The Treasure / Unimaginable mind bongling Divine numbers /Sandhyava

[Guest guest]

Om namo Narayana !!

 

Respected members:

 

It is a real pleasure to read Shri Sadagopan's note on the most critical

nitya karma i.e. Sandhyavandanam. This writer would like to add the

following :

 

a. Sandhya is a form of Yoga. Yoga as defined by the Great Patanjali -

who is none other than Adiseshan come down to their earth to help humans

- is understanding the fluctuations of the mind and the methods to

address these and go beyond. Asana is one part, pranayama the other key

aspect. Only with Pranayama the mind can be brought under control

 

Both these key aspects are included in the Sandhya. Our very life force

the Prana is offered to the LORD and this Prana which is full of potent

power much much higher than any nuclear bomb is held back and infused into

the Water while doing Argyam to give power to the water to dispel and

destroy evil and darkness.

 

b. Even if one person does the Sandhya, especially the Arghya pradanam even

once, many persons may get the benefit. If today in this Kali Yuga, if at

all things have not fallen apart is only because of a few thousands

performing the Sandhya diligently globally.

 

c.Without Sandhya there is little relevance of doing other poojas, worship,

chanting, homam, yajna. If Sandhya is done on the other hand, everything

else becomes optional. Either way Sandhya is supreme

 

d. Sandhya is also a social obligation enjoined by divinity/Vedas.

Therefore, it has no relation to teetu etc. It has to be done irrespective.

Moreover, it has to be done with an attitude of selflessness. One cannot

ask for this or that, unlike in other mantras, slokas etc. some of which

have the ' reward' aspect built into. For example we have the Ayush homam

for long life, Mahamritunjaya homam etc. but Sandhya has to be general. For

'lokakshemam' for welfare of all, animals, man, trees etc.

 

e. Today we have movements like Greenpeace, Whaling committee, World

Wildlife Funds etc each one trying to push their limited agenda but

nevertheless recognizing that endangering of species will result in chaos.

This was already in-built in the Sandhya, where everything is worshipped.

The prayers are for all.

 

f. Divine arithmetic :

 

In addition, there is a more meaningful aspect of the Sandhya which is

in-built. The mind, by nature is fickle and lethargic and can be easily

influenced by various external factors. Knowing well that in such

situations, although in Kali Yuga chanting of the name, Namaa itself may

not be adhered or may be casually done, the Sandhya ritual contains the

chanting of names, Naama also. Hence the importance of 'mandatory'

doing this.

 

The assumption here is if one lives a purely traditional life as laid

out by the Sastras and Orthodox stricture and the advice of the Gurus /

Acharayas, then assuming the Upanayanam is done at age 7 the person may

live say upto 97 i.e. 90 more years after Upanayanam.

 

1. During Sandhya, during achamanam, 12 names of Vishnu at the minimum

are taken. Achamanam is done thrice at the minimum. This works out to 36

name chanting. Multiply with 365 days a year and you have 1.18 million

namas during a lifetime of 90 years assuming you do the Upanayanam at 7 and

continue the chanting till you are 97 years

 

2. Further, if you by chance happen to be a Sri Vaishnavaite dedicated

to the Sandhya, you need to chant 24 namas instead of 12, so this

straightaway doubles your Namaa count to 2.36 million times in your

lifetime.

 

3. In addition, you are touching each part of your body with the names

of Vishnu. You are literally installing and plucking Vishnu from all around

and fixing into your body. You are purifying yourself 2.36 million times.

You are surrounding yourself with HIS name several times that no harm or

problem can even deign to come close to you, leave along touching you.

 

4. This apart, you are offering deva tarpanam to all the planets and

again this includes the names of Vishnu. So this works out to 24 names x 3

times a day x 365 days x 90 years which is another 2.4 million names as

Deva tarpanam is done once.

 

5. Add to this divine total Saranagathi sloka "Sanka chakra Gadha ..."

which is done once, i.e. 1 x 3 x 365 x 90 and this comes to around 99,000

chants

 

6. This does not take into account the 9 planets, Guru, Rahu, Saturn

etc. for which tarpanam is done, this is 9 x 3 x 365 x 90 = 8.88 million

name uttering. No need to cast horoscopes, think about “7 year Shaniâ€, all

griha doshas!!!

 

7. Then there is Om Shri Kesavaya namaha which is done initially during

Sandhya. Thus another 99000 chants of the Holy name.

