mantra

Aditya Hrudayam Series Week 9 
Shloka Taatparyam Shloka 4

In Shlokas 4 & 5 Sage Agastya explains the greatness and benefits of chanting the shloka.

Aditya Hrudayam Series Week 8
Shloka Taatparyam Shloka 3

राम राम महाबाहो श्रुणु गुहयं सनातनम़ |
येन सवॆानरीनवतस समरे विजयिषयसि || 3 ||

Aditya Hrudayam Series Week 7 
Shloka Taatparyam Shloka 2

दैवतैश्रच समागमय द्रुषटुम अब्यागतोरणम |
उपगमया बरविद्रामम अगसत्यो भगवान ऋषिः || 2 ||

Aditya Hrudayam Series Week 6 
Shloka Taatparyam Shloka 1

Beginning today, I will post Shloka taatparyam, one shloka a week. As mentioned previously, there are a total of 31 shlokas in Aditya Hrudayam. Shlokas 1 & 2 describe the battlefield scene at the beginning of the war and arrival of Sage Agastya and the other devas to the battlefield to witness the epic war.

This week we will continue with the remaining pre-chant warm up steps Nyasam and Dhyanam. Nyasam is simply purifying and divinizing the various parts of the body. Dhyanam is a simple prayer to the Lord to whom the chant is addressed to.

NYASAM (Invocation)

Nyasam simply means to invoke or to place. In short, it is the process of divinizing oneself by invoking the God (Paramatma) who resides inside us (Jeevatma). It is to be performed by the individual who is doing the chanting. There are seven kinds of Nyasa and they recommend to do 3 or 4 types of nyasa i.e. divinize various parts of the body such as head, mouth, hands, feet, heart etc before chanting Aditya Hrudayam. This is a slightly elaborate process usually performed while doing Sandhya vandana. I usually skip this step to proceed to dhyanam.

DHYANAM (Prayer)

After completing nyasam next step is to pray to Lord Surya with the following dhyana mantra and do namaskaram.

namassavitre jagadeka cakṣuse

jagatprasūti sthiti nāśahetave

trayīmayāya triguṇātma dhāriṇe

viriñci nārāyaṇa śaṅkarātmane

Namah – Salutations

Savitre – Sun God

jagat – World

eka – one

caksuse – eye

jagat – world

prasuti – procreate

sthiti – maintain, sustain

nasa – destroy

hetave – cause

trayimayaya – embodiment of vedas

trigunatma – the three forms

dharine – takes

virinci – Brahma, the creator

narayana – Vishnu

sankaratmane –Shiva

Meaning:

Salutations to the Sun God, who is the only eye of this world, the one who (causes) creates, sustains and destroys everything in the universe, one who is the embodiment of the Vedas, one the who takes the form of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva by combining all their functions into himself.

Gayatri Mantra

After dhyana mantra do a simple namaskaram to Lord Surya and then chant the Gayatri mantra. This mantra comes directly from the Rig Veda and attributed to sage Vishwawmitra. This is addressed to Veda mata Gayatri. We pray to Mata Gayatri to take Her blessings and for the divine light to illumine our intellect

Om Bhur Bhuvaḥ Swaḥ

Tat-savitur Vareñyaṃ

Bhargo Devasya Dhīmahi

Dhiyo Yonaḥ Prachodayāt

Now the pre-chant steps are complete and we can begin chanting Aditya Hrudaya Shlokas. Even though it looks like these steps are elaborate it is actually only 2-3 minutes long (excluding the nyasam) and not a big deal given the benefit it offers by making the intellect and the heart to sync with the chant.

Method Of Chanting Aditya Hrudayam

 Chanting Shlokas                                                                      

taj-japaḥ tad-artha-bhāvanam

Meaning:

Japam is a repetition of Mantra that which is fully understood and recited with devotion.

 Chanting Shlokas or mantras in general has two important underlying elements:

1. Understanding the meaning (artha)of what is being chanted and why it is being chanted
2. Reciting the Shloka with full emotion (bhavanam).

Both the brain and heart are to be involved – brain in understanding what is being recited and heart by bringing in feelings of love and devotion from an emotional aspect.  Aditya Hrudayam is no exception.  It is a very powerful mantra and fully effective when chanted the proper way rather than as a plain memorization and dry muttering of words.

