Third Day
Anagha Dattaya Namaha
Pallavi:Anagha managham vande
Amba Managham Vande
Caranam:
- Kundalinim Tham Vande
Sweekrutha Rupam Vande
Athrija Saram vande
Chitra Viharam Vande
- Asura Shirogam Vande
Vinatha Manojnam Vande
Sathatha Pavithram vande
Sachidanandam Vande
Anagha is the first and only word in the third part of the Raksha Mantra. Aghamsignifies sin. The Lord who is sinless and Who eliminates all the sins of devotees, is none other than the Lord Anagha Swami. The power of Lord Datta destroys the devotees’ sins. This power is termed as the Goddess Anagha Devi.
In general, devotees intonate ‘Namassivai cha Namassivaya.’Analogously, the devotees can also chant ‘Anaghayai cha Anaghaya’. There is no difference between Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu;similarly, there is no difference between Goddess Anagha Devi and Lord Anagha Swami. Moreover, the name Anagha is the most favored name for Lord Dattatreya. The Lord likes this name to a much greater extent, as has been disclosed by Him in the Markandeya Purana[1].
On one occasion, the deities had to countenance a grave risk in the form of the demon Jambhasura. The guru[2] and counselor of the deities, Brihaspathi or Jupiter, advised them to seekthe protection of Lord Dattatreya, in order to overcome the mortal danger posed to them by Jambhasura. He further advised them to repair to the Sahyadri mountain range, the abode of Lord Dattatreya. The deities sang peans in praise of the Lord, in order to obtain His mercy and blessings. Lord Dattatreya subjected these deities to a number of ordeals; which they withstood successfully. Subsequently, they praised Lord Datta Swami, in the following manner:
Anaghastvam Jagannadha
Na Lepa Sthava Vidyathe|
Vidya Kshalana Suddhanthaha
Nivishta Jnana Deedhithe||
O Lord Datta Swami! You revealed yourself as a philanderer and toper. Moreover, You also disport Yourself as a transgressor and betrayer of religious customs and righteousness.However, the fact remains that You are above all these precepts. You are Anagha, the One who is untouched by sin and He to whom sins do not attach themselves. You are Jagannadha, the protector of the worlds. Your character is flawless. You are the inner soul, which is unblemished and which is purified by Jnana or knowledge. You are the pious One.
Anagheyam Munisreshta
Jaganmatha na Dushyathi|
Yasa vidya thava Vibho!
Sarvajnasya Hridisthitha||
O Lord! The Lady seated beside Thee is no ordinary woman. She is the Mother of the worlds, the Goddess Anagha Devi. She is the embodiment of Your jnana and knowledge. It is a universal fact that the Sun’s rays are not contaminated, even on coming into contact with an evil person. In the same manner, both of You are free from all sins and all desecrations.
Till that time, Lord Dattatreya had subjected the deities to a variety of tests. However, the moment the deities articulated the word Anagha, the Lord was rendered calmer and exhibited great friendliness towards them. He instructed the deities to employ whatever means possible, and to bring the demon Jambhasura before Him. The deities obeyed His instructions and enticed the demons to the place where the Lord resided.
The goddess Anagha Devi positioned Herself on the demon’s head, and Lord Dattatreya exterminated the demon Jambhasura, in an expeditious manner.
This story shows that the word ‘Anagha’ had proved to be of great help to the deities; in their endeavor to obtain the blessings and support of Lord Dattatreya, so as to get rid of the demon Jambhasura.
Once upon a time, King Kritha Virya had ruled over the kingdom of Haihava. He was an able ruler, whose rule was to the satisfaction of his subjects. In due course of time, he passed away at a ripe old age. The Muni[3] Garga directed Karthaveerya, the son of the deceased king, to ascend the throne. However, Karthaveerya refused to become the king until he had acquired the required competence and powers. Accordingly, he pleaded with Muni Garga to help him in his endeavor.
