Saturday, August 23, 2014

Swasthi Vachanam ஸ்வஸ்தி வாசனம் स्वस्ति वाचनम्




Swasthi (from the Sanskrit words su + asti = well + being (सु + अस्ति = स्वस्तिmeans prosperity, auspiciousness, well being. These mantras are usually chanted in the beginning of any religious function, praying to usher prosperity and well being. The word 'Swasthi' appears from the time of the ancient Vedas and Upanishads. It is found in many shAnti-pATha-s (शान्ति-पाठ), including e.g. in the Mudaka Upanishad (muNDaka-upaniShad मुण्डक-उपनिषद्) -


Which roughly translates to -

May we hear good with the ears, and see good with the eyes. May our body be strong and healthy, may we sing praises. Indra, who is well-praised, is good for/to us. Pusha (pooShaa, pUShA, पूषा), the all knowing, is good for/to us. Tarkshya (tArkShya, तार्क्ष्य), the all saving is good for/to us. Brihaspati (bRihaspati, बृहस्पति) is good for/to us. Let there be three fold peace.


Here the word 'swasthi' is used four times, in lines 3 and 4, as the first word of each half - स्वस्ति

The above is courtesy of http://blog.practicalsanskrit.com/

Have classified Swasthi Vachanams into these broad categories:

A) Swasthi Vachanam mantras for Agnihothram/Havan

1
Om agni meede purohitam 
yajyasya deva-mrit-wijam. 
Hotaaram ratna-dhaatamam.

2
Om sa nah piteva soonave 
agne soopaa-yano bhava. 
Sachas-waa nah swastaye.

3
Om swasti no mimeetaam-ashwinaa bhagah 
swasti dev-yaditir anar-vanah. 
Swasti pooshaa asuro dadhaatu nah 
swasti dyaawaa prithivee suche-tunaa.

4
Om swastaye vaayu-mupa bravaa-mahai 
somam swasti bhuwa-nasya yas patih. 
Brihaspatim sarvaganam swastaye 
swastaya aadit-yaaso bhawantu nah.

5
Om vishwe devaa no adyaa swastaye 
vaish-waa-naro vasu-ragnih swastaye. 
Devaa avantu ribhawah swastaye 
swasti no rudrah paat-wam-hasah.

6
Om swasti mitraa varunaa 
swasti pathye revati. 
Swasti na indrash chaag-nish cha 
swasti no adite kridhi.

7
Om swasti panthaam anucharema 
sooryaa chandra-masaa viva. 
Punar dada-taagh-nataa 
jaana-taa sanga-memahi.

The complete recital can be heard here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMpvpswvZpM

The above is courtesy of http://theheartofthesun.com


B) They are Shanthi Mantras too.

ॐ स्वस्ति न इंद्रो वृद्धश्रवाः स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः ।
स्वस्ति नस्तार्क्ष्यो अरिष्ट्टनेमिः स्वस्ति नो बृहस्पतिर्दधातु ॥
द्यौः शांतिः अंतरिक्षगुं शांतिः पृथिवी शांतिरापः
शांतिरोषधयः शांतिः। वनस्पतयः शांतिर्विश्वे देवाः
शांतिर्ब्रह्म शांतिः सर्वगुं शांतिः शांतिरेव शांति सा
मा शांतिरेधि। यतो यतः समिहसे ततो नो अभयं कुरु ।
शंन्नः कुरु प्राजाभ्यो अभयं नः पशुभ्यः। सुशांतिर्भवतु ॥
ॐ सिद्धि बुद्धि सहिताय श्री मन्ममहागणाधिपतये नमः ॥

Meaning:

All the mantras of Swasti vachan pray for the well being (Kalyan) of the world and exhort that peace should prevail upon the earth and the Universe. Oh God, let your eight elements viz. the heavens, space, earth, water medicines, flora, Vishvay Deva and Brahma spread peace in the Universe and ensure the well being of all.


Om bhadram karnebhih shrunuyaama devaah
Bhadram pashyemaakshabhiryajatraah
Sthirairangaistushtuvaamsastanoobhih
Vyashema devahitam yadaayuh
Swasti na indro vridhashravaah
Swasti nah pooshaa vishwavedaah
Swasti nastaarkshyo arishtanemih
Swasti no brihaspatir dadhaatu.
Om shantih, shantih, shantih!

