Pranayamam during Sandhyopaasana

 

Pranayamam during Sandhyopaasana

in fact if we do the thrikaala sandhya, and gayatri japam, we would do 12 Pranayamas for each.. one for Sandhya Sankalpam, one for Gayatri Sankalpam and ten each as preliminary for Gayatri japam.. and often one more for the Prayaschitta arghym.. (prior to the prayaschittam one pranayamam each)..

The fingering for Pranayamam.. that is use of fingers to close the nostril varies according to the ashramas,, brahmacharya grihasta etc..

the air should be let in through the left nostril. the air should be kept filled in the lung till the mantra of om bhoo.... amrutam brahma is ( ॐ भोः आं भुवः ॐ सुवः ॐ महः ॐ जनः ॐ तपः ॐ सत्यम् -- गयत्री -- ॐ आपः ज्योती रसः अमृतम् ब्रह्म ॐ भूर्भुवस्सुवरोम्) contemplated..

Afterthat the air should be left out through the right nostril..

According to our smartha pranayamam, the time for inhaling and exhaling should be the same..

On this issue various texts differ they even prescribe 1-4-2 ratio for inhaling retaining and exhaling speed..(Swami Sivananda Prescribes this rate, for example)

When one nostril is used the other should be closed.

Brahmacharis and Sannyasins (initiates and recluses) use the right Thumb, ring finger and small finger... to close the nostrils

this is called prana mudra.. (householders)use all the fingers..

Two for right and three for left nostril ..

Two fingers, for right and three for left.. nostrils

Some people perform two pranayamas each for sankalpams.. instead of single..

And on very solemn occasions like maha sankalpam for Upakarmam, Grahanam etc three pranayamams are done before chanting ..tadeva lagnam..(तदेव लग्नं .......)

the inhalation is Pooraka, retention is Kumbhaka and exhalation is rechakam..

procedure for Preparation of three-strand pure cotton thread for yajnopaveetham (Poonool)

Preparation of three-strand pure cotton thread for yajnopaveetham is as follows.

Those who prepare muppiri poonal should be clean and should occupy or sit in clean place.

Eligible Vedic Brahmins, Sumangalis, Kannyakas, and Widows who observe the correct austerities can weave the thread used for this. Those who prepare poonal must encircle (tie round their fingers) their fingers of right hand having each circle of unbroken continuous thread having length of four inches and the thread should be encircled thus for ninety six times. After that, they divide the unbroken thread equally into three sections and then they make them hold fast by spiralling together very tightly.

Then you should adjust this strengthened thread into three equal circles together and tie the ends securely covering all the three equal circles of thread together.

This gives one set of muppiri nool or poonal.

Vedic Brahmins chant Mantrams like Gayatri or Vedic Sookthams while making the final knot, which we call brahma kattu or mudichu.

One should wear the three strand poonal across the torso with one part covering the left shoulder and the other part hanging just above the hip, just up to navel. If for some reason the poonal is longer and goes below navel, the brahma kattu tied should be made bgger by spiralling part of the thread ,and the brahma mudichu can be at be of the size of a seed of payaru.. Pulse or pea seed.

The rule among Brahmins of Tamil Nadu and migrants from there is that the unmarried male wears a set of one strand and a grihasta or the one who had undergone samavartanam wears two strands and the grihasta wears an additional set of poonal to substitute for uthareeyam.

The "wise" men of this age many create shortcuts

when we are performing a ritual as prescribed in smritis and grihya sootras or any other codified set up we have to follow the procedure as expected. or envisaged in that text .

For example, they say the most important part of Sandyavandanam is giving Arkhyam. offering water three times to the Supreme being with chant of Gayatri..

So some would say just pouring water three times chanting Gayatri can substitute for the worship of Sandhya.. Is it right.?.

There are rules for seating, Aachamanam, Pranayamam, Invoking the Devata, Rishi , Chandas, chanting Vedic mantras, prokshanam, praashanam and so on..

Then upasthaanam, Gayatri japam, Deva Prarthana, also are prescribed.

The "wise" men of this age many create shortcuts..

Maybe the short cut might be okay if we are in a helpless condition and pouring of water is the only thing possible.. Usually we are not so..

Funnily, seeing all these rituals and complications people just give up worshiping Sandhya.. that is another thing..

𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐢𝐟 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 do sandhyavandhanam, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 must.

 

𝐀 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 was 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩.

"𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐭𝐬. 𝐈𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐲𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬? 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐱𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐯𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭?"

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𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲

𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧 𝐕𝐚𝐢𝐝𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧

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𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐞..

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𝐕𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦 𝐞𝐭𝐜 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐚𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭.. 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐥𝐝..

𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐮 𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡..

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢 𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩..

𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧..

𝐈𝐧 𝐧𝐨 𝐯𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦 𝐕𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐢 𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐲𝐞𝐫..

𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐤𝐡𝐚, 𝐚 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐫𝐚, 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐞𝐭𝐜 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝..

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐬..

𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧,,

𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐡𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐚 𝐕𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐧𝐚𝐯𝐚 𝐞𝐭𝐜 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞..

𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐲𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦

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𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭.. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐒𝐦𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐡𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐕𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐬.

𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐲𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐠 𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞,

𝐦𝐚𝐚𝐝𝐡𝐲𝐚𝐚𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐦 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐩 our heads

𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐬.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐲𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦, 𝐀𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐞𝐭𝐜 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞.

𝐎𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞, 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐲𝐚 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬..

𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐲𝐚 𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬.

𝐈𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐦 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐮 𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐢.

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐲𝐚 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐩𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐲𝐚.

𝐎𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐲𝐚 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐩 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐞.

𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝.. 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭.

𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐞.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐡𝐲𝐚𝐦 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞.

𝐃𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐲𝐚 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐬 𝐢𝐧 Social media 𝐢𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐲𝐚 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐭.. 𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 B𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐢 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫.

𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫.. 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐱𝐞𝐝..

𝐎𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐝𝐬.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐬.

𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐲𝐚, 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐜𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐨𝐥.. 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞, 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭.

𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐢𝐟 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐰𝐡𝐲, 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫. 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧

108 gayatri for praata sandhya ..morning, 32 for madhyahnikam..the noon and 64 for Sayamsandhya

Regarding Sandhyavandhanam and Gayatri, I made a post in some Brahmin Group where it landed up absolutely quiet like a fire cracker which has the great fortune of living under water just for a week.. I repeat it here for my own archival purposes.

The prescribed number to be chanted, for smarthas of Palakkad.. (and it must apply to all smarthas,) is 108 gayatri for praata sandhya ..morning, 32 for madhyahnikam..the noon and 64 for Sayamsandhya. in the evening . The original prescription was 108 three times a day, but some concession was given later.. And it is Sixteen Gayatris when there is aashaucham ( mournig period caused by death etc..)and such crisis situations.. This fact is recorded in all the standard texts published like those by RS Vadhyar etc...Just a passing remark..

See, in vedic parlance certain chandas have got identified with some mantras by usage. Gayatri for Savitri(the tatsavitr..), Thrishtup for" Jaatavedase Sunavaama "etc.. Such homilies are of little consequence apart from names used... I do not find much further significance in such classification..

Ultimately it is the potency of the mantra that counts. All people belonging to the clan of Raghu are Raghavas, but Rama is specially called Raaghava.. because he was the best among them.. That is only hyperbole..

Gayatri in fact is a chandas or metre, which is given the status of a Goddess Symbolically

Gayatri in fact is a chandas or metre, which is given the status of a Goddess Symbolically.. her facets are Savitri, Sarasvathi, and so on . Regarding depicting of the chandas or metre and the Savitru Gayatri , the one we chant. as a female goddess, . theories of varied hues abound in Purnas, Itihasas, etc..

In a nutshell, Gayatri is a chant which has been given the status of the Mother Goddess, and since it is the invocation to the Supreme and Manifest Godhead to directly kindle our intellect, it is of ultimate in importance..

I think even some upanishads have been coined in the name of Gayatri..

And there are so many regional and sectorian interpretations on the chant..Vaishnavites, Shivites, Smarthas... and subsects in each variety have different views..

But the Varnis consider Gayatri as the mother, the mother or metres too

" Gaayatree Chandasaam maatha.." That can be the best common meeting point for all Gayatri worshippers..

The number of syllables, the number of faces, colour, weapons, dress etc for the personified deity are all subject to variations according to many beliefs..

