Thread by @DefiledGod

--The Tryambaka Offerings, Pt 2--

In Part 1, (Link:threadreaderapp.com/thread/1288228…), we clarified “Rudra” signified mind, and “Ambikā” experience of Brahman. In this thread, let's finish interpreting mantras of the Tryambaka rite that come after this+
#Hinduism #Vedic #Sanatani #Vedic

áva rudrámad īmahy áva deváṃ tryàmbakam

We have satisfied mind that bestows good (rudram), that shines out auspicious qualities of Brahman (devam), perceiver of 3 abodes – place, object & instrument for brahmānubhava (tryàmbakam)+

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yáthā no vásyasas kárad yád yátʰā naḥ śréyasas kárad yád yátʰā no vyavasāyáyāt

So it may make us wealthy, may it make us attain the path of liberation, make us closely bound to Brahman.+
#SanatanDharm #Vedas #Hinduism #Vedic #Sanatani #Hindus

bʰeṣajám asi bʰeṣajáṃ gávé śvāya púruṣāya bʰeṣajám \ sukʰáṃ meṣā́ya meṣyái \\

You, mind w/ experience of Brahman, are medicine (for Saṃsāra). You are medicine for (use of) cows, horses & offspring. You bring bliss (by proper use) to rams and ewes+

#Vedas #Hinduism

So far, all self-explanatory. These are all articles to be used in kāmya karmas. The mind, being detached, can now use them in karma-yoga to Bhagavān without getting attached to them+

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etát te rudrāvasáṃ téna paró mū́javató tīhi /

This (experience of Brahman), O mind (Rudra), is your food (sustenance), by which, you go beyond the experiences of sense objects (mū́javató) .+

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mū́javató – Experiences possessed of attachment produced by the triguṇās that tie or bind (mū́ja) the self to Saṃsāra.

Yaska’s Nirukta refers to mū́javat as the name of a mountain. Possibly the case elsewhere (Sauptika Parva, Mbh is one), but not here.+

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ávatatadʰanvā pínākāvasaḥ krttivāsā áhim̐san naḥ śivó tīhi

Mind w/ no ego of self-effort (untied bow), controlling pínākās, ie, senses that are abodes for the self to experience (pínākāvasaḥ)...+

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….having residences of food, ie, meditating on forms of the Lord (krttivāsā), not causing hurt to the self by indulging in sense objects (áhim̐san), agreeable to the self (śivó), cross over (attachments of prakrti).+

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The bow signifies knowledge of the Upanishads. Untied bowstring means there is lack of self-effort - ego in thinking one’s efforts are a cause of success. As one can see, makes no sense to interpret this as “śūlapāṇi rudra, cross over”+

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"pínākāvasaḥ” – Note “pínākā” is in plural and so can't denote Shiva’s bow. Senses are abodes (nāka-s) the self resides in, to drink (experience) .Terms like “pínākā”, “krttivāsā” etc are used on the basis of etymology here+

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Next, we come to the mṛtasañjīvanī mantra (tryambakaṃ yajāmahe…). As everyone knows the mantra, I give the meaning without sanskrit text to save space+

#Hinduism #Vedic #Sanatani #Hindus #SanatanaDharma #SanatanDharm #Vedas

Mind which is the perceiver of bhogya sthāna, bhoga sthāna and bhogopakaraṇa sthāna (Tryambakam)! We worship (meditate; yajāmahe) on you, as that which is full of fragrances, ie, associated with all auspicious things (sugandhim)…+

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...Who augments nourishment, ie, jnāna-vairāgya (puṣtivardhanaṃ). As a gourd (severed) from its’ stem (urvārukamiva bandhanād), may we be freed (mukshīya) from attachment to sense objects that cause death, ie, rebirths (mrityor) +

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...But not from meditation on Brahman, ie, lead us not astray from upāsaṇa by indulging in sense objects (māmṛtāt)

Next mantra is minor modification of same for added emphasis: Tryambakām yajāmahe sugandhim pativedanam urvārurkamiva bandhanād ito mukshīya māmuta +
#Vedas

Same meaning, except, it says “Mind, which acquires for us the Supreme Brahman called “pati” (pativedanam) as per patiṃ visvasya ātmesvaraṃ (nārāyaṇa sūktaṃ)"+

(Superficial level, "pati" refers to gaining good husband. Inner true meaning - Supreme Lord.)
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As a gourd (severed) from its’ stem, may we be freed from this, ie, the attachment to sense objects (ito mukshīya), but not from the attachment to that, ie, Brahman (māmuta)+

#Hinduism #Vedic #Sanatani #Hindus #SanatanaDharma #SanatanDharm

A gourd is severed from its’ stem when ripe. Likewise, when mind is filled with jnāna-vairāgya, attachments to sense objects are severed. But attachment to Brahman, once acquired, should not be relinquished for sense objects again

It can happen, hence the prayer+

#Vedas

Q arises - how can one meditate on insentient mind? The brahma sūtrās clarify that anything pure is a pratīka or symbol for meditation, superimposing the view of Brahman on it. Sanatkumara tells Nārada, “meditate on the mind” (Chan.Up)+

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There are 2 more mantrās left in this section to truly conclude the rite, but for sake of brevity and their relative unimportance, I skip those.+

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Qs will arise now – How can “tryambakaṃ yajāmahe”.. be interpreted as referring to the mind when well-known interpretations take it as Shiva pratipādya? Why do some texts (Shiva/Linga Ps) attribute it to Shiva? Will be answered in final “Part 3” thread//

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