Meaning:

Om, O worshipful ones, may our ears hear what is good and auspicious! May we see what is auspicious! May we sing your praise, live our allotted span of life in perfect health and strength! May Indra (who is) extolled in the scriptures, Pushan, the all-knowing Trakshya, who saves from all harm, and Brihaspati who protects our spiritual lustre, vouchsafe prosperity in our study of the scriptures and the practice of the truths contained therein! Om peace, peace, peace!



Om sarveshaam swastir bhavatu
Sarveshaam shantir bhavatu
Sarveshaam poornam bhavatu
Sarveshaam mangalam bhavatu
Sarve bhavantu sukhinah
Sarve santu niraamayaah
Sarve bhadraani pashyantu
Maakaschit duhkha bhaag bhavet

Meaning:

Auspiciousness (swasti) be unto all; peace (shanti) be unto all;
fullness (poornam) be unto all; prosperity (mangalam) be unto all.
May all be happy! (sukhinah)
May all be free from disabilities! (niraamayaah)
May all look (pashyantu)to the good of others!
May none suffer from sorrow! (duhkha)

The above two Shanthi Mantras are courtesy of Sri Swami Shivananda of The Divine Life Society, Rishikesh and were posted in Sage of Kanchi group in Facebook by Shri C.S. Ramachandran. Many thanks to him.


C) Swasthi Vachanam is also chanted as Guru Vandanam in the presence of Gurus. 

Swasthi Vachanam for Kanchi Acharyas


In Sanskrit





In English

Sri kAnchi kAmakOti peetAthipathi jagad guru
Sri snkarAchArya sri charaNayO: praNAmA: I
Sri gurubhyO nama:
Sri mahA tripurasundari samEta sri chandramouleeswarAya nama: I

Swasti srimad akila bhoomaNdalAlankAra
-trayas-trimsat kOti- dEvatA sEvita
- sri kAmAkshi dEvi sanAtha- srimad EkAmranAtha
- sri mahAdEvee sanAtha- sri hasti girinAtha
- sAkshatkAra- paramAdhishtAna-satyavrata nAmAnkita
- kanchee divya kshEtrE
- sAradA mata susthitAnAm ,


Atulita sudhArasa mAdhurya- kamalAsana kAminee
thammilla-samppulla-mallikA-nishyanda-makarandajari-sowvastika-vAng-nigumba-vijrumbhaNAnanda-
tundilita-maneeshi maNdalAnAm,
anavarAt-advaita-vidyA-vinOda-rasikANAm,

nirantarAlankruti-kruta-sAnti-dAnti-bhoomnAm
-sakala bhuvana charka pratishtApaka
- sri charka pratishtA vikkyAta- yasOlankrutAnAm,
nikhila-pAshaNda-
shaNda-kantakOt-pAtanEna
-visadeekruta-vEda-vEdAnta-mArga-shaNmata-pratishtApakA
chAryANAm,

srimat-paramahamsa-parivrAjakAchArya
-sri jagad guru srimach chankara bhagavad pAdA chAryANAm,
adhishtAnE simhAsanAbhishikta srimach chandrasEkharEndra sarasvati
samyameendrANAm,
antEvAsivarya srimaj jayEndra sarasvati sreepAdAnAm,
tadantEvAsi varya srimach chankara vijayEndra sarasvati sreepAdAnAm
cha charaNa nalinayO: saprashrayam sAnjali badhdham cha namas kurma:
II

guravE sarva lOkAnAm bhishajE bhavarOgiNAm
nidhayE sarva vidyAnAm dakshiNA moortayE nama: I

gurur brahmA gurur Vishnu: gurur dEvO mahEshvara:
guru sAkshAt param brahma tasmai sri guravE nama: II


Courtesy of http://www.kamakoti.org


In Tamil

Here is Swasthi Vachanam ஸ்வஸ்தி வாசனம் in Tamil



Thanks a ton to Shri Suresh Krishnamoorthy who had posted this Tamil version in Sage of Kanchi group in Facebook many months back.

Recital can be accessed here:


Thanks a bunch to Vidya for running them by me.

Here is an interesting anecdote from kamakoti.org:சம'த்தோடு சேர்ந்த நிலைதான் 'சாந்தி' : 'தம'த்தோடு சேர்நத் நிலை 'தாந்தி எனப்படும். இப்போது 'சாந்தி' என்ற வார்த்த நம் எல்லோர்க்கும் தெரிகிறது. 'தாந்தி' என்ற வார்த்தை அவ்வளவாகத் தெரியாது. மடத்து ஸ்வஸ்தி வசனம் தெரிந்தவர்களானால், அதிலே ஆசார்யாளைச் சொல்கிறபோது 'சாந்தி தாந்தி பூம்நாம்' என்று வருவதை கவனித்திருப்பீர்கள். "ஷட்பதீ" ஸ்தோத்ரத்தில் பகவத்பாதாள் பகவானிடம் சாந்தி, தாந்தி இரண்டையும் ப்ரார்த்திக்கிறார்.