The rigveda gives Gaadhina Viswamitra as the rishi for Gayatri.. that is Visvamitra the son of Gaadhi, as we all know..

In the modern management parlance Gayatri is a potent self-improvement and motivational mantra... since... we see the source of all energy and growth in the glowing and almost eternally undiminished potency of Savita.. in its apparent form the Sun and is wishing that such a source may kindle, repair and make our mental system perfect and efficient.. This is all to Gayatri from a layman..

ॐ मित्रस्य चर्षणिधृतः श्रवो देवस्य सानसिं

ॐ मित्रस्य चर्षणिधृतः श्रवो देवस्य सानसिं सत्यं चित्र श्रवस्तमं मित्रो जनान् यतयति प्रजानन् मित्रो दातार पृथिवीमुत द्यां मित्रः कृष्टीः अनिमिषाभिचष्टे सत्याय हव्यं घृतवत् विधेम प्र स मित्र मर्तो अस्तु प्रयस्वान् यस्त आदित्य शिक्षति व्रतेन न हन्यते न जीयते त्वोतो नैनम् हो अश्नोत्यन्तितो न दूरात्॥

om mitrasya carṣaṇidhṛtaḥ śravo devasya sānasiṁ satyaṁ citra śravastamaṁ mitro janān yatayati prajānan mitro dātāra prithivīmuta dyāṁ mitraḥ kṛṣṭīḥ animiṣābhicaṣṭe satyāya havyaṁ ghṛtavat vidhema pra sa mitra marto astu prayasvān yasta āditya śikṣati vratena na hanyate na jīyate tvoto nainam ho aśnotyantito na dūrāt||

ഓം മിത്രസ്യ ചര്‍ഷണിധൃതഃ ശ്രവോ ദേവസ്യ സാനസിം സത്യം ചിത്ര ശ്രവസ്തമം മിത്രോ ജനാന്‍ യതയതി പ്രജാനന്‍ മിത്രോ ദാതാര പൃഥ്വീമുത ദ്യാം മിത്രഃ കൃഷ്ടീഃ അനിമിഷാഭിചഷ്ടേ സത്യായ ഹവ്യം ഘൃതവത് വിധേമ പ്ര സ മിത്ര മര്‍ത്തോ അസ്തു പ്രയസ്വാന്‍ യസ്ത ആദിത്യ ശിക്ഷതി വ്രതേന ന ഹന്യതേ ന ജീയതേ ത്വോതോ നൈനം ഹോ അശ്നോത്യന്തിതോ ന ദൂരാത്॥

From Sandhya upasana mantram found in Yajurvedi

I am praising the fame of that Mitra, the fame that is eternal and truthful, wonderful and thrilling and picturesque

That Mitra who is the Supreme one (Sun) who is the friend and benefactor of one and all

That Mitra who is the up-lifter of the intellect of the learned and the pious people

That Mitra who is the ultimate receptacle of our ceremonial worship

That Mitra who can perceive everything with equanimity and could see everything, recognizes the ordained functions of every living being and engages the beings in their respective functions.

That Mitra protects this earth and that sky

That Mitra, remains awake and alert all the time without interruption and enables the human beings on the earth to shine forth in their functions.

Unto that Supreme, eternally truthful being, may we offer cooked rice mixed with ghee

Oh Mitra, the human being who observes fasts, rituals and observances and serves you through them, becomes always blessed with the most effective results in the endeavours in which he is engaged.

Oh Mitra, the one who is protected by you cannot either be killed or destroyed by anyone, nor can he be defeated by anyone.

Oh Mitra, the person who is thus protected by you will not be affected by sins which happen near him, or sins that happen far away from him..

The Suryopaasana Mantram during prayer to Madhyaahnika Sandhya

The Suryopaasana Mantram during prayer to Madhyaahnika Sandhya

As per Yajurvedam

आ सत्येन रजसा वर्तमानो निवेशयन्नमृतं मर्त्यं च हिरण्ययेन सविता रथेनादेवो याति भुवनाविपश्यन्।उद्वयं तमसस्परि पशयन्तो ज्योतिरुत्तरम्। देवं देवत्र सूर्यमगन्म ज्योतिरुत्तमम्। उदुत्यं जातवेदसं देवं वहन्ति केतवः।दृशे विश्वाय सूर्यम्। चित्रं देवानामुदगादनीकं चक्षुर्मित्रस्य वरुणस्याग्नेः। आप्रा द्या वा पृथ्वी अन्तरिक्षम्। सूर्य आत्मा जगतः चक्षुषश्च। तच्चक्षुर्देवहितं पुरस्तात् शुक्रमुच्चरत्। पश्येम शरदश्शतं जीवेम शरदश्शतं नन्दाम शरदश्शतं मोदाम शरदश्शतं भवाम शरदश्शतं शृणुयाम शरदश्शतं प्रब्रवाम शरदश्शतं अजीता स्याम शरदश्शतं। ज्योक्च सूर्यं दृशे। य उदगान्महतोर्ण्णवाद्विभ्राजमानस्सरिरस्य मध्यात्स मा वृषभो लोहिताक्षस्सूर्यो विपश्चिन्मनसा पुनातु॥

ā satyena rajasā vartamāno niveśayannamṛtaṃ martyaṃ ca hiraṇyayena savitā rathenādevo yāti bhuvanāvipaśyan।udvayaṃ tamasaspari pasyanto jyotiruttaram। devaṃ devatra sūryamaganma jyotiruttamam। udutyaṃ jātavedasaṃ devaṃ vahanti ketavaḥ।dṛśe viśvāya sūryam। citraṃ devānāmudagādanīkaṃ cakṣurmitrasya varunasyāgneḥ। āprā dyā vā pṛthvī antarikṣam। sūrya ātmā jagataḥ cakṣuṣaśca। taccakṣurdevahitaṃ purastāt śukramuccarat। paśyema śaradaśśataṃ jīvema śaradaśśataṃ nandāma śaradaśśataṃ modāma śaradaśśataṃ bhavāma śaradaśśataṃ śṛṇuyāma śaradaśśataṃ prabravāma śaradaśśataṃ ajītā syāma śaradaśśataṃ। jyokca sūryaṃ dṛśe। ya udagānmahatorṇṇavādvibhrājamānassarirasya madhyātsa mā vṛṣabho lohitākṣassūryo vipascinmanasā punātu॥

ആ സത്യേന രജസാ വര്‍ത്ത മാനോ നിവേശയന്നമൃതം മര്‍ത്യം ച ഹിരണ്യയേന സവിതാ രഥേനാദേവോ യാതി ഭുവനാവിപശ്യന്‍।ഉദ്വയം തമസസ്പരി പശ്യന്തോ ജ്യോതിരുത്തരം। ദേവം ദേവത്ര സൂര്യമഗന്മ ജ്യോതിരുത്തമം। ഉദുത്യം ജാതവേദസം ദേവം വഹന്തി കേതവഃ।ദൃശേ വിശ്വായ സൂര്യം। ചിത്രം ദേവാനാമുദഗാദനീകം ചക്ഷുര്‍മിത്രസ്യവരുണസ്യാഗ്നെഃI ആപ്രാ ദ്യാ വാ പൃഥ്വീ അന്തരിക്ഷം। സൂര്യ ആത്മാ ജഗതഃ ചക്ഷുഷശ്ച। തച്ചക്ഷുര്‍ദേവഹിതം പുരസ്താത് ശുക്രമുച്ചരത്। പശ്യേമ ശരദശ്ശതം ജീവേമ ശരദശ്ശതം നന്ദാമ ശരദശ്ശതം മോദാമ ശരദശ്ശതം ഭവാമ ശരദശ്ശതം ശൃണുയാമ ശരദശ്ശതം പ്രബ്രവാമ ശരദശ്ശതം അജീതാ സ്യാമ ശരദശ്ശതം। ജ്യോക്ച സൂര്യം ദൃശേ। യ ഉദഗാന്മഹതോര്‍ണ്ണവാദ്വിഭ്രാജമാനസ്സരിരസ്യ മധ്യാത്സ മാ വൃഷഭോ ലോഹിതാക്ഷസ്സൂര്യോ വിപശ്ചിന്മനസാ പുനാതു॥

Meaning

That glorious and resplendent Sun is shining in the tallest position in the sky with a glow that cannot be substituted with that of any other shining object

That sun is proceeding in the sky with his journey in his golden chariot, covering the whole universe, enabling in that journey the deathless Gods as well as the mortal humans on earth to performed their avowed duties and engage themselves in their activities.

He is the witness for all that transpires in this universe.

We, who are seeing the glorious resplendence of the Supreme Being that is the Sun,

The Sun whose position is higher than anything else in the Sky

The Sun, whose glory is greater that anything else,

On that Sun, we take refuge

That Sun is the most established among all the Gods

That Sun who is shining with a glow without comparison

We declare with conviction, for the knowledge of all

that the orb of the Sun carries in itself the greatest glories emanating from the Vedas and therefore emanates the most benevolent and praiseworthy glow.

May we be able to see the Supreme Being in the Solar Orb

That Supreme being is the source of infinite energy found in all gods.

That Supreme Being is the source of strength for Mitra, Varuna and agni

That Supreme being pervades all over, filling the whole of earth, sky and heaven.

That Supreme being is present and inherent in all things that are moving, and that are immobile

The Supreme being is the eye of the universe, the source of all learning and knowledge that could be gained

That Supreme being who is the embodiment of purity

That Supreme being raises in the sky right with the dawn

That Supreme being is the essence of Parabrhma praised by the Vedas

May we see him for long periods of hundreds of Sharats or autumns

May we live for hundreds of autumns in his benign presence

May we live with the happiness of having sons, grandsons and large families for hundreds of autumns

May we be blessed with all the objects and things that would give us happiness for hundreds of autumns

May we progress from strength to strength in our happy existence for hundreds of autumns and remain humble devotees of that Supreme Being (the Sun)

May we live for hundreds of autumns hearing the glories of that Supreme Being

May we be blessed with the capacity to speak good and nice words about the Supreme Being, for hundreds of autumns

May we remain alive and undefeated by others for hundreds of autumns..

A confession to Varuna, the protector of Order in the universe, that we make every evening after our Evening water oblations to Sandhya

A confession to Varuna, the protector of Order in the universe, that we make every evening after our Evening water oblations to Sandhya

This is a mantram in Rigvedam and Yajurvedam too.

इमं मे वरुण श्रुधी हवमद्या च मृडय त्वां अवस्युराचके तत्वा यामि ब्रह्मणा वन्दमानस्तदाशास्ते यजमानो हविर्भिः अहेडमानो वरुणेहबोध्युरुंशमान आयुः प्रमोषीः यच्चिद्धि ते विशो यथा प्रदेवा वरुणव्रतं मिनीमसि द्यवि द्यवि यत्किञ्चेदं वरुण्दैव्ये जनेभिद्रोहं मनुष्याश्चरामसि अचित्तीयत्तव धर्मा युयोपिम मा नस्तस्मादेनसो देवरीरिषः कितवासो यद्रिपुर्नदिवि यद्वाघा सत्यमुतयन्न विद्म सर्वा ता विष्य शिथिरेव देवाथा ते स्याम वरुण प्रियासः

imaṁ me varuṇa śrudhī havamadyā ca mṛḍaya tvāṁ avasyurācake tatvā yāmi brahmaṇā vandamānastadāśāste yajamāno havirbhiḥ aheḍamāno varuṇehabodhyuruṁśamāna āyuḥ pramoṣīḥ yacciddhi te viśo yathā pradevā varuṇavrataṁ minīmasi dyavi dyavi yatkiñcedaṁ varuṇdaivye janebhidrohaṁ manuṣyāścarāmasi acittīyattava dharmā yuyopima mā nastasmādenaso devarīriṣaḥ kitavāso yadripurnadivi yadvāghā satyamutayanna vidma sarvā tā viṣya śithireva devāthā te syāma varuṇa priyāsaḥ

Oh Varuna, may you be pleased to listen to this prayer and entreaty of mine

May you be pleased to bring comfort and welfare to me now itself

Desirous of my own protection I am standing in front of you and making this prayer

With that purpose in mind, I am taking refuge under your protection by making prayers to you as prescribed by the Vedas

with that purpose in my, I am offering oblations for you with my own body as if it is the oblation prescribed in yajnas and request you to make me happy and comfortable

May you, with a heart filled with endearing thoughts for me,

be pleased to take note of this prayer of mine

May you not entertain any thoughts to curtail of reduce my life span and may you not entertain any thoughts that would destroy my life itself

I confess that I have defaulted in and have gone contrary to the rules and penances prescribed by the rules which are protected by you, although you expect that I should follow such rules without fail. I submit that we are mere human beings who lack proper sense and discretion

May you be pleased not to cause us harm or destruction for the wrong action perpetrated by me by causing default to our duties and services towards gods as prescribed by the Vedas

Indeed, I am often thwarting the guidelines and directions ordained for me by gods ( which you Varuna is duty bound to keep in place), and in that way I look like an enemy and a fake person. Often, I commit transgressions in the divine rules of propriety with my full knowledge. Alternately I deviate from the rules prescribed by the divines without our knowledge.. I do sins openly and clandestinely too.

I submit that the Supreme being Varuna may be pleased to treat my errors and misdeeds in a benign manner, take them as aberrations and shatter the sins arising out of them and make me a person dear to him

( Here “We”.. the plural of I too can fit in the whole context of the prayer.. In effect it is a confession before the Judge Varuna seeking pardon and protection)

असावादित्यो ब्रह्म। ब्रह्मैवाहमस्मि

Here's a small question to all of us:

असावादित्यो ब्रह्म। ब्रह्मैवाहमस्मि।। ध्यानम्।।

This we do at the end of Poorva Sandhya, before Deva Tarpanam to start the Uttara Sandhya.

What are we doing and why?

A question to every Brahmin ladies and gentlemen

: some one askedthis question

can u clarify?

________________

My answer

-----------------------

We are offering arghyam or water oblation to Sun with gayatri.mantram.

three times in the morning and evening and two times in the midday.

The arghyam is to add strength to Savita or soorya who is fighting an unending battle with a group of demons called Mandehas.

The Sun gains more and more strength as we offer more and more water through arghyam during sandhyavandhanam.

He defeats the mandehas before he sets.. but they are born again the next morning to resume the fight. The war continues for ever and we provide ammunition to Sun three times a day during sandhya.

So we have to offer arghyam on all days three times a day.. without interruption.

A part of us is fighting for the continued existence of the Sun.

We equate the sun to the Supreme Brahmam ..and we meditate upon him saying that this sun is the supreme brahmam and the supreme brahmam is the only truth and I the one who offers the atghyam too am that supreme brahman.

असौ आदित्यः ब्रह्म ब्रह्म एव सत्यं ब्रह्म एव अहं अस्मि

Some omit ब्रह्म एव सत्यं but that is only a ritualistic variation.

The advaitins see the jeevatma in them and the paramatma in the supreme as the same brahmam.

The vishishtaadvaitins see jeevatma as almost equal to paramatma but having some qualified limitations when they occupy the body of the jeeva. Both together constitute brahma.

The dwaitins see jeevatma as a servant to paramatma but both together constitute brahma.

Anyway for all there is communion of jeevatma and paramatma..the supreme soul and the individual soul..and the communion is the ultimate truth.

Asaavadityo.. just reveals this truth

musings on Sandhyavandanam morning, midday and evening

During every morning and evening as we do sandhya vandhanam

we close our accounts of mean and sinful activities offering the sins and ourselves as oblation to the sun the womb of Immortality, (in the morning) and the fire and truth..the wombs of immortality in the evening

with a prayer to sun(In the morning) and fire(in the evening) and the god of anger Manyu himself that we may be protected against the sins of commissions and omissions caused by Manyu representing anger and base feelings.

We list in our confession the misdeeds caused by

mind and words

by the hands and feet ,

by the stomach and the genitals,

and also recount all the accumulated bad karma..

Such a periodic confession with such precision and at the exact timeslots where day and night or night and day meet each other is ever conceived by any other race.

