Sandhya/Gayathri related

[Guest guest]

> ,

> s.ramachandran@h... wrote:

> > It is therefore, extremely critical and

> mandatory for the Sandhya to be> performed without

> fail. It is quite surprising that Shri Vishnu

> has> questioned the efficacy of Sandhya and

> perhaps thinks of replacing the> Sandhya with

> 'namaa'> chanting. Come what may, the Sandhya is a

nitya> karma>> ordained by the Vedas and no one

is excused.> > Dilution of Sandhya> requirements

are therefore > out of question. One may dilute

all other> > rituals, worship etc. but not the

Sandhya.

>

> *******************

>

 

 

 

> Dear Sri Ramachandran,

>

> What you say above is absolutely consistent with the

> 'sAstra'. Anyone who suggests otherwise will be

> doing a disservice to the Vedanta 'mArga'.

>

> The 'sandhyavandanam' is a 'nitya karma' which must

> be

> performed without fail by everyone who owes

> allegiance

> to the 'vaideeka matham'.

>

> In the Bhagavath Gita Sri Krishna attests to the

> importance of Gayatri at many places:

>

> "...mantrO aham..." (9.16) "I am mantra..."

>

> "...gAyatri chandasAm aham..." (10.35) "I am the

> gayatri chandas (metre)"

>

> Hence, to say anything against the "gayatri" and the

> "sandhyavandanam" will be an act of outright

> 'drOham'

> (betrayal) against our Vedantic faith. It will also

> be

> an act of betrayal against our great 'achArya' Sri

> RamanujAchArya for it is he in his "gIta-bhAshya"

> who

> wrote that only 'asurA' or men of demonaic nature

> will

> fail to perform "sandhyavandanam". In the

> "gita-bhAsya" while commenting on Stanza 16.7 our

> "bhAsyakArar" wrote as follows:

>

> "na api cha AchAra:, tad bAhyAbhyantara-shoucham

> yEna

> sandhyAvandanAdina AchArENa jAyatE,

> sa api AchArA: tEshu na vidhyatE I

> tathA uktam:

> "sandhyAhInO' a-shuchi-nitya-manarha:

> sarvakarmasu"

> (Daksha-smriti) iti II"

>

> meaning:

>

> "(The men of demonaic nature) do not perform right

> conduct such as "sandhyavandana", twilight prayers

> etc

> by means of which internal and external cleaniless

> arises -- such right conduct is alien to them. For

> it

> is declared in the sAstra "He who does not perform

> twilight prayers is always unholy and unfit for any

> other rites" (Daksha smriti 2.23)""

>

> Let anyone in our faith who wants to transgress the

> words of Sri RamanujAchArya say whatever he wants

> against the 'sandhyavandanam'. The rest of us should

> perform it without fail everyday of our life. Let us

> not listen to words of 'asura-ic' nature.

>

> Regards,

>

> dAsan,

> Sudarshan

>

 

 

______________________

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[Guest guest]

Sri:

Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

 

Dear Sri Ramachandran,

 

While it is good to see your enthusiasm for performing

sandhyavandanam, the following lines are puzzling.

 

> It is therefore, extremely critical and mandatory

> for the Sandhya to be performed without fail. It

> is quite surprising that Shri Vishnu has

> questioned the efficacy of Sandhya and perhaps

> thinks of replacing the Sandhya with 'namaa'

> chanting. Come what may, the Sandhya is a nitya

> karma ordained by the Vedas and no one is excused.

> Dilution of Sandhya requirements are therefore out

> of question. One may dilute all other rituals,

> worship etc. but not the Sandhya.

 

Is it your stand or our pUrvAchAryas stand that

other rituals and even worship can be 'diluted'

but not the sandhyavandanam. Is there any pramANam

for this stance?

 

Of course, the sastras themselves excuse many from

performing the sandhya. So, how is that you say that

no one is excused? Or do you mean only those that

are eligible for it.

 

Certainly our acharyas did not give up their nithya

karmas, but only so as to not set the wrong example

for those who are at the first steps. However, there

are two things here. I don't think they saw it as a

mandatory act which is an unforgivable sin when

missed, as you are stating ; and they only saw

it as a kainkaryam to the Lord and not for their

personal benefits. And again, I believe their stress

was on all nithya karmas and not just the sandhya

alone.

