Publishers' Note:
The Upanisads are the culmination of the Vedas. Therefore they are known as the Vedanta. The religious message given by Swami Vivekananda was based on the Vedanta. The Swamiji urged his followers to popularise the thoughts treasured in the Upanisad at home and abroad. Bearing this idea in mind the second president of this Math started the Upanisad Series thirty-five years ago. Each Upanisad belonging to this Series contains the text in bold Devanagari type, word-by-word meaning, translation based on tradition, Introduction briefly summarizing the subject matter, and elaborate Notes. About a dozen Upanisads are specially illuminated by the superb Commentary of Sri Sankaracarya, who lived over one thousand years ago. They are the most authoritative Upanisads; and eleven of them are now made available in this Series. Most of them have undergone many editions and reprints, and have gained popularity in several parts of the world. Heartened by this wide welcome given to the Upanisad Series, we now publish the Mahanarayanopanisad which, as far as we know, has not yet been translated into English fully and with complete explanation.
The special importance of this text, which is counted as part of the Krsnayajurveda, to the religious Hindu is perhaps unequalled by any other work of its class. We have therefore endeavored to bring out a suitable edition of this abstruse text with aids for understanding its traditional import. An interpretation of the text in easy Sanskrit is a new feature of this publication. This is specially added with a view to help those readers who know only Sanskrit and not English. It will also render the received meaning clearer to those users of the translation who possess some knowledge of Sanskrit.
Much religious material has been digested into the critical and explanatory Notes. This is indented to meet the needs of those who value this sacred text particularly for its spiritual and devotional use. The practice of putting notes on words indicated by superior figures was the custom in the preceding members of the Series. It has been given up here in order to make the reading of the explanatory Notes smooth and continuous. This Upanisad together with its preceding Prapathaka-divided into Siksa - Ananda-Bhrgu-Vallis-is chanted solemnly on special religious occasions. So the text is given here with accent marks in order to facilitate its recital. This will be welcomed by those who have no long training in the customary Vedic recitation.
PRESIDENT
Ramakrishna Math, Madras
March, 1957
PUBLISHER
Introduction to the First Edition:
MODERN investigations have revealed that the 2600 million people on this globe speak 2796 different languages and dialects belonging to different families of speech. Of these those that have a long literary past and are still influencing the thought of millions of people are not very many. The collection of hymns, litanies and prayers, under the comprehensive term Vedas, transmitted by oral tradition for as the oldest literature available for the purpose of studying the religious thoughts exercising a considerable influence over the people of a significant part of Asia for many millenniums. Those languages which have preserved past thoughts in literary form, either as written records or oral traditions, alone have been a recognizable power in the evolution of the intellectual, moral and spiritual life of mankind. The scattered splinter-speech communities have not produced any literary heirloom exemplify; and, consequently, they have not made any deep impression on human civilization. The dialects, which have sustained the intercourse of many small groups of have changed and even disappeared without a vestige. The literature preserved in the Vedas through the religious fervour of a highly sensitive people who paid the greatest attention to the careful training of the ear for sound, for rhythm, speech melody, and precision of grammar uncontaminated by local idioms, stands almost unique in the history of human culture. Today the study of the Vedas has, therefore, attracted the attention and interest of people in various parts of the world.
An account of the nature and division of the Vedas will be found in the introduction to the Isavasyopanisad included in the Upanisad Series published by the Ramakrishna Math. This publication is the twelfth in the Series. In the collection of One-hundred-and-eight Upanisads, published several times from Bombay and other places, two works are included with the title Narayanopanisad. Of these the longer one includes a variety of subjects of great importance in the daily observances of a religious Hindu. It is accepted as a part of the Krsnayajurveda and is distinguished generally by the designation Mahanarayanopanisad . The same Upanisad is known also as Yajniki-upanisad on the ground that Yajnatma Narayana is considered to be the seer of this part of the Veda. Like the other Vedas the Yajurveda is divided into samhita and Brahmana. The Taittiriya recension of its has the Taittiriya-ranyaka as an extension of the brahmana. The Taittiriya-ranyaka according to Sayanacarya has ten prapathakas of which this Upanisad forms the last one. Bhattabhaskara who wrote a Commentary on the whole of Yajurveda, anterior to Sayana, substitutes the term prasna for the division heading prapathaka, and calls this as the last prasna. Both the exegetists accept the name Yajnikyupanisad.