If we can do that with precision and faith there is no doubt that we can leave this world without any baggage of good or bad at any moment

(this is the vedic mantram

सूर्यश्च मा मन्युश्च / अग्निश्च मा मन्युश्च मन्युपतयश्च मन्युकृतेभ्यो पापेभ्यो रक्षन्ताम्॥ यद्रात्रिया /यदह्ना पापमकार्षं मनसा वाचा हस्ताभ्यां पद्भ्यां उदरेण शिश्ना। रात्रिः / अहः तदवलुंपतु। यत् किञ्च दुरितं मयि। इदमहं मां अमृतयोनौ सूर्ये / सत्ये ज्योतिषि जुहोमि स्वाहाः॥

sūryaśca mā manyuśca agniśca mā manyuśca manyupatayaśca manyukṛtebhyo pāpebhyo rakṣantām|| yadrātriyā yadahnā pāpamakārṣaṁ manasā vācā hastābhyāṁ padbhyāṁ udareṇa śiśnā| rātriḥ ahaḥ tadavaluṁpatu | yat kiñca duritaṁ mayi| idamahaṁ māṁ amṛtayonau ṣurye ṣātye jyotiśi juhomi svāhāḥ||)

Such a periodic confession with such precision and at the exact timeslots where day and night or night and day meet each other is ever conceived by any other race.

If we can do that with precision and faith there is no doubt that we can leave this world without any baggage of good or bad at any moment

Morning PrataH Sandhyaa

सूर्यश्च मा मन्युश्च मन्युपतयश्च मन्युकृतेभ्यो पापेभ्यो रक्षन्ताम्॥ यद्रात्रिया पापमकार्षं मनसा वाचा हस्ताभ्यां पद्भ्यां उदरेण शिश्ना। रात्रिः तदवलुंपतु। यत् किञ्च दुरितं मयि। इदमहं मां अमृतयोनौ सूर्ये ज्योतिषि जुहोमि स्वाहाः॥

sūryaśca mā manyuśca manyupatayaśca manyukṛtebhyo pāpebhyo rakṣantām|| yadrātriyā pāpamakārṣaṁ manasā vācā hastābhyāṁ padbhyāṁ udareṇa śiśnā| rātriḥ tadavaluṁpatu | yat kiñca duritaṁ mayi| idamahaṁ māṁ amṛtayonau ṣurye jyotiśi juhomi svāhāḥ||)

Evening Saayam Sandhyaa

अग्निश्च मा मन्युश्च मन्युपतयश्च मन्युकृतेभ्यो पापेभ्यो रक्षन्ताम्॥ यदह्ना पापमकार्षं मनसा वाचा हस्ताभ्यां पद्भ्यां उदरेण शिश्ना। अहः तदवलुंपतु। यत् किञ्च दुरितं मयि। इदमहं मां अमृतयोनौ सत्ये ज्योतिषि जुहोमि स्वाहाः॥

agniśca mā manyuśca manyupatayaśca manyukṛtebhyo pāpebhyo rakṣantām|| yadahnā pāpamakārṣaṁ manasā vācā hastābhyāṁ padbhyāṁ udareṇa śiśnā| ahaḥ tadavaluṁpatu | yat kiñca duritaṁ mayi| idamahaṁ māṁ amṛtayonau ṣātye jyotiśi juhomi svāhāḥ||)

May the Fire or Agni, and anger itself and the deities presiding over anger themselves protect me from sins which were committed on account of anger.. May whatever sins were committed by me during this day through use of mind, words, hands, feet, stomach and genitals be destroyed and obliterated by this day itself. May whatever accumulated sin is there in me be obliterated by the grace of these deities. Now (with the sipping of this water) I am offering myself as oblation to the eternal truth (in the form of Agni), who is the womb of immortality.

Note

It is believed that the powers of the Sun, when He sets in the evening upto the time he raises in the morning is deposited in Agni or Fire.. That is the reason we offer oblation to Agni in the evening. For the protection during night.

Mid day….Maadhyaahnikam

Refer to this Vedic Mantram we chant during Madhyaahnikam

आपः पुनन्तु पृथिवीं पृथिवी पूता पुनातु माम्। ब्रह्मणस्पतिर्ब्रह्मपूता पुनातु माम्।

यदुच्छिष्टमभिज्यं यद्वा दुश्चरितं मम सर्वं पुनन्तु मामापोऽसतां च प्रतिग्रहं स्वाहा॥

महानारायणोपनिषत् अनुवाकः २३

āpaḥ punantu pṛthivīṃ pṛthivī pūtā punātu mām। brahmaṇaspatirbrahmapūtā punātu mām।

yaducchiṣṭamabhijyaṃ yadvā duścaritaṃ mama sarvaṃ punantu māmāpo'satāṃ ca pratigrahaṃ svāhā॥

mahānārāyaṇopaniṣat Yajurveda taittireeya Aranayakam

We chant the above mantra during Madhyahnikam and sip the water held in our right palm, as a token of repentance. If you do Madhyahnikam you will know this. This mantram is common to all the Sakhas.

May the waters (consecrated by this mantra) purify the earth and the material that constitutes this worldly body of mine and thus purified earth and such material purify me too. May the brahmanasapati.. Prajapathi purify the holy Vedas (Brahma) and the mantras and so purified Veda and mantra purify me ( The Brahmanaspati can alos mean the one who is trained in Vedas, my Acharya, and the knowledge purified by him may purify me too. This is the alternate interpretation)

Whatever food that was left over or putrid, which is being consumed by me, whatever food that is prohibited for consumption has been ingested by me, whatever sinful activities have been indulged in by me, and whatever presents or materials I have received from evil minded persons from whom I am not permitted to receive anything, all these may be purified and condoned when I offer this consecrated water as aahuti or oblation to the divine energy within me,( and as a token I sip this water held on my palm )

vedic riks or mantras while offering tarpanams to our ancestors...

Regarding the Vedic mantras used while offering Tarpanam or water oblations, I had posted some handwritten scanned pages..
The Vedic mantras below are
The mantram offered while spreading the Darbha for seating the invoked pithrus.
The mantrams of Veda.. which we chant while offering tarpanams to the Father, Paterna Grandfather and the Paternal Great Grandfather.. ( three for each)

The Tarpanams to mother, paternal grandmother and paternal grandmother are offered without these mantras.

The tarpanams to maternal granfather can be offered chanting the mantras used for father, to maternal great grandfather chanting the same mantras as to paternal grandfather, and to maternal great great grandfather chanting the mantras as to the paternal great grandfather.
The tarpanams to the grandmothers in the maternal side are offered without these riks.

1.सकृदाच्छिन्नं बर्हिरूर्णा मृदु स्योन पितृभ्यस्त्वा भराम्यहम्।
अस्मिन्थ्सीदन्तु मे पितरः पितामहाश्चानुचरैः सह॥
sakṛdācchinnaṁ barhirūrṇā mṛdu syona pitṛbhyastvā bharāmyaham|
asminthsīdantu me pitaraḥ pitāmahāścānucaraiḥ saha||

You the Dharbha Grasses, you were collected by me once with great devotion.. You are soft like feathers . I am spreading you on the ground for the sake of my Pitrs. May my father, my grandfather and great grandfather be present here along with those who keep them company, may they take their comfortable seats on you the spread Darbhas.

2 उदीरतां अवर उत्परास उन्मध्यामाः पितरस्सोम्यासः।
असुं य ईयु-रवृका ऋतज्ञास्ते नोऽवन्तु पितरो हवेषु॥
---गोत्रान् वसुरूपान् पितॄन् स्वधा नमः तर्पयामि॥
udīratāṁ avara utparāsa unmadhyāmāḥ pitarassomyāsaḥ|
asuṁ ya īyu-ravṛkā ṛtajñāste no'vantu pitaro haveṣu||
---gotrān vasurūpān pitṝn svadhā namaḥ tarpayāmi||

May the pitrus of even medium or lesser importance rise to the status of pitrus who have conducted Somayagam during their lifetime. May they abandon any anger towards us . May they take notice of our sincere and righteous offerings , and when we are addressing them, may they protect us.
I offer my tarpanam (water oblation) to my father of -- gothram, who has attained Vasu status. I offer this fondly remembering him and offering my humble pranams to his in the name of Svadhaa.

