[t'venkatam] kANDa r^iShi-s and their significance

[Guest guest]

Sri:

 

Dear Sri Ramesh Srinivasan :

 

I will get you answers for some of your questions on

UpAkarma soon .

 

Your questions are excellent . That reminds me of the adage

Rishi Moolam , Nadhi Moolam indicatign the ancient nature of

Rishi Paramparai .

 

Meanwhile , I welcome others to resspond to the specific queries .

There is indeed a reasoning behind the various steps of different

SamskArams .

 

NamO Veda PurushAya ,

V.Sadagopan

 

 

-

"Ramesh Srinivasan" <ramesh

<Oppiliappan>

Tuesday, August 09, 2005 6:46 PM

[t'venkatam] kANDa r^iShi-s and their significance

 

 

 

Respected elders,

 

Every year, during the upAkarma observance, we offer gratitude and homage o

the kANDa R^iShi-s associated with our particular veda shAkhA. In

particular, for the kR^iShNa yajur veda taittirIya shAkhA, we chant the

following mantra-s during the kANDa r^iShi tarpaNam:

 

(i) prajApatim kANDarshim tarpayAmi

(ii) sOmam kANDarshim tarpayAmi

(iii) agnim kANDarshim tarpayAmi

(iv) viSvAn devAn kANDarshIn tarpayAmi

(v) sAmhitIr devatA upanishadas tarpayAmi

(vi) yajnikIr devatA upanishadas tarpayAmi

(vii) vAruNIr devatA upanishadas tarpayAmi

(viii) brahmANaGM svayambhuvam tarpayAmi

(ix) sadasaspatim tarpayAmi

 

It is my understanding that the first four lines above refer to the 4 kANDa

r^iShi-s - prajApati, soma, agni and vishvedevAH. However, I am unsure

about

the following questions and would be grateful to learn from knowledgable

elders in this forum:

 

1. BhagavAn veda vyAsa is the compiler and editor of the 4 veda-s. However,

the fact that we remember the 4 kANDa r^iShi-s every year during upAkarmA

and utsarjana indicates that they must have played a momentous role in the

transmission of the veda-s. In addition, between upanayana and vivAha

samskAra, every brahmacAri is enjoined to perform the catvAri veda vratAni

to propitiate each kANDA r^iShi before commencing the study of the

associated saMhitA portion. What is the specific contribution of the kANDa

r^iShi-s that earns them this high place of honor in the vaidika

saMpradAya?

 

2. Since the taittirIya saMhitA consists of 7 kANDa-s, what is the division

(mapping) of these 7 kANDa-s amongst the 4 kANDa r^iShi-s?

 

3. During the upAkarma observance, we perform *nava* kANDa r^iShi arpaNa.

Who are the remaining 5 r^iShi-s whom we worship thus? What is the>

significance of propitiating them?>

4. Moreover, in the prayoga assoiated with these tarpaNa mantra-s, we seem>

to differentiate in the manner of pouring water - the first 7 being r^iShi

tIrta, the 8th being brahma tIrtha and the 9th being deva tIrtha. Why this

distinction and what is its origin?

 

5. We perfrom tarpaNam by wearing the sacred thread as a garland (nivItam).

What is the significance behind this?

 

 

I would be very grateful for your kind elucidation of this matter. If I

have

erred in my understanding as stated above, I would appreciate being

corrected by the esteemed members of this forum.

 

 

With respectful namaskAram-s,

Ramesh

[Guest guest]

Sri:

 

Dear Sri Ramesh Srinivasan :

 

I will get you answers for some of your questions on

UpAkarma soon .

 

Your questions are excellent . That reminds me of the adage

Rishi Moolam , Nadhi Moolam indicatign the ancient nature of

Rishi Paramparai .

 

Meanwhile , I welcome others to resspond to the specific queries .

There is indeed a reasoning behind the various steps of different

SamskArams .

