Guest guest Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 SrimatE Raamaanujaaya Namaha // SrimatE Nigamaanta Mahaa Desikaaya Namaha // SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya/ SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya// KAvEri VardhathAm kAlE, kAlE varshathu vAsava: / SrI RanganAthO jayathu Sri Ranga Sri cha VardhathAm// ========================================================= SRI RANGA SRI VOL.07 / ISSUE # 38 dated 01st February 2006 ========================================================= IN THIS ISSUE AN INTRODUCTION ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF “SANDHYAAVANDANAM” (ANBIL RAMASWAMY) A WRITE UP ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF “UPA-NAYANAM” FUNCTION (SRI N.KRISHNAMACHARIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO) ========================================================= EDITORIAL Dear Bhagavatas: The last 3 or 4 weeks have been very hectic for me. • Hope you would have enjoyed the postings on Tiruppavai on "One-a-day" basis throughout the month of Margazhi. • A series of lectures were arranged by Bhagavatas in Atlanta area on consecutive Saturdays on “Hanumat Prabhaavam” in connection with Hanumat Jayanti, Aarthi Prabandham of Sri MaNavaaLa Maamunigal and Andal Prabhaavam in connection with Andal TirukkalyaaNa MahOtsavam in the Hindu Temple of Atlanta. ADiyEn was also commanded to give a short talk on the Significance of “Tirumanjanam” to PerumaaL. Excerpts of these will be posted in subsequent issues. • On 20th January 2006, aDiyEn visited Cleveland to perform the “Gruha pravEsam” of my daughter’s new home there. By the grace of Divya Dhampatis and the blessings of Achaaryas, all the above events got completed successfully. SANDHYAVANDANAM CLASSES Some Bhagavatas have been expressing their desire to learn performing “Tiruvaradana kramam”. I suggested that they should first learn doing “Sandhya Vandanam”, if they have had their Upanayanam and for some reason had missed doing that “Nitya karma”. I assured them that they need not feel shy for the omission and that when one was heading in the wrong direction, the Lord allowed a “U” turn. But, the bottom line was that once they start doing now, they should make a firm resolution not to skip doing under any circumstances. I was surprised to see at least a dozen people who evinced interest in learning (in fact, re-learning). I must congratulate them for their honesty in acknowledging their omissions, for their uninhibited earnestness to join the classes and for their firm commitment to strictly observe the Nityakarma in future. Accordingly, we commenced classes on “Yajus – Sandhya Vanadanam” on 20th January 2006.. A hand out was distributed to them by way of introduction and followed it up with a presentation on the significance and necessity to do this important rite. We include in this Issue the text of the handout for the benefit of other aspirants who may not be able to attend in person. THE CLASSES ARE CONDUCTED ABSOLUTELY FREE PURELY AS BHAGAVAT KAINKARYAM. THE CLASSES WILL BE HELD FROM 11.00 am TO 12.00 noon ON SUCCESSIVE SATURDAYS FROM 4th FEBRUARY 2006. Sri N. Krishnamachariar Swami of Chicago has kindly contributed an article on the “Upa-nayanam” ritual. We are glad to feature the same in this issue. ====================================================== 184 Regular issues have been released, so far besides several Special Issues) - 27 Issues of Vol. 1 - 15 Issues of Vol. 2 - 42 Issues of Vol. 3 - 35 Issues of Vol. 4 - 28 Issues of Vol. 5 & - 37 Issues of Vol. 6 These issues have been archived for public view at - by Sri Diwakar Kannan (diwakark@xxxx) You may also view the archives at http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia maintained by Sri Srinivasan Sriram (ajiva_rts@xxxx) We strongly urge you to kindly peruse the "Regular Issues" archived in the Files Section and view the Contents at srsindex.html (Not the individual postings allowed for encouraging "Reader participation"). We are sure that you will be convinced of the quality of the contents. IF you are satisfied with the quality and contents of “Sri Ranga Sri” - Tell your friends to join by sending an email to Srirangasri- IF NOT: Tell us, as to how we may improve. Ever at your service Dasoham Anbil Ramaswamy, Editor& Publisher, “Sri Ranga