part 3

INSTALLATION OF THE LORD

INSTALLATION Of  THE LORD

A. asya Vishnu-sahasranaama-stotrasya veda-vyaasa Rishih

For this sacred chant, the “Thousand Names of Lord Vishnu”, Sri Veda Vyaasa is the divine Rishi.

Great mantras of deep spiritual significance and sublime Vedic dignity are not mere poetic compositions by mortal fallible intellects. When a. mastermind through meditation transcends the lower levels of his personality and soars into the higher mental altitudes, through his contemplation, there he ‘receives’ certain ‘revelations’ that are faithfully repeated by them to the world. Such ‘heard’ statements (Srutam) alone have the power to stand against the onslaught of the intellect, the ravages of time, the forces of criticism etc.

Such statements when contemplated upon by lesser seekers, they too, in the spiritual cadence of these mantras, get unconsciously uplifted into realms unknown, and there they come to live a world of experiences unfrequented by the ordinary multitudes. The ‘author of the mantra’ is thus termed in our Vedas as the ‘Seer’ (Mantra- Drashtaa). Such Rishis themselves admit that they did not manufacture, compose or create the mantra, but they had a revelation or vision (Darsanam) of the mantra.

The Mantra- Drashtaa, the Rishi, is the guru of the seeker, who is seeking his path with the help of that particular mantra. The Rishi of a mantra is installed at the roof of the head and the seeker, in his seat of Vishnu-Sahasranaama-chanting,

Symbolism: ... chants this mantra in his mind, and, with his right-hand thumb, middle-finger and ring-finger touches the top of his head.

B.  Anushtup Chandah

The metre ("chandah") in which the revealed mantra comes to the teacher is also mentioned because it orders the discipline that should be followed while chanting the mantra. Anushtup is the name of the particular metre in which this thousand-name- chant on Vishnu is sung. The chant is to come out through the mouth, and therefore, the ‘altar of the metre’ can be only the mouth.

Symbolism: The fingers that were touching the roof of the head now come down to touch the lips, when the mantra ‘B’ is repeated in the mind by the seeker.

C.  Sri Vishvaroopo Mahaavishnur-Devataa

Lord Vishnu of the form of the entire universe of variegated names and forms (Vishva-roopah) is the deity of the mantra. Vishnu is the theme of the chant. The Lord of Vaikuntha is the altar at which the devotee is preparing to offer himself in humble dedication and utter surrender.

Symbolism: Since Lord Vishnu is, to the devotee, the Lord of his heart, the very centre of his personality, while chanting mentally the mantra 'C' the student, installs the Lord in his heart, bringing the fingers from the lips down to touch his bosom.

D. Devakee-nandanah srashteti Saktih

Every deity is a manifestation of the mighty Omnipotency of the Supreme. The creator and sustainer (Srashtaa) of Dharma, the son of Devaki (Devakeenandana), is the manifested power ("shaktih") of the Almighty.

Symbolism: This creative power of righteous-ness and peace is installed at the navel (naabhi) point, and, therefore, the fingers come down from the heart region to the navel.

E. Sankha-bhrit nandakee chakree iti Keelakam

The mighty Creative Power invoked and established on the navel region cannot be as such conceived by the mind. Therefore, to ‘nail’ it down (Keelakam) and establish it in our comprehension, this mantra conceives ("udbavah") the Power as the Lord, who bears the Conch ("shanka"), the Sword, named Nandaka, and the Discus ("chakra"). This is only to show how the total cosmic Power, expressed in terms of our present understanding as creation, sustenance, and destruction, is but a manifestation of the Lord. The conch (Sankha) represents the ‘call’ of the Reality, the Lord’s own declarations stated in the scriptures. Nandaka, the sword that punishes to bring joy (Nandana) into the community and the destruction, without which evolution is impossible, is represented by the concept of the Discus (Chakra).

Here it is also to be noted that the blowing or the conch represents speech; wielding the sword represents action and the discus that takes off from Him at His will, represents his thoughts. Thus this great Power installed at the navel expresses itself in the world through speech, action and thought.

Symbolism: To conceive fully this form is to hold firmly the Lord’s own feet, and, therefore, when this mantra is mentally chanted, the fingers move away from the navel, and with both hands the seeker touches his own feet.

Here it is to be carefully noted how:

the Guru is kept at the roof of the head,

the Veda (metre) in the mouth,

 the Lord in the heart,

 the Power in the navel and, thereby, the seeker himself becomes so sacred that he prostrates unto himself by holding his own fee

F. Saarnga-dhanvaa-gadaa-dhara iti Astram

Whenever there is a large wealth in a box it becomes a treasure and it is locked and safely protected; when this divine installation has taken place, and therefore, the body has become the Temple of the Almighty, and therefore, it has become a scared treasure house to be protected. But the seeker himself has no power to protect, and so, he invokes the very weapon (Astra) of Vishnu, the protector of the world, to stand by for the defence of the sanctified bosom. Saarga is the name of the Bow (Dhanus) of Vishnu and the Mace (Gadaa) is another of his weapons. These two form the artillery of defence; which are manned by the Lord himself.

