I request you to read this article of mine : Meaning of Vigraha is ‘Embodiment’, not idol! for some background clarity. In that I have written that till prANa is invoked into any pratima or image, it is just that. When prANA is invoked into it, it becomes a Deity to be worshipped.
In this article, I want to explain some prANa pratiSThA mantras.
The RSis of these mantrAs are brahma, vISNu and mahEs’wara.
The chandAs of these mantrAs are RgyajussAmAtharvaNa ie the four Vedas.
The dEvatA of there mantrAs is prANA s’akti.
In modern languages, we use the word prana as synonymous with life. In Sanskrit prANa is the outgoing breath and apAna is the incoming breath.
hrAm is the seed or bIjam.
hrIm is the s’akti or competence/strength.
hrUm is the kIlaka or that most important component of a machine that makes it work.
These mantrAs are used for the successful invocation of Ganesha into the pratima.
They are used for japa.
These sounds are used to offer salutations to these body parts, during dhyAna or contemplation.
hrAm – thumbs
hrIm – forefingers
hrOm - middle fingers
hrAIm – ring fingers
hraum – little fingers
hrAm – heart
hrIm – head
hrOm - s’ikhA.. back of the head
hrAIm – kavaca.. arms crossed across the chest
hraum – nEtratraya – three eyes.. third eye is the spot between the eye brows and slightly up.
hrah – astraya phat (this is a vedic gesture)
bhUh bhuvah svarah om – for the dig bandha.
As a result of these now Divinity is first invoked into You.
Then 2 mantras are chanted to please the dEvI prANa s’akti.
Then we say,
Om, hrAm, hrIm, krOm, ya ra la va s’a Sa sa ham Lam ksham
of hamsAs, I am the hamsa.
Hamsa means swan in modern Indian Languages. In philosophical terms it refers to enlightened folks and to the concept of soham.. sah aham.. hamsah.
Then we way,
the prAna od varasiddhivinayAka is is my prANa and
the jIva (atma/life) of varasiddhi vinAyaka is my jIva.
May Vinayaka come out in the form of ucchvAsa nis’s'vAsa (breath) by speech, mind, eyes, ears, tongue and nostrils and enter this bimba (image) and stay here comfortably and for a long time.
…. and then the mantrAs go on.
Note : The purpose of this write-up is not for you to take off and use them.. but to know a part of what is going on. If you wish to use them, the best is learn from a guru.. or to consult a book like this :
Vrata Mala by Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Sastry, published by Sri Saraswathu Ratnakar Book Depot…
Authorship and Copyright Notice : All Rights Reserved : Satya Sarada Kandula