Page | |
PRAJAPATI: God Transcendent and Immanent | 1 |
The Ultimate Divine Principle: called Paramesvara or the Prajapati | 2 |
Aksarabrahman-The Self-supporting Final Cause of the Universe | 4 |
Seers Realise the All-pervading Divine in the Ether of Their Heart | 5 |
The Order of Cosmic Evolution | 7 |
The Omniform Nature of the All-Sustaining Brahman | 9 |
Rtam and Satyam; He alone is All Gods | 10 |
Prajapati as the Divine Purusa and the Source of Time With all Its Divisions | 11 |
The Divine Being is Called Mahad-Yasas; has None Above Him; and is Limitless | 13 |
Immortality Attained through Meditation on Him in the Heart | 15 |
Uttaranarayananuvaka | 16 |
Knowledge of God Alone Leads to Release | 17 |
The Unborn Prajapati is born Diversely | 17 |
Minor Gods Submit to the Knower of the Supreme | 18 |
The Spouses Hri and Laksmi | 19 |
Hiranyagarbha-sukta | 20 |
Paramatman as the Time-binding Experience in All Living Beings | 24 |
Ekadeva, the Supreme Divine Being, Works the Entire Universe | 26 |
The Togetherness of the Universe in God | 28 |
God is the Web and Woof of Creation | 28 |
Vena, after Realizing the Immortal, Taught It | 28 |
The Knower of God Deserves Highest Honour | 28 |
God is the Friend, Parent and Ordainer | 31 |
God-Realization: A Simultaneous Experience of Identity | 32-35 |
Substance of Mantras I. 6-18 | 33-35 |
A Supplication for Intellectual Powers | 35 |
Prayers to Agni for Granting Specific Needs | 37 |
Rudragayatri | 39 |
The Ancestry and Significance of Gayatris | 40 |
Gayatris of Mahadeva, Vinayaka, Nandikesvara, Sanmukha, Garuda, Brahma, Narayana, Narasimha, Aditya, Agni and Durgi |
43-48 |
Gayatris from Agamas and Tantras | 49 |
Panic Grass: Religious Importance of It | 50 |
Repetition of Proper Ritual Acts Deepens Religious Life | 51 |
Multiplication of Progeny and Social Transmission | 52 |
Prayer to the Earth and Self-Purification by it | 53 |
The Earth Glorified and Implored to for Favours | 54-56 |
Supplication to Indra For Fearlessness and Well-being | 57 |
Real nature of Indra in the Rgvedasamhita | 59 |
An Oft-quoted Prayer for Well-being | 59 |
Prayer to Indra and Soma | 60-62 |
Vena as the Symbol of the Supreme Reality | 62 |
The Earth Implored to Grant Bliss and to End Sorrows | 64 |
An Invocation to the Earth Glorified as Sri | 65 |
Welcoming Values and Exorcising Dis-values | 66 |
Well-being Sought From Indra | 67 |
Prayer for Fitness to Sacrifice and Destruction of Enemies | 68 |
The Lord's Feet and One's Own Moral Conduct Save One Misery | 69 |
Prayer Addressed to Indra for Safety | 70 |
Propitiation of Water and Herbs | 71 |
How the Vedas Help the Common Men | 71 |
Aghamarsana Sukta: Its Philosophy and Import | 72 |
Prayer to Varuna for Purity | 75 |
Right Livelihood: Expiation of Transgressions | 76 |
Salutations to Agni, Indra and Varuna | 76 |
Counteracting Adverse Effects of Water | 77 |
Expiation of the Sins of Gluttony and Greed and the Principle underlying It | 78 |
Invocation to the Ten Deified Rgvedic Rivers | 80-81 |
A Creationistic Hymn (Rgveda. X. 190) | 81 |
A Prayer for Total Purity | 84 |
Oblation of Finite Self into Infinite Brahman | 86 |
Varuna, the Sin-effacer | 89 |
Self-abasement Before God's Supreme Purity | 90 |
Soma as Umamahesvara and the King of the Universe | 91 |
Durga-sukta-Hymn to Durga | 93-100 |
Atri's Perpetual Prayer for the Peace and Safety of All | 98 |
Prayer to Fire God for Happiness and Fortune | 101 |
Prayer to Indra and Visnu for Devotion | 102 |
Mantars Chanted while Making Oblations for Increase of Food | 103 |
Mahavyahrtihoma: Chanting for Destroying Sin | 105 |
Mantras for Offering Oblations for Greatness | 107 |
Prayers for the Attainment of Knowledge | 109 |
Prayers for Removing Obstacles in the Path to Higher Knowledge | 112 |
Prayer for Retention of the Scripture Learnt | 112 |
Moral and Spiritual Discipline Eulogised as Tapas | 115-117 |
Approval of Meritorious Work and Censure of the Opposite Kind | 118 |
An Echo of this Upanisad in the Dhammapada | 120 |
Grace of God is a Necessary Condition for Seeing Him | 121 |