Sri” ====================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ====================================================================== SIGNIFICANCE OF “SANDHYAAVANDANAM” (ANBIL RAMASWAMY) ---- SANDYAA VANDANAM – Part 1 WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE? Are there any goals to be achieved? Does life consist only of the routine of eating, mating, dating and muting that lies between birth and death? Is there anything that lies beyond what meets the eye? What are the objectives of life here? Where do we go from here? Quo Vadis? These are some of the questions that have engaged the earnest consideration of thinkers all over the world from time immemorial. But, long before others could even comprehend the purpose of life, Hinduism had not only identified the answers but had also classified them as Dharma (Virtue), Artha (Material prosperity), Kaama (Hedonic pleasures) and Moksha (Salvation). It will be seen that the secondary objectives of Artha and Kama have been adroitly sandwiched between the primary objectives of Dharma and Moksha. This is to emphasize that they should be regulated on Dharmic principles, if one wants salvation, the ultimate objective of life. HOW DO WE GET THIS KNOWLEDGE? We get this knowledge from the Vedas, the basic and the most sacred of scriptures of Hinduism. The word “Veda” means “knowledge” – knowledge of Brahman and how to attain Brahman, which in other words, means “Moksha”. The Vedas have laid down various rites for this purpose called “Samskaras” or rites. WHAT IS UPANAYANAM? The first rite or Samskara for a male child is “Upa-nayanam”. “Upa” means “near” and “nayanam” means, “lead up to”- (i.e.) “lead up near to Brahman”. Investing the sacred thread called “YagnOpavitam” does this. WHAT IS YAGJNOPAVITAM? This is a thread worn around the body from left shoulder to navel and back to left shoulder via the back. The “YagjnOpavitam” or the “sacred thread” is regarded as born with the creator God - the four faced Brahma Himself and therefore, considered pure (pavitram) and should not be used as a kind of key holder or a scrubber to relieve itching! “YagjnOpavitam paramam pavitram, prajaapate: yath saha-jam” (saha-jam = born together) WHO IS A “BRAHMACHARi”? On this investiture, the boy becomes a Brahmachari (celibate) “Brahmacharya” entitles him to commence his studies of Vedas. For the Brahmachari, celibacy is his forte, discipline is his norm, devotion to his Guru is his duty and concentration in studies (Vedic studies) is his vocation. In fact, the rite is considered to confer on him “a second birth” and he is thereafter called a “Dvi-ja”- meaning “twice-born”, (the first birth being of course the biological birth). There is a famous slOka that says that one may be known as a Brahmin by birth, a twice-born (Dvija) by Samskara, a learned person (Vipra) by education and a Vedic exponent (SrOtriya) by acquiring all the three. “janmanaa BraahmaNo jnEya: samskaarai: Dvija uchyate / vipratvam vidyayaa chaapi thribi: srOtriya uchyate //” WHAT IS “GAYATRI MANTRAM”? This is accompanied by his initiation into the “Mantra” called “Gaayatri Mantra”. The word “Gaayatri” means, “That which protects the one who chants the mantra – “Gaayantham thraayate iti Gaayatri”. WHAT IS “SANDHYA VANDANAM”? After going thorough this rite, one is required to perform what is known as “Sandhyaa Vandanam”- celebrating the “Communion with Brahman”. This is required to be done thrice daily in the morning at dawn, at midday when the Sun is at its zenith and in the evening at dusk. This means not only the conjunction of day and night but also communion of the individual soul (Jivaatma) with the Universal soul (Paramaatma). This thrice performed “Sandhyaa Vandanam” daily is called a “Nitya karma” (i.e) “to be done daily” as distinct from “Naimittika karma” which is “to be done occasionally”. WHY SHOULD WE DO ALL THESE? The Scriptures declare that the Vedas including Samhitas, Braahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads (collectively known as Sruthi or heard) and the epics and lore contained in Itihaasas, Puranas and Agamas etc (collectively known as Smritis or remembered) are verily the command of the Supreme Lord. Vishnu Dharmottaram 6.31 cautions - “Sruti Smriti mamaiva aagjnaa ya: tham ullanghya vartate / Aagjnaachedee mama DrOhi math bhaktOpi na vaishNava:” Meaning “Sruti and Smriti are my commandments. Anyone who fails to carry out these commands will be