Mantra Pushpam

mantra puṣpam is a Vedic meditation on āpas, the waters, as support, flower, source, and subtle foundation of cosmic order. It is drawn from the Taittiriya Aranyaka stream of the Krishna Yajurveda and is commonly recited near the close of worship, when flowers are offered.

This Vedic chant teaches the sacred interdependence behind the visible world. Its repeated word āyatanam means abode, basis, resting place, or support. The hymn contemplates water as the support of fire, wind, sun, moon, stars, rain, and time, while also contemplating each of these as a support of water.

bha̠dra-ṅkarṇē̍bhi-śśṛṇu̠yāma̍ dēvāḥ ।
bha̠dra-mpa̍śyēmā̠kṣabhi̠ryaja̍trāḥ ।
sthi̠rairaṅgai̎stuṣṭu̠vāgṃsa̍sta̠nūbhi̍ḥ ।
vyaśē̍ma dē̠vahi̍ta̠ṃ yadāyu̍ḥ ॥
sva̠sti na̠ indrō̍ vṛ̠ddhaśra̍vāḥ ।
sva̍sti na̍ḥ pū̠ṣā vi̠śvavē̍dāḥ ।
sva̠̠stina̠stārkṣyō̠ ari̍ṣṭanēmiḥ ।
sva̠sti nō̠ bṛha̠spati̍rdadhātu ॥
ōṃ śānti̠-śśānti̠-śśānti̍ḥ ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
May we hear what is auspicious and see what is auspicious. With steady bodies, may we praise the divine and live the lifespan granted for divine purpose. May Indra, Pusha, Tarkshya, and Brihaspati grant us well-being. May there be peace, peace, peace.

yō̍-'pā-mpuṣpa̠ṃ vēda̍ ।
puṣpa̍vā-npra̠jāvā̎-npaśu̠mā-nbha̍vati ।
cha̠ndramā̠ vā a̠pā-mpuṣpam̎ ।
puṣpa̍vā-npra̠jāvā̎-npaśu̠mā-nbha̍vati ।
ya ē̠vaṃ vēda̍ ।
yō̍-'pāmā̠yata̍na̠ṃ vēda̍ ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
One who knows the flower of the waters becomes blessed with blossoming, progeny, and living wealth. The moon is the flower of the waters. One who knows the support of the waters becomes established in support.

a̠gnirvā a̠pāmā̠yata̍nam ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
yō̎-'gnērā̠yata̍na̠ṃ vēda̍ ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
āpō̠vā a̠gnērā̠yata̍nam ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
ya ē̠vaṃ vēda̍ ।
yō̍-'pāmā̠yata̍na̠ṃ vēda̍ ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Fire is a support of the waters, and the waters are a support of fire. One who knows this mutual support becomes firmly established.

vā̠yurvā a̠pāmā̠yata̍nam ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
yō vā̠yōrā̠yata̍na̠ṃ vēda̍ ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
āpō̠ vai vā̠yōrā̠yata̍nam ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
ya ē̠vaṃ vēda̍ ।
yō̍-'pāmā̠yata̍na̠ṃ vēda̍ ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Wind is a support of the waters, and waters are the support of wind. One who knows this becomes established in support.

a̠sau vai tapa̍nna̠pāmā̠yata̍nam ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
yō̍-'muṣya̠tapa̍ta ā̠yata̍na̠ṃ vēda̍ ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
āpō̠ vā a̠muṣya̠tapa̍ta ā̠yata̍nam ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
ya ē̠vaṃ vēda̍ ।
yō̍-'pāmā̠yata̍na̠ṃ vēda̍ ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The shining sun is a support of the waters, and the waters are a support of the sun. One who knows this becomes established.

cha̠ndramā̠ vā a̠pāmā̠yata̍nam ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
yaścha̠ndrama̍sa ā̠yata̍na̠ṃ vēda̍ ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
āpō̠ vai cha̠ndrama̍sa ā̠yata̍nam ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
ya ē̠vaṃ vēda̍ ।
yō̍-'pāmā̠yata̍na̠ṃ vēda̍ ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The moon is a support of the waters, and the waters are the support of the moon. One who knows this becomes established.

nakṣatra̍trāṇi̠ vā a̠pāmā̠yata̍nam ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
yō nakṣatra̍trāṇāmā̠yata̍na̠ṃ vēda̍ ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
āpō̠ vai nakṣa̍trāṇāmā̠yata̍nam ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
ya ē̠vaṃ vēda̍ ।
yō̍-'pāmā̠yata̍na̠ṃ vēda̍ ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The stars are a support of the waters, and the waters are the support of the stars. One who knows this becomes established.

