Lord Dakshinamurty the lord of Kashi (Varanasi)
Lord Shiva in Kashi is known as ‘Vishwanatha’ or ‘Vishweswara’ and that linga is a ‘jyotirlinga’. It is not popularly known by any other name. However if we study the Linga carefully we would understand a divine secret.
A linga has its faces turned in all directions because Lord Shiva is ‘sarvatomukha’ (one whose face is turned in all directions). However, every Shiva temple has its linga installed in some particular direction. It is difficult to identify which direction a Linga looks at by looking at the linga itself. There is a simplest way to know that which is – look at the direction the bull Nandi is turned towards. Then the very opposite direction Lord Shiva is supposed to be looking at because nandi always remains facing the lord.
With this logic if we study the Vishwanatha Linga, the bull Nandi remains turned towards the Northern direction. What does it imply? It reveals us the greatest ecret that Lord Vishwanatha’s Linga in Kashi is turned towards South. This means, Kashi-Vishwanatha Linga is Dakshinamurty linga alone because, Dakshinamurty is the lord whose face is turned southwards.
This is probably the reason why Kashi is called ‘Moksha-Bhoomi’ and it is said that one who dies at Kashi never returns to this world again. When Dakshinamurty himself, who is the lord who confers Brahmagyanam on the devotees and puts an end to his cycle of births and rebirths; pronounces the Pranava (OM) as the taraka in the ears of the dying people in kasha, where does the question of his birth arise?
That’s the grandeur of my lord Dakshinamurty who is the Vishwanatha in Kashi. Therefore, Kashi can be considered as the biggest shrine / temple of Sri Dakshinamurty.
Dakshinamurty or Sharada – Whom should you worship?
Well, some scriptures say resort to Dakshinamurty for gaining knowledge; and many other scriptures portray goddess Saraswati as the goddess of learning. Why two deities for same purpose? Whom should we approach? These kinds of questions are not uncommon in the minds of the amateur spiritual seekers. Let’s see what they are.
The dhyAna shlOka from shruti which describe the appearance of lord Sri Dakshinamurty states the following about him. He holds a book, a vessel of nectar, a rosary of letters (akshamala), and chinmudra. His appearance is pure white / crystal color, and adorns a crescent moon on his head.
“sphaTikarajatavarNaM mauktikiimakshamaalaa- mamR^itakalashavidyaa.n j~naanamudraa.n karaagre |
dadhatamuragakakshya.n chandrachuuDa.n trinetraM vidhR^itavividhabhuushha.n dakshiNaamuurtimiiDe |” (Dakshinamurty Upanishad 3)
“I adore the three-eyed, moon-crested Dakshinâmûrti who is of pebble and silver colour, holding in the hands a rosary of pearls, a vessel of nectar, a book and the symbol of wisdom; having a serpent for his girdle, and putting on various ornaments”.
Now, this is what is exactly depicted in the form of Sharadamba of Sringeri Sharada Peetham, where the Sharadambika holds a rosary, a book, a vessel of nectar, and displays chinmudra. She has crystal / white complexion and wears a crescent moon on her crown.
In another depiction of Saraswati also, she is shown holding a Veena in place of chinmudra and vessel of nectar; rest other things remain same. So, what, even Dakshinamurty has a form ‘Medha Dakshinamurty’ who holds exactly the same Veena and has an identical form.
This should erase all dualities from the minds of the readers. The same lord Dakshinamurty when visualized as a goddess, he is portrayed as Sharadamba. It is up to the devotion and inclination of the devotee to choose either of the forms for seeking knowledge. Means are two, but destination is same.
The best evidence is Vedas itself to understand that all forms are the forms of Bhagawan Rudra alone.
“tvamaghne aditirdeva dāśuṣe tvaṃ hotrā bhāratī vardhaseghirā | tvamiḷā ṣatahimāsi dakṣase tvaṃ vṛtrahā vasupate sarasvatī |” (Rig Veda 2:1:11)
“Thou, God [Agni], art Aditi to him who offers gifts: thou, Hotrā, Bhāratī, art strengthened by the song. Thou art the hundred-wintered Iḷā to give strength, Lord of Wealth! Vṛtra-slayer and Sarasvatī”.
The above verse proves that Saraswati is a form of Agni. Never mind! There is no need to get confused, because Agni is verily the name of Rudra in Vedas as attested by Yajurveda (V:5:7) which says, “rudro vA esHa yad agnis |”, meaning, “He who is called as Agni is verily Rudra”. This makes all duality to cease; hence Saraswati is Lord Rudra alone in the form of a mother.