God as the Source of Life, Body and Environment | 123 |
The Best Instances of the Type Remind Us of Divine Glory | 126 |
Bondage to Nature and Release from It | 127 |
Hamsamantra: Its Non-dualistic Meaning | 129 |
Prajapati as God Immanent and Transcendental | 132 |
Prayer to Savitr for Plenty | 134 |
Fitness for Spiritual Illumination Engendered through Sacrifices | 135 |
The Greatness of Divine Names | 136-140 |
The Greatness of Vedantic Knowledge | 141 |
A Prayer for Unbroken Thought of God | 143 |
The Greatness of Purusa: The Tree Analogy | 145 |
Immortality through Renunciation: Its Rareness | 146 |
Vedanta, Sannyasa and Yoga as Methods of Release fro Transmigration | 149 |
The place Where God is to be Worshipped | 151 |
Mahesvara-Who is He? | 153 |
Visvapurusa Narayana-His Nature, Glory, His Residence in the Heart, and His Identity with the Universe and all Gods | 155-169 |
Worship of the Supreme Being in the Solar Orb | 170 |
The Glory of the Sun | 173-176 |
Aditya Designated by Pranava and Worshipped as Brahman | 177 |
Mantras for the Consecration of Sivalinga | 178 |
Prayer to Sadyojata-Siva for Release from Transmigration | 182 |
Salutation to Vamadeva-Siva | 183 |
Salutation to Aghora-Siva | 185 |
Salutation to Isana, the Lord of All, and Prayer for His Blessings | 186 |
Salutations to Pasupati-Siva | 186 |
Salutations to Brahmapurusa in the Androgynous Form | 187 |
Salutations to Rudra in the Universal Aspect | 188 |
Longing to Worship Rudra at Heart with Hymns | 190 |
Material of the Sacrificial Laddle: Sacrifices Lead to Inner Purity | 192 |
A Hymn Prescribed for Counteracting Evil | 193 |
A Formula in Praise of the Earth as Aditi | 195 |
Water Eulogized as the Omnific Cause | 196 |
Invoking Water for Self-purification | 197 |
Self-oblation into the True Immortal Light | 199 |
Sun as the Divine into Whom Self-oblation is Made | 201 |
The Pranava Identified with Brahman: Some Details About it | 204 |
Invocation of Gayatri-the Mother of Vedas | 206 |
Day to Day Removal of Sins | 207 |
Invocation of Gayatri and personification of the Formula | 209 |
Worship of Gayatri | 211-214 |
Vyahrtis, Gayatri and Gayatrisiras for Pranayama | 214 |
Details About Gayatri: Significance Explained | 215-217 |
Dismissal of Gayatridevi | 218 |
Worship of Gayatri Gives Welfare | 219-220 |
Oblation of Pranas to Soma | 221 |
Trisuparna Mantras | 221-225 |
Mental Power Necessary to Reach Brahman | 225 |
Prayer to Savitr to Remove the Sleep of Illusion | 225 |
Prayer to Savitr for Heralding in What is Auspicious | 225 |
Madhumantras which Stress upon the Need of True Disciples, Supreme Knowledge and Salubrious Environment | 225 |
Invocation for Obtaining Intelligence Quoted From Other Vedas | 230 |
The Glory of Trisuparna | 232-235 |
Fire-Worship as Mystic Communion | 235 |
Prayer to the Deity Called Medha | 237 |
Intelligence and Wealth Must Combine | 237 |
Importance of Speech Guarded by Intelligence | 239 |
Prayers to Indra, Sarasvati, Aswins, Gandharvas and Apsaras for Intelligence | 242 |
Agni, Indra and Surya Supplicated for Intelligence | 243 |
Prayer for Longevity, Safety, Sinlessness and Wealth | 244 |
Death! Go Back; Do not Strike Us | 245 |
May We Live Long Brilliant Life-A Prayer | 246 |
Fear of Yama and Accusation of Others Prayed Away | 247 |
Longing for the Path of Liberation | 249 |
Power of Yajna to Take One Across the Sea of Death | 250 |
Death Placated for Granting Safety | 251 |
Rudra is Implored Not to Hurt | 252 |
Rudra is Saluted to Spare One's Belongings | 254 |
A prayer to Prajapati | 257 |
The Power of Yajna to loosen Death-traps | 258 |
Death Includes Many Snares | 259 |
Oblations to Remove Offences Done to Gods And Men | 261 |
Individual is Responsible for the Offences of the Group Also | 262 |
Prayer to Remove Hostile Spirits | 263 |
Desire Made the Scapegoat | 265 |
Kama-the Philosophy Behind this Term | 266-267 |
Manyu | 267 |
Burnt Offerings of Sesamum for Benefits | 268 |
Preparation for Sannyasa | 269 |
Sesamum for Oblation | 270 |
The Level of the Community Influences the Individual's Moral Stature | 270 |
