SandhyA Vandhanam Classes for Rg Vedis and Yajur Vedis

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear Devotees:

 

In addition to the ongoing Brahma Soothram and dhivya prabhandham

santhai classes , SrI RanganAtha Temple will conduct another set of

Classes for those who wish to learn Rg and Yajur SandhyAvandhanams.

 

These classes would be at the temple at 8.30 AM on both

Saturdays and Sundays and will be taught by one of the officiating

priests year around including the chief priest , Dr.Venkat Kanumalla.

 

A book on SandhyA Vandhanam from Ahobila Matam

Publication series would be made available to the students.

 

SandhyA Vandhanam is very , very important to those

who had upanayanam .If your SandhyA Vandhanam

procedures are rusty , this is the time to make up for

it and learn the performance of SandhyA Vandhanam and

practise it every day . All ages are welcome . Please do not

feel shy about learning .It is important that you emphasize

the importance of SandhyA Rituals to your children by

setting a personal example .

 

SandhyA Vandhanam with Svaram and Meaning

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If you can perform the three SandhyA Vandhanams , it will be

great and essential . If you can recite the Veda Manthrams

with Svarams , it will be greater in effect. If you can also understand

the meanings of these Veda Manthrams, it will be of the greatest

benefit .

 

The straight forward & Subtle meanigs of Veda Manthrams

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Many of these Veda Manthrams have multiple levels of

meaning . Even an understanding at the literal level would

be most desirable .

 

Here is an example of the UpasthAna Manthram invoked during

the Morning SandhyA :

 

Mithrasya CharshiNeedhrutha: sravOdEvasya sAnasim I

Sathyam chithrasravastamam II (Rg Vedam: 3.59.6)

 

mithrO janAn yAtayathi prajAnAn I mithrO dhAdhAra

pruTiveemuthadhyAm II ( Rg Vedam 3.59.1 Poorva Paadham )

 

mithra: krushDeera nimishAbhihashDE I

SatyAya havyam grudhavidh vidhEma II ( Rg Vedam 3.59.1 Utthara Paadham )

 

Prasamithra marthO asthu prayasvAn I

yastha Aadhithya sikshathi vrathEna II (Rg Vedam: 3.59.2 Poorva Paadham )

 

na hanyathE najeeyathE thvOthO nainam ahO I

asnOthi anthithO na dhUrAth II (Rg Vedam : 3.59.2 Utthara Paadham)

 

This Morning SandhyA UpasthAna manthram from Rg Vedam is

about the realization of SrIman NaarAyaNan in one's heart lotus .

Performed with the anjali mudhra , UpasthAnam is an offering

itself by the Jeevan ( as Havis) in the sacred fire of SandhyA Yag~nam ,

whose flames are held aloft by the ghee of Bhakthi to the Lord.

This all powerful Lord , who sustains the earth and celestial regions

is invoked for protection and benediction . He is recognized as

adorable , svayam-prakAsan and the benovolent creator of the Universe .

Prayer here is to dwell under His sacred law and to remain in His

grace . These manthrams recognize that the wealth of every kind ,

true Jn~Anam and Yasas(fame ) are the divine gifts of this generous

Lord of radiance in His role as the sustainer of Mankind.

 

This prayer is addressed to Mithra , one of the AadhithyAs , who is

often coupled with VaruNa as a dyad : Mithra-VaruNa of Vedam.

This dyad has multiple meanings like many other Vedic words like

Agni at the Material plane , psychic realm and trascendental level.

 

Translation of UpasthAnam from ThillaisthAnam Swamy's Commentary

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" I desire redemption from "samsAra " by the Lord , the sole

sustainer of the worlds and the universal saviour : The all knowing

God guides the individual souls along the predetermined course.

The Supreme Lord sustains the Earth and Svarga. The Lord keeps

watching all the subjects and unto him--the eternal truth--let us

offer our soul in the sacrificial fire , fed by ghee of God-love. Oh ! AadhithyA !

Let that man , who feels inspired and reassured by your response

to his call , enjoy in ample measure . Your devotee can not be

tormented by any one nor conquerable by any one. Sins dare not

approach him from near or far."

