Maithreem Bhajata

Maithreem Bhajata मैत्रीं भजत is a benediction composed in Sanskrit by Jagadguru Shri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati,  renowned as the Paramacharya of Kanchi.

In respect of “Maitreem Bhajata”, the three “da”s, damyata, datta and dayadhvam represent qualities which humanity should nurture for ever which is demonstrated in the second Brahmana of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. This message of Prajāpati is not merely an ancient one; it is an eternal one.
1. trayāḥ  prājāpatyāḥ prājapatau pitari brahma-caryam ūṣuḥ, devā manuṣyā asurāḥ, uṣitvā brahmacaryaṁ devā ūcuh; bravītu no bhavān iti; tebhyo haitad akṣaram uvāca; da iti, vyajñāsiṣṭā iti; vyajñāsiṣma iti hocuḥ, dāmyata, iti na āttheti, aum iti hovāca, vyajñāsiṣṭeti.
Trayāḥ  prājāpatyāḥ prājapatau three kinds of children (sons) for Prajapati, the Creator.  
pitari brahma-caryam ūṣuḥ, devā manuṣyā asurāḥ, uṣitvā brahmacaryaṁ On one occasion the gods, the human beings and the demons observed self-restraint, Brahmacharya, Tapasya and austerity for the sake of gaining knowledge from the Creator and they went to Brahma, the Creator Himself.
devā ūcuh; bravītu no bhavān iti:Gods said to him: "Please teach us"
tebhyo haitad akṣaram uvāca; da iti, He said to them, the single syllable 'da.
vyajñāsiṣṭā iti;'Did you understand?' - (he asked them)
vyajñāsiṣma iti hocuḥ "(Yes), we have understood" - they told (him)
dāmyata, iti na āttheti "(What) you said (to us is) 'Control yourselves (dAmyata')"
aum iti hovāca, vyajñāsiṣṭeti. That is OK", he said, "you have understood (it)!

2. atha hainam manuṣyā ūcuh: bravītu no bhavān iti; tebhyo haitad evākṣaram uvāca; da iti; vyajñāsiṣṭā iti, vyajñāsiṣma iti hocuḥ, datta iti na āttheti; aum iti hovāca vyajñāsiṣṭeti.
3. atha hainam asurā ūcuḥ, bravītu no bhavān iti; tebhyo haitad evākṣaram uvāca; da iti, vyajñāsiṣṭā iti, vyajñāsiṣma iti hocuḥ, dayadhvam iti na āttheti, aum iti hovāca vyajñāsiṣṭeti. 
4. tad etad evaiṣā daivī vāg anuvadati stanayitnuḥda-da, da, iti,  damyata, datta, dayadhvam iti. tad etat trayaṁ śikṣet, damam, dānam, dayām iti.

tad etad evaiṣā daivī  vāg anuvadati This is a Divine teaching, a supernatural message

Stanayitnuḥ: like a 'roaring sound', is applicable to all mankind.

da, da, iti,  damyata, datta, dayadhvam iti  by the single letter Da repeated three times, meaning Dāmyata, Datta, Dayadhvam – be self-controlled, be charitable and be compassionate,  

tad etat trayaṁ śikṣet, damam, dānam, dayām iti. which was communicated to the Devas, Manushyās and Asuras – gods, men and demons, be self-controlled, be charitable and be compassionate, is applicable to all mankind.

The greatness of this concept is seen in T.S. Eliot’s incorporation of the same in his monumental work, “The waste land”.   

The song was set to a Ragamalika by composer Shri Vasant Desai.

It was rendered at the United Nations on Oct. 23, 1966 on the occasion of the UN day, UN-day-1966 by Bharat Ratna Smt. M. S. Subbulakshmi and Dr. Radha Viswanathan and received a standing ovation.

Raaga - Sung in Ragamalika. Yaman Kalyani and Kaapi.

Tala - Adi

Lyrics

मैत्रीं भजत अखिलहृज्जेत्रीम्

आत्मवदेव परानपि पश्यत ।

युद्धं त्यजत स्पर्धां त्यजत

त्यजत परेषु अक्रमम् आक्रमणम् ॥

जननी पृथिवी कामदुघाऽऽस्ते

जनको देवः सकलदयालुः ।

दाम्यत दत्त दयध्वं जनताः

श्रेयो भूयात् सकलजनानाम् ॥

maitrīṃ bhajata akhilahṛjjetrīm

ātmavadeva parānapi paśyata |

yuddhaṃ tyajata spardhāṃ tyajata

tyajata pareṣu akramam ākramaṇam ||

jananī pṛthivī kāmadughā(ā)ste

janako devaḥ sakaladayāluḥ |

dāmyata datta dayadhvaṃ janatāḥ

śreyo bhūyāt sakalajanānām ||

Meaning

Though it is not possible to translate the song into English and still preserve its original meaning to the fullest extent, sources available from the World Wide Web suggest the following translation:

maitrīṃ bhajata akhilahṛjjetrīm - Cultivate Friendship and Humility, which will conquer the Hearts of Everyone.

