[t'venkatam] Summary of Dharma Saasthram : VarNAsrama Dhrma KaaNDam Part I

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri SrinivAsan :

 

It is not clear whether you are asking questions or

giving answers . It is confusing . Since you are knowledgable ,

please provide some answers as well .

 

You might be living close to Srirangam . Some of

the top Sroutha-SmArtha scholars live there and have

PaatasAlais there .I do not have their exact address .

The people at Ahobila Matam Sanskrit School

at West Mambalam can help you with the address .

 

Surely life has changed in Kali Yugam . The Yuga dharmam

as predicted is changing . Only SadAchAryAs are doing their best

and conducting themselves as exemplary beings and showing us

the way .

 

Straight forward questions can be answered .The whys and

whereforths can be answered soem times only with yukthi Vaadhams

but it will take us somewhere .

 

When the full set of postings are covered , we can

have a Question and answers session and tackle

some of the Questions and seek answers from

others as needed .

 

Meanwhile , please introduce yourself . Thanks .

V.Sadagopan

 

 

-

R.Srinivasan

Tiruvenkatam

Cc: vaideekam

Thursday, April 03, 2008 2:22 AM

Re: [t'venkatam] Summary of Dharma Saasthram : VarNAsrama Dhrma

KaaNDam Part I

 

 

 

 

Dear sirs

 

the original Text in Tamil of the 1937 monograph by SrI Mutthuswamy Iyer

for our benefit ?.

>>> Whether original text was in tamil or sanskrit? There are many kinds

of dharmams which these Saasthrams cover : Pravrutthi roopa dharmam for

householders , Nivrutthi roopa dharmam for sanyAsis , Sthree dharmam for women ,

Sva dharmam and Para dharmam for different varNams and Aasramams . SrI

GeethAchAryan instructs us all on Sva-dharmam and Para-dharmam using Arjuna as a

vyAjam in the battle field of Kuru KshEthra . * VedAs are four in Number : Rg,

Yajur, Saama and Atarva Vedams .

>>> Many upavedas are there what are their purpose?

* The two Soothrams for Rg Vedam are: AasvalAyanam and Koushitheekam . *

Yajur Vedam divides into KrishNa and Sukla Yajur Vedams . * There are Five

Soothrams for KrishNa Yajur Vedam : BhOdhAyanam , Aapastampam ,BhArdhvAjam ,

SathyAshAdam and VaikhAnasam . * Sukla Yajur Vedam has only one soothram :

KaathyAyanam .

>>> What about Yagna valkya soothram? Whether it is for sukla vedics or

otherwise?

* Saama Vedam has two Soothrams : DhrAhyAnam and Jaimineeyam .

>>> Whether kauthuma sakha, ranayaneeya sakha and otherr sakhas to follow

onli dhrayayana soothram?

2. VarNam * There are four VarNams : Brahma , Kshatriya , VaiSya and

Soodhra , 3. YugAs * There are four Yugams : Krutha , TrEthA , DhvApara and kali

Yugams .

>>> What about Aaskantha, abhibhUU Yugamsa?

* In Kali Yugam , ParAsara Smruthi is the most important .

>>> Whether all have to practise only this smruthi irrespactive of varnams,

veda sakhas, etc.,

4. Kali Yuga Nishiddha Dharmams ( Prohibited Dharmams in Kali Yugam ) 4.1

: If a Brahmin bathes in well water for 12 years , he loses his BrAhamaNyam .

>>> Even for unavoidable reasons and non availabilty of rivers or ponds

etc.,

 

4.2 : Other prohibited items in Kali yugam : Giving JyEshta Paakam

>>> What is jyEshta Paakam?

, entry into sanyAsam on their own , minimizing theetu (asoucham) , Being a

Bachelor for a long time,

>>>> Even naishtika brahmachari?

Married persons going on theertha yaathrai to distant lands , SanyAsis

staying at gruhasthar's house during Saayam sandhyA Kaalam ( evening sandhyA)

, Brahmins going to far off lands and undertaking sea journeys ( crossing

oceans) . 5. Restrictions on Directions while performing a Vaidhika karmaa * If

there are no specific instruction , one should use East , North or North East .

* If there are no ispecific instructions on sitting or Standing , while doing

Vaidhika karmaas ,One should be seated to engage in that karmaa. 6. BrAhmaNa

Dharmam(6) : 6.1 : Undertaking Adhyayanam (Learning) of Vedam as a student 6.2:

Performing adhyayanam (Teaching) for a student 6.3: Performance of Yaagams 6.4:

Assisting others in the performance of the Yaagams 6.5: Giving DhAnams 6.6:

Recieving DhAnams . 7. Agni Hothram If the Father and the elder brother do not

perform Agni hOthram , then the youngster has no fitness ( adhikAram) for

performing Agni hOthram . If the elder Agni hOthri brother permits , the younger

one can perform . One should not perform Agni hOthram even if the non-performing

Father gives permisison . 8. Adhyayanam ( recitation ) of Vedams 8.1 : One

should not learn and recite Vedam other than one's own . After learning of one's

own Vedam , the student can initate adhyayanam of other Vedams .>>>> What about

chatur veda satakrathus?

Own means yajur to do yajur only or taitteriya to taitteriya and kanve only

to kanva?

8.2: One should not sleep after getting up and reciting VedAs at dawn .

8.3: One should not recite VedAs within earshot of those , who are not adhikAris

for learningVedAs .

>>> Even if they dont know the language?

9. UpAkarmam 9.1: UpAkarmA should not be performed during the times of

eclipses ( grahaNams) and during the time of the birth of a new month (

SankramaNam) . Yajur Vedins should perform upAkarmA during udhaya VyApi parvam (

Soorya Udhayam on a PourNami day ) , Rg Vedins udhaya VyApi SraVaNanakshathram

day and Saama Vedins during the Hastha Nakshathram . 9.2: The boy who has

undergone upanayanam should not shave himself before the passage of six months .