 

Guru Paramapara records that Bhattar refused to

stop his fan service to the Lord for the sake

of doing sandhyavandanam.

 

Pillai Lokacharyar includes the performance of all

nithya karmas as one of the sins that the Lord

wipes out in the "sarva pApEbhyO" of the Charama

shloka.

 

Kindly clarify.

 

adiyEn madhurakavi dAsan

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Dear SrI VenkatEsan:

 

The clarification that you requested on this important

point is rooted in views of two SampradhAyams.

 

It is not productive to labor over this point , which

has been debated many times in the lists . There are

plenty of PramANams about the absolute priority of Nithya

KarmAs like SandhyA Vandhanam . Even when he was quite old

and was unable to stand , AchArya RaamAnuja is said

to have stood up with sishyA's help and performed His nithya karmA

(SandhyA Vandhanam ) .

 

No light will arise from this debate .

 

One should follow one's own acharya paramparai's

anushtAnam and feel comfortable .

 

Thanks for your understanding of my reluctance/

disinterest to encourage this debate.

 

V.Sadagopan

 

-

"TCA Venkatesan" <vtca

"Ramanuja" <ramanuja>; "Oppiliappan"

<Oppiliappan>

Tuesday, February 10, 2004 4:43 PM

Re: Sandhya/Gayathri related

 

 

> Sri:

> Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

>

> Dear Sri Ramachandran,

>

> While it is good to see your enthusiasm for performing

> sandhyavandanam, the following lines are puzzling.

>

> > It is therefore, extremely critical and mandatory

> > for the Sandhya to be performed without fail. It

> > is quite surprising that Shri Vishnu has

> > questioned the efficacy of Sandhya and perhaps

> > thinks of replacing the Sandhya with 'namaa'

> > chanting. Come what may, the Sandhya is a nitya

> > karma ordained by the Vedas and no one is excused.

> > Dilution of Sandhya requirements are therefore out

> > of question. One may dilute all other rituals,

> > worship etc. but not the Sandhya.

>

> Is it your stand or our pUrvAchAryas stand that

> other rituals and even worship can be 'diluted'

> but not the sandhyavandanam. Is there any pramANam

> for this stance?

>

> Of course, the sastras themselves excuse many from

> performing the sandhya. So, how is that you say that

> no one is excused? Or do you mean only those that

> are eligible for it.

>

> Certainly our acharyas did not give up their nithya

> karmas, but only so as to not set the wrong example

> for those who are at the first steps. However, there

> are two things here. I don't think they saw it as a

> mandatory act which is an unforgivable sin when

> missed, as you are stating ; and they only saw

> it as a kainkaryam to the Lord and not for their

> personal benefits. And again, I believe their stress

> was on all nithya karmas and not just the sandhya

> alone.

>

> Guru Paramapara records that Bhattar refused to

> stop his fan service to the Lord for the sake

> of doing sandhyavandanam.

>

> Pillai Lokacharyar includes the performance of all

> nithya karmas as one of the sins that the Lord

> wipes out in the "sarva pApEbhyO" of the Charama

> shloka.

>

> Kindly clarify.

>

> adiyEn madhurakavi dAsan

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Finance: Get your refund fast by filing online.

> http://taxes./filing.html

>

>

>

> Links

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Shrinivas:

 

Thanks very much for your mail.

PLease see SrIman Venkatesan's note

of today.

 

There is no question on slacking on ThrikAla

SandhyA Vandhanam and other ordained nithya

KarmAs by anyone . There is agreement there .

 

Hence we will be moving on to other topics .

 

My thanks to all of you , who have

already sent in your comments on this

important subject .

 

Namo Veda PurushAya ,

V.Sadagopan

Oppiliappan List has recieved

 

 

Dear Sri TCA Venkatesan,

 

Sandhyavandanam has to be performed without fail. This is the laid down

firmly in the srutis...for eg "devapitru kAryAbyAm na

pramatitavyam"(dont be careless in doing your duty to the God and

forefathers)...esha adEshaH...esha upadeshaH (this is the command, this

is the upadesam)...mantras quoted from sikshavalli...

 

Refer to Emperumanar's Srimad Bhagavad Gita Bhasyam where He strongly

comdemns the view of giving up karmas laid down in the sastras

(nityakarma), the karmas pertaining to relieving of our indebtedness, the

karmas that cleanse us, when commenting on "sarva dharmAn..."