3.अङ्गिरसो न पितरो न वग्वा अथर्वाणो भृगवः सोम्यासः।
तेषां वय  सुमतौ यज्ञियानामपि भद्रे सौमनसे स्याम॥
---गोत्रान् वसुरूपान् पितॄन् स्वधा नमः तर्पयामि॥
aṅgiraso na pitaro na vagvā atharvāṇo bhṛgavaḥ somyāsaḥ|
teṣāṁ vaya  sumatau yajñiyānāmapi bhadre saumanase syāma||
---gotrān vasurūpān pitṝn svadhā namaḥ tarpayāmi||

Our pitrus who are named Angirasas, Atharvanas and Bhrigus are blessing us in many ways and are ever finding new ways to shower their benevolence on us.. They have all performed Somayagam. May we go ahead in life with pure and sublime minds following the glorious path in which such pitrus moved during their lifetime.
I offer my tarpanam (water oblation) to my father of -- gothram, who has attained Vasu status. I offer this fondly remembering him and offering my humble pranams to his in the name of Svadhaa.
4.आयान्तु नः पितरः सौम्यासः अग्निष्वाता पथिभिर्देवयानैः।
अस्मिन् यज्ञे स्वधया मदन्यधिब्रुवनु ते अवन्त्यस्मान्॥
---गोत्रान् वसुरूपान् पितॄन् स्वधा नमः तर्पयामि॥
āyāntu naḥ pitaraḥ saumyāsaḥ agniṣvātā pathibhirdevayānaiḥ|
asmin yajñe svadhayā madanyadhibruvanu te avantyasmān||
---gotrān vasurūpān pitṝn svadhā namaḥ tarpayāmi||

Our Pithrus who are agnishvattas (those who have performed Agnishtoma Sacrifice during their lifetime) may travel to this place in the Devayana path ( such pitrus are in the higher heavens and they come to earth travelling the Devyana or Divin path.) May they be pleased by the offerings made by us, and may they protect us.
I offer my tarpanam (water oblation) to my father of -- gothram, who has attained Vasu status. I offer this fondly remembering him and offering my humble pranams to his in the name of Svadhaa.

5.ऊर्जं वहन्ती अमृतं घृतं पयः कीलालं
परिसृत स्वधास्थ तर्पयत मे पितॄन्॥
---गोत्रान् रुद्ररूपान् पितामहान् स्वधा नमः तर्पयामि॥
ūrjaṁ vahantī amṛtaṁ ghṛtaṁ payaḥ kīlālaṁ
parisṛta svadhāstha tarpayata me pitṝn||
---gotrān rudrarūpān pitāmahān svadhā namaḥ tarpayāmi||

Oh waters, you contain the essence of the energy in everything. Therefore when I offfer you, the waters, to our pitrus invoking Svadhaa, may you transform yourselves into Amrutham or nectar, ghee, milk and honey or a blood or other drinks, and satisfy our pitrus.
I offer my tarpanam (water oblation) to my paternal grandfather of -- gothram, who has attained Rudra status. I offer this fondly remembering him and offering my humble pranams to his in the name of Svadhaa.

6.पितृभ्यः स्वधाविभ्यः स्वधा नमः।
पितामहेभ्यः स्वधाविभ्यः स्वधा नमः।
प्रपितामहेभ्यः स्वधाविभ्यः स्वधा नमः।
---गोत्रान् रुद्ररूपान् पितामहान् स्वधा नमः तर्पयामि॥
pitṛbhyaḥ svadhāvibhyaḥ svadhā namaḥ|
pitāmahebhyaḥ svadhāvibhyaḥ svadhā namaḥ|
prapitāmahebhyaḥ svadhāvibhyaḥ svadhā namaḥ|
---gotrān rudrarūpān pitāmahān svadhā namaḥ tarpayāmi||

I offer my pranams to my father who will be pleased when such pranam is offered chanting Swadhaa ( Swadhaa the Female Deity, the consort of the god Aryama the controller of the world of Pitrus..)
I offer my pranams to my paternal grandfather who will be pleased when such pranam is offered chanting Swadhaa
I offer my pranams to my paternla great grand father who will be pleased when such pranam is offered chanting Swadhaa
I offer my tarpanam (water oblation) to my paternal grandfather of -- gothram, who has attained Rudra status. I offer this fondly remembering him and offering my humble pranams to his in the name of Svadhaa.

7.ये चेह पितरो ये न चेहं या  श्च विद्मय  ऊ च न प्रविद्म।
अग्ने तान् वेत्थ यदि ते जातवेद-स्तया प्रत ग्म् स्वधया मदन्ति।
---गोत्रान् रुद्ररूपान् पितामहान् स्वधा नमः तर्पयामि॥
ye ceha pitaro ye na cehaṁ yā  śca vidmaya  ū ca na pravidma|
agne tān vettha yadi te jātaveda-stayā prata gm svadhayā madanti|
---gotrān rudrarūpān pitāmahān svadhā namaḥ tarpayāmi||

Oh Agni, the Jathaveda, who know everything, you can recognize all the pitrus who are present in this world(here), who are not present in this world(here), whom we the mortals can know and whom we cannot know . May you take the offerings from us and deliver them to all of them after duly identifying them.
I offer my tarpanam (water oblation) to my paternal grandfather of -- gothram, who has attained Rudra status. I offer this fondly remembering him and offering my humble pranams to his in the name of Svadhaa.

8.मधु वाता ऋतायते। मधु क्षरन्ति सिन्धवः माध्वीर्न सन्त्वोषधी।
---- ---गोत्रान् आदित्यरूपान् प्रपीतामहान् स्वधा नमः तर्पयामि॥
madhu vātā ṛtāyate| madhu kṣaranti sindhavaḥ mādhvīrna santvoṣadhī|
---- ---gotrān ādityarūpān prapītāmahān svadhā namaḥ tarpayāmi||
May the soft breeze be sweet,May the rivers flow sweetly, May the herbs and plants give us sweetness.

I offer my Tarpanam ( water oblations) to my paternal great granfather of... gotra who has attained Aditya Status.. fondly remembering him and offering pranams in the name of Svadhaa.

9.मधु नक्तमुतोषसि। मधुमत् पार्थिवं रजः। मदु ध्यौरस्तु नः पिता॥
---- ---गोत्रान् आदित्यरूपान् प्रपीतामहान् स्वधा नमः तर्पयामि॥
madhu naktamutoṣasi| madhumat pārthivaṁ rajaḥ| madu dhyaurastu naḥ pitā||
---- ---gotrān ādityarūpān prapītāmahān svadhā namaḥ tarpayāmi||

May the nights and days be sweet.
May the dust rising from the surface of the earth be sweet.
May the sky which is like our father be sweet to us.
I offer my Tarpanam ( water oblations) to my paternal great granfather of... gotra who has attained Aditya Status.. fondly remembering him and offering pranams in the name of Svadhaa.

10. मधुमान्नो वनस्पतिः। मधुमा  अस्तु सूर्यः। माध्वीर्गावो भवनुत् नः॥
---- ---गोत्रान् आदित्यरूपान् प्रपीतामहान् स्वधा नमः तर्पयामि॥
madhumānno vanaspatiḥ| madhumā  astu sūryaḥ| mādhvīrgāvo bhavanut naḥ||
---- ---gotrān ādityarūpān prapītāmahān svadhā namaḥ tarpayāmi||
May the trees of the forest be sweet.
May the Sun be sweet
May the cows be sweet
I offer my Tarpanam ( water oblations) to my paternal great granfather of... gotra who has attained Aditya Status.. fondly remembering him and offering pranams in the name of Svadhaa.

On Omkaaram.. the Pranavam

ब्रह्मणे त्वा महस ॐ इत्यात्मानं युन्ञ्जीत
( brahmaNe twaa mahasa AUM ityaatmaanaM yun~njiita )


"The self should be made one with the great Paramatma with the syllable OM," is the exhortation from Taittariya Shruti and is lending evidence to the concept that the basic function of OM is to bring about the unification of Jivatma and Paramatma.

