all-powerful deity and teacher and view gaining the nature of Shiva as the ultimate goal of existence. This is believed to be brought about by the performance of complex rituals.

References

1. http://www.answers.com/topic/tryambakam

2. Vedic Samhitas and Brahmanas by Vishal Agarwal

3. http://www.answers.com/topic/mantra?method=22

4. http://www.answers.com/topic/shaivism

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