Datta Raksha Mantra

OM AIM HREEM SHREEM SHIVA RAMA ANAGHA DATTAYA NAMAHA

Song: Pranava Swarupam

Raga: Rushya Ketu PriyaTalam: Aadi

Pallavi: Pranamami Girija Shivananda Nandanam

Animadi Sidhiprada Sri Vighnarajam

Charanam:

1. Gana Raja Yogi Gana Vandya PadamPranamami Girija Shivananda Nandanam

2. Ganaraja Yogi Gana VandyapadamPranamami Girija Sri Sachidanandam

Om Aim Hreem Shreem Shiva Rama Anagha Dattaya Namaha

This is a divine mantra1. A century and a half ago, some Indian migrants to the West

Indies, had desired to learn some mantra. In accordance with the inspiration of Lord

Dattatreya, this mantra was imparted to them. They chanted this mantra for several crore2

times. Eventually, in 1995, a homa3was performed in the West Indies; corresponding to the

number of times that japa4 had been performed with this mantra. This very same mantra is

now being discussed as the Datta Raksha Mantra.

Since that time, japa is being performed on this mantra. Maharishi5 Patanjali had

stated that thajjapaha thadardhamananam; which connotes that japa is not the mere

recitation of a mantra, but that it is the mental recital of its esoteric meaning, which is

1 Vedic hymn2 A crore is equal to ten millions 3 Powerful fire ritual4 Repetitive chant of a mantra 5 Great Sage

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essential to render it pure japa. Therefore, without knowing the true meaning of a mantra,

japa is incomplete. Moreover, this mantra consists of sixteen syllables; and those who chant

it would be curious to discern its entire implication. The following discourse provides the true

and complete connotation of this mantra.

According to the Sastras6, it is not permissible to chant mantras that do not begin with

the seed letter Om. However, this mantra begins with Om and there is no need to prefix it

specifically. In the alphabets, Ᾱ Kara comes first. The letter A occurs in the beginning of the

alphabet. Similarly, Om Kara precedes everything else in mantras. This tenet is equally true

for the beejaksharas or seed letters.

The confluence of letters is words and that of words sentences. The combination of

sentences is either a poem or causerie7. Om Kara is known as Parabrahma8. The Agama

Sastras9 declare that the alphabets originate under different circumstances.

The Holy Scriptures or Smrithis have declared the origin of Om Kara as:

Omkaraschadha Sabdascha Dvavethou Brhmanaha Pura|

Kantam Bhitva Viniryathou Thasman Mangalika Vubhow||

The sounds Om and Adha have emerged from the pharynx of Lord Brahma. In other

words, Lord Brahma was the first to pronounce them. Consequently, they are divine and

devout.

In addition, it is established that the chanting of Om bestows all prosperity upon the

aspirant. In general, people commence any piece of work or address any issue, after an

auspicious sign. This has always been the tradition. Therefore, this mantra begins with the

Om Kara sound. Moreover, Om is the manifestation of Lord Ganapathi; and it is for this very

6 Holy Scriptures 7 Prose8 Supreme Being or God9 The body of scriptural knowledge that relates to the performance of ceremonial worship and rituals

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reason that Muthu Swami Dixit had praised Lord Ganapathi as Pranava Swarupa

Vakrathundam.

The trunk of Lord Ganapathi represents the Om Kara. The lyric Pranava Swarupam,

written by Sri Swamiji, depicts the Om Kara characteristic of Lord Ganapathi. According to

the Vedas10, the Om Kara is Lord Brahma, the deity Vayu, the Atma, the eternal and all

pervasive Lord Paramatma, and everything in the Universe.

Om Kara is also known as Pranava. That which transports anything to the Lord

Paramatma is Pranava. One Yogiswara had pronounced Pranava as Pra-naava. Naava

connotes a ship, which is used to cross the sea. This is another meaning of Pranava. To

reinforce this implication, Maharishi Patanjali declared Thasya Vachakaha Pranavaha; or

that this Pranava describes the characteristics of the Lord Paramatma.

Those who board the ship of Pranava certainly and directly reach the abode of Lord

Paramatma. Such intimacy is provided by the Pranava; therefore, it is the Lord Paramatma.

