Panchaakshara Japa Mahatmyaand Dhyana Yajna

As Devi Parvati desired to comprehend the meaning of the Panchaakshra Mantra of Om Namasshivaaya, Parama Shiva explained the back ground: when the Universe became extinct at the Time of Pralaya, only he was present as Narayana who floated on the Great Water Surface as the Unique and Supreme Being. As he was thus lying on water, there sprouted a Lotus from his navel and on top of the stem emerged Brahma who desired to initiate Srishti (Creation). He created ten Manasa Putrasor Mind-Born Sons, but prayed to the Supreme Being ie. Maha Deva to empower him with Shakti to take up the exciting task of formal Creation. Then the latter provided Upadesha(instruction) to Brahma and in turn Brahma gave the Upadesha to his sons who did sincere Tapasya by the recitation of the Panchakshari for thousands of years, consuming only air and nothing else. Shiva was pleased with the meditaton and keeping in view the Loka Kalyaana or Universal Welfare explained the purport of the Mantra, its Rishi, Devata, Shakti, Nyasa, Viniyoga and its Sampurna Swarupa or its Full Form: Omityekaashram Mantrey Vaachya Vaachya Vaachya Vedi shadaksha vaachaka Shivah Mantram rey sthitah sukshmey sarvagatah tavuh Shivah, Shivah/

panchaakshara saakshaat-

bhaavena

sthitah

swabhaavatah, smritah/

prameyaatwaan

Mantrastadvaachakah

Vaachaka Shivaagamey vaapi

bhavenamanaadih yatra yatra

samsthitastayo, Shadaksharah/ Jnaanamanuttamam, Daivatam/ prati,

Guhyaadguhyataram Asya Beejam Vamadevo Devataa Nakaaraadeeni Mantrasya Shaktih Swaram

saakshaanmoksha vakshyaami varnam Rishih yevaaham beejaani

Rishicchandodhi sthaanam

chaivaaksharam

naama Shiva

Panktiscchanda Mantrasyaasya

udaatdhrutah/ varaananey,

Panchabhutaatmakaanicha/

Atmaanam Shaktistwameva Twadeeyam Twadeeyam

Pranavam Deveshu Pranavam Devi kinchin

viddhi Sarva

Sarvavyaapinamavyayam, Deva Namaskrutey/ Pranavam na tathaa,

madeeyam Shakti bhutam

Mamtraanaam

shamshayah/ sthitaah, kramenavai/

Akaarokaaramakaaraamadeeyo Ukaaramcha Twadeeyam makaarasya Chhando Udaattah Panchamah Nakaarah Indriyodhi Makaarah Makaaramcha Pranavam ssarodaatta Devi Gayatri Viddhi Rishi Para

Pranavey Akaaramcha Trimaatram Brahmaa Plutasitam

muttamam, Vapuh/ Devataa, dwiteeyakah/

-maatmaadhi

Prathamastudwacchaturyascha Swaritaschaiva peeta varnascha Devatam Krishna varnosya Rishischaatri varnasya sthaanam cchando sthaanam Brihati murdhvem Madhyamo sthaanam Gayatri sthaanam Rudro vai urva nishadhah mukham Goutamey vai

