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Introduction to MahAnArAyaNOpanishat by Dr.NSA

From the Bhakti List Archives

padmini ranganathan • October 21, 1999 


Dear Bhaktas,

This is an introduction to MahAnArAyaNOpanishat which
will be followed by the slokas also. This is the work
of Dr.NSA which is still not printed.

I am highly thankful to my cousin Balaji.C.G., grand
son of Dr.NSA and also a member of this list, for
having typed this material. He has also taken the
initiative of typing out the slokas to follow also.
Many thanks to him once again.

MAHANARAYANOPANISHAT


This upanishat is well known as 'yAj~nikI upanishat'.
ShIkshavalli that
expounds samhitopasana is called "sAmhithI:"; the
Anandavalli and
Bhriguvalli are called "vAruNI:" as they relate to the
meditation of
Anandamaya.

In this 'prashna' the significance of the term
'anantham' in the statement 'satyam, jn~anam,
anantham' of Anandavalli is expounded. The
word'anantham'
signifies by usage Narayana. It is pointed out by
sudarshana sUri in his shrutaprakAsika, under 'sarva
vyAkhyAnAdhikaraNa', that there is no reason
to abandon the meaning conveyed by convention for the
term 'anantham' and the derivative meaning of
'apariccHinnatva' is also to be taken along
with that.

It amounts to saying that the term anantham signifies
'aparicHinnatva' and 'Narayanatva'. That very
ananthatva is described in this upanishat in
various ways such as 'all-pervasiveness' and others.
NyAsa or self surrender is praised in the end of this
section through terms like Brahma,Samvatsara
and others. Then Aditya of the form of samvatsara is
expounded. Through the rays of aditya the the gaining
of vijn~ana is described through rain,plants, food,
life, strength, penance, faith, intellect, manisha,
peace, chitta and remembrance, in the successive
order. Then the attainment of Ananda-brahman is
declared and the unity of Aditya and Anandamaya is
expounded. The Anandamaya, the innerself in the
purusha (Individual
self)and the purusha in Aditya are one and the same.
The Anandamaya is verily the self of 'annamaya,
prANamaya, manOmaya and vijnAnamaya'.

This part of the upanishat is also called as
NarAyaNOpanishat' and 'yAj~nikOpanishat' because of
the fact that bhArgava nArAyana, well known by
the name 'yAj~na' is its seer and it expounds the
'yaj~na' of the form of worship of that Lord.

The term yaj~na denotes the worship of God as well as
all karmas associated with it. Upasana is to be
performed after the performance of the nitya
and naimittika karmas. So, here the upasanas are
described through the indication of the daily
routines. So, at the very commencement of this
upanishat, the reflection of the Lord reclining on the
Adishesha in the milky ocean is prescribed for one who
gets up from his bed in the early morning. The Lord
who resides within the heart of all living beings and
who
incarnates Himself as a human being for uplifting
humanity is also to be thought of. 

All those things that are necessary for making a firm
resolve to attain the Lord by discarding all ungodly
things, are gradually introduced. After ablution, the
daily worshiip of yhe Lord is described. The various
deities other than paramAtman that are related to the
nitya-karmas, such as MahadEva
and others are to be known as those that serve the
Lord and the discriminatory knowledge  between them
and paramAtman is taught furthur. The
collection of dUrvA and mrttikA, follows and ablution
is performed with the 'aghamarshaNa' sUktas, oblations
and the different upasanas meant for gaining
liberation are then undertaken.

Then the duties that are to be performed at noon are
mentioned. Then follow mantras that are to be recited
while taking the sanctified food after duly
offering it to the Lord - bhagavannivedithAmrtha. Then
follow the process of swAdhyAya. Renunciation is 
described in respect of one who has developed
dispassion. There is a special reference to 'nyAsa' or
'prapAdAna or self-surrender and in the conclusion,
there is a reference to yOga as AtmAnam yunjItha. This
upanishat expounds the pAnchakAlika prakriyA of
the form of abhigamana, upAdAna, ijyA, swAdhyAya and
yOga.

This upanishat contains a variety of subjects of great
importance in the daily observances of a religious
person. The work commences with the description of
paramAtman and concludes eulogizing nyAsa. Passages
used in connection with the religious acts of worship
abound in this upanishat and so the epithet 'yAj~nikI'
is appropriate.

The mantras given here are according to the Andhra
pATha. The english translation and notes there under
are furnished according to the commentary
of Sri Ranga Ramanuja Muni, the celebrated commentator
of the dashopanishats.


Deep Pranamams
dAsI
padmini



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