It is like travelling in a bus to reach one’s destination. When the bus reaches the

destination, it is said that the destination has arrived, and the passengers are still inside the

bus. Thus, the bus becomes the destination even though the passengers have not alighted

from it. Similarly, the Pranava becomes the Lord Para Brahma for those who travel in it.

Thus, Om Kara is bestowed with all the attributes of Lord Para Brahma. Nirupa,

Nishkriyatva, Nirmohatwa, Shuddhatwa, and Sachidananda Swarupa are the qualities of

Lord Paramatma, and Om Kara also possesses them.

The nirguna11 Paramatma has taken the form of saguna12 Paramatma to incarnate as

the different Divine Incarnations; such as Lord Rama and Lord Krishna. Similarly, the

10 Primary texts of the Sanatana Dharma11 Unqualified 12 Qualified

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nirguna Om Kara has transformed into the saguna form, which is Lord Ganapathi. He is

worshipped as Akshara Brahma or Vidya Ganapathi. There is no difference between Lord

Ganapathi and the Om Kara. The Ganapathi Kavacham states Om karo me siraha paathu or

may the Om Kara protect my head.

All mantras have the names or seed letters of the Rishis13, deities and a specific

structure. The Om Kara mantra also has Rishis and deities. Let us examine this from this

perspective. Lord Parabrahma is the Rishi of this Pranava maha mantra. Rishi implies the

person who had established the mantra. Unlike the other mantras, the Om Kara was not

created by any person, and no one had authored it. Therefore, Lord Para Brahma is at once

the propounder and presiding Rishi for this mantra.

The Lord Paramatma is the presiding deity of the Om Kara mantra. The deity of a

mantra is that deity whose blessings are sought by chanting that mantra. According to the

Upanishads14, the Lord Paramatma had taught the Om Kara mantra in His discourses.

Spiritual knowledge is greater than any other blessing. Knowledge of Tatva15 is knowledge of

the reality. It removes the perception of difference between God and the devotee; and the

latter, comes to realize that there is no distinction between him and God. This state is termed

as the Advaita state. This is the ultimate state in spirituality. The purpose of this Om Kara

japa is to attain that state. Salvation is nothing but unifying with the Lord Paramatma. He is

the presiding deity of this mantra of Om Kara. The prosody of the Om Kara is the Gayatri

Chanda or Gayatri meter.

Prosody is based upon the number of letters, syllables, and structure of verses. This is

applies to each and every verse, and the Gayatri is no exception. Om Kara appears to be a

13 Seers 14 The inner or mystic teaching15 Fundamental principle

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single letter, and one may entertain a doubt as to how it could comply with the rules of

prosody. The following serves to clarify these reservations.

Om Kara is the basis for every sound in the Universe. It is the manifestation of Lord

Brahma, in the form of sound. Om Kara depicts the Veda Brahma who in turn represents the

invisible Nada Brahma. Om Kara is as pure as sudda nada. All the alphabets, prosodies,

verses, Vedas and languages merge into the Om Kara.

The sea remains a single water body after having merged all the rivers into itself. Om

Kara is akin to the sea, and in this context, it would not be incorrect to declare that the Om

Kara adheres to the Gayatri Chanda. At this juncture, the question arises as to why it should

be associated with this Gayatri Chanda. It is on account of the fact that the Aditya Brahma

mantra, which is a daily chanted by many people, is in the Gayatri Chanda. There is no

mantra that is superior to the Aditya Brahma mantra. Na Gayatryaha param mantram. The

chanting of the Brahma mantra purifies the conscience of the aspirant. The Rishis integrated

Gayatri Chanda with the Om Kara, in order to stress this fact.

Om Kara falls under the Lathavya Gothra. Lathavya implies the one that procures. It

also denotes that which eliminates or removes. What is to be procured? People have either

forgotten or ignored the existence and state of the atma or the individual soul. Realization of

this has to be restored to them, and the Om Kara performs this task. Therefore, it is called

Lathavya Gothra. In addition, the Om Kara gets rid of the bondage due to the cycle of birth

and death. It literally cuts off these bonds, and is therefore known as the Lathavya Gothra.