considered traitors. We know what happens when we transgress the “rule of law” even in our mundane world. It is equally so, when we transgress the “laws of the Lord”. And, doing Sandhyaa Vandanam is the foremost “Nitya karma” that cannot be skipped under any circumstances. WHAT HAPPENS IF WE FAIL TO DO THIS? Daksha Smriti 2.27 further avers: “Sandhyaa heena: asuchir nityam anarha: sarva karmasu / yad anyath kuruthe karma na tasya phalbhaag bhavEth”// Meaning: “The one who does not perform Sandhyaa Vandanam is deemed impure forever and is unfit to do any other karma. Without doing Sandhyaa Vandanam, any karma done by him like studying scriptures (PaaraayaNam), chanting prayers (StOtras), offering gifts (Daanam), performing ceremonies and even going to temples to worship - will all be futile and fruitless”. WHAT IF WE HAVE NO TIME FOR THIS? The whole exercise will take no more than 8 minutes for each and totally 24 minutes in all. We have 24 hors in a day out of which we need to set apart a bare 24 minutes for all this. - The least price one has to pay for the privilege of access to “Gaayatri", the most sacred and priceless of all mantras of Hinduism. WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF SANDYA VANDANAM? Sandhyaa Vandanam consists of two parts, “Jala bhaaga” (Water part) and “Japa bhaaga” (Meditation part). JALA BHAAGA consists of - “Achamanam” - sipping of water, “PrOkshaNam” – sprinkling of water “Praasanam” - sipping of water again and “Arghyam” - offering of water - all done with appropriate mantras. More about these later. WHY WATER IS SO IMPORTANT? Water is one of the most natural elements and symbolizes the power of sanctity inherent in nature capable of ensuring a spiritual upsurge. The human being is a bodily natural one. Naturally, religion hooks the physical aspects of nature like water with those of the human embodiment, synchronizing dramatically the interaction between the two sanctifying each other within the environment of the sacred world. Here, a meaningful meeting takes place between the Macrocosm and the Microcosm. JAPA BHAAGA consists of - “Aasanam” - Invoking the earth on which the person is seated calling upon it to keep the place pure. “PraNaayaamam” (breath control) “Mantra Japam”- The most important part of meditation is the recitation of the Gaayatri Mantra. “Upasthaanam” standing up and bidding farewell to Gaayatri Devi, “Abhivaadanam” ceremonial offering of obeisance to the “Dik devatas” (deities presiding over the different directions) and the whole spiritual exercise concludes with “Saatvika Tyaagam”- dedicating it to the Supreme Lord. IMPORTANT NOTE: ALL THE MANTRAS OF SANDHYAA VANDANAM ARE FROM THE VEDAS AND, THEREFORE, SHOULD BE LEARNED ONLY PERSONALLY AT THE FEET OF AN ACHAARYA AND NOT FROM BOOKS ETC. WHICH MAY, HOWEVER, BE USED AS AIDE-DE-MEMOIR. USUALLY, THE FATHER, WHO IS THE PRACTITIONER OF THE RITUAL, ACTS AS THE ACHAARYA FOR THIS PURPOSE. ==================================================================== = = To Continue = ===================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ===================================================================== 2. A WRITE UP ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF “UPA-NAYANAM” (SRI N.KRISHNAMACHARIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO) --- 1. Introduction: The purpose of this write-up is to present the significance and importance of the sacred ceremony called upanayanam in the life of a Brahmachari. Two definitions are available in the amara koSam for the word ‘brahmacAri’: Brahma vedaH, tad adhyayana niyamam carati iti brahmacAri – One who follows the rules for the learning of the veda. Mu’nja mekhalAdiyuto vedAdhyAyI brahmacarya vrata sthitaH brahmacArI – One who, wearing the marks such as the girdle made of mu’nja grass, live according to the vows that are required of one who learns the veda-s, is a brahmacAri. The upanayanam sacrament is intended towards the initiation of a child towards the life as a brahmacAri, during which the time the student learns the veda-s and the vedic way of life. While an effort is made to keep the write-up simple and understandable, it is inevitable that the write-up will involve samskRt words and quotations. It is hoped that the write-up will be found useful and beneficial at least by some of the readers. The purpose of the upanayanam ceremony is to initiate a student