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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00018 Nov 2005

 
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SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA.

Sastric pramana in the form of bhashyam by venerated acharyas do 
exist for sandhya vandana krama and krama for tarpanam. It is in the 
course of these that we derive the interpretation on reuse of darbhai.

Here I wish to refer to the book 'Sandhya vandana bhashyam' 
(published in the year 1922) having the bhashyam by Shankara, 
RAmanuja, Madhwa ( I don't know the original texts from which the 
bhashyam has been translated), Sri Narayana swamy (Ahobila matam, II 
pattam), Thirumalai Anathaan pillai, Kunnatthur Iyyan swamy and for 
advaitic interpretation Vidhyaranyar and Vaidhyanatha Dhikshithar. 
The translation has been done by KAnchipuram Chaama and Thirumalai 
Thaaththaachariar and checked by Akkur Anandhachariar. There are some 
differences (paatah bhedam) in their interpretations. But since all 
of them have been based on sastra pramanam, no one interpretation can 
be deemed wrong and practice is up to one's allegiance to the 
sampradaya or school of thought they belong to.

For instance, in the opinion of Thirumalai Anandaan pillai and 
Kunnatthur Iyyamn swamy, aachamanam must start with 'Keshavaadi 
manthram' till Daamodhara naamam on occasions other than Homas. 
During the Homas one must start with Keshava naamam till the 12 
naamams. There is precedence to this in Purana - Ithihasas, according 
to them.

As one interested in knowing the why and rationale of all this, I 
find this practice (of starting with Keshava naamam)  having 
relevance at cosmic level. This state of Bhagavan corresponds with 
the moment before creation. (I will cover all these from puranas etc 
at appropriate places). By a simple translation of this name in 
Sanskrit, Ke means in water and shava means like dead. It is the 
state of Bhagavan just floating in water (not on sesha - that comes 
later, after creation). Similarly this state of bhagavan corresponds 
with the month of Maarghazhi, the MArga-sIrsha - the maarga stands 
for maargam or route. Interestingly this also has a cosmic as well as 
Vedantic relevance in that it is this part of the sky that 
corresponds to the beginning of creation, a threshold  to Vaikuntha 
(on Vaikuntha Ekadasi day)  which extends approximately upto 90 
degrees in the sky at the end of which occurs the dissolution ? Maha 
shivaraathri. I intend to relate these in future postings in this 
series.

Mahabharatham, especially Bheeshma -Yudhishtira samvaadam  gives a  
lot of clues on questions related to our topic. 

It is a repeatedly stressed point that darbhai must be held in hand 
while doing any japa.
In fact from the book above mentioned, I must say that one must wear 
pavithram while doing Gayathri japa in the course of Sandhya vandana 
too. Though there is no mention of whether to discard this after the 
japa or reuse it in this book, in the Tarpanam book by Akkur 
Anandhachariar there is a specific mention of throwing out used 
pavithram and Korrchcham. Again after Uapkarma also, pavithram is 
discarded. Thus in pithru tarpanam and rishi tarpanam, the practice 
is to discard. In homas also they are not re-used is what I pointed 
out in earlier mails.

My attempt is to rationalize these practices with the available 
knowledge that I get to hold on to. As such the deduced result is 
that drabhai does conduct some energy and pavithram does this at an 
advanced level (kindly pardon my language). By the practices it is 
deduced that the pavithram either gets contaminated with the energy 
(it is dosham in vEdik's language ? it is pavithram since it removes 
the dosham and makes one pavithram. Another explanation by the vEdiks 
is that the ring finger is the only finger  which can not be raised 
high on backward side  compared to other fingers, showing its 
humility and the nature to bow. It is because of this it has been  
given the highly respected status in all karmas and held as 
pavithram. Another explanation is the naadi that runs in that finger 
which is directly connected to the main naadi in the head. It is in 
order to protect this naadi from any dosham, that pavithramn is worn 
in this finger. The Vediks also told that even if one wears pavithram 
ring in gold, it is of no use in karmas. Only darbhai must be used. ) 
it attracts to protect the doer and hence loses its potency to do the 
same again or it becomes unfit for re-use in having removed  the 
dosham or whatever once. But the practice as well as precept found in 
books and by what I heard from Vediks, it is not for re-use. 

My purpose is not to challenge others, argue or confuse. It is only 
that I give as I see or understand it. People have accused me of 
extrapolations, derided ... But no pleasure and no pain in what I do. 
My intention is to present all this with the wonderful science behind 
them so that people will be more than ever before convinced in their 
convictions and do with better perspective ? so that posterity will 
be benefited -  so that this is my humble service to the wonderful 
knowledge which is but a way of life that will have to shine on 
inspite of ravages of time. The e-form  helps this to happen.  

It is upto the readers to take up the information  with knowledgeable 
persons and decide. I stand to be corrected with suitable sastric or 
rational pramana. (I find these two synonymous (saastram and 
rationality)is the reason why I am emboldened to write this series.)

Another point. As per the above quoted book, all varnas have to do 
sandhya vandana, just as in doing agni hotra. These are nithya karmas 
for all. Agni hotra was done by all in the Vedik society ?the 
rationale explained earlier justify it. Similarly the sandhya vandana 
for the other 3 varnas though different from that done by Brahmins 
goes to show the highly scientific rationale in purifying the body 
fluids, purifying the atmosphere around oneself (by arghyam water ? 
the manthras do indicate the destruction of the `demons' ? in our 
current awareness, the germs that grow fast just before sun rise and 
sunset)

Since Gayathri japa is also done, pavithram must be worn, ( I am not 
sure whether people   practice this today, but it is specifically 
stated). It is for getting the benefits without any hindrance from 
any dosham.

Even among the sandhya vandana manthras for various Vedas (Rig, yajur 
etc), as an impartial observer and reader having the sole aim of 
knowing more, my personal impression is that Rig Vedic manthras are  
simply superb (not to demean other ones) in that the one who chants 
them knowing the meaning  is sure to get exalted in this very birth 
itself. Such is the import. It is beyond ordinary human longings. It 
just makes the doer or the thinker (one who meditates on this) become 
light, float, soar and expand cosmically ? and  become Infinte? like 
a Vama deva or a Bhrigu or Narada who just floated across this 
creation.  Such is the import. Such is the import.

(to be continued?but waiting for responses before sending the next 
post)
-       By
-       just a `nimittha maathram' in bhagavan's scheme of actions?.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------
--- In Oppiliappan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Narasimhan Krishnamachari 
<champakam@xxxx> wrote:
>
> Respected Authors:
>  
> If possible, kindly include the SAstric evidence for all the 
positions.  
>  
> Regards,
>  
> -Krishnamachari
> 
> s.ramachandran@xxxx wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> 







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