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'.
One may also view this as the natural progression of 'Gaṇeśa's Name' string found here: 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)
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 .
- 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 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.
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