ambhriņī sūkta -1 - An English translation of ambhriņī sūkta from the book pamchasūktagalu authored by pūjya shri Bannanje Govindāchārya

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1 ambhriņī sūkta -1 - An English translation of ambhriņī sūkta from the book pamchasūktagalu authored by pūjya shri Bannanje Govindāchārya ambhriņī sūkta extolls lakśhmī, the presiding deity of the vēdas. This sūkta has appeared at two places: In the sgvēda *mandala 10, 125+ and in the atharvavēda *kānda 4, 30]. The one who has conceived this sūkta consisting of 8 mantras is lakśhmī known by the name, ambhriņī; even the deity proclaimed by the mantra is again ambhriņī. In the atharvavēda this is known by the name rāśhţrīdēvisūkta. The sśhi or seer of the mantra is atharva and the deity is vāk. There is some ambiguity even in the practicing tradition of sgvēda. According to some, both the seer and the deity of the sūkta is ambhraņī ; according to few others, it is ambhsņī ; and some others say it is āmbhsņī. Even the commentary of sāyaņa is in favour of āmbhsņī. The cause of all these misconceptions is kātyāyana s anukramaņi (index): ahamaśţau vāgāmbhŕņī tuśţāvā~tmānam dvitīyā jagatī It means: This sūkta that begins with aham... is of 8 mantras. The seer (sśhike) is āmbhsņī, the deity of vāk (speech); she has praised herself. The prosody of the second mantra is jagatī. The rest is in triśţup. Amongst all the commentators on the Vedas, the name āmbhsņī has established firmly. And they have even formulated an etymological definition that the daughter of āmbhsņa is āmbhsņī! Where is the origin of all this? Who is this āmbhsņa? The correct form of this name is ambhriņī! It is not āmbhsņī; neither ambhsņī; and it is definitely not ambhraņī. āchārya madhva has clarified this fact in his tantrasārasangraha: svadŕśţam sūktamakhilam kāmadam harituśţidam vāchō~mbhriņyāh shriyah... [4.55] This sūkta, that has been conceived by the presiding deity of speech (vāk), lakśhmī having the name ambhriņī, which describes the greatness of herself, is capable of bestowing the desired and it pleases hari ].

2 Even in the bshadāraņyaka-bhāśhya, āchārya madhva has quoted this form of lakśhmī: shrīrbhūrdurgā~mbhriņī hrīshcha mahālakśhmīshcha dakśhiņā sītā jayantī satyā cha rugmiņītyādibhēditā *shrī, bhū, durgā, ambhriņī, hrī, mahālakśhmī, dakśhiņā, sītā, jayantī, satyābhāmā, rugmiņī and others are the special forms of praksti+. The three forms that sleep with the Lord during dissolution are: shrī, bhū and durgā. Then, lakśhmī who is the form of shsti glorifies God. This has been stated in the jyōtih samhita: shrīrbhūmiriti rūpābhyām prakŕtirviśhņunā saha shētē shrutisvarūpēņa stauti brahmalayē harim tantrabhāgavata adds the durgā form along with shrī and bhūmi: shrīrbhūrdurgēti yā bhinnā prakŕtih shaktiruchyatē... tābhih shayānam puruśham saiva tu shrutirūpiņē astaut... This form of lakśhmī, who is the presiding deity of Vedic words, who constantly extols the Lord even during dissolution, is vāk ambhriņī. What does the word ambhriņī mean? Some give the following etymological definition: am akāravachyam brahma, ah iti brahma iti shŕtēh, bibhartīti ambhriņī. * ah is the name of God. She who bears in her heart, such a Lord who is designated by a, is ambhriņī]. Actually, the Lord who is in yogic sleep in the ocean of dissolution is ambhra : ambhasi ramata iti ambhra. His consort, who glorifies Him, is ambhriņī. This meaning is in conformity with the support statements cited earlier. Thus, the seer who conceived this sūkta is ambhriņī; hence, it is called ambhriņīsūkta. Also, the deity extolled is ambhriņī; even for reason, it is called ambhriņīsūkta. ~~~~~~~~~~ Of the eight mantras, the second one is in the meter called jagatī consisting of 48 letters. The remaining seven mantras are in triśhţup consisting of 44 letters each. It has already been noticed that whenever there is shortage of letters, it has to be corrected by the analysis of words.

