sandyA-vandanam - few questions & answers; SrI C SEshAdri swAmi's nitya-karmAnushtAnam teaching prog

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Dear SrI VaishNavas,

 

With reference to my earlier mail on the importance of doing sandyA vandanam

and such nitya karma and naimithika karmas, quoting uttara-kruthyAdhikAram and

SAstreeya niyamanAdhikAram of SrImath rahasya traya sAram, I further write the

following based on certain queries from people interested in the vaidika

anushtAnams.

 

What is the meaning of the term " sandyA " /Who is denoted by the

term " sandyA " /Who is worshiped in the sandyA vandanam?

 

" sandyA " denotes particular time periods in a day; it is also

generally taken to denote a vaidika nitya karma. But the following

points brings out the important meaning of the term.

 

SrI vangipura nambi states the meaning of the term " sandyA " in his celebrated

kArikA as follows:

 

" Aditya maNDalAntastham praNamya manasA smaran |

sandhAtruthvEna sarvEshAm sandhyEthi parikeerthitham || "

 

" SrIman NArAyaNa who is in the solar orb, is denoted by the term " sandhyA " ;

because he being sarva-antharyAmi, keeps all entities confederated, supported

and nourished appropriately "

 

" sandhAtruthvEna sarvEshAm sandhyA "

 

(Ref: " sarvEshAm bhUthAnam sandhAtruthvEna samyag-dhArakathvEna pOshakathvEna

cha sandhyA Sabda vAchya: hari: " )

 

This makes it very clear that only SrIman NArAyaNa is worshiped in the

sandyA-vandanam, which is to be done three times (prAthas-mAdhyAhnika-sAyam

kAlams) daily.

 

Another question regarding the anushhtAnam of the same - " can we do sandyA

vandanam during ASowcham period? " ; The answer is as follows:

 

" mruthakE sUthakE vApi sandhyA-karma na santhyajEth | thath kruthvaiva purA

paSchAth pitrO: kuryAth SavakriyAm | SuchirvA api-aSuchirvA api nithyam karma

na santhyajEth || "

 

" Even during ASowcham (because of relative's death, birth etc), sandyA

vandanam must be done and it cannot be sacrificed. The other karmas related to

relative's death, birth etc must be done only after the performance of sandyA

vandanam. The nitya karma cannot be sacrificed by a person whether he has

purity or impurity "

 

ASowcham generally means impurity (theetu), which makes a person to lose

arhathA (eligibility) to do vaidika karmas like japam, hOmam etc. This is the

cause for mukya-karthA to do kriyAs like prEtha-dhahanam till sapiNDIkaraNam,

sapiNDa-samAnOdaka to do tarpaNa etc., bandhus to do snAnam.

 

Unless and until the news regarding ASowcham is not known, the ASowcham is not

brought into anushtAnam. The ASowcha-anushtAnam is by two ways - 1. By kAlam

2. By snAnam etc. In some ASowchams, both the ways are applicable.

 

Generally in ASowchams like sUthakam, prasavam, SAvam, maraNam, vaidika karmas

must NOT be done. The aSudhdi of the person (having ASowcham) is applicable to

his belongings also. But manas (mind) is considered pure and he can

contemplate only on SrIman NarAyaNa's name in his mind. The karmas like

vEda-adyayanam, hOmam, bhagavathArAdhanam etc must not be done during

ASowcham.

 

" sAndhyam karmAgnihOtram cha prEthakAryANi chAplutha: |

kuryAdanyEna hOmam thu kArayEnnAnyadAcharEth || "

 

As told before, sandyAvandanam cannot be sacrificed and must be done during

ASowcham also. Agni-hOtram can be done through another person who is not

having ASowcham in any form. In case if no one is available for this, he can

do Agni-hOtram by himself with restrictions after snAnam with wet-vastram

during ASowcham. He must not do dAnam; but during periods of danger, he can do

dAnam of uncooked items.

 

The sUkshma-arthams (subtle aspects) in anushtAnams are many and these things

needs to be learnt in Vaidika Aahnika granta kAlakshEpams in the sannadhi of

SrI VaishNava vidwAns.

 

In order to teach the nitya karmas like tri-kAla sandyAvandanam and various

naimiththika karmas, SrI U.Ve. C SeshAdri swAmi (16, subramanya nagar cross

street, near ranga-raja puram railway gate, Chennai 600 024, Tamilnadu, India)

is doing wonderful kainkaryams with the anugraham of our AchAryas. He is doing

this kainkaryam through his " SrI VaishNava sampradAya nithya karmAnushtAna

SikshA kEndram " set up at various places. This kendra has been setup by the

divya niyamanam of HH SrIrangam SrI powNDarIkapuram SrImath ANDavan Asramam

SrI paravAkkOttai SrImath ANDavan swAmi. Through this kendra, our SrI C

SeshAdri swAmi is teaching (with the help of SrI VaishNava vidwAns)

Urdhava-puNdra-dhAraNam, sandyAvandanam, laghu-tiruvArAdhana kramam, tarpaNam

(amAvASya-mAsa-grahaNa kAlam), yagnyOpavItha dhAraNa-vidhi, upAkarma,

puNyAhavachanam, udaga-ShAnthi, pancha-sUkthams, vEda-sAtRumarai, sEvA-kAla

sAtRumarai, Santhi pAdam etc. Both theory and practical aspects with meaning

are taught in these kendras. Further, he is very much involved in spreading

swAmi dESika SrI sUktis through his " The project popularisation of dESika's

works sabha for the younger generation " . He is encouraging younger generation

to learn swAmi dESika SrI sUktis (stOtra pAtam, prabandams). He is awarding

titles, valuable prizes for young people. He is also organizing SrImath

rahasya traya sAra kAlakshEpams and chillarai rahasya kAlakshEpams and such

pUrva-AchArya granta kAlakshEpams for the benefit of interested SrI

VaishNavas. His kainkaryams are very remarkable, practically found to be very

useful in propagating SrI SampradAya to masses and in strict accordance to SrI

SampradAya with the blessing of our AchAryas. He is also printing authentic

articles in pamphlets for spreading our SrI SampradAya and distributing them

to people who gather at temples and such places. These articles are excellent

in very simple language but presenting our sidhdAntham and anushtAnams in an

encouraging manner for all people. More and more centers are planned for the

above mentioned programs in the real sprit of propagating SrI SampradAyam.

 

I request all interested SrI VaishNavas to get benefited by these kainkaryams.

Such centers must be started all over the world. The feedback from people at

India and at Singapore is also very encouraging. I pray at the lotus feet of

bhAgavathas to kindly make a note regarding the above mentioned kainkaryams.

 

For more details regarding the same, please feel free to write to me.

 

Thanks & Regards

M.S.HARI rAmAnuja dAsan (mshari)

 

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