Reuse of darbam - Achamanam

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SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA.

 

Sastric pramana in the form of bhashyam by venerated acharyas do

exist for sandhya vandana krama and krama for tarpanam. It is in the

course of these that we derive the interpretation on reuse of darbhai.

 

Here I wish to refer to the book 'Sandhya vandana bhashyam'

(published in the year 1922) having the bhashyam by Shankara,

RAmanuja, Madhwa ( I don't know the original texts from which the

bhashyam has been translated), Sri Narayana swamy (Ahobila matam, II

pattam), Thirumalai Anathaan pillai, Kunnatthur Iyyan swamy and for

advaitic interpretation Vidhyaranyar and Vaidhyanatha Dhikshithar.

The translation has been done by KAnchipuram Chaama and Thirumalai

Thaaththaachariar and checked by Akkur Anandhachariar. There are some

differences (paatah bhedam) in their interpretations. But since all

of them have been based on sastra pramanam, no one interpretation can

be deemed wrong and practice is up to one's allegiance to the

sampradaya or school of thought they belong to.

 

For instance, in the opinion of Thirumalai Anandaan pillai and

Kunnatthur Iyyamn swamy, aachamanam must start with 'Keshavaadi

manthram' till Daamodhara naamam on occasions other than Homas.

During the Homas one must start with Keshava naamam till the 12

naamams. There is precedence to this in Purana - Ithihasas, according

to them.

 

As one interested in knowing the why and rationale of all this, I

find this practice (of starting with Keshava naamam) having

relevance at cosmic level. This state of Bhagavan corresponds with

the moment before creation. (I will cover all these from puranas etc

at appropriate places). By a simple translation of this name in

Sanskrit, Ke means in water and shava means like dead. It is the

state of Bhagavan just floating in water (not on sesha - that comes

later, after creation). Similarly this state of bhagavan corresponds

with the month of Maarghazhi, the MArga-sIrsha - the maarga stands

for maargam or route. Interestingly this also has a cosmic as well as

Vedantic relevance in that it is this part of the sky that

corresponds to the beginning of creation, a threshold to Vaikuntha

(on Vaikuntha Ekadasi day) which extends approximately upto 90

degrees in the sky at the end of which occurs the dissolution – Maha

shivaraathri. I intend to relate these in future postings in this

series.

 

Mahabharatham, especially Bheeshma -Yudhishtira samvaadam gives a

lot of clues on questions related to our topic.

 

It is a repeatedly stressed point that darbhai must be held in hand

while doing any japa.

In fact from the book above mentioned, I must say that one must wear

pavithram while doing Gayathri japa in the course of Sandhya vandana

too. Though there is no mention of whether to discard this after the

japa or reuse it in this book, in the Tarpanam book by Akkur

Anandhachariar there is a specific mention of throwing out used

pavithram and Korrchcham. Again after Uapkarma also, pavithram is

discarded. Thus in pithru tarpanam and rishi tarpanam, the practice

is to discard. In homas also they are not re-used is what I pointed

out in earlier mails.

 

My attempt is to rationalize these practices with the available

knowledge that I get to hold on to. As such the deduced result is

that drabhai does conduct some energy and pavithram does this at an

advanced level (kindly pardon my language). By the practices it is

deduced that the pavithram either gets contaminated with the energy

(it is dosham in vEdik's language – it is pavithram since it removes

the dosham and makes one pavithram. Another explanation by the vEdiks

is that the ring finger is the only finger which can not be raised

high on backward side compared to other fingers, showing its

humility and the nature to bow. It is because of this it has been

given the highly respected status in all karmas and held as

pavithram. Another explanation is the naadi that runs in that finger

which is directly connected to the main naadi in the head. It is in

order to protect this naadi from any dosham, that pavithramn is worn

in this finger. The Vediks also told that even if one wears pavithram

ring in gold, it is of no use in karmas. Only darbhai must be used. )

it attracts to protect the doer and hence loses its potency to do the

same again or it becomes unfit for re-use in having removed the

dosham or whatever once. But the practice as well as precept found in

books and by what I heard from Vediks, it is not for re-use.

 

My purpose is not to challenge others, argue or confuse. It is only

that I give as I see or understand it. People have accused me of

extrapolations, derided ... But no pleasure and no pain in what I do.

My intention is to present all this with the wonderful science behind

them so that people will be more than ever before convinced in their

convictions and do with better perspective – so that posterity will

be benefited - so that this is my humble service to the wonderful

knowledge which is but a way of life that will have to shine on

inspite of ravages of time. The e-form helps this to happen.

 

It is upto the readers to take up the information with knowledgeable

persons and decide. I stand to be corrected with suitable sastric or

rational pramana. (I find these two synonymous (saastram and

rationality)is the reason why I am emboldened to write this series.)

 

Another point. As per the above quoted book, all varnas have to do

sandhya vandana, just as in doing agni hotra. These are nithya karmas

for all. Agni hotra was done by all in the Vedik society –the

rationale explained earlier justify it. Similarly the sandhya vandana

for the other 3 varnas though different from that done by Brahmins

goes to show the highly scientific rationale in purifying the body

fluids, purifying the atmosphere around oneself (by arghyam water –

the manthras do indicate the destruction of the `demons' – in our

current awareness, the germs that grow fast just before sun rise and

sunset)

 

Since Gayathri japa is also done, pavithram must be worn, ( I am not

sure whether people practice this today, but it is specifically

stated). It is for getting the benefits without any hindrance from

any dosham.

 

Even among the sandhya vandana manthras for various Vedas (Rig, yajur

etc), as an impartial observer and reader having the sole aim of

knowing more, my personal impression is that Rig Vedic manthras are

simply superb (not to demean other ones) in that the one who chants

them knowing the meaning is sure to get exalted in this very birth

itself. Such is the import. It is beyond ordinary human longings. It

just makes the doer or the thinker (one who meditates on this) become

light, float, soar and expand cosmically – and become Infinte… like

a Vama deva or a Bhrigu or Narada who just floated across this

creation. Such is the import. Such is the import.

 

(to be continued—but waiting for responses before sending the next

post)

- By

- just a `nimittha maathram' in bhagavan's scheme of actions….

 

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Oppiliappan, Narasimhan Krishnamachari

<champakam> wrote:

>

> Respected Authors:

>

> If possible, kindly include the SAstric evidence for all the

positions.

>

> Regards,

>

> -Krishnamachari

>

> s.ramachandran@h... wrote:

>

>

>

>