Yajur Upākarma Mahāsaṅkalpa (Reflection) – 2025 Aug 8th/9th
maha saṅkalpam (reflection via free translation)
mamopātta-samasta-durita-kṣaya-dvārā śrī-parameśvara-prītyarthaṃ
For the sake of pleasing (prītyarthaṃ) śrī-parameśvara, as a means (dvārā) for the destruction (kṣaya) of all (samasta) accumulated (upātta) sins (durita).
(This is the essence of Karma Yoga – Doing vaidika karma with īśvarārpaṇa buddhi and īśvara-prasāda buddhi.)
tad-eva lagnaṃ sudinaṃ tad-eva, tārā-balaṃ candra-balaṃ tad-eva,
That indeed (tad-eva) is the auspicious moment (lagnaṃ), that indeed is the good day (sudinaṃ), that indeed is the strength (balaṃ) of the stars (tārā) and the strength of the moon (candra).
vidyā-balaṃ daiva-balaṃ tad-eva, lakṣmī-pateḥ aṅghri-yugam smarāmi.
That indeed is the strength (balaṃ) of knowledge (vidyā) and the strength of fortune (daiva); when I remember (smarāmi) the pair of feet (aṅghri-yugam) of the Lord of Lakṣmī (lakṣmī-pateḥ).
(The idea is tithi, vāram, etc. become indeed auspicious, when we hold on to the feet of Swāmi.)
apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarvāvasthāṃ gato'pi vā,
Whether impure (apavitraḥ) or pure (pavitro), in whatever condition (sarvāvasthāṃ gato'pi).
yasmaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṃ, sa bāhyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ,
Whoever remembers (smaret) the lotus-eyed one (puṇḍarīkākṣaṃ) becomes pure (śuciḥ) both externally (bāhya) and internally (ābhyantara).
(This is how we ought to see Īśvara — anta̍rba̱hiśca̍ tatsa̱rva̱ṃ vyā̱pya nā̍rāya̱ṇaḥ sthi̍taḥ.)
mānasaṃ, vācikaṃ pāpam, karmaṇā samupārjitam,
Mental (mānasaṃ), verbal (vācikaṃ) sins (pāpam), and those accumulated (samupārjitam) through actions (karmaṇā).
śrī-rāma-smaraṇenaiva vyapohati, na saṃśayaḥ.
Are destroyed (vyapohati) simply by remembrance (smaraṇena) of Śrī Rāma (śrī-rāma), without doubt (na saṃśayaḥ).
śrī-rāma, rāma, rāma.
Śrī Rāma (śrī-rāma), Rāma (rāma), Rāma (rāma).
yadā varṇayat karṇa-mūle’ntakāle śivo rāma-rāmeti rāmeti kāśyām |
tad ekaṃ paraṃ tāraka-brahma-rūpaṃ bhaje’haṃ bhaje’haṃ bhaje’haṃ bhaje’ham || 3 ||
— śrīrāma-bhujaṅga-stotra
tithiḥ viṣṇuḥ, tathā vāraḥ, nakṣatraṃ viṣṇur-eva ca,
The lunar day (tithiḥ) is Viṣṇu (viṣṇuḥ), likewise (tathā) the weekday (vāraḥ), the star (nakṣatram) is Viṣṇu alone (viṣṇur-eva).
yogaś ca karaṇaṃ caiva, sarvaṃ viṣṇu-mayaṃ jagat,
The yoga (yogaḥ) and the karaṇa (karaṇam) as well (ca eva), the entire (sarvaṃ) world (jagat) is pervaded by Viṣṇu (viṣṇu-mayaṃ).
śrī-govinda, govinda, govinda.
Śrī Govinda (śrī-govinda), Govinda (govinda), Govinda (govinda).
[ From MBh....
adya śrī-bhagavataḥ mahāpuruṣasya viṣṇor-ājñayā
Now (adya), by the command (ājñayā) of the blessed Lord (śrī-bhagavataḥ), the great person (mahāpuruṣasya) Viṣṇu (viṣṇoḥ).
pravartamānasya adya-brahmaṇaḥ dvitīya-parārdhe,
In the current (pravartamānasya) second half (dvitīya-parārdhe) of Brahmā’s (brahmaṇaḥ) life.
