Foreword for Laghu Aradhana Kramam

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Foreword

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Sriman Sunder Kidambi , Thiruvadi of Prakrutham Srimad SrimushNam

Andavan is very well known to the Asthika community in many continents .

Over the past few years , Sriman Sunder Kidambi has been serving the global

Asthika community tirelessly through his kaimkaryams to create , populate

and grow his extraordinary web site , http://www.prapatti.com / This web site has under

a single roof (1) one of the largest collection of texts of Stotras in multiple languages ,

(2) audio MP3 recordings of many of the above Stotras and (3) photo

galleries of

108 dhivya desams and vintage photo images of Srimath Andavans and Ahobila Matam

Jeeyars .The time, energy , effort and dedication that Sriman Kidambi has brought

to bear upon this task is phenomenal and his yeoman service has been recognized by

Asthikas thirsting for such information around the globe . All of us owe a deep sense of

gratitude to Sriman Sunder Kidambi for his selfless Bhagavath-Bhagavatha Kaimkaryams .

 

Most recently , Sriman Kidambi has put together an easy-to- practise Laghu

Aradhana kramam for the benefit of Asthikas , who wish to learn Bhagavad

Aradhanam . It is a pleasure for me to have the privelege of writing a foreword

for this most recent release of Sriman Kidambi in his prapatti.com web site .

Why is this effort so important ?

 

Today , Sakthi-Sampradhaayam-SadhAchaaram and PramaaNa Jn~Anam

are diminishing . Many Vaishnavaas are living and working far away from

their traditional homes . They are cut off from their moorings . Traditional

routes of learning about our ancient Sampradhaayam at the sacred feet

of SadhaachaaryAs are not available to them . There is a need for addressing

these information needs of aasthikaas both at home and abroad . Welcome

efforts by knowledgable VaishNavAs fill the information gap on important

Vaidhika karmaas like BhAgavad ArAdhanam that are to be performed every day .

These efforts are to supplement the primary efforts of SadaachAryans

and not to replace them

 

There are two kinds of Bhagavad Aradhanams : (1) Athmaartam (2) Paraartam .

The Atmaarta Aradhanam is done at home to please the Lord by those , who

have been blessed with Pancha Samskaarams . The Paraarta Araadhanam

is done at the temples and Matams for the well being of the world (loka kshEmam) .

Those who belong to Brahmacharya , Grahastha, Vaanaprastha and SanyAsa

Asramams are required to perform BhagavdhArAdhanam after being blessed with

Pancha SamskAram .They perform ArAdhanam with Veda Manthrams . Ladies are

eligible for performing VishNu poojA in the tAntric manner . Such is the importance

of Bhagavad ArAdhanam "TasmAth anAdhi-madhyAntham nithyam aarAdhayEth

Harim " instructs Sage VyAsa ( Therefore we should perform AarAdhanam for Hari

always) . ParAsara Samhithai states that one should not even eat in the villages or homes ,

where VishNu AarAdhanam is not performed and one should not live in such

places even for a day ( na kuryAdh anna-paanAdhi na tathra divasam vasEth ) .

 

Such is the importance of Bahgavad AarAdhanam . Vigraha AarAdhanam is

the most lofty among AarAdhanams . There are however a lot of difficulties

faced by some in executing it .Hence the easier SaaLagrAma Aardhanam

is recommended by our SadAchAryAs . When the SaaLagrAma Moortham of

the Lord is present in one's home with DhwAraka SilA , one has tremendous

sanctity in the house . After the AarAdhanam is done , PerumAL's SrIpAdha

theertham and TuLasi is recieved before partaking the naivEdhyam presented to

the Lord during the worship

 

In view of the significane of both these kinds of Araadhanams , Vaishnavite Acharyaas

have written authoritative granthams on nithya Aaraadhana kramams : Ramanuja's

nithya grantham , Vangipuram Nambi's Kaarikai , Smruthi Rathnaakaram ,

Mumukshu DharpaNam , Paancha Raathra Rakshai by Swamy Desikan ,

Ahnika grantham by Thirukkdanthai Desikan , SadaachAra NirNayam by

Srimad InjimEdu Azhagiya Singar are some of those Sri Sookthis focusing

on the important Nithya Karmaas like Bhagavad AarAdhanam .

 

Many Vaishnavaas long to do perform Bhagavad Araadhanam ; they however

do not have the opportunity to learn it readily from elders or from their Acharyaas .

Many of such aspirants live over seas and are finding it difficult to learn

the correct procedures (kramams) for performing Bhagavad Aradhanam .

Further , the performance of the traditional Ghana ArAdhanam with its

intricate kramams like Bhootha Suddhi , Bhagavath and Devi AvAhanams ,

recitation of Manthra Pushpam with Veda Manthrams with the correct svarams ,

Periya SaaRRumuRais is not easy for many VaishNavAs . Two online resources for

performing the Ghana AarAdhanam are available at :

 

http://www..org/2000/resources/shtml

 

http://www.srivaishnavam.com/aradhana.htm

 

In view of the elaborate nature of the Ghana AarAdhanam and

the diffiuclties in performing them every day in the required manner ,

our compassionate AchAryAs have devised a lighter kramam known as

Laghu ArAdhana Kramam . This can be done in the morning by one

rushing to work in the modern day world . Sriman Sunder Kidambi has

assembled this Laghu AarAdhana Kramam for the benefit of aasthikAs ,

who wish to learn to perform AarAdhanam for the Lord . Sri Kidambi's

presentation of Laghu AarAdhanam is easy to follow with helpful pictures

on the placement of the vessels used in worship as well as the different mudhrAs used

at the different stages of the AarAdhanam . The Sanskrit Text for the Veda Manthrams

with the appropraite svarams for recital and the clear English text on instructions

are very useful to the aasthikAs at every level of awareness of the kramam .

Seperate appendix on the Taniyans for the AchAryAs , MudhrAs and

the often used kramams are a valuable adjunct to learn the Laghu AarAdhana

kramam . There are in all thirty five steps that Sri Sunder Kidambi has focussed on

to capture the essence of Laghu AarAdhanam . With few practise runs , one can

become familiar with the performance of nithyArAdhanam for the dhivya dampathis

and recieve their anugrahams

 

Our hearty congratulations to Sri Sunder Kidambi for a significant contribution

to the world of AathikAs and our prayers are to the Dhivya Dampathis and AchAryAs

to grow his Kaimkarya Sri further and further .

 

NaarAyaNa , NaarAyaNa , NaarAyaNa ,

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan