sarbani sarkar rath

Näma Tatva*

jaya niräkära jaya çunya çabdahéna

jaya niräkära jaya jagata paräëa

                                                                                                Acyuta Däs, Chayäliç Patala

Näma Brahma Tatva of Acyuta

Once, while immersed in samädhi, Acyuta Däs[1] was blessed with the divine vision of the Supreme Absolute, the Niraìkara Näräyaëa and seizing this opportunity he wished to be graced with the precious knowledge of Näma Tatva.  Upon which, the Supreme Lord Näräyaëa Jagannäth imparted the philosophy of Näma or names.

The Emergence of Aum

In the beginning there was the great Void or Çunya (zero). The five primordial elements or the païca bhütas, the 14 lokas or the caturdaça bhuvanas, the Universe, dyu and Space, water and air, sound and light nothing existed. There was neither death nor life, no day nor night, neither beginning nor end. There existed only the one Brahmaë, immersed in the mire of dark ignorance and undivided from its Mäyä, formless and without any attributes or qualities. Then from this Çunya, the Parameçvara desired to create, and upon this desire, creation took place and the Universe unfolded.[2] The Supreme Being appeared with qualities and attributes; its creative energy latent within was stirred and activated, and manifested itself, to eventually give birth to this splendorous world.

 Niraìkara Näräyaëa commenced his teaching by advising Acyuta not to run after that which is gross (sthula) in the form of the païca bhüta (the five elements) and instead focus the mind on the subtle (sukñma) in the form of the païca tanmäträ. These five tatvas and bhütas are the primary essentials among the 24 tatvas that created this material world[3]. This physical world was created by ichä or desire, which was expressed in the bindu (dot), which is the principle creator. The desire to create lies latent in the bindu and as it develops, moha[4] is generated, particularly for the created object. The energy that is required to liberate the latent creative potency dormant in the bindu and manifest itself into the created world is çakti, the divine feminine principle.  It is an impulse inherent within the Çunya, which activates the process of creation (A), sustains (U) the universe and then subsequently destroys (M) it. Motivated by this desire or ichä, the bindu fell through the sky as a smoky ashy hue (dhumra varëa), and the guëas (essential attributes/qualities of creation in the form of satva, rajas and tämas) were activated. Astrologically, this can be translated as a Jupiter-Ketu combination, Ketu representing smoke and Jupiter the all binding ether element or äkäça tatva and together it created life or can be denoted as creation itself. 

As ichä mobilized the guëas and changed them, the bindu changed colour from ash to blue and then to red. These three colours are the three ­­çaktis, Bhü, Çré and Néla and the three guëas satva, rajas and tämas. These three çaktis came together and ichä or desire was manifested as Aum.

Table 1

In reality, the çaktis are undifferentiated from the Aum, for it is not only the primordial energy but also the material matrix itself in which the manifest world is grounded and in that sense çakti is at once latent and manifest, both static and kinetic. The bindu’s manifestation as the Aum is the first manifestation of the material world and this is Brahma.  From Aum the 14 types of knowledge emerged, beginning with the four Vedas and from this knowledge the caturdaça bhuvanas (14 realms/worlds) were created, of which seven are lokas, the heavenly realms while the other seven are the talas or the underworlds.  The seven lokas are ruled by Jupiter and the seven talas by Venus, the two gurus of the zodiac.

In this manner, from the great void of nothingness or Çunya, Aum emerged and eventually it merges back into the nothing and this flow of emergence and dissolution is the lélä (play) of the Paramätmä and is the path of mokña. “Meditate upon this Aum”, Acyuta writes, “as this is Niräkära Brahmä.” Aum is the first name of God and the first stage of manifestation. The only truth that manifests is this name of God and that is Aum. The name is the only truth as nothing else will remain and nothing else is real.  All siddhas and yogis meditate upon this Aum, which is the only truth. It is only Aum which is replete with satva guëa and binds the universe. The strength of the name enabled the sädhus to comprehend the mysteries of the entire creation and to reach vaikunöha or Viñëu loka. From this one name Aum, the other names of God emerged and the first to appear were Brahmä, Viñëu and Maheçvara. 