śveta-varāha-kalpe, vaivasvata-manvantare,
In the Śveta Varāha kalpa (śveta-varāha-kalpe), in the Vaivasvata manvantara (vaivasvata-manvantare).
aṣṭāviṃśatitame kaliyuge, prathame pāde,
In the twenty-eighth (aṣṭāviṃśatitame) Kali Yuga (kaliyuge), in the first quarter (prathame pāde).
jambū-dvīpe, bhārata-varṣe, bhārata-khaṇḍe,
In the Jambū continent (jambū-dvīpe), in the Bhārata region (bhārata-varṣe), in the Bhārata section (bhārata-khaṇḍe).
meroḥ dakṣiṇe pārśve, śaka-abde asmin vartamāne vyāvahārike,
On the southern side (dakṣiṇe pārśve) of Mount Meru (meroḥ), in the Śaka year (śaka-abde) currently prevailing (asmin vartamāne) in common reckoning (vyāvahārike).
viśvāvasu-nāma-saṃvatsare, dakṣiṇāyane, grīṣma-ṛtau,
In the year (saṃvatsare) named Viśvāvasu (viśvāvasu-nāma), in the southern course of the sun (dakṣiṇāyane), in the summer season (grīṣma-ṛtau).
karkaṭaka-māse, śukla-pakṣe, paurṇamāsyāṃ śubha-tithau,
In the month (māse) of Cancer (karkaṭaka), in the bright fortnight (śukla-pakṣe), on the full-moon day (paurṇamāsyāṃ) which is an auspicious date (śubha-tithau).
sthira-vāsara-yuktāyāṃ, śravaṇa-nakṣatra-yuktāyām,
On the day (yuktāyām) endowed with Sthira vāra (sthira-vāsara) and with the Śravaṇa star (śravaṇa-nakṣatra).
saubhāgya-nāma-yoge, bālava-karaṇa-yuktāyām,
With the yoga (yoge) named Saubhāgya (saubhāgya-nāma) and with the karaṇa (karaṇa) called Bālava (bālava).
evaṃ-guṇa-viśeṣaṇā, viśiṣṭāyām asyāṃ paurṇamāsyāṃ śubha-tithau.
So endowed with these qualities (evaṃ-guṇa-viśeṣaṇā), on this very (asyām) full-moon day (paurṇamāsyām) of auspicious date (śubha-tithau).
(This next section is very illustrative of how one ought to see oneself as the transmigrating jīva. This is a significant expectation from the sampradāya – develop jīva-bhāvam (as opposed to being stunted with a sthūla-deha-bhāvam, mindset).
To repeat knowing oneself as Jeeva, is what truly makes us an adhikari for the following such mantras.... which presuppose we know we are a transmigrating jīva)
anādi-avidyā-vāsanāyā pravartamāne asmin mahati saṃsāra-cakre,
Since beginningless (anādi) time, under the influence of impressions (vāsanāyā) born of ignorance (avidyā), revolving (pravartamāne) in this great wheel (mahati cakre) of worldly existence (saṃsāra).
vicitrābhiḥ karma-gatibhiḥ vicitrāsu yoniṣu,
Through various (vicitrābhiḥ) courses (gatibhiḥ) of action (karma) in various forms of birth (vicitrāsu yoniṣu).
punaḥ anekadhā janitvā kenāpi puṇya-karma-viśeṣeṇa
Again (punaḥ), being born (janitvā) in many ways (anekadhā), through some special (viśeṣeṇa) meritorious action (puṇya-karma).
idānīṃ tanu-mānuṣye dvija-janma-viśeṣaṃ prāptavataḥ mama
Now (idānīṃ), having attained (prāptavataḥ) this special (viśeṣaṃ) human body (tanu-mānuṣye) as a twice-born (dvija).
janmābhyāsāt janma-prabhṛti, etat-kṣaṇa-paryantam,
From the repetition of births (janmābhyāsāt) and from the very birth (janma-prabhṛti) until this moment (etat-kṣaṇa-paryantam).
bālya-vayasi kaumāre, yauvane, vārddhake ca,
In childhood (bālya-vayasi), in boyhood (kaumāre), in youth (yauvane), and in old age (vārddhake).
jāgrat-svapna-suṣupti-avasthāsu,
In the waking state (jāgrat), dream state (svapna), and deep sleep (suṣupti-avasthāsu).
mano-vāk-kāya-karmendriya-jñānendriya-vyāpāra-iśca
Through the activities (vyāpāra-iśca) of mind (mano), speech (vāk), body (kāya), organs of action (karmendriya) and organs of knowledge (jñānendriya).
saṃbhāvitānām, iha janmani pūrva-janmani janmāntare ca
Whether committed (saṃbhāvitānām) in this birth (iha janmani), in previous births (pūrva-janmani), or in other births (janmāntare ca).
jñānājñāna-kṛtānām, mahāpātakānām, mahāpātaka-anumantṛtva-ādīnām,
Of acts done knowingly or unknowingly (jñāna-ajñāna-kṛtānām), of great pātakas (mahāpātakānām), of consenting to great sins (mahāpātaka-anumantṛtva-ādīnām).
