[Advaita-l] Selections from 'Gaathaa Saptashati' - Shiva performs Sandhya Vandanam

[V Subrahmanian]

https://sol.du.ac.in/mod/book/view.php?id=233&chapterid=218

*// Gatha Saptasati*

The book *Gahasattasai *in Prakrit, is more popularly known as *Gatha*
*Saptasati* in Sanskrit. It is also known as *Gahakosa* which is a
collection of 700 *Maharashtri* Prakrit lyric and exotic verses par
excellence. Since Prakrit had been a dialect of the masses, it was supposed
to have a better emotional appeal than Sanskrit. This work contains the
best selected lyrical poems, independent, unconnected with each other, full
of meaning, abounding in suggestive or figurative speech rather than in
*laksana* and *abhidha*, with depth of emotional feelings. It is not a
small wonder that Prakrit poetic composition had reached such a peak in the
first or second century A.D.
The compiler of *Gahasattasai* is Hala, the *Kavi-vatsala* (literally
'affectionate' towards the poet), who was the lord of Kuntala *janapada*.
Hala, the sixteenth ruler of the Satavahana line reigned sometime during
the first half of 1st  c.A.D. So, the social picture of culture and
civilization which was revealed in the *Gatha* *Saptasati* may be regarded
as *relating approximately between 2**nd  c.B.C. and 2nd c. A.D.*
....
The popularity of the love songs of this anthology is revealed by the fact
that it had at least six versions and eighteen commentaries. Jain authors
also have commented on it. //

The work is an expression of the Sringara Rasa.

In this compilation, of some 2000 years old, the first verse is about Shiva
performing the morning Sandhya vandanam.

Beginning of the work: praatah sandhyaa of Shiva:  In the first 100:

http://www.sanskrit.nic.in/ASSP/gatha_sapatshati/6frame3.htm

पशुपते रोषारुणप्रतिमासङ्क्रान्तगौरीमुखचन्द्रम्।
गृहीतार्घपङ्कजमिव सन्ध्यासलिलाञ्जलिं नमत।।

Obeisance to Pashupati's anjali (arghya) which is like a red lotus blooming
upon the moon shining. The simile is: In the arghya water in Shiva's hands,
his face is reflecting. This is akin to a lotus bud. On that reflection,
Gowri's moon-like face is getting reflected. The effect is: the lotus bud
is blossoming.

While the book starts with this mangala shloka, it ends with the scene of
Shiva performing the evening sandhya vandanam.

In the second 100 we have a similar depiction of Lakshmi-Narayana in
sringaara rasa:

http://www.sanskrit.nic.in/ASSP/gatha_sapatshati/6frame4.htm

तं नमत यस्य वक्षसि लक्ष्मीमुखं कौस्तुभेऽभिसङ्क्रान्तम्।
मृगहीनं शशिबिम्बं विलोक्यते सूर्यबिम्ब इव।।५१।।१

The Sringara rasa is demonstrated with Lakshmi and Narayana. Obeisance to
Narayana in whose Kaustubha gem (on his chest), the face of Lakshmi is
reflected. It is as though a moon devoid of the deer-mark in it is getting
reflected in the sun.

विपरीतरतावस्थायां यस्य वक्षसि कौस्तुभे मणौ अभिसङ्क्रान्तं प्रतिबिम्बितं
लक्ष्मीमुखं सूर्यबिम्बेऽनुसङ्क्रान्तं मृगपरिहीनं निष्कलङ्कं शशिबिम्बमिव
दृश्यते, तं नमतेत्यर्थ:। भगवन्तौ लक्ष्मीनारायणावपि
परस्परप्रेमानुबन्धसुन्दरं बन्धविशेषबन्धुरं च सुरतसुखमुपभुञ्जाते, किमन्ये
संसारिण इति नायकौ प्रति स्वाकूतमभिसूच्यते

In the fourth 100:  Lakshmi, during the samudra mathanam, even as she
emerges from the ocean, being looked at by the Deva-s with the longing as
to 'who will be her consort?'.  is stated as an upamaa:

http://www.sanskrit.nic.in/ASSP/gatha_sapatshati/6frame6.htm

प्रेक्षन्तेऽनिमिषाक्षा: पथिका हलिकस्य पिष्टपाण्डुरिताम्।
दुहितरं दुग्धसमुद्रोत्तरल्लक्ष्मीमिव सतृष्णा:।


अनिमिषनयना देवा दुग्धसमुद्रादुत्तरन्तीमत एव पाण्डुरितां लक्ष्मीं यथापश्यन्
तथा सतृष्णा: सलालसा: पथिका: पिष्टेन तण्डुलगोधूमादिचूर्णेन पाण्डुरितां
हालिकस्य तनयाम-निमिषा: सन्त: प्रेक्षन्ते। तथा च-अस्माक मध्ये कस्य वा
भवेल्लाभसौभाग्यमिति यथा तेऽचिन्तयं-स्तथैतेऽपीति पथिकौत्सुक्येन हालिकसुताया:
सौन्दर्यातिशयो ध्वन्यते। 'हालिकसुतामपि सतृष्णं पश्यतामेषां गृहे वासो न
देय:’ इति सुहृदं प्रति नागरिकस्योक्तिरिति केचित्।

In the fifth 100:

सन्ध्यासमये जलपूरिताञ्जलिं विघटितैकवामकरम्।
गौर्यै हि कोषपानोद्यतमिव नमत प्रमथनाथम्।।४८।।१

Obeisance to Shiva who, during the sandhya time, with his two hands full of
water to be offered as arghyam, is thwarted by the left hand being drawn
away in the manner of Gowri (who resides in his left side) is wanting to
drink from the vessel-like hand. Now, Shiva remains with just the right
hand full of water as though he is doing aachamanam.

