नमः काट्याय च नीप्याय च

namaḥ kāṭyāya ca nīpyāya ca (7:8)

Meaning:

Salutations to the One, who is in the form of deep marshy lands and the water in such marshy lands.

Notes:

Nīpa means foot of mountains, situated low, yet deep. Foothills of mountains are always deep marshy lands with lose watery soil. Nīpa also means waterfalls. Thus, not only His omnipresence but both sentient and insentient is established, and also says that He is the source of water for those who battle for Liberation. Many of the yogis perform tapas at the foothills taking into account the calm atmosphere and also the conducive climatic conditions. Such yogis depend upon water from the mountains, as such water contains herbal essence and minerals, which is extremely good for their living. They live mainly on water.

नमः सूद्याय च सरस्याय च

namaḥ sūdyāya ca sarasyāya ca (7:9)

Meaning:

Salutations to the One who is in the form of dried pools (may be referring to marsh again) and in the form of ponds and lakes.

Notes:

There are two famous lakes Ara and Nya in Brahma lokā. Brahmā, the God of creation created a lake called Mānasarovar at the top of mount Kailāsa. The water in this lake is known for its highest purity. The lake exists even today.  Swans always prefer purity and hence flock around this lake. The lake is compared to the mind (which has to be pure) and the swans (normally a pair of swan) are compared to jīvātma-s (souls) and Paramātma (the Brahman) and are compared to Rudra. Brahman has a great liking for a pure mind and chooses to stay there forever, guiding the aspirant from within.

नमो नाद्याय च वैशन्ताय च

namo nādyāya ca vaiśantāya ca (7:10)

Meaning:

Salutations to the One who is in the form of rivers and small pools.

Notes:

Nādi is also interpreted as nāḍī-s such as iḍa, piṅgala and suṣumna. When all the three nāḍī-s are perfectly balanced, one sees illumination of his body. Vaiśanta means small pools dug for rituals such as yajña-s. Since every psychic chakra represents lotus flowers, probably this could also refer to six chakras from mūlādhāra to ājñā.

नमो कूप्याय चावट्याय च (नमो कूप्याय च अवट्याय च)

namo kūpyāya cāvaṭyāya ca (namo kūpyāya ca avaṭyāya ca) (7:11)

Meaning:

Salutations to Him, who is in the form of wells and pits (which have water).

Notes:

Probably this refers to secretion of ambrosia during kuṇḍalinī meditation. There is one soma chakra in the middle of sahasrāra.  When Kuṇḍalinī reaches this cakra, out of the heat generated there, the ambrosia which is stored there (cerebrospinal fluid) gets melted and drips through the throat and enters the entire nervous system.

नमो वर्ष्याय चावर्ष्याय च (नमो वर्ष्याय च अवर्ष्याय च)

namo varṣyāya cāvarṣyāya ca (namo varṣyāya ca avarṣyāya ca ) (7:12)

Meaning:

Salutations to the One, who is in the form of rain water and also in the form of ground water that does not depend upon rain.

Notes:

Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad Gītā (IX.19), “I send and withhold rain” Rain and water in oasis and ground water originate from Him only. “The effulgence of the sun, which illuminates the whole world, the light of the moon and the fire, all originate from Me. I permeate the earth with my energy and support it.  I become the ambrosial moon and nourish the plants. I become the fire and abide in the body of all beings and uniting with inhalation and exhalation, I consume the four types of food” said Kṛṣṇa.

नमो मेघ्याय च विद्युताय च

namo meghyāya ca vidyutāya ca (7:13)

Meaning:

Salutation to the One, who is in the form of cloud and lightning.

Notes:

He is Brahman in the form of Prakṛti, also known as Nature. Devoid of changes here mean, with regard to twenty three tattva-s.  They are mahat [It is a product of prakṛti. It is the great principle, of buddhi, the Intellect, or the intellectual principle. According to the Sāṃkhya philosophy the second of the twenty three principles produced from prakṛti and so called as the great source of ahaṃkāra, (ego) self-consciousness and manas, the mind], ego and five tanmātra-s (sound, taste, smell, light and touch) are called cause.  Five organs of perception, five organs of action, five basic elements and mind make the balance sixteen.  These sixteen are called action.  Therefore prakṛti is made up of cause and action and puruṣa is devoid of this.  But for creation both puruṣa and prakṛti are required.  This points out to Śiva-Śaktī union. Kṛṣṇa says, “Those who know the difference between kṣetra and kṣetrajña and the phenomenon of liberation from Prakṛti with her evolutes, reach the supreme eternal spirit.”

नमो ईध्रियाय चाऽऽतप्याय च (नमो ईध्रियाय च आतप्याय च)

namo īdhriyāya cā''tapyāya ca (namo īdhriyāya ca ātapyāya ca) (7:14)

Meaning:

Salutations to the One, who is in the form of autumn clouds (autumn sky is said to be without clouds – clear sky). Ātapya means sunshine. Salutations to Him in the form of sun and its light.

Notes:

The sky being clear, the rays of the sun falls on the entire world. This is with reference to His acts of creation and sustenance. Without sunlight, the world cannot exist and He is in the form of sun, protecting everyone.

नमो वात्याय च रेष्मियाय च            

namo vātyāya ca reṣmiyāya ca (7:15)

Meaning:

Salutations to the One, who is in the form of thunderstorm with heavy rains and hailstorm causing destruction in the form of deluge (pralaya).

Notes:

Śiva dances fiercely at the time of great dissolution and none was around except Lalitāmbikā, who just witnesses this terrible act of Śiva.  The great dissolution means the universe ceases to exist and nothing remains except Śiva and Śaktī.  The dissolution is called the fourth act of the Brahman, the other three being creation, sustenance and destruction.  The difference between destruction and dissolution is noteworthy.  Destruction is transmigration of a soul.  The soul leaves the body to be born again.  Death is only for the physical body.    Dissolution or annihilation or the deluge means the death of entire physical body as well as all the souls.  When dissolution happens, nothing exists.  Everything dissolves into Śiva in the presence of Śaktī, who witnesses the great dissolution.  When annihilation unfolds, the entire universe gets dissolved into Śiva.  This happens exactly in the reverse process of creation.  At the time of creation ākāśa was born out of the Brahman, air was born out of ākāśa, etc.  At the time of annihilation, air gets dissolved into ākāśa and ākāśa gets dissolved into Śiva.  This process is known as involution as opposed to evolution, a process that happens during creation.

नमो वास्तव्याय च वास्तुपाय च॥

namo vāstavyāya ca vāstupāya ca || (7:16)

Meaning:

He is the protector of wealth, vehicles and all other objects in a residential house. He is also in the form of house, site, ground, building or dwelling places, etc. Salutations to Him.

Notes:

He is in the form of both sentient and insentient. Hence He presides over immovable and movable assets. He is also the vāstu puruṣa, who controls various dimensions of a building. Āgama-s are traditional doctrines or precepts that lay down guidelines for various rituals, mostly with temples.  It is a huge subject and is the combination of vāstu śāstra, astrology, astronomy, etc. There is a mythological story about vāstu puruṣa. Once upon a time, there was a fight between gods and demons. One of the demons caused innumerable trouble to gods. But gods pushed him down on the ground. The demon sought the help of Brahmā, who named him as vāstu puruṣa.  Brahmā gave him a boon that all constructions on the earth should be commenced and concluded after worshiping him. Thus came into existence vāstu śāstra. Vāstu is derived from Vasu or the earth or a group/class of gods.

End of anuvāka 7