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Om namo Narayana !!

Respected members:

It  is  a  real pleasure to read Shri Sadagopan's note on the most critical
nitya  karma  i.e.  Sandhyavandanam.   This  writer  would  like to add the
following :

a. Sandhya is a form of Yoga.  Yoga  as defined by the Great Patanjali    -
who  is  none  other than Adiseshan come down to their earth to help humans
-     is  understanding  the  fluctuations  of  the mind and the methods to
address  these  and  go beyond.  Asana is one part, pranayama the other key
aspect. Only with Pranayama the mind can be brought under control

Both  these  key  aspects are included in the Sandhya.  Our very life force
the  Prana  is  offered  to the LORD and this Prana which is full of potent
power  much much higher than any nuclear bomb is held back and infused into
the  Water  while  doing  Argyam  to  give power to the water to dispel and
destroy evil and darkness.

b. Even if one person does the Sandhya, especially the Arghya pradanam even
once,  many persons may get the benefit.  If today in this Kali Yuga, if at
all  things  have  not  fallen  apart  is  only  because of a few thousands
performing the Sandhya diligently globally.

c.Without Sandhya there is little relevance of doing other poojas, worship,
chanting,  homam,  yajna.  If Sandhya is done on the other hand, everything
else becomes optional.  Either way Sandhya is supreme

d.  Sandhya  is  also  a  social  obligation  enjoined  by  divinity/Vedas.
Therefore, it has no relation to teetu etc. It has to be done irrespective.
Moreover,  it  has  to be done with an attitude of selflessness. One cannot
ask  for  this  or that, unlike in other mantras, slokas etc. some of which
have  the ' reward' aspect built into.  For example we have the Ayush homam
for long life, Mahamritunjaya homam etc. but Sandhya has to be general. For
'lokakshemam' for welfare of all, animals, man, trees etc.

e.  Today  we  have  movements  like  Greenpeace,  Whaling committee, World
Wildlife  Funds  etc  each  one  trying  to  push  their limited agenda but
nevertheless  recognizing that endangering of species will result in chaos.
This  was already in-built in  the Sandhya, where everything is worshipped.
The prayers are for all.

f.  Divine arithmetic :

   In  addition, there is a more meaningful aspect of the Sandhya  which is
   in-built.  The mind, by nature is fickle and lethargic and can be easily
   influenced  by  various  external  factors.   Knowing  well that in such
   situations, although in Kali Yuga chanting of the name, Namaa itself may
   not  be adhered or may be casually done, the Sandhya ritual contains the
   chanting  of  names,  Naama  also.   Hence the importance of 'mandatory'
   doing this.

   The  assumption  here  is if one lives a purely traditional life as laid
   out by the Sastras and Orthodox stricture  and the advice of the Gurus /
   Acharayas,  then assuming the Upanayanam is done at age 7 the person may
   live say upto 97 i.e. 90 more years after Upanayanam.

1.    During Sandhya, during achamanam, 12 names of Vishnu at the minimum
are taken. Achamanam is done thrice at the minimum.  This works out to 36
name chanting.  Multiply with 365 days a year and you have 1.18 million
namas during a lifetime of 90 years assuming you do the Upanayanam at 7 and
continue the chanting till you are 97 years

2.    Further, if you by chance happen to be a  Sri Vaishnavaite  dedicated
to the Sandhya, you need to chant 24 namas instead of 12, so this
straightaway doubles your Namaa count to 2.36 million times in your
lifetime.

3.    In addition, you are touching each part of your body with the names
of Vishnu. You are literally installing and plucking Vishnu from all around
and fixing into your body. You are purifying yourself 2.36 million times.
You are surrounding yourself with HIS name several times that no harm or
problem can even deign to come close to you, leave along touching you.

4.    This apart, you are offering deva tarpanam to all the planets and
again this includes the names of Vishnu. So this works out to 24 names x 3
times a day x 365 days x 90 years which is another 2.4  million names as
Deva tarpanam is done once.

5.    Add to this divine total Saranagathi sloka "Sanka chakra Gadha ..."
which is done once, i.e. 1 x 3 x 365 x 90 and this comes to around 99,000
chants

6.    This does not take into account the 9 planets, Guru, Rahu, Saturn
etc. for which tarpanam is done, this is 9 x 3 x 365 x 90 = 8.88 million
name uttering. No need to cast horoscopes, think about “7 year Shani”, all
griha doshas!!!