 

Additional Comments on this Manthram

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Freedom from the cycles of repeated births and deaths

is the supreme PurushArTam sought thru the upAyam Prapatthi or

Bhakthi Yogam . Even for a Prapanna , who has performed Prapatthi

with its five angAs at the feet of a SadaachAryan , nithya kAryams like

SandhyA can not be abandoned.That is why the great AchArya , Bhagavath

RaamAnujA performed His SandhyA Vandhams and stood up to do it

with the help of His sishyAs during His old age .

 

The people who perform their SandhyA vandhanams and other required

anushtAnams are called "SishtAs". Their aachAram (way of life) is called

sishtAchAram . The One who is selected for worship here is Mithra

who is described in Vedic parlance: Poothadhaksha or one who possesses

purified judgement and as the one , who protects the worshipper from

destruction ( Nirukta: X.21) . He is the embodiment of " Vedic beatitude".

He is hailed as the One who displays love and affection to those ,who

worship Him. Since Lord SrIman NaarAyaNan sitting at the middle of

the Solar orbit(antharyAmi of Sooryan inn the MithrA form) and is the Supreme

Friend of Human beings , He is hailed as MithrA .

 

Thus begins the Morning UpasthAnam prayer with an address

to the Vedic God , Mithra .

 

The three AzhwAr's UpasthAnam : Echos of SandhyA UpasthAnam

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The first Paasurams of the Mudhal AzhwArs

( Poygai , BhUtham and Pey AzhwArs) can be

considered as UpasthAna Manthrams as well .

 

These three AzhwArs in the dark and rainy night at

ThirukkOvalUr used Vedam and Yogam as the two

eyes to experience ParamAthmA in their HrudhyAkAsam/

Heart lotuses.

 

What do they say and How do they express this experience ?

 

Poygai : Vayyam tahaLiyAha , Vaar kadalE ney aaha ,

Veyya KathirOn viLaku aaha

 

The entire earth ( Bhumi ) became the ahal ( holder of the oil

for the Lamp ) ; the seas became th oil for this Jn~Ana ViLakku

( cosmic lamp of True knowledge) and the fierce rays of the Sun

became the lustre oft hat lamp.

 

BhUtham: For this AzhwAr , Bhakthi is the ahal (Container) ,

the intense desire to experience the Lord becomes the ghee(oil)

The wick is the mind that melts over that delectable experience

 

This AzhwAr sees the Lord in His heart lotus this way.

 

pEy AzhwAr: With the UpasthAnam of the other Two AzhwArs,

the third AzhwAr sees the Lord and others join in enjoying

this glorious scene:

 

Condensed meaning of the first two Paasurams of this AzhwAr's

ThiruvandhAthi as translated by Dr.V.N.VedAntha Desikan of

Oppiliappan Sannidhi:

 

" Today is a great day . I secured the privelege of seeing the Lord's form,

by His grace . I saw Mahalakshmi ; I saw her on a pure gold body of

the Lord; His effulgence was like that of the Sun; I saw the foe-destroying ,

fiery but beautiful chakram ; I saw in His hand the bent Paanchajanyam

(Conch) too. All I saw in my dear Ocean-hued Lord ! ...Today I saw Your

(sacred) feet and clasped them as my refuge for ever . Thus I have

successfully obviated all my future births ! ".

 

Other AzhwArs seeing the Lord with the help of Yogam and Vedam as their

two eyes are recorded in the 4000 sacred collect(Dhivya Prabhandhams).

 

Let me end this note with the prayer used in SandhyA Vandhanam:

 

apavithra: pavithrO vaa sarvAvasTAm gathOpivaa

ya: smarEth PunDareekAksham sa bhAyAnthara suchi:

 

(Meaning): One who meditates on the Lord , who has beautiful eyes like a freshly

blossomed lotus is cleansed both internally and externally inspite of their

earlier states of impurity and degradation .

 

Additional Information to be gained at these classes

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Time for performing the SandhyA Vandhanams , the vessels to be used ,

the directions to be faced , Maanasika/Mantra SnAnam at times

when one is ill or unable to take bath before SandhyA , SuryAvalOkana

Mudhra used during the MadhyAhnikam et al .

Registration for the SandhyA Vandhanam Classes at the Temple

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Please send me a note for registration or call and register through

the temple Telephone number( 1-845-364-9790).

 

V.Sadagopan ( http://www.svuniverse.net/trk.html)

Vice Chairman

SrI RanganAtha Temple

Pomona , NY