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23-Dakshhinaamoorti

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23-Shiv and Dakshinaamoorti

The word "Dakshinaamoorti " means "one who is facing south (Dakshin means South in Sanskrit)," which is the direction of death and therefore change.

In the form of Dakshinaamoorti, Shiv is shown seated under a banyan tree (the same kind of tree under which the Shaakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment). Around him are seated sages whom he is instructing. His right foot rests on a demon called "Apasmaar " who signifies ignorance. (He is the same one seen under the foot of the well-known Shiv Nataraaj - the "Dancing Shiv.")

The Gyaan Mudraa is interpreted in this way :- The thumb denotes the God and the index finger denotes the man. The other three fingers stand for the three congenital impurities of man viz. arrogance, illusion and bad deeds of the past births. When man detaches himself from these impurities, he reaches God. Its another interpretation is that the other three fingers denote the three states of life - Jaagrit (Fully awake through senses and mind), Swapna (Sleep state - When the mind is awake) and Sushukti (True-self - When the senses and mind go into soul - Aatmaa). The Abhaya Mudraa, a gesture with the hand lifted above thigh with palm facing out, fingers pointing upward, is interpreted as His grace upon His students. The rosary or the snake signifies Taantrik knowledge. The fire represents illumination or removing the darkness of ignorance.

Shree Dakshinaamoorti is a form of Shiv. He is the Universal Teacher – Aadi Guru. His teaching is through the subtlest form of speech known as Paraa Vaak . Its beyond the range of the physical ear, abiding in silence which has all expressions in it.

Dakshinaamoorti or Gyaan Dakshinaamoorti
Dakshinaamoorti is an aspect of Shiv as a Guru (teacher) of all types of knowledge and bestower of Gyaan. This aspect of Shiv is his personification as the supreme or the ultimate awareness, understanding and knowledge. This form represents Shiv in his aspect as a teacher of Yog, music, and wisdom, and giving exposition on the Shaastra. He is worshipped as the god of wisdom, complete and rewarding meditation.

Its a long story. Once Sanak, Sanandan, they are four sons of Brahmaa, who decided to visit Shiv to solve some of their queries. Shiv had noticed this early and he transformed himself into Dakshinaamoorti and sat under a banyan tree and started to do meditation which was on the way of these Sanakaadi Muni.They saw Shiv and they felt that he is some young man and waited there until he finished his meditation so that they could talk to him. During this period of time of waiting all their queries got solved in their mind and they finally recognized him as Shiv and praised him.

Dhyaanam
Maun-Vyaakhyaa Prakateet Para-Brahm-Tattwam Yuvaanam
Varssisstthaam-Te Vasad Rssigannauh Aavrtam Brahm-Nisstthaih |
Aachaarye Indram Kara-Kalit Chin-Mudram-Aanand-Moortim
Swa-[A]atmaaraamam Mudit-Vadanam Dakshinaamoorti-Meedhe ||
Meaning:
1: (Salutations to Shree Dakshinaamoorti) Whose Exposition through Profound Silence is Awakening the Knowledge of the Supreme Brahm in the Hearts of His Disciples; Who Himself is Youthful …
2: … but is Sitting Surrounded by Old and Great Sages who are Devoted to Brahm,
3: The Hands of the Supreme Spiritual Teacher is Forming the Chin-Mudraa (gesture of the Knowledge of Brahm) and Whose Appearance is Still and Blissful,
4: Who is Rejoicing in His Own Self which is reflected on His Blissful Face; Salutations to Shree Dakshinaamoorti.

Aadi Shankaraachaarya has written a Stotra about him - Dakshinaamoorti Stotram. The hymn is:

"Chitram vaTa taror moole,  gurur yuvaa, shishiyaaH vriddhaaH
Gurostu maunam vyaakhyaanam,  shishyaastu chhinna samshayaaH"
= Under the banyan tree the preceptor is a youth, the disciples are all aged; the preceptor' s silence speaks volumes and instantly all the doubts of the disciples are smashed.