sama-pātakānām upa-pātakānām,
Of equal pātakam (sama-pātakānām) and lesser pātakas (upa-pātakānām).
nindita-dhana-ādāna-upajīvana-ādīnām, apātṛ-īkaraṇānām
Making a living through improper or questionable means, and showing honour or giving dhanam to those who are unworthy of it.
jāti-bhrama-skarāṇām vihita-karma-tyāga-ādīnām,
Of causing confusion (bhrama) of jāti and of abandoning (tyāga) prescribed duties (vihita-karma).
jñānataḥ sa-kṛt-kṛtānām, ajñānataḥ asa-kṛt-kṛtānām,
Whether done once (sa-kṛt) knowingly (jñānataḥ) or repeatedly (asa-kṛt) unknowingly (ajñānataḥ).
sarveṣāṃ pāpānāṃ sadyaḥ apanodanārtham,
For the immediate (sadyaḥ) removal (apanodanārtham) of all (sarveṣām) pāpam).
bhāskara-kṣetre vināyaka-ādi-samasta-hari-hara-devatā-sannidhau,
In the sacred field (kṣetre) of the Sun-god (bhāskara), in the presence (sannidhau) of Gaṇeśa (vināyaka) and all (samasta) the deities Hari and Hara (hari-hara-devatā).
śrāvaṇyāṃ paurṇamāsyām adhyāya-utsarga-ākhyakarma kariṣye.
tad-aṅgaṃ snānam ahaṃ kariṣye ।
I will now perform the associated (tad-aṅgaṃ) bath (snānam)
atikrūra mahākāya kalpānta-dahanopama, bhairavāya namas tubhyaṃ
O Bhairava of terrifying form (atikrūra), immense form (mahākāya), like the fire at the end of the kalpa (kalpānta-dahanopama), salutations (namas) to you.
anujñāṃ dātuṃ arhasi ।
May you be pleased to grant (dātuṃ arhasi) permission (anujñām).
dur-bhyojana durālāpa duṣ-pratigraha-saṃbhavam pāpam hara mama kṣipram
Remove (hara) my (mama) pāpam without delay (kṣipram), arising from improper food (dur-bhyojana), improper speech (dur-ālāpa), and improper acceptance of gifts (duṣ-pratigraha-saṃbhavam).
sahya-kanye namo’stu te ।
O daughter (kanye) of the Sahya mountains (sahya), salutations (namo’stu) to you (te).
trirātraṃ jāhnavī tīre pañcarātraṃ tu yāmune,
Three nights (trirātram) on the banks of the Gaṅgā (jāhnavī), and five nights (pañcarātram) on the Yamunā (yāmune).
sadyaḥ punātu kāverī pāpam āmaranāntikam ।
May Kāverī (kāverī) immediately (sadyaḥ) cleanse (punātu) pāpam, lasting until the end of life (āmara-nāntikam).
gaṅgā gaṅgeti yo brūyāt yo janānām śatair api,
Whoever (yaḥ) utters (brūyāt) “Gaṅgā, Gaṅgā” (gaṅgā gaṅgeti) even from hundreds (śatair api) of yojanas
muchyate sarva-pāpebhyo viṣṇu-lokaṃ sa gacchati ।
is freed (muchyate) from all pāpam (sarva-pāpebhyaḥ) and reaches (gacchati) viṣṇu-lokam.
nandini naline sītā mālatī ca malāpahā,
O Nandinī (nandini), O Nalinī (naline), O Sītā (sītā), O Mālatī (mālatī), remover (apahā) of impurity (malā).
viṣṇoḥ pāda-abja-saṃbhūtā gaṅgā tripada-gāminī,
O Gaṅgā (gaṅgā), born (saṃbhūtā) from the lotus of Viṣṇu, who traversed the three worlds.
puṣkarādi-yāni tīrthāni gaṅgā-ādhyāḥ saritas tadā
May the holy places (tīrthāni) beginning with Puṣkara (puṣkarādi-yāni), headed (ādhyāḥ) by the Gaṅgā (gaṅgā), and all rivers (saritaḥ) then (tadā).
āgacchantu pavitrāṇi snāna-kāle sadā mama ।
come (āgacchantu) to sanctify (pavitrāṇi) me (mama) at the time (kāle) of my bath (snāna), always (sadā).
raṅganāthāya haraye jambunāthāya śambhave,
mātṛ-bhūtāya mahate kāveryai te namo namaḥ,
gaṅgām ārti-mano-hāri murāri-caraṇācyutam,
tripurārī śiraś-cārī pāpa-hāri punātu mām ॥
Comments
Post a Comment