The three in one God
The form of Dakshinamurty of bhagawan Rudra is a three in one form. He is the father being a male god. He is the mother also because his left side is reserved for goddess Uma who is our mother, due to which he wears a tATankaM (ear ring worn by femals) on his left ear. He is a Guru being the the god who bestows us knowledge.
Therefore he is one god who singly receives the prostrations offered while uttering the following mantras.
“mAtrudEvO bhava” (Mother is verily the god
“pitru dEvO bhava” (Father is verily the god)
“AchArya dEvO bhava” (Guru is verily the god)
Sri Dakshinamurty Varnamala Stotram
The great Adi Shankaracharya who was a master in poetry, composed numerous hymns on Lord Shiva; out of which there is a great hymn on Dakshinamurty called as “Sri Dakshinamurty Varnamala Stotram”. The specialty if this hymn is that, when we join the initials of each paragraph, it forms the Dakshinamurty mantra which is described in the below verse from Upanishad.
“AUM aadau nama uchchaarya tato bhagavate padam.h | dakshiNeti padaM pashchaanmuurtaye padamuddharet.h | asmachchhabda.n chaturthyantaM medhaaM praj~naaM pada.n vadet.h | samuchchaarya tato vaayubiija.n chchha.n cha tataH paThet.h | agnijaayaa.n tatastveshha chaturvi.nshaaksharo manuH |” (Dakshinamurty Upanishad 2)
“First Mantra of 24 letters: After telling “om”, tell “Namo” and then “Bhagavathe Dakshinamurthaye”, then the fourth form of “asmad” viz “Mahyam”, then “medham Pragnam”, then the root of wind “ya”, added with “chcha”, followed by the name of wife of fire God “swaha”. This is the mantra with 24 letters. That is “Om Namo Bhagwathe Dakshinamurthaye Mahyam, Medham Pragnam Prayacha Swaha!”
One who receives the above mantra from his Guru and chants the same, and who reads the below hymn composed by Adi Shankara; both these men become the receiver of equal merit.
Sri Dakshinamurty Stotram
[Composed by: Sri Adi SHankaracharya]
[Translated into English by: Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula]
ommityetadyasya budhairnāma gṛhītaṁ
yadbhāsedaṁ bhāti samastaṁ viyadādi |
yasyājñātaḥ svasvapadasthā vidhimukhyā-
staṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 1||
“It is OM” – this is how [the wise seers] have strived and understood [him]
By whose effulgence everything else shines
By whose command Brahma and other main gods stand in their respective posts
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to.
namrāṅgāṇāṁ bhaktimatāṁ yaḥ puruṣārthā-
ndatvā kṣipraṁ hanti ca tatsarvavipattīḥ |
pādāmbhojādhastanitāpasmṛtimīśaṁ
taṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 2||
Whosoever prostrates [before him] and attaches himself with devotion for the human pursuits
Having fulfilled [the desired fruitition, He] immediately destroys every misfortune or calamity [of the devotee’s life]
He the Lord, who [presses] the demon Apasmriti (forgetfulness) under his lotus like foot
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
mohadhvastyai vaiṇikavaiyāsikimukhyāḥ
saṁvinmudrāpustakavīṇākṣaguṇānyam |
hastāmbhojairbibhratamārādhitavanta-
staṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 3||
For the destruction of delusion the Veena player (Narada), the son of Vyasa (Suka) and other primary ones worship [him]
Who displays the gesture of knowledge [with his fingers], and supports the Book (Vedas), the Veena, and the Akshamala, By his lotus like hands
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
bhadrārūḍhaṁ bhadradamārādhayitṛṇāṁ
bhaktiśraddhāpūrvakamīśaṁ praṇamanti |
ādityā yaṁ vāñchitasiddhyai karuṇābdhiṁ
taṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 4||
The lord who is graciously seated who grants auspiciousness
To whom they pay obeisances with devotion and belief
He who is an ocean of compassion and who readily fulfills the cherished desires of progeny of Aditi (Aditya)
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
garbhāntaḥsthāḥ prāṇina ete bhavapāśa-
cchede dakṣaṁ niścitavantaḥ śaraṇaṁ yam |
ārādhyāṅghriprasphuradambhoruhayugmaṁ
taṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 5||
Staying within the womb [cycle of births and deaths], those creatures who,
After having fully ascertained, take refuge of that lord who is the expert in shattering the noose of the worldly existence
And worship the glittering lotus like pair of feet
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
vaktraṁ dhanyāḥ saṁsṛtivārdheratimātrā-
dbhītāḥ santaḥ pūrṇaśaśāṅkadyuti yasya |
sevente’dhyāsīnamanantaṁ vaṭamūlaṁ
taṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 6||
The ascetics, afraid of excessive increase in passage through successive states of re-births, worship whose blessed face
Which shines with the radiance of a full moon
The infinite lord who is seated at the foot of the banyan tree
