The Mahanarayana Upanisad (Set of 2 Books)

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The Mahanarayana Upanisad
Mahanarayana Upanisad	Maha Naaraayanopanishad

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.

 

ANALYTICAL CONTENTS

 

	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

Sample Pages
















Maha Naaraayanopanishad (Life as Sacrifice) About the Book The meaning and explanation, where required, in English are given for the Mahaanaaraayanopanishad. This book also deals with the following questions, in the appendices, based on the ideas in this Upanishad. )

1. Should we believe in God?

2. Are we reborn? 3. Does Karma send us to heaven or hell?

4. Do our departed ancestors expect anything from us?

About the Author The author is a postgraduate in electrical engineering and retired as Managing Director of GECAlsthom in 1996. He is engaged in the study of Vedas and Tamil devotional literature.

Introduction The daily rituals of a Brahmin are compiled into a book with title Nityaanhikaml. If this is compared with Mahanaarayanopanishad it will be seen that Nityaanhikam closely follows the arrangement of subjects in this Upanishad. The central theme of this Upanishad is that all the rituals are external symbolic representation of what is happening to any person during his life. The life is seen as a sacrifice of Aatma in the internal fires of the body, action, and mind. In this way all mantras take on a new significance and lead one to Brahma jnaana. In the appendices, three of the subjects mentioned in this Upanishad, namely maanasa Upaasana, Pitrus, and Karma are discussed. The issues are analyzed from a modern perspective, hoping that this will be of interest to young and busy persons. At the back cover page, I have given a brief account of my background with a view that the reader is warned adequately not to expect traditional interpretation and also not to accept what I say if it does not appeal to his reason. My wife Nirmala has been a great support to me in this effort. I thank the Publisher Mr. Kartikeyan for the excellent manner he has brought forth this publication.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages