This video is a collection of short prayers from the Vedas, Adi Shankaracharya's stotrams and other hymns to Lord Shiva.
The audio is from the Cd Sacred Morning Chants - Lord Shiva, marketed by Times Spiritual Music. Tracks 3,4,5,6 and 12 have been used. The pictures have been downloaded from hubblesite.org and other sites on the web. Far too often, we get so mired in the activities of our own daily lives that we forget the daily lives of all that is not perceived by our senses. Hence, photos of daily life in celestial space taken by the Hubble deep field telescope have been used.
Dim or turn off all other lights and sounds. Turn up volume and watch without interruption for full impact.
There is a grandeur to these prayer compositions which raise the daily spirit, when listened attentively to. The voices thunder while describing the Lord's glories (Shiva Stuti & Shiva Avahanam) and they also gently supplicate, seeking forgiveness as in the last section (Shiva Yachna). The voices are also simultaneously devotional, sublimely so. Sanjeev Abhayankar (Shiva Vandan and Shiva Yachna) and Rattan Mohan Sharma (Shiva Prarthna) are the male singers, accompanied by chorus in the other tracks.
It is not easy to find a comparable recording/rendition of Shiva Prarthana, which is at the heart of Sri Rudram (Shatarudriya) of the Yajur Veda. Or, for that matter, of Shiv Yachana, which is at the end of Shiva Manasa pooja by Adi Shankaracharya. Beware! Even the non-devotional risk becoming devotional after being exposed regularly to these prayers in these voices.
Shiva Vandana (from Shiva Mahimna Stotram by Pushpadanta)
tava tatvam na janami kiddrishosi maheshwara
yadroshosi mahadeva taddrishaya namoh namah
free translation
i do not know You in any way nor see You anywhere, Maheshwara. all that i see is (therefore) You, Mahadeva (and) to That so visible, i offer myself.
Alternate translation available at:
www.astrologerr...
Shiva Prarthana
Aum
namaste astu bhagwan vishweshwaraya mahadevaya tryambakaya tripura-antakaya trika-agnikalaya kala-agnirudraya neelakanthaya mrtyunjayaya sarveshwaraya sadashivaya sriman mahadevaya namah
Translation by Sri Swami Krishnanandaji of Divine Life Society:
Prostration be to thee, O Lord, Ruler of the universe, Great God Three-eyed One, Destroyer of the Tripuras (three cities), Death to the destructive Fire of the three worlds at the end of Time, Terror to even the terrible Fire of Time, Blue-necked One, Overcomer of mortality, Overlord over everyone, Bestower of Blessedness, Ever-Auspicious, the Blessed Great God - to Thee, Prostration.
Swamiji explains the Shatarudriya (Sri Rudram) lucidly at: www.swami-krish...
Shiva Stuti
www.tilakpyle.c...
Shiva Avahanam
www.sakisoft.co...
Shiva Yachana
www.sai-service...
To understand Sanskrit better, visit: sanskritdocumen...
Prayers give us an opportunity to move away from that (our individual natures) which binds us to earthly existence, into that (our common divinity) which frees us from worries and other such limitations.
Prayers lift us upwards and inspire us to become fully like the lotus whose roots are in mud but which rises upwards to open its heart to the Lord.
14 окт 2024