There is a rule that any mantra will have its effect only if it is chanted in conjunction with Pranavam.
In the text Braahmanasarvaswam, it is said,

प्रणवाद्याः स्मृता मन्त्राः चतुर्वर्ग्ग फलप्रदाःतस्माच्च निःस्सृतास्सर्वे प्रलीयन्ते च तत्र वै
(ब्राह्मणसर्वस्वात्)
(praNavaadyaaH smR^itaa mantraaH chaturvargga phalapradaaH
tasmaachcha niHssR^itaassarve praliiyante cha tatra vai BraahmaNasarvaswaat)

Meaning "All mantras are meditated upon prefixing Om, and then alone they can give the four results or purushaarthaas, Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha.
In fact all such mantras originate from Pranavam and submerge in it ultimately,"

ॐ कारश्च शब्दश्च द्वावेतौ ब्रह्मणः पुराकण्डं भित्वाविनिर्यातौ तस्मान्माङ्गळिकवुभौ।
माङ्गळ्यं पावनं धर्म्म्यं सर्वकामप्रसाधनंॐ कारः परमं ब्रह्मः सर्वमन्त्रेषु नायकः।

AUM kaarashcha shabdashcha dwaavetau brahmaNaH puraa
kaNDaM bhitwaaviniryaatau tasmaanmaa~NgaLikavuabhau.
maa~NgaLyaM paavanaM dharmmyaM sarvakaamaprasaadhanaM
AUM kaaraH paramaM brahmaH sarvamantreSu naayakaH.

"The flow and the roar of Omkaram came out of the throat of Brahma virtually shattering it. (The throat)
It is capable of providing us with all Maangalyam.. meaning all the exalted aims and objects of life,
and so the flow and the sound of Omkaram are both called harbingers of Mangalam.
Provider of Mangalam, purifier of the self, the quintessence of virtues or Dharma, and the provider of all just and rightful desires,
Omkaram is called the forerunner or leader of all the manthras. "

यथा पर्ण्णं पलाशस्य शङ्कुनैकेन धार्यतेतथा जगदिदम् सर्वं ॐ कारेणैव धार्यते।
याज्ञवल्क्यात्
yathaa parNNaM palaashasya sha~Nkunaikena dhaaryate
tathaa jagadidam sarvaM AUM kaareNaiva dhaaryate.
yaaj~navalkyaat

Yaajnavalkya praised Omkara like this.
" Just as the three leaves in a palasa stalk is held together by a single source ( palasa leaves occure in groups of three) the three worlds bhu, bhuva and suvaH are also held together only by pranavam.

About Yajnopaveetham…

About Yajnopaveetham…

These are some of the essential instructions about Yajnopaveetham.. the holy thread worn by Brahmins.. as could be seen from ancient texts..

वामहस्ते व्यतीते तु तत् त्यक्त्वा धारयेत् नवम्।
vāmahaste vyatīte tu tat tyaktvā dhārayet navam|

If the sacred thread or yajnopaveetam slips from our left arm, then we will have to discard it and wear a new set of thread.

पतितं त्रुटितं वापि ब्रह्मसूत्रं यदा भवेत्।
नूतनं धारयेत् विप्रः स्नात्वा सङ्कल्पपूर्वकम्॥
patitaṁ truṭitaṁ vāpi brahmasūtraṁ yadā bhavet|
nūtanaṁ dhārayet vipraḥ snātvā saṅkalpapūrvakam||

If the yajnopaveetam falls out, gets broken, then the brahmin should take bath, perform formal sankalpam and wear new set of thread.

मलमूत्रे त्यजेत् विप्रो विस्मृत्य्वोपवीतधृक्।
उपवीतं तदुत्सृज्य दध्यादन्यन्नवं तदा॥
आचारेन्दु
malamūtre tyajet vipro vismṛtyvopavītadhṛk|
upavītaṁ tadutsṛjya dadhyādanyannavaṁ tadā||
ācārendu

If a brahmin passes urine or stools when wearing the yajnopaveetham in the upaveethi or pracheenaveeti or niveeti position.. ( without placing its end around the right year in the niveeti position..) then he should throw away the thread worn by him and wear a new set of threads immediately.

(These instructions are from the text Acharendu)

यज्ञोपवीते द्वे धार्या श्रौते स्मार्ते च कर्मणि।
तृतीयमुत्तरीतार्थे वस्त्राभावे तदिष्यते॥
विश्वामित्र
yajñopavīte dve dhāryā śraute smārte ca karmaṇi|
tṛtīyamuttarītārthe vastrābhāve tadiṣyate||
viśvāmitra

Visvamitra the lawmaker instructs that while performing Shrauta and Smartha Karmas, two strands of Yajnopaveetham should be worn.. And a third strand should be worn in place of Uthareeyam or upper garment.. especially if no utthareeyam is worn.

उपवीतं वटोरेकं द्वे तथेतरयो स्मृते॥
देवल
upavītaṁ vaṭorekaṁ dve tathetarayo smṛte||
devala

Devala Says..
The initiate should wear a single strand of Yajnopaveetham
And others should wear a pair of strands.

चितिकाष्ठं चितेर्धूमं ----
शवं च सूतिकां स्पृष्ट्वा सचैलो जलमाविशेत्॥
त्यजेत् वस्त्रं च सूत्रं च---
आचारेन्दु॥
citikāṣṭhaṁ citerdhūmaṁ ----
śavaṁ ca sūtikāṁ spṛṣṭvā sacailo jalamāviśet||
tyajet vastraṁ ca sūtraṁ ca---
ācārendu||

the text Acharendu says
If we touch the firewood used in a cremation pyre, or are exposed to the smoke from a pyre, if we touch a dead body, a woman having pollution within ten days of delivery of a baby, we should just jump into water with all clothes on, throw away all the clothes and the yajnopaveetham too, ( and of course wear fresh clothes and yajnopaveetham too)

धारणाद् ब्रह्मसूत्रस्य गते मासचतुष्टये।
त्यक्त्वा तान्यपि जीर्णानि नवान्यन्यानि धारयेत्॥
गोभिल॥
dhāraṇād brahmasūtrasya gate māsacatuṣṭaye|
tyaktvā tānyapi jīrṇāni navānyanyāni dhārayet||
gobhila||

Gobhila the lawmaker says.
If four months are past after wearing a new set of Yajnopaveetham, then they are considered soiled, and such threads should be discarded and new set should be worn.

उपाकर्मणि चोत्सर्गे सूतकद्वितये तथा।
श्राद्धकर्मनि यज्ञादौ शशिसूर्यग्रहेऽपि च॥
नवयज्ञोपवीतानि धृत्वा जीर्णानि च त्यजेत्॥
ज्योतिषार्णवे॥
upākarmaṇi cotsarge ṣutakadvitaye tathā|
śrāddhakarmani yajñādau śaśisūryagrahe'pi ca||
navayajñopavītāni dhṛtvā jīrṇāni ca tyajet||
jyotiṣārṇave||

The text Jyothishaarnava says..
Before performing Adhyaya Upakarama, Adhyaya Utsarjana, at the end of pollution period due to birth or death, before doing a Sraddham, before starting a Yajna or Yagam, on the occasions of the eclipses of the Sun and the moon.. one should wear new sets of Yajnopaveetam.. and discard the old ones..

If the sacred thread or yajnopaveetam slips from our left arm, then we will have to discard it and wear a new set of thread.

If the yajnopaveetam falls out, gets broken, then the brahmin should take bath, perform formal sankalpam and wear new set of thread.

If a brahmin passes urine or stools when wearing the yajnopaveetham in the upaveethi or pracheenaveeti or niveeti position.. ( without placing its end around the right year in the niveeti position..) then he should throw away the thread worn by him and wear a new set of threads immediately.

(These instructions are from the text Acharendu)

Visvamitra the lawmaker instructs that while performing Shrauta and Smartha Karmas, two strands of Yajnopaveetham should be worn.. And a third strand should be worn in place of Uthareeyam or upper garment.. especially if no utthareeyam is worn.

Devala Says..
The initiate should wear a single strand of Yajnopaveetham
And others should wear a pair of strands.

the text Acharendu says
If we touch the firewood used in a cremation pyre, or are exposed to the smoke from a pyre, if we touch a dead body, a woman having pollution within ten days of delivery of a baby, we should just jump into water with all clothes on, throw away all the clothes and the yajnopaveetham too, ( and of course wear fresh clothes and yajnopaveetham too)

Gobhila the lawmaker says.
If four months are past after wearing a new set of Yajnopaveetham, then they are considered soiled, and such threads should be discarded and new set should be worn.