7.    Then there is Om Shri Kesavaya namaha which is done initially during
Sandhya. Thus another 99000 chants of the Holy name.

8.    Now comes the Gayathri chanting.  At the minimum during pranayama of
10 times the Gayathri is told after each Om Bhu, Om Bhuva..., thus  10
Gayathri's x 3 times x 365 days x 90 = 1 million counts is done

9.    To this add: the Sankalpam Gayathri done thrice i.e.another 99000
Gayathri

10.   Then you worship the God of Death and his chief accountant
Chitraguptan by chanting their names which works out to 99000 chants to
Yama and another 99000 to his Chief accountant who keeps tabs on our deeds.

11.   Now add to this 99000 name chanting of Saraswathi, the Goddess of
learning.

12.   Include at names of 12 Great Rishis and Lord Hayagriva, this works
out to 13 x3 x 365 x90 or 1.28 million uttering

13.   Achamanam is done thrice at the minimum and each achamanam is made of
Achutaya namaha, Anantaya Namaha,and Govinda i.e. 3 x 3 times x 3 rituals x
365 days x 90 = 645000 name chanting

14.   Coming now to another unique prayer. Not many are doing this, but
this again is enshrined in the rituals. Prayer to the Snake god for
protection and warding off fears.  Done thrice x 365 days x 90 is 99000
times. This is indirectly addressed to Adi Seshan and this will immensely
please Mahavishnu by default.

15.   The rivers are also prayed for.

16.   This is not the end of the story. Every direction, sub-direction,
down, up, center, innermost and outermost small, sundry and miscellaneous
demi-gods etc. everyone is called thrice i.e. another 99000 times.  Gods of
each direction i.e. North, south, etc. are addressed. Bhoomadevi is
addressed, 99000 for each addressing of name

17.   All Panchamahabhutas i.e. agni, vayu, earth, sky, ether, airspace
etc. are all invoked and prayed i.e. 99000 for each addressing of name

18.   Last but not the least, the core Gayathri mantram itself which at a
base minimum of 10 Gayathris x 3 times x 365 x 90 becomes 1 million. Many
elders do the Gayathri many times. Some do it 108 times per ritual x 3 or
324 times a day !!!

Roughly  this  totals around 20 million chantings during your lifetime. Day
in  and day out you if you do this you get the divine power and protection.

And this is just the tip of the ice berg

Now the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali also talk of the potent power of OM and
declare that if a discipline is done followed diligently with interest over
a period of time, impressions in the mind which impels us to act,speak and
think erroneously and which bring about misery in our material existence,
these impressions which are nothing but Karmas working themselves out,
these would be overwritten by the power of habit,  And Yoga is nothing but
cultivation of an habit. Chanting, surrender to God, correct behaviour,
attitude and prayers are all part of the divine package of Yoga and this
habit will with "Abhayasa and Vairagya" i.e. constant learning and practice
coupled with conscious detachment
 will make us a fit vehicle to peep into Vaikuntam!!

Some relevant extracts from the Yoga Sutras which are relevant to the
Sandhya practices is given for better appreciation of the underlying
importance of doing the Sandhya constantly :

The Yoga Sutras are the most complete and universally neutral terse truths.
They can be tested and experienced immediately here on this blessed earth
by each one of us.  They are scientifically and logically structured.  Only
one has to have the patience and energy to study them.

If you carefully go through the Sutras *,  you will find:

I-20 talks of how progress happens in this field i.e. to one who has
Shradya (faith), veerya (boldness) , smriti (memory) etc.

I-21 declares that alternatively, for those who follow the principles with
depth of seriousness ...the word used is "teevra sama.."...

I-22 says there are three types of people i.e. medium, high energetic or
mild and depending on these tendencies the progress is measured

I-23 gives yet another alternative and says or if neither I-20, nor I-21
nor I-22 is applicable to such a person the solution is
"Iswarapranidhan...".  This sutra has just one word. This Ishwar is not
God, or Shiva or anything else. It is just a higher, supreme being.

I-24 Ishwara is defined as a special (the word used is "visesha"), purusha
untouched by time, etc.  Not God, or Shiva or Vishnu or anything. Just an
entity.