ātmavadeva parānapi paśyata - Look upon others as similar to yourself.

yuddhaṃ tyajata - Renounce war

spardhāṃ tyajata - Forsake (unhealthy) competition

tyajata pareṣu akramam ākramaṇam - Forgo unrightful aggression or acquiring by force

jananī pṛthivī kāmadughā(ā)ste - Mother Earth yields all that we require

janako devaḥ sakaladayāluḥ - God, our father, is most compassionate

The above lines come to indicate: so what do we have to want for, or what reason do we have to not be at peace with all?)

dāmyata - practice Restraint

datta - be kind and give unto others

dayadhvaṃ - Be Kind to others

janatāḥ - Oh People of the World

śreyo bhūyāt sakalajanānām - May All People attain all goodness (happiness and prosperity in this world as well as spiritual upliftment)

Shri Durga Pancharathnam

Shri Durga Pancharathnam is a beautiful composition by Mahaperiva, on Vishnu Durgai at Thenambakkam Shri Brahmapureeswar Temple.

Narration by Brahmasri Mullaivasal Krishnamurthy Sasthrigal

It was an ArAdhanam (homage) day in Tenambakkam — two o’ clock in the afternoon.

PeriyavaaL was sitting on the bank of a pond, keeping one leg in the waters. It was time for me as ArAdhana brAhmaNAL to get inside for the ArAdhanam, wearing the vastram (cloth). PeriyavaaL’s AGYA (order) for me, calling me by his clap of hands, to sit near him with a piece of paper and pen. The pen and paper were brought at once! PeriyavaaL started uttering Sanskrit words one by one. At some points, just telling me the meaning and asking me to produce the Sanskrit padam (word), when the words formed a line, a beautiful stuti called ‘Durga Pancharatnam’ came up. [Svetasvara Upanishad sAram (essence)]. Each shloka (verse) ends with ‘mAM pAhi viSveshvari mokSadAtrI’. (This shloka is written on a marble stone on the left side when one goes to Kamakshi temple).

In the middle of the above stotram (hymn) when the word ‘You are the one who taught the Gita’ (upadiSTa-gItA) came up, looking at my considering it for a kSaNam (moment), he asked, “Why, does it seem incorrect to you to say that Kamakshi did gItopadesham?” I kept quiet with a smile.

Forthwith an AGYA clapping hands to bring the Gita bhASyam (commentary) book. The next moment came the bhASya book in eight volumes! PeriyavaaL turned the page once, and showed me the first page that came up and said, “Read this shloka and its bhASyam.”

This is that shlokam: ‘braHmaNOhi pratiSTAhaM’

“For the changeless, eternal Brahmam, the Maya which is Shakti is the pratiSTA (that through which Brahmam spreads as the many worlds is called pratiSTA). I am That. I am the Brahmam; and I am its pratiSTA will be appropriate; because, there is a bhASyam that ‘shakti shaktimatoH abhedAt’ [both the Shakti and the One who has it are not of different tatvam (nature)].”

As I read up to this line, PeriyavaaL asked, “Is not Kamakshi the Shakti of Brahmam? ‘tatvamasi parabrahma mahiShi’. Is not Shakti the Brahmam, therefore to say that Kamakshi instructed Gita (upadiSTa-gItA) is correct only, right?”

For the states of wonder, happiness and bliss that befell me then, there is indeed no limit.

Meantime, to those who sent word for me the ArAdhana brAhmaNAL, he said, “A big shAstra vichAram (scriptural deliberation) is going on; he will come once it is over.” and then only after getting the ‘pancharatnam’ ready in about an hour, he gave me permission. Even in that he dictated only four shlokas and gave me AGYA, “You write the fifth in the same way, right now, before your meal.” When I said that I was not familiar with writing shlokas, he sent me inside with the words, “ellAm varum pO (you will anyhow get it, go)”.

Later, when the ArAdhana bhojanam (Aradhana meal session) was going on, PeriyavaaL surprisingly came and stood near my leaf-plate. That is, in the old Tenambakkam building we brahmins sat in two rows at 16+16 persons per row. From the other room one should go round the outer walls to come to my room. But then PeriyavaaL used a square hole at the bottom of the central wall, squeezed his head and daNDam (staff) slowly through it, came fully out of it and stood before me; how can I forget that scene!

Forthwith he asked me, “You got the fifth shlokam?” When I spread out an empty hand, he dictated the fifth shloka himself to me twice and said, “Remember to write this along with the other four shlokams and give them to me.” Thus, the avatara of Durga Pancharatnam took place on a Guru Aradhana day!