 

NamO Veda PurushAya ,

V.Sadagopan

 

 

-

"Ramesh Srinivasan" <ramesh

<Oppiliappan>

Tuesday, August 09, 2005 6:46 PM

[t'venkatam] kANDa r^iShi-s and their significance

 

 

 

Respected elders,

 

Every year, during the upAkarma observance, we offer gratitude and homage o

the kANDa R^iShi-s associated with our particular veda shAkhA. In

particular, for the kR^iShNa yajur veda taittirIya shAkhA, we chant the

following mantra-s during the kANDa r^iShi tarpaNam:

 

(i) prajApatim kANDarshim tarpayAmi

(ii) sOmam kANDarshim tarpayAmi

(iii) agnim kANDarshim tarpayAmi

(iv) viSvAn devAn kANDarshIn tarpayAmi

(v) sAmhitIr devatA upanishadas tarpayAmi

(vi) yajnikIr devatA upanishadas tarpayAmi

(vii) vAruNIr devatA upanishadas tarpayAmi

(viii) brahmANaGM svayambhuvam tarpayAmi

(ix) sadasaspatim tarpayAmi

 

It is my understanding that the first four lines above refer to the 4 kANDa

r^iShi-s - prajApati, soma, agni and vishvedevAH. However, I am unsure

about

the following questions and would be grateful to learn from knowledgable

elders in this forum:

 

1. BhagavAn veda vyAsa is the compiler and editor of the 4 veda-s. However,

the fact that we remember the 4 kANDa r^iShi-s every year during upAkarmA

and utsarjana indicates that they must have played a momentous role in the

transmission of the veda-s. In addition, between upanayana and vivAha

samskAra, every brahmacAri is enjoined to perform the catvAri veda vratAni

to propitiate each kANDA r^iShi before commencing the study of the

associated saMhitA portion. What is the specific contribution of the kANDa

r^iShi-s that earns them this high place of honor in the vaidika

saMpradAya?

 

2. Since the taittirIya saMhitA consists of 7 kANDa-s, what is the division

(mapping) of these 7 kANDa-s amongst the 4 kANDa r^iShi-s?

 

3. During the upAkarma observance, we perform *nava* kANDa r^iShi arpaNa.

Who are the remaining 5 r^iShi-s whom we worship thus? What is the>

significance of propitiating them?>

4. Moreover, in the prayoga assoiated with these tarpaNa mantra-s, we seem>

to differentiate in the manner of pouring water - the first 7 being r^iShi

tIrta, the 8th being brahma tIrtha and the 9th being deva tIrtha. Why this

distinction and what is its origin?

 

5. We perfrom tarpaNam by wearing the sacred thread as a garland (nivItam).

What is the significance behind this?

 

 

I would be very grateful for your kind elucidation of this matter. If I

have

erred in my understanding as stated above, I would appreciate being

corrected by the esteemed members of this forum.

 

 

With respectful namaskAram-s,

Ramesh

[Guest guest]

A simple and partial explanation can be provided as follows:

 

The Yajur veda Samhita portion consists of 7 khAndas.

But the vedam including yajur vedam consists of brAhmana, Aranyaka,

and upanishat as well.

 

In yajur veda upakarma sampradAyam we stress four major rishis of

Samhita ( prajApati, soma, Agni, viswadeva ), three rishis of

upanishats( samhiti [taitriya], yAjiki[MahA nArAyana], vAruni),

svayambhu (of brAhmanam), sadasaspati ( who perhaps made

contributions to Aranyakam).

 

The major rishi names incidentally coincide with the major gods of

the yajur veda ( prajApati, soma, agni, purusha, etc. ). Sadasaspati

also figuratively refers to Agni.

 

Thus we do not try to invoke the rishis of each kAnda of the Samhita

portion but instead try to remember the major rishis behind various

portions of the yajur vedam.

 

When the upanishat, brAhmana, and Aranyaka rishis are remembered we

do not use the term 'khAnda.'