If upAkarMaa happens before six months , then he can shave himself on the day

of UpAkarmaa .

 

 

>>> Without the help of barber( nApitha). self shaving? 9.3: If Sraaddham

and UpAkarmA falls on the same day , Sraaddham should be done after upAkarmaa .

BrahmachAris should shave on that day. Many hold the view that Sraaddham should

proceed upAkarmaa . For Saama Vedins , Sraaddham comes first . 10 . Anadhyayanam

( Times when Vedam can not be taught : No adhyayanam) 10.1 On Prathamai .

ashtami , Chathrudasi , AmAvAsai and PourNimi tithis , Veda can not be taught.

Same rule for the evening preceding these tithis . 10.2 No adhyayanam on

GrahaNam and during the junction of ruthus ( Ruthu sandhi). 10.3 No adhyayanam

on days of NimintharaNam ( BrahmaNArtam ) and Prathigraham ( day in which dhAnam

was recieved ) . 10.4 No adhyayanam on days of dhvajArOhaNam and avarOhaNam (

Flag raising and lowering days of an uthsavam at the temple ). 10.5 No

adhyayanam on Mahaa Navami ,

.>>> Mahaa Navami is only for reading and not adhyayanam without referring

to books?

 

 

SravaNa dhvAdasi , Akshaya Trutheeyai ,

>> These are days when we should compulsarily read . Then hoe andhyayanam?

raTa sapthami, Mahaa BharaNi ,

>>> These are only for those who perform tharpanams and not for others? Okay

YugAdhi and manvAthi dinams . 11.0 Aapath Vruthti Krushi for Brahmins 11.1

Bulls used in ploughing ( for veda karmAs) can be engaged only during the first

half of the day for farming . Once the ploughing is completed , the bulls have

to be bathed . 11.2 Males should not marry after fifty years in age . They

should also not engage in nimintharaNam in Sraaddham after 50 years of age .

>>>> But many sasthrigfals after age of 50 only perform nimanthranam/

varanam etc., If prohibited hoe they earn their lives?

12.0 There are 40 SamskArams for BrahmaNAs 12.1 The soothrAs relevant to

their VedAs prescribe 40 or more samskArAs .The most important among them are

thsoe upto Upanayanam .Rest can be done as desired . The reason is that one can

accept SanyAsam from Brahmacharyam . SanyAsa Aasramam has no agni kaaryams .

12.3 The fourty samskArams are : 14 SmArtha KarmAs and 26 Sroutha KarmAs .

12.3.1 SmArtha KarmAs are : GarbhA DhAnam , Pumsavanam , Seemantham , Jaatha

Karmam , Naama KaraNam , Anna PrASanam , SouLam , Upanayanam , PrAjApathyam ,

Soumyam , AagnEyam,VaisvadEvam , SnAnam and VivAham . The last four from

PrAjApathyam to snAnam are part ofVivAha KarmAs . 12.4 Sroutha KarmAs : Five

dEva Yajn~ams , 7 Paaka Yajn~ams ,7 Havir Yajn~ams , 7 Soma samsthais . 12.5

Five dEva Yajn~ams : (a) dEva yajn~am (b) Pitru Yajn~am © Manushya Yajn~am

(d)BhUtha Yajn~am and Brahma Yajn~am . 12.6: Paaka Yajn~am : Seven are Ashtakai

, STAli Paakam , Maasi Sraaddham , SrAVaNee , AagrahAyaNee , Chaithri and

AaSvayuji . 12.7 Seven Havir Yajn~am : AgnyAdhAnam , Agni HOthram , DarSa PoorNa

mASam , AagrayaNam,ChAthurmAsyam , NirooDa PaSu Bandham , SouthrAmaNee 12.8 Soma

Samsthais: Seven are : AgnishtOmam , athyagnishtOmaam , Ukthyam , ShOdasee ,

VaajabhEyam , athirAthram and abTOryAmam. 12.9 Some say that the total of

SmArtha-Sroudha KarmAs as 44 based on adding chandra and Soorya darsanam ;

others add prEtha karmam and SapiNDeekaraNam . 13. Ruthu Kaalam ( Veettu Vikaku

kaalam: Bahishtai) There is a great DhOsham if the husband does not unite with

his wife during Ruthu Kaalamexcept for the first 4 days . From the first day of

Bhishtai to the 16th day is called ruthu kaalam .Amongst the allowed 12 days ,

Ashtami, YekAdasi , TrayOdhasi , chathurdasi , AmAvAsai , PourNami , chathurthi

and Shashti have to be avoided for union. Among the days of ruthu

kaalam,Thursday , Saturday , Wednesday , specific nakshathrams ( SravaNam ,

RohiNi , Hastham , Anusham , SvAthi , Revathy , Moolam , Utthiram , Satayam )

and specific laganams( Vrushabham ,MiTunam , KaDakam , Kanni , TulAm , Danus ,

Kumbham , Meenam are superior for NishEkam(Saanthi MuhUrtham) . Kettai ,

Mrugaseersham Punarpoosam are middling . During the Ruthu Kaalam , even

numbered days would yield a boy and odd numbered days would lead to the birth of

a girl .

>>> Whether ruthu gamanam is on the wishes of lady only or compulsary by

saasthram. If we do so may we end in lot of children bearing. Suppose husband

works at a distance say 500 Kilometres from wife and child where the possibility

is very remote.

 

 

My doubts are coloured pink above . pls clarify the same

 

Dasan

RSrinivasan