Warm-up 

To that end, there is a sequence of four small steps to be followed before starting the actual chant.  These steps help to bring the full focus of the mind and heart to the chant.  As a matter of fact, all mantras have these steps not just Aditya Hrudayam.   Depending on the Shloka the wordings might change but the steps are common.  So, the next couple of weeks let us briefly look into these steps in a simplified way before moving on to the Shlokas.  Even if we don’t follow all these steps it is good to at least to know what they mean and why they need to be followed.

These four steps are:

1. Sankalpam (Intent)
2. Viniyoga (Use or Application)
3. Nyasa (Invocation)
4. Dhyana (Prayer)

As for myself, I start with Salutations to Guru, Ganesha, & Goddess Saraswathi then do Sankalpam & Viniyoga, skip Nyasa & Dhyaanam and proceed straight to the chant.  There are a few reasons for that .  For one, Sankalpa and Viniyoga are very simple and straight forward.   Two, for my level of divinity these simple steps are just as effective and good.  And finally, due to practice as I start chanting Viniyoga automatically my mind diverts its full focus and attention to the chant irrespective of the surroundings. So, as long as one has a good understanding of the meaning and chanting with full dedication and devotion it is up to the individual to choose or skip some of these steps.

 SANKALPAM (Goal) 

Sankalpam simply means intent or resolve.  It is usually done before any Pooja or Vedic ritual.  It is very similar to declaring an objective before starting a science experiment.  It declares the purpose of chanting the Shloka.  The Shloka should be chanted only after Sankalpam.  Through Sankalpam we inform the gods what we are going to chant and what we expect in return for our efforts.

For Aditya Hrudayam Sankalapam is as follows:

mama chinthitha manoratha avaapthyartham

aditya hrudhaya sthothra mahamantra

japam karishyae

 

Meaning:

 Mama – My

chinthitha – thoughts

manoratha – desires

avaapthyartham – fulfillment

aditya hrudaya sthothram – aaditya hrudaya shloka

maha mantra – great mantra

japam – mutter in a low voice

karishye – I shall do

For the purpose of obtaining my intentions and heart’s desires I chant Aditya hrudaya maha mantra (in a soft voice)

 VINIYOGA (Application)

 Next comes Viniyoga.  Each mantra has a specific structural classification segment called Viniyoga.  I consider this to be more like an introductory segment that specifies the title of the Shloka, the Rishi who compiled it, how the Shloka is structured or constructed, whom it is addressed to and what is the specific application or use of the Shloka.  In other words it is like a methodology section of a scientific experiment and specifies how to relate the mantra to achieve your end goal.  There are three main components in Viniyoga namely – Rishi, Chandas, and Devata.  The first line announces the title followed by the name of the Rishi who compiled the mantra.  The Rishi is the ultimate authority on everything related to the mantra and therefore recalling the name of the Rishi shows respect and devotion for the chant to be successful.  The second component is the Chandas i.e how the mantra has been constructed for a rhythmic chanting.  The mantras can be chanted in different musical rhythms and speeds.  This component specifies how the mantra has been constructed so it can be chanted at the right rhythm and speed for the vibrations to be beneficial.  The third component is Devata, the God to whom the mantra is addressed to get the desired result.  Finally, it also states the use of the mantra.

For Aditya Hrudayam Viniyoga is as follows:

 Om Asya Sri Aditya hrudaya sthothra maha mantrasya

Agasthyo bhagavaan rishihi

Anushtupchanthaha

Adityahrudaya bhooto bhagwan brahma devata

Nirasthasesha vignataya brahma vidya siddhaou

Sarvathra jaya siddhaou cha jape viniyogaha

Meaning

 This is Aditya hrudaya Maha mantram

The Rishi for this shloka is Rishi Agastya

The poetic meter for this shloka is Anushtup*.

The presiding devata for this shloka is Lord Surya Narayana who resides in the heart of Aditya and is present in all beings

This shloka is to be chanted primarily for the purpose of destroying all obstacles, acquiring spiritual knowledge and to achieve success in all our endeavors.

