Vedanta - Isavasya Upanishad- Sloka 17 - The final offering - இறுதிப் பயண இறை வணக்கம்.
Preamble
In the final phase of the journey, after giving up ego centric identity and praying to the the representation of Brahman viz., the Sun (Slokas 15-16), the seeker is now at the critical juncture of giving up the mortal frame. This means that one has to give up the frame in which one has sought shelter during one’s life. This is a very critical and difficult activity.
The body will give us up, but we will not give up the body that easily till our subtle body becomes purified. That’s why it is important that even at this final crucial juncture of terminating the rental agreement between the mortal frame and the soul, the Upanishad presents a stern, persisting, compelling command to the mind to give up the mortal frame and pray in the form a repentance. After all, repentance is itself a very great form of tapas or austere discipline.
Such a frame of mind at the closing stage of our stay in this world, doesn’t come easily to ordinary mortals like us. That is why Vedic Teachings advises us the actions that we have to take in our life consistently and continuously with sincerity of purpose and dedication to the Ultimate Reality.
இந்த முகவுரையை எழுதும் பொழுது
ஒன்றுமே பயனில்லை என்று உணர்ந்தபின்பவர் உண்டென்பார்
ஒவ்வொரு மனிதனும் ஒரு நாள் இந்நிலை எய்துவதுறுதியென மறந்தார்
அன்று செயலிழந்தலமரும் பொழுது சிவன் பெயர் நாவில் வாராதே
ஆதலினால் மனமே இன்றே சிவன் நாமம் சொல்லிப் பழகு
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dg99viok4ue5jii/Katra%20Kalviyum%20-%20Hindolam%20-%20Viruttam.mp3?dl=0
என்ற பாபநாசம் சிவன் பாடல் எனக்கு நினைவுக்கு வருகிறது.
Now let us see what the Upanishad says in this Sloka.
Sanskrit Verse
वायुरनिलममृतमथेदं भस्मान्तं शरीरम् ।
ओं । क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर ॥ १७ ॥
English Transliteration
vāyuranilamamṛtamathedaṃ bhasmāntaṃ śarīram |
oṃ | krato smara kṛtaṃ smara krato smara kṛtaṃ smara || 17 ||
Meaning in English
May my life merge in the Immortal when my body is reduced to ashes. O mind, meditate on the eternal Brahman. Remember the deeds of the past. Remember, O mind, remember.
Meaning in Tamil
உயிர்மூச்சு காற்றோடு அண்டமதில் கலக்கட்டும்
உடல் வேள்வியென அழலுக்கு அளித்திடட்டும்
நினைவு கொள் மனமே யான் புரி வினை அனைத்தும்
நினைவு கொள் நினைவு கொள் மனமே - ஓம்
Understanding the Sloka
First Line
वायुरनिलममृतमथेदं भस्मान्तं शरीरम् ।
vāyuranilamamṛtamathedaṃ bhasmāntaṃ śarīram
वायुरनिलममृतमथेदं = वायुः + अनिलम् + अमृतम् + अथ + इदम् = vāyuḥ - we should blow. + anilam-air, wind; Anila (the god of wind, sometimes equated with Vayu). + amṛtam-the immortal + atha - now, then, moreover. + idam- this.
भस्मान्तं - bhasmāntam - ending in ashes, finally burnt.
शरीरम् - śarīram - the body.
Second Line
ओं । क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर
oṃ krato smara kṛtaṃ smara krato smara kṛtaṃ smara
ओं - om - Om; the sacred syllable, an auspicious salutation.
क्रतो - krato-O Kratu (intelligence, a son of Brahmā).
स्मर - smara-remember! recollect! call to mind!
कृतं - kṛtam-done, made, performed.
स्मर - smara- remember! recollect! call to mind!
क्रतो - krato- O Kratu (intelligence, a son of Brahmā).
स्मर - smara-remember! recollect! call to mind!
कृतं - kṛtam- done, made, performed.
स्मर - smara- remember! recollect! call to mind!
Let all that for which and because of which all these years I lived in this physical body, go back to their respective sources. Let this effect, my physical body, go back to hiraṇyagarbha. Let the fruits of my karmas also reach their respective places. And through them may I live in such worlds. Let my physical body be reduced to ashes and thus be purified.”
Now comes the prayer to the mind: “O mind, recollect and remember all the karmas you have done in this life-time. Ponder over the way in which you have lived this life; for only the fruits of your karmas will go with you. Nothing else of this manifested world will follow you.”
Swami Krishnananda in his lectures provides the explanation:
The upāsaka prays: “After my death, I don’t want to remain an individual jīva. O Lord! I would like to merge into Īśvara.” That means the sthūla-śarīram must merge into sthūla-prapañca, sūkṣma-śarīram must merge into sūkṣma-prapañca, kāraṇa-śarīram must merge into kāraṇa-prapañca. Kāraṇa into Īśvara. Viśva into virāṭ, taijasa into hiraṇyagarbha, prājña into antaryāmī Īśvara. Like a river merging into the ocean, losing its individuality, similarly I want to merge into you. Because individuality means mortality. Therefore, asato mā sadgamaya tamaso mā jyotirgamaya, mṛtyormāmṛtaṃ gamaya, is the prayer.
Therefore, the upāsaka says, vāyuḥ amṛtaṁ anilaṁ gacchatu. Vāyuḥ means my individual prāṇa, representing the individuality or sūkṣma-śarīram. Amṛtaṁ anilaṁ means the immortal vāyu. So vāyu means vyaṣṭi-prāṇa or individual prāṇa. Amṛtaṁ anilaṁ means samaṣṭi-prāṇa. May vyaṣṭi-prāṇa merge into samaṣṭi-prāṇa. The verb is not there in the mantra. We have to supply praviśatu. May it merge through krama-mukti. The process is krama-mukti. Then, idaṁ śarīraṁ bhasmāntaṁ agni. May this physical body be given to Agni-devatā because in Hindu culture, the last ritual that we perform is offering the very body to Bhagavān. Because body has come from where? From Bhagavān, the samaṣṭi only.
Therefore Bhagavān is the owner of the body. I have taken it on lease. I have rented it. What is the purpose of taking the body? Not for eating purposes. I have taken this body for gaining the knowledge of my higher nature. Now I want to return it. In Hindu culture, that is done by a ritual called cremation. Cremation is a Vedic ritual. It is not a casual burning of the body. In Hindu culture, cremation is the final Vedic ritual. Since after death I cannot do that, the family members are supposed to do this ritual on behalf of me – give this body back to Bhagavān. To hand over to Bhagavān, we require a broker, somebody to carry it. Agni- devatā is the one who receives and hands over. Once it goes to Agni, hygiene- wise also it is safe. Because the body would have had varieties of diseases before death. Instead of spreading the diseases all over, once it is cremated, everything is destroyed for good. Therefore the upāsaka says, “May this body of mine, get reduced to ashes in Agni Bhagavān.” Bhasma antaṁ. Bhasma means ash. In short, may I merge into you through krama-mukti.
Then the upāsaka is addressing his own mind – “Oh Mind, you have practiced upāsana all the time. Now the crucial moment is coming. At this time, don’t think of all other funny things in the world. May you practice the upāsana, antakāle, in the last moment. Here he is addressing the mind, he calls it hey krato! Kratuḥ means manaḥ. Smara, remember – oṁ iti. Om represents Īśvara.
A solemn prayer at the time of breathing our last is vital. Ordinary mortals like me can only wish that one is extremely fortunate to be in such a frame of mind at that crucial moment and recite the prayer. That moment sums up the life journey so far.