Garga advised him to seek the help of Lord Datta Swami. Immediately, Karthaveerya repaired to the Ashram of Lord Datta, where he served the Lord for thousands of years. He cheerfully, underwent the various tests imposed upon him by the Lord. One day prince Karthaveerya obtained an opportunity to praise Lord Datta, and he intoned the following verse:
Devasthvam hi Puranoyaha
Svam Mayam Samupashrithaha
Anaghasthvam Thadhaiveyam
Devi Sarva Bhavaranihi
Lord! You are He that the Puranas[4]extol. You act as if You are influenced by Maya[5], whereas it is You who generates Maya. You are Anagha and She is Anagha Devi, the Mother of the Universe. Please deign to bestow Thine blessing upon me.
Lord Dattatreya was pleased with this supplication of prince Karthaveerya and stated as under. This statement declares the power of the name of Anagha.
Lord Datta said:
Varam Vrineeshva Guhyam me
Thvaya Nama Yadeeritham|
Thena Thushtihi Para Jatha
Thvayyadya mama Pardhiva||
O Karthaveerya! You had praised Me by invoking My secret name Anagha. I am fully pleased by the Anagha Nama. I will grant you whatever you desire.
Pradasya Myavadhoothascha
Hanishyamyava Manyatham|
Sathvam Varaya Bhadram the
Varam Yanmanasechchasi||
O! Karthaveerya! Whoever praises the union of Me, My eight sons and the Yogamatha, by employing the names Anagha Swami and Anagha Devi, stands to procure unlimited boons from Me. I will provide such devotees with all round prosperity and fortune. I will eliminate their ill-fame or disgrace. However, I will not spare people who denigrate My name. Therefore, O! Kartaveerya! By invoking My most secret name; which is powerful in all aspects; you have gained my blessings. Ask whatever you want, and I have decided to grant the Ashta Siddhis[6]to you.”
Karthaveerya was flabbergasted at this unexpected turn of events; which had obtained for him the blessings of He who had been subjecting him to a host of severe trials. As such, he understood that the mere chanting of the word Anagha had been the cause of his sudden great fortune. Karthaveerya was beside himself with joy at this great fortune; and he asked of the Lord several wishes, which were unprecedented. The Lord Anagha Swami, not to be outdone, granted boons that had hitherto never been bestowed upon a devotee.
It is to be comprehended that the mere chanting of the name Anagha had procured illimitable fortunes for Karthaveerya. Therefore, the name Anagha is a very powerful mantra. In the Vishnu Sahasra Nama, the name Anagha is the one hundred forty – sixth name. The Sage Bhagavadpada has described it as follows:
Agham na vidyathe asyethi anaghaha apahathapapma ithi sruthehi.
According to this Vedic sentence, Apahathapapmaconnotesthat the Lord is sinless. Therefore, He is Anagha. Everything turns into ash on entering the fire. Similarly, all the Dharmas, virtues and sins are burned by Lord Anagha Swami. As such, He is Anagha. The sky is free of all smells. No smell can be attached to the sky. Similarly, no sin can touch the Lord. Therefore, He is Anagha.
From the above discussion, it is clear that the name Anaghaconstitutes a superior power. With this fact in mind, Sri Swamiji introduced a great Vrata[7] to the devotees and named it the Anaghashtami Vrata.In this Vrata, the Ashta Siddhis are invoked in the place reserved for offspring. Lord Anagha Swami and Goddess Anagha Devi are established in the place of the father and mother. Then the performer of the Vrataconducts worship to them. A large number of people have performed this Vratatill now and received innumerable blessings and untold prosperity. There are a number of devotees who have performed this Vratha, daily for eighteen years, without any break. This Anaghashtami Vratha eliminates every impoverishment; and its performers are sure to receive Ashta Siddhis[8].
Padmasanothana Manojnapadam
Padmam dadhanam na bhayam cha panyoha|
Yoghsthiram nirbhara kantipunjam
Dattam prapadye Anagha namadheyam||
He reposes in the lotus posture and thereby provides an opportunity to perceive His feet and head. He bears a lotus in one hand and displays the symbol of protection in the other. He is in a state of yoga, possessed extraordinary radiance and brilliance, and bears the name Anagha. He is the Lord Datta Swami; and I seek his protection and blessing.
