Dear Narsimhaji,
Certain Mantras are ending with Namah
Certain ending with Swaha
Certain with Vashat, some with Vaushat, some with Hum and some with Fatt.
Sir, I would like to know in details as to what is the real meaning of each word. What they indicate? When they should be uttered?
It is general belief that Swaha is used only for Homam. But it is not so as certain Mantras are ending with Swaha. e.g. --Aum Hram Hrim Hraum Sah Suryaya Swaha.-- Even in Tarpanam we are using Swaha. - Aum Tarpayami Swaha, Gam Tarpayami Swaha, Glaum Tarpayami Swaha and like.
Your valuable comments will enrich our knowledge.
Dr. Ashwin Rawal
From: Narasimha P.V.R. Rao <pvr@charter.net>
Date: 2009/1/1
Subject: [vedic-wisdom] Re: Namah, Swaha, Vashat etc.
To: vedic-wisdom@yahoogroups.com
Namaste,
Namah simply refers to bowing to a deity.
Swaahaa is from the word su. It refers to hailing a deity and surrendering to the deity. It is used when making offerings to various deities.
Swadhaa is from the root swad, which means to taste and fulfill a desire. It is used when making offerings to pitris (ancestors), who have strong unfilfilled desires.
Hum refers to creating a cover. It is used when seeking a protective cover of some nature.
Vaushat is also like vashat. It is used when one wants control over one's vision and observation.
Phat is the sound of leaving an arrow. It is used when seeking something specific and leaving a mantra towards the target like an arrow.
Some mantras ending in phat also have a hum and end with "hum phat". It is used when one seeks to strike a target while protecting self.
Mantras ending in Vashat and Phat should be used carefully. They are inappropriate for most people in this age.
* * *
BTW, do not write phat as fatt. The sound "f" (as in "fan") does NOT exist in Sanskrit. It came to Indian languages through the Arabic influence on Hindi and now many Indians get confused between ph and f. The sound ph in Sanskrit words such as phat and phala is pronounced as a strongly aspirated p. It is not pronounced as f in fan.
Best regards,
Narasimha
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Do a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homam
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Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro.home.comcast.net
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Narasimha
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Do a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homam
Do Pitri Tarpanas Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/tarpana
Spirituality: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vedic-wisdom
Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro.home.comcast.net
Free Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAstrologer.org
Sri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagannath.org
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