The Oblation Known as Viraja for Self-Purification | 271-284 |
A Possible Indication that the Oblation May be Offered by Either Sex | 273 |
Viraja Oblations Continued | 274 |
Hidden Egoism | 275 |
The Eclipsed Soul Comes out in all Splendour | 279 |
Hunger and Thirst | 280 |
Asceticism implied in Sannyasa | 281 |
Efface Misfortune, Adversity and Poverty | 282 |
Laksmi and Alaksmi | 283 |
Thirty-seven Oblatory Formulas for Baliharana | 284-286 |
Importance of Food for All Living Beings | 287 |
Troubling Rudragana Prayed to for Safety | 288 |
The Supreme Truth | 289 |
Puruh or Puh | 290 |
Brahman as All-God | 291 |
Sraddha-a Deity to be Worshipped | 292 |
Pranagnihotra | 292-297 |
Food-seeking Instinct Spiritualised | 294 |
Amrtahoma | 296 |
The Container and Cover for Food | 295-296 |
Final Mantras Completing Pranagnihotra | 297 |
Purusa of the Size of the Thumb is Satisfied by Repast | 297 |
God the True Enjoyer: Man, Only an Instrument | 298 |
Satisfaction of a Repast Must Bring Remembrance of God | 299 |
Enjoy What is Granted to Us by God | 300 |
Prayer to Remove the Bondage of Ignorance | 301 |
Rudra as Pranagranthi | 302 |
Lapse of Ahankara, Sign of Maturity | 303 |
Unity of Visnu and Siva | 304 |
Manifoldness of Agni-the Divine | 304 |
Yajna Personified and Venerated | 305 |
Brahman in the Brahmana | 308 |
Truthfulness as Supreme Means of Liberation | 309 |
Sugar-Coating Truth with Untruth | 310 |
Religious Fast as Tapas | 311 |
Sense-Control as Tapas | 312 |
Tranquilization of Mind as Tapas | 313 |
Religious Righteousness as Foundation of All | 314 |
Procreation | 315 |
The Five Mahagnis | 316 |
Agnihotra as Means of Liberation | 317 |
Yajna Leads Men to the Status of Gods in Heaven | 317 |
Manasa-Inward Worship-Its Importance | 318 |
How Yajna Prepares One to be an Atmayajin | 319 |
Sannyasa Declared to be Supreme | 320 |
Two Different Vies of Nyasa | 321 |
Sauparneya Aruni's Question to His Father | 322 |
Tapas is Behind Great Achievements | 322-323 |
Sense-Control: Its Greatness and Inaccessibility | 324 |
Calmness of Mind as means of Liberation | 326 |
Selfless-Gift as the Shelter of Sacrifice | 327 |
Dharma or Justice is the Defence of the Oppressed | 328 |
Procreation as the Foundation of Races | 330 |
The Conception of Threefold debts | 331 |
Why Sacrificial Fires are Important? | 332 |
Agnihotra-the Beacon to Heaven | 334 |
Yajna as a Potent Weapon | 335 |
The Value of Inward Concentration | 336 |
Sannyasa Eulogised as the Supreme | 337 |
A Panegyric upon Food | 339 |
The Scale of Values: Sun, Rain, Flora, Food, Strength, Power, Tapas, Faith, Sense-Control, Reflection, Calmness, Remembrance, Direct Realisation and Bliss |
340 |
Knowledge of the Atmapurusa Leads to Release | 342 |
Why Sannyasa is the Greatest Tapas? | 344 |
Brahman as Giver of all Light | 346 |
Prescription for Meditation as Given to Sannyasins | 348 |
Atmayajna is a Development of Upasana | 349 |
The Complete Cycle-From Birth to Release | 351 |
Publishers' Note:
The Upanisads are the culmination of the Vedas. Therefore they are known as the Vedanta. The religious message given by Swami Vivekananda was based on the Vedanta. The Swamiji urged his followers to popularise the thoughts treasured in the Upanisad at home and abroad. Bearing this idea in mind the second president of this Math started the Upanisad Series thirty-five years ago. Each Upanisad belonging to this Series contains the text in bold Devanagari type, word-by-word meaning, translation based on tradition, Introduction briefly summarizing the subject matter, and elaborate Notes. About a dozen Upanisads are specially illuminated by the superb Commentary of Sri Sankaracarya, who lived over one thousand years ago. They are the most authoritative Upanisads; and eleven of them are now made available in this Series. Most of them have undergone many editions and reprints, and have gained popularity in several parts of the world. Heartened by this wide welcome given to the Upanisad Series, we now publish the Mahanarayanopanisad which, as far as we know, has not yet been translated into English fully and with complete explanation.