into the study of veda-s and Vedic knowledge. In the olden days, the student was sent to the house of a teacher to live with the teacher for several years (between 8 and 12 years as a minimum), where he served the teacher in all aspects of his life, and in return was rewarded with the training and the knowledge in the veda-s. For a boy from a brAhmin family, this initiation took place at the age of seven (eighth year after conception). This stage of the student’s life was called brahmacarya, and a very high level of discipline was expected of the student during this period, with regard to the daily observances, the rites to be performed daily, the food that is to be consumed, etc. The upanayanam ceremony is the first day of this lifestyle, and all the events during the ceremony are meant to set the tone for the life to be led by the student during the rest of the time of brahmacarya with the teacher. The vedic aspects of the upanayanam ceremony are easy to understand when the purpose of the function as explained above is kept in mind. In this write-up, we will briefly describe some of the individual events that take place during the ceremony and the significance of these events in the future life of the brahmacAri. 2. The term upa-nayanam explained. The term upa-nayanam consists of two words, upa and nayanam. ‘nayana’ means ‘to lead’, and ‘upa, means ‘near’. The significance of the term ‘upa-nayanam’ is that a teacher leads, or initiates, the student towards the enquiry into the nature of Brahman, or the Supreme Deity. To denote the importance of this aspect of the upanayanam sacrament, it is sometimes called brahmopadeSam, even though brahmopadeSam is just one event in the upanayanam ceremony. The sacred function of upanayanam is an important milestone in the life of the student, namely, it initiates him towards the study of the veda-s. The upanayana samskAra means the crossing of the bar of childhood and entering studentship under the care and guidance of an AcArya. In the traditional system, it implied a life of perfect and stern discipline under the care, close guidance and observation of an AcArya with whom the student stayed for several years and learned. When initiated, the life of the individual was one of dedication. Its aim was one of making a student a successful scholar and a full-fledged man, fit to share the responsibility of the world. Thus the upanayana samskAra had a distinctive role to play in training an individual and preparing him for the life that lay ahead. Sage yAj~navalkya says that the learning of the veda-s is the main object of the upanayana. Sages Apastamba and bhAradvAja consider upanayanam as a sacrament of a person desirous of learning. The upanayana is the most important bodily samskAra that initiates a person in the learning of the veda-s, with all the associated discipline and rules of conduct. The phrase ‘the discipline and the rules of conduct’ is an important part of this initiation as a student, and we will dwell on it throughout. The term upa-nayana can also be understood as “the student being taken near the AcArya for advice and instruction”. In other words, the upanayana ceremony is the initiation of the boy in the acquisition of true knowledge about Brahman. During the upanayana ceremony, an AcArya (preceptor) accepts a boy as his brahmacAri (disciple). The pupil pronounces the formula: “I have come for brahmacarya. Kindly take me near. May I be a brahmacArin impelled by God”. He is conducted (nayana) to the nearness (upa) of the Lord by the AcArya. The upanayana opens a new chapter in the life of an initiate. The student starts his life of learning with a ritual. The AcArya is all-in-all during the studentship of a brahmacAri (the initiate), and is the pivot of the whole educational system. This was strictly meaningful in the old traditional system where a student was in gurukula vAsam. In the current system, the father of the child performs this role as the AcArya subsequent to the ceremony. Another aspect of the upanayana samskAra (initiation ceremony) is that it signifies a kind of purity and spirituality by giving the child a ‘second birth’. Those who undergo the upanayana samskAra are also called dvija-s (twice-born), because the investiture with the sacred thread is considered the second birth. A simple example is used to illustrate this point. A bird that is in its nest before coming