Regulations

7/18/2019 Regulations

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/regulations-56923d483ed6d 1/149

parihAram for things started getting stuck

Some people experience obstacles in everything they start and the eort getsstuck in the middle. This parihAram (measure for remedy) can be of help to them.

shrI ahAganapati is kno!n as vighnaharta"#b$ (destroyer of obstacles). %henShiva started o on his chariot to do "i$sahAram (end the life) of TripurAsura& theaxle of his chariot broke& causing an obstacle even at the start. At that time shrIShiva !ho is father of ahAganapati& did stotram (!orship !ith hymns) of his son!ith the 'anapati SahasranAma Stotram& got his obstacle removed and attainedkAryasiddhi (task accomplishment)& informs the udkala urana.

Therefore& doing pArAyaam of ahAganapati SahasranAma Stotram daily in theearly morning at da!n time for a period of one ma*alam (+, days) !ill ensure thatall the obstacles are removed and things started !ill proceed smoothly to theirful-lment.

en& !omen and childrenall the peoplecan do this pArAyaam.

ote/ The shivasthalam Acharapakkam near 0hingleput& 0hennai is traditionallysaid to be the place !here the axle of Shiva1s chariot broke.

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parihAram for delay in marriage

%hen the marriage of the boy or girl gets delayed unduly& for the marriage to takeplace early& pArAyaam of Srimad 3almiki 4amayana can be conducted in vidhivat(according to rules) as navAham (for nine days).



Alternatively& as mentioned in the 5mAsamhita/

कनयर च वट कनयऽप अ वपर

सत पववह स त ठत त य

य पवदयत स! द "# $ पच %र&

kanyArthI cha vaTu6 kanyA7pi anur5pa varArthinI

sItA vivAha sarga tu paThet prAta6 prayatna6

gavya nivedayet kShIra sadyo dugdha shuchi sthale

8oys in order to get a suitable bride and girls to get a suitable groom& should dopArAyaam of the seventythird (sItA vivAha) sargam of the bAlA kA*am of Srimad3almiki 4amayanam& everyday in the early morning for a period of one ma*alam(+, days)& doing nivedanam of freshly milked co!1s milk& the vivAham is certain totake place early.

It is uttamam (best) for the boy or girl !ho is to get married to do this pArAyaamthemselves daily& after receiving the Srimad 4amayana book from an elder.

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parihAram for the childless couple

Some couples remain childless even long after marriage. This parihAram can be of

help to them.

त क'%त त य (प)ट द$र%य त'

*+ #, %त , यस ठ-. पच

पवदयत पतपद / 0 तप'$ त यस'



$ वय-चऽप %व क 1य पव2$पत वस

putrakAmastu putrIyA iShTi dasharathasya tAm

AgarbhadhAraa strIA pAyasena paThech0hati6

nivedayet pratidina gh4utamishra tu pAyasam

shrAvayechchA7pi patnI svA kulyA vimshati vAsarAn

Thus those !ho remain childless due to p5rva 9anma karma (karma accumulated inearlier births)& if they as mentioned in the 5mAsamhita/ remain pure and dopArAyaam of the :; and :<th sargam (the part covering *asharatha1sputrakAmeShTi yAgam and pAyasadAnam up to garbha dhAraam& in the bAlA

kA*am of Srimad 3almiki 4amayanam& everyday for t!enty days& doingnivedanam of ghee pAyasam at the end& !ith the !ife listening to the pArAyaam inshraddhA (faith& trust& con-dence)& there !ould be putrabhAgyam (gift of a child)certainly by the k4upA (compassion) of shrI Sita4ama.

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saidevo

=> ?anuary @==& =,/B>

parihAram for reunion of the separated couple

The marraige that !as performed according to the ShAstras in the proper manneris a po!erful one. The mantras recited in the marriage !ould bring in their results atproper times. The couple may live separated from each other for some time due totheir fate& but they can be reunited certainly through a parihAram.



Ask your separated daughter to get upadesham of the 4atividyA mahAmantra froma guru !ho is a Cuali-ed upAsaka for it and do 9apam !ith the mantra daily. Thismantra is a most po!erful one. It !ill reunite the separated couple early.

In addition& doing pArAyaam of the 3almiki 4amayanam Sundara DA*am in thesapta sarga routine (seven sargas a day)& !ould also help in reuniting the separatedcouple.

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parihAram for children to listen to their parents

Although parihAras are there to remove setbacks that happen to us& certainsetbacks happen because !e did not do !hat !e needed to. Eor this& the onlyparihAram is to correct ourselves into the right path.

If the son or daughter born to the parents does not listen to their !ords& the reasonis only the shortfall of puyam of the parents. The ShAstra says

त य$पस तर 3 च , 4य &,'

putre yashasi tIrthe cha narAA puya lakShaam

That a person has done puyam or pApam is kno!n through the !ay their childrenbehave to!ards him#her& !hat the others talk about the person and !hether there

is no scarcity of !ater in the place !here the person resides.

Fven today !e !itness a son past ;= or <= years of age listen to the !ords of hisparents and serve them. This is only the puyam of his parents.



Therefore& the parihAram is to correct and involve ourselves in acts that generatepuyam.

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parihAram for acute indigestion

If the food taken did not digest& the reason could be that the time of dining and theCuantity and Cuality of food did not conform to the ShAstras. *igestion can beimproved by ad9usting these factors. 6o!ever& there is a parihAram in the ShAstrasfor acute indigestion.

