Mohinder: There are three mantras we say at a havan at home. It starts with OM AMRTIO UPASTRANMASI WAHA etc. Can you explain the meanings. I could not find the meaning anywhere. Thanks.
Swami Ram Swarup: The meanings are as follows:-
AACHMAN MANTRAS
Now after reciting the three mantras given below do aachman three times –
Note:- the process of aachman involves cupping of right hand and pouring a tea spoon of water into the palm. Then the pious water is drunk three times so as to cleanse oneself before initiating the pious deed of havan/agnihotra.
1. OM AMRITOPASTARANNMASI SWAHA.
Om is holy name of God who protects us. Amrit: A + mrit = amrit. Mrit means death and ‘a’ means not, so amrit means on whom death never comes, so God is immortal, (upastarannam) like bedding, (asi) = you are, (swaha) = eternal/true deed/action.
Meaning and Idea –
Oh! God you protects us, you’re immortal and you’re like our bed. We recite this mantra hence you protect us from below. Oh! God you’re omnipresent i.e., live in every minutest (atom, molcules, electron, neutron, photon and even the minutest parts etc.,) part of the universe. So this earth provided by you for resting on by all human beings, is like our bed to rest and for other purposes too like cultivation etc.
Oh! God, we are grateful to you for giving us this mother earth which gives us the same pleasure that we derive by sleeping on our mother’s lap, like a cosy/ comfortable bedding. You are present in every single particle of this earth on which we live, play, grow, build our houses, earn our living, and live happily. We thank you for giving us this beautiful earth.
2. OM AMRITAPIDHANAMASI SWAHA.
(Om) holy name of God who protects us, (amrit) immortal God, (apidhanam) to cover the body/matters with something say mantle or covering matter like blanket, etc., (asi) are, i.e., you are (swaha) eternal/true deed/action. Meaning and Idea –
Oh! God, the saviour/protector of all, you are just like our mantle/covering. We recite this mantra hence protect us from above. Also, just like in winters we sleep happily and comfortably using a quilt/ thick covering from above similarly God is omnipresent in each and every atom of space above us, in sun, moon etc., because of which the space along with light emitting celestial bodies remains balanced and gives energy to living beings on the earth for the sustenance of life on this planet. It is with the grace of God that we lead a happy life on earth and we are grateful to you for
giving us this outer space/sky which is just like a blanket.
3. OM SATYAM YASHAHA SHREERMAYI SHREEHI SHRYATAAM SWAHA.
(Om) holy name of God who protects us, (satyam) eternal/truth, (yashah) glory/fame, (satyam) truth, (shreehi) money, wealth i.e., the wealth earned with truth (mayi) within me, (shreehi) wealth,
(shryataam) shelter.
Meaning and idea –
Oh! God, the protector/saviour of all, enable me to work hard to acquire wealth and fame by means of honesty and truth. May I become glorious and wealthy by using the wealth, acquired through hard work, in pious and auspicious deeds like Yajyen etc. Bless me so that I may never abandon the pious deed of donating to deserving persons.
You are also advised to study my book YAJ KARAM SARVSHRESHTH ISHWAR POOJA (in Hindi) worth Rs. 65/- excluding postal charges. The book can be sent to you on receipt of your postal address, if you desire. In which you will read word by word meaning and idea of each and every hawan mantra along with way to do hawan.
Rahul: Real story of Mahabharat karna’s birth as I can’t believe the story given in television that he was the son of Surya.
Swami Ram Swarup: Name of father of Karnna was Surya who was a learned Rishi and
not sun(non-alive).
Thenila: I broke 3 glass continually 3 times in a week. Is it bad luck?
Swami Ram Swarup: Bad and good luck is based on our previous lives’ deeds – good
and bad when we face the result of bad deeds then we experience sorrows, otherwise happiness. So, breaking of glass has no concern with luck.
Sangeeta: My 8 month of pregnancy is going on. Suggest me some vedic tips for me and my child.
Swami Ram Swarup: In this regard, I paste my article:-
Tips for Pregnancy
It is said in four Vedas that “Mother is the creator of child’s future.” It is in her hands that how she builds her child’s future by adopting good spiritual preaches, which are all mentioned in four Vedas. Some of the aforesaid preach are written here.
