Healing Mantra: June 2009 Archives
Continuing with our discussion of mahamritunjaya mantra or Healing Mantra…
We have discussed the meaning of tryambak and now can look at yaj—sacrifice. “We sacrifice to the three-eyed Lord.” What does it mean to sacrifice to the Three-eyed Lord? This can be understood according to the four levels of interpretation.
On the literal level, mahamritunjaya is a mantra designed to be used in homa or fire ceremonies. Here at Alandi Ashram we do healing copper pyramid fires using this mantra for world peace and healing. According to the Vedas, the earth is the abode of the sacrificial fire, humanity is the sacrificial priest, and through such rituals we renew the earth and our own souls. Fire is the messenger of the gods and carries our prayers to them. Fire is the mouth of the gods, devouring the oblations of food grains and ghee and leaping high in response to our offerings. “From rain comes food, from sacrifice comes rain.” (Bh. Gita 3, 14). Our offerings into fire restore the natural order and balance the climate. Once my friend Sita Sharan was made to stop during a fire ceremony by the fire department. “No rain, no fire,” they told her. She responded, “That’s funny. We say ‘no fire, no rain.”
On the next level of interpretation, the moral level, sacrificing to the three-eyed Lord means letting go of negative qualities such as greed and selfishness, and developing positive qualities reflective of the nature of Shiva. We offer our negativity into the fire of the Divine, allowing that fire to burn away the dross and let the pure gold of our true nature manifest. We can do this through various forms of tapas (austerity) such as asana and pranayama, which generate a literal fire or heat within us, purifying our subtle body. We can also do this in a very simple way by setting aside some of our time to serve others instead of pursuing our own pleasure and by giving some of our income to help those in need. “One who does not follow on earth the turning wheel of sacrifice is a thief and living a useless life.” (Bh. Gita 3, 16).
On the third or symbolic level of interpretation we look at the big picture of sacrifice within each of the four Ages of history. In the Age of Taurus (approximately 6,000-4,000 years ago) we offered human sacrifice. In the Age of Aries (4,000-2,000 years ago) we offered animal sacrifice, beginning from the moment Abraham went up on the mountain to sacrifice his firstborn son and instead sacrificed a ram, the symbol of Aries. In the Age of Pisces we offer the sacrifice of words through prayer and recitation of mantras. And in the dawning Age of Aquarius—although we still need to continue prayer and chanting as a direct means of purifying the heart—we sacrifice our individualism into altruism.
Finally on the spiritual level of interpretation, we sacrifice our limited identity into the boundless truth, realizing our true nature. To sacrifice ahamkar, or the “I am the body consciousness” seems to us to be very difficult, and yet it is really the sacrifice of nothing. As Anandamayi Ma, a great saint ofThe Inner Meaning of Aum Tryamabakam
This is the first in a series of posts exploring the meaning of mahamritanjaya mantra, which we chant at Monday night Shiva bathing, and the process of Shiva bathing. Actually, I gave this talk in my dream last night.
Tryambak means having three eyes. These three eyes are the three ways of perceiving the world. Two of these eyes correspond to the Relative view and the third to the Absolute view. The right eye is that aspect of the Relative view which splits the world into its components, analyzes, judges and compares. This view corresponds to the left brain and to the pingala, the solar channel and has an objective character. It is also seen as the masculine view and relates to the planet Mars, which carries the sword of separation. This view is crucial to our correct understanding of the relative world. For example, we would need this view to conduct business, negotiate a loan, organize an office and many necessary functions. However, this view does correspond to the tamas guna or mode of ignorance. So beware of the root poison of hatred and aversion when you are using this view. We need good judgement but not judgementalism, critique but not criticism, discrimination but not prejudice.
The left eye is that aspect of the Relative view which is holistic and intuitive. It takes a subjective, symbolic and emotional view of world, seeing the connection between things. The left eye has a creative and playful perception. This view corresponds to the right brain and to the ida, the lunar channel. It has a feminine characteristic and also relates to the planet Venus, which holds the mirror of reflection. We need this view in order to write poetry, play with children or participate meaningfully in rituals and ceremonies. Yet this view does correspond to the rajas guna or mode of passion. Think of the moon card in Tarot. This view can deceive us and lead us astray though excess subjectivity just as surely as the right eye’s view can distort reality through reductionism and fragmentation. When you are using this view, watch out for the root poison of desire which can carry us away and leave us lost and bewildered.
Between the two is the Transcendent View of the Third Eye. The Third Eye does not reveal the phenomenal world with its multiplicity of forms. That is the job of the two eyes. This is the ‘single eye’ which ‘fills the whole body with light’ as Jesus said. This eye cannot see the relative world; it perceives instead the vast expanse of reality. It is connected with the third ventricle of the brain—the Inner Space—and with the sushumna or central channel. This view does correspond with the sattva guna or mode of purity, because we need to move into purity and go beyond ignorance in order to access this view. Yet the transcendent view by definition transcends the three gunas, all of which are part of the phenomenal world.
Tryambak is not an external being but our own true nature when our third eye is activated to see the Transcendent View and our two eyes are purified to see the relative world without aversion or desire. Jiva is Shiva; the personal self is the supreme self. By attaining the state of the Three Eyed Shiva, although we may still have to endure disease due to karma, we will spontaneously heal all illnesses due to stress and confusion. This is the blessing of mahamritanjaya mantra.