The special importance of this text, which is counted as part of the Krsnayajurveda, to the religious Hindu is perhaps unequalled by any other work of its class. We have therefore endeavored to bring out a suitable edition of this abstruse text with aids for understanding its traditional import. An interpretation of the text in easy Sanskrit is a new feature of this publication. This is specially added with a view to help those readers who know only Sanskrit and not English. It will also render the received meaning clearer to those users of the translation who possess some knowledge of Sanskrit.
Much religious material has been digested into the critical and explanatory Notes. This is indented to meet the needs of those who value this sacred text particularly for its spiritual and devotional use. The practice of putting notes on words indicated by superior figures was the custom in the preceding members of the Series. It has been given up here in order to make the reading of the explanatory Notes smooth and continuous. This Upanisad together with its preceding Prapathaka-divided into Siksa - Ananda-Bhrgu-Vallis-is chanted solemnly on special religious occasions. So the text is given here with accent marks in order to facilitate its recital. This will be welcomed by those who have no long training in the customary Vedic recitation.
PRESIDENT
Ramakrishna Math, Madras
March, 1957
PUBLISHER
Introduction to the First Edition:
MODERN investigations have revealed that the 2600 million people on this globe speak 2796 different languages and dialects belonging to different families of speech. Of these those that have a long literary past and are still influencing the thought of millions of people are not very many. The collection of hymns, litanies and prayers, under the comprehensive term Vedas, transmitted by oral tradition for as the oldest literature available for the purpose of studying the religious thoughts exercising a considerable influence over the people of a significant part of Asia for many millenniums. Those languages which have preserved past thoughts in literary form, either as written records or oral traditions, alone have been a recognizable power in the evolution of the intellectual, moral and spiritual life of mankind. The scattered splinter-speech communities have not produced any literary heirloom exemplify; and, consequently, they have not made any deep impression on human civilization. The dialects, which have sustained the intercourse of many small groups of have changed and even disappeared without a vestige. The literature preserved in the Vedas through the religious fervour of a highly sensitive people who paid the greatest attention to the careful training of the ear for sound, for rhythm, speech melody, and precision of grammar uncontaminated by local idioms, stands almost unique in the history of human culture. Today the study of the Vedas has, therefore, attracted the attention and interest of people in various parts of the world.
An account of the nature and division of the Vedas will be found in the introduction to the Isavasyopanisad included in the Upanisad Series published by the Ramakrishna Math. This publication is the twelfth in the Series. In the collection of One-hundred-and-eight Upanisads, published several times from Bombay and other places, two works are included with the title Narayanopanisad. Of these the longer one includes a variety of subjects of great importance in the daily observances of a religious Hindu. It is accepted as a part of the Krsnayajurveda and is distinguished generally by the designation Mahanarayanopanisad . The same Upanisad is known also as Yajniki-upanisad on the ground that Yajnatma Narayana is considered to be the seer of this part of the Veda. Like the other Vedas the Yajurveda is divided into samhita and Brahmana. The Taittiriya recension of its has the Taittiriya-ranyaka as an extension of the brahmana. The Taittiriya-ranyaka according to Sayanacarya has ten prapathakas of which this Upanisad forms the last one. Bhattabhaskara who wrote a Commentary on the whole of Yajurveda, anterior to Sayana, substitutes the term prasna for the division heading prapathaka, and calls this as the last prasna. Both the exegetists accept the name Yajnikyupanisad.
