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DaksinamurtiUpanishad:DaksinamurtiUpanishad
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DakshinamurtiStotra,translatedbyAlladiMahadevaSastri,[1920],atsacred
texts.com
p.210
III
DAKSINAMURTI
UPANISHAD,
TRANSLATEDINTOENGLISH
WITHNOTES.
p.211
DAKSHINAMURTIUPANISHAD.*
May(Brahman)protectusboth!
MayHegiveusbothtoenjoy!
Efficiencymaywebothattain!
Effectivemayourstudyprove!
Hatemaywenot(eachother)atall!
Peace!Peace!!Peace!!!Amen!
Om!IntheBrahmvarta,atthefootofamightybhndirafigtree,
thereassembledSanakaand
p.212
othermightysagesforagreatsacrifice.Then,desiroustoknowof
Truth,theyapproachedthelonglivedMrkandeyawithsacrificial
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fuel*inhand,andasked:Wherebydostthoulivesolong?and
wherebydostthouenjoysuchbliss?
Hesaid:Itisbyknowledgeofthehighestsecret,ofSiva,the
Reality.
Whatisitwhichconstitutesknowledgeofthehighestsecret,of
Siva,theReality?WhoistheDeitythere?Whatthemantras?What
thedevotion?Whatthemeanstothatknowledge?Whatthe
necessaryaids?Whattheoffering?Whatthetime?Whattheseat
thereof?
p.213
Hesaid:ThatconstitutesknowledgeoftheHighestSecret,of
Siva,theRealitybywhichSiva,theDakshinmukha,*becomes
intuited.HeistheDeitywho,atthetimeofuniversaldissolution,
absorbsallintoHimself,andwhoshinesanddelightsinthe
happinessofHisowninherentbliss.
p.214 p.215
p.216
p.217
[HeretheUpanishadmentionsfivemantras,containingrespectively24,9,18,
12,and32syllables,andrecommendsacontemplationoftheDeityinoneor
anotherofHisformsdescribedasfollows:]
1.Iadorethethreeeyed,mooncrestedDakshinmrtiwhoisof
pebbleandsilvercolour,holdinginthehandsarosaryofpearls,a
vesselofnectar,abookandthesymbolofwisdomhavingaserpent
forhisgirdle,andputtingonvariousornaments.
2.MaythemilkwhitethreeeyedPrimalBeing(Bhava)grantus
purityofthought,Hewho,seatedatthefootofafigtree,surrounded
bySukaandothersages,holdinginthehandsthesymbolofthe
blessedwisdom,withaxeanddeer,oneofthehandsrestingonthe
knees,the
p.218
loinsgirdledroundbyamightyserpent,adigitofthemoonenclosed
inHisclottedhair!
3.MayDakshinmrti,theGraciousLord,everprotectus,Hisbody
whitewithashes,wearingadigitofthemoon,withthelotuslike
handsshiningwiththesymbolofwisdom,arosary,alute,anda
bookhandsomewiththeyogicbell,seatedinthepostureofan
expositor,surroundedbyhostsofmightysages,withserpentson,
andcladinhide!
4.IadoreHimwhoinHishandsholdsavia,abookandarosary,
withacloudlikethroat,whoisrichingifts,girdledbyamighty
serpent,resortedtobyS'ukaandothersageswhohasmadethefoot
ofafigtreeHisabode.
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5.Icontemplate,fortheattainmentofthehighestend,theSupreme
Guru,thespouseofBhavn,theserenefacedPrimalBeing,Hewho
isspokenofinalltheVedas(thefirstutterances),whose
p.219
handsshinewiththesymbol(ofwisdom),withabookandfireanda
serpent,who,bedeckedwithgarlandsofpearlsandacrownblazing
forthbrilliantwiththedigitofthemoon,residesatthefootofafig
treeandremovestheignoranceofall.
Devotion*consistsinfirmlydwellingintheconstantthoughtthat"IamHe."