 

8. Now comes the Gayathri chanting. At the minimum during pranayama of

10 times the Gayathri is told after each Om Bhu, Om Bhuva..., thus 10

Gayathri's x 3 times x 365 days x 90 = 1 million counts is done

 

9. To this add: the Sankalpam Gayathri done thrice i.e.another 99000

Gayathri

 

10. Then you worship the God of Death and his chief accountant

Chitraguptan by chanting their names which works out to 99000 chants to

Yama and another 99000 to his Chief accountant who keeps tabs on our deeds.

 

11. Now add to this 99000 name chanting of Saraswathi, the Goddess of

learning.

 

12. Include at names of 12 Great Rishis and Lord Hayagriva, this works

out to 13 x3 x 365 x90 or 1.28 million uttering

 

13. Achamanam is done thrice at the minimum and each achamanam is made of

Achutaya namaha, Anantaya Namaha,and Govinda i.e. 3 x 3 times x 3 rituals x

365 days x 90 = 645000 name chanting

 

14. Coming now to another unique prayer. Not many are doing this, but

this again is enshrined in the rituals. Prayer to the Snake god for

protection and warding off fears. Done thrice x 365 days x 90 is 99000

times. This is indirectly addressed to Adi Seshan and this will immensely

please Mahavishnu by default.

 

15. The rivers are also prayed for.

 

16. This is not the end of the story. Every direction, sub-direction,

down, up, center, innermost and outermost small, sundry and miscellaneous

demi-gods etc. everyone is called thrice i.e. another 99000 times. Gods of

each direction i.e. North, south, etc. are addressed. Bhoomadevi is

addressed, 99000 for each addressing of name

 

17. All Panchamahabhutas i.e. agni, vayu, earth, sky, ether, airspace

etc. are all invoked and prayed i.e. 99000 for each addressing of name

 

18. Last but not the least, the core Gayathri mantram itself which at a

base minimum of 10 Gayathris x 3 times x 365 x 90 becomes 1 million. Many

elders do the Gayathri many times. Some do it 108 times per ritual x 3 or

324 times a day !!!

 

Roughly this totals around 20 million chantings during your lifetime. Day

in and day out you if you do this you get the divine power and protection.

 

And this is just the tip of the ice berg

 

Now the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali also talk of the potent power of OM and

declare that if a discipline is done followed diligently with interest over

a period of time, impressions in the mind which impels us to act,speak and

think erroneously and which bring about misery in our material existence,

these impressions which are nothing but Karmas working themselves out,

these would be overwritten by the power of habit, And Yoga is nothing but

cultivation of an habit. Chanting, surrender to God, correct behaviour,

attitude and prayers are all part of the divine package of Yoga and this

habit will with "Abhayasa and Vairagya" i.e. constant learning and practice

coupled with conscious detachment

will make us a fit vehicle to peep into Vaikuntam!!

 

Some relevant extracts from the Yoga Sutras which are relevant to the

Sandhya practices is given for better appreciation of the underlying

importance of doing the Sandhya constantly :

 

The Yoga Sutras are the most complete and universally neutral terse truths.

They can be tested and experienced immediately here on this blessed earth

by each one of us. They are scientifically and logically structured. Only

one has to have the patience and energy to study them.

 

If you carefully go through the Sutras *, you will find:

 

I-20 talks of how progress happens in this field i.e. to one who has

Shradya (faith), veerya (boldness) , smriti (memory) etc.

 

I-21 declares that alternatively, for those who follow the principles with

depth of seriousness ...the word used is "teevra sama.."...

 

I-22 says there are three types of people i.e. medium, high energetic or

mild and depending on these tendencies the progress is measured

 

I-23 gives yet another alternative and says or if neither I-20, nor I-21

nor I-22 is applicable to such a person the solution is

"Iswarapranidhan...". This sutra has just one word. This Ishwar is not

God, or Shiva or anything else. It is just a higher, supreme being.

 

I-24 Ishwara is defined as a special (the word used is "visesha"), purusha

untouched by time, etc. Not God, or Shiva or Vishnu or anything. Just an

entity.

 

I-25 elaborates what all Ishwara possesses. Note the gender of Ishwara is

concsiously left blank. It does not say whether Ishwara is Male or Female.

It simply says ' In Ishwara there is all knowledge, everything

contained..."

 

I-26 Declares emphatically " Ishwara is the Guru, the primary ancient and

first Guru

 

I-27 :further clarifies that Ishwar manifests as sound form - the Sound

form is OM and OM is uttered at least 20 times during each Sandhyavandanam

which by itself works out to 20 x 3 x 365 x 90 = 2 million counts.

 

* Pages 259 onwards Vol 1, Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda titled Raja

Yoga.

 

 

Om tat Sat

Tat tvam asi