The text Jyothishaarnava says..
Before performing Adhyaya Upakarama, Adhyaya Utsarjana, at the end of pollution period due to birth or death, before doing a Sraddham, before starting a Yajna or Yagam, on the occasions of the eclipses of the Sun and the moon.. one should wear new sets of Yajnopaveetam.. and discard the old ones..

it is a basic duty

संध्याहीनोऽशुचिर्नित्यमनर्हः सर्वकर्मसु।
यदन्यत् कुरुते कर्म न तस्यफलभाग्भवेत्॥
दक्षस्मृती
saṁdhyāhīno'śucirnityamanarhaḥ sarvakarmasu|
yadanyat kurute karma na tasyaphalabhāgbhavet||
dakṣasmṛtī

One of the major Dharmasastra Texts.. Dakshasmriti categorically states

One who is now worshipping Sandhya daily at the proper time become impure and he is not eligible to do any other Karma
And even if he is performing any Karma without performing the Sandhyavandanam, he will never derive any phalam or benefit from such Karma.

The texts on antyeshti are all unanimous in stating that even if a close relative is dead, and if it is Sandhya, the worship of Sandhya in accordance with the shortened procedure when there is aashaucham should be performed and then only the cremation rites attended to

Even during the ten days of aashaucham period the Karthas for the last rites should performe Sandhya Vandanam.. It is even mentioned by some Dharmasastra authors that the pollution or aasaucham temporarily withdraws itself during sandhya to enable the persons affected to do Sandhya Vandhanam.

And it is a fashion among people who are doing Namasankeertanam or Pooja at Sandhya time that they would be doing all that without caring for Sandhyavandhanam.. Such action would render the pooja or other functions useless.
Doing other ostentatious poojas and celebrations and neglecting Sandhyavandanam on this count is like kicking aged father and mother at home in private and making show of social service at a destitute home.

And doing Sandhya is just a duty.. A routine act that alone can retain the brahminhood..
It is vain and arrogant to claim that we are brahmins if we do not perform Sandhyavandanam and Gayatri Japam as part of it..

No motivational post is necessary for this..
No one motivates you to breathe, drink water or eat.. If you do not do that you will die as a man
If you do not do Sandhyavandanam, the brahmin in you dies in a few days..

fundamentals not to be overlooked

सन्ध्यातिक्रमणं यस्य सप्तरात्रमविच्युतम्।

उन्मत्तदोषयुक्तो वा पुनः संस्कारमर्हति॥ 

शौनक

sandhyātikramaṇaṁ yasya saptarātramavicyutam|

unmattadoṣayukto vā punaḥ saṁskāramarhati|| 

śaunaka

I read in many texts, and on too many occasions, and many scholars and elders also asserted that if a person who is expected to do the worship of Sandhya as per the scriptural dictate , he should perform it as a duty.. and more than deriving benefits from the worship of Sandhya, if there is a failure to perform the ritual at proper time and in the proper manner, there is the sin of Omission.. or pratyaavaayam.. 

Many things in life are like that. 

The parents taking care of their children, the children caring for their parents and so on..

There is no particular punyam arising out of such duties.. 

But if we fail to stick to such duties, there will be danger waiting for us..

Today after a long search, I stumbled upon a pramanam.. or authoritatative instruction in that subject..

The instruction given by sage Saunaka 

The slokam is given at the top

Meaning..

============

If a person overlooks to do worship of Sandhya continuously for a period covering a period encompassing seven nights,

Or if he has been afflicted by inebriation or madness caused in any manner( either through drugs or beverages, or by illness) 

then he would become eligible for normal activities in the spiritual way only if the Samskaras.. the purificatory and introductory rites are perfomed on him once again from the start..

=============

This can mean that such a persons will have to be purified by doing prayaschittams and then undergoing all the Samskaras from Jatakarama onwards..

This is the background that leads to the conclusion that a person who has broken the Sandhya vow for seven days continuously should have his upanayanam once again, if he is to become eligible for the normal duties in a vedic way...

misused words can be fatal...

मन्त्रो हीनः स्वरतो वर्ण्णतो वा मिथ्याप्रयुक्तो न तमर्थमाह।

स वाग्व्ज्रो यजमानम् हिनस्ति यथेन्द्रशत्रुः स्वरतोपराधात्॥

mantro hiinaH swarato varNNato vaa mithyaaprayukto na tamarthamaaha.

sa vaagvjro yajamaanam hinasti yathendrashatruH swaratoparaadhaat..

a manthra which is defective either in swara (pronunciation) or varna (in letter) will give adverse and dangerous effects.. 

The mispronounced word may... become something like vajraayaudha and will annihilate the yajamaana (the one who chants or offers oblations with the mantra).. 

This happened in the case of twastaa who wanted the increase in the number of enemies of Indra, chanted Indrashatroo vardhaswa इन्द्रशत्रू वर्धस्व
 in bahuvreehii instead of tatpurusha samasa..

that is,
 he chanted

indrashcha asau shatruscha इन्द्रः च असौ शत्रुः च (bahuvreehi)... meaning Indra the enemy may grow in valour

instead of
Indrasya shatroo इन्द्रस्य शत्रूः vardhaswa..(tatpurusha)
 that would mean
 Indra's enemies may grow valourous.

Thus instead of getting strong enemies for Indra,
Twsashtaa got a very strong enemy in Indra,, 

So the misused words acted as if thunderbolts which worked against Twashtaa.

This incident is usually narrated to the students of Vedas and Upanishads, during their study sessions.

(Once Vishvaroopa the son of Twashta was appointed as the priest of the Devas with Indra in the lead, because there was some misunderstanding with their usual priest Brihaspati. 

But Visvaroopa had some Asura connection in the mother's side, 

and was not faithful to the Devas.. 

Once, the priest Visvaroopa misappropriated the share of Devas in a yajna and diverted the benefits to the Asuras.. 

Indra got the wind of it and lost no time in beheading Vishvaroopa .. 

Vishvaroopa's father Twashtaa, himself a Deva of sorts, could not forgive Indra for this, 

and therefore he conducted the yajna for obtaining powerful enemies for Indra and to wage a battle against Indra.. 

In fact the demon Vritra was created.. and after a lot of fight and after obtaining Vajrayudha crafted from the backbone of Sage Dadeechi, Indra could finish off Vritrasura.. 

That is the entire story of enmity between Twashta and Indra)

The Description or Dhyana Slokam of Mother Gayatri

मुक्ताविद्रुमहेमनीलधवळच्छायैः त्रीक्ष्णैः मुखैः

युक्तामिन्दुकलानिबद्धमकुटाम् तत्वार्त्थवर्ण्णात्मिकाम्।

गायत्रीम् वरदाभयाङ्कुशकशाः शुभ्रम् कपालम् गदाम्

शङ्खम् चक्र्मदारविन्दयुगळम् हस्तैर्वहन्तीम् भजे॥

muktāvidrumahemanīladhavaḻacchāyaiḥ trīkṣṇaiḥ mukhaiḥ

yuktāmindukalānibaddhamakuṭām tatvārtthavarṇṇātmikām|

gāyatrīm varadābhayāṅkuśakaśāḥ śubhram kapālam gadām

śaṅkham cakrmadāravindayugaḻam hastairvahantīm bhaje||

I pray with great reverence and depend entirely for my welfare on Mother Gayatri 

Who has five faces with the colours of 

Pearl (Shiny Trasparency)

Coral (the red )

Golden yellow

Saphire blue 

and 

spotless white

each face having three eyes

Who has her crown bound with the fresh bright crescent of the moon

Who is the embodiment of the Chaturvimshati tattwas in her holy twentyfour letters ( or alternately containing in her letters which would explain and reveal all the great knowledge available anywhere)

who in her hands wield

the Varada Mudra.. the benedictory gesture of the hand showing that she is granting her devotees all the boons and welfare

the Abhaya Mudra.. the benedictory gesture of the hand indicating that she is offering protection to all those who fall at here lotus feet in supplication

a goad.. the weapon used to control the elephant

a whip

a white human skull

a mace 

a conch

a discus

a pair of lotuses

This is the simple meaning of the Dhyanaslokam of Mother Gayatri.. But there have been many interpretation on each of her aspects.. that would fill in hundreds of volumes..

abhaya murdra.. open palm with all the fingers held up 

varada mudra open palm with all the fingers held down.

