Guest guest Posted August 11, 1999 Report Share Posted August 11, 1999 i m staying in an US city and trying to live upto Vaishnavite traditions.can anyone please tell me about Sankalpam which i should say , especially during Avani Avittam & Gayatri Japam. expecting your replies eagerly balaji seshadri _______ Get your free @ address at Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 12, 1999 Report Share Posted August 12, 1999 Dear Bhagavatas I am forwarding my reply to a query raised by Sri Balaji Seshadri on the subject of Sankalpam to be done in USA. Hope this will be useful for other members of the list. If there is any variation, I would like to hear from other scholars in the group. Dasoham Anbil Ramaswamy Ramanbil Full-name: Ramanbil Thu, 12 Aug 1999 10:50:50 EDT Re: Sankalpam balajiseshadri Dear friend I give below excerpts from Chapter 21 of my book "Hinduism Rediscovered" dealing with the Sankalpam. The exact names of Thithi, VAra, Nakshatra etc can be obtained from any almanac of the year (Panchangam) Hope this helps. Dasoham Anbil Ramaswamy ============================================================ The Sankalpa which every Hindu makes while initiating any religious practice, invariably refers to the exact locale where the rite is performed with reference to the Hindu Cosmology. ( e.g.) In India, the locale part of the Sankalpa would be as follows : Jambudveepe In the isle of the rose apple Bharata Varshe In the region called Bharata Varsha Bharatah Khande In the continent of Bharata etc. Those doing the rites in the U.S.A, adopt the same as follows:- Krouncha Dweepe In the island called Krouncha Ramanaka Varshe In the region called Ramanaka Varsha Aindra Khande In the continent called Aindra Prasantha Saagare*: Near the Pacific Ocean Pushkara Kshetre* In the locale known as Pushkara Rocky - mickelny Parvatayor Madhye* : Between the mountains of Rockey and Mickelny Misissipi- Missouri Ityadhi Aneka Shodasa Jeeva Nadeenam sameepa stite : the place that is surrounded by such perenniel rivers like Mississipi , Missouri and 16 other rivers * These are optional. Some priests use these; others leave them. ============================================================ It may be noticed that any rituals which a Hindu performs on auspicious as well as inauspicious occasions always start with a fixation of the precise time, the star, the day, the Thithi, the fortnight, the month, the season, the half year , and the year on the micro side as also the quarter of the yuga, the name of the yuga , the name of the cycle, the Manvantara, and the Kalpa on the Macro side. In fact, orthodox Hindus do this reckoning daily in their 'Nitya karma Anushtana' the daily routine Puja ( honouring) of their Ishtadevata. In this way the formula for describing the exact time in the eternal cycle has been passed on from generation to generation. This is what we call the "Sankalpa' before commencing any rituals. This is also true of fixation of the exact location where the ritual is performed.as already discussed in the 'Section on ' Space'. Now, let us have a look at this Sankalpa: It goes on like this: Dviteeya parardhe In the second half of Brahma's life Svetavaraha Kalpe In the Kalpa of Sveta Varaha Vaivaswatha Manvantare In the reign of Vaivaswatha Manu Ashta Vimsati me within the 28th cycle Kali Yuge In the Kali yuga Prathame Pade In the first quarter thereof Then, the Sankalpa refers to the geographical position of the place where the ritual is performed. and this has been explained in the section on ' Space'. Resuming the reference to time, the Sankalpa proceeds further as follows:- Asmin Varthamane Vyavaharike : In the current period now proceeding Prabavadi Shashti Samvatsaranam Madye : Among the cycle of 60 years starting from Prabhava ......... Nama Samvatsare : in the year named.......... Dakshinayane or Uttarayane : in the Soutern/ Northern movement of the Sun ...........Ritou : in the season named....... .......... Mase : in the month of........... ............Pakshe : in the bright / dark fortnight thereof ............Punya Thithou : in this holy Thithi numbered........ .............Vasara uktayam : on the day called......... ..............Nakshatra uktayam : when the star called.........holds sway Then, the Sankalpa proceeds to say that the ritual called..............is performed for the pleasure of the Lord. If you need more information, please feel free to contact me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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