Always be cheerful, wear pious ornaments, wear quite light coloured clothes and not dark, should keep peace in her mind, think welfare of others, should serve her Acharya/Guru (who knows Vedas), avoid such things which can cause anxiety to her.
She should not take stale food, dry food like fried vegetables etc. She should not go in haunted house, cremation ground, shouldn’t stand under the tree at night, shouldn’t get annoyed, or shout. Try to be in happy-pleasant mood all times because this all affects the baby.
When a baby is in womb then mother’s every action plays important role in building child’s physique. For child’s physical and mental growth, a mother should be careful about her eating habits and way of living so that it should not affect the child in anyway.
At this stage, simple living and high thinking counts. At this stage mother should recite Gayatri mantra and repeat the name of God both times and read spiritual books because it makes the future of baby bright. Good sceneries and spiritual photos must be seen and baseless photos, baseless talk must be avoided.
Precautions
Don’t sit on heels. Do not go up and down. Asan on which you sit should be soft. Don’t try to restrain the flow of bathroom, toilet, gas etc. Do not work hard. Do not take hot and heavy eatables, also do not starve yourself. Don’t see the shallow regions like trenches, gorges, pits anything which is deep like well etc.
Pregnant lady should not put her body to motion frequently. Her body should be kept at rest position as far as possible. Always look at good things and not ugly sights, listen to good preach etc. Do not lie on back, lie on body side.
Do not take non-vegetarian food. Food having addiction should be avoided. Such deeds which our perceptions and organs restrain to do, immediately leave that deed in all respect. Food should be simple, juicy and tasty.
When mother enters in 5th month the mind of child is more active, in 6th month intellect, in 7th organs are developed. So a mother should do pious deeds because every action of mother affects the unborn baby unknowingly.
In 8th month, a pregnant lady has two hearts. One heart is her own and the other is of the baby. In this month special attention is to be given so a mother should be very much careful about it.
For good growth of child and a mother following things can be adopted:
1. In 1st month plain, cold milk should be taken. Take beneficial and nutritive food.
2. In second month lady should take milk having medicinal qualities (in which you can put elayachi, chhuara etc.) after sieving you can have it.
3. In 3rd month take 2 small tablespoon of honey and 1 small tablespoon of ghee in milk. NOTE —-NEVER TAKE IN EQUAL PROPORTION BECAUSE IT IS FATAL.
4. In 4th month mix one tola (app. 10gms) of fresh butter in milk.
5. In 5th have milk with ghee in it.
6. In 6th and 7th month have milk with kishmish, elayachi, chhuara etc. (these all are applicable if digested, otherwise take advice from physician to take better food.)
7. In 7th month, the pregnant lady experiences itching in her skin specially on her womb’s skin. As far as possible she should tolerate it and should restrain from using her nails over the effected area. She should apply the extract of sandal wood and lotus over her breast and stomach. Other option is that she may apply the mustard oil prepared by boiling sirs’s peel, flower of guava, mustard seeds, mulathi, (these are all medicinal herbs mentioned in Atharvaveda.)
In case itching is not tolerated then she may casually apply her hand over the effected area. Restrain eating sour, bitter, fried food, use less of salt, have sweet food and lot of water (at least more than 15 glasses a day). Do not let yourself be suffered from constipation. So to avoid constipation have milk with Gulkand.
Please pay attention to these advices because these lead to formation of sanskars on the child, which have a great importance to make child’s future. There are 16 sanskars in human life which are mentioned in our eternal four Vedas.
Human body is blessed by God to attain the salvation during family life and while discharging all duties of family. We should do pious deeds such as Yajyen, yoga practice. In the past three yugas dignitaries like Vyas Muni, Shri Ram, Mata Sita, Shri Krishna, all did yajyen, yoga practice while living in their family life and doing their respective duties towards Acharya, family, nation etc., and at last they achieved their goal of salvation. So we too should adopt this eternal, Vedic and pious path to achieve the same. Again it is in the hands of a mother to build a good and shining future for her child.