The significance of sipping holy water and touching limbs during achamanam.

The significance of sipping holy water and touching limbs during achamanam..

त्रिः प्राश्नीयादपो यत्तु प्रीतास्तेनास्य देवताः।

ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च रुद्रश्च भवन्तीत्यनुशुश्रुम॥

गङ्गा च यमुना चैव प्रीयेते परिमार्ज्जनात्।

संस्पृष्टयोर् लोचनयोः प्रीयेते शशिभास्करौ।

ना सत्यसंज्ञौ प्रीयेते स्पृष्टोनासापुटद्वयौ।

कर्ण्णयोर्स्पृष्टयोस्तद्वत् प्रीयते चानलानिलौ॥

अंसयोस्पर्शनादेव प्रियते तु प्रजापतिः।

संस्पृष्टे हृदये चास्य प्रीयन्ते सर्व्वदेवताः।

मूर्द्धनि स्पर्शनाद्देवः प्रीतस्तु पुरुषो भवेत्।

य एवं ब्राह्मणो नित्यं उपस्पर्शनमाचरेत्।

ब्रह्मादिस्तंबपर्यन्तं जगत्स परितर्पयेत्॥

अङ्गुष्ठोग्निरिति ख्यातः प्रोक्ता वायुः प्रदेशिनी।

अनामिका तथा सूर्यः कनिष्ठा मघवो स्मृता।

प्रजापतिर् मध्यमा तु ज्ञेयाः शुद्धिमभीप्सता॥

हारीत वचनात् व्यासवचनात् च॥

triḥ prāśnīyādapo yattu prītāstenāsya devatāḥ|

brahmā viṣṇuśca rudraśca bhavantītyanuśuśruma||

gaṅgā ca yamunā caiva prīyete parimārjjanāt|

saṁspṛṣṭayor locanayoḥ prīyete śaśibhāskarau|

nā satyasaṁjñau prīyete spṛṣṭonāsāpuṭadvayau|

karṇṇayorspṛṣṭayostadvat prīyate cānalānilau||

aṁsayosparśanādeva priyate tu prajāpatiḥ|

saṁspṛṣṭe hṛdaye cāsya prīyante sarvvadevatāḥ|

mūrddhani sparśanāddevaḥ prītastu puruṣo bhavet|

ya evaṁ brāhmaṇo nityaṁ upasparśanamācaret|

brahmādistaṁbaparyantaṁ jagatsa paritarpayet||

aṅguṣṭhogniriti khyātaḥ proktā vāyuḥ pradeśinī|

anāmikā tathā sūryaḥ kaniṣṭhā maghavo smṛtā|

prajāpatir madhyamā tu jñeyāḥ śuddhimabhīpsatā||

hārīta vacanāt vyāsavacanāt ca||

-----------------------------------

Translation of the above.

-----------------------------------

Bhagavan Vyasa and Sage Harita have stated that:-

When one formally drinks water kept in the right palm held in the shape of the ear of a cow, and repeats thrice, it is believed that the three principal deities Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva would be pleased and satisfied.

When the lips are wiped after the formal threefold sips of water in achamanam , 

the rivers Ganga and Yamuna become happy.

The twin deities Ashwins are pleased when the two nostrils are touched during achamanam

When ears are touched, the gods of fire and wind are happy

When the two shoulders are touched, Lord Brhma the Prajaapati would be pleased.

When the region of the heart is touched, all the gods in heaven become happy.

When we touch the upper part of the head, the Supreme Brahman is pleased.

If a Brahmin would, on every day,perform ablutions by touching his organs as per the rituals above he would be bringing pleasure and peace to the entire world from Brahmaloka onward to a trivial shrub growing on the earth..

Agni or fire is residing in our thumb..

The wind god occupies the Index finger..

The ring finger is presided over by the Sun god.

The little finger is the abode of Indra..

And Brahma the Prajapati is present in the middle finger..

This truth should be understood properly by a person who would like to be pure..or attain purity and cleaniiness..

_____________________________________________________

Chanting of the holy names of the Protector of the world 

Sreeman Narayana 

when we sip and perform the ablutions 

would be effective in

driving away all the evil spirits 

and 

would bless us with health and happiness.

Rules for Chanting mantram… Vaachikam, Upaamshu and Maanasam

Rules for Chanting mantram… Vaachikam, Upaamshu and Maanasam

वाचिकाख्य उपांशुश्च मानसश्च त्रयस्मृताः।

त्रयाणां जपयज्ञानाम् श्रेयान् स्यादुत्तरोत्तरः॥

यदुच्चनीचस्वरितैः स्पष्टैः स्पष्टपदाक्षरैः।

मन्त्रमुच्चारयेद्वाचो जपयज्ञः स वाचकः॥

शनैरुदीरयन्मन्त्रं ईषदोष्ठौ प्रचालयेत्।

किंचिच्चब्दं स्वयंविद्यात् उपांशुः स जपः स्मृतः॥

धिया यदक्षरश्रेण्या वर्ण्णाद्वर्णं पदात्पदम्।

मन्त्रार्त्थचिन्तनं भूयः कथ्यते मानसो जपः।

उत्तमं मानसं जप्यं उपांशुर्म्मद्द्यमं स्मृतम्।

अधमं वाचिकं प्राहुः सर्वमन्त्रेषु वै द्विजाः॥

वाचिकस्यैकमेकं स्यात् उपांशोः शतमुच्यते।

सहस्रं मानसं प्रोक्तं मन्वत्रिभृगुनारदैः॥

vācikākhya upāṁśuśca mānasaśca trayasmṛtāḥ|

trayāṇāṁ japayajñānām śreyān syāduttarottaraḥ||

yaduccanīcasvaritaiḥ spaṣṭaiḥ spaṣṭapadākṣaraiḥ|

mantramuccārayedvāco japayajñaḥ sa vācakaḥ||

śanairudīrayanmantraṁ īṣadoṣṭhau pracālayet|

kiṁciccabdaṁ svayaṁvidyāt upāṁśuḥ sa japaḥ smṛtaḥ||

dhiyā yadakṣaraśreṇyā varṇṇādvarṇaṁ padātpadam|

mantrārtthacintanaṁ bhūyaḥ kathyate mānaso japaḥ|

uttamaṁ mānasaṁ japyaṁ upāṁśurmmaddyamaṁ smṛtam|

adhamaṁ vācikaṁ prāhuḥ sarvamantreṣu vai dvijāḥ||

vācikasyaikamekaṁ syāt upāṁśoḥ śatamucyate|

sahasraṁ mānasaṁ proktaṁ manvatribhṛgunāradaiḥ||

The procedure for chanting mantras or Divine chants can be in three ways. First..Chanting openly with audible sounds.. Second.. Upaamashu.. Third.. Chanting just in mind..or maanasam.

Chanting of the mantras with proper accent upwards, downwards and evenly (ucha, neecha and swarita) according to laws of rules prescribed in phonetic codes, with clearly audible and flawless pronunciation of letters and words, is defined as the Vaachaa or verbal chanting..

The mode of chanting a mantra slowly and without conscious attempt of producing any sounds but permitting the lips to vibrate producing some sympathetic and involuntary vibrations cause negligible effect by way of sound output is defined as Upaamshu.

Contemplating in the mind the entire train of a mantra letter by letter, word by word in the exact sequence understanding the meaning of it in great depth and detail, ( of course with no vocal output) is the mode of Maanasa or mental chanting.

Understand thee learned men that, of the three modes of chanting, the Vaachikam chanting.. the open throated chanting, is considered as of inferior value. Upaamshu is considered madhyamam.. or comparatively betterr, but the most appropriate and praiseworthe (Utthamam) method of chanting is Maanasam..

It is prescribed by sages like Manu, Atri, Bhrigu and Narada that if the vocal rendering of a manthra has the effect of one unit, the upaamshu will be worth hundred times the upamshu chanting and maansam will be thousand times as effective as vocal chanting..