Swasthi Vachanam for Sringeri Acharyas (Sringeri Guru Birudavali)




Here is the lovely Swasthi Vachanam recital for Sringeri Acharyas:



Thanks a ton to Shri Mohan Ramiah for sharing it with me.


Swasthi Vachanam mantras are regularly chanted in marriages to bestow prosperity on the newly married couple. Priests chanted these mantras even from days of Lord Rama's time and beyond as can be seen from the below anecdotes:

****
ராக்ஷஸர்களை வதம் செய்து, ராஜ்யத்தை அடைந்து ராமர் அயோத்தியில் இருந்த பொழுது, முனிவர்கள் வாழ்த்துச் சொல்ல வந்தார்கள். கௌசிகர், யவக்ரீதன், கார்க்யன், காலவர், கண்வர், மேதாதி புத்ரன், இவர்கள் கிழக்கு திசையிலிருந்து வந்தார்கள். ஸ்வஸ்தி வாசகம் சொல்லியபடி ஆத்ரேயர், பகவான் நமுசி, ப்ரமுசி, அகஸ்தியர், அத்ரி பகவான், சுமுக, விமுகர் இவர்கள் அகஸ்தியருடன் தென் திசையிலிருந்து வந்தார்கள்.

courtesy of http://janakikrishnan.wordpress.com/
*****

*****

Dasaratha’s announcement was received with a joyous uproar. He had to wait until the sound died down and then he asked Vasistha’s advice for organising the ceremony.
And just as our brahmin priests advise us today, Vasishta too gave a list of things necessary.
“Please arrange by early morning tomorrow,  in the king’s palace, in the place set aside for sacred fire,gold and other metals, precious gems, articles of worship (balin), also herbs, garlands of white flowers, roasted corn, honey and clarified butter in separate containers, fresh clothes, chariot weapons of every kind, an army of four divisions, an elephant possessing auspicious marks, white fans made of Yak’s hair, a standard, white parasol, a hundred golden vessels shining like lustre of fire, bull with horns plaited in gold and complete tiger skin.”
He asked them to use sandalwood, flowers and incense to make the city fragrant. He asked for rice to be cooked with curds and milk in large quantities to feed a hundred, thousand brahmins. Brahmins had to be invited for the स्वस्तिवाचनम्,  utterance of the word svasti – may good happen, as soon as the sun arose. Flags had to be flown and the highways needed to be sprinkled with fragrant water.
Well dressed Entertainers, Alert and Armed soldiers, Suitable people bearing garlands,  gifts and food had to be stationed at the appropriate places – the king’s apartments, gates and temples.
Vamadeva and Vasishtha informed the king of other arrangements to be made also and then went ahead and made the arrangements. Then they came back and intimated that all the arrangements were made.
Dasaratha then sent Sumantra to bring Sri Rama in a chariot.
courtesy of http://ancientindians.wordpress.com/
*****
This informative post would not have been possible, but for the spark of inspiration planted in
me by Vidya to dig up the world wide web and compile and collate the necessary material. So a huge thanks to her!



Thursday, August 21, 2014

Sri Rudram (Namakam and Chamakam) audio






https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BziSWahcH3DZblpGYmNmcWtPMGM/edit?usp=sharing

Sri Rudram chanting by the Challakere Brothers Sri M S Venugopal and Sri M S Srinivasan. Have combined the Namakam and Chamakam portions into one complete audio file which can be downloaded on to the mobile devices and listened on the go.