* In Anushtup Chandas each stanza or verse is made of 32 syllables divided into 4 parts (Paadas) of 8 aksharaas (letters)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Benefits of Chanting Aditya Hrudayam

Aditya Hrudayam brings Positive Energy.

Many Vedic scholars believe chanting Aditya Hrudayam benefits body, soul and most importantly the mind. One of the main reasons to chant Aditya Hrudayam is to get a lot of positive energy early in the morning and be successful in all our endeavors. In fact, Sage Agastya taught this hymn to Lord Rama to boost his confidence and be victorious over his enemy at a time when he was exhausted and fatigued in the battlefield. Is this connection between Sun and mental health a fact or a myth? Let us switchgears to science to see if there is any corroboration.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Last week we saw how Sun travels in his chariot in the sky and drives weather patterns and seasons on earth. Changing seasons affect human health, mental health in particular. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of mood disorder that is related to change in seasons. SAD symptoms appear in fall, peak in winter, disappear in spring & summer. So there is some scientific truth to the fact that exposure to sunlight boosts mood and metabolism while lack of exposure to sunlight triggers sadness, lethargy and other negative emotions. But what is the link between sunlight and mood? To find the answer we need to dig into the anatomy and physiology of the human brain.

Pineal Gland, the ‘Third Eye’

Residing in the middle of the brain between the two hemispheres, at the same level as the eye, is a small, rice–sized, cone shaped endocrine organ called the Pineal gland. Sometimes it is referred to as the ‘third eye’, a mystical chakra point right in the between the two eyebrows. This gland has special type of cells called pinealocytes. Exposure to sunlight activates the pinealocytes through the photoreceptors present in the retina of our eyes. In response to light stimulation these pinealocytes secrete some chemical substances that regulate mental and behavioral changes that follow a cycle. One of the chemicals is serotonin. Nick-named the ‘happy chemical’ serotonin helps a person to be calm and focused and contributes to happiness and well being. Without enough Sun exposure serotonin levels dip and triggers negative emotions such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbances etc. In fact, in the olden days it was customary to look at the rising sun with one’s eyes wide open for a brief period of time before performing the sun salutations. It is this light transducing ability of pineal gland that contributes to the positive effects of sunlight on mood and mental health of human beings. It is also probably the reason why lighting lamps is so fundamental to Hindu religious practices.

Chant Aditya Hrudayam in Brahma Muhurtham (Dawn)

So, from both scientific and spiritual perspectives it is clear that chanting Aditya Hrudayam is very beneficial to our mind and body. That leads us to the next question – How and when to chant this Shloka?
Aditya Hrudayam is Smriti (texts attributed to an author) and not Sruthi (Vedic literature that are authorless) and there are no set rules for recitation. It is suitable for any devoted aspirant to chant or hear. However, this is a very powerful mantra and out of the reverence to Sun God it is advisable to follow the general rules of Hindu worship. It should be chanted with pure mind and body. Person chanting the Shloka should wake up early in the morning, take bath, wear clean clothes and be very focused and seated in a clean and quiet place for chanting. It is very auspicious to start chanting Aditya Hrudayam from a Sunday. It is ideal to chant it thrice. It can be chanted during any time of the day. But the main purpose is to please Sun God and derive positive energy. Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of a new day, when Sun rises and light is scattered in the atmosphere while Sun is still below horizon. In Vedic language this period (96 minutes in duration) before sunrise is called Brahma muhurtham. If sunrise is at 6 am, then brahma muhurtham falls between 4:30 am to 6 am. This is the time when shift in energy fills space, mind is fresh, and environment is pure and calm. Per Vedic traditions this is the ideal time to perform spiritual practices such as prayers, meditation, yoga etc. Hence waking up in brahma muhurtham and chanting Aditya Hrudayam after finishing the morning rituals is symbolic, supremely blissful and very beneficial. A very interesting fact about this Shloka is that if one starts reciting exactly when the Sun begins to rise above the horizon, at the time of completion the Sun would be completely out and shining. Chanting it during times of distress and danger is also extremely beneficial. Regardless of when we chant, the most important point to remember is to chant the Shloka with utmost devotion and dedication.

 

Significance of Sun (The Big Bang & The Kaalachakra)
Sun is very important for life on earth. Though at odds with each other most of the times, both scientific and the spiritual communities have accepted and validated this in their own ways. After all, the seeking of the truth is central to both science and spirituality!!

