The Treasure / Unimaginable mind bongling Divine numbers /Sandhyavandanam and Gayathri !!!!

[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

 

 

 

 

sadagopaniyengar

<sadagopaniyenga

,

r ,

tiruvengadam

<tiruvengadam >,

Oppiliappan

06/27/03 07:58 <Oppiliappan >,

radha jagannathan

AM <radha,

" j.srinivasan "

Please respond <j.srinivasan,

" cs.srinivasan "

to Oppiliappan <chetlurvas, sukanya

Murali

<sukanyamurali,

mythily ramadesikan

<r_mythily

cc:

The

Treasure

 

 

 

 

 

Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 

 

 

                   The Treasure

 

 

 

 

 

          “Upanayana vivAhou utasavaika pradhAnou†says Sri

VenkatAdhvari

Kavi in his “Visva GuNAdarsa ChampUâ€, lamenting that upanayanam and

marriage have become mere social functions, shorn of all their rich

ritualistic significance. Shastras tell us that every eligible boy should

undergo upanayanam or the “thread ceremony†in his seventh year-â€ashta

varsham brAhmaNam upanayeetaâ€. The current practice of performing this

“function†whenever convenient (irrespective of age) and at times just

before the boy’s marriage, doesn’t have the sanction of Shastras, to say

the least. The idea was to “catch them young†and instil in impressionable

boys the thought of the Lord and His worship, much before outside

influences started polluting their minds. The greatness of the Gayatri

mantra and its regular japa is beyond dispute. Thus when Gayatri enters

the young boy’s soul early, it acts as a protective armour, fobbing off

the tons of garbage that assail us from all directions, polluting our

mind, body and thought. This mundane world keeps us so busy running here

and there on worldly errands, that we have hardly any time to think about

our true selves, why we are here, where we go from here, what is the

purpose of our life and about the Lord and His relationship with us.

Sandhyavandanam is a karma ordained for our performance, in the hope that

we would devote at least that time in the contemplation of the Lord,

amidst our innumerable and unending mundane chores.

 

 

 

          The benefits of an early upanayanam are thus manifold.

Regrettably, the performance of Sandhyavandanam, (glorified by all

Scriptural texts as a sine qua non for any other karma and as a must for

all eligible people, thrice a day without any sort of break or holiday)

has now dwindled so much that it is now confined to perhaps a few thousand

families all over India and abroad. We hear of times when parents would

not give their daughter in marriage to eligible bachelors who had given up

sandhyOpasanam and none would either feed them or be fed by them. Today,

however, the situation has become so topsy turvy, that people performing

Sandhyavandanam are looked at as strange specimens and parents of

brides-to-be are reluctant to entrust their wards to adherents of this

“archaic†ritual.

 

 

 

 Be it marriage, SeemanthOnnayanam, JAtakarmA, NAmakarma, or apara kriyAs,

we find the unseemly spectacle of people omitting Sandhyavandanam and

going on to perform the aforesaid karmas, oblivious to the Shastraic

injuction that one who has given up Sandhyavandanam is ever impure and

ineligible to undertake any Vaidika karma-“SandhyAhInO asuchi: nityam,

anarha: sarva karmasuâ€. Little do people realise that the elaborate

functions they organise, at considerable expense and strain, be it

marriages or other karmas, would be fruitful only if preceded by

SandhyOpAsana.  Alas, Brihaspatis, whose prime duty it is (for they are

“purOhitAsâ€, advising the KartA of what is to be done and when) to remind

the Karta to complete the essential prelude of Sandhyopasanam before

beginning the Karma proper, are also not insistent on this, knowing full

well that the proceedings would definitely be fruitless. After performing

a boy’s Upanayanam with all the trappings of a secular celebration and

with festivity associated with a carnival, with a “Reception†et al, it is

now customary for the parents to forget completely about making their ward

perform Sandhyavandanam thrice daily. While some engage a VadyAr to teach

the boy for a fortnight or so, in the hope that a habit would be formed

for continued performance, once the Brihaspati stops, Sandhyavandanam is

also bidden good-bye, with the father having neither the time nor the

inclination nor even the expertise to encourage the boy to continue the

karma. In many cases, the parent lacks the moral authority to insist on

the boy’s performing the ritual, as he (the parent) has given it up long

back. Even if the boy himself wants to continue the practice, he would be

left without the requisite assistance. Thus the preparations of months,

the expenditure of several thousands or lakhs according to social status,

the pomp and show of the function itself-all these are reduced to nought,

with the abandonment of Sandhyavandanam. If parents were to remember that

non-performance of Sandhyopasanam is a direct contravention of the Lord’s

commandment and the delinquent is counted among the betrayers of the Lord,

it would perhaps enforce better adherence, for the Lord says in the Gita,

 