I-25 elaborates what all Ishwara possesses. Note the gender of Ishwara is
concsiously left blank. It does not say whether Ishwara is Male or Female.
It simply says ' In Ishwara there is all knowledge, everything
contained..."

I-26 Declares emphatically " Ishwara is the Guru, the primary ancient and
first  Guru

I-27 :further clarifies that Ishwar manifests as sound form - the Sound
form is OM and OM is uttered at least 20 times during each Sandhyavandanam
which by itself works out to 20 x 3 x 365 x 90 = 2 million counts.

* Pages 259 onwards Vol 1, Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda titled Raja
Yoga.


Om tat Sat
Tat tvam asi



                                                                                
                           
                      sadagopaniyengar                                          
                           
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                                               Subject: [Oppiliappan] The 
Treasure                         
                                                                                
                           




Srimate SrivanSatakopa  Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:



                    The Treasure





           “Upanayana vivAhou utasavaika pradhAnou” says Sri VenkatAdhvari
Kavi in  his “Visva GuNAdarsa ChampU”, lamenting that upanayanam and
marriage have become  mere social functions, shorn of all their rich
ritualistic significance.  Shastras tell us that every eligible boy should
undergo upanayanam or the  “thread ceremony” in his seventh year-”ashta
varsham brAhmaNam upanayeeta”. The  current practice of performing this
“function” whenever convenient (irrespective  of age) and at times just
before the boy’s marriage, doesn’t have the sanction  of Shastras, to say
the least. The idea was to “catch them young” and instil in  impressionable
boys the thought of the Lord and His worship, much before outside
influences started polluting their minds. The greatness of the Gayatri
mantra  and its regular japa is beyond dispute. Thus when Gayatri enters
the young boy’s  soul early, it acts as a protective armour, fobbing off
the tons of garbage that  assail us from all directions, polluting our
mind, body and thought. This  mundane world keeps us so busy running here
and there on worldly errands, that  we have hardly any time to think about
our true selves, why we are here, where  we go from here, what is the
purpose of our life and about the Lord and His  relationship with us.
Sandhyavandanam is a karma ordained for our performance,  in the hope that
we would devote at least that time in the contemplation of the  Lord,
amidst our innumerable and unending mundane chores.



           The benefits of an early upanayanam are thus manifold.
Regrettably, the  performance of Sandhyavandanam, (glorified by all
Scriptural texts as a sine qua  non for any other karma and as a must for
all eligible people, thrice a day  without any sort of break or holiday)
has now dwindled so much that it is now  confined to perhaps a few thousand
families all over India and abroad. We hear  of times when parents would
not give their daughter in marriage to eligible  bachelors who had given up
sandhyOpasanam and none would either feed them or be  fed by them. Today,
however, the situation has become so topsy turvy, that  people performing
Sandhyavandanam are looked at as strange specimens and parents  of
brides-to-be are reluctant to entrust their wards to adherents of this
“archaic” ritual.



 Be it marriage, SeemanthOnnayanam,  JAtakarmA, NAmakarma, or apara kriyAs,
we find the unseemly spectacle of people  omitting Sandhyavandanam and
going on to perform the aforesaid karmas, oblivious  to the Shastraic
injuction that one who has given up Sandhyavandanam is ever  impure and
ineligible to undertake any Vaidika karma-“SandhyAhInO asuchi:  nityam,
anarha: sarva karmasu”. Little do people realise that the elaborate
functions they organise, at considerable expense and strain, be it
marriages or  other karmas, would be fruitful only if preceded by
SandhyOpAsana.  Alas, Brihaspatis, whose prime duty it  is (for they are
“purOhitAs”, advising the KartA of what is to be done and when)  to remind
the Karta to complete the essential prelude of Sandhyopasanam before
beginning the Karma proper, are also not insistent on this, knowing full
well  that the proceedings would definitely be fruitless. After performing
a boy’s  Upanayanam with all the trappings of a secular celebration and
with festivity  associated with a carnival, with a “Reception” et al, it is
now customary for  the parents to forget completely about making their ward
perform Sandhyavandanam  thrice daily. While some engage a VadyAr to teach
the boy for a fortnight or so,  in the hope that a habit would be formed
for continued performance, once the  Brihaspati stops, Sandhyavandanam is
also bidden good-bye, with the father  having neither the time nor the
inclination nor even the expertise to encourage  the boy to continue the
karma. In many cases, the parent lacks the moral  authority to insist on
the boy’s performing the ritual, as he (the parent) has  given it up long
back. Even if the boy himself wants to continue the practice,  he would be
left without the requisite assistance. Thus the preparations of  months,
the expenditure of several thousands or lakhs according to social  status,
the pomp and show of the function itself-all these are reduced to  nought,
with the abandonment of Sandhyavandanam. If parents were to remember  that
non-performance of Sandhyopasanam is a direct contravention of the Lord’s
commandment and the delinquent is counted among the betrayers of the Lord,
it  would perhaps enforce better adherence, for the Lord says in the Gita,

