Japa mala

[Guest guest]

Respected members:

 

What Shri Sampath G has indicated seems to make immense sense given the

various distractions from all sides which assails the 5 sense organs of us

ordinary mortals leading ordianry family lives. What elders, parents,

guides and us members who are part of these group should do is to ensure

that we follow the process strictly as per the scriptures without EXPRESSLY

TELLING this to the generation following us. Let them use the the Japa

mala as recommended by our friend but let us refrain ourselves. Over time,

by sheer observation, maturity is bound to dawn on these minds and they too

will gradually and naturally gravitate towards the scriptural dictates.

There has to be a passive and yet demonstrative attitude we should assume

while confronting such a situation.

 

Yes, if too much conditions, rules etc. are insisted then whatever little

enthusiaism the person has mustered could get wasted as the power of

external influence is overwhelming. The mind being fickle by its very

nature, it would be a daunting task to bring it back into the path. So let

there be a give-and-take policy. However, there is no give-and-take policy

when it comes to the actual performance of the nitya karma itself. The

methodology, supportings and timings may be subject to some laxity, but not

the principle itself. There cannot be any compromise. If this is dinned

into their minds then in the long run the benefits will start to accrue

 

In the most adverse of circumstances the person may be told to do

EVERYTHING MENTALLY. This will give him flexibility and yet firmly fix in

his mind that no matter what he has to do the nitya karma. Assume he a

busy executive on Wall Street constantly on the move and on the air 5 days

a week flitting between cities...Let him do the Nitya karma mentally in the

airport lounge while waiting for the flight call. The awareness has to be

built in.

 

Om tat sat

tat tvam asi

 

 

 

 

Sampath G

<sampath_govindachari@y Karthik Ragavan

<karthikri

ahoo.co.in> cc: "M.N.Ramanuja"

<mnr

Re:

Japa mala

12/13/04 07:08 PM

 

 

 

 

 

SrimatE Raamaanujaaya Namaha !SrimatE Nigamaanta Mahaa Desikaaya Namaha

!Srimate Sri Lakshminrisimha Divyapadukasevaka Srivan Satakopa Sri

NarayanaYatindra Mahadesikaya namaha !

 

Dear Bhagavathas,

While I appreciate the explanations given based on the sloka by swamin

Ramanuja , I feel , in today's fast world , if we try to bring in all do's

and dont's as per the books , we would only drive the youth away from doing

the Nithya karmas . Our Acharyas themselves have diluted a lot for us , to

make people get attracted to come for making Saranagathi to Sriman

Narayanan , only to save all our souls ( Panchasamskaram and Baranyasam) .

As such we on our part should not put in all restrictions in the initial

stage itself. Once people start getting used to doing Japa , they would be

tempted to read connected books and then , they themselves will follow the

rules of the game.

In the meanwhile , it would be easier for the youth of today , who is

living in the computer world and addicted to all mechanisation , to use

Tulsi or Rudraksha or spatika mala for counting purposes during japa. What

is most important is that , when such chanting of mantras are done with the

help of beads , the beads themselves get some power in them due to the

greatness of Bhagavan nama and so they are to be handled carefully. So it

would be better for one to keep those japa malais in Perumal sannathi

instead of wearing all through the day , since , during our other works ,

we may lose our body purity . This is one of the reasons , the elders in

the family used to tell us to wash ourselves , especially hands and feet

before entering Perumal sannadhi in the house .

If people want to wear malais after bath for the whole day , they may do so

with a different set instead of the one used for the Japa counting.

This also will give us a feeling of holiness while chanting mantras , since

we ourselves would be disciplined by our actions.

We should never forget that we have not reached a stage of Alwars or other

devotees , who could freely play with the Lord and the mantras. They are

important for our salvation and have got to be handled very carefully with

all sincerity and holiness.

Please do not get me wrong that I am trying to go against the sampradayam.

My only anxiety is the youth of today have got to be roped as they will be

the torch bearers of our sampradayam tomorrow.

Trust this explanation could be appealing to all.

Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan- G.Sampath.

 

 

"M.N.Ramanuja" <mnr wrote:

 

 

 

Dear swamis,

Regarding Gayatri japa, it is said in Agni purana in

Tulakaveri mahatmya Adhyaya 14 that japamala should not be used for

counting Gayatri mantram. It should only be counted on the parvas or the

folds of the right hand fingers. Starting from the middle fold of the ring

finger, going down and left and upwards on the little finger and going

right on the top folds and down the index finger giving 10 counts.

For counting 28 or 108 therefore one has to count in tens on the right

hand and note each cycle with the help of chalk markings or pebbles

or left fingers.

 

It is said that the lower two folds of the middle finger are called Meru

and the counting should be done circumambulating them. It is said that

since

Gayatri is the root of the Vedas and the Vedas are recited using the

above-mentioned method for counting the sooktas, Gayatri should also be

counted likewise. The following sloka is quoted in authority.

 

parvabhir gaNayEt sankhyAm nAkshamAlAdibhir nripa;

GayatryA vedamUlatwAd vEdah parvasu gIyatE.

 

There are many more do's and dont's quoted therein which are interesting

to note and follow.

 

Dasan

Ramanuja

 

On Fri, 3 Dec 2004, Karthik Ragavan wrote:

 

>

> Dear Swamis,

>

> I have a clarification in the usage of malai during

> Gayathri japam. During my daily sandhyavandhanam, I

> have the practice of using Rudraksha malai during

> Gayathri Japa & Spatika Malai during Ashtakshara japam

> and wear the same after the japam is completed. I

> remove the malais during my night prayers before going

> to bed.

>

> I heard somebody advising that it is not right to wear

> the japa malai and it is supposed to be kept back in

> the sannadhi after the japa is over. The malais used

> for daily wearing after snanam should not be used for

> Japa.

>

> I am confused on this and seek the stalwarts of this

> group to clarify on the same.

>

> Regards,

>

> Karthik Ragavan

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

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--

***********************************************

 

M. N. Ramanuja

Department of Physics

Indian Institute of Science

Phone: 3092722 (Lab)

 

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