The Emergence of Svaras or the Alphabet

The first manifestation of creation was in the subtle plane, at the level of the tanmäträs, and this was çabda or sound as Aum, which is ruled by Jupiter.  

Table 2

Aum is the Paramätmä or the Supreme Being as Çabda or Näda Brahmaë and from Aum, the other sounds or svaras materialized. The first svaras to appear were the 16 vowels:

Table 3: The 16 vowels

These 16 vowels were formed as a 16 petalled lotus in the viçuddha or throat cakra by Çiva, in the centre of which rests the Amåta Kalaça or the Pot of Immortal Nectar. Çiva as Måtyunjaya, (He who has conquered death) manifests Himself as Amåteçvaré, or the Goddess of Immortality and at sunrise each day, a drop of nectar falls from the Pot to the base of the mouth, rejuvenating the jivätmä. It is as if one dies each night when one goes to sleep and is reborn next morning by the nectar that drips down the throat at dawn from the Amåta Kalaça. Lord Måtyunjaya gives new life each morning after the daily death of nightly sleep. Each day thus is like a fresh cycle of creation and destruction, with the creative process commencing with the materialization of sound. It is the macrocosmic drama being played out at a microcosmic level.

Sound at the microcosmic level of the jivätmä appears as svara in the viçuddha cakra in the form of the 16 vowels which are divided in two groups of eight vowels each, of which the first group of vowels is short and the second group of vowels is long.

Short: a, i, u, å, ÿ, e, o, am

Long: ä, é, ü, è, ý, ai, au, aù

There are five primary vowels based on the païca tatvas or the five primordial elements, which are known as the païca svaras. The specific elemental nature of each vowel, assigns a particular characteristic to these svaras, namely form, name, intelligence, conscience and shelter. These svaras are essential, containing the païca präëas (five types of vital air), and representing the païca ätmäs (five types of ätmä).

The first vowel ‘a’ is known as the Brahmäkñara, as it initiates manifestation of the physical world and is therefore associated with form, breath and knowledge, the very buildings blocks of the living being. The second vowel, ‘i’ is associated with jala tatva which represents desire. The type of präëa associated with it is Apäna väyu; that vital air which moves downwards and is expelled through the excretory organ. It is related to Näma or name, for as desire drives one towards ignorance, the sense of the self grows stronger and the ego emerges. With that, the need for a name or a specific identification for the jivätmä arises.  Hence the béja for this svara is klém or Käma béja. The klém béja is generally used for worshipping Kåñëa. Käma means desire and one of the reasons klém is used for worshipping Kåñëa is because Kåñëa is the ultimate desire of a person, the highest yearning that one harbors during a life time. Desire for material and physical satiation is tämasik desire. The only true desire is to yearn for Kåñëa and this is expressed through the Käma béja, klém.  

Table 4: Acyuta’s Païcätmikä Tatva

Béjäkñara

The 16 svaras provide the basis for béjäkñaras or seed syllables which are prefixed before mantras. They reside in the vi­çuddha cakra in the form of a 16 petalled lotus.  By meditating on each petal one is blessed with the powers of speech. Each vowel is like a béja or seed which when attached to a consonant, produces an akñara or syllable. The consonant is the body; so when a seed attaches itself to a body, an akñara comes into existence. For example, consonants ‘r’ and ‘l’ when attached to the vowel ‘a’ produces the béjas ra and la. Ra or ram béja is ruled by Agni tatva and portrays repulsion. La or lam béja is ruled by jala tatva and signifies attraction. Ram as Agni moves the energy of the worshipper upwards, towards God. It is the fire that burns sin and this çakti or energy that must evolve within is best described by Käli, as she is the only one who can devour the sins burning within the deepest recesses of one’s being. Hence she is worshipped with the krém béja, ra or Agni added to the consonant ‘k’ and the vowel ‘i’. La or lam as jala tatva brings God down to the worshipper and is responsible for blossoming divine love or bhakti within the heart, and hence Kåñëa, the Eternal Lover, is worshipped with the klém béja. Here la is added to the same consonant ‘k’, and this enables the devotee to move towards the path of divine love or bhakti märga.

Similarly there are multifarious béjas, both singular and compound[5], which are used in Mantra Çästra[6] especially in the Tantra paramparäs[7]. Table 5 shows some of the common uses of the vowels when converted to béjas and the kind of knowledge it leads to. For example, aià, otherwise known as the väg béja is for worshipping Sarasvaté the Goddess of speech and learning. Huà, which is known as the kurca béja, is for suppressing evils. The béja duà is used for worshiping Goddess Durgä, as she removes and destroys all danger. Räà and Vaà are the béjas for Agni and Jala respectively and they are associated with the Brahmäkñara, which stands for creation.

Table 5

Nämäkñara: The Seed of the Name

Similarly, names as used in the physical world have béjäkñaras. The first letter of a name is the haàsaù or the soul and this is not accidental. The syllable with which the name starts is the consonant, which forms the béjäkñara in conjunction with the vowel ‘a’ or ‘am’, and this is known as the nämäkñara. The nämäkñara is the béja. From the Nämäkñara or béja the name comes into existence for it is the béja which creates the name and not vice versa.  The nämäkñara cannot come into being by itself only with the consonant as that would constitute merely a body. It requires the presence of the ätmä or soul, which is known as the haàsaù, to create a béjäkñara. Here, the vowel is the haàsaù or the soul. When the soul or the haàsaù enters the body, a life or jivätmä is born. Hence the conjoining of a vowel with a consonant creates a letter or akñara. From this akñara our personal béjäkñaras are obtained, which is the nämäkñara.  Examples:

Sanjay

S is the consonant, which is the body.

Haàsaù is the soul, represented by the vowel.

S + Haàsaù = Saà (This is translated as “s iti haàsaù” in Sanskrit).

Body + Soul = Seed (This seed is the nämäkñara).

Nämäkñara = Saà

Visti

V iti haàsaù

Nämäkñara = Vaà

Robert

R iti haàsaù

Nämäkñara = Raà

Lynn

L iti haàsaù

Nämäkñara = Laà

Tara

T iti haàsaù

Nämäkñara = Taà

Jim

J iti haàsaù

Nämäkñara = Jaà

Nämäkñara in the Räsé Chart

A name made of a single letter is a béja, as discussed above, but names are also composed of 2, 3 or 4 letters. Those having more than 4 letters or akñaras are to be reduced to 2, 3 or 4 akñaras by removing multiples of 3. If a name consists of 5 letters, then remove 3, and the number that is obtained is 2. Names framed with 2, 3 and 4 letters represent the cara, dvisvabhäva and sthira räçés and characteristics of these räçé will imprint itself on the native.

The nämäkñara belongs to a particular nakñatra, the formula for which is given below:

Table 6: Näma Nakñatra[8]

Determine the räsé from the näma nakñatra and then examine this räsé in the natal chart. If the näma räsé is corresponds to the lagna or lagna kendra, then the amount of satya or truth in the person and his life would be high. If it does not correspond to the lagna, then see whether it associates with the Moon and its kendras. If the näma räsé does not correspond with either lagna or the Candra Lagna then the suffering in the life of the person will be high, as the degree of satya would be minimal. Satya or truth is strong in the lagna and candra kendras, stable in the paëapharas and is in a declining mode in the apoklimas. The following is an example of three brothers all of whom have their näma räsé in Aquarius, but have grown to lead completely different and separate lives.

Chart 1

This is the chart of the eldest brother. The first letter is ‘Su’, which corresponds with Çatabhiçäj nakñatra and falls in Aquarius, which becomes his näma räsé. It is placed in Candra kendra in the 12th house aspected by its lord, Rähu and conjunct the 7th and 9th lords, Mercury and Mars. The näma räsé also happens to be his Päka Lagna, with the presence of Lagna Lord Jupiter, making the association with both lagna and candra lagna very strong. At a very young age, soon after finishing his primary education, he left India for the United States, where he settled and attained wealth and prosperity. The 3rd (short distance), 7th (travel in general) 9th (long distance) and 12th (settlement in a foreign country) signify travel. The näma räçé is the 12th house associated with these travel house lords. The 7th lord from the näma räçé is Sun placed in the lagna, where there is a strong Mälavya Mähapuruña Yoga. Once he settled abroad, he married a foreigner (UL lord Jupiter is in the näma räsé), attained wealth, and the Mähapuruña Yoga was instigated. Observe the strong influence of Rähu, as näma räçé lord and aspecting the räçé as Rähu signifies strong foreign influence.

