Nepal Mandal
History of
Rajopadhyaya
Rajopadhyaya (Nepali: राजोपाध्याय) is one of Newar Bramhans in Nepal. In Sanskrit, Rājopādhyāya or Rāj-Upādhyāya literally means ‘royal teacher‘ or ‘guru‘ (Sanskrit: राज = royal + उपाध्याय = guru). Rajopadhyayas, also colloquially called Deva Brāhman (God-Brahmin) or Dyabājyā (God-Grandfather) or Barmu (Brahmin) were the royal gurus and purohits of the Malla kings and their Hindu aristocracy (present day Chatharīyās).
In their own legendary history the Rajopadhyaya Brahmans came from the great ancient…
ॐ भूर्भुवस्व: | तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् | भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि | धियो यो न: प्रचोदयात्
Oṁ Bhūrbhuvaswaha Tatsaviturvarenyam bhargo devasya dhīmahi dhiyo yo naḥa prachodayāt
Let us meditate on that excellent glory of the divine Light (Vivifier, Sun). May he stimulate our understandings (knowledge, intellectual illumination)
असतोमा सद्गमय । तमसोमा ज्योतिर् गमय । मृत्योर्मामृतं गमय ॥
Asato mā sad gamaya, tamaso mā jyotir gamaya, mṛtyor māmṛtaṃ gamaya.
From the unreal lead me to the real, from the dark lead me to the light, from death lead me to immortality.
ॐ त्र्य॑म्बकं यजामहे सु॒गन्धिं॑ पुष्टि॒वर्ध॑नम् । उ॒र्वा॒रु॒कमि॑व॒ बन्ध॑नान् मृ॒त्योर्मु॑क्षीय॒ माऽमृता॑॑त् ।।
oṃ tryámbakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhíṃ puṣṭi-vardhánam urvārukam íva bandhánān mṛtyor mukṣīya mā 'mṛtā́t
We sacrifice to Tryambaka the fragrant, increaser of prosperity. Like a cucumber from its stem, might I be freed from death, not from deathlessness.