 “Shruti: Smriti: mama Eva AgyA yastAm ullanghya vartatE

 

 AgyA cchEdI mama drOhI mama bhaktOpi na vaishnava:â€

 

 

 

 It is indeed surprising that many are reluctant to set apart the few

minutes that are required for this important part of our daily lives,

while spending interminable hours at school, college, office, club or

other entertainment spots. The reason, of course, is not far to seek-while

the aforesaid hours at worldly pursuits are directly and perceptibly

rewarding, Sandhyavandanam doesn’t appear to be so. However, if we set

store only by what we see, hear and feel with our own faculties, there

would be little difference between we who call ourselves AstikAs, vis a

vis nAstikAs, who deny the existence of God because they are unable to see

or hear Him. Sandhyavandanam cleanses the soul through meditation on the

Ultimate and bestows wonderful benefits, spiritual as well as material, on

its sincere votary.

 

 

 

The importance of this ritual can be understood from the fact that there

is absolutely no exemption from its performance any time in life, even

when one contracts “theettu†or pollution due to birth or death of near

and dear ones. Even during such Asoucham, an abridged version of the

ritual is to be performed, making it thus a part of our daily routine,

akin to eating, sleeping or bathing. There may even be occasions when we

forsake these physical acts, but none on which we may skip

Sandhyavandanam. The importance our forbears attached to this karma would

be evident from the fact that Sri Ramanuja, at the ripe old age of 120,

stood up with great difficulty and performed arghyapradAnam. This is

recounted by Swami Desikan in Srimad Rahasyatrayasaram, to emphasise the

indispensability of anushttAnam. If a paripoorNa Brahma gnAni like Sri

Bhashyakara felt it essential to perform Sandhyavandanam even after six

score years of a spirituality-filled life, it speaks volumes for the need

for its observance by ordinary mortals like us.

 

 

 

  There are those who speak loftily of meditation, Yoga and Upanishadic

dicta, preferring the rarefied corridors of Vedanta to performance of mere

rituals. Alas, they don’t realise that the topmost storey of

God-realisation is to be reached via the winding staircase of SamskArAs

and  that one can’t just jump from the floor onto the roof. Samskaras like

upanayanam are meant to purify the mind and body, to make it an ideal

receptacle for wisdom, which would in turn lead us to liberation by

showing us the appropriate strategy. Thus, whatever be one’s age,

occupation or persuasion, all traivarnikAs have to perform

Sandhyavandanam, whether or not they are spiritually inclined, for

non-performance could well impact on their material life too, due to the

cumulated offences resulting from the omission.

 

 

 

 In the next stage are those who do perform the nitya karma, but without

the requisite degree of concentration. During the performance of Gayatri

japa, the mind wanders so far and wide as to traverse the whole world in a

jiffy. The enforced physical inactivity during Sandhyavandanam makes the

mind super-active and unable to concentrate on the Lord and His

attributes, which is after all the essential purpose of the ritual. It is

an acknowledged fact that the mind is the most difficult faculty to

control-we can shut our eyes, our ears and nose against the assault of

external forces and keep our limbs inactive. However, we have to admit

defeat when it comes to controlling our mind, which functions with a

fierce independence and is obviously untamable. No less a person than

Arjuna, famed for his powers of concentration, laments to Sri Krishna that

his mind is fickle and uncontrollable-“Chanchalam hi mana:

Krishna!…..tasyAham nigraham manyE vAyOriva sudurgrahamâ€. Even the Shruti

attests to the fearsomeness of the mind, which can lead astray even the

most accomplished soul-“BhIshmO hi mana:â€. If even acknowledged experts

are ineffective at mind control, we despair at our own fate. However, the

Lord assures us that it is all a matter of practice-“abhyAsEna tu

KountEya…â€. Practice makes perfect and in course of time, we find

ourselves able to concentrate more and more on the Lord’s lotus feet,

suffering less and less distractions as we proceed.