 “Shruti: Smriti: mama Eva AgyA yastAm  ullanghya vartatE

 AgyA cchEdI mama drOhI mama bhaktOpi na  vaishnava:”



 It is indeed surprising that many are  reluctant to set apart the few
minutes that are required for this important part  of our daily lives,
while spending interminable hours at school, college,  office, club or
other entertainment spots. The reason, of course, is not far to  seek-while
the aforesaid hours at worldly pursuits are directly and perceptibly
rewarding, Sandhyavandanam doesn’t appear to be so. However, if we set
store  only by what we see, hear and feel with our own faculties, there
would be little  difference between we who call ourselves AstikAs, vis a
vis nAstikAs, who deny  the existence of God because they are unable to see
or hear Him. Sandhyavandanam  cleanses the soul through meditation on the
Ultimate and bestows wonderful  benefits, spiritual as well as material, on
its sincere votary.



The  importance of this ritual can be understood from the fact that there
is  absolutely no exemption from its performance any time in life, even
when one  contracts “theettu” or pollution due to birth or death of near
and dear ones.  Even during such Asoucham, an abridged version of the
ritual is to be performed,  making it thus a part of our daily routine,
akin to eating, sleeping or bathing.  There may even be occasions when we
forsake these physical acts, but none on  which we may skip
Sandhyavandanam. The importance our forbears attached to this  karma would
be evident from the fact that Sri Ramanuja, at the ripe old age of  120,
stood up with great difficulty and performed arghyapradAnam. This is
recounted by Swami Desikan in Srimad Rahasyatrayasaram, to emphasise the
indispensability of anushttAnam. If a paripoorNa Brahma gnAni like Sri
Bhashyakara felt it essential to perform Sandhyavandanam even after six
score  years of a spirituality-filled life, it speaks volumes for the need
for its  observance by ordinary mortals like us.



  There are those who speak loftily of  meditation, Yoga and Upanishadic
dicta, preferring the rarefied corridors of  Vedanta to performance of mere
rituals. Alas, they don’t realise that the  topmost storey of
God-realisation is to be reached via the winding staircase of  SamskArAs
and  that one can’t just  jump from the floor onto the roof. Samskaras like
upanayanam are meant to purify  the mind and body, to make it an ideal
receptacle for wisdom, which would in  turn lead us to liberation by
showing us the appropriate strategy. Thus,  whatever be one’s age,
occupation or persuasion, all traivarnikAs have to  perform
Sandhyavandanam, whether or not they are spiritually inclined, for
non-performance could well impact on their material life too, due to the
cumulated offences resulting from the omission.



 In the next stage are those who do  perform the nitya karma, but without
the requisite degree of concentration.  During the performance of Gayatri
japa, the mind wanders so far and wide as to  traverse the whole world in a
jiffy. The enforced physical inactivity during  Sandhyavandanam makes the
mind super-active and unable to concentrate on the  Lord and His
attributes, which is after all the essential purpose of the ritual.  It is
an acknowledged fact that the mind is the most difficult faculty to
control-we can shut our eyes, our ears and nose against the assault of
external  forces and keep our limbs inactive. However, we have to admit
defeat when it  comes to controlling our mind, which functions with a
fierce independence and is  obviously untamable. No less a person than
Arjuna, famed for his powers of  concentration, laments to Sri Krishna that
his mind is fickle and  uncontrollable-“Chanchalam hi mana:
Krishna!…..tasyAham nigraham manyE vAyOriva  sudurgraham”. Even the Shruti
attests to the fearsomeness of the mind, which can  lead astray even the
most accomplished soul-“BhIshmO hi mana:”. If even  acknowledged experts
are ineffective at mind control, we despair at our own  fate. However, the
Lord assures us that it is all a matter of  practice-“abhyAsEna tu
KountEya…”. Practice makes perfect and in course of time,  we find
ourselves able to concentrate more and more on the Lord’s lotus feet,
suffering less and less distractions as we proceed.



