नराशंसमिह प्रियमस्मिन्यज्ञ उप ह्वये ।
मधुजिह्वं हविष्कृतम् ॥ ३ ॥

Narashamsamiha priyamasmin yajna upa hvaye
Madhujihvam havishkritam ॥ 3 ॥

Meaning

नराशंसम् (Narashamsam) One who is worthy of being praised by human beings; one worthy of human praise. “Nara” means human being; “Shamsa” means praising and glorifying virtues. Therefore, “Narashamsam” refers to the Divine who is worthy of being praised by human beings. Remembering the qualities of the Divine and praising them is not merely a hymn of praise, but a spiritual practice that elevates the inner being of a human. By uttering the glory of the Divine, a person develops noble thoughts and a divine purpose within. This is what transforms him into a true “Nara”, a human being who walks on the path of elevation.

इह (Iha) Here, in this world, in this human life. Attaining the Divine is not considered something that can happen only after death. The word “Iha” conveys that the nearness of the Divine should be experienced in this human life itself, amidst everyday experiences. Spiritual life is not something separate from life; it is a truth that should blossom in the midst of life.

प्रियम् (Priyam) Beloved; one who gives inner satisfaction; one who gives joy. The Divine is the one who fulfils the human heart. Though worldly objects may give temporary pleasure, only the experience of the Divine gives deep and indescribable bliss. Therefore, the Divine is praised as “Priyam”, the truly beloved one.

अस्मिन् (Asmin) This, in this place, in this state. This word refers to the “sweet Yajna” or divine communion mentioned in the previous mantra. It indicates that these experiences take place within the sacred inner relationship that a human establishes with the Divine.

यज्ञे (Yajne) In the Yajna; in a life of offering; in divine communion. Here “Yajna” does not refer only to an external sacrificial ritual. The Vedic vision is that human life itself is a Yajna conducted with a divine purpose. When selfless action, remembrance of the Divine and disciplined living come together, life becomes a Yajna.

उप ह्वये (Upa Hvaye) I call; I approach and pray; I invite. This indicates a deep prayer to the Divine. A human being recognises his limitations and welcomes the Divine into his life. Calling the Divine is not merely making a request through words; it is a spiritual effort to turn the mind, thoughts and life towards the Divine.

मधुजिह्वम् (Madhujihvam) One who has a sweet tongue; one who gives sweet and gentle instruction. “Madhu” means sweetness; “Jihva” means tongue. The inner meaning of this word is that the Divine dwells within the heart and gently inspires a human being towards the righteous path. This divine inspiration does not compel; it manifests as an inner voice filled with love and sweetness. The urge to do good, conscience and noble thoughts are forms of divine inspiration.

हविष्कृतम् (Havishkritam) One who makes into an offering; one who transforms into an offering; one who makes life Yajna-like. “Havis” means an offering. Through the sweet and righteous inspiration of the Divine, human life becomes “Havishkritam”, an offering. Then a human being no longer considers worldly enjoyments as the goal of life, but uses them only to the extent necessary. The bliss of divine experience makes worldly pleasures appear insignificant. Therefore, even food is taken not merely for taste, but to fulfil the needs of the body. In this way, the whole of life becomes a Yajna life filled with the spirit of offering.

Explanation:

This mantra deeply explains how remembrance of the Divine, love for the Divine and the spirit of offering should develop in human life. In this mantra, the human being calls upon the Divine not merely as a distant power, but as a sweet inner power that elevates life.

The mantra first calls the Divine “नराशंसम् (Narashamsam)”. It means one who is worthy of being praised by human beings and whose qualities are worthy of glorification. Here, praising the Divine is not merely verbal praise; it is a spiritual practice that transforms the human heart. By remembering the noble qualities of the Divine and uttering them, a person develops the same noble qualities within himself. Thus, remembering and praising the glory of the Divine leads a human being on the path of elevation and transforms him into a true “Nara”.

The word “इह (Iha)” further reveals the depth of this prayer. Attaining the Divine is not merely an experience after death; the Divine presence should be experienced in this human life itself and in the midst of everyday life. Spirituality is not something separate from worldly life; it should blossom as the inner truth of life itself.

The Divine is described as “प्रियम् (Priyam)”, one who gives inner satisfaction and one who is worthy of true love. Worldly pleasures are temporary; they cannot provide lasting fulfilment to the mind. But the experience of the Divine alone gives deep bliss and inner satisfaction that cannot be fully expressed in words. Therefore, the mantra teaches that the Divine is the true beloved goal of the human heart.

The words “अस्मिन् यज्ञे (Asmin Yajne)” remind us of the sweet divine communion mentioned in the previous mantra. Here, Yajna does not refer only to an external sacrificial ritual. The whole of human life conducted with selfless action, remembrance of the Divine, discipline and dedication is itself a Yajna. In the midst of such a Yajna life, the human being calls the Divine through “उप ह्वये (Upa Hvaye)”, approaching and invoking the Divine. This is not merely a prayer through words; it is a deep spiritual call that turns the mind, thoughts and life towards the Divine.

The mantra describes the Divine as “मधुजिह्वम् (Madhujihvam)”. It means one with a sweet tongue and one who gives sweet instruction. The Divine dwells within the human heart and, without force or compulsion, leads a person towards the righteous path through an inspiration filled with love and sweetness. Conscience, the urge to do good and noble thoughts are all expressions of this divine inspiration.

The final result of this divine inspiration is that human life becomes “हविष्कृतम् (Havishkritam)”, an offering. When a person experiences the bliss of the Divine, worldly pleasures no longer appear to be the ultimate goal of life. They become insignificant. Then the whole of life becomes filled with the spirit of Yajna. Food too is taken not merely for taste, but to fulfil the needs of the body; actions are performed not for selfish purposes, but for duty and dedication. In this way, the whole of human life becomes Havis, an offering to the Divine.

Therefore, the overall message of this mantra is that a human being should, in this very human life, lovingly call upon the Divine, praise His noble qualities, accept the sweet divine inspiration, rise above worldly attachments and transform life into a Yajna of dedication. As nearness to the Divine and love for the Divine grow, a human being attains true bliss and noble human qualities and progresses towards a divine life. This is deeply conveyed by the mantra.

Conclusion:

This mantra deeply teaches that the true elevation of human life lies in praising the Divine and developing an inner relationship with Him. Remembering and praising the qualities of the Divine “नराशंसम् (Narashamsam)”, who is worthy of being praised by human beings, is not merely praise; it is a spiritual practice that transforms a person into a true human being with noble thoughts and a divine purpose. The nearness of the Divine is not an experience that belongs only to life after death; it is a truth of life that must be experienced in this human existence itself. Since the Divine alone gives the deep bliss and inner fulfilment that worldly pleasures cannot provide, He is the true beloved goal of the human heart. A life guided by selfless action, discipline and remembrance of the Divine becomes a Yajna; it is within such a Yajna life that a person lovingly calls upon the Divine. The Divine, guiding the human being as a sweet inner inspiration, leads him towards the righteous path, raises him above the delusion of worldly pleasures and transforms life into Havis filled with the spirit of dedication. Thus, divine love, remembrance of the Divine, inner inspiration and a life of dedication come together to elevate a human being towards true bliss, inner purity and divine life. This is the profound teaching of this mantra.