Mahanyasam
OM NAMA : SHIVAYA !
SHREE GURUBHYO NAMAHA !
YouTube audio links for Mahanyasam rendition
The renditions are humbly dedicated to Sri Chandru Gurukkal, who spent 8 months teaching us FREELY on Sunday afternoons, rain or snow. It is my good fortune that I got him as my Guru for learning Mahanyasam. He is a unique personality. He is a poorna Yajur Veda Adhyayi, a master of Shiva Agama and an expert Yoga Master and a great communicator and leader, who connects with people easily with a lovely smile. I will be forever indebted to him as I imbibed the Vedic "Swara" gyanam or knowledge from him that set me free and I then proceeded to learn many more Vedic excerpts based on this knowledge. He is easily approachable and shares his knowledge freely. Another aspect of his him being such a great Guru is the fantastic encouragement he provides for any budding learner and the challenges he places for one's development. He delights in seeing his Shishyas perform and in seeing them grow.
A natural leader, he believes in total empowerment. He has kindly allowed me to accompany him on many occasions during performance of various Homams like Chandi Homam, Rudra Homam etc. and other religious functions like Shastiabdhapoorti, Shatabishekham etc. and would thrust the mike in front of me with such confidence that would give me goose-bumps and boost my morale tremendously. He has always been a source of great inspiration and I have been extremely fortunate to have known him and to have learnt many things from him directly and by observing him closely. My humble pranams to this great man and his simplicity, grace and profound knowledge.
He has a beautiful "Sri Siva Satanarayana temple" in Mississauga, ON, Canada and you can visit the temple website at www.sivatemple.ca. (If you visit the Audio-Video section, you can see clips of his Shishyas, including myself, chanting Mahanyasam amd taking part in Sri Rudra Homam)
Through his blessings, we were also able to meet Sri Sri Ravishankar in person and get his Aseervadam and were also able perform several Chandi Homams at the Art of Living Centre in Montreal.
The errors, if any, in the chanting of Mahanyasam are mine alone and I seek the forgiveness of Lord Shiva and Sri Chandru Gurukkal for any errors committed in the renditions.
A natural leader, he believes in total empowerment. He has kindly allowed me to accompany him on many occasions during performance of various Homams like Chandi Homam, Rudra Homam etc. and other religious functions like Shastiabdhapoorti, Shatabishekham etc. and would thrust the mike in front of me with such confidence that would give me goose-bumps and boost my morale tremendously. He has always been a source of great inspiration and I have been extremely fortunate to have known him and to have learnt many things from him directly and by observing him closely. My humble pranams to this great man and his simplicity, grace and profound knowledge.
He has a beautiful "Sri Siva Satanarayana temple" in Mississauga, ON, Canada and you can visit the temple website at www.sivatemple.ca. (If you visit the Audio-Video section, you can see clips of his Shishyas, including myself, chanting Mahanyasam amd taking part in Sri Rudra Homam)
Through his blessings, we were also able to meet Sri Sri Ravishankar in person and get his Aseervadam and were also able perform several Chandi Homams at the Art of Living Centre in Montreal.
The errors, if any, in the chanting of Mahanyasam are mine alone and I seek the forgiveness of Lord Shiva and Sri Chandru Gurukkal for any errors committed in the renditions.
Meaning of Mahanyasam
Mahanyasam (‘Maha’ meaning ‘Elabaorate/Great’ and ‘Nyasa’ meaning ‘Purification’), is recited to purify the body, mind and soul of all the impurities. It is a part of the methodology of chanting of the Sri Rudram on special occasions such as Ekadasa Rudram, Laghu Rudram, Maha Rudram and Ati Rudram. It invokes the diety of Shri Rudra in His many forms of Indra, Agni, Yama, Varuna etc in the different limbs (anga's) of the one who chants. Such an invoking is done to seek the blessings of the Lord, and at the same time giving one and all a feeling of the immediate presence of the Lord in the vicinity of the chanting. It has certain sections of the Sri Rudram, the Purusha Suktam etc repeated in it. The Shiva Sankalpam is also part of it. The self- purification process is mandatory prior to the chanting of Sri Rudram during the special occasions mentioned above because the Sruti is emphatic in stating "Na Rudro Rudra Marchayete", meaning that none can touch and worship the Siva Linga, which is sanctified, without one first becoming a Rudra. So Rudra's Kalas or features are invoked within the devotee to become a Rudra who can then commence the worship of the Siva Lingam. Anganyaas (nyasa involving Hriday, Siras, Sikha, Kavacha, Netra and Astra) and Karanyaas (nyasa involving fingers and palms of both hands) are the simplest forms of entering into any mantra sadhana. Mahanyasam is above all this ; it carries the Matrukas - the Beejaksharaas to all the parts of the body, which then are assumed as the parts of the Lord himself.
It must be remembered that the Mahanyasam confers on the person purity for that particular occasion only and not throughout the day and much less throughout one’s lifetime.
There are many versions of the Mahanyasam. What we learnt was the "Kumbakonam" (Ravana kruta) version which is the version published by the famous and revered "Anna" who has published so many wonderful easy-to-understand books on various pujas, homams and rituals.
It must be remembered that the Mahanyasam confers on the person purity for that particular occasion only and not throughout the day and much less throughout one’s lifetime.
There are many versions of the Mahanyasam. What we learnt was the "Kumbakonam" (Ravana kruta) version which is the version published by the famous and revered "Anna" who has published so many wonderful easy-to-understand books on various pujas, homams and rituals.