It has been proclaimed that the Lord Chathurmukha16 Brahma is the son of Om Kara.

This implies that Lord Brahma was the first to have practiced the Om Kara. The color of Om

Kara is white, its character is noble and the Atharva Veda is its birth place. In addition, its

16 Four - headed

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visage is knowledge, and it can be divided into the three parts Am, Um and Mam. Am is the

seed of the Om Kara, Um is its power and the last syllable Mam is indispensable. Om Kara

must be practiced for attaining moksha17. One should have that resolve, while practicing the

Om Kara. As such, it is a very powerful mantra. The Sage Shankara Bhagavadpadacharya, in

his commentary on the Panchakshari, praised the Om Kara as follows:

Om Kara mantram samyuktham

Nithyam dhyayanthi Yoginaha|

Kamadam mokshadam thasmath

Omkaraya namo namaha||

The yogis recite any mantra by prefixing Om to it. The mantra that is without Om in

the beginning is of no value. The Om Kara satisfies all the desires of the aspirant and finally

bestows moksha. Salutations to the Om Kara or Omkaraya namo namaha.

Song:

Ragam: Rathipathi Priya Aadi Thalam: (Chathurasranada)

Pallavi: Sarvadhara saiva matha

Sarvakara sama vithatha

Om Aim Hreem Shreem mantramatha

Shreem Hreem Aim Om manu vinutha

1. Sadane Sadane Kritha JananaManuje Manuje Kritha MananaVadane Vadane Kritha RananaHridaye Hridaye Kritha Chalana

2. Sujane Sujane Shruthi VihithaKujane Kujane Chira DurithaPurushe Purushe Katu CharithaAdha Yo – Shithi Yo – Shithi Mridutha

3. Bhuvi Sa Vinutha SurabhimayiGagane Viditha DhvanirupaAdha Bhu – Thaga Sam – Padi Kila SaSukha Sa – Dhanatha Sthithi Subhaga

4. Anukana kuhare suchi ruchiraSuragana nikare shivadayitha

17 Salvation

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Rathi pathi priyaya sama sushamaSachidanandada mahitha rama

Pallavi: sarvadhara saiva matha

Sarvakara sama vithatha

Om Aim Hreem Shreem mantramatha

Shreem Hreem Aim Om manu vinutha

The second syllable in the Raksha Mantra is Aim. It is the seed letter of the Goddess

Saraswathi. The combination of the sounds A and E produces the sound AE. If A and AE are

conjoined, then the sound AI is obtained. When the syllable Ma is added to AI, it results in

the seed letter AIM.

In the AIM seed letter, there are three conjunctions or phonetic units. These three

units represent three powers and states. The Mantra Sastra declares the seed letter of AIM as

the vagbhava beejam. The Goddess Saraswathi Devi is the presiding deity of speech and

education. Vagbhava denotes that which had derived from the Goddess Saraswathi Devi. It

can be construed as the one that generates spoken words. Another meaning of this term is that

of a provider. According to the Puranas, the deities of speech, Vasinya and others, intoned

the beejaksharas AIM for several years, so as to obtain the capability to inscribe the Lalitha

Sahasranama. In Sanskrit, the word AI signifies love and devotion. AI had emerged from the

beejakshara AIM. It is impossible to describe the power of this beejakshara. The renowned

sage Shankara Bhagavadpada employed the word AI in the Aigiri Nandini verse.

There is an exceptional incident that exemplifies the power of the beejakshara AIM. It

relates to Maha Kavi Kalidas, and helps us to better understand the effect of this beejakshara.

The king of Ujjain was engaged in finding a suitable bridegroom for his daughter. His

intention was to marry his daughter to a great poet and scholar. He delegated this duty to his

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minister, and directed him to search for such a scholar. The minister harbored malafide intent

towards the king and therefore decided to procure an insane person as the prospective

bridegroom. His plan was that such a son – in – law could be easily controlled by him. In the

course of his insidious mission, the minister chanced upon a person, who was loping off the

branch of a tree on which he was seated. The minister was beside himself with joy at having

succeeded in his search; and he immediately presented this fool to the kind and pronounced

him to be a wise person. The king, as was his wont, believed his minister’s words, and

forthwith ordered arrangements for the marriage of his daughter with that fool.