Thursday, August 7, 2014

Bhagyadha Lakshmi Baramma (in English, Sanskrit and Tamil)


भाग्यद लक्ष्मी बारम्मा ।
नम्मम्मा नी सौभाग्यद लक्ष्मी बारम्मा ॥०॥ 
हेज्जय मेले हेज्जेय निक्कुत गेज्जे काल्गळ ध्वनिय मडुत (तोरुत) ।
सज्जन साधु पूजेय वॆळेगे मज्जिगे-ओळगिन बेण्णेयन्ते ॥१॥
(भाग्यद)

कनक वृष्टिय करेयुत बारे मनके मान्यद सिद्धिय तॊरॆ ।
दिनकर कॊटि तॆजदि होळेयुव जनकरायन कुमारि बेग ॥२॥
(भाग्यद)

अत्तित्तलगलदे भक्तर मनेयलि नित्य महॊत्सव नित्य सुमंगळ ।
सत्यव तॊरुव साधु-सज्जनर चित्तदि होळेयुव पुत्तळि गोंबे ॥३॥
(भाग्यद)

संखे यिल्लाद भाग्यव कोट्टु कंकण कैय तिरुवुत बारे ।
कुंकुमान्किते पंकज लॊचने वेंकटरमणन बिंकद राणि ॥४॥
(भाग्यद)

सक्करे तुप्पद कालुवे हरिसि शुक्रवारद पूजय वॆळगे ।
अक्करे-उळ्ळ अळगिरि रंगन चोक्क पुरंदर-विट्ठलन राणि ॥५॥
(भाग्यद)

bhagyada lakshmi baramma nammamma ni sau
bhagyada lakshmi baramma
hejjaya mele hhejjeyanikkuta gejje kalgala dhvaniya maadutha
sajjana sadhu poojeya velege majjigeyolagina benneyante
(bhagyada)

kanaka vrstiya kareyuta bAre mana kAmanaya siddhiya tore
dinakara kOti tejadi hoLeva janakarayana kumari bega
(bhagyada)

attittalagalade bhaktara maneyali nitya mahotsava nitya sumangala
satyava tOruva sadhu sajjanara cittadi holeva puttali bombe
(bhagyada)

sankhye illada bhagyava kottu kankaNa kaiya tiruvuta bare
kunkumankite pankaja locane venkataramanana binkada rani
(bhagyada)

sakkare tuppada kaluve harisi shukravaradha poojaya velage
akkareyulla alagiri rangana cokka purandara vithalana rani
(bhagyada)


பாக்யதா லட்சுமி பாரம்மா நம்மம்மா நீ சௌ
பாக்யதா லட்சுமி பாரம்மா
ஹெஜ்ஜய மேலே ஹெஜ்ஜெயனிக்குட கெஜ்ஜே கால்கல த்வநீய மாடுதசஜ்ஜன சாது பூஜெய வேலேகே மஜ்ஜிகேயோ லாகின பென்னேயந்தே
(பாக்யதா)
கனக வ்ரசதிய கரேயூத பாரே மன காமனாய சித்தியே தோரே
தினகர கோடி தேஜதி ஹொலேவ ஜனகராயன குமாரி பேக
(பாக்யதா)
அட்டிடலகலதே பக்தர மனேயலி நித்ய மகோத்சவ நித்ய சுமங்கல
சத்யவ தோருவ சாது சஜ்ஜனர சித்ததி ஹோலேவ பொம்பே
(பாக்யதா)
சங்க்யே இல்லாத பாக்யவ கொட்டு கங்கனா கையா திருவுத பாரே
குங்குமான்கிதே பங்கஜ லோசனே வெங்கடாரமண பின்காட ராணி
(பாக்யதா)
சக்கரே துப்பாத காலுவே ஹரிசி ஷுக்ரவாரத பூஜையா வேலகே
அக்கறேயுள்ள அலகிரி ரங்கன கொக்கா புரந்தர விதாலன ராணி
(பாக்யதா)
Meaning:
Oh, Goddess of Fortune, Lakshmi Devi, 

Do come slowly with your anklets making the jingling sound,

Come to us like butter emerging out of buttermilk when it is churned,

Come and shower on us a rain of gold and fufill our aspirations,

Come with the brightness of countless number of rays of the sun, 

Come and bless us; Oh, Devi, who has taken incarnation as Sitha, 

Oh, lotus eyed Devi who is the pride of Mahavishnu,

Come and appear before us wearing the shining golden bracelets on your wrists and the auspicious vermilion mark on your forehead,

Oh, Consort of Purandaravithala, welcome to You who shine auspiciously in the hearts of great sages ,

Oh, Queen of Alagiri Ranga,  come to our worship on Friday when streams of ghee and sugar will overflow!

*****

English and Sanskrit lyrics courtesy of 
http://meerasubbarao.wordpress.com/
Meanings courtesy of http://www.trinethram-divine.com/

Lyrics of this song are available in Sanskrit and English but could not find it online in Tamil.  So have transliterated it into Tamil, please bear with me if there any errors.