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
tejaḥstomairaṅgadasaṁghaṭṭitabhāsva-
nmāṇikyotthairbhāsitaviśvo rucirairyaḥ |
tejomūrtiṁ khānilatejaḥpramukhābdhiṁ
taṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 7||
He from whose body emanates the mass of brilliance which assembles and shines
As like as the radiance arising from rubies and whose pleasant light shines the universe
That same embodiment of light which remains under the great ocean as the house breaking fire (world destroying badavAgni)
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
dadhyājyādidravyakakarmāṇyakhilāni
tyaktvā kāṅkṣā karmaphaleṣvatra karoti |
yajjijñāsāṁ rūpaphalārthī kṣitideva-
staṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 8||
Abandoning all the karmas with curd and other ingredients
And also discarding all the karma-phalas (fruits of karma) here
The wisdom seekers (sages) resort to that god who is the lord of all abodes (or that lord who dissolves all the abodes)
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
kṣipraṁ loke yaṁ bhajamānaḥ pṛthupuṇyaḥ
pradhvastādhiḥ projjhitasaṁsṛtyakhilārtiḥ |
pratyagbhūtaṁ brahma paraṁ sanramate ya-
staṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 9||
By worshipping whom in the world one with abundant virtues, speedily
Finds all his [worldly] pains or the pain of transmigration getting disappeared
That lord of mountains, the Supreme Brahman who pervades every creature as the indwelling Atman and enjoys being present as their self
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
ṇānetyevaṁ yanmanumadhyasthitavarṇā-
nbhaktāḥ kāle varṇagṛhītyai prajapantaḥ |
modante saṁprāptasamastaśrutitantrā-
staṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 10||
Reciting na-na etc., syllables which are established in the middle [of the Dakshinamurty mantra?] whichever type of
Devotees [chant] in time grasping the same
Attain happiness obtaining [the knowledge hidden in] all Vedas and Tantra scriptures
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
mūrtiśchāyānirjitamandākinikunda-
prāleyāmbhorāśisudhābhūtisurebhā |
yasyābhrābhā hāsavidhau dakṣaśirodhi-
staṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 11||
That lord whose complexion vanquishes the [beauty of ] river Ganga, jasmine flower,
snow, ocean, nectar, ashes and celestial elephant (Airavata)
Whose aura is skillful in overcoming [anything else] in a laughing manner
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
taptasvarṇacchāyajaṭājūṭakaṭāha-
prodyadvīcīvallivirājatsurasindhum |
nityaṁ sūkṣmaṁ nityanirastākhiladoṣaṁ
taṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 12||
[That lord] whose mound of matted locks shines with the resplendence of gold
[Resembling] the shining tides of waves of the celestial river Ganga
Who is eternal, subtle and is devoid of all faults
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
yena jñātenaiva samastaṁ viditaṁ syā-
dyasmādanyadvastu jagatyāṁ śaśaśṛṅgam |
yaṁ prāptānāṁ nāsti paraṁ prāpyamanādiṁ
taṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 13||
By knowing whom indeed everything becomes known
Other than whom anything [if assumed to exist in this universe] is like [believing the existence] of rabbit’s horns
For them who obtained him, who has no origin for himself, there exist nothing superior to be obtained
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
matto māro yasya lalāṭākṣibhavāgni-
sphūrjatkīlaproṣitabhasmīkṛtadehaḥ |
tadbhasmāsīdyasya sujātaḥ paṭavāsa-
staṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 14||
The fire of the third eye which exists on the forehead,
burst forth into a lambent flame and destroyed him [god of love] who was excited [with passion and pride] by incinerating his body into ashes
And thus those ashes became a garment of excellent kind for the Lord
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
hyambhorāśau saṁsṛtirūpe luṭhatāṁ ta-
tpāraṁ gantuṁ yatpadabhaktirdṛḍhanaukā |
sarvārādhyaṁ sarvagamānandapayonidhiṁ
taṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 15||
People [drowning] in the ocean of transmigration (samsaara) lowing with pain
In order to reach the other side of the shore (which denotes liberation) [mount] with devotion, on that rigid boat
Who is the all pervading lord, who is an ocean of bliss, who is worthy of being worshipped by all
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
medhāvī syādinduvataṁsaṁ dhṛtavīṇaṁ
karpūrābhaṁ pustakahastaṁ kamalākṣam |
citte dhyāyanyasya vapurdrāṅnimiṣārdhaṁ
taṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 16||
One would become erudite man who, on that lord who wears a ring shaped moon as ornament, who holds a Veena
Who is resplendant like camphor, who holds a book, and is lotus eyed God
Meditates in the mind even for half the time which is taken in twinkling one’s eye