3 In this sūkta, the first five mantras form a group (varga). The next three mantras form another varga. Thus, it is a sūkta of two vargas. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ aham rudrēbhirvasubhishcharāmyahamādityairuta vishvadēvaih aham mitrāvaruņōbhā bibharmyahamindrāgnī ahamashvinōbhā 10\.125\.01 aham sōmamāhanasam bibharmyaham tvaśhţāramuta pūśhaņam bhagam aham dadhāmi draviņam haviśhmatē suprāvyē yajamānāya sunvatē 10\.125\.02 aham rāśhţrī samgamanī vasūnām chikituśhī prathamā yaj~niyānām tām mā dēvā vyadadhuh purutrā bhūristhātrām bhūryāvēshayantīm 10\.125\.03 mayā sō annamatti yō vipashyati yah prāņiti ya īm shsņōtyuktam amantavō mām ta upakśhiyanti shrudhi shruta shraddhivam tē vadāmi 10\.125\.04 ahamēva svayamidam vadāmi juśhţam dēvēbhiruta mānuśhēbhih yam kāmayē tamtamugram ksņōmi tam brahmāņam tamsśhim tam sumēdhām 10\.125\.05 aham rudrāya dhanurā tanōmi brahmadviśhē sharavē hantavā u aham janāya samadam ksņōmyaham dyāvāpsthivī āvivēsha 10\.125\.06 aham suvē pitaramasya mūrdhan mama yōnirapsvantahsamudrē tatō vitiśhţhē bhuvanānu vishvōtāmūm dyām varśhmaņōpaspsshāmi 10\.125\.07 ahamēva vāta iva pravāmyārabhamāņā bhuvanāni vishvā parō divā para ēnā psthivyaitāvatī mahinā sambabhūva 10\.125\.08 mantra 1 aham rudrēbhirvasubhishcharāmyahamādityairuta vishvadēvaih aham mitrāvaruņōbhā bibharmyahamindrāgnī ahamashvinōbhā 1 aham rudrēbhih vasu+ bhih charāmi aham ādityaih uta vishva + dēvaih aham mitrāvaruņā ubhā bibharmi aham indrāgnī iti aham ashvinā ubhā 1 aham = I, rudrēbhih = along with the eleven rudras, vasu+ bhih = along with the eight vasus, charāmi = move about, aham = I, ādityaih = along with the eleven ādityas, uta = and, vishva + dēvaih = with the ten vishva dēvatas, aham = I, mitrāvaruņā = mitra and varuņa, ubhā = both of them, bibharmi = I bear from within, aham = I, indrāgnī = indra and agni, aham = I, ashvinā = the ashvis, ubhā = both.

