Dakshinamurti Upanishad
Om ! May He protect us
both together; may He nourish us both together;
May we work conjointly with great energy,
May our study be vigorous and effective;
May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any).
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
Om. In Brahma Vartha (Land of Brahma), under a banyan tree called Maha
Bandira, many sages including Sounaka had assembled to perform a Sathra
fire sacrifice. They approached sage Markandeya wearing samiths (dried
twigs of banyan tree)
as gloves and asked him, “How do you manage to be a Chiram Jeevi (One
who does not have death) and how are you always in the happy state?" 1
He replied, “This is because of the knowledge of the most secret
philosophy of Shiva. This very secret Shiva philosophy by which Shiva
who is the Dakshinamurthy, becomes some thing which is not visible to
others. He is that God who at the time of
final deluge, who keeps every thing else within himself and shines
because of the pleasure of his own spirit. The secret mantras about him
are as follows: Brahma is the sage, the meter is Gayathri and the god is
Dakshinamurhy for this mantra.
First Mantra of 24 letters: After telling “om”, tell “Namo” and then
“Bhagavathe Dakshinamurthaye”, then the fourth form of “asmad” viz “Mahyam”,
then “medham Pragnam”, then the root of wind “ya”, added with “chcha”,
followed by the name of wife of fire God “swaha”. This is the mantra
with 24 letters. That is “Om Namo Bhagwathe Dakshinamurthaye Mahyam,
Medham Pragnam Prayacha Swaha!” 2
Then Dhyanam (thinking abut the form in the mind, when mantra is
chanted). I salute him who is white like a crystal, who holds in his
hands, a chain of pearl beads, the pot of nectar which is the form of
knowledge, and the mudhra (symbol) of wisdom, who
ties himself with a snake, who wears the moon on his head and who wears
different type of ornaments. 3
Second Mantra of nine letters: First Say “Om”, then the first vowel with
the visarga and in the end ell Panchakshari with visarga in the end, and
this gives the Navakshari mantra (nine letters mantra). That is “Om Aam
Aa Sivaya Nama Om!” 4
Then Dhyanam. Let the three eyed god who does only good, who has in his
three hands, the sign of protection, deer and axe in three hands and
fourth hand kept on his knee, who has tied a snake on his body, who
shines white like milk, who sits below a
banyan tree and who is surrounded by sages like Shuka, gives us pure
thoughts. 5
[Slokas 6 is not available.]
Third Mantra: Add Broom Nama, Maya Bheeja, Vagbhava Bheeja,
Dakshinamurthaye and Jnanam dehi Swaha to Om. The mantra would be “Om
Broom, Namo Hreem Im Dakshinamurthaye Jnanam Dehi Swaha!” 7
Then Dhyanam: Let the God Dakshinamurthy, who has a white body due to
application of holy ash, who wears the crescent moon on his head, who
holds in his hands, Jnana mudra (symbol of wisdom), beaded chain, Veena
and books, who wears all ornaments, who wears the elephant hide, who
resembles the meditating Rama, who sits on the throne of explanation and
who is being served by great sages protect us always. 8
We have to see that lamp of wisdom, which burns with renunciation as
oil, devotion as wick and which shines in the full vessel of wake up
state. 9
In the beginning of creation, Lord Brahma prayed this Dakshinamurthy,
and obtained the capacity of creating beings and became very happy. He
became blessed after getting what he desired. That Brahma therefore has
become a devotee as well as
somebody who deserves our devotion. 10
The one who reads this philosophy of Shiva with understanding, would get
rid of all his sins. The ones who know this truly will attain salvation.
11
Om ! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together;
May we work conjointly with great energy,
May our study be vigorous and effective;
May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any).
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
Here ends the Dakshinamurti Upanishad belonging to the
Krishna-Yajur-Veda..
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