Query

November 2, 2008

Dear brother Shreeram,

Namasthe. Thanks for the excellent narration. I too started doing sandhyavandana as instructed by Guruji.But I have some doubts to get cleared, so requesting your guidence.

1) some times Its becoming very difficult for me to reach home early in the evenings because of some work in my office.In those cases, when its not genunely possible to perform, can I do MANASIKA way? Is there any restriction of time after which we should not perform?

2) In case of asuddhi due to incidents like birth or death, what should be done

3)If we are doing srividya mantra japa, is there any relation with the number of gayathri japa to the srividya manthra?

4) and lastly, the mudras ahown are different for different people. How to know the exact mudras? and also somebody said sapoddhara is must for Gayatri. somebody says not necessary for sandyavandana.

Kindly take some time for me and help me by clarifying these doubts.

Kishore

Dear Kishore Garu,

1. If you are coming home late from office and consequently unable to do Sandhyavandanam in the evening, you can do it after you come.

In fact, I would recommend you to do even Madhyanika Sandhyavandanam, if possible, after 2 hours and 24 minutes after sunrise(Sangava Kala).

As far as evening Sandhya is concerned try to do it after you come home late, don't bother much about the late timings as there is a concession for it.

We must never miss the daily sandhyavadana unless we find it absolutely impossible to perform. When we fall ill, in our helplessness we ask others for water or ganji(rice gruel) in the same way, we must ask our relative or friend to perform sandhyavandana on our behalf.This is also perfectly acceptable and even has the sanction of Kanchi Peddyana.

Thumb rule: 'Better to do the Sandhyavandana late than missing it altogether'

Suggestion: 1. I know this is an era of 'cubicle working' and thus if possible, you may also do the sandhyavandana in the office itself by taking the panchapatra and dhothi.You may do it unseen and undisturbed by anyone in a place of your choice.If you feel this is not practical or that it may invite unwanted attention or funny quips about yourself, then you may avoid it.

One of my friends in B-school here in USA, used to take permission in the middle of the class and do the namaz back of the classroom while the class was going on! I appreciate his courage.

We may learn certain things like this from them.

{Chanukya Neethi: 'If a pot if filled with poison and yet there is a drop of ambrosia in it, try to distill that ambrosia out and drink it and reject the poison'}

2. If you know Manasika snana vidhi, you may do that and do the sandhyavandana mentally, however, this is an Apadharma(exception) and not to be done on a regular basis as a convenient means to evade the actual sandhyavandana.

2. In case of Asoucha-samaya like Birth, death or menses at home

There is a popular story which is narrated thus:

Once, saint Markandeya got fed up of life and sought Narada and asked him what his lifetime is. Narada told him that he will inquire with Brahma and let him know. On that evening, it was time for Sandhyavandanam. But the saint couldn't find water anywhere.

Markandeya searched every part of the area and finally found a small pond. But the water was dirty and full of leeches and germs. But, Markandeya dived into it just to do his Nithyakarma on time. And after he completed his Sandhyavandanam, Narada finally appeared and told him that as long as he performs his Sandhyavandana on time, he will be prosperous.

Death will find him only the day he skips his Sandhavandana.

It is said that even after the death of one's father/mother, if in the middle of the Apara Karma, Sandhya-Kaalam happens to cross, one has to stop the Apara Karma, take bath and perform the Sandhyavandanam and then only resume the Apara Karma! This being so your query, I think is amply satiated here."SHUCHIRVAAPI ASHUCHIRVAAPI KAALAM SANDHYAM SAMAACHARETH!!"(With Suchi or Asuchi Sandhyavandanam can be performed).

When someone is ill and cannot perform Sandhyavandana, as I said before, his son or any other close relative can perform Sandhyavandana on his behalf and only has to pour a drop of water on the ill person's hand.This gives good karma to the person who does so as he is helping another person to fulfill his Nithya-karma.

This ritual is to be observed by all the four varnas and not just Brahmins alone.Sadly, these days it has become a dominion of just Brahmins but I'm happy at least some are gaining benefit because of it.

In my opinion, rains and good things happen to a nation because of these select few spiritual people.This is no poetic exaggeration.

I'm eternally grateful to my old father who used to exhort me even during my childhood when I was lethargic to perform Sandhyavandana.Even when I used to complain that other schoolmates are making fun of me.

He used to send me to school with a panchapatra!! and I had to perform the madhyanika in some corner of the school. I used to go to the kindergarten classroom,shut the door when no one was around and finish off the sandhyavandana!...till I was caught by one of my friends who ridiculed me. I continued the practiced till 10th std unmindful of all the jibes at me as I considered my friends 'below my level' at that time, though such a thinking is intellectually wrong.Then when I came to know about Sangavakala from Paramacharyal, I performed it in the morning itself.

Even when I was sick with fever my father used to goad me to do the Sandhyavandana with the bribe that the fever would subside or at least the severity would be diminished.I remember once when I was burning with fever, he asked me to perform the sandhyavandana and I did it and I could not proceed further and just plopped down on the dharba-mat.He said, "Rama you finished just 23 finish 5 more repetitions of Gayathri and then go to sleep."

I was surprised, he was sitting next to me doing his japam and I did not know he had an eye on me and my counting! I managed to finish the 28 repetitions and then finished my sandhyavandana remaining mantras and then had a fitful sleep.He promised me that he would finish the rest of the repetitions on my behalf.The next day, the fever subsided.It was a miracle for me!

This incident had left an indelible imprint on my psyche regarding Sandhyavandana and its efficacy.Even to this day, even if Im travelling in a plane, I do mentally the Sandhyavandana with the Manaseeka snana vidhi.

