Hindu SamskAra Regulations
Sri Nannilam BrahmashrI Rajagopala GaNapAThigaL, editor of the magazine vaithikasri has published a book titled sandeha nivAraNI under four parts. I would like to share select answers from the book for the benefit of us all. Members may also contribute with their own selection from such books. (In the following selections any reference other than Sri Rajagolala GaNapAThigaL's books are given by name).
Asanas (seats) for mantras/stotras/japa
When doing pArAyaNam (reading/reciting) of mantras or stotras or when doing japam (litany), our scriptures prescribe certain Asanas (seats) for obtaining the best fruits of our efforts.
सर्वान् कामानवाप्नोति मनुष्यःकम्बलासने
sarvAn kAmAnavApnoti manuShyaHkambalAsane
--a seat of white woolen cloth could fetch all that is sought by the recitation.
कुशासने भवेत् ज्ञानम्
kushAsane bhavet j~jAnam
--a seat of Darbha grass can sure the defects in recalling the text and give the required knowledge for proper recital. This is the reason that brahmins symbolically place a pair of Dharbha grass leaves under their feet and squeeze a pair around the right hand ring fingure when doing ceremonies.
आरोग्यं पत्र निर्मिते
ArogyaM patra nirmite
--a seat of leaves could give better health, free of diseases.
पाषाणो दुःखमाप्नोति
pAShANo duHkhamApnoti
--sitting on the ground directly or on a rock for doing litany could bring sorrow.
काष्ठे नानाविधान् गदान्
kAShThe nAnAvidhAn gadAn
--sitting on a plank made of bamboo or other wild wood could bring in diseases. (However, sitting on a household wooden plank with the legs folded on the ground can give good benefits.)
वस्त्रे श्रियमवाप्नोति
vastre shriyamavApnoti
--spreading a cloth and sitting on it could bring in lasting wealth.
These regulations apply to all kinds of mantra japas and pArAyaNas of all stotras such as Vishnu SahasranAmam, Lalita SahasranAmam and so on.
The fruits will also differ according to the place of recital. For the amount of fruits obtainable by reciting at home,
• two times of it for reciting near water bodies such as a river, pond or well;
• a hundred times when recited in a cowshed;
• more than a hundred times when recited near the agni after the performance of the homas;
• a hundred crore times when recited in puNya kShetras (holy places), sannidhi (presence) of gods in the sacred temples;
• infinite number of times for japas done in Sri MahaVishNu's sannidhi.
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Alaya pradakShiNam
When doing pradakShiNam (going round clockwise) in temples, one should do it slowly, like a pregnant woman expecting her baby very shortly, with the full attention on the memory of God. Such a pradakShiNam could remove all the pApams (negative karmas) accumulated in our earlier births.
As the saying goes:
एकहस्त प्रणामश्*च एकञ्चाऽपि प्रदक्षिनम् ।
अकाले दर्शनं विष्णोः हन्ति पुण्यं पुरातनम् ॥
ekahasta praNAmash^cha eka~jchA&pi pradakShinam |
akAle darshanaM viShNoH hanti puNyaM purAtanam ||
these acts can reduce the accumulated merit of our earlier births:
• doing only one pradakShiNam to any god except Ganesha;
• bowing to gods raising a single hand/palm (as in the good morning gesture);
• going to PerumAL temple and having darshan of Vishnu at odd times.
Going round oneself is known as AtmapradakShinam. Such pradakShinam can be done only to the Sun god, or when doing sandhyA vandanam--not in temples or other places.
Further, in accordance with the saying:
एकं विनायके प्रोक्तं, द्वे सूर्ये, त्रीणि शङ्करे, चत्वारि महाविष्णोः,
पञ्चास्तु देव्याः, सप्ताऽश्*वत्थ प्रदक्षिणम्
ekaM vinAyake proktaM, dve sUrye, trINi sha~gkare, chatvAri mahAviShNoH,
pa~jchAstu devyAH, saptA&sh^vattha pradakShiNam
the number of pradakShiNas that should be done minimum for each god is as follows:
• one pradakShiNam for Sri MahA Ganapati;
• two for the pradakShiNam done towards the Sun god;
• three for Sri Parameshvara (Siva);
• four for Maha Vishnu;
• five for mother or Mother Goddess;
• seven for the peepul (arasa) tree.
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mantropadesham and mantra japam
Mantras purify the mind and obtain the divine grace for us. For the mantrasiddhi (obtaining the fruit of the mantra), the guru's grace is vital. Only a guru can select a mantra that suits the abilities of his disciple and guide him/her in practice. The guru also bears the karmic burden of the disciple and prays for its dissolution. Therefore it is always best to be initiated into mantra japam by a guru.
The best time for mantropadesham are the times of the solar and lunar eclipses. Receiving mantropadesham or doing japam for mantrasiddhi during the times of the eclipse could obtain the fruits early.
As for the other best times, mantropadesham can be had on the day of sangramaNam (first day of a Hindu calendar month). The six months of the uttarAyaNam period (from the month of thai-pushya to Ani-Anusi), and the period of shukla pakSham (from the day following the Newmoon day until the next Fullmoon day) are auspicious times for mantropadesham.
While all the mantras must be chanted with the correct and clear pronunciation, the Veda mantras should be chanted with the correct svaras (udAttam, anudAttam, svaritam).
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dhanur mAsa pUja
In the calendar of the devas, where one year of our time equals one day, the month of mArgashIrSha-mArgazhi is the uShaH kAlam (dawn time) of the devas.
As the shAstra says:
उषः काले तु सम्प्राप्ते बोधयित्वा जगत्पतिम् ।
समभ्यर्च्य भजेत् विष्णुम् जगतां दोष शान्तये ॥
uShaH kAle tu samprApte bodhayitvA jagatpatim |
samabhyarchya bhajet viShNum jagatAM doSha shAntaye ||
the puja performed during the entire month of mArgashIrSha before sUryodayam (sunrise) at the uShaH kAlam for Maha Vishnu, with abhiShekam and tulasI archana, offering in nivedanam pongal prepared using payattam paruppu (greengram dhal) would bring welfare with all the doShas cured, for the village, the creatures and animals and people living in that area.
Thus the dhanur mAsa pUja is done in all the temples for the welfare of the people at dawn time during the mArgashIrSha month. In addition, people also perform such pujas in their homes.
कोदण्डस्ते सवितरि प्रत्यूषे पूजनात् हरेः ।
सहस्त्राऽब्दाऽर्चन फलं दिनेन एकेन लभ्यते ॥
kodaNDaste savitari pratyUShe pUjanAt hareH |
sahastrA&bdA&rchana phalaM dinena ekena labhyate ||
When the sun is in the dhanur rAsi, Sri Vishnu puja done during the uShaH kAlam for a single day could obtain the fruits of doing puja for a thousand years.
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रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥
To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.
--viShNu purANam
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