Exegesis, Theology, and Spirituality: Reading the Dvaya Mantra According to Vedānta Deśika

Abstract

There is a significant body of literature on the meaning and use of mantras in Hindu and other Indian traditions (see, for example, Alper 1989; Coward and Goa 1991; Padoux 2003; Patton 2005).2 Much is known today about Vedic mantras and their use and their interpretation in the systematic analyses of the Mimamsa (see Clooney 1990: 116?22); the importance of mantras in ancient and contemporary devotional traditions too is clear, and texts such as the Laksml Tantra instruct us amply on the use of mantras in certain Tantric traditions (see Gupta 2000: particularly 391-98). But we still require a better sense of how mantras fit into the worldview and practice of specific communities in accord with their own self-understanding. There is a limit to how much of this richer understanding can be acquired from texts, apart from the living traditions of speech and practice; but it would be a mistake to overlook how traditions have explained mantras and highlighted their significance in their written texts, often at great length. In this essay I take a single example from the Srivaisnava Hindu tradition, an ancient tradition of South India, devoted to worship of Narayana as the sole God, along with his consort, Sri Laksml. I will show that its sources give us very ample information by which to understand how and why particular mantras (though I give just one extended example) are meaning ful for that ancient and continuing community. In Srivaisnava sources we find three particularly cherished mantras1, that encode in three ways prapatti or saranagati, the act of taking refuge with the divine couple: the Tiru Mantra, awn namo narayanaya (aum, praise to Narayana), a confession of the utter dependence of all beings on that divine person; the Carama Sloka, sarvadharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja, aham tva sarvapapebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah (Having completely given up all modes of righteousness, to Me alone come for refuge. From all sins I will free you. Do not grieve), as the divine invitation to take refuge with the divine person and live one's life without self-righteousness; and the Dvaya Mantra, srimannarayanacaranau saranam