smrutah, smrutam /

Rishih,

Dakshinaamukham/ Daivata-muchyatey,

Chhandonushtup Shikaaro Vishvaamitra Vakaaro Brahmaadhi Yakaaro dhumra

Paschimam Vishnustwa chaivottaram chaangiraa Mukham

Mukham/ Devaam, Mukham/ Rishih, Viraat/

Rishistrishthup Hema varnasya

Devatam raktavarnascha

cchando Sthaana

Cchando Nyaasamasya

Rishirbharadwaajah pravkshaami sarva

Skando siddhikaram

Daivatamuchyatey, Shubham /

(This Unique Single Akshara Mantra OM is firmly embedded in Shiva; this Mantra of six letters viz.Om Namah Shivaaya is actually considered as of Five Aksharas; from the view-point of Vaachya and Vaachaka, Shiva is the Vaachya or the Target or He who is sought after and Vaachaka is the means to achieve the Vachya, viz. the Mantra; wherever the Mantra is recited there is Shiva; in fact the Mantra is the Essence of Vedas; the Vidwans who recite the Panchakshari as continuous Japa are sure to attain Moksha. This Parama Vidya is indeed of Shivas heart. The Rishi, Chhanda /Prosody, Devata, Beejam and Shakti of the Panchaakshari Mantra is as follows: Vama Deva is the Rishi, Pankti is the Cchanda, Shiva Himself is the Devata, Nakaaraadi Pancha beejas are Pancha Bhutaas; Pranava swara Om is Shivas Supreme Soul and also the Shakti. Each letter of the Mantra is distinguished wih the Rishi-Chhanda-Deva-Shakti-Beeja combination). Then as prescribed, the Anga Nyasa and Karanyasas should be performed before taking over the Mantra Japa. The person who is practising the Panchaakshara Mantra has to perform Pranaamor sincere salutation to his Guru with Shraddhaby way of Maanasika- Vaachaka or UccharanaKarma vidhaana or with purity of mind, humility of voice and perfection of deed and then take over the possession of the Mantra from the Guru at a Place of cleanliness, at an ideal time when Grahas, Nakshatras and Yogaas are well-placed. The Japa has to be performed with eqanimity of mind, full control of Indriyas-both Karmendriyas and Jnaanendriyas and of extreme concentration fixed at the targetted Shiva Maha Tatwa. It is stated that Upaashyu Japa or slowly rendered Japa is hundred times superior and effective that Japa Yajna; when any Japa or repetetive recitation of a Mantra is performed, then that Japa is called Vaachakaor vocal in kind; the Upanshu Japa has slight lip-movement; but Japa of the best is called Maanasika when only mind and thought are at work. Indeed any of the above types of Panchaakshari Japa done with unflinching concentration by aligning Parama Shiva and the Self would definitely yield Siddhis. But mere japa of the Panchakshari wthout securing the balance of mind and target are of no avail. Without Sadaachaara or of Self Regulaton and Good Observance of Morality and Virtue, any amount of Japa would be fruitless: Yasmaadaachaara Aachaaram Aachaaram heenasya Dharma Vidyaa Pumsaam Saadhanam Aachaarah Aachaarah nishphalam Paramo Paramaa bhavet, Tapah/ Gatih, bhavet/

Paramo Paramo

Sadaachaaravataam

Sarvatraabhayam

Aachaara Aachaara

heenaanaam heenah Purusho

Sarvatraiva Lokey

bhayam bhavati

bhavet, ninditah/

(Without Aachara and good conduct, any kind of Sadhana or Endeavour is neither possible nor fruitful since Aachaara is the prerequisite of any virtious deed; Aachara is the Parama Dharma, the Parama Tapas, Parama Vidya and Parama Gati or way of Life. Persons of Aachara have access to every thing that is right where as those without Aachara are either afraid, misguided or suspected). In the same context, Maha Deva emphasised to Devi Parvati the utmost significance of performing Trikaala Sandhyopaasanaand recital of Gayatri Mantra daily. Sandhya Vandana ought not to be discarded at any cost or provocation of the Shadvargas of Kaama-Krodha-LobhaMoha- Mada-Matsaras. A Brahmana loses his Brahmanatwa as soon as he ceases to observe this Daily Niyama or Regulation mandatory to a Brahmana. Parama Shiva further underlined the basic principles of Virtue viz. Truthfulness : Yatsatyam Anrutam Brahma Parusham ityaahurasatyam Shathyam Paishunyam Brahma Paapa cha cha Manasaa dushanam, hetukam/ sarvadaa, tathaa/

Paradaaraanparadravyam Kkachicchaapi na kurvati

Parahimsaam Vaachaa

(Refrain from Asatyam or speaking lies: Truth is Brahma and Asatya is as bad as ridiculing Brahma himself; haughtiness, wickedness, slandering are all germinators of depravities and derelictions. Para Daaraa, Para dravya, Para himsa and such other immoralities are not even thought of, let alone done. Shiva was emphatic about the observance of Varnaashrama Vidhana. Brahmanas should never take food without taking bath, nor performing Japa, Agni Karya, and such deeds; they should follow a strict regimen in the context of food consumption as Shiva is always considered as a Bhokta of Naiveydya -anna or the food offered to him by Bhaktaas. Drinking water by ones mouth, while standing, by the left hand and handed over by others. Never walk alon on lonely places, never meditate to Devas by showing the back such as Surya and Chandra Devas, nor even to Pratimas of Gods. As Agni is pure and Sacred, never cross it, jump over or spit. Similarly, never misuse Rivers, Sarovaras and other water bodies as they too are among the Pancha Bhutas. Never touch animals like serpents, dogs, donkeys, camels, birds and so on. Most importanly, one should esteem his or her Guru as equal to Tri Murtis and that is why the hymn:

