Shaiva Upanishads (A Critical Study)

by Arpita Chakraborty | 2013 | 33,902 words

This page relates ‘The Pancabrahma Veda Mantra’ of the study on the Shaiva Upanishads in English, comparing them with other texts dealing with the Shiva cult (besides the Agamas and Puranas). The Upaniṣads are ancient philosophical and theological treatises. Out of the 108 Upanishads mentioned in the Muktikopanishad, 15 are classified as Saiva-Upanisads.

14. The Pañcabrahma Veda Mantra

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One of the greatest and most sacred of all Mantras, the Pañcabrahma Mantrāṇī, is found in the Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda, Taittirīya Āraṇyaka 10.17-21. They are chanted during pūjā. This is a lucid translation by Sabharathnam Śivācāryar, based on the 12^th-century translation by Ugrajyoti Śivācāryar in his priestly manual Vedārtha Nirṇaya Mañjarī, giving the enhanced meaning of the Mantras in the context of the Śaiva Āgamās.^[1]

1. Sadyojāta

[...]

I submit my mind, speech and body totally and repeatedly to Lord Sadyojāta, who manifests Himself and instantaneously creates bodies and worlds, who appears to devotees in the forms contemplated by them and yet transcends such forms assumed by Him and who has a retinue of Deities formed of millions of Mantras. May He make my form as of His own form.^[2]

2. Vāmadeva

[...]

Salutations to the luminous Lord who sportively creates everything. Salutations to the One who is eternally the Eldest, transcending the great cycles of time. Salutations to the One whose lordship excels all other Gods. Salutations to the One who wards off the sufferings of all living beings. Salutations to the One who is Eternal Time. Salutations to the One who sets into operation the divisions of time and maintains the worlds in an orderly way. Salutations to the One who, being the source of strength, strengthens the auspicious forces. Salutations to the One who, being the wielder of strength, withdraws the strength of inauspicious forces and extirpates them. Salutations to the One who guides all souls to ultimately reach Him.

3. Aghora

[...]

Salutations to Lord Śiva who manifests Himself in countless benign forms, in frightful and terrifying forms, and to all those countless forms of Rudra (eulogized in the Sri Rudram hymn). Salutations to all such manifestations of Lord Śiva.^[3]

4. Tatpuruṣa

[...]

As guided by my guru, I realize the form of Śiva known as Tatpuruṣa. I meditate with pure mind and refined intellect on the Great Illuminator. Let Tatpuruṣa -who cuts asunder the limiting bonds of the souls and by this act comes to be known as Rudra -guide, enlighten and strengthen my organs of knowledge and action and my internal faculties.^[4]

5. Īśāna^[5]

[...]

Lord Īśāna-the supreme Lord and Revealer of all knowledge and spiritual disciplines, the nourisher and controller of all living beings, the Directing Lord of Sadāśiva, He who is the guiding and directing authority for the eight Vidyesvaras, who directs Brahma, Viṣṇu and others -may He present Himself in this Śivaliṅga. By such benign presence, let there occur absolute purity and auspiciousness in me ‘OM’