First BrahmOthsavam Celebrations at Sri Ranganatha Temple , Pomona, NY ( JULY 3-8, 2007) : PART II

[Guest guest]

 

SrI:

 

Dear Sri Ranganatha BhkathAs :

 

In my previous posting , adiyEn identified

selected areas to study regarding BrahmOthsavam:

 

 

 

"(1) Garuda AdhivAsam , PraaNa Prathishtai , DhvajArOhaNam

(2) Bheri Poojaa , BhEri TaaDanam

(3) Nithya Homam

(4) Swasthi Vachanam

(5) VaasudEva PuNyAhavachanam

(6) DhvadasArAdhanam

(7) Nava Sandhi Bali

(8) DhvajA avarOhaNam , Avabrutha SnAnam

(9) SapthAvaraNam , PushpaYaagam ".

 

I will comment on few of them now after brief comments

on BrahmOthsavam's salient points.

 

Today m adiyEn will focus on Item #1 .

Before that , here are some general comments.

 

A. The Name

*****************

 

BrahmOthsavam is the big ( Brahma-Bruhath) uthsavam.

Since Brahma is said to officiate as the YajamAnar for

this Uthsavam it is also called BrahmA's uthsavam or

BrahmOthsavam. Aagamas also call it " MahOthsavam" .

 

B.Duration

**************

 

According to Paadhmam , it is a nine day long

Uthsavam starting from ascent of the Garuda flag

to avabrutha SnAnam ( Ceremonial bath with Selvar

or Lord Sudarsana at the conclusion of this uthsavan ).

 

C. Preliminaries

**********************

 

Five or seven days before the raising of the flag ( Dhvaja

AarOhaNam) , angurArpaNam and RakshA Bhandhanam

ceremonies have to be completed . We will cover these

ceremonies in subsequent sections .

 

On the day before the start of the Uthsavam , SayanAdhi

Uthsavam as at times of Consecration of the processional

deity is recommended . Further , the ChakrAbhja MaNDalam

and four Kuntams ( fire pits) are to be constructed in

the Yaaga Saala (as for PavithrOthsavam for use during

the BrahmOthsavam . These elaborate ceremonies are no

longer carried out even in major temples in India .

 

The Evening before BrahmOthsavam:

**********************************************

On the evening before , one prostrates (ShAshtAnga

NamaskAram) before Moolavar( nonprocessional deity)

and seek His blessings for the right mind set to conduct

the Uthsavam to His satisfaction .

 

Next stop is at VishvaksEnar Sannidhi . AarAdhanam is

done for Him .

 

After this follows Mruth sangrahaNam in the company of

VishvaksEnar . Paalikai ( ankurArpaNam) is established in

the North Eastern corner of Yaaga Saala .We will go into

greater detail in future postings about Mruth SangrahaNam

and ankurArpaNam .

 

Rakshaa Soothra Poojaa at Moolavar Sannidhi takes place

next. The drawing of Garudan on a flag is prepared ; He is

invoked on the drawing and His eyes are opened with special

Mantrams for PeetArchanam , AavAhanam of devathAs . For

the Garudan drawn on the flag , suddhi is done through

sOshaNa , DhAhana AapyAyanams and thereafter SamhAram

of Tatthvams are done thru BhUtha Suddhi Mantrams .Thru

Various BheejAksharams and Mantrams , all parts of the ThirumEni

of Garudan is touched with Koorcham to invoke sakthi in those

limbs .

 

Agni Prathishtai and Purusha Sooktha Homam follow .

DharmAdhi Peeta AahUthi is done next in the middle of the Agni

in the Kuntam . Garuda AavAhanam is done with "SathyAya

Nama:" mantram and Aahuthis are made. With appropriate

Mudhrais and NyAsam , various upachArams are offered

next to Garudan . 28 or 108 Aahuthis are done for each

UpachAram with VynathEya Mantram . Ghee , SarU , Gingelly

seeds are used during these AahUthis .

 

Sanklapam for Saanthi Homam and Saanthi Homam

are the next steps . Honey , Milk , curd , ghee are used

with vyaahruthi mantrams here ; after each aahUthi ,

Koorcham is used to dip into the pots of Honey , Milk

Curd , Ghee to touch different parts of Garudan Image

( Honey is for Thiruvadi, Milk for Stomach , Curd for face

and ghee for Siras with appropriate mantrams . Then all

Homa vasthus are mixed together and the Koorcham is used

for touching all parts of Garudan .

 

Next follows , AhUthis to the accompaniment of VishNu

Gayathri using jaggaery , ghee and honey 28 or 108 times .

Then these three homa vasthus are blended together

and with the Koorcham , the face of Garudan is touched .

Praayascchittha AahUthi and Agni UpasthAnam takes

place next. ParishEchanam from waters inside the small

vessel ( Karaham )with AapOhishta Mantram is done and

Koorcham is used for prOkshaNam of the Garuda PaDam

to the accompaniment of VishNu Gayathri .

 

Garuda PaDam is turned around to face the Moolavar Sannidhi.

Garudan is invoked in the Archakar's heart and from there to

the Garuda PaDam with VyAhrudhi mantrams and the following

two slOkams:

 

Mahaa Bala Mahaa BaahO VynatEya vayOdhipa

sannidhathsva paDE Thubhyam nama: PraNava MoorthayE

 

KarmaNAm siddhimAhUtha: Kurushva VihagEswara

AahUtanvyA sthrayOlOkA: DevasyOthsava samsadhi

 

Garuda Gaayathri Aavahanam follows . VisEsha annams

are presented to Garudan and the Mahaa Kumbham .

 

Seven more slOkams are recited as prayers to Garudan

for Saanidhyam during the Uthsavam :

 

VaahanAya MahaavishNO: TarkshyAyaamitha tEjasE

GarudAya namasthubhyam sarva sapthEndhra MruthyayE

 

He is recognized and saluted as Mahaa VishNu's Vaahanam ,

one with unlimited lustre, as Garudan and the death of all

serpent kings .

 

namO namastE Paksheendhra svAdhyAya vapushE nama:

VihagEndhra namastEasthu samuthpADitha kalpaka:

 

AahruthAmrutha KumbhAya Jananee dhAsya mOchinE

surAsurEndhra jayinE naagEndhra HaraNAya tE

 

Bringing amrutha kalsam from DEva lOkam , victory

over devAs and asurAs there and the removal of

the bondage of His Mother are saluted here .

 

YadhAdhAramidham sarvam tadhAdhArAya tE nama:Pakshou Yasya Bruhathsaama raTantramapi dhvyam

 

akshiNi chApi Gayathree thrirvrusaama Sira: smrutham

sthOma Aathmaa namastasmai VaamadEvyAnga sampadhE

 

In these two slOkams , the aspect of Garudan as Veda Purushan

having the various Saamans in the wings and rest of the limbs

of His sacred body .

 

Nama: prANaadhi VaayUnAm IsAya GarudAthmanE

dhOshaanapanaya-akhaNDAn guNAnaavaha sarvatha:

vignAni jaahi sarvANi AathmasAthkuru Maamapi

 

After these prayers , Garuda Mantra Japam is

performed and PoorNAhuthi is done .

 

This is the last rite for the day before DhvajArOhaNam .

 

NamO SrI PakshirAjAya ,

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil V.Sadagopan