out into this world, knows only the world within the nest. However, when it comes out of the nest, it is exposed to an entirely new world. So also, the child is being introduced to an entirely new world with the initiation through the upanayanam ceremony. Going one level further, upanayana is a purification rite by which a boy is able to realize the gAyatri mantra. The guru (preceptor) becomes an AcArya and accepts the boy as his pupil. The gAyatri mantra is the source by which the student is able to study all the veda-s. The power of mantra-s is experienced only by meditation and practice, and not by theoretical knowledge alone. Thus, the child who undergoes the upanayanam ceremony should remember to meditate on the gAyatri mantra regularly, knowing the meaning of the mantra, and meditating on the meaning while the gAyatri japa is performed thrice everyday as part of the sandhyA vandana karma. It is very important to know the meaning of the mantra from day one, and learn to meditate on the meaning of the mantra as the japa is performed. This is what brings the power of the mantra to bear fruit. Looking at it from another perspective, the upanayana ceremony is the initiation into a lifestyle involving a kind of upAsana (religious) meditation by which one regularizes the disciplinary life with regular practice of worship that could be cultivated in the hermitage of an AcArya. There may be some amongst us who may think that the traditional system of gurukula vAsam is not available to us anymore, even if we wanted to follow it. This is not true. On the contrary, it is within our very easy reach. Our great AcArya-s have set up veda pAThaSAlA-s (schools for learning veda-s) in various places in India under their leadership and guidance, the sole purpose of which is to give education in the traditional style to students who live the in the campus during the several years during which they study, and are guided and trained by capable teachers who are dedicated for this purpose. While it is not the same as the guru kula vAsam (staying with the AcAryan’s family in his house and being trained), it is very close. In the olden days, the upa-nayanam ceremony was also the formal initiation of education or studies for the child. Study in those days meant only the study of the veda-s. The veda-s contain all the knowledge that there is to be attained, and so there is no need for any other study. This is true even today, even though most of us spend all our time and energy ‘study’ing things other than that which is truly needed for the welfare of our soul, namely the acquisition of vedic knowledge, and putting this knowledge into practice. 3. The Sruti-s and smRti-s on the importance and significance of upanayanam. The Rg veda mentions the simple but important ceremony of upanayana as an important precondition for a student. The upanayana rite helps shape the mind of the young student. Rabindranath Tagore was initiated into the rite at the age of 12, and gives a brief account of the positive impact it made on him in his work called jIvan-smRti 39 years later. Apastamba declares: upa-nayanam vidyArthasya SrutitaH samskAraH – The upanayana is a vedic sacrament that is administered for a student who seeks knowledge. The prayoga cintAmaNi defines the term upanayanam thus: yena karmaNA yasmin vA karmaNi AcAryeNa vidyArtham su-muhUrte kamArasya sva-samIpe nayanam – The auspicious event wherein a teacher leads the student desirous of knowledge to his nearness (for administering this knowledge that is sought). The atharva veda and the Sata-patha brahmaNa give details of the spiritual significance of this initiation ceremony. All the three upper castes (brAhmaNa-s, kshatriya-s and vaiSya-s) were entitled to receive education. After upanayana, the minimum age of entry to education was 8 for brAhmaNa-s, 11 for kshatriya-s, and 12 for vaiSya-s. upanayana (involving investiture with the sacred thread) is considered to be one of 16 important samskAra-s (sacraments), followed by vedArambha. ===================================================================== =To Continue = ===================================================================== xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ===================================================================== Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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