Meaning of Sri Rudram Part 002 ─ Gaṇapati Dyānam
The following vedic mantra is chanted before Sri Rudram. This blog gives the meaning of Gaṇapati Dyānam.
ॐ ग॒णानां
त्वा ग॒णप॑ति हवामहे
क॒विं क॑वी॒नामु॑प॒मश्र॑वस्तमम्।
ज्ये॒ष्ठ॒राजं॒
ब्रह्म॑णां ब्रह्मणस्पत॒
आ न॑
शृ॒ण्वन्नूतिभि॑स्सीद॒ साद॑नम्॥
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om ga̱ṇānā̎ṁ
tvā ga̱ṇapa̍ti havāmahe
ka̱viṁ
ka̍vī̱nāmu̍pa̱maśra̍vastamam |
jye̱ṣṭha̱rāja̱ṁ
brahma̍ṇāṁ brahmaṇaspata̱
ā na̍ḥ
śṛ̱ṇvannūtibhi̍ssīda̱ sāda̍nam ||
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Meaning:
havāmahe ─ We worship.
How do we worship Gaṇapati? By praising him.
Who is ga̱ṇapati ?
tvā ─ You (ga̱ṇapati)
gaṇānāṁ ─ of all devatas
gaṇapatim ─ their leader. The word pati means the
leader.
Gaṇapati is invoked and worshiped as the leader of
all devatas.
Who are all the other devatas?
Is Gaṇapati greater than even Śiva? Or do we
understand that Gaṇapati as the leader
of bhūtagaṇā ─ attendants of Śiva?
Here, Lord Gaṇapati is looked
upon as Parameśvara and not as a given devata. How?
brahmaṇaspate ─ O Lord of Vedas.
Since Gaṇapati is also addressed by the word brahmaṇaspate,
he is Parameśvara.
This word can also mean Hiraṇyagarbha ─ the creator of Brahma.
kavīnām kaviḥ
kaviḥ is the one who knows the past, present and the
future. Gaṇapati is the kavi of all kavis ─ seer of all seers, meaning
that he personifies all knowledge.
upamaśravastamam
Gaṇapati is superior to those who can be compared as
having fame.
Upama is comparison or approximation. While he is
praised in various upamās, there is no one equal to him and he is beyond comparison.
We cannot flatter Īṣvara and anything
we say falls short of his glory.
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Īṣvara can be understood as one who is free from all
attributes and eveything else is only his manifestation.
Quote from Vālmīki Rāmayaṇa – “the battle between Rāma
and Rāvaṇa was like the battle between Rāma and Rāvaṇa”. Meaning that there is no other similar battle.
What is upamā?
Śruti gives many upamās – metaphors or similies, a
figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a
different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid. Such as space to point out all pervasiveness
of Īṣvara. The sun is used as an example for one being many; there is one sun but
reflections are many.
jyeṣṭharājam
The one who always shines in the hearts of the
devotees is rājā.
jyeṣṭha – the eldest as in jyeṣṭha putra – the eldest
child.
It also means an epithet of the Supreme Being.
naḥ śṛṇvannūtibhissīda sādanam
Please sit at the altar of homa – a fire ritual (or in
our heart), with all protective means after listening to our praises.
Full meaning:
Through praises we worship You – Lord of the Vedas
Leader of all groups of devas; Visionary of
visionaries
One who has great fame through various metaphors
Most exalted of the Knowers of Brahman
One who shines in the heart of devotees, hearing our
prayers
Please sit at the altar in our hearts with all
protective means.
Reference: Sri Rudram - Book by Swami Dayananda
This post is part 002 of a multi part blog on the meaning of Sri Rudram.