1. I am in UK as mentioned in my earlier mail, and there are very few
SriVaishnavas here, and virtually none in my place...what do I do for
Yajur Upakarma? Also...when will it be the time for Upakarma in this paart
of the world?
Due to family circumstances adiyaen had a very late upanayanam
(thankfully, due to Acharyan's love and kripa, had my Samashrayanam in
SriPerumpudur, Udaiyavar's birthplace immediately after my
upanayanam)...and this will be my 'Thalai Avani Avittam'.
The details of the
Yajur UpAkarma Performance and some special aspects of observances
for
Talai AavaNi avittam
are coverd in a 27 [age e-book released last year . Pictures from
Vaideekam
group is also included
there . The URL for access and Printing is:
Yajur Veda UpAkarma
for UK and USA is Monday , Aug 27
Gayathri Japam day is
Tuesday, Aug 28 .
2. adiyaen has been observing aahaara niyamam for the last four
years, and with Sriman Narayana's grace, I find it okay to manage here
where food of a Saatiwka nature is not easy to prepare. What would you
advise in this regard?
I do not know where you
are located . Most of the Towns/Cities have ingredients for
cooking
Saathvika Food. Salads
, Fruits , Lentils , Rice and Home prepared curry powders for
Kuzhambu,
Rasam( Saathamudhu) ,
butter Milk, Yogurt , Idly , Dosai powders will easily fill up the menu
.
SvaympAkam would be
necessary . Occasional shopping forays to cities near you with
Indian ingredients for
cooking ( Lentils of different kinds etc) backed up by material sent
from
home would address
needs in this area. There are a few VaishNavites in London ,
Cambridge
areas , who are members
of Vaideekam ( Sri Rajan) , Ponnappan and SaraNAgathi as well
as
Malolan groups , who
can help you .By copy of this note , I am requesting them to
contact you
to form a network
.
3. The sunrise and sunset patterns here are weird...sunrise is early
enough, but sunset seems to be taking a long time...nowadays at 9.45
P.M...so when should I perform saayam sandhya?
Adiyaen will not consume food or water before Sandhyavandhanam and as
the evening stretches on, I am finding it difficult to stay awake after my
Sandhyavandhanam for my research work. Please help me with these questions
and I will take it that Srirangan himself has guided me through you.
Saayam Sandhya times
are started just before Sunset and concluded at Sunset
.
The sun
rise,sun set dawn and dusk times are derivable for any location from
gaisma.com/
for London
:
for Sydney
:
On June 23
, 2007 the Sunrise at London is at 4.43 AM
and
the Sun set
is at 9.22 PM ; the length of the day is 16.39 Hours
;
for this
day , Dawn at London is at 3.55 AM and the dusk is at 22.10
PM;
the length
of the day ( day light ) is 18.14
Hours .
With this kind of
Sunrise (4.43 AM) and office times ( 9 AM to 5 PM) ,
You can not
observe the
suggested times for PrAtha: SandhyA or Saayam
SandhyA .
If you wake
up at 7 AM , you can offer an additional arghyam and
that
takes care of not
being able to perform Praatha: Sandhyaa at a time
just
before Sunrise ,
when the stars can be seen .
It is
not practical to do Saayam Sandhyaa at 9.22 PM , eat after ,
go to bed with a full
stomach and get ready for next dy's work . If your
peformance
of research work
is affected by these late Sunsets , you can make a
disconnect
between evening
meals and performance of Saayam sandhyaa at local sun
set
( an hour or so
before Sunset ) . PalahAram /Tiifin can be also had in the
evening
and
regular meal after Saayam sandhyaa , although it is not healthy
to eat that late .
The thought that
you wish to perform SandhyA Vandhanam regularly is more
important than abandoning it like many do . You may or may not stay in
these Northern hemispheres permanently . You can
regularize on return home at the end of your current stay
overseas .
Our Compassionate
Rishis and AchAryAs have given us additional arghyam
for delays and also
sankalpam for missed saayam sandhyaa Vandhanam ,
when it is performed
next day so that there is no discontinuity /lapse .
When in doubt , Your
AchAryan is naturally the best guide .
Hope these comments
help ,
Oppiliappan Koil
V.Sadagopan
( Camp) New York
.
Adiyaen Ramanuja Dasan
SARVAM
SRIKRISHNAARPANAMASTHU!