Vedic Shanti Mantra: Namo Brahmane - Meaning

Vedanta Kesari, 2022

This is a series that attempts lucid exposition of Vedic Mantras. This part discusses the famous Vedic Shanti Mantra - Shanno mitrah sham varunah (Part 1)- that appears in the Taittriya Krishna Yajurveda - based on the commentary of Sayanacarya

Vedanta Kesari , 2022

This is an exposition on the Vedic Mantra - गणानां त्वा from the ऋग्वेदसंहिता based on the commentary of श्रीसायणाचार्य

Encyclopedia of Hinduism (Vol. 2), 2010

2016

This is a film review of Brahman Naham (2016) directed by Q

Vedanta Kesari , 2022

This is part of a series that attempts lucid exposition of Vedic Mantras. This part discusses the famous Vedic Shanti Mantra - Saha Navavatu - that appears in the Taittriya Krishna Yajurveda - based on the commentary of Sayanacarya

Brahmasutrabyasangrah in Sanskrit, 1966

Authored by Late Dharmadhikari Prof., H N Raghavendrachar. M A., D O C.

Vedanta Kesari, November , 2022

This is a series that attempts lucid exposition of Vedic Mantras. This part discusses the Vedic Mantra - Madhu vata Rtayate - that appears in the Taittriya Krishna Yajurveda Samhita - based on the commentary of Sayanacarya. This mantra is a prayer to aspects of nature for happiness and well-being

