SRI HARIKATHAMRUTASARA / ಶ್ರಿ ಹರಿಕಥಾಮೃತಸಾರ

OM SRI NARAYANAYA NAMAHA| SRI KARIGIRI LAKSHMINRUSIHMAYA NAMAHA| SRI VAYUVE NAMAHA

UNIT 1 MANGALACHARANA SANDHI  - ಶ್ರೀ ಹರಿಕಥಾಮೃತಸಾರ ಮಂಗಳಾಚರಣ ಸಂಧಿ

INVOCATION TO LORD BRAHMA - ಬ್ರಹ್ಮದೇವರ ಸ್ತೋತ್ರ

ನಿರುಪಮಾನಂದಾತ್ಮಭವ ನಿ-

ರ್ಜರ ಸಭಾಸಂಸೇವ್ಯ ಋಜುಗಣ

ದರಸೆ ಸತ್ವಪ್ರಚುರ ವಾಣೀಮುಖಸರೋಜಇನ|

ಗರುಡಶೇಷಶಶಾಂಕದಳಶೇಖರರ ಜನಕ ಜಗದ್ಗುರುವೆ ತ್ವ-

ಚ್ಚರಣಗಳಿಗಭಿವಂದಿಸುವೆ ಪಾಲಿಪುದು ಸನ್ಮತಿಯ||3||

NirupamAnandAtmaBhava ni-

Rjara saBhAsamsEvya RujugaNa

Darase satvaprachura vANeemuKhasarOjaina|

GariDashEShashashAnkadaLashEKharara Janaka jagadguruve twa-

chcharaNagaLigaBhivandisuve pAlipuru sanmatiya||3||

SUMMARY: Oh Lord Brahma, the Guru of the Universe; you are unmatched; epitome of bliss; son of Lord Hari; specially revered and served in the Assemblage of Gods and Deities; Lord of Rugu Gana; one who is possessing the cosmic energy to a super-special extent; the Sun for the lotus face of Goddess Saraswati and the originator of Garuda, Shesha and Rudra, I salute profusely to your feet and you may kindly bless me with good wisdom.

COMMENTARY:

“Upama” in Sanskrit and Kannada means comparison that relates to simile and metaphor in English language. Nirupama means that which cannot be compared to anything else. Lord Brahma the super most being among all other beings (JeevOttamaru) and therefore he is second to none. Since he has “complete” knowledge or “supreme knowledge”, he is endowed with “supreme happiness” or “out-of-the-world bliss” or, in other words, he is synonymous of bliss. He is the son of Lord Sri Hari. Therefore, he is the “Atma Bhava”. What this indicates is that Lord Hari, owing to various reasons and circumstances, took birth to other “parents”. But, Lord Brahma was the son of Lord Hari and none else. This expression signifies that Lord Brahma has never incarnated. The word “Ina” means Sun.

“Jara” in Kannada means “decaying”. It also means birth. “Whoever is born should die” is the axiomatic truth of the corporal world. “Nirjara” means one who does not age. Since Lord Brahma has a corporal form, his body is “subject to disappearance, but not decay or aging”.   

The expression “nirjarasaBhAsamsEvya” means that Lord Brahma is offered a special Puja or worship in the sessions of Gods, Goddesses, deities and any other session of that status. It should be noted that demon kings like Hiranyakashipu, Ravana and others did penance in the name of Lord Brahma. Therefore, Lord Brahma is revered by all beings.

All those in the Rujugana are equal in rank and file. However, depending on individual achievements in spirituality, one of them will ascend the throne of Brahma. It may be recalled here that Sri Vadirajaru belongs to this elite group called Rujugana. Lord Vayu is said to be ascending the throne of Lord Brahma in the next Manvantara. That is why, Brahma is being addressed as “Arasa”, which means the King and therefore he is called the Lord.

“Satwaprachura” means the proportion of Satvaguna in Lord Brahma is larger than Rajas and Tamo Gunas he possesses. This aspect has been explained in greater detail later.

The attributes of Lord Brahma mentioned in this stanza are applicable to Lord Vayu also. Therefore, this stanza can be titled as “Brahmavayu Stotra”.

Sri Madhwacharyaru has mentioned in Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya that Lord Brahma is the son of Maya and Vasudeva or Lakshmi Narayana and Lord Vayu is the son of Jaya and Sankarshana form of Lord Vishnu. Both Vasudeva and Sankarshana are the names of two separate forms of Lord Narayana.

Unlike Lord Brahma, Lord Vayu incarnates as desired by Lord Vishnu. He took birth as Hanuman to serve Lord Rama. He took birth as Bheema during Dwapara Yuga and as Sri Madhwacharyaru during Kali Yuga.

(In the next episode, invocation to Lord Vayu will be explained. SDN)