Page | |
PRAJAPATI: God Transcendent and Immanent | 1 |
The Ultimate Divine Principle: called Paramesvara or the Prajapati | 2 |
Aksarabrahman-The Self-supporting Final Cause of the Universe | 4 |
Seers Realise the All-pervading Divine in the Ether of Their Heart | 5 |
The Order of Cosmic Evolution | 7 |
The Omniform Nature of the All-Sustaining Brahman | 9 |
Rtam and Satyam; He alone is All Gods | 10 |
Prajapati as the Divine Purusa and the Source of Time With all Its Divisions | 11 |
The Divine Being is Called Mahad-Yasas; has None Above Him; and is Limitless | 13 |
Immortality Attained through Meditation on Him in the Heart | 15 |
Uttaranarayananuvaka | 16 |
Knowledge of God Alone Leads to Release | 17 |
The Unborn Prajapati is born Diversely | 17 |
Minor Gods Submit to the Knower of the Supreme | 18 |
The Spouses Hri and Laksmi | 19 |
Hiranyagarbha-sukta | 20 |
Paramatman as the Time-binding Experience in All Living Beings | 24 |
Ekadeva, the Supreme Divine Being, Works the Entire Universe | 26 |
The Togetherness of the Universe in God | 28 |
God is the Web and Woof of Creation | 28 |
Vena, after Realizing the Immortal, Taught It | 28 |
The Knower of God Deserves Highest Honour | 28 |
God is the Friend, Parent and Ordainer | 31 |
God-Realization: A Simultaneous Experience of Identity | 32-35 |
Substance of Mantras I. 6-18 | 33-35 |
A Supplication for Intellectual Powers | 35 |
Prayers to Agni for Granting Specific Needs | 37 |
Rudragayatri | 39 |
The Ancestry and Significance of Gayatris | 40 |
Gayatris of Mahadeva, Vinayaka, Nandikesvara, Sanmukha, Garuda, Brahma, Narayana, Narasimha, Aditya, Agni and Durgi |
43-48 |
Gayatris from Agamas and Tantras | 49 |
Panic Grass: Religious Importance of It | 50 |
Repetition of Proper Ritual Acts Deepens Religious Life | 51 |
Multiplication of Progeny and Social Transmission | 52 |
Prayer to the Earth and Self-Purification by it | 53 |
The Earth Glorified and Implored to for Favours | 54-56 |
Supplication to Indra For Fearlessness and Well-being | 57 |
Real nature of Indra in the Rgvedasamhita | 59 |
An Oft-quoted Prayer for Well-being | 59 |
Prayer to Indra and Soma | 60-62 |
Vena as the Symbol of the Supreme Reality | 62 |
The Earth Implored to Grant Bliss and to End Sorrows | 64 |
An Invocation to the Earth Glorified as Sri | 65 |
Welcoming Values and Exorcising Dis-values | 66 |
Well-being Sought From Indra | 67 |
Prayer for Fitness to Sacrifice and Destruction of Enemies | 68 |
The Lord's Feet and One's Own Moral Conduct Save One Misery | 69 |
Prayer Addressed to Indra for Safety | 70 |
Propitiation of Water and Herbs | 71 |
How the Vedas Help the Common Men | 71 |
Aghamarsana Sukta: Its Philosophy and Import | 72 |
Prayer to Varuna for Purity | 75 |
Right Livelihood: Expiation of Transgressions | 76 |
Salutations to Agni, Indra and Varuna | 76 |
Counteracting Adverse Effects of Water | 77 |
Expiation of the Sins of Gluttony and Greed and the Principle underlying It | 78 |
Invocation to the Ten Deified Rgvedic Rivers | 80-81 |
A Creationistic Hymn (Rgveda. X. 190) | 81 |
A Prayer for Total Purity | 84 |
Oblation of Finite Self into Infinite Brahman | 86 |
Varuna, the Sin-effacer | 89 |
Self-abasement Before God's Supreme Purity | 90 |
Soma as Umamahesvara and the King of the Universe | 91 |
Durga-sukta-Hymn to Durga | 93-100 |
Atri's Perpetual Prayer for the Peace and Safety of All | 98 |
Prayer to Fire God for Happiness and Fortune | 101 |
Prayer to Indra and Visnu for Devotion | 102 |
Mantars Chanted while Making Oblations for Increase of Food | 103 |
Mahavyahrtihoma: Chanting for Destroying Sin | 105 |
Mantras for Offering Oblations for Greatness | 107 |
Prayers for the Attainment of Knowledge | 109 |