Padmasanastham padayugma nupuraam
Padmam dadhanaam abhayam cha panyohi|
Yogerdha sammelitha nischalaksheem
Dattanuraktam Anagham prapadye||
She reclines in the lotus posture, wears anklets embellished with bells, bears a lotus in one hand and displays the symbol of protection in the other. Her eyes are half – closed and firmly secured in yoga. She depicts love towards Lord Datta Swami. She is the Goddess Anagha Devi, and I seek her protection.
Song:
Pallavi:Anaghashtami Vrathamuthamam
Bhakthavali vanchapradam
- Yathranagha yogaprabha
Dattonagho jnanam param
Sidhyashtakam puthrathmakam
Samsevyathe – Sampujyathe
- Yath sevanath Kashtam gatham
Pidavali samyathyapi
Ujjrimbhathe subhamunnatham
Sri Sachidanandathmakam
So far, we have learned of the features and implications of the Anagha name that is contained in the Raksha Mantra. In this mantra, the last word Dattayanamahaconstitutes the crowning glory. Now, we will learn about the word ‘Dattaya’ in the salutation Dattaya Namaha.
However, let us first pray to Lord Datta.
Song:Dattamasraye Sadguruthamam
Pallavi:Datta masraye
Sadguruthamam
Caranam:
- Sadhu sangama kshema dayakam
Bodhithagama sthoma vaibhavam
- Bhakthi tharpitham mukthi sampadam
Sakthi sundari mohanakrithim
- Bhedadhee haram hridaya bhasuram
Sachidanandadam sarva sammatham
The specialty of this Raksha Mantra lies in its composition. It has several seed letters of various gods and goddesses. However, it ends with the singular form of the ‘Dattaya Namaha’.
Aakasath pathitham thoyam
Yadha gachchathi sagaram
Sarvadeva namaskaraha
Keshavam prathigachchathi
This sloka states that every drop of rain from the sky merges with the sea. Similarly, the invocation of each and every deity reaches Lord Kesava.
This can also be termed as ‘Sri Gurum Prathi Gachchathi”. In this context, the first and foremost guru is Lord Dattatreya. Therefore, every prayer offered to the deities, invariably reach Lord Dattatreya. The Raksha Mantra ends with ‘Dattaya namaha’. The secret of using this crown is that all these salutations reach Lord Dattatreya.
Upon examination, it can be understood that the word ‘Datta’ is not a name;but an honorific title of the Lord. Our Lord Datta Swami does not have any name. In general, a person obtains a name, subsequent to the performance of the naming ceremony by the parents. This is in accordance with what is laid down by tradition. However, the father of Lord Dattatreya, Maharishi Athri did not conduct any naming ceremony, because he knew that his son was the Paramatma, who is beyond such limitations. Both Maharishi Athri and his consort Anasuya realized that their son wasbeyond any tradition. At this juncture, we may wonder as to how He came to be called Datta. This name was attributed to Him because He presented Himself as a gift to the world.
Maharishi Athri and Anasuya had performed severe penance on the hill Rukshadri, which is located near the river Nirvindya. All the deities were confused as to who was to bestow the fruit of the tapas upon this holy couple. In order, to resolve this problem, the deities convened a meeting, to which they invited the Lords Brahma,Vishnu, and Shiva. The deities beseeched the Holy Trinity to grant appropriate boons to maharishi Athri and his wife. As such, the 33, 00, 00,000deities decided that any boon to be granted, was to emanate from the Holy Trinity.
Thereupon, the Holy Trinityrepaired to the place where maharishi Athri was performing penance and stated, ‘We have decided to be adopted by you.’
Dattamindicates a gift. In English, a gift is referred to as a ‘present’. Both ‘Datta’ and ‘Present’ have three meanings. The English word present connotes a gift, this is the first meaning. The word ‘present’ can be truncated into ‘pre’ and ‘sent’. Pre-sent can be understood as a thing or person that had been sent, previously. This meaning comes into play, in the context in which the deities had decided to send the Holy Trinity. Thus, pre-sent, in this context, implies the Holy Trinity, and this is the second meaning.
