8 -The eight-syllabled Mantra

Suta said:

1-7. O excellent brahmins, the eight-syllabled77 mantra viz. “Om namo Narayanaya” and the twelve-syllabled78 mantra, viz. “Om namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya” are the greatest mantras of the great Atman. O brahmins, the six-syllabled79 mantra, viz. “Om namah Shivaya” connotes the entire meaning of all the Vedic passages. This mantra is the means of achieving all objects. The divine five-syllabled mantra “Shivataraya” is very auspicious. So also is the mantra “mayaskaraya” [(obeisance) to one who brings about excellence], The mantra of seven syllables, viz. “Namaste Shankaraya’ is the mantra of Rudra, the Purusha (in conjunction with) Pradhana. O excellent brahmins, Brahma, lord Vishnu, Devas including Indra and the sages worship Shankara, the lord of the chiefs of Devas with these mantras. They worship Shiva, the source of origin of Brahma, and the consort of Uma, the lord of Devas (with these mantras). They say continuously namah Shivaya, namaste Shankaraya, mayaskaraya, Rudraya and Shivataraya. By repeating these (mantras) a brahmin is instantaneously liberated from the sins of brahmin-slaughter, etc.

77. ashtaksharah — the eight-syllabled mantra: Om namo Narayanaya.

78. dvadashakshrah — the twelve-syllabled mantra: Om namo bhagavate Vasudevaya.

79. shadaksharah — the six-syllabled mantra: Om namas Shivaya.

8-12. Formerly, in the Meghavahana kalpa of Brahma80 the great Atman, in the third manvantara, in the Treta yuga there was a certain powerful brahmin Dhundhumuka. That kalpa is called Meghavahana because Vishnu the lord of Devas assumed the form of a cloud and performed penance in propitiation of Mahadeva, the hide-clad lord, Rudra. Thanks to his high reverence for Rudra, he performed penance leaving off the Intake and expiration of even breath. He was overwhelmed and dejected due to too much of burden. He submitted his problem to the blue-necked lord. The lotus-eyed lord performed penance and as a result acquired wonderful strength from Shankara the great Atman.

80. brahmanah — paramatmanah shivasya ST. of the transcendental lord Shiva.

13-14. In that Meghavahana kalpa, due to the curse of a sage the son of Dhundhumuka became wicked. Formerly, Dhundhumuka had been deluded by his wife. He was too much attracted by her. A foetus was procreated by him in her with his mind drawn by lust.

15. It was on the Amavasya day, during the day time in the course of Rudra muhurta 81 that his pregnant wife was enjoyed by him.

81. rudra-daivate — presided over by Rudra. Each muhurta has a presiding deity.

16-20. Her name was Vishalya. With great strain, she gave birth to a son, O excellent sages, in Rudra muhurta aspected by Saturn. He became an unlucky omen unto his father and mother as well as unto himself. The excellent sages Mitra and Varuna,82 O brahmins, said to Dhundhumuka in secret that he was a wicked son. Vasishtha said — ‘Although he is base and wicked, this son of yours will be liberated from sins by the prowess of Bruhaspati (Jupiter). O excellent brahmins, Dhun- dhumuka became dejected on seeing the son in such a plight. He himself performed the postnatal and other rites for him. Thereafter, he taught him the Vedas.

82. Mitravaruna-namanau - in this context Mitra and Varuna refer to certain sooth-sayers.

21. O sages of good holy rites, everything was perfectly learnt by the son of Dhundhumuka. His marriage was performed and he became interested in serving his father.

22-23. O excellent sages, in the height of his arrogance this son of Dhundhumuka sought a Shudra woman and enjoyed her like his wife by day and by night sitting with her in the same seat and lying with her in the same bed. The base brahmin the son of Dhundhumuka, of wicked intellect, eschewed the great path of virtue.

24-30. Wine was drunk by him along with her for the excitement of his lust. But, O excellent brahmins, for some vague reason that inauspicious Shudra woman was killed by that sinner. Thereupon his father, mother and the legal wife of the wicked son of Dhundhumuka were killed by her brothers. O sages of good holy rites, those brothers- in-law were also killed by the king. Thus her and his families were destroyed in an instant. The son of Dhundhumuka went here and there in the course of his sporting activities. Somehow, he saw an excellent sage engaged repeating Rudra’s names. At the outset he obtain- ed the Pashupata mantra of lord Maheshvara. After attaining the five-syllabled mantra and the six-syllabled mantra he repeated them a hundred thousand times severally. He performed the divine holy rite in accordance with the injunctions for a period of twelve months. In the course of that kalpa he passed away and was welcomed by Yama.

31-36. O sages of good holy rites, his mother, father, brothers- in-law, and the fortunate wife were redeemed. The chaste lady remained smiling. Along with them he got into an aerial chariot. He was eulogised by Devas including Indra. He attained the chieftancy of the Ganas and became a favourite of Rudra. Hence, merit is increased ten million times due to the eight-syllabled and twelve-syllabled mantras. No doubt need be entertained in this respect. Hence, he who continuously repeats these mantras in accordance with the injunctions laid down before83 and in combination with the mantra of Shakti attains the greatest goal. This excellent story has thus been entirely mentioned to you. He who reads, listens or recounts it to excellent brahmins goes to the world of Brahma.

83. praguktena. — here the reference is to the eightyfifth chapter. Part I.