RepetitionofthemantraasinseparatefromHimconstitutesthemeanstothat
knowledge.ToheconcentratedinthoughtuponHimexclusivelyprovesan
effectiveaidtoit.Thededicatingofallbodilyactivity(toHim)formsthe
offering.Thethreestatesofconsciousness(dhmansoravasthas,suchasjgrat,
svapna,andsushupti)arethepropertimeforit.Theproperplaceisthetwelve
pointedseat(i.e.,the.sahasrraorthousandspokedwheelinthecavityofthe
head).
p.220
ThenagaintheyaskedHimasfollows,fulloffaith:HowcomesHis
manifestation?WhatisHisform?AndwhoisHisworshipper?
p.221
Hesaid:Inthemightylampofwisdom,overflowingwiththeoilof
vairagya(indifferencetoworldlyobjects)andfurnishedwiththe
wickofBhakti(Faith)oneshouldkindlethelightofknowledgeand
see.Thenthedarknessofdelusionbeingdispelled,(Siva)Himself
becomesmanifested.Withaviewtodispeltheutterdarkness,the
devoteeshouldproducefire,makingvairagyathelowerarani(stick)
andknowledgetheupperone*andthenSivawillexhibittohis
viewthehiddenReality.Dwellinginthedevoteeashisownvery
SelfwithHisinherentbliss,Herevivesvivekaordiscriminative
wisdomhithertooverpoweredwithdelusionandoppressedby
dualityforwantofproperenquiryintotruth.Thus(inthelanguage
ofthePurina)Siva,showingHimselfinallHisbliss,restorestolife
thesonofMrikandu,hitherto
p.222
oppressedwiththefearofYama,thelatterdragginghimwiththe
bandsofropetiedaroundhisbody.
Theword'Dakshin'meansBuddhi.BecauseBuddhiistheeyeby
whichSivacanbedirectlyseen,HeiscalledDakshinabhimtikhaby
theBrahmavdins.
Atthebeginningofcreation,BrahmtheLord,havingworshipped
Siva,attainedpowertocreateandwasdelightedatheart.The
devoteeinthispath,steadyinhiseffortattainsallobjectsofdesire
andbecomesquitehappy.
WhoeverstudiesthishighlySecretDoctrineofSiva,theReality,He
isdeliveredfromallsins.Hewhoknowsthusattainsliberation.
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SUCHISTHEUPANISHAD.
p.223
May(Brahman)protectusboth!
MayHegiveusbothtoenjoy!
Efficiencymaywebothattain!
Effectivemayourstudyprove!
Hatemaywenot(eachother)atall!
Peace!Peace!!Peace!!!Amen!
OMTATSAT.
Footnotes
211:*ThisUpanishadissaidtobelongtotheBlackYajurVeda.
211:i.e.,masterandpupil.
212:*Anofferingwithwhichadiscipleapproachesateacherof
spiritualwisdom.
213:*Theword'Dakshinamukha'isinterpretedintwoways:firstas
referringtothatIncarnationofSivainwhichHeisrepresentedasa
GuruteachingspiritualwisdomatthefootofafigtreewithHisface
turnedtotheSouthsecondlyasreferringtotheUnconditioned
FormlessDivineBeingwhocanbeintuitedonlybythedakshinaor
buddhibecomingperfectlypureandserene.Thosewhoarenotequal
tothecontemplationoftheDivineBeinginthelatteraspectare
recommendedtocontemplateHimintheformer.
217:Thesemantrasarenotgiveninthetranslation,because,tobe
effectiveatall,theyshouldbelearnedfromadulyinitiatedGuru.In
thelongermantras,theDeityisinvokedtograntspiritualwisdomto
thedevotee.
217:Forthecontemplationtoproveeffective,thedevoteeshould
contemplatetheDeityintheformdescribedinthescriptures.
219:*Thisandwhatfollowsformanswerstosomeofthequestions
putbythesagestotheTeacher.
219:i.e.."IamidenticalwithSiva."
221:*Thefigurereferstotheprocessofproducingfirebyattrition
forsacrificialpurposes.
222:ThisisoneofthemanyinstanceswhereaminorUpanishad
affordsanesotericinterpretationofaPuranicallegory,ThePurana
saysthatthesageMarkandeyawasfirstdestinedtoliveaveryshort
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lifebutthat,bydevotiontoGodtoSivaaccordingtosome
puranas,toVishnuaccordingtoothersheovercameYama,godof
death,whocameontheappointeddaytotakeawayhislifeand
begantodraghimbymeansofhisbandsofrope.Here,accordingto
theUpanishad,MarkandeyatakestheplaceofVivekaorwisdom
Yama,ofmohaordelusionropes,oftheabsenceofenquiryand
fear,oftheduality.
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