Dakshinamurthy is one of the 25 forms of emanation of Shiv as the Guru. The Guru Parampara Shlok says:

"Sadaashiva samaarambhaam, Shankaraacharya madhyamaam;
asmad aachaarya paryantaam, vande guru paramparaam. "

He is the first Guru. Saint Manikkavachakar, in Shiv Puraan, first chapter of Tiruvaachakam extols this Guru form in which Shiv gave his Darshan to him. Avvaiyaar in Vinayakar Ahaval too extols this Guru form Shiv had no Avataar.
He is described in the Sangam literature as "PiRavaa yaakkaip periyon" and in Sanskrit as "AJA" one who doesn't take birth.

Shree Dakshinaamoorti Stotram
Vishwam darpanadrishyamaana nagaree tulyam nijaantargatam
Pashyannaatmani maayayaa bahirivodhbhuutam yadaa nidrayaa
Yah saakshaatkurute prabodhasamaye svaatmaanamevaadvay am
Tasmai shriigurumuurtaye nama idam shriidakshinaamuurt aye - 1
The universe is the reflection of a mirror the truth is the supreme Brahman, the one without a second the mind, senses and intellect are all able to only discern the reflection of the atman the identity of the Brahm and the Aatmaa is apparent after self-illumination I offer my profound salutations to the auspicious guru, who is an embodiment of Dakshinaamoorti, and whose grace is responsible for the illumination

Beejasyaantarivaank uro jagadidam praan nirvikalpam punah
Maayaakalpita deshakaalakalanaa vaichitryachitriikr itamh
Maayaaviiva vijrimbhayatyapi mahaayogiiva yah svechchhayaa
Tasmai shriigurumuurtaye nama idam shriidakshinaamuurt aye - 2
He in whom this universe, prior to its projection was present like a tree in a seed (unmanifested) , and by whose magic this was transformed (manifested) in various forms, by his own will similar to a yogi’s- to that Dakshinaamoorti, who is embodied in the auspicious guru, I offer my profound salutations.

Yasyaiva sphuranam sadaatmakamasatkalp aarthakam bhaasate
Saakshaattattvamasi iti vedavachasaa yo bodhayatyaashritaan h
Yatsaakshaatkaranaa dbhavenna punaraavrittirbhava ambhonidhau
Tasmai shriigurumuurtaye nama idam shriidakshinaamuurt aye - 3
He, by whose light the (unreal) universe appears real, teaches the truth of brahman to those who want to know the atman through the Vedic statement tattvamasi (thou art that) and he who puts an end to the samsaric cycle – to that Dakshinaamoorti, who is embodied in the auspicious guru, I offer my profound salutations.

Naanaachchhidraghat odarasthitahaadi ipaprabhaabhaasv aram
Gyaanam yasya tu chakshuraadikaranad vaaraa bahih spandate
Jaanaamiiti tameva bhaantamanubhaatyet atsamastam jagath
Tasmai shriigurumuurtaye nama idam shriidakshinaamuurt aye - 4
He whose light gleams through the senses like the light emanating from a pot with holes (in which a lamp is kept), he whose knowledge alone brings the state of knowing (I am that), he whose brightness makes everything shine – to that Dakshinaamoorti, who is embodied in the auspicious guru, I offer my profound salutations

Deham praanamapiindriyaan yapi chalaam buddhim cha shuunyam viduh
Striibaalaandhaja dopamaastvahamiti bhraantaa bhrisham vaadinah
Maayaashaktivilaasa kalpitamahaa vyaamohasanhaarine
Tasmai shriigurumuurtaye nama idam shriidakshinaamuurt aye - 5
Some philosophers contend the body, senses, life-breath, intellect and non-existence (shunya) as the real `I’ (atman) their comprehension is worse than that of women, children, blind and the dull. He who destroys this delusion caused by maya (and makes us aware of the truth)- to that Dakshinaamoorti, who is embodied in the auspicious guru, I offer my profound salutations.

