Prayer to Agni for removal of Sins...

Prayer to Agni for removal of Sins... ------------------------------------------- अग्नेर्मन्वे प्रथमस्य प्रचेतसः यं पाञ्चजन्यम् बहवस्समिन्धते। विश्वस्यां दिवि विविशिवांसमीमहे स नो मुन्चत्वग्ंहसः॥ तैत्तिरीयप्रपाठके ॥ अपि च अथर्ववेदे agnermanve prathamasya pracetasaḥ yaṁ pāñcajanyam bahavassamindhate| viśvasyāṁ divi viviśivāṁsamīmahe sa no muncatvagṁhasaḥ|| taittirīyaprapāṭaka|| api ca atharvavede Oh Agni, who is kindled to supreme vigour( by offerings of twigs and ghee etc,) you the great one of Supreme vitality, you, whom we praise as Paanchajanya, Oh Agni who is spread all over this universe, we make this prayer to you. with humble prostrations . May you be pleased to annihilate our sins and relieve us of all that is not good.. We see the word Panchajanya in this mantram.. and the holy Conch which we use in pooja comes to our mind.. So we chant this mantram when offering pooja to the Shankham.. relating the word Panchajanya to the Shankham.. as Lord Narayana holds in his hand a conch by name Panchajanya.. Panchajanya is the shell of a demon by that name whom Krishna defeated in the famous Santhanagopalam episode.. In Bagavat Gita first chapter we find Krishna blowing the conch Panchajanyam.. Paanchajanyam Hrisheekesho.... But the real mening of Panchajanya is Agni or the Lord of Fire. He is called Panchajanya because he manifest in five forms.. In devayajna, pitru yajna, bhutayajna, manushyayajna and brahmayajna.. He is manifest in Panchabhoothas, Panchavarnas and so on.. This is a mantram in daily use.. Found in Krishna Yajurveda Taittireeya school.. and also in Atharvaveda in a slightly altered form..

The mangalya sutra

The mangalya sutra.. a cotton thread, smeared with turmeric is supposed to carry the thali.. or the divine insignia which a groom ties to the bride and the bride as wife is expected to wear it as long as the husband lives.. 

In Lalitha Sahasranamam we see that  the Mother Rajarajeshvari, Mahatripurasundari  Lalithambika is shining for with the mangalyasootram tied around her neck by none other than Kamesha..  the Supreme Lord  Sadashiva Himself..
कामेशबद्ध माङ्गल्यसूत्र शोभित कन्धरा 

I read somewhere a remark that manjal kayiru (the cotton thread smeared with turmeric and perhaps tied with a tiny piece of dried turmeric) is a thing of the past and the ladies now wear only golden chains carrying the thaali.. 

But this is not correct.. according to the traditions.. 

My views. 

manjal kayiru should not be removed.. 

if anyone claims that  she is Sumangali . 

The mangalyam is tied to a thanthu.. 

a cotton thread and not gold chain.. 

and this tantu is the jeevana hetu of the one who ties the thread.. 

jeevana hethu means the cause of longevity of the husband and that depends on this thread and mangalyam... 

it is at least believed so... 

as per the following manthram 

maangalyam tantunaa anena mama jeevana hetunaa.. 

kanTe badnaami subhage saneeva (or twam jeeva) sharatam shatam.. 

माङ्गल्यम् तन्तुनानेन मम जीवन हेतुना 

कण्ठे बध्नामि सुभगे त्वम् जीव शरदः शतम् 

māṅgalyam tantunānena mama jīvana hetunā 

kaṇṭhe badhnāmi subhage tvam jīva śaradaḥ śatam 

Meaning.. 

Oh fortunate lady, I am tying this Manglyam made of thread around your neck , This thread represents or is the cause of my longevity.. 

May you live happily for hundred autumns.. 

The thread is smeared with turmeric or manjal because manjal represents Mahalakshmi Herself. 

A thali chain cannot replace a manjal kayiru as per our religion and traditions .. 

If someone is claiming that it does not matter even if mangalyam is not worn.. the possibilities can be many and I have nothing to say.. 

I am just viewing the issue from the angle of traditions and our faith. 

Regards 

K V A

the sins get cleared thus..

विद्यातीर्थे विमलमतयः साधवः सत्यतीर्थे

गङ्गातीर्थे मलिनमनसो दानतीर्थे धनाढ्याः।

लज्जातीर्थे कुलयुवतयो योगिनो ज्ञानतीर्थे

धारातीर्थे धरणिपतयः कल्मषम् क्षालयन्ति॥

प्रसङ्गाहरणे

vidyātīrthe vimalamatayaḥ sādhavaḥ satyatīrthe

gaṅgātīrthe malinamanaso dānatīrthe dhanāḍhyāḥ|

lajjātīrthe kulayuvatayo yogino jñānatīrthe

dhārātīrthe dharaṇipatayaḥ kalmaṣam kṣālayanti|

prasaṅgāharaṇe

Great souls and good persons avoid committing sins.. But the existence in the world is so complicated that they may not be able to steer clear of many errors happening beyond their control.

The sloka quoted above from a text Prasangaaharana talks about how people wash away thier sins..

Normally the sins are cleared off when peopl visit holy places or teerthas.

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Meaning 

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The people of clean and blemishless thoughts was away their sins in the holy waters of knowledge

The people of lofty character with little attachment to worldy matters could wash away any possible sins in the holy waters of truth.

The people whose minds have been contaminated by evil thoughts might wash away their sins by visiting the holy river Ganga and taking dip there/

The rich people, who have incurred sins whle earning the welath could was off their sins in the holy waters of sacred and well deserved gifts.

The ladies born in high families could was off their sins in the holy waters of bashfulness tinted with repentence..

The realized souls that are the yogins could wash off their sins in the holy waters of the Supreme Realizaton

And the brave rulers of the earth would wash off their sins in the holy waters that are the battlefields.

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regards 

kva