Brahmanism is a school with no relationship whatsoever with erratic idea of race & birth Note on the semantics of the expression, ब्राह्मण brāhmaṇá m. ʻ one who has sacred knowledge, Brahman ʼ RV. 2. brāˊhmaṇī -- f. Kāṭh. [bráhman -- 1]1. Pa. brāhmaṇa -- m. (← Sk.), Aś.shah. bramaṇa -- , man. bamaṇa -- , kal. baṁbhana -- , gir. brā̆hmaṇa -- , bā̆mhaṇa -- , KharI. bramhaṇeṇa inst. sg., NiDoc. bramaṁna, Dhp. bra(m)maṇa, Pk. bamhaṇa -- , baṁbhaṇa -- m., S. ḇã̄bhaṇu m., L. (Ju.) ḇã̄bhaṇ m., P. barāhmaṇ, bāmhaṇ, ludh. bāmhan m., Ku. bāmaṇ, N. bāman, bāwan, bāhun, A. bāmun, OB. bāmbhaṇa, B. bāman, ˚mun, bāmnā ʻ a low Brahman ʼ, Or. bāmbhuṇa, bābhuṇa, bāmuṇa, (Sambhalpur) bāmnā, Bi. Mth. bābhan, bāman, Bhoj. bāmhan, bābhan, Aw.lakh. bāmhan, bã̄bhan, H. bāmhan m., G. M. bāmaṇ m., M. bã̄bhurḍā, bāmurḍā m. ʻ term of reproach for a Brahman ʼ, Si. bamuṇā. 2. Pa. brāhmaṇī -- f., Pk. baṁbhaṇī -- , S. ḇã̄bhaṇī, P. bāmhaṇī, Ku.gng. &rtodtilde; B. bāmni, Or. bām(h)uṇī, H. bāmhnī, G. bāmṇī, M. bāmhṇī, Si. bämiṇī. Addenda: brāhmaṇá -- : S.kcch. bhrāmaṇ m. ʻ Brahman ʼ; WPah.kṭg. bamməṇ m., bamṇi f., J. bām(m)aṇ m., Garh. bāmaṇ.(CDIAL 9327) பார்ப்பனச்சேரி pārppaṉa-c-cēri , n. < பார்ப்பனன் +. Quarters where Brahmins live; பார்ப்பனர் குடியிருக்கு மிடம். (நன். 377, மயிலை.)பார்ப்பனத்தி pārppaṉatti , n. Fem. of பார்ப்பனன். [K. hāruvagitti.] See பார்ப்பனி.பார்ப்பனமுல்லை pārppaṉa-mullai , n. < பார்ப்பனன் +. (Puṟap.) Theme describing the mediation of a Brahmin who tries to bring about peace between two contending kings; பகைத்த மன்னரிருவருடைய மாறுபாட்டை நீக்க முயலும் பார்ப்பானது நடுவுநிலைகூறும் புறத்துறை. (பு. வெ. 8, 18.) பார்ப்பனவாகை pārppaṉa-vākai , n. < id. +. (Puṟap.) Theme describing the greatness of a learned Brahmin, attained through the performance of sacrifices; வேதம்வல்ல அந்தணன் வேள்விவேட்டலாற் பெறும் பெருமையைக் கூறும் புறத்துறை. (பு. வெ. 8, 9.) பார்ப்பனன் pārppaṉaṉ , n. < brāhmaṇa. See பார்ப்பான், 1. ஆனியற் பார்ப்பன மாக்களும் (புறநா. 9).பார்ப்பனி pārppaṉi , n. < brāhmaṇī. Brahmin woman; பிராமணப்பெண். பார்ப்பனி மருதியை (மணி. 22, 41) பார்ப்பாத்தி pārppātti , n. Fem. of பார்ப்பான். See பார்ப்பனி. (W.)(Tamil) brāhmaṇá mfn. relating to or given by a Brāhman, befitting or becoming a Br°, Brāhmanical, AV. ; TBr. ; MBh.; ब्राह्मण m. one who has divine knowledge (sometimes applied to Agni), a Brāhman, a man belonging to the 1st of the 3 twice-born classes and of the 4 original divisions of the Hindū body (generally a priest, but often in the present day a layman engaged in non-priestly occupations although the name is strictly only applicable to one who knows and repeats the Veda), RV. &c.; = ब्राह्मणाच्छंसिन्, KātyŚr. 'one of the 16 Rtvij, priests of a yajna; a Brāhman in the second stage (between Mātra and Śrotriya), Hcat.; the Soma vessel of the Brahman priest, RV. ; AV.; a society or assemblage of Brāhmans, a conclave (Monier-Williams) ब्राह्मण brāhmaṇa a. (-णी f.) [ब्रह्म वेदं शुद्धं चैतन्यं वा वेत्त्वधीते वा अण्] 1 Belonging to a Brāhmaṇa. -2 Befitting a Brāhmaṇa. -3 Given by a Brāhmaṇa. -4 Relating to religious worship. -5 One who knows Brahma. -णः 1 A man belonging to the first of the four original castes of the Hindus, a Brāhmaṇa (born from the mouth of the puruṣa); ब्राह्मणोऽस्य मुखमासीत् Rv.10.90.12; Ms.1.31,96; (जन्मना ब्राह्मणो ज्ञेयः संस्कारैर्द्विज उच्यते । विद्यया याति विप्रत्वं त्रिभिः श्रोत्रिय उच्यते ॥ or जात्या कुलेन वृत्तेन स्वाध्यायेन श्रुतेन च । एभिर्युक्तो हि यस्तिष्ठेन्नित्यं स द्विज उच्यते ॥). -2 A priest, theologian. -3 An epithet of Agni. -4 N. of the twentyeighth Nakṣatra. -णम् 1 An assemblage or society of Brāhmaṇas. -2 That portion of the Veda which states rules for the employment of the hymns at the various sacrifices, their origin and detailed explanation, with sometimes lengthy illustrations in the shape of legends or stories. It is distinct from the Mantra portion of the Veda. -3 N. of that class of the Vedic works which contain the Brāhmaṇa portion (regarded as Śruti or part of the revelation like the hymns themselves). Each of the four Vedas has its own Brāhmaṇa or Brāhmaṇas :-- ऐतरेय or आश्व- लायन and कौषीतकी or सांख्यायन belonging to the Ṛigveda; शतपथ to the Yajurveda, पञ्चविंश and षड्विंश and six more to the Sāmaveda, and गोपथ to the Atharvaveda. -4 The Soma vessel of the Brahman priest. -Comp. -अतिक्रमः offensive or disrespectful conduct towards Brāhmaṇas, insult to Brāhmaṇas; ब्राह्मणातिक्रमत्यागो भवता- मेव भूतये Mv.2.10. -अगर्शनम् absence of Brahmanical instruction or guidance; वृषलत्वं गता लोके ब्राह्मणादर्शनेन च Ms.10.43. -अपाश्रयः seeking shelter with Brāhmaṇas. -अभ्युपपत्तिः f. protection or preservation of, or kindness shown to, a Brāhmaṇa; ब्राह्मणाभ्युपपत्तौ च शपथे नास्ति पातकम् Ms.8.112. -आत्मक a. belonging to Brāhmaṇas. -घ्नः the slayer of a Brāhmaṇa; स्त्रीबालब्राह्मणघ्नांश्च हन्याद् द्विट्सेविनस्तथा Ms.9.232. -चाण्डालः 1 a degraded or outcast Brāhmaṇa; यथा ब्राह्मणचाण्डालः पूर्वदृष्टस्तथैव सः Ms.9.87. -2 the son of a Śūdra father by a Brāhmaṇa woman. -जातम्, -जातिः f. the Brāhmaṇa caste. -जीविका the occupation or means of livelihood prescribed for a Brāhmaṇa; अध्यापनमध्ययनं यजनं याजनं तथा । दानं प्रतिग्रहश्चैव षट्कर्माण्यग्रजन्मनः ॥ षण्णां तु कर्मणामस्य त्रीणि कर्माणि जीविका । याजनाध्यापने चैव विशुद्धाच्च प्रतिग्रहः ॥. -द्रव्यम्, -स्वम् a Brāhmaṇa's property. -निन्दकः a blasphemer or reviler of Brāhmaṇas. -प्रसंगः the applicability of the term Brāhmaṇa. -प्रातिवेश्यः a neighbouring Brāhmaṇa; ब्राह्मणप्रातिवेश्यानामेतदेवानिमन्त्रणे Y.2.263. -प्रियः N. of Viṣṇu. -ब्रुवः one who pretends to be a Brāhmaṇa, one who is a Brāhmaṇa only in name and neglects the duties of his caste; बहवो ब्राह्मणब्रुवा निवसन्ति Dk.; सममब्राह्मणे दानं द्विगुणं ब्राह्मणब्रुवे Ms.7.85;8.20. -भावः the rank or condition of a Brāhmaṇa. -भूयिष्ठ a. consisting for the most part of Brāhmaṇas. -यष्टिका, -यष्टी Clerodendrum Siphonantus (Mar. भारंग). -वधः the murder of a Brāhmaṇa, Brahmanicide. -वाचनम् the recitation of benedictions. -संतर्पणम् feeding or satisfying Brāhmaṇas.ब्राह्मणकः brāhmaṇakaḥ 1 A bad or unworthy Brāhmaṇa (only in name); एवं युक्तो ब्राह्मणः स्यादन्यो ब्राह्मणको भवेत् Mb.12.270. 27. -2 A family of such a Brāhmaṇa. -3 N. of a country inhabited by warlike Brāhmaṇas.ब्राह्मणता brāhmaṇatā, ब्राह्मणत्वम् brāhmaṇatvam The state or rank of a Brāhmaṇa.ब्राह्मणत्रा brāhmaṇatrā ind. Among Brāhmaṇas.ब्राह्मणसात् brāhmaṇasāt ind. In the possession of Brāhmaṇas, as in ब्राह्मणसात् भवतिधनम्.ब्राह्मणाच्छंसिन् brāhmaṇācchaṃsin m. N. of a priest, the assistant of the priest called Brahman q .v.ब्राह्मणायनः brāhmaṇāyanaḥ A Brāhmaṇa descended from learned and holy progenitors.ब्राह्मणी brāhmaṇī 1 A woman of the Brāhmaṇa caste. -2 The wife of a Brāhmaṇa. -3 Intellect; (बुद्धि according to नीलकण्ठ). -4 A kind of lizard; हृष्टः पश्यति तस्यान्तं ब्राह्मणी करकादिव Rām.3.29.5. -5 A kind of wasp. -6 A kind of brass (Mar. सोनपितळ). -Comp. -गामिन् m. the paramour of a Brāhmaṇa woman. ब्राह्मण्य brāhmaṇya a. Befitting a Brāhmaṇa. -ण्यः An epithet of the planet Saturn. -ण्यम् 1 The station or rank of a Brāhmaṇa, priestly or sacerdotal character; सत्यं शपे ब्राह्मण्येन Mk.5; Pt.1.66; Ms.3.17;7.42. -2 A collection of Brāhmaṇas; ब्राह्मण्यं कृत्स्नमेतत्त्वां ब्रह्मण्यमनुगच्छति Rām.2.45.21.(Apte) brāhmaṇānāṃ mūlaṃ: vaṃśāḥ Origin of the Brahmins: The Ancestries We the Brahmins are a direct descendant of the Sarasvati-Sindhu Civilization / Harappan Civilization. The prehistoric Harappan Civilization is the root of Civilization & Culture of the Indian Subcontinent & beyond. Here we have chosen Harappan people found in Shahr-i Sokhta (IRN_Shahr_I_Sokhta_BA2, part of "Indus_periphery" samples, see Narasimhan et al. 2019 ), as representatives of the Harappan Ancestry present in the different Brahmin groups. We didn't use the Rakhigarhi, Haryana female sample published in Shinde et al. 2019, because it had a very low coverage. As we clearly see, Harappan Ancestry is the largest ancestry of the Brahmins, with the exception of groups like Manipuri Brahmins, but we will come to that soon. In Post Vedic Iron age (beginning from ~ 1000 BCE), we started to absorb a Central Asian ancestry, here represented by Iron age Sarmatian samples from The Urals in Russia. The Central Asian nomadic people like the Sarmatians, Scythians were Iranic speakers, a Sister language group of Indo-Aryan languages of India. We suggest that, Iron age Steppe Central Asian related admixture in Brahmins, was mainly female mediated, a phenomenon we have already noticed in Narasimhan et al.2019, where Early Iron age Suvāstu (Swat) valley SGPT samples, clearly started to show female mediated Central Asian admixture in patchy levels. The Y-DNA Haplogroups of Brahmins are also remarkably indigenous to the subcontinent or at least are Neolithic to Mesolithic old. The Y-DNA R1a of Brahmins is largely R1a-M780+, R1a-L657+ which is most likely Indian in origin, as we haven't found this particular Haplogroup in any ancient dna record outside of the subcontinent so far!. In moderate levels, we do show R1a-Z2123, which is Central Asian in origin. That this R1a-Z2123 came with the Post Vedic migrations we spoke about is certain. R1a-M780+ likely originated during the Integration Harappan era beginning from ~3000 BCE. The diversity of R1a in Indian populations is also very high, R1a was very likely already here from Mesolithic period (Chaubey et al. 2021 upcoming). The Juang people of Orissa here, represent the different South Indian Hunter Gatherer/ South East Asian related groups, to whom we started get admixed, after we migrated from our central homeland area in North India. Now about the big Naxi people related East Asian type ancestry in Manipuri Brahmins. The Naxi here again represent the exotic ancestries Brahmins absorbed with the spread of Brahmanism in different parts of the subcontinent & beyond, and if we test the Brahmin groups of SE Asian countries and others, we will likely not see any Harappan or other typical subcontinental ancestries at all!