सन्ध्यानुष्ठानसमये। जलेन पूरितोऽञ्जलिर्यस्य तम् किन्तु विघटितैकवामकरम्,
विघट्टित: पृथग्भूत: एको वाम: करो यस्य। अर्धनारीश्वरत्वेन
वामभागस्थितगौरीकस्यापि सन्ध्यासमये गौरीसम्बन्धी वाम: कर: पृथग्भूत इत्यर्थ:।
एकस्मिन् हस्ते आचमनार्थं गृहीतसलिलमिति यावत्। गौर्यै गौर्या: कृते
कोषपानरूपं दिव्यं कर्तुमुद्यतमिव प्रमथनाथं शिवं नमत।

In the sixth 100:

http://www.sanskrit.nic.in/ASSP/gatha_sapatshati/6frame7.htm

बलेर्वाचाबन्धे आश्चर्यं निपुणत्वं च प्रकटयन्।
सुरसार्थकृतानन्दो वामनरूपो हरिर्जयति।।

Hari, in the form of Vamana, is victorious since he, with mere control of
speech, won over Bali and the entire heavenly world.

वामनरूपधारी हरिर्जयति। वाङ्नियमनमात्रेण स्वर्गराज्यं बलेराहृतवानेवं किल
तन्नैपुण्यमित्यन्यावतारापेक्षया स एव सर्वोत्कर्षेण वर्तते इति वाच्योऽर्थ:।
अनुरणनेन तु- बलिनो बलवतो गृहजनस्य वाचया वचनेन निरुत्तरीकरणे नैपुण्यं
प्रकटयन्, सुष्ठु रसार्थवद्भिर्वचनैर्जनिताखिलप्रीति: वामनरूपो
न्यग्भावितात्मा अवसरमभिलक्ष्य विनयमुपगत इत्यर्थ:। एतादृशो हरि: परदारापहारी
स ते कामुको जयतीति ध्वन्यमानोऽर्थ:

Rudra's three eyes:

रतिकेलिहृतनिवसनकरकिसलयरुद्धनयनयुगलस्य।
रुद्रस्य तृतीयनयनं पार्वतीपरिचुम्बितं जयति।।]

Here, the poetic comparison of the three-eye phenomenon which is really
ferocious, as in the destruction of the Tripura-s (asuras), is of no use in
the soft love with Girija, the daughter of Himavan. Hence, the original
word 'Rudra' has been replaced by the word 'Shambhu' (he who bestows jou,
'sham'):

रतिसम्भ्रमहृतनिवसनकरकिसलयरुद्धनयनयुगलस्य।
शम्भोस्तृतीयनयनं गिरिजापरिचुम्बितं जयति।।५५।।१

[The third, ferocious eye, is caressed by Girija, in love]

अत्र गाथायाम्- रतौ रसावेशवशात्सञ्जातो य: सम्भ्रमस्तद्वयात्पार्वत्या
वसनमपनीतमिति शम्भो: कामावेगलोलतां ध्वनयितुं सम्भ्रमपदमुपात्तम्। यदि तु
मूलपदाङ्कानुसरण एवाग्रहस्तर्हि- 'रतिकेल्यपहृतनिवस.’ इत्यादि पाठ्यम्।
मूलकारस्य रुद्रपदं तु-लोकत्रितयसंहारज्वलित-नेत्रज्वलनस्य भगवतो भर्गस्य
भैरवतास्मारकं गिरीन्द्रनन्दिनीनिधुवनकेलिसमये सुतरामनुपयोगि, प्रत्युत
रसमार्गविरोधीति शम्भुपदेन (शं रतानुकूल्यरूपं सुखं भावयतीति) परिवर्तितमिति
तयोस्तारतम्यं सुधीभिरेवाकलनीयम्। पार्वतीगिरिजापदे तु समानार्थके एवेति न
काचिद्विप्रति-पत्तिरित्यलमधिकसूक्ष्मविचारचर्चया।


End of the work: saayam sandhyaa of Shiva:

http://www.sanskrit.nic.in/ASSP/gatha_sapatshati/6frame9.htm

सन्ध्योपात्तजलाञ्जलिबिम्बितगौरीमुखाम्बुरुहम्।
स्फुरिताधरं मुधैव हि विगलितमन्त्रं हरं नमत।।१००।।

In this concluding verse, the Sandhya vandanam scene is enacted. Shiva,
seeing the reflection of Gowri in the water in his hands, with his lips
trembling overcome by love, is missing the mantras (to be chanted at that
juncture).

Thus, in this extremely ancient work we see the depiction, even though in
the context of Sringara rasa, of both the divine couples,
Parvati-Parameshwara and Lakshmi-Narayana. Since the scene is
Sandhyavandanam, Samudra mathanam, Vaamanaavataara, etc. which are all
acceptable to vaidikas, we see that there have existed authors in the very
distant past who have been votaries of both Shiva and Vishnu bhakti in
equal measure. This reflects the theme of the Veda, Smritis, Mahabharata,
Ramayana, etc. The tradition Shankaracharya handed down to humanity also
has taken forward and nurtured to this day this very theme. We see this
theme depicted in abundance in the works of Shankaracharya, be it the
Vishnu Sahasra Nama Bhashyam or his vast stotra literature including the
Prapancha saara.

Om Tat Sat