Present also denotes the current or existing time. The latter is the extant and correct time. Past time relates to the time that has elapsed; and future time connotes time that is in the offing. Both past and future times are non-existent, and assumed periods of time, which cannot be experienced by anyone. Therefore, only the present has existence. That is why the great mahatmas[9]declare: varthamanena varthamthe. They live only in the present.
As such, the word Datta has these three meanings and the Holy Trinity employed it. They transformed themselves into a boy with three heads and approached maharishi Athri and Anasuya. Since the Holy Trinity used the word Datta, prior to incarnatingas that Boy, the Latter was known as Datta. The verb Datta changes into Dattaya in its nounal[10] form.
Digambaram bhasma sugandha lepanam
Chakram trisulam damarum gadayudham
Padmasanam yogi munindra vanditham
Dattethi nama smaranena nithyam
The Dattatreya Vajra Kavacham states that He is unattired, besmeared with ashes, bears weapons like the chakra[11], trishula[12], damaruvu[13], and gada[14], seated in the lotus posture, and praised and worshipped by the Yogis and Maharishis. He is the Paramatma and He is Lord Dattatreya. We should worship Him by chanting the name Datta.
The Narayana Kavacham states that Dattasthva yogadadha yoganadhaha. In other words, Lord Datta is the master of Yoga and He removes the obstacles that stand in the way of my becoming an able person.
The science of grammar declares that whenever the word Namahaoccurs, should be pronounced with stress on last syllable. This Namaha is the last word in the Raksha Mantra.
It is mandatory, in the process of worship, to assume the different deities, being worshipped, as the bodily parts of the principal God who is being worshipped. Otherwise, they can be assumed to constitute other forms of this principal God.
In this Mantra, the second precept is followed; wherein, the deities referred to in the Mantra are presumed to be different manifestations of Lord Dattatreya. The word Namaha denotes salutation. In theRaksha Mantra, Lord Datta Swami is represented through several Gods, and the salutations are offered to this Lord Dattatreya. This is the underlying purpose of the word Namaha, which is used at the end of the Mantra.
Namaha is used to indicate that the Lord is the protector and the worshipper is his vassal. The devotee is required to worship the Lord with the utmost respect and love, and feeling of servitude towards the Lord. Devotees should prostrate themselves and salute the Lord.
Namaha also implies the absence of duality. There is no Maya. All that exists is one and the same. The devotee, whilst attempting to comprehend this great truth, should keep repeating to himself that there is no difference between the Lord and him. Over a period of time, the devotee develops the feeling that the Lord and he are one and the same. This is the concept of oneness, which the devotee must develop.
While performing such salutation, the performer should maintain his backbone and head in one straight line. He should sit erect in that posture; joint his hands in such a way that the palms of his hands touch each other, and then place them upright in front of his heart.
The heart has the shape of an inverted lotus. The union of the hands should be in the opposite direction, in the upright position. This connotes one lotus above the other, which is known as the dual lotus or union of lotuses. This suggests an integration of the devotee’s heart the Lord. The left palm represents the Jeevatma[15] and the right palm the Paramatma[16]. When both these palms are united at the heart – lotus, the distinction between the Jeevatma and Paramatma ceases to exist, and the all encompassing experience of the Pure Kevalatmais experience. This is the true implication of the word Namaha.
The aforementioned descriptions provide us with several definitions of the Raksha Mantra. From amongst these, we can select the meaning that is most appealing to us. After that we should chant the Raksha Mantra as follows:
OM AIM HREEM SHREEM SIVA RAMA ANAGHA DATTAYA NAMAHA.
Any Mantra can be utilized for three fundamental purposes. First, it can be chanted for deriving earthly desires such as removal of suffering or for achieving prosperity and comforts. Secondly, it can be chanted for spiritual development and lastly, it can be invoked without any desires or objectives. The last aim is termed as paramardhikam, which means that the chanting of the mantra can be used to integrate ourselves with the deity of the mantra.