significance of madhyaanikam

[Guest guest]

Dear Esteemed members of the prapatti group!

 

I have a question which may have been dealt with already. Mr. Mani,

if this is the case, please direct me to the related archives.

 

My question is on the significance of Madhyanikam. I understand the

word "Sandhya" to mean twilight (dawn or evening), so

"Sandhyavandanam" relates to the prayers at those times. I have heard

that from a historical basis, the "Praathas sandhyavandanam" was

performed before the vedas/scriptures are to be studied at the start

of the day, and "Saayam sandhyavandanam" to be performed after these

scriptures have been studied at the end of the day. Is this a proper

understanding of these prayers? Has the "madhyanikam" been followed

since vedic times? Was its purpose to cleanse oneself before studying

the scriptures again and before taking the midday meal?

 

Thanks,

 

 

Om Namo Naaraayanaaya,

 

-Rajiv

[Guest guest]

At 10:04 AM 10/3/96 -0400, you wrote:

>Dear Esteemed members of the prapatti group!

>

>I have a question which may have been dealt with already. Mr. Mani,

>if this is the case, please direct me to the related archives.

>

>My question is on the significance of Madhyanikam. I understand the

>word "Sandhya" to mean twilight (dawn or evening), so

>"Sandhyavandanam" relates to the prayers at those times. I have heard

>that from a historical basis, the "Praathas sandhyavandanam" was

>performed before the vedas/scriptures are to be studied at the start

>of the day, and "Saayam sandhyavandanam" to be performed after these

>scriptures have been studied at the end of the day. Is this a proper

>understanding of these prayers? Has the "madhyanikam" been followed

>since vedic times? Was its purpose to cleanse oneself before studying

>the scriptures again and before taking the midday meal?

>

>Thanks,

>

>

>Om Namo Naaraayanaaya,

 

 

Let me try to answer this question. First of all the last line of your email

indicates a mantra known as moola mantra. Please do not write this mantra

on emails. use some other name of our lord or just Narayana. The reason I

am saying is this, this is one of the most esoteric of our mantras. This is

should not be published with no control. I have seen this being done by many

of our prapatti group members. There are controversies regarding whether

this should be not published or widely publised. But at least according to

Rahasyatrayasara, Sri Vedanta desika feels that this should not be published

even though Sri Ramanuja published this ( an exception). I am sure Sri

Manavala Mamuni probably agrees with Sri Vedanta Desika in this aspect. If

not, someone can let me know.

 

Coming to Madhyanhika. This is done as midday prayers at the sandhi kala of

purvanha and aparanha (ie. junction of before noon with after noon) this is

an ancient practice as old as our dharmashastras. In fact on the day of

poonal, the vatu or the brahmachari is first initiated into Sandhyavandana

teaching him madhyanhika on that day, since typically, poonals are performed

in the morning (not evening), the next prayer is madhyanhika. This is as

ancient as other two sandhyavandanas prathaha and sayam of the day. The

mantras "Asatyena rajasa.... and pasyem sharadasshatam, jeevema

sharadasshatam etc. are related to the madhyanhika quite closely even

considering their meaning ...

which ends in "jyokcha suryam drishe" - indicating "sight of surya".

 

But the question pops up, how can office going working people do

madhyanhika at the right time? so why not skip it!!

 

The answer is simple, just do it in the morning before coming to work. This

is not optimal but " sa dosham api na tyajet". (bhagawadgita) - nitya karma

should not be avoided even though they may have mistakes. How many of us

can do pratah sandhya at the right time before sunrise or at sunrise every

day? It is not practical. but we do it later at a convenient time.

Similarly madhyanhika should be done in these modern times during morning

after sandhyavandana.

 

Some may say, USA is not pure country or it is bhogabhumi so karmas need not

be done there. So one can leave sandhyavandana!. This is not true, wherever

one person is whether in USA or in a plane, one should atleast do "manasica"

or mental sandhyavandana if water etc. are not available at certain

times/places. The practice of sandhyavandana is good even considering that

it gives peace of mind for few minutes at day amidst this rat race.

 

Hope this helps. please send comments / questions if any

 

 

Dasan Krishna Kalale

 

 

Krishna Kalale

619-658-5612 (phone)

619-658-2115 (fax)