Chart 2

This is the chart of the second or middle brother. The first letter is ‘Sa’, placed in Aquarius. The Moon is placed in the näma räçé, assuring fame. Mercury is in the 7th from it, forming a beautiful Çaradä Yoga, giving him the skills of writing and learning, hence the fame is because of his writing and scholarship.  The 7th lord from the näma räçé Sun is conjunct the 8th lord and aspecting the näma räçé, showing that the fame is for occult studies (8th lord), specifically jyotiña (Sun).  The aspect of Rähu conjoining Çatru pada (A6) indicates trouble from rivals and enemies, and once again the placement of näma räçé in the 12th house shows that the fame assured by the Moon will be achieved in foreign countries.

Chart 3

This chart is of the youngest brother. The first letter is ‘Su’ and the näma räçé is in Aquarius once again. It is the 8th house and is in candra kendra, showing the attempt to adhere to the path of satya. The placement of Sun and Saturn in the sign of Rähu, in the näma räçé, however explains the tragedy of this brother. Unable to break the umbilical cord, he still lives with his father living out a stereotypical Sun-Saturn relationship with him, which has prevented him from moving on in life and from making a mark for himself. It has seriously affected his professional and marital lives shown by the UL, A10 on the näma räçé axis.

Chart 4: Anonymous 1

The nämäkñara is ‘jo’ which is in the 3rd pada of Abhijit nakñatra and this is mapped into the sign of Capricorn which is her näma räçi. The näma räçi is in a dusthäna from the lagna in the 3rd house with the Sun in it and aspected by Saturn in the 7th from it, indicating hardships, especially those related to resources, and a lot of effort for overcoming this situation. From the Moon, the näma räçi is in a kendra (4th) and it is a Moon conjunct Jupiter. Indeed, during Jupiter daça, the native was a pediatric surgeon of repute (signified by Jupiter-Moon and näma räçi in the 4th house of cure and healing from Candra Lagna). Once Saturn daça commenced, the native lost everything she had and after much hardship and effort (näma räçi in the 3rd house of paräkrama), she restarted her life as an astrologer. In the process she stopped using her last name and now uses only her first and middle names. As a dual sign is rising, she has two äruòas: one from Mars and the other from Ketu. The Mars äruòa is Capricorn while the Ketu äruòa is Aquarius. So she changed from the Capricorn äruòa of Mars (surgeon) to the Aquarius äruòa of Ketu (astrology and spirituality). 

Chart 5: Name Change

This is a fine example of name change from Filip to Priya, which completely altered the native’s life. ‘Pi’ (in lieu of F) falls in the last pada of Uttara Phälguné nakñatra and is mapped into the sign Virgo, which is his näma räçi. Virgo has debilitated Lagna Lord Venus in the 5th house of love and aspected by a retrograde Mars from Gemini. He was caught in the world of drugs and everything unappetizing regarding his relations with the opposite sex that a debilitated Venus aspected by Mars indicates. Venus gets nécabhanga by Mercury which signifies change in and of name. This change in name was brought about by Jupiter in Pisces in the 7th from the näma räçi and aspecting it. So this change did not come about easily, but when it did come, it was brought about by a guru, who initiated him under memorable and unusual circumstance and changed his name to Priya. Slowly he veered towards a spiritual path, which included learning jyotiña and starting and owning an electronic discussion group on jyotiña. Gradually (retrograde Jupiter) he made a move to shift out of his drug circle and engage in a more meaningful life, which included receiving another Krishna mantra (Mercury) from another paramparä.

The Kaöapayädi Method of Näma Räsé

A second method of deriving a näma räçé is through the Kaöapayädi method. The Kaöapayädi system is a part of traditional techniques along with various other cakras for determining suitability of names and mantras. The method for calculating the näma räçé from the Kaöapayädi varga is given below.

Calculating the Kaöapayädi Varga[9]

Each of the Sanskrit vowels have a zero value (Table-1) and,

Each of the consonants Ka, Ta, Pa & Ya has a numerical value of one, hence the name Kaöapayädi Varga.

The consonants following these have a sequentially higher numerical value (Table-2).

Table 7: Kaöapayädi Varga – Vowels