Lord Shiva

śrī mahānyāsam - 6.2. ātmarakṣā

(Shri Mahanayasa - Atmaraksha in English (IAST))

From Taittiriya Aranyaka

The Atmaraksha section is a profound component of the Mahanayasa, derived from the Taittiriya Aranyaka of the Yajurveda. It focuses on the internal invocation and protection of the divine self within the practitioner. By chanting these Vedic mantras, the seeker aligns their individual consciousness with the universal Brahman, represented here through the liturgy of the Dashahota and Saptahota. The spiritual significance lies in purifying the subtle body and establishing a protective shield of divine vibration. Regular recitation is believed to grant mental fortitude, dissolve spiritual obstacles, and facilitate a deep, meditative union with Lord Shiva.

(tai. brā. 2.3.11.1 - tai. brā. 2.3.11.4)

brahmā᳚tma॒n vada̭sṛjata | tada̭kāmayata | samā॒tmanā̭ padye॒yeti̭ |
ātma॒nnā-tma॒nnityā-ma̭ntrayata | tasmai̭ daśa॒magṃ hū॒taḥ pratya̭śṛṇot |
sa daśa̭hūto-'bhavat | daśa̭hūto ha॒vai nāmai॒ṣaḥ | taṃ-vā~ e॒ta-ndaśa̭hūta॒gṃ॒ santa᳚m |
daśa̭ho॒tetyā ca̭kṣate pa॒rokṣḙṇa | pa॒rokṣa̭priyā iva॒ hi de॒vāḥ || 1
ātma॒nnā-tma॒nnityā-ma̭ntrayata | tasmai̭ sapta॒magṃ hū॒taḥ pratya̭śṛṇot |
sa sa॒ptahṷ̄to-'bhavat | sa॒ptahṷ̄to ha॒vai nāmai॒ṣaḥ | taṃ-vā~ e॒tagṃ sa॒ptahṷ̄ta॒gṃ॒ santa᳚m | sa॒ptaho॒tetyā ca̭kṣate pa॒rokṣḙṇa | pa॒rokṣa̭priyā iva॒ hi de॒vāḥ || 2
ātma॒nnā-tma॒nnityā-ma̭ntrayata | tasmai̭ ṣa॒ṣṭhagṃ hū॒taḥ pratya̭śṛṇot |
sa ṣaḍḍhṷ̄to-'bhavat | ṣaḍḍhṷ̄to ha॒vai nāmai॒ṣaḥ | taṃ-vā~ e॒tagṃ ṣaḍḍhṷ̄ta॒gṃ॒ santa᳚m |
ṣaḍḍho॒tetyā ca̭kṣate pa॒rokṣḙṇa | pa॒rokṣa̭priyā iva॒ hi de॒vāḥ || 3
ātma॒nnā-tma॒nnityā-ma̭ntrayata | tasmai̭ pañca॒magṃ hū॒taḥ pratya̭śṛṇot |
sa pañca̭hūto-'bhavat | pañca̭hūto ha॒vai nāmai॒ṣaḥ | taṃ-vā~ e॒ta-mpañca̭hūta॒gṃ॒ santa᳚m | pañca̭ho॒tetyā ca̭kṣate pa॒rokṣḙṇa | pa॒rokṣa̭priyā iva॒ hi de॒vāḥ || 4
ātma॒nnā-tma॒nnityā-ma̭ntrayata | tasmai̭ catu॒rthagṃ hū॒taḥ pratya̭śṛṇot |
sa catṷr​hūto-'bhavat | catṷr​hūto ha॒vai nāmai॒ṣaḥ | taṃ-vā~ e॒ta-ñcatṷr​hūta॒gṃ॒
santa᳚m | catṷr​ho॒tetyā ca̭kṣate pa॒rokṣḙṇa | pa॒rokṣa̭priyā iva॒ hi de॒vāḥ || 5
tama̭bravīt | tvaṃ-vai~ me॒ nedi̭ṣṭhagṃ hū॒taḥ pratya̭śrauṣīḥ |
tvayai̭ nānākhyā॒tāra॒ iti̭ | tasmā॒nnuhai̭nā॒g॒-śca̭tu r​hotāra॒ ityāca̭kṣate |
tasmā᳚cchuśrū॒ṣuḥ pu॒trāṇā॒gṃ॒ hṛdya̭tamaḥ | nedi̭ṣṭho॒ hṛdya̭tamaḥ |
nedi̭ṣṭho॒ brahma̭ṇo bhavati | ya e॒vaṃ-ve~da̭ || 6
(ātmane॒ namaḥ̭)
------------iti caturtha nyāsaḥ------------
guhyādi mastakānta ṣaḍaṅganyāsa-ścaturthaḥ

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