pa̠rjanyō̠ vā a̠pāmā̠yata̍nam ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
yaḥ pa̠rjanya̍syā̠yata̍na̠ṃ vēda̍ ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
āpō̠ vai pa̠rjanya̍syā̠yata̍nam ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
ya ē̠vaṃ vēda̍ ।
yō̍-'pāmā̠yata̍na̠ṃ vēda̍ ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The rain-cloud is a support of the waters, and the waters are the support of the rain-cloud. One who knows this becomes established.

sa̠ṃva̠tsa̠rō vā a̠pāmā̠yata̍na̠m ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
ya-ssa̍ṃvatsa̠rasyā̠yata̍na̠ṃ vēda̍ ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
āpō̠ vai sa̍ṃvatsa̠rasyā̠yata̍nam ।
ā̠yata̍navā-nbhavati ।
ya ēvaṃ vēda̍ ।
yō̎-'phsu nāva̠-mprati̍ṣṭhitā̠ṃ vēda̍ ।
pratyē̠va ti̍ṣṭhati ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The year is a support of the waters, and the waters support the year. One who knows the boat established in the waters becomes firmly established.

ōṃ rā̠jā̠dhi̠rā̠jāya̍ prasahya sā̠hinē̎ ।
namō̍ va̠yaṃ vai̎śrava̠ṇāya̍ kurmahē ।
sa mē̠ kāmā̠n kāma̠ kāmā̍ya̠ mahyam̎ ।
kā̠mē̠śva̠rō vai̎śrava̠ṇō da̍dātu ।
ku̠bē̠rāya̍ vaiśrava̠ṇāya̍ ।
ma̠hā̠rājāya̠ nama̍ḥ ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
We bow to Vaishravana, king of kings, mighty and victorious. May Kubera, lord of desired wealth, grant me rightful desires. Salutations to Kubera, the great king.

ō̎-ntadbra̠hma ।
ō̎-ntadvā̠yuḥ ।
ō̎-ntadā̠tmā ।
ō̎-ntathsa̠tyam ।
ō̎-ntatsarvam̎ ।
ō̎-ntatpurō̠rnamaḥ ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
That is Brahman; that is Vayu; that is the Self; that is truth; that is all. Salutation to that supreme presence.

antaścharati̍ bhūtē̠ṣu guhāyāṃ vi̍śvamū̠rtiṣu ।
tvaṃ yajñastvaṃ vaṣaṭkārastva-mindrastvagṃ
rudrastvaṃ viṣṇustva-mbrahmatva̍-mprajā̠patiḥ ।
tva-nta̍dāpa̠ āpō̠ jyōtī̠rasō̠-'mṛta-mbrahma̠ bhūrbhuva̠ssuva̠rōm ।

Translation (bhāvārtha):
You move within beings, hidden in the heart-cave and present in all forms. You are sacrifice, the sacrificial call, Indra, Rudra, Vishnu, Brahma, and Prajapati. You are waters, light, essence, immortality, Brahman, and the three worlds.

īśānassarva̍ vidyā̠nāmīśvarassarva̍bhūtā̠nāṃ
brahmādhi̍pati̠-rbrahma̠ṇō-'dhi̍pati̠-rbrahmā̍ śi̠vō mē̍ astu sadāśi̠vōm ।

Translation (bhāvārtha):
May the Lord of all knowledge, the Lord of all beings, the Lord of sacred knowledge, Brahma and Shiva, the ever-auspicious one, be auspicious to me.

tadviṣṇō̎ḥ para̠ma-mpa̠dagṃ sadā̍ paśyanti sū̠raya̍ḥ ।
di̠vīva̠ chakṣu̠rāta̍tam ।
tadviprā̍sō vipa̠nyavō̍ jāgṛ̠vāgṃ sassami̍ndhatē ।
viṣnō̠ryatpa̍ra̠ma-mpa̠dam ।

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The seers always behold the supreme station of Vishnu, like an eye extended in heaven. The inspired and wakeful sages kindle awareness of that supreme station.

ṛtagṃ sa̠tya-mpa̍ra-mbra̠hma̠ pu̠ruṣa̍-ṅkṛṣṇa̠piṅga̍lam ।
ū̠rdhvarē̍taṃ vi̍rūpā̠kṣa̠ṃ vi̠śvarū̍pāya̠ vai namō̠ nama̍ḥ ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Salutations to the universal-form Purusha, supreme Brahman, truth and cosmic order, dark-tawny, upward in creative power, wondrous-eyed, and present as the sacred form of all.

ō-nnā̠rā̠ya̠ṇāya̍ vi̠dmahē̍ vāsudē̠vāya̍ dhīmahi ।
tannō̍ viṣṇuḥ prachō̠dayā̎t ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
May we know Narayana; we meditate on Vasudeva as the indwelling divine presence. May Vishnu inspire, guide, and illumine our understanding.

ōṃ śānti̠-śśānti̠-śśānti̍ḥ ।

Translation (bhāvārtha):
May peace settle at every level: in divine forces, in the outer world, and within the mind, so that the knowledge of cosmic support may become stable.

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