The princess was clever and astute, and recognized on the very first day of her

marriage that her husband was an illiterate fool. She realized that she and her father had been

deceived by the minister. She decided to transform her husband into a great scholar and took

a vow to that effect, with absolute self – determination. She told her husband that unless he

became competent and a good poet, she would not talk to him and would even refuse to gaze

upon his countenance.

The fool of a husband asked her as to where he was to obtain such proficiency. To this

the princess advised him to approach the nearby Kalika temple and pray for the blessings of

the Goddess. The simpleton repaired to the temple, closed the doors and prostrated himself at

the feet of the Goddess. He prayed with devotion and beseeched the Goddess to bestow

knowledge and erudition upon him. Anon, the Goddess Kalika Devi materialized before him

and inscribed some beejaksharas on his tongue. He did not know what She had written on his

tongue; however, immediately after the Goddess had written these beejaksharas, the fool

become a scholar. Thereupon, he recited the following verses in praise of the Goddess:

Dwaipayana Prabhruthi Chapayudha

Thridiva sopana dhulicharana

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Papapa Haswamanu Japanuleenajana

Thaapaapanoda nipuna

Neepalayaa Surabhi Dhupalaka duritha

Kupaadudamchayathu mam

Rupadhika shikhari bhupaala

Vamsamani deepayitha bhagavathi

He stated that adyaprabhrithi avanathangi thavasmi dasaha. O! Mother! I am your

servant from this moment. Das connotes a servant, and as he had offered himself as a servant

to the Goddess Kali, he came to be known as Kalidas. There is no mention of his previous

name. In this manner, Kalidas became a great poet, and his literary works were acclaimed by

everyone.

Kalidas was amazed at his transformation and he queried his Guru18 Maharishi Vyasa.

“Swami! I was a shepherd and a fool. How did this transformation take place in one single

day, with the blessings of the Goddess? How is it possible for me to compose poetry? How

did all this take place? Please explain it to me.”

Maharishi Vyasa replied:

“Dear Kalidas! You had accumulated virtue in your previous births. In your previous

birth, you were a shepherd, and you used to shout AI, AI to control your sheep. You recited

AI for countless times. The sound AI is the beejakshara of Goddess Saraswathi Devi. You

had unwittingly chanted it, as if it were japa. By virtue of that japa, you procured the

blessings of Goddess Kalikamatha in this birth. That is the secret of your scholarship and

poetry.”

18 Religious or spiritual teacher

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This narrative establishes the power of the beejakshara AIM. The shepherd had

unknowingly chanted that beejakshara and emerged a great poet. If the same beejakshara is

chanted with the knowledge of its power, then it provides unbounded prosperity and to the

practitioner. One should always remember this important fact.

After the obstacles have been eliminated, one should choose knowledge and

education. For this reason, the second beejakshara AIM has been incorporated into the

Raksha Mantra. The japa of this beejakshara confers education, knowledge and ability upon

its practitioner.

Hey Vani Hey Vani

Pallavi: Hey Vani Hey Vani Hey vani

Hey Vani … Hey Vani …

Charanam:

1. Aim beeja vase hey VaniAnanda dhare hey VaniSri Kalidasanethri hey VaniKavyaprakase hey Vani

2. Omkara vaedye hey VaniBhavarogavaidye hey VaniSuswethavarne hey VaniAmritha prakase hey Vani

3. Pusthakahasthe hey VaniVedaswarupini hey VaniLasadakshamale hey VaniNadaprakase hey Vani

4. Hamsadhirudhe he VaniHamsai rupasye hey VaniVivekahamse hey VaniSohamprakase hey Vani

5. Veenaavinodini hey VaniYogaprakase hey VaniVarasidhidayini hey Vani

Pallavi: Hey Vani Hey Vani Hey vani

Hey Vani … Hey Vani …

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Let us know analyze the beejakshara Hreem. It is derived from the ‘Hru nya’ verb. It

eliminates sins; thus, it is Hreem. This beejakshara relates to both Lord Shiva and Lord

Vishnu. It is known as Shakthi beeja or the seed of Power. Although Shakthi Tantra contains

several crores of mantras, Panchadasi has a significant place in it. All the remaining mantras

have emerged from the panchadasi. Therefore, it is termed the mantraraja or king of

mantras. It is composed of three parts, which are collectively known as thrikutam. Each kuta

ends with the beejakshara Hreem. It behaves as the termination of the previous kuta and the

beginning of the subsequent kuta. As such, the panchadasi should not be considered as

Ekaavrithi, and this is the fundamental rule, Vis – a – Vis the panchadasi.