 

 

 

 Of course, the process doesn’t stop with performance of Sandhyopasanam.

Upanayanam is after all a Samskaram, a catalyst, which is not an end in

itself, but a qualifying degree to enable higher studies. The very word

“Upanayanam†means “leading nearâ€-near the Brahmam. If we interpret the

word “Brahmam†to mean the Shruti, we arrive at the deduction that

Upanayanam is an enabling factor for VedAdhyayanam or the study of Vedas.

Just as nobody stops with high school studies, Upanayanam is not supposed

to end with Sandhyavandanam. The study of Vedas through an Acharya is

ordained on every eligible person. “VEdO nityam adheeyatAm†says the

Scripture, commanding us to learn and recite the Vedas daily. And why

should Vedas be learnt? Because they are the first and foremost body of

spiritual knowledge, (“Adou VEdA: pramANamâ€-Sri Bhattar) telling us all

that is beyond the ken of our frail faculties; Because they are an

independent source of wisdom, untainted by human composition and the

resultant blemishes; Because they are eternal guiding lamps which are our

source of inspiration in birth after interminable birth; And because they

can show us, if properly propitiated, the way to Liberation and freedom

from the vicious circle of births and deaths. The Brahma SutrAs, (whose

main purpose is to clarify the nature of Paramatma, Jeevatma and attendant

matters) tell us that the VEdAnta Shastra, leading to an appreciation of

the Ultimate, should be imbibed only after completion of

VedAdhyayanam-“atAthO Brahma jigyAsAâ€. One who is eligible to imbibe

Vedas, but doesn’t do so for whatever reason, has no hope of liberation

and is destined for the lower worlds reserved for sinners, says the Manu

Smrti-“anadheetya dvijO VedAn…….vrajati adha:â€

 

 

 

The glory of Vedas is beyond description. The Purusha Sookta Vakya,

“EtAvAn asya mahimA†would apply equally well to the Shruti as to the

Paramapurusha. That the Lord resides in the Vedas is confirmed by Swami

Desikan- “adarpuL arasilum andaNar mAttilumâ€and by Sri Nammazhwar-“Sudar

migu SurudiyuL… paranduLanâ€. Sri Kalian calls the Lord “VEdiar muzhu

VEdattu amudamâ€. Worshipping the Lord should be done through the medium of

those who have mastered the Vedas, adopting such BhAgavatAs as

Purushakaram, says Sri Satakopa Muni- “VEdam vallArai koNdu viNNOr perumAn

tiruppAdam paNinduâ€.

 

 

 

This is the priceless heirloom bequeathed to us by our forefathers, who

cherished and treasured the Shruti by learning it with reverence through

an Acharya, applying it in their everyday karmas and passing on the

treasure to all those who were interested, ensuring its propagation and

perpetuation. Even those who were unable to learn all the available

portions of their own ShAkha, compromised with reluctance by imbibing the

portions for frequent use in nitya karmas and for Bhagavat kainkaryam. If

the meagre attendance today at VEda pAtashAlAs is any indication, Veda

adhyayanam has fallen on hard times, with predictable consequences of

truant monsoons or excessive precipitation (anAvrishti and ativrishti),

resulting respectively in terrible famines and destructive deluges, strife

and senseless violence, corrupt rulers and suffering populace. If the good

old times of peace and prosperity are to return, every eligible person

should take up Vedic studies through an Acharya. Those who are unable to

devote the time and energy for the full course could contemplate imbibing

portions of the Shruti essential for the performance of nitya and

naimittika karmas and for Bhagavat kainkaryam. The day the world resounds

with Veda ghOsham, the guns of war would fall silent, voices of discord

would remain muted and the plaintive cries of the needy would stand

banished. Let us work for restoring the Shruti to its former glory and

magnificence.

 

 

 

Srimate Sri LakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana

Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dasan, sadagopan.