 

While asking Arjuna to perform the karma, the Lord proclaims that these

laws have been verily laid down by Him. In the pAncharAtra agama, the Lord

categorically proclaims "...mat bhaktopi na vaishnavaH"(even if he is a

devotee he does not belong to Me). To overlook His command just amounts to

committing Bhagavadapachara and overlook the preachings of the Acharyas

who preach nothing other than His commandments amount to

Bhaagavadapacharam.

 

Please see the picture of the upadesam that stares at our face when we

enter the poundareekapuram asharam that will tell us what great a sin it

is to skip sandhyavandanam. If one skips sandhyavandanam, he ceases to

have the eligibility to do anything. He is considered to be a treacherous

fellow by the Lord. He even loses to eligibity to enter His sannidhi.

 

Consider the case of two servants of a master. One servant does the

whatever the Master has ordered and the other simply eulogizes the great

qualities of the master without actually performing the task assigned. The

master would certainly be disappointed with this "kaam chor" servant and

would take him to task while He would reward the other guy aptly.

 

Even if a death happens in a house, one is supposed to perfrom

sandhyavandanam upto argyapradanam. This itself is considered to be

sufficient during ashoucha period.

 

The sastras say that if one's father, brother, son or even a friend is not

in a position to do sandhyavandanam because of illness, one should do the

sandhyavandanam for their sake.

 

It is our prime duty to carry out the orders of the Lord to the best of

our extent. I say best of our extent because, we often find excuse by way

of lack of time or blame the horrid circumstances. During the kurukshetra

war, the warriors offered arghyam with sand because there was no water. If

one is travelling atleast, the mantras should be chanted mentally. Take

for example that we are appearing for an exam. If we dont know answers for

100 marks what would be do? Would we give the blank answer sheet? Or would

we try and write for obtaining the bare minimum marks? Similarly we should

strive to do our duty to the best of our ability and offer the action and

its fruit to the Lord. For the Lord Himself advises this in Gita ."Swalpam

apy asya dharmasya traayate mahato bhayaat". (Gita Chapter 2, sloka

40....(The practice of even a little of this dharma protects one from

great fear).

 

Sandhyavandam has the bhakti yoga,karma yoga and jnana yoga in an

encapsulated form. And it is for this reason also that EmperumAnAr

performed sandhyAvandanam till His last day without fail.

 

achAryapAdAnghrirENu

[Guest guest]

Dear SrIman Venkatesan :

 

Many thanks for your mail.

I appreciate it very much.

V.Sadagopan

 

 

Dear Sri Sadagopan Swamin,

 

adiyEn's praNAms. My apologies if you felt that I

was starting a debate on sampradhayic approaches.

That wasn't the intent.

 

adiyEn is aware of the difference in philosophy

of the two sampradhayams toward nithya karmas.

 

Actually what I was wondering about was what you

are saying - "absolute priority of Nithya KarmAs

like SandhyA Vandhanam" - I thought this was the

emphasis - that all nitya karmas are to be

followed. Whereas Sri Ramachandran was insisting

that other nitya karmas can be given up but not

the sandhyavandanam. The pramaNAm I was asking

for was for that idea only.

 

adiyEn added the notes about Bhattar and Pillai

Lokacharyar just to show that there are some

differences in approach to the topic of nitya

karmas. No more.

 

adiyEn madhurakavi dAsan

 

 

--- Sadagopan <sgopan wrote:

> Dear SrI VenkatEsan:

>

> The clarification that you requested on this important

> point is rooted in views of two SampradhAyams.

>

> It is not productive to labor over this point , which

> has been debated many times in the lists . There are

> plenty of PramANams about the absolute priority of Nithya

> KarmAs like SandhyA Vandhanam . Even when he was quite

> old

> and was unable to stand , AchArya RaamAnuja is said

> to have stood up with sishyA's help and performed His

> nithya karmA

> (SandhyA Vandhanam ) .

>

> No light will arise from this debate .

>

> One should follow one's own acharya paramparai's

> anushtAnam and feel comfortable .

>

> Thanks for your understanding of my reluctance/

> disinterest to encourage this debate.

>

> V.Sadagopan

>

 

 

 

 

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