On the basis of the Panchadasi, Lord Hayagreeva Swami had taught the esoteric

Trisathi. There are sixty names in the Trisathi that relate to the Hreem Kara. In order to

comprehend the power of Hreem, one has to understand all these sixty names. We will now

discuss them in a rapid manner.

The Goddess Raja Rajeswari Devi is the manifestation of Hreem Kara. It is Her abode

and She has untold affection towards it. The Hreem Kara has emerged from Her and She is

the embodiment of all the mantras based on it. Hreem is Her characteristic, and She is greatly

pleased if the Hreem Kara is chanted. She established Herself in the Hreem Kara, which is

Her ornament and conduct. Aspirants worship Her by chanting the Hreem Kara. The Goddess

resides in the Hreem Kara and She is its womb. Moreover, Her name is Hreem.

The venerable Goddess Tripuramba is depicted by the Hreem Karam and worshipped

by it. She sits on the pedestal of Hreem. She is realized through Hreem and recollected with

Hreem. As such, Hreem is the Goddess Raja Rajeswari Matha; Hreem is Her body and

Hreem has emerged from the Goddess Shakthi Durgi.

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In the practice of Shakthi, Hreem is predominant and constitutes the first and middle

parts of Goddess Shakthi. Her head is adorned with a diamond called Hreem, and She is the

tongue of fire that had emerged from the site of a fire termed as Hreem. The Goddess Raja

Rajeswari is the Hreem, which is the moon light. Hreem is also the light of the sun, the wave

of the sea. The Goddess had emerged from the root of Hreem, which contains Her qualities.

She is the swan in the reservoir of water called Hreem; and the Goddess Parvathi Devi is the

peacock that strolls in the garden known as Hreem. She is the deer in the Hreem forest, and

She is the parrot in the cage known as Hreem. The Goddess constitutes the lamp for the

precinct termed as the Hreem; and She is the lioness that resides in the cave termed Hreem.

She is none other than the bee that flies around the lotus known by the name of Hreem. She is

the honey in the Hreem flower and She is the bouquet termed Hreem. That Goddess

ParaShakthi is the embodiment of the Hreem Kara and the dove that perches atop the

structure known as Hreem. The Goddess is the potion that emerged from the sea of milk,

termed the Hreem.

The Goddess Lakshmi Devi resides in the Hreem lotus and She is the Goddess Para

Shakthi. If Hreem were an island of diamonds, then the Goddess constitutes the glittering

lights of that island. If Hreem were the tree, the Goddess is the parrot that is nestled in the

hollow of that tree. The Goddess is the priceless diamond that is secured in the stronghold

known as Hreem. She is the reflection of the mirror termed as Hreem, and her nervous system

is the Hreem. The Goddess Uma Devi dances on the stage known as Hreem. If Hreem were

to be an oyster shell, then the Goddess is the pearl within it. She is represented by Hreem; and

if Hreem were to be a golden pillar, the Goddess constitutes the diamond idol inscribed in

that pillar.

If Hreem were to be the sea of the Vedas, then the Goddess is the repository of the

Upanishads in it. She constitutes the fruit of the japa of Hreem. If Hreem is a garden, the

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Goddess is a plant in it. If Hreem were the Himalayas, the Goddess constitutes the River

Ganga that is born in it. She is the Kousthubhamani emergent from the sea termed Hreem.

She is the Hreem mantra, in Her totality. She is pleased on the intonation of the Hreem

mantra. The Goddess provides eternal prosperity to the person who chants that mantra. This

fact is established by Trisathi Namavali, which states that there is no difference between

Goddess Para Shakthi and Hreem. We are chanting such a great Hreem Kara as the third

beejakshara of this Raksha Mantra.

Song: Sri Lakshmi Maa Lakshmi Jaya Jaya Lakshmi

Ragam: Sri Raga Thalam: Khandanada

Pallavi: Sri Lakshmi MaaLakshmi Jaya Jaya Lakshmi

Sthira Lakshmi Shubha Lakshmi Sri Ashta Lakshmi

Charanam:

1. Aravichu kamalaala wuyyalaloChiruletha keratala woopulaloVudayinchu kiranala giliginthaloChirunavvu chindinchu o Bala Lakshmi

2. Aa Vishnu hrudayamme thana illugaAla paalavelliye padakillugaPasi Manmadhuni saaki laalinchuchooMusimusiga navveti o Prouda Lakshmi

3. Santhame thanakoppu puchendugaSaadhanale thanakimpu sommulugaGhana yogi hridayala perantamulSaginchi karuninchu o Vrudha Lakshmi

4. Thana bhakthulaku thane kanu thalligaNija saadhakula kaatma samsidhigaIhapara soukhyalu varshalugaRakshinchu Sri Sachidananda Lakshmi

Pallavi: Sri Lakshmi maaLakshmi Jaya Jaya Lakshmi

Sthira Lakshmi shubhaLakshmi Sri AshtaLakshmi

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The fourth beejakshara of this maha mantra is Shreem. It represents the Goddess

Lakshmi. In general, Goddess Lakshmi is known as the Goddess Sri Lakshmi. The Sri in this

name is the seed letter Shreem. ‘Sahi Srihi Amritha Sathaam’, Goddess Sri Lakshmi is the

Amritha Swarupini for the virtuous. The Vedas state that Goddess Lakshmi is represented by

the beejakshara Shreem. There are several holy verses like Durga Suktha, Narayana Suktha,

Nila Suktha, Rathri Suktha, Saraswathi Suktha. All these scriptures are named after the deity

to whom they relate. However, the Suktha of Goddess Lakshmi Devi is known as the Sri

Suktha. This is due to the fact that there is no difference between the beejakshara Shreem and

the Goddess Lakshmi Devi.

The verse in Sri Suktha ‘Shriyam Devi mupahwaye’ connotes that I am inviting

Goddess Lakshmi Devi. Similarly, Shrirma Devi jushathaam indicates that may Goddess Sri

Lakshmi bless me!

This beejakshar can be pronounced as Shrihi or Sri. On conjoining the ‘M’ sound, it

becomes Shreem, the beejakshara. The arcane beejakshara in the Shodasi practice is this very

same Shreem. The letter Sa is the combination of S and A. The combination of the

beejaksharas of Agni and Eem with Sa, produce the beejakshara Shreem.

S denotes Lord Shiva; and the Puranas, in several places, declare that the Goddess

Lakshmi is the sister of Lord Shiva and that the Goddess Parvathi is the sister of Lord

Vishnu. Therefore, the beejakshara Shreem simultaneously represents the siblings Lord Shiva

and Goddess Lakshmi Devi. The Sri Suktha disclosed the secret that the Bilva is the favorite

tree of Goddess Lakshmi Devi.

In fact, the beejakshara of Goddess Lakshmi Devi is EEM. It is comprised of two e’s.

One of them represents Goddess Lakshmi Devi and the other represents Lord Narayana.

From this perspective, the beejakshara EEM is the beejakshara of both Goddess Lakshmi and

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Lord Narayana. The chanting of the beejakshara, Shreem, bequeaths fame and prosperity on

the practitioners. Such aspirants would amass wealth, live contentedly and enjoy considerable

longevity. Shortcomings like anger, greed, cruelty and evil intentions would be eliminated.

Lakshim ksheerasamudra raja thanayam Sri Ranga Dhameswareem

Daasibhootha samastha deva vanitham lokaika deepankuram|

Sri Manmanda kataksha labda vibhava Brahmendra Gangadharaam

Thvam Thrilokya kutumbineem sarasijaam vande Mukunda Priyaam||

The above description completes the first part of the Raksha Mantra. The second part

of this discourse discusses the significance of Shiva and Rama.

Jaya Guru Datta

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