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
dhāmnāṁ dhāma prauḍharucīnāṁ paramaṁ ya-
tsūryādīnāṁ yasya sa heturjagadādeḥ |
etāvānyo yasya na sarveśvaramīḍyaṁ
taṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 17||
The abode of abodes (or radiance of all radiances or glory of all glories), who has a full grown splendor, who is Supreme
Who is the cause of Sun and others (gods), who is the cause of the universe and others (creatures) in the beginning,
There doesn’t exist another one who is so great (as great as) as this lord of all
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
pratyāhāraprāṇanirodhādisamarthai-
rbhaktairdāntaiḥ saṁyatacittairyatamānaiḥ |
svātmatvena jñāyata eva tvarayā ya-
staṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 18||
For yogis who are capable of withdrawal of their senses, control of the breath
For devotees who are of restrained senses, and controlled mind with the purpose of [knowing the lord]
Who reveals himself to them swiftly, as being their very own self
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
jñāṁśībhūtānprāṇina etānphaladātā
cittāntaḥsthaḥ prerayati sve sakale’pi |
kṛtye devaḥ prāktanakarmānusaraḥ saṁ-
staṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 19||
For living beings having knowledge, he is the giver of frutition of their deeds
Again it is he, the Lord, who residing in the heart of all beings, stimulates them [from within] to all actions
Following the past deeds (karmas)
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
prajñāmātraṁ prāpitasaṁbinnijabhaktaṁ
prāṇākṣādeḥ prerayitāraṁ praṇavārtham |
prāhuḥ prājñā viditānuśravatattvā-
staṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 20||
He who is the supreme knowledge alone, who causes his own devotees to attain the supreme realization,
Who approaches them (or draws them near) and stimulates them by [teaching] the meaning of prANava (OM)
Those seers of divine knowledge, having known him [to be so], have declared him as the essence (or truth) of the Vedas
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
yasyāṁjñānādeva nṛṇāṁ saṁsṛtibodho
yasya jñānādeva vimokṣo bhavatīti |
spaṣṭaṁ brūte vedaśiro deśikamādyaṁ
taṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 21||
By not knowing whom, indeed, there exists the experience of repeated births and deaths
By the knowledge of whom, indeed, one becomes liberated
This clearly proclaimed by the crest of the Vedas, about this foremost spiritual preceptor
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
channe’vidyārūpapaṭenaiva ca viśvaṁ
yatrādhyastaṁ jīvapareśatvamapīdam |
bhānorbhānuṣvambuvadastākhilabhedaṁ
taṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 22||
And, indeed, as if the universe is blanketed secretly by a cloth of ignorance (avidya)
Where an individual looks [apparantly] placed different from the state of the supreme lord
Like the Sun and its own reflections in waters, differences cease to exist [after knowing him]
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
svāpasvapnau jāgradavasthāpi na yatra
prāṇaśvetaḥ sarvagato yaḥ sakalātmā |
kūṭastho yaḥ kevalasaccitsukharūpa-
staṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 23||
Where the states of, sleep (sushupti), dream (swapna) and wakeful (jagrut) also do not exist
Who pervades all the prAna and mind, who is the self (Atman) of all
That Supreme Soul, who alone is of the nature of being, conciousness and bliss
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
hā hetyevaṁ vismayamīyurmunimukhyā
jñāte yasminsvātmatayānātmavimohaḥ |
pratyagbhūte brahmaṇi yātaḥ kathamitthaṁ
taṁ pratyañcaṁ dakṣiṇavaktraṁ kalayāmi || 24||
Oh! Oh! Thus, indeed, the best of the sages spoke in wonder
On knowing whom as their own self, they got disillusioned about the non-self
How is that Brahman entered into every being? [They thought about that lord who is such]
That lord whose face is turned southwards I resort to
yaiṣā ramyairmattamayūrābhidhavṛttai-
rādau klṛptā yanmanuvarṇairmunibhaṅgī |
tāmevaitāṁ dakṣiṇavaktraḥ kṛpayāsā-
vūrīkuryāddeśikasamrāṭ paramātmā || 25||
Who by his enchanting meter ‘matta-mayura (intoxicated peacock)’,
Produced all these in the beginning, with the alphabets (varNa), in the form of a sage
Let indeed all these, be bestowed, by his grace, by the southward facing God
Who is the crown or sovereign God, the supreme preceptor, the supreme self!
[Here ends the hymn composed by Adi Shankara on Dakshinamurty]
The article has been republished from author’s blog with permission.
Featured Image: Vedicfeed
Disclaimer: The facts and opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. IndiaFacts does not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, completeness,suitability,or validity of any information in this article.