 

The rishi of each Samhita khAnda is specifically remembered in some

upAkarma sampradAyams:

 

They are :

1. prajApati

2. soma

3. agni

4. viswedeva

5. viswedeva

6. viswedeva

7. aruna

 

The remembrance of upanishat, brahmana and arAnyaka rishis is

interspersed among the seven.

 

Thus there are 4 major rishis of samhita portion, 3 major rishis of

upanishat portion, and one each for brAhmanam and Aranyakam.

 

adiyen,

RTV Varadarajan

 

, "sgopan" <sgopan@c...> wrote:

> Sri:

>

> Dear Sri Ramesh Srinivasan :

>

> I will get you answers for some of your questions on

> UpAkarma soon .

>

> Your questions are excellent . That reminds me of the adage

> Rishi Moolam , Nadhi Moolam indicatign the ancient nature of

> Rishi Paramparai .

>

> Meanwhile , I welcome others to resspond to the specific queries .

> There is indeed a reasoning behind the various steps of

different

> SamskArams .

>

> NamO Veda PurushAya ,

> V.Sadagopan

>

>

> -

> "Ramesh Srinivasan" <ramesh@i...>

> <Oppiliappan>

> Tuesday, August 09, 2005 6:46 PM

> [t'venkatam] kANDa r^iShi-s and their significance

>

>

>

> Respected elders,

>

> Every year, during the upAkarma observance, we offer gratitude

and homage o

> the kANDa R^iShi-s associated with our particular veda shAkhA. In

> particular, for the kR^iShNa yajur veda taittirIya shAkhA, we

chant the

> following mantra-s during the kANDa r^iShi tarpaNam:

>

> (i) prajApatim kANDarshim tarpayAmi

> (ii) sOmam kANDarshim tarpayAmi

> (iii) agnim kANDarshim tarpayAmi

> (iv) viSvAn devAn kANDarshIn tarpayAmi

> (v) sAmhitIr devatA upanishadas tarpayAmi

> (vi) yajnikIr devatA upanishadas tarpayAmi

> (vii) vAruNIr devatA upanishadas tarpayAmi

> (viii) brahmANaGM svayambhuvam tarpayAmi

> (ix) sadasaspatim tarpayAmi

>

> It is my understanding that the first four lines above refer to

the 4 kANDa

> r^iShi-s - prajApati, soma, agni and vishvedevAH. However, I am

unsure

> about

> the following questions and would be grateful to learn from

knowledgable

> elders in this forum:

>

> 1. BhagavAn veda vyAsa is the compiler and editor of the 4 veda-

s. However,

> the fact that we remember the 4 kANDa r^iShi-s every year during

upAkarmA

> and utsarjana indicates that they must have played a momentous

role in the

> transmission of the veda-s. In addition, between upanayana and

vivAha

> samskAra, every brahmacAri is enjoined to perform the catvAri

veda vratAni

> to propitiate each kANDA r^iShi before commencing the study of the

> associated saMhitA portion. What is the specific contribution of

the kANDa

> r^iShi-s that earns them this high place of honor in the vaidika

> saMpradAya?

>

> 2. Since the taittirIya saMhitA consists of 7 kANDa-s, what is

the division

> (mapping) of these 7 kANDa-s amongst the 4 kANDa r^iShi-s?

>

> 3. During the upAkarma observance, we perform *nava* kANDa r^iShi

arpaNa.

> Who are the remaining 5 r^iShi-s whom we worship thus? What is

the>

> significance of propitiating them?>

> 4. Moreover, in the prayoga assoiated with these tarpaNa mantra-

s, we seem>

> to differentiate in the manner of pouring water - the first 7

being r^iShi

> tIrta, the 8th being brahma tIrtha and the 9th being deva tIrtha.

Why this

> distinction and what is its origin?

>

> 5. We perfrom tarpaNam by wearing the sacred thread as a garland

(nivItam).

> What is the significance behind this?

>

>

> I would be very grateful for your kind elucidation of this

matter. If I

> have

> erred in my understanding as stated above, I would appreciate

being

> corrected by the esteemed members of this forum.

>

>

> With respectful namaskAram-s,

> Ramesh