 Of course, the process doesn’t stop with  performance of Sandhyopasanam.
Upanayanam is after all a Samskaram, a catalyst,  which is not an end in
itself, but a qualifying degree to enable higher studies.  The very word
“Upanayanam” means “leading near”-near the Brahmam. If we  interpret the
word “Brahmam” to mean the Shruti, we arrive at the deduction that
Upanayanam is an enabling factor for VedAdhyayanam or the study of Vedas.
Just  as nobody stops with high school studies, Upanayanam is not supposed
to end with  Sandhyavandanam. The study of Vedas through an Acharya is
ordained on every  eligible person. “VEdO nityam adheeyatAm” says the
Scripture, commanding us to  learn and recite the Vedas daily. And why
should Vedas be learnt? Because they  are the first and foremost body of
spiritual knowledge, (“Adou VEdA:  pramANam”-Sri Bhattar) telling us all
that is beyond the ken of our frail  faculties; Because they are an
independent source of wisdom, untainted by human  composition and the
resultant blemishes; Because they are eternal guiding lamps  which are our
source of inspiration in birth after interminable birth; And  because they
can show us, if properly propitiated, the way to Liberation and  freedom
from the vicious circle of births and deaths. The Brahma SutrAs, (whose
main purpose is to clarify the nature of Paramatma, Jeevatma and attendant
matters) tell us that the VEdAnta Shastra, leading to an appreciation of
the  Ultimate, should be imbibed only after completion of
VedAdhyayanam-“atAthO  Brahma jigyAsA”. One who is eligible to imbibe
Vedas, but doesn’t do so for  whatever reason, has no hope of liberation
and is destined for the lower worlds  reserved for sinners, says the Manu
Smrti-“anadheetya dvijO VedAn…….vrajati  adha:”



The  glory of Vedas is beyond description. The Purusha Sookta Vakya,
“EtAvAn asya  mahimA” would apply equally well to the Shruti as to the
Paramapurusha. That the  Lord resides in the Vedas is confirmed by Swami
Desikan- “adarpuL arasilum  andaNar mAttilum”and by Sri Nammazhwar-“Sudar
migu SurudiyuL… paranduLan”. Sri  Kalian calls the Lord “VEdiar muzhu
VEdattu amudam”. Worshipping the Lord should  be done through the medium of
those who have mastered the Vedas, adopting such  BhAgavatAs as
Purushakaram, says Sri Satakopa Muni- “VEdam vallArai koNdu viNNOr  perumAn
tiruppAdam paNindu”.



This  is the priceless heirloom bequeathed to us by our forefathers, who
cherished and  treasured the Shruti by learning it with reverence through
an Acharya, applying  it in their everyday karmas and passing on the
treasure to all those who were  interested, ensuring its propagation and
perpetuation. Even those who were  unable to learn all the available
portions of their own ShAkha, compromised with  reluctance by imbibing the
portions for frequent use in nitya karmas and for  Bhagavat kainkaryam. If
the meagre attendance today at VEda pAtashAlAs is any  indication, Veda
adhyayanam has fallen on hard times, with predictable  consequences of
truant monsoons or excessive precipitation (anAvrishti and  ativrishti),
resulting respectively in terrible famines and destructive deluges,  strife
and senseless violence, corrupt rulers and suffering populace. If the  good
old times of peace and prosperity are to return, every eligible person
should take up Vedic studies through an Acharya. Those who are unable to
devote  the time and energy for the full course could contemplate imbibing
portions of  the Shruti essential for the performance of nitya and
naimittika karmas and for  Bhagavat kainkaryam. The day the world resounds
with Veda ghOsham, the guns of  war would fall silent, voices of discord
would remain muted and the plaintive  cries of the needy would stand
banished. Let us work for restoring the Shruti to  its former glory and
magnificence.



Srimate Sri  LakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana
Yatindra  Mahadesikaya nama:

Dasan, sadagopan.

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