4 *lakśhmī who bears the name ambhriņī, who constantly extols the Lord even during dissolution, expounds her glories to the spiritual seekers as follows:] Moving about with the eleven rudras [viz. raivata, ōja, bhava, bhīma, vāmadēva, ugra, vsśhākapi, ajaikapāt, ahirbudhni, virūpākśha and mahādēva - the predominant in the group], and controlling them, I accept the noon libation (mādhyandina savana). Being with the eight vasus [named drōņa, prāņa, dhruva, arka, agni, dōśha, vastu and vibhāvasu+, controlling them, I accept the morning oblations (prātah savana). Being with eleven ādityas *except the vāmana form of viśhņu, the rest being vivasvān, aryama, pūśha, tvaśhţā, savitā, bhaga, dhātā, vidhātā, varuņa, mitra and indra+ and with the ten vishvēdēvatas *viz. kāma, kāla, kratu, dakśha, sava, satya, dhuri, lōchana, purūrava and ārdrava+, and controlling them, I am the one who accepts the evening oblations (sāyam savana). I am the one who bears and sustains both mitra and varuņa, the presiding deities of day and night. It is me, who bears and protects indra, the presiding deity of the mind and hands, and agni, the deity of the organ of speech. It is me, who gives the sensation of smell in the nose, carrying the two ashvis, nāsatya and dasra. mantra 2 aham sōmamāhanasam bibharmyaham tvaśhţāramuta pūśhaņam bhagam aham dadhāmi draviņam haviśhmatē suprāvyē yajamānāya sunvatē 2 aham sōmam āhanasam bibharmi aham tvaśhţāram uta pūśhaņam bhagam aham dadhāmi draviņam haviśhmatē supra + avyē yajamānāya sunvatē 2 aham = I, sōmam = chandra, pavamāna, āhanasam = that which removes darkness, bibharmi = I bear and protect, aham = I, tvaśhţāram = the divine sculptor, the presider of Vedas- garuda, uta = and, pūśhaņam = shēśha, who nourishes our mind through Vedic knowledge, bhagam = the presider of the body, shiva, aham = I, dadhāmi = bear, give, draviņam = wealth, haviśhmatē = the one who gives oblations, supra + avyē= the one who pleases by offering oblations, yajamānāya = unto the worshipper, sunvatē = to the one who arranged for the sōma juice. I protect chandra who eliminates the darkness of the mind; pavamāna who is the abode of the awareness of God. I protect tvaśhţāra *garuda, who being the deity of the Vedas, residing in the mental sheath (manōmaya kōsha), removes lethargy and leads us by correcting+, pūśha *shēśha, who being the deity of speech, residing in the sheath of life-force (prāņamaya kōsha), nourishes our intellect] and bhaga *being the deity of the body, shiva who resides in the physical sheath (annamaya kōsha) and is the pull of desire]. I give away wealth [the knowledge of God] to the performer of sacrificial rites [the spiritual seeker+ who, by squeezing the sōma juice *filled with the nectar of devotion], holding the libation [calling out to the Lord] pleases by offering it. mantra 3 aham rāśhţrī samgamanī vasūnām chikituśhī prathamā yaj~niyānām tām mā dēvā vyadadhuh purutrā bhūristhātrām bhūryāvēshayantīm 3 aham rāśhţrī sam + gamanī vasūnām chikituśhī prathamā yaj~niyānām

5 tām mā dēvāh vi adadhuh puru + trā bhūri + sthātrām bhūri ā + vēshayantīm 3 aham = I, rāśhţrī = am the Empress of the world, sam + gamanī = who brings forth; bestows, vasūnām = of the riches, chikituśhī = the knower, prathamā = the foremost, yaj~niyānām = the forms fit for worship, tām = such, mā = me, dēvāh = deities, vi adadhuh = contemplated in many different ways, puru + trā = at many places, bhūri + sthātrām = who is filled in many forms, bhūri = in many ways, ā + vēshayantīm = she who impels by entering in. I am the Empress of the entire world. I am the one who bestows wealth. I am the foremost amongst those who know the worshipped forms of the Lord [the one who knows God and the foremost amongst those who are worshipped in a sacrifice]. The demigods and the knowledgeable worship me, of such stature; as the one who has pervaded many places with many forms; as being within the living entities and impelling them in many ways. mantra 4 mayā sō annamatti yō vipashyati yah prāņiti ya īm shsņōtyuktam amantavō mām ta upakśhiyanti shrudhi shruta shraddhivam tē vadāmi 4 mayā sah annam atti yah vi + pashyati yah prāņiti yah īm shsņōti uktam amantavah mām tē upa kśhiyanti shrudhi shruta shraddhi + vam tē vadāmi 4 mayā = from me, sah = he, annam = food, atti = eats, yah = he who, vi + pashyati = sees variegated sights, yah = he who, prāņiti = breathes, yah = he who, *mayā+ īm = from me alone, shsņōti = listens, uktam = that which has been spoken, amantavah = those who have not understood, mām = me, tē = they, upa kśhiyanti = get destroyed, shrudhi = listen, shruta = O, the one who has listened to the scriptures, shraddhi + vam = that which has to be obtained with faith and devotion, tē = to you, vadāmi = I tell. The one who eats, obtains from me, the privilege and strength to eat; The observer, sees various sights because of me; The one who breathes, breathes because of me. He who listens to what is spoken, listens because of me. Those ignorant ones, who do not know me, are subjected to sufferings in life. Listen, Oh the one who have understood by listening, I am imparting unto you that which has to be obtained by faith and devotion.