The Big Bang

Sun is a main-sequence G2V star (spectral classification) at the center of our solar system. It powers life on earth. It gives us light and heat. Plants trap this light energy in their leaves for photosynthesis. The Sun powers the water cycle. The hydrological cycle maintains the ecosystem on earth while the heat exchange influences climate and generates weather patterns and seasons. How does Sun get so much energy to support life on earth?
Billions of years ago, there was a collision of a gigantic molecular cloud of gas (consisting of mainly hydrogen and helium) and dust known as the solar nebula. The nebula collapsed because of its gravity, spun faster and flattened into a disk. Most of the material in the center clumped, generated high temperatures (15 million degree C) and initiated a nuclear fusion at the core. Thus Sun was formed. Energy is produced at the core by nuclear fusion as Hydrogen converts to Helium. It takes millions of years for this energy to travel from the core of the Sun to its surface. But once at the surface it only takes 8 minutes and 25 seconds (dividing distance between earth & Sun by speed of light) for the solar rays to reach and power earth.

Kaalachakra – The Wheel of Time

Next, let us look at the concept of Time. Time is eternal with no beginning or end. The Sun plays a key role in dividing this eternal time into meaningful units such as day/night, month, year etc.

According to Vedas, Sun resides in Suryaloka (Sun-sphere) 1,00,000 yojanas (1yojana = 8miles) above the earth, right in between bhuloka (earth) and Bhuvarloka (Heavens). He constantly travels the sky in his massive chariot, ‘Saptashwa Ratham’. Sapta means seven and ashwa means horse. The seven horses yoked to this chariot represent the vasaras or seven days of the week. The chariot has only one wheel, the Kaalachakra. Varying units of Time on earth such as month, year, seasons etc. are established on this wheel known as Samvatsara. The axle of the wheel is tied to Dhruva, the pole star by a rope of wind. Dhruva is the Vedic equivalent of Polaris, the Northern pole star whose position is fixed in space. The Kaalachakra has twelve spokes. The spokes represent the twelve divisions of the sky (signs of the zodiac) and the six seasons are the sections of the rim. Time taken by this chariot to cross one division of the sky (one sign of the zodiac) is defined as one solar month on earth. Time taken to travel six divisions (one half of the sky) equals one Ayana, a six month period on earth. When the chariot travels six divisions south to north(Capricorn to Cancer) it is called Uttarayana. This six month period begins when Sun enters Capricorn (Makaram) around January 14th and ends when Sun leaves Cancer (Katakam) around July 16th. Uttara in Sanskrit means north and Ayana means movement. Uttarayana marks the end of winter solstice and arrival of longer days. Similarly, when the chariot travels six divisions north to south (Cancer to Capricorn) it is called Dakshinayana (Dakshina means south). It roughly corresponds to the second half of the year, July thru December. Also, as the chariot travels every two divisions in the sky a season passes on earth and hence seasonal changes are also part of this chakra. There are three seasons in one Ayana. Spring, Summer, and Monsoon are part of Uttarayana. Autumn, Fall, & Winter are a part of Dakshinayana. The aggregate of the two ayanas is one year or a Samvatsara. There are 60 Samvatsaras and once all 60 Samvatsaras are over the cycle repeats all over again. Various planets in our solar system are moving at varying speeds. For example, while it takes the Sun one month to cross one division of the sky it takes Jupiter one year to cover the same distance. Saturn takes 21/2 years. Taking into consideration all the planets, their speeds and relative positions at any given point in time it is only once in a cycle of 60 years the planets re-align in the same configuration in the sky as they were 60 years ago. This explains why the 60-year Samvatsara cycle aka ‘Shashti abdha poorthi’ is considered to be a significant milestone in one’s life. Riding in this chariot the Sun God travels the galaxy at a speed of 3,400,800 yojanas in a muhurtha. In other words, the orbital speed of Sun around the galaxy is a whopping 220km/second!!

 

I will conclude this week’s blog with a funny snippet. Incidentally, my son who is a namesake of Lord Surya also rides on ‘Saptashwa’ !!! Wait………..what??? Check out the picture.