'akAra' (Sanskrit syllable अ) in various sources for various deities
V Subrahmanian
Here is a collection of references where the Sanskrit syllable 'a' अ is stated to signify many deities including the Trimurtis. We find references for this syllable signifying Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Other deities are also there.
Vachaspatyam
अ
“अःश्रीकण्ठः
सुरेशश्च
ललाटं
चैकमातृकः
।
पूर्णो
दरी
सृष्टिमेषौ
सारखतप्रियंवदः
।
महाब्राह्मी
वासुदेवो-
धनेशः
केशवोऽमृतम्
।
कीर्त्तिर्निवृत्तिर्वागीशो
नरका-
रिर्हरोमरुत्
।
ब्रह्मा
रामानुजोह्रस्व
कामश्च
प्रणवाद्यकः
।
ब्रह्माणी
कामरूपश्च
कामेशीवासिनी
वियत्
।
विश्वेशः
श्रीविष्णुकण्ठौ
प्रतिपत्तिथिरश्विनी
।
अर्कमण्डलं
वर्णाद्यो
ब्राह्मणः
कामकर्षिणी”
।
अः
,
पुं,
महेश्वरः
।
इत्येकाक्षरकोषः
॥
(यदुक्तम्,
—
महाभारते
१३
।
१७
।
१२६
।
“विन्दुर्विसर्गः
सुमुखः
शरः
सर्व्वायुधः
सहः”
॥)
Apte
DictionaryN.
of
Śiva,
Brahmā,
Vāyu,
or
Vaiśvānara.
[अः
कृष्णः
शंकरो
ब्रह्मा
शक्रः
सोमो$निलो$नलः
।
सूर्यः
प्राणो
यमः
कालो
वसन्तः
प्रणवः
सुखी
॥
Enm.
अः
स्याद्
ब्रह्मणि
विष्ण्वीशकूर्माणङ्करणेषु
च।
गौरवे$न्तःपुरे
हेतौ
भूषणे$ङ्घ्रावुमेज्ययोः
॥
Nm.
अः
शिखायां
सिद्धमन्त्रे
प्रग्राहे$र्के
रथार्वणि
।
चक्रे
कुक्कुटमूर्ध्नीन्दुबिम्बे
ब्रह्मेशविष्णुषु
॥
ibid.
Thus
अः
means
Kṛiṣṇa,
Śiva,
Brahmā,
Indra,
Soma,
Vāyu,
Agni,
the
Sun,
the
life-breath,
Yama,
Kāla,
Vasanta,
Praṇava,
a
happy
man,
a
tortoise,
a
courtyard,
a
battle,
greatness,
a
female
apartment
in
a
palace,
an
object
or
a
cause,
an
ornament,
a
foot,
Umā,
sacrifice,
a
flame,
a
particularly
efficacious
mantra,
reins,
the
horse
of
chariot,
a
wheel,
the
head
of
a
cock,
the
disc
of
the
moon];
ind.
The Aitareya Aranyakam 2.3.8.6 has a mantra: ‘अ इति ब्रह्म…’ ‘a’ is Brahma’
The Lord says in the Gita 10.33: ’अक्षराणां अकारोऽस्मि’ (‘I am the syallable ‘a’ among the alphabets’)
Sri Madhwacharya is reliably learnt to have given the meaning ‘विष्णु:’ for the syllable ‘अ’ in his commentary for the word ‘अक्रतु:’ occurring in I.ii.20 of the Kathopanishat.
Ram Chandran
Namaste dear Subbuji:
Thanks for your excellent collection of references where the Sanskrit syllable 'a' अ is stated to signify many deities including the Trimurtis. Just like Sanskrit, Tamill also gave importance to ‘akAra’ as I explained below:
The Tamil letter is ‘அ’ is equivalent to the Sanskrit letter ‘अ’. Thiruvalluvar an ancient Tamil Poet and Philosopher has composed Thirukkural (The Sacred Couplets) with 1330 verses. Thirukkural (Kurral) in English is also called as a Book of Wisdom. Kural has been translated into almost all major languages of the World and it focuses on “A Path to live ethically as a Human Being. The primary theme was not religion and emphasis was on morally or the path to moral life to build one’s character.
The very first verse begins as;
அகர முதல எழுத்தெல்லாம் ஆதி
பகவன் முதற்றே உலகு.
English Translation:
Just as letter A (‘அ’) is the first of all alphabets.the eternal God is first and foremost in the world. Another translation could be that the letter ‘அ’ is fundamental to any word expressions whereas God is fundamental for all worldly transactions. As advaitins, we believe that there is ‘Only God’ or God is the substratum of everything in the universe. In other words, ‘akAra’ is integrated in all the words that we speak and write.
Here are few illustrations of words starts with akAra:
அறம் Aram - Dharma or Ethics
அறிவு Arivu - Knowledge
அன்பு Anbhu - Love
அழகு Alagu - Beauty (ழ is a special Tamil letter and in English it is ‘Za’)
அகம் Agam - Inner Mind!
With my warm regards,
Ram Chandran