Prayers for Removing Obstacles in the Path to Higher Knowledge | 112 |
Prayer for Retention of the Scripture Learnt | 112 |
Moral and Spiritual Discipline Eulogised as Tapas | 115-117 |
Approval of Meritorious Work and Censure of the Opposite Kind | 118 |
An Echo of this Upanisad in the Dhammapada | 120 |
Grace of God is a Necessary Condition for Seeing Him | 121 |
God as the Source of Life, Body and Environment | 123 |
The Best Instances of the Type Remind Us of Divine Glory | 126 |
Bondage to Nature and Release from It | 127 |
Hamsamantra: Its Non-dualistic Meaning | 129 |
Prajapati as God Immanent and Transcendental | 132 |
Prayer to Savitr for Plenty | 134 |
Fitness for Spiritual Illumination Engendered through Sacrifices | 135 |
The Greatness of Divine Names | 136-140 |
The Greatness of Vedantic Knowledge | 141 |
A Prayer for Unbroken Thought of God | 143 |
The Greatness of Purusa: The Tree Analogy | 145 |
Immortality through Renunciation: Its Rareness | 146 |
Vedanta, Sannyasa and Yoga as Methods of Release fro Transmigration | 149 |
The place Where God is to be Worshipped | 151 |
Mahesvara-Who is He? | 153 |
Visvapurusa Narayana-His Nature, Glory, His Residence in the Heart, and His Identity with the Universe and all Gods | 155-169 |
Worship of the Supreme Being in the Solar Orb | 170 |
The Glory of the Sun | 173-176 |
Aditya Designated by Pranava and Worshipped as Brahman | 177 |
Mantras for the Consecration of Sivalinga | 178 |
Prayer to Sadyojata-Siva for Release from Transmigration | 182 |
Salutation to Vamadeva-Siva | 183 |
Salutation to Aghora-Siva | 185 |
Salutation to Isana, the Lord of All, and Prayer for His Blessings | 186 |
Salutations to Pasupati-Siva | 186 |
Salutations to Brahmapurusa in the Androgynous Form | 187 |
Salutations to Rudra in the Universal Aspect | 188 |
Longing to Worship Rudra at Heart with Hymns | 190 |
Material of the Sacrificial Laddle: Sacrifices Lead to Inner Purity | 192 |
A Hymn Prescribed for Counteracting Evil | 193 |
A Formula in Praise of the Earth as Aditi | 195 |
Water Eulogized as the Omnific Cause | 196 |
Invoking Water for Self-purification | 197 |
Self-oblation into the True Immortal Light | 199 |
Sun as the Divine into Whom Self-oblation is Made | 201 |
The Pranava Identified with Brahman: Some Details About it | 204 |
Invocation of Gayatri-the Mother of Vedas | 206 |
Day to Day Removal of Sins | 207 |
Invocation of Gayatri and personification of the Formula | 209 |
Worship of Gayatri | 211-214 |
Vyahrtis, Gayatri and Gayatrisiras for Pranayama | 214 |
Details About Gayatri: Significance Explained | 215-217 |
Dismissal of Gayatridevi | 218 |
Worship of Gayatri Gives Welfare | 219-220 |
Oblation of Pranas to Soma | 221 |
Trisuparna Mantras | 221-225 |
Mental Power Necessary to Reach Brahman | 225 |
Prayer to Savitr to Remove the Sleep of Illusion | 225 |
Prayer to Savitr for Heralding in What is Auspicious | 225 |
Madhumantras which Stress upon the Need of True Disciples, Supreme Knowledge and Salubrious Environment | 225 |
Invocation for Obtaining Intelligence Quoted From Other Vedas | 230 |
The Glory of Trisuparna | 232-235 |
Fire-Worship as Mystic Communion | 235 |
Prayer to the Deity Called Medha | 237 |
Intelligence and Wealth Must Combine | 237 |
Importance of Speech Guarded by Intelligence | 239 |
Prayers to Indra, Sarasvati, Aswins, Gandharvas and Apsaras for Intelligence | 242 |
Agni, Indra and Surya Supplicated for Intelligence | 243 |
Prayer for Longevity, Safety, Sinlessness and Wealth | 244 |
Death! Go Back; Do not Strike Us | 245 |
May We Live Long Brilliant Life-A Prayer | 246 |
Fear of Yama and Accusation of Others Prayed Away | 247 |
Longing for the Path of Liberation | 249 |
