Lesson 33

Beginning Prayers:

• शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुम् - shuklaambaradharaM viShNum
• सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यम् - saraswati namastubhyam 
• गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः - gururbrahmaa gururviShNuH 

Topic Summary:

• Revision of different cases 
• Example of dvivachana (dual number)

Home Work:

• Learn by heart, the entire raama shabda
• Try to write the entire shabda for a different masculine gender noun

Topic Details:

We have seen the nouns in all different cases.  Now, let us see an example for dual number with a verse.

स्वयं पञ्चमुखः पुत्रौ गजाननषडाननौ
दिगम्बरः कथं जीवेत् अन्नपूर्णा न चेद्गृहे

svayaM pa~nchamukhaH putrau gajaananaShaDaananau
digambaraH kathaM jIvet annapUrNaa na chedgRuhe

स्वयं पञ्चमुखः पुत्रौ गजानन-षडाननौ
svayaM pa~nchamukhaH putrau gajaanana-ShaDaananau

दिगम्बरः कथं जीवेत् अन्नपूर्णा न चेत् गृहे
digambaraH kathaM jIvet annapUrNaa na chet gRuhe

He himself has 5 faces, children are 'elephant faced' (gajaanana - gaNesha) and '6 faced' (ShaDaanana - ShaNmukha). How would Lord shiva survive if mother annapUrNaa was not at home?

This is a not only a beautiful and humorous verse, but it upholds and epitomizes the role of a mother in the family!

Lord shiva has 5 faces himself. Among the 2 sons he has, one is elephant faced and the other has 6 faces! Just imagine a dad feeding all these many mouths! The poet says, it is not possible for a dad, even if he is a God :-) Such is the role of a mother! She is the 'one & only 'and is hence irreplaceable!! She toils tirelessly day in and day out, putting her likes and dislikes aside, setting her family as her highest priority. Whether she gets any credit or not, she does her duties constantly. The only remuneration she expects is, for her family to fare well! Her dedication and sincerity towards her family is unmatched. No words are enough to say about her semblance and presence, in making a home.

Mothers hold the hands of their children for a short time, but their hearts forever!

The sweetest sounds to mortals given, are heard in mother, home and heaven!

Heart felt thanks and hats off to all the hard-working mothers, not just on one day, but through out the year, for eons to come!

P.S.: (According to one tradition, it conceives shiva as Ishaana (or as panchavaktramatrinetram), that is, shiva combines in him tatpuruSha, vaamadeva, aghora, sadyojaata and Ishaana, representing respectively wind, water, fire, creative function and space. Thus again shiva's five heads manifest the five cosmic elements and functions.)

Happy practicing until next lesson.

Ending prayer:

•  ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् - aum pUrNamadaH pUrNamidam

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