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yajvan
26 November 2009, 12:30 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

oṁ gajavaktraṁ namaḥ
ॐ गजवक्त्रंह मः

Namasté

Note this post is the continuation of 'Some thoughts On Mantra' string , post number 23; http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=35515&postcount=23 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=35515&postcount=23)'.

One may also view this as the natural progression of 'Gaṇeśa's Name' string found here: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=4837 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=4837)
The continuation of this subject ( or Part 2), is most appropriate for this folder of uttara उत्तर , defined as upper, higher; more robust, insightful i.e. advanced subject matter. For those that wish to appreciate this knowledge more comprehensively, this folder exists so one can go deeper and wider into various subject matter.


Part 2: We have sufficiently set the stage and can look at this mūla mantra.

oṁ gaṁ gaṇapataye namaḥ is both the mūla mantra and bījā¹ mantra.
ॐ गं गणपतये हमः this is the mantra in saṃskṛt. But where are the 8 akṣara-s ?
Let's look at it this way.

oṁ gaṁ ga-ṇa-pa-ta-ye na-maḥ
ॐ _ गं__ग_ण_ प त ये__ह_ मः
0___1__ 2_ 3 _4_5_6 _7_ 8

How can this be a bījā¹ mantra if it has a garland of akṣara-s strung together? This is a finer point to consider. Bījā mantra-s are considered those that have 3 to 10 syllables assembled for the mantra garland ~string~.

A single sound/syllable/phoneme is considered a bījākṣara. Since this mantra we are reviewing has 8 ākṣara-s in the 'garland', it is a bījā mantra & also has the bījākṣara of gaṇeśa contained within it , and is also considered the core/mūla mantra of gaṇeśa-ji , yet opinions may differ. Hence a potentially powerful mantra no doubt. So, lets continue.

Note oṁ (ॐ) is considered customary, and upholds the vedic tradition as the prefix to the mantra itself.
Let's review how this seed-sound of gaṇeśa, gaṁ गं. It is described (called out) in the gaṇapati atharva-śiṣra, by the ṛṣi gaṇaka ( the meter or chandas is nicṛt gāyatrī and the devata of the mantra as we know is gaṇapataye).

gaṇādiṁ pūrvamuccārya
varṇādiṁ tadanantaran
anusāraḥ parataraḥ

Here is the śloka by component ( for those that appreciate the veribage)

ganādiṁ is gaṇa is the word in question + adi is 'first'
pūrvamuccārya is composed of pūrva + muc + cārya
pūrva - former , prior , preceding , previous ; first in a series; also in front;
muc - utter, to send forth , shed , emit
carya - practiced, performed; due observance
varṇādiṁ is varṇa +adi
varṇā a letter , sound , vowel , syllable , word
adi is first
tadanantara - the nearest to any one
anusāraḥ is ṁ .Recall from other posts that ṁ is anusvāra or nasalization of the preceding vowel.
parataraḥ - a superlative of para, meaning exceptionally superior, most/excessively high; this as a number
is 10,000,000,000 i.e. extreme
This informs us, first (adi) one utters (muc) the syllable ga of the word (pūrva or prior word) gaṇa and then add 'a', first of the alphabet (varṇadiṁ) ; add anusvāra closing of ṁ .
This gives us the bījā sound of gaṁ which is parataraḥ , exceptionally superior¹.

Note that in gaṁ the 'a' in saṃskṛt sounds like the 'u' in but or cut; and this 'g' is like the 'g' in gun - The ga sound easily comes out of the mouth and one should 'feel' it in the chest cavity.

If this is the case, we have ~ guṁ~ . For those sounding it out that are from the Western alphabet where 'a' sounds like the 'a' in map or add - this does not apply nor does it give gaṁ the proper vibration.
But where is praṇava ॐ ? ṛṣi gaṇaka-ji informs us in the next śloka how this is to be done.

We will take it up in a future post.

praṇām

words

bīja बीज (also written as vīja ) is considered seed; element , primary cause or principle , source ; syllable which forms the essential part a mantra
bīja 'seeds' are ~officially~ considered bīja-akṣara. This akṣara अक्षर means the imperishable and also means syllable.


mūla मूल- basis , foundation , cause , origin , commencement , beginning; mūlāt , from the bottom , thoroughly
Some may suggest parataraḥ is aimed not at the overall word gaṁ but to ṁ. I am not of this opinion, but will listen to all those that wish to offer this POV.

yajvan
04 December 2009, 12:33 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

oṁ gajavaktraṁ namaḥ
ॐ गजवक्त्रंह मः

Namasté


But where is praṇava ॐ ? ṛṣi gaṇaka-ji informs us in the next śloka how this is to be done. We will take it up in the next post.

ṛṣi gaṇaka-ji continues and says the following,
ardhendulasitam tāreṇa hṛddam

ardhendulasitam is ardhendu +lasitam
ardhendu अर्धेन्दु - a half-moon crescent - we see this on top of oṁ ॐ
lasita लसित - played/sported; embrace
tāreṇa - is tāra or a mystical monosyllable i.e. pranava or oṁ, also called oṁkāra ; ṇa is the 'cerebral nasal' sound, also an orament i.e. (this tells me of oṁ and its final sound ṁ, and the cresent has a dot above it; that is, how anusvāra is written symbolocially.)
hṛddam IMHO is the following: ( note from yajvan, this is an error, see the next post, #3)
hṛdaya - the heart or region of the heart as the seat of feelings and sensations ; dha is placing, putting;

This then says,
adorn it ( i.e. adorn the bīja sound gaṁ from our previous post above) by a cresent (ardhendu) and prefix it oṁ (tāreṇa) to it. Hence place ॐ the symbol of oṁkāra in front of gaṁ.

The instuction continues and ends with the mantra
oṁ gaṁ ga-ṇa-pa-ta-ye na-maḥ
ॐ गं ग ण प त ये ह मः
0__1_2_3_ 4_5_6_7_8

So, here is the question. If we leave oṁ attached to this mantra for its use during ajapa¹ ( or japa) it no longer is an 8 syllabled (aṣṭá-akṣara) mantra and now becomes 9 (návan-akṣara).

What to do ? Why would this mantra be called aṣṭá-akṣara mantra if it were in fact a 9 syllabled mantra? What then is the proper practice 8 or 9 akṣara for its use?


praṇām

references
more on praṇava oṁ can be read here: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2857

yajvan
07 December 2009, 04:01 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

oṁ gajavaktraṁ namaḥ
ॐ गजवक्त्रंह मः


Namasté

I wrote in the previous post,



hṛddam IMHO is the following:

hṛdaya - the heart or region of the heart as the seat of feelings and sensations ; dha is placing, putting; This word hṛddam is incorrect for this śloka and an error on my part. The word should be should read ṛddham.

ṛddham or ṛddha is defined as filled with (voices) , made to resound ; abundant , wealthy This then says (IMHO),
adorn it i.e. adorn the bīja sound gaṁ which is ṛddha or filled with abundance ; prefix it and place a cresent (ardhendu) with oṁ (tāreṇa). Hence place ॐ the symbol of oṁkāra in front of gaṁ.


praṇām