Power of Yajna to Take One Across the Sea of Death | 250 |
Death Placated for Granting Safety | 251 |
Rudra is Implored Not to Hurt | 252 |
Rudra is Saluted to Spare One's Belongings | 254 |
A prayer to Prajapati | 257 |
The Power of Yajna to loosen Death-traps | 258 |
Death Includes Many Snares | 259 |
Oblations to Remove Offences Done to Gods And Men | 261 |
Individual is Responsible for the Offences of the Group Also | 262 |
Prayer to Remove Hostile Spirits | 263 |
Desire Made the Scapegoat | 265 |
Kama-the Philosophy Behind this Term | 266-267 |
Manyu | 267 |
Burnt Offerings of Sesamum for Benefits | 268 |
Preparation for Sannyasa | 269 |
Sesamum for Oblation | 270 |
The Level of the Community Influences the Individual's Moral Stature | 270 |
The Oblation Known as Viraja for Self-Purification | 271-284 |
A Possible Indication that the Oblation May be Offered by Either Sex | 273 |
Viraja Oblations Continued | 274 |
Hidden Egoism | 275 |
The Eclipsed Soul Comes out in all Splendour | 279 |
Hunger and Thirst | 280 |
Asceticism implied in Sannyasa | 281 |
Efface Misfortune, Adversity and Poverty | 282 |
Laksmi and Alaksmi | 283 |
Thirty-seven Oblatory Formulas for Baliharana | 284-286 |
Importance of Food for All Living Beings | 287 |
Troubling Rudragana Prayed to for Safety | 288 |
The Supreme Truth | 289 |
Puruh or Puh | 290 |
Brahman as All-God | 291 |
Sraddha-a Deity to be Worshipped | 292 |
Pranagnihotra | 292-297 |
Food-seeking Instinct Spiritualised | 294 |
Amrtahoma | 296 |
The Container and Cover for Food | 295-296 |
Final Mantras Completing Pranagnihotra | 297 |
Purusa of the Size of the Thumb is Satisfied by Repast | 297 |
God the True Enjoyer: Man, Only an Instrument | 298 |
Satisfaction of a Repast Must Bring Remembrance of God | 299 |
Enjoy What is Granted to Us by God | 300 |
Prayer to Remove the Bondage of Ignorance | 301 |
Rudra as Pranagranthi | 302 |
Lapse of Ahankara, Sign of Maturity | 303 |
Unity of Visnu and Siva | 304 |
Manifoldness of Agni-the Divine | 304 |
Yajna Personified and Venerated | 305 |
Brahman in the Brahmana | 308 |
Truthfulness as Supreme Means of Liberation | 309 |
Sugar-Coating Truth with Untruth | 310 |
Religious Fast as Tapas | 311 |
Sense-Control as Tapas | 312 |
Tranquilization of Mind as Tapas | 313 |
Religious Righteousness as Foundation of All | 314 |
Procreation | 315 |
The Five Mahagnis | 316 |
Agnihotra as Means of Liberation | 317 |
Yajna Leads Men to the Status of Gods in Heaven | 317 |
Manasa-Inward Worship-Its Importance | 318 |
How Yajna Prepares One to be an Atmayajin | 319 |
Sannyasa Declared to be Supreme | 320 |
Two Different Vies of Nyasa | 321 |
Sauparneya Aruni's Question to His Father | 322 |
Tapas is Behind Great Achievements | 322-323 |
Sense-Control: Its Greatness and Inaccessibility | 324 |
Calmness of Mind as means of Liberation | 326 |
Selfless-Gift as the Shelter of Sacrifice | 327 |
Dharma or Justice is the Defence of the Oppressed | 328 |
Procreation as the Foundation of Races | 330 |
The Conception of Threefold debts | 331 |
Why Sacrificial Fires are Important? | 332 |
Agnihotra-the Beacon to Heaven | 334 |
Yajna as a Potent Weapon | 335 |
The Value of Inward Concentration | 336 |
Sannyasa Eulogised as the Supreme | 337 |
A Panegyric upon Food | 339 |
The Scale of Values: Sun, Rain, Flora, Food, Strength, Power, Tapas, Faith, Sense-Control, Reflection, Calmness, Remembrance, Direct Realisation and Bliss |
340 |
Knowledge of the Atmapurusa Leads to Release | 342 |
Why Sannyasa is the Greatest Tapas? | 344 |
Brahman as Giver of all Light | 346 |
Prescription for Meditation as Given to Sannyasins | 348 |
Atmayajna is a Development of Upasana | 349 |
The Complete Cycle-From Birth to Release | 351 |