ABSTRACT: A tantric hymn in praise of the feminine divine, and describing her aniconic form (the Śrīyantra) as well as physical form, Saundarya Lahari is a complex and coded “mālā-mantra.” Believed to be composed by Ādi Saṇkara (ca. 8th century CE), this hymn in one hundred (or one hundred and three) stanzas is reputed for its mystical and magical effects. Over the centuries, it has become a tradition in itself with over thirty five commentaries propounding esoteric meanings, encoded seed-syllables (bījākśaras) and other mantras within the verses, explaining the tantric cosmology and prescribing ritual procedures to accompany the hymn. The chanting of Saundarya Lahari is popular in contemporary India as a devotional practice. As a mystical sound formula, mantras are typically considered untranslatable. In a mantra, sound is privileged over meaning. Its sounds and their combinations are believed to result in specific, intended effects, and the meaning of words (if any) are regarded peripheral— more useful as aids to concentration, directed will (saṁkalpa) or memorization, and for the production of devotional emotions (bhava) in the chanter. There are multiple manuals and handbooks in many languages (including English) and which include translations of the verses as well as commentaries and religious prescriptions. These have created as if an impenetrable fortress around the hymn for the general reader who may be a chanter or even heritage learner, rather than a tantric initiate. My own study of the hymn took the form of memorization, repetition, and translation as a way to form a personal bond with it. How to attempt an inter-semiotic translation, catch the meaning - albeit outer meaning - while including an expressive rhythm and maybe even the governing syllables of some of the verses? How to reproduce the syntax of Sanskrit with primary clauses often linked to multiple secondary clauses and yet maintain clarity? How to draw attention to connotations? The concepts in Saundarya Lahari are quintessentially Indian – and one needs to formulate a strategy for terms from tantra and yoga like “kuṇḍalini” or “cakra,” descriptive concepts like “maṇidvīpa,” and references like “tāṇḍava.” Mythological references have a backstory—and while translations may have to weighed down with footnotes, might it also be possible to aim for coherence without footnotes? My paper is about working with these questions and problems; I will share examples from my drawing board using the source-text, interlinear translation, my assumptions and the resulting translation.

Vedanta Kesari, July , 2024

The 121st Sukta in Rigveda’s 10th Mandala is attributed to Rishi Hiranyagarbha, identified as the son of Prajapati.1 Prajapati is the Devata, denoted by ‘Ka’. This Sukta, using Trishtup Chandas (meter), consists of 10 mantras. The Sukta’s title derives from both its Rishi and Devata. Interchangeably used, Prajapati and Hiranyagarbha represent the conscious creative force. The Taittiriya Samhita2 supports their synonymous usage. It is to be noted that Hiranyagarbha is stated as the oldest teacher of Yoga. This analysis aims to explore the profound meanings embedded in the two mantras each in every part and complete the discussion in five parts. The third and fourth Mantras are discussed in this part 2.