Symbolism: At this moment when this mantra is mentally chanted, it is significant that the student lifts the palm away from the feet, and with the stretched out index and middle fingers of the right palm snaps them on the open left palm.

G. Rathaangapaanir-akshobhya iti Netram

Lord Vishnu as Lord Krishna played the part of the charioteer and gained the name “Rein-handed” (Ratha-anga-paani). A charioteer has to guide every step of every horse in order that the chariot be safe, and the travel be pleasant. Of the sense organs, the eyes ("netram") are the most powerful and once they are well guided, all others also follow their heels. When Lord Vishnu, the charioteer, Himself is installed in the eyes ("netram"), the individual is safe ("rakshobya") in his spiritual pilgrimage.

Symbolism: Therefore, invoking the Divine Driver, with reins in his hand (Rathaangapaani), He is installed in the pair of eyes, and at the moment of mentally chanting this, both the eyes are touched by the tip of the fingers.

H. Trisaamaa saamagah saameti Kavacham

He (Tri-Saamaa) who is glorified by all the three ("tri") types, of Saama songs (Deva-Vrata-Prokta), He who is the very theme that is glorified by the Saama songs (Saamagah), He whose glory itself is the manifested Sama Veda (Saama), He is none other than the Supreme This great Lord is installed a, an armour ("kavacham") to wear for self-protection.

Symbolism: While chanting this in the mind the seeker first touches with the tip of his finger, of each arm, the same shoulders, and afterwards crosses the arm, in front of him making fingers of each palm touch the other shoulder-as if he is actually wrapping himself and wearing the divine armour.

I. Anandam brahmeti Yonih

The Supreme ("para") Brahman, the Infinite Bliss ("anandam") is ("eti") the very womb (Yonih) from which the universe has emerged out. The procreated world of endless variety has only one Eternal Father, and this source is immaculate Bliss. When this is chanted the seeker installs the Bliss Infinite at the very place of procreation in himself. It is a spot in this great divine temple of the body, wherein is the one source, from which the world has emerged out, manifesting itself as the power of procreation (Taittireeya).

J. Visvaroopa iti Dhyaanam

The entire band of experience gained through the instruments of the body, mind and intellect in terms of perceptions, emotions and thoughts together is indicated by the term Visva. He, who has manifested to be the total world of experiences (Visva), must therefore be Visvaroopah. The cosmic form of the Lord (Visvaroopa) is the total universe. Thus to meditate (Dhyaanam) upon Him as the whole universe, is a method of installing Him in our intellect.

Symbolism: At this moment the student locks his fingers and sits in meditation.

K. Ritam sundarasnah kaala iti Dikbandhah

Truth (Ritam), the lord, and his weapon, the discus, called Sudarsana, and his annihilating power, Time (Kaala)-these three are the mighty forces that guard this scared temple of life in the seeker at the outer frontier of his world of influence (Dik-Bandhah). To be truthful and ever to seek the great Reality (Ritam), to discriminate and see the play of the Lord in all situations (Su-Darsanam), and to control the very instrument of the time (Kaala), which is intellect in the seeker, is to guard the frontiers of one’s spiritual world, against the hoards of inimical forces.

Symbolism: At this moment the student snaps his middle finger with the help of his thumb and runs his palm around his head.

L. Sree-mahaa-vishnu-preetyarthe jape Viniyogah

Having thus installed through sankalpa the Lord in himself and having come under the protecting wings of the mighty lord, here is the declaration how he is going to employ himself in it. He is going to engage himself (Viniyoga) in japa (jape) of the “Thousand Names of Lord” ("sahasra-naama"). Now the question is: with what motive should be undertake this chanting? The answer is in the very statement that it is only for the grace (Preetyarthe) of Sree Maha Vishnu.

Symbolism: After chanting this declaration in the mind, the saadhaka, takes a spoon of water (Teertham) in his right palm and pours it on the floor in front of him.

A true seeker is not desire-ridden for material satisfaction, and, therefore, he can have only one intention-the grace of lord, which will manifest in him as contemplative power.

These twelve ‘slogans’ are chanted for invoking and installing these refreshing and spiritually benign ideas on the limbs of the devotee himself. At this juncture this makes him inspired sufficiently for higher meditation upon the truth as indicated and directed by the thousand terms in Sahasranaama.

This beautiful subjective ritual is known as ‘Installation on the limbs’ (Anga-nyaasa). Not only that the student temporarily discovers a new surge of inspiration, but even beginners feel highly relieved, at least temporarily, from the load of his senses of ‘sins’. When this is properly performed with a right attitude and devotion, the student gains identification (saaroopya) with the Lord of his heart, at the outer levels of his personality.