I saw with my own eyes that he is not only a mahA jnAni, but a mahA yogi too, one who is capable of exercising the aNimAdi siddhi (the eight siddhis beginning with the Anima Siddhi) anAyAsa (effortlessly)!

Note:
braHmaNOhi pratisTHAhaM amRUtasyAvyayasyaca |
SASvatasyaca dharmasya sukhasyaikAMtikasyaca ||
— Bhagavat Gita 14.27

sree durgayaii namaha!!! Salutations to Durga

te dyanayoganugata apashayan
twam eva deviim swagunair nigudaam
twam eva shakthii parameshwerasya
maam paahi sarweshvari mokshadatri

Those adopting meditation (Dhyana) and contemplation (yoga) saw,
You as the only divine Goddess hidden in her own qualities
And you are the only power behind the great God of universe,
And so please protect me, oh goddess of all and oh giver of salvation.

devatma shaktihi sruti vakya geeta
mahirishi lokasya pura prasanna
guha param vyoma sataha pratishta
maam paahi sarweshvari mokshadatri

You are the self power of the divine , sung about by the Vedas,
Delighted in front of great saints propitiating you,
Who have established yourselves in their hearts as Truth,
And so please protect me, oh goddess of all and oh giver of salvation.

parasya shaktihi vividhaiva suryaese
swetaswa vakyothitadevi durge
swbhaviki gnana bala kriya te
maam paahi sarweshvari mokshadatri

You are His Shakthi called Para, which is spoken in different ways,
You are the one who is being celebrated by Swethavatara[1] Upanishad,
You are by your nature, the power force in all actions and wisdom,
And so please protect me, oh goddess of all and oh giver of salvation.

devatma shabedena shivatma Bhuta
yath kurma vayava vacho vivritya
twam pasa vicheda kari prasidda
maam paahi sarweshvari mokshadatri

Formed by Self-power of sound[2] of Siva’s aatma
You are declared by sacred texts as the sound of Anahatha[3],
Which exists in Kurma and Vayavya[4] as Shakthi
You are known as one cutting off worldly attachments (or the rope that drags you to death),
And so please protect me, oh goddess of all and oh giver of salvation.

twam brahma puccha vividha mayuri
brahma pratishtasupadista gita
gyana swarupa atmataya kilanaam
maam paahi sarweshvari mokshadatri.

Hey Mayuri[5], you are praised as the route to Brahmam,
You are the form of Brahamam established by the Bhagwad Gita too,
You are the wisdom personified, enact the sport of creation
And so please protect me, oh goddess of all and oh giver of salvation.

References & Notes

1. ↑ This major Upanishad gives the basic teachings and concepts of Bhagwad Gita
2. ↑ OM
3. ↑ Anahata sabda – just before one enter Samadhi in yoga one can clearly hear Om inside which is not heard outside the physical body after this the person goes into Samadhi.
4. ↑ Vayavya Dharana: From the heart to the middle of the eyebrows is said to be the region of Vayu. It is black in colour and shines with the letter ‘Ya’. Carrying the breath along the region of Vayu, one should contemplate on Isvara, the omniscient. The Yogi does not meet his death through Vayu.) ( Naga, Kurma, Krikara, Devadatta and Dhananjaya are the five sub-Pranas; Kurma performs the function of opening the eyes
5. ↑ Durga worshipped Lord Shiva in the form of a pea cock. And hence she is addressed as Mayuri

“For I am the abode of Brahman, the immortal and the imperishable, of ever-lasting dharma and of absolute bliss.”
— Swami Chinmayananda’s tralslation

Glossary:
anAyAsa – absence of exertion, facility, ease, idleness, neglect
odana – grain mashed and cooked with milk, porridge, boiled rice, any pap or pulpy substance
sava – one who sets in motion or impels, an instigator, stimulator, commander; any sacrifice MBh.;
upadiSTa – specified, particularized; taught, instructed; mentioned, prescribed, commanded, initiated; n. counsel, advice.

Maha Periyava Works

1. Maithreem Bhajathe
2. Shri Durga Pancharathnam
3. Svāmī, Candraśekharendra Sarasvatī (2000). Hindu dharma : the universal way of life (4th ed.). Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
4. The Vedas (7th ed.). Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. 2006.
5. Voice of the Guru : The Guru tradition (2nd ed.). Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. 2008.
6. Svāmī, Pūjyaśrī Candrasekharendra Sarasvatī (2001). Śri Śaṅkara Bhagavatpādācārya's Saundaryalaharī = Saundaryalaharī An exposition (1st ed.). Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
7. Fitzgerald, edited by Michael Oren (2008). Introduction to Hindu dharma : illustrated. Bloomington, Ind.: World Wisdom.
8. Voice of God Vol 1 and 2 (2nd ed.). Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. 2008.