Guruh Guruh

Brahma Saakshaat

Gurur

Vishnu

Gurur tasmai

Devo Shri

Maheswaraha, Guraveynamah/

Parahbrahma

The anger or even marginal displeasure of Guru would advesely affect the Sishyas morale, reputation, thinking capacity and recurrent difficulties of life including ill-health, poverty and untimely death! It should be against such controlled and virtuous life that the concentrated practice of Panchaakshari Mantra would yield maximum results. Sabeeja Matsaayujya That was samputam Mantram Shata Bhaktimaan Deva Laksham Jepeycchruchih, Param/ Parvati.

mavaapnoti what Maha

Kimatah assured Devi

Dhyana Yagna: As Parama Shiva was resting in a cave of Kailasha Mountain with Girija Devi, a few renowned Maharshis entered and commended him for his feat of gulping Kalakuta Visha when Maha Deva corrected them that the Samasara Visha was to be considered worse than the Kalakuta and should be avoided at all costs; the best way of avoidance is to disbelieve what ever was seen, heard and imagined and that was what the Nivrutthi Marga was all about. In the Samsara, there are various Jeevaas of Udbhija-Swedaja-Andaja and Jaraajaya nature (Sprouted from Earth, born out of sweat, born out of eggs and born out of yoni) and they are all subject to desires which spread out far and wide like wild fire and end up each and every material into Bhasma. Like the diseases of the nature of Raaga and Dwesha (Liking or disliking) the canker spreads a huge tree and finally gets uprooted. The big tree called Punya gets fallen and even Devas were not free from the falls or periodic dethronements but for the intervention of Maha Shaktis! Deva, Danava, Nripa and Manavaas are all subject to the distresses and torments of life. Vidya and Para Vidya or Vignaan and Atma Jnaan (Knowledge and the Spitituality) are no doubt the way out to conquer Samsara; Apara Vidya or Akhshara Gyan comprises Vedas and Vedantaas like Siksha, Kalpa, Vyakarana and so on and are of Shabda Swarupa. Doubtless, these means of Paraa and Aparaa Vidyas are useful to a great extent but Bhagavan would be the ultimate to free from the worldly bondages. These are indeed the steps forward from Samsara to Salvation or from Ajnaana to Jnaana to Paramatma. In other words, Agnaana arising out of Arishadvargas of Kama-Krodha etc would get dissolved by Gyana of the above kinds like Fire and from the melting pot, one could qualify to realise Shiva without whose instructions, Surya would not get woken up, Vayu would not proceed further and Chandra would not shine on the Sky, Agni would not produce heat and light, Bhumi would not hold the Samsara and so on. Now to overcome the Samsarika Visha or the Poison of Life, there are no other ways of Gyaan and Dhyaan.

Samsaara Pratikaara Jnaanam

vishatatpaanaam samaakhyaato Dharmodbhavam Saakshaat

Jnaanadhyaanaamruteyna naanyathaa

vai,

Dwijasattamaah/ sambhavah, prakaashakam/ Siddhirdwijottama, naanyathaa/

jnaanaa-dwiraagya Paramaartha Yoga

Vairaagyaatparamam Jnaana Yoga Vairagya Siddhya

jnaanam yuktasya

vimuktih

Syaatsatva

nishthasya

Tamovidyaapadacchinnam Sarva Yah Sarvato Sarva Shaktim Satvanistho Dharma dwanda saho satatam BuddhimaanMumukshurdharmajnah vinirmuktah Dwijo vaapi bhutwaa purva Samaasthaaya madbhakto nishthascha dheerah swastha

yatpadamavyayam, Shivamabhyarchaey madaschana Sadotsaahi Sarva chitto dwijaa/ Paraayanah, Samayutah/ ratah, sada /

bhutahitey mruduh

Rujuswabhaavah Amaani Sadaa Runatraya Jaaa yukto

cchantastyaktaspardho swaatmalakshana jnmani cha Punya Guroh krutrima

Dwijottama, lakshanah/ bhaak, krammat/ vajkitah,

Shraddayaa krutwaa

Anyathaa

sushrushaam

Swargaloka manupraapya bhuktwaa bhogaananukramaat/