Speech of HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji – July 15, 2022 – Mysore
Compiled by Jaya Akkanapragada
Jaya Guru Datta.
There is a sloka at the beginning of Bhaktimala.
Mukti kanyā vivāhencha yagnyassi tava mānasé
Ātmānam karanārthāya bhaktimālām kaledharān
Today, on the occasion of Pujya Appaji’s 80th birthday celebrations as well as the occasion of the Chaturmasya vrata deeksha, our Ashram Rig Veda scholars and a few external scholars are offering a very special inverse prakriya known as Pushpamala for 21 days. At this moment, I feel the (above) sloka could be
Mukti kanyā vivāhencha yagnyassi tava mānasé
Ātmānam karanārthāya pushpamālām kaledharān
This Pushpamala prakriya is very rare and almost never heard. There are 8 particular ways in which a verse is changed in Rig Veda. These are known as ashta vikrutis. Of these 8, we usually hear ghanam, jata and kramam, but we never get to hear the other vikrutis such as Danda, Pushpamala and Ratham. This time, the scholars have chosen to take up the Pushpamala prakriya for Parayana. Simultaneously, in the old Datta temple, the complete Yajur Veda Jata Parayana is being chanted.
Veda Parayana and Veda Svasti are constantly chanted in the ashram for the welfare of the world at large. Since all the mantras are in the Vedas, the scriptures say that when a Veda Parayana is conducted and heard, it bestows the merit of chanting all the mantras. On this auspicious occasion, Rig Veda which is the first amongst the Vedas is being chanted. We discussed before how Narada Maharshi has the vision of Savitri Mata with three Divya Purushas residing one within the other. The Rig Veda Purusha resides within Savitri Mata. The Yajur Veda Purusha resides within Rig Veda, and the Sama Veda Purusha resides within the Yajur Veda Purusha.
On this auspicious occasion, we must all come and spend time whenever possible and listen to the Pushpamala Parayana. Koti Kumkumarchana is also being performed, so one can chant Lalita Sahasranama as well.
Just as a floral garland is woven by holding the flower in the left hand, while weaving the thread over and around it using the right hand, that same weave can be seen in this chant. Each word is taken and joined with the word above it, then the word behind and the word in front of it to form a garland. The mantras in the Jata parayana also sound like Shiva’s matted locks. Listening to these chants bestows great merit. If one wants to sit in Dhyana, it is enough to listen to the Veda Parayana. As you relax and listen to the chants without any thought, the sound falls on your ears.
If Paramatma were to take form as sound, it would be Vedam. when we hum, that is merely a sound, but if one were to chant Aum, then it is nādam – a sound with form. When we listen to the Vedas, we can hear the letters and syllables as well as the music. Both meditating on sound (Nādopāsana) as well as meditating on the form (Akshara Parabrahma Upasana) happen when we listen to the Vedas. This is why chanting Veda Parayana and listening to it are so important. All the inherent flaws within us also go away.
When our own resident scholar – Santosh Ghanapathi approached with this idea of chanting the Rig Veda Pushpamala, I was immensely pleased. Many scholars who have studied in our Veda Pathashala and have become teachers now as well as current students are going to chant along with some scholars who have come from other places. May this parayana be performed successfully and without any obstacles, and may all the devotees gain merit. May the vibrations from these chants radiate out into the world and bring peace.
Sage Vasishta created this Pushpamala, while Sage Atri created the Ghanam. Lord Shiva gave the words to Ravana. There is no harm in learning from all sources, such knowledge will not be flawed. Sage Yali gave the Jata for Rig Veda, while Sage Bhadravi gave the kramam. In this manner, all the sages have handed down this knowledge to us.
For the past 12-18 years, these scholars have been diligently chanting and studying in order to protect and preserve them. All we have to do is encourage them by listening to these chants. Then the blessings and Grace of God and Guru shall be upon us. This Parayana is being conducted in the Poundarika Rangasthala named after an ancestor in Pujya Appaji’s family lineage – Sūrappa Poundarika Yāji, who had performed the Poundarika Yaga. The Veda chanting is being hosted in this venue so that everyone may benefit from the chants.
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta