The Importance of PraNavam before the
NaamA ************************************** Prior to
reciting the naamA of the Lord , we always include PraNavam in
front and Nama: sabdham at the end. For instance , we recite
as First nAmam : (PraNavam) SrI VenkatEsAya
Nama:
Let us reflect on the importance of adding
PraNava OmkAram before the Lord's NaamA first . Let us follow
the revelations provided by VishNu PurANam ,which is
revered as "PurANa Rathnam " by our
AchAryAs.
PraNavam is Sabdha Brahma Svaroopam. The
UpAsanam of PraNavam is vital for realizing Para Tatthvam
according to ParAsara Maharishi , the author of VishNu PurANam.
He says:
DhruvamEkam Brahma OmithyEva
vyavasTitham BhruhathvAth BruhmaNathvAccha tath
BrhamEthyabhidheeyathE
Here is SrImath Prakrutham
Azhagiyasingar's comments on this passage :
" This
PraNavam is forever eternal . It does not ever get
destroyed. It has the svaroopam of YekAksharam. Even if the
Vedam is divided , this PraNavam alone stays
undivided.When it is recited , it expands in its KaaraNa state
into the three VyAhruthis ; in the KaaryA state, it expands
into both VyAhruthis and VedAs and thus becomes Brahman. It
becomes Brahman because the three VyAhruthis( BhU:, Bhuva: and
Suva:) and the Four VedAs ( Rg, Yajus, Saama and
Atharava) are rooted in this PraNavam . This PraNava
Brahman alone is worshipful as the central element for the
origin of the Universe (Jagath KaaraNam). This PraNavam has
therefore to be worshipped as the cause for the origin (
uthpatthi) and layam for the Universe ; it has to be
worshipped as the subtle principle that is superior to the
doctrine of Mahath . This is the way to peform UpAsana on
PraNavam . ParAsara Maharishi salutes this PraNavam further as
:
(1) anaadhi or timeless in origin (2) eternally
present everywhere (vyApthi) (3) undestroyable (4) base for
the TamO guNam , which bewitches the World and
deludes its beings (5) PraNavam shines through Satthva
GuNa activities (6) It confers PurushArTams through the
RajO guNa activities known as Pravrutthi (7) It serves as the
sought after target for those have Saankya Jn~Anam /
worshippers of Moola Prakruthi (8) It confers tranquility
and control of IndhriyAs for those who desire them (9) It
stays as the abode of all auspiciousness and reveals the
Svaroopam of ParamAthmA and therefore is referred
to as avyaktham and aksharam by Upanishads . Inview of
these multifaceted glories of PraNavam , it is verily
worshipped as the Supreme Brahman (Bhagavath Roopam
) itself ".
This PraNavam is considered as
VaasudEva Svaroopam . Its avayavams are AkAram , UkAram and
MakAram . Inspite of its three components (avayavam), PraNavam
in its avayavi svaroopam is undivided. This is the Prabhu
VaasudEvan. He is the One , who is present without
differentiation in all sentients and insentiens of the universe.He
is the One present as the Rg, Yajus, Saama Veda
Svaroopi as well as their essence . He is the indweller
of all beings . PraNavam is the Svaroopam of BhagavAn
VaasudEvan , who is limitless (Ananthan, Jn~Ana Svaroopan)
, who is saluted by the following slOkam :
Sa BhidhyathE Vedamaya: Sa Vedam karOthi Vedair-bahubhi:
SasAkhAm SaakhApraNathO Sa Samastha SaakhA: Jn~AnaroopO
Bhagavan Anantha:
Parasara Maharishi thus celebrates
PraNavam by recognizing it as Bhagavath Svaroopam . By
prefixing Bhagavan NaamAs in AshtOttharams and
Sahasrams , we enhance the sanctity of our utterances . PraNavam is
Veda Mayam.
The Importance of Nama:
Sabdham ***************************** In the
AshtOthara and Sahasra Naama Archanais , we end with the
Nama: sabdham . For instance , we recite : ( Pranavam ) VishNavE
nama:
The Nama: sabdham is part of ashtAkshara
manthram just as PraNavam . The Nama: sabdham has many meanings
as elaborated by AchAryAs in the context of the Seshithvam of
the Lord and the Jeevan's Seshathvam. According to
SamhithAs , there are three levels of meaning or Nama: (SthUlam
, Sookshmam and Param) of meaning .The SthUla Meaning
is based on VyAkaraNa sAsthram and reveals that Jeevan is
prostrating before the Lord with reverence and
performing Prapatthi with all the required angAs. The
Sookshma meaning is derived from niruktham concludes that
jeevan is not independent and is not a Master of its own
destiny . The meaning at the Param level is based on
rahasya SaasthrAs and it establishes that fruit of
Prapatthi (SaadhyOpAyam ) is the Lord Himself (
SiddhOpAyan).
Thus by prefixing Bhagavan NaamA with
PraNavam and concluding with the Nama: sabdham , we link
ourselves the core and profound doctrines of SrI VaishNavam
.
Contributors for this 108 & 1008
NaamAvaLi Kaimkaryams
*******************************************************************
All the web page assembly related work
has been brilliantly
completed by SrI SrInivAsan SrIram of
California. The text of
the commentary on the 108 NaamAs housed inside the BrahmANDa PurANam
was put together by myself .
The Commentaries on the Varaaha PurANa
AshtOttharams
used daily at Thirumalai SrinivAsan's
sannidhi were jointly
constructed by SrI Coimbatore SadagOpan
IyengAr and
myself .
The Commentaries on the 1008 NaamAs of
Lord VenkatEsan
are being assembled by Dr.Venkat
Kanumalla of SrI RanganAtha Temple of Pomona, N.Y and myself . We
hope to
complete that detailed work before this
PurattAsi SravaNam ,
the avathAra dinam of Lord
SrINivAsan .
It is a Parama BhAgyam to
write the commentaries on the two AshtOttharams and the Sahasra
Naamams of the Lord of Thirumalaa Hills .
AdiyEn places all these three
Commentaries at the Sacred feet
of the Lord of ThiruvEnkatam Hills .
NamO VenkatEsAya ***************** Let us
start our AshtOtthara Satha NaamArchanai now
in unison with the blessed ArchakAs of the Lord of Seven
Hills !
SrImath Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE
SaraNam
Daasan , Oppiliappan KOil VaradAchAri
SadagOpan |