Do we stop breathing or eating food during a time of crisis? Then why make Sandhyavandana an execption.The more the impurity the more the need of a cleansing and rejuvenating act like Sandhyavandana.

It is mused thus in Shastras:

“Vipro Vrukshah Tasya Moolam Hi Sandhya!

Mooley Chinney Naiva Pushpam Phalam Va!!”

Dwija(Brahmin) is like a tree. Sandhya is the root of the tree. If the roots are cut down, how will the tree prosper and how will we(the society at large) get fruits and flowers?

Rishyo Deergha Sandhyathvath Deerghmayuh Avaapnuyuh!

Praagnaam Yashascha Keerthishcha Brahmavarchasameva Cha!!

The rishis who performed Sandyavandanam gained long life, sharp brain, good name, fame and brahmavarchas.

Some opine that even in case of Emergency/Urgency, the following karmas are to be performed slowly and systematically.They are:--> Arghya Pradanam.

--> Tarpanam--> Sandhyopaasanam

--> Gayathri Japam.--> Upasthanam.

3. There is no relation to the number of repetitions of Gayathri mantra and Srividya mantra.

There is no doubt you must continue to do Sandhyavandana even after getting initiation into Srividya(unless you have been given advanced forms of Sandhyavandana like Tantreeka Sandhyavandana by your Guru and diverted thus).

Also, many Srividya adepts place a condition of performing atleast one Purascharana(24 lakh times the Gayathri mantra) apart from other conditions before being initiated into the sacred Srividya path.

Mudras: You must ask the person who performed the Upanayana to you or your community priest regarding the same. If you belong to the KrishnaYajurveda smartha Telugu Brahmana Velanadu sampradaya as myself(Incidentally, my paternal great grandmother had the surname "Burra" as yours so, Im guessing you too must be Velanadu like me)then you may procure the book intended for our sandhyavandana vidhi and follow the same with whatever mudras are mentioned in it.

Shapodhara mantra: Good question.

Many people don't even do Gayathri mantra,much less be bothered about Shapoddhara mantra!

Shapa=Curse

Uddharad=Lifting

'Curse-lifting' mantra is to be learnt from some competent expert and then performed before the Gayathri mantra repetitions.

One must also know the Kilana and utkilana mantras(Kilana means nailing and utkilana means 'unnailing') and do the Kilana after the Gayathri mantra repetion is over.

Now, not all do these and many do not know and are just guided by tradition or as per thier 'vadiyar' or 'panthulu' or some book in the market.

It is ok to not know all this and perform the regular Sandhyavandana and yet gain benefits.

The purpose of knowing the 3 mantras mentioned above:

1. To increase the effectiveness and speed of the mantriacal benefits.

2. To Control any release of energy in uninitiated minds.

However, since Gayathri mantra is got by way of 'Brahmopadesha' un an unbroken tradition, there would be no harm as it is.

{Gaytri Shap Vimochana in Gaytri Pariwar –Shakti Kunj -Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya – Hardwar.

Providing the explanation from their point of view-as givenbelow-What is the truth in the belief that God Brahma, andrishis Vashistha and Vishwamitra had laid a curse(shaap) that success will elude the practitionerunless he/ she recites certain verses (shlokas)?Ans. That this is baseless, is established by thefollowing references from the scriptures:-a) Gayatri is well known as the inherent creativepower of God. She is also at places referredmetaphysically as spouse of God Brahma. Scriptures saythat with the help of Gayatri, He (Brahma) created theuniverse and expounded the doctrines of Vedas (thefour faces of Brahma symbolize the four streams ofVedic revelation).

b) Vashistha inflicted a crushing defeat onVishwamitra with the help of Nandini- the symbolicalcow which fulfils all wishes and is regarded as thecounterpart of Kamdhenu of heaven (Swarg).

c) To Vishwamitra goes the credit of unraveling themystery of Gayatri. Not only he practiced Gayatri fora very long period with strictest of self-discipline,and acquired immense occult powers there from, butalso developed the expertise and methodology forinvocation of divine powers through practice ofGayatri Sadhana.

>From the aforesaid, it is evident that the greatspiritual personalities of yore had used the power ofGayatri to fulfill their objectives. There is,therefore, no logic in assuming that they had cursedit and deprived other human beings of its fruits.It appears that the feudal lords of the medieval ages,propounded their independent cults and to establishtheir own doctrines found it necessary to discreditthe traditional practice of Gayatri. The concoctedstory of ‘curse on Gayatri’ was the easiest andsimplest way of striking at the roots of faith andconfidence of the masses. This could have been onereason behind this baseless assumption. Otherwise, whoin this universe has the capability to put a curse ondivine manifestations like the sun, clouds, air,lightening, the earth etc. Gayatri is, in essence, theprimordial energy of the Almighty. Hence,

all are freeto utilize it without any restrictions orapprehensions whatsoever. At the most, the concept ofthe so-called “curse” may be symbolically indicativeof the need for a Guru of the status of Vashistha andVishwamitra, in absence of whom success eludes theworshipper.}

The above article was published in one site.I however, say that there are those mantras existent and one must endevour to know them through proper sources and then perform it before and after the Gayatri mantra.

However, for now, we will concentrate on how to do Sandhyavandana properly and at the appropritae times.

I think this is more important, isn't it?

Yours yogically,

Shreeram Balijepalli

Hreem Rajarajeshwari Paradevatha!

Purity, Powers, Parabrahmam...

Click to join Rajarajeshwari_Kalpataru