Durva Suktam Word to Word Meaning and Commentary Yajur Veda

Introduction to Vedas 

The entire Universe is reverberating. When there is reverberation, there is sound. In other words, the entire cosmos is simply a manifestation of sound energy. The ancient Vedic sages through penance, were able to download cosmic data directly. They received the cosmic truths in the form of sounds which they heard and envisioned. These truths were recited as received, and passed on generations after generations.

Various truths downloaded by various Rishis gave rise to the ocean of Vedas. Veda Vyasa later compiled these Vedas and classified them. This is how the 4 Vedas came to existence. Each of these Vedas have many branches. Each branch had 4 components : 

(1) samhita

(2) brahmana

(3) aranyaka

(4) Upanishad

The Durva Sukta comes in the Taittiriiya AraNyakam of the KrsHNa Yajur Veda ( 10-1-7 & 8 )

sahasra-paramaa devii shatamuulaa shataa~Nkuraa |

sarva(gm) haratu me paapaM duurvaa dussvapna-naashanii |

sahasra = infinity / thousand

paramaa = highest

devii = feminine of deva. 

The term 'deva' / 'devata' comes from the root 'div' which means 'to shine'. This termed is coined to an entity who represents enlightenment or absolute consciousness.

shata = hundred

muulaa = root

aNkura = sprouts

sarvam = all

haratu = to seize 

me = me

paapam = sin

duurvaa = Durva grass ( bermuda grass )

dussvapa = duhu ( difficult ) + svapna ( dream state ) 

naashani = destroyer

Meaning and commentary:

'The thousand-fold supreme Duurva Devi has hundreds of roots. Duurva Devi seizes and purifies all my sins. She is the destroyer of nightmares'

The Duurvaa grass reproduces rapidly ( by a hundred and thousands of fold ). The Duurvaa grass also holds tremendous healing properties as per traditional medicine. She is said to be effective in wound healing, to combat inflammation and gastrointestinal issues as well.

The healing property of this Duurvaa grass removes suffering and nightmares in one and gives a state of relieve.

At a more profound understanding, the divine mother who exists in the form of Duurvaa represents the state of absolute consciousness. She initiates spiritual awakening in a person which expands by a thousand fold, like a seed which blooms into a gargantuan tree to manifest the supreme state of enlightenment.

She destroys the bad dream state which is ignorance. Identification with the body, mind and temporary world is a bad dream.

( The sahasrara chakra residing as the crown above the head is said to be a thousand petalled lotus which blooms upon enlightenment

kaaNDaat-kaaNDaat prarohantii parushhaH (f) parushhaH pari |

evaano duurve pratanu sahasreNa shatena cha |

kaaNDaat = segments

prarohanti = pra ( manifest ) + rohanti ( to grow )

parushhah = node 

pari = grow further

evaanaH = in such manner

duurvee = O Duurvaa

pratanu = expand and grow

sahasreNa = by thousands

shatena = by hundreds

cha = and

Meaning and commentary:

O Duurvaa, You grow further by multiplying at every segment and node. In this manner, you expand and grow by hundreds and thousands of fold. 

The Duurvaa grass represents the Earth element through which we are born and nourished. So Duurvaa devii can bless us to expand our progeny to form a civilization, to expand our wealth, to expand our knowledge etc by hundreds and thousands of fold.

In a deeper dimension, the duurvaa is actually a blueprint of the cosmos.

My mentor for Sanskrit grammar, Shri Maunish Vyas narrated his experience with Durva Suktam - in which he experienced the truth of this Suktam.

My mentor in his early days explored the Durva Suktam. As he recited a particular verse of the mantra above ( kaaNDaat kaaNDaat prarohanti parusHaH (f) parusHaH (f) pari ), he saw a hologram manifest before his eyes. He literally had the vision of the central nervous system in front of him, floating in midair, as though it was projected through a TV screen.

The graphic details of the brain and the spinal column were physically manifesting in front of him. This denoted the Kundalini shakti which rises through the subtle channels within the spinal column. The word 'kaaNDaat' means segments. The segments in the duurvaa grass blades represent the segments of the vertebral column, which houses the important energy channels through which ascension of Kundalini shakti happens.

Sometime later, he was looking for the meaning of kaatyaayani ( roots ka + ati + ayani ) in the dictionary when he stumbled upon the verse ' kaaNDaat kaaNDaat , given as a reference for the word 'kaatyaayani'. 

Kaatyaayani is a name for Shakti. The sound kaaNDaat and kaatyaayani have the same root sound 'kaa'.

Lord GaNapati is the presiding deity of the Muulaadhaara Chakra. This is the root chakra. Kundalini awakening is initiated with the activation of the Muulaadhaara chakra as this is the base chakra which forms the foundation for the entire system.

This is why Durva blades are used to worship Lord GaNesha.

yaa shatena pratanoshhi sahasreNa virohasi

tasyaaste deviishhTake vidhema havishhaa vayam |

yaa = You, Devi

shatena = by hundreds

pratanoshhi = multiply & expand

sahasreNa = by thousands

virohasi = in different directions

tasyaaH = for your

te = your 

devii = devi

ishhTake = of my favourite

vidhema = worship

havishha = oblations / offerings ( like offering havis into a yaaga )

vayam = we / us

Meaning and commentary:

O Devi, you multiply and expand by hundreds and thousands of fold and grow in different directions. Devi of my favourite, may we offer oblations and worship to You!

Here, we recognise, worship and offer oblations to Devi who upon manifesting in us, awakens our consciousness in all dimensions, by a hundred and thousand fold.

ashva-kraante ratha-kraanthe

vishhNu-kraante vasundharaa |

shirasaa dhaara-yishhyaami

rakshhasva maaM padepade |

ashva = horse

kraante = travel

ratha = chariot

vishhNu = vish ( all pervasiveness ), ' the all-pervasive One'

vasundharaa = bearer of all wealth

shirasaa = on my head

dhaarayishhyaami = I shall place

rakshhasva = protect

maam = me

pade = every step

Meaning and commentary:

O Mother Earth who is the bearer of all wealths, horses and chariots travel on You. The all-pervasive VisHNu also traverses on you ( The incarnations of the Maha-VisHNu walk on mother Earth ).

I shall place You on my head. Protect me with every step which I take.

Mother Earth ( represented by Duurva, which is of Earth element ) supports the animate and inanimate manifestations of creation. She also supports the divine manifestation. When I recognise this Mother of mine, I revere Her at the crown of my head with reverence. As a Mother, She protects and guides me with every endeavor I take in life.

At a profound dimension, ashva ( horse ) represents life-force in the Vedic lore. The life-force enables the functioning of a body. The horses ( life-force ) pull the Ratha ( ratha represents the body ( vessel ) in which we are confined to in this realm). The body is the chariot to the atma. VisHNu represents the state of divinity ( of atma ) confined within the body. Though confined to a body when functioning on the earthly plane, the atma is really all-pervasive and omnipresent. It is the absolute reality.

The amalgamation of these 3 principles is universal in all beings which are nourished and supported by Mother Earth.

All planes of heavens can be well-experienced in the earthly plane as well. She is the bearer of all treasures. When we function with the realisation that we are truly atma, we are at the highest heaven, experiencing the greatest treasure of causeless bliss. When we function with the cognition that we are the body, we feel burdened like  the weight of a chariot paving through a rough pathway.

Our life on this planet is our making :)