The transformation begins with speech...


yathā somyai kena mrtpindena sarvam mrnmayam vijñātam syādvācārambhanam vikāro nāmadheyam mrttiketyeva satyam || 6. 1. 4 |

“O gentle sir, as by knowing a lump of earth everything made of earth becomes known, the transformation begins with speech. It is name only. In fact, ‘earth’ is the reality.”
(Chandogya Upanishad)

na so ’sti pratyayo loke yah śabdānugamād rte | 
anuviddham iva jñānam sarvam śabdena bhāsate || Bhartrhari’s Vakyapadiya 1. 123

“In this world, there is no cognition which does not follow language. All knowledge appears as if permeated by words.”

api prayoktur ātmānau śabdam antaravasthitam |
prāhur mahāntam rsabham yena sāyujyam isyate ||

 tasmād yah śabdasamskārah sā siddhih paramātmanah | 
tasya pravrttitattvajñas tad brahmāmrtam aśnute || VP 1. 130-131

“It is also said that the self of the speaker is the word situated within, the Great Bull with whom one desires union. Therefore that which purifies the word is attainment of the Supreme Self. He, who
knows the truth of its origin, attains the immortal Brahman.”

The mantra “om vacadbhuve namah”, intuited by Kavyakanta Ganapati Muni, reiterates Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi‘s teaching of Atma Vichara (Self Enquiry).

The Guru mantra, 'om vacadbhuve namaḥ', can be translated as “Bow to that 'place' of Being from whence the Word arises (and sets)”. The head bows and relinquishes the ego. The Muni has stated that mantra must be repeated with full understanding of its meaning. In this instance, understanding the mantra equates with the enquiry “Who am I?”

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, Adiguru, the Great Bull, is the secret import of this mantra. 

—- —- —-
 - Translation from Sanskrit by MWright.

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