Raahugrastadivaakar endusadrisho maayaasamaachchhaad anaath
Sanmaatrah karanopasanharanato yoabhuutsushhuptah pumaanh
Praagasvaapsamiti prabodhasamaye yah pratyabhigyaayate
Tasmai shriigurumuurtaye nama idam shriidakshinaamuurt aye - 6
The brillance of sun exists even when intercepted by rahu during eclipse similarly, the power of cognition only remains suspended during deep sleep the self exists as pure being even though unrecognized due to the veil of maya a person on awakening becomes aware that he was asleep earlier (and the dream was unreal) similarly, a person who awakens to the consciousness of the self recognizes his previous state of ignorance as unreal he by whose grace alone does one awaken to the consciousness of the self – to that Dakshinaamoorti, who is embodied in the auspicious guru, I offer my profound salutations.

Baalyaadishhvapi jaagradaadishhu tathaa sarvaasvavasthaasva pi
Vyaavrittaasvanuvar tamaanamahamitya ntah sphurantam sadaa
Swaatmaanam prakatee karoti bhajataam yo mudrayaa bhadrayaa
Tasmai shriigurumuurtaye nama idam shriidakshinaamuurt aye - 7
He, whose existence is changeless throughout the various states of the body (like old, young etc) and the mind (waking, dreaming etc), and who reveals the greatest knowledge of atman by gyaana-mudra (the joining of the thumb and the forefinger of a raised right hand) – to that Dakshinaamoorti, who is embodied in the auspicious guru, I offer my Profound salutations.

Vishwam pashyati kaaryakaaranatayaa svasvaamisambandhat ah
Shishhyaachaaryatay aa tayaiva pitriputraadyaatman aa bhedatah
Svapne jaagrati vaa ya eshha purushho maayaaparibhraamita h
Tasmai shriigurumuurtaye nama idam shriidakshinaamuurt aye - 8
He, whose power of maya enables one to experience the world as multiform, (like teacher, disciple, father, son etc) during both the waking and dream states – to that Dakshinaamoorti, who is embodied in the auspicious guru, I offer my profound salutations.

Bhoorambhaansyanalo aniloambaramahar naatho himaanshuh pumaanh
Ityaabhaati charaacharaatmakami dam yasyaiva muurtyashhtakamh
Naanyatkijnchana vidyate vimrishataam yasmaatparasmaadvib hoh
Tasmai shriigurumuurtaye nama idam shriidakshinaamuurt aye - 9
He, whose subtle and unmanifest eightfold form causes the moving and unmoving universe, and by whose grace alone does all these manifestation disappear to reveal that `all that exists is brahman’ – to that Dakshinaamoorti, Who is embodied in the auspicious guru, I offer my profound salutations.

Sarvaatmatvamiti sphutiikritamidam yasmaadamushhminh stave
Tenaasya shravanaattadartham ananaaddhyaanaac hcha sankiirtanaath
Sarvaatmatwamahaavi bhootisahitam syaadeeshvaratvam swatah
Siddhyettatpunarash htadhaa parinatam chaishvaryamavyaaha tamh - 10
The verse points out to the all pervasiveness of the indwelling spirit, atman by the recital, contemplation and meditation of this hymn, the disciple attains the state of oneness with atman and realizes his unity with the universe, thus becoming the very essence of the eightfold manifestation.

Vat vitapi sameepe bhoomibhaage nishhannam
Sakal muni janaanaam gyanadaataaramaaraa th
Tribhuvan Gurumeesh am Dakshinaamuurti Deva m
Jananamaranaduhkhac hchhedadaksham namaami

 

 

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Created and Maintained by Sushma Gupta
Created on March 15, 2003 and Updated on November 26, 2013
Contact: sushmajee@yahoo.com