*प%त अप"5 65ऽ&7च + 8त 'यऽन 9यनव$:' ;

स <=च ' तत प,' स2+व य-.नत अ! '' चऽ%त दह >

Agasti6 agni6rba*abA7nalashcha bhukta mayA7nna 9arayantvasheSham G

sukhaH9cha me tat pariAma sambhava yach0hantu aroga mama chA7studehe GG

3ishnu urana

ay sage Agastiya& Agni& and the submarine -re 8A*abAgni eect the digestion ofthe food of !hich I have eaten may they grant me the happiness !hich itsconversion into nutriment engenders and may health ever animate my formJ(translation from http/##!!!.sacredtexts.com#hin#vp#vp=,;.htm)

4eciting this mantra and then gently rubbing the navel and the stomach !ith !atercould eect good digestion. %e may also teach our children about this habit.

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saidevo

= ?anuary @==& :=/:@

parihAram for problems and fear of foes

Strife and 9ealousy are common in human life. %e should safeguard ourselves fromthe forces that exert such negative inKuences by our puya (virtuous deeds) and bythe po!er of mantras.

Ln the !ay to Tiruchirapalli from 3illupuram (in Tamilnadu)& there is this SriMakshmi arasimhar temple in a village called arikkal. 6aving darshan of this god&oering a garland of tuMasi to him and doing nivedanam !ith plenty of pAnakam (abeverage made of 9aggery and !ater) and dadhiyannam (curd rice) and then

distributing them to the poor people there and thus praying to Sri Makshmiarasimhar& the mental fears and the shatru bhayam in vyApAram (fear of foes inbusiness) !ould be removed& giving us success in our eorts.

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parihAram for children studying !ell

'enerally& the adhipati (lord) of all vidyAs (areas of kno!ledge) is only Sri MakshmI6ayakgrIva m5rti"#i$. Therefore the children can be asked to recite the follo!ingprArthanA shloka (prayer verse) daily for :=, times.



?नद'य दव प' &स %@पटकक 0 पत' ;

*# सव पव हय व' A%'ह >

9H9AnAnandamaya deva nirmalas sphaTikAk4utim G

AdhAra sarvavidyAnA hayagrIvam upAsmahe GG

(8araha version)

9HnAnAnandamaya deva nirmalas sphaTikAk4Nitim G

AdhAra sarvavidyAnA hayagrIvam upAsmahe GG

(IT4AS version) 6ayagrIva stotram& S!ami *esikan

Additionally& having darshan !ith family of Sri Makshmi 6ayagrIvar having histemple in the village 0hettippuiyam en route 0hennai0hingleput !ould ensurethat the children remain !ellread and intelligent.

Eor a brief description of this temple& check/ http/##dharsanam.blogspot.com#@==,#=B#chettippunyamsrivaradhara9aperumal.html

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parihAram to guard against ailments of the eye

सव %य त %य प$ #' सव 3 पनद य,' य' #' ;

$4,' स' &व,' #' +वद य Aदक' #' >



sarvasya gAtrasya shira6 pradhAnam sarvendriyAam nayanam pradhAnam G

SaAm rasAnAm lavaam pradhAnam bhaved pAnIyAn udakam pradhAnam GG

nIti shataka

OEor the entire sharIra (body)& that is among all the organs& shiras (head) is thepradhAnam (principal) the eye is the pradhAnam among the pancendriyas (-vesenses) salt is the pradhAnam among the sha*rasa (six tastes) among the pAna(drinks) tIrtha (!ater) is the pradhAnam.O

To preserve the health of our eyes& our ancestors performed gAyatri 9apam& s5ryanamaskAram and such other acts daily in the early morning at da!n time. Although

!e cannot follo! such traditions& there are !ays to preserve the visual health.

$य पत=च स कनय=च -यव $क'प7वB ;

+ 8त'त %'त य%त च %त%य हयत >

sharyAtiH9cha sukanyAH9cha chyavana shakramashvinau G

bhuktamAtre smaret yastu chakShustasya na hIyate GG

The eyes and eyesight of those people !ho remember S5ryAti maharshi& pativratA(devoted to husband) SukanyA devi& 0hyavana maharshi !ho !rote the treatise onAyurveda& *evendra& and Ashvini devas immediately after a meal !ould never beaPicted !ith health problems.

If !e recite this shloka and daub our eyes !ith !ater after every meal& the light of

the eyes !ill never !ane and the eyes !ould remain healthy for long years.

Eor Ayurvedic treatment of eye care& here is a link/

http/##!!!.nagar9un.com#html#groupQspecialityQeye.htm



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saidevo

:: ?anuary @==& :=/;@

erforming pu9a pompously !earning ornaments

%hen performing pu9a& some people (specially !omen) adorn themselves !ith a setof 9e!elry and conduct the pu9a !ith pompously. Is this rightR

This is right. 8ecause it is only right to do pu9a to the deitiesonly by !hose grace

!e have come to possess the ornaments&!earing those ornaments and doing pu9a!ith hands that !ear ornaments. aharshi arashurAma& !ho explains the devip59a krama (method of conducting *evi u9a) in his !ork parashurAma kalpas5tram says/

य 'नत 8& Cत *क1 सD क1 *क1! व

yAga mantra kMNiptA Akalpa6 saNkalpA Akalpo vA (IT4AS)

yAga mantra kluptA Akalpa6 saHgkalpA Akalpo vA (8araha)

Akalpa means ornaments such as the ring& necklace& chain& earrings& ear studs andso on. 8y the phrase kMNipTAkalpa6 arashurAma says that the person doing thepu9a should !ear those ornaments and do the pu9a in the pu9aroom.



Therefore& for all sorts of Amman u9as such as AmbaaM !orship& MalitAdevi!orship& etc.!hy even !hen homas (-re oblations) are conductedit is only rightto !ear clean clothes and a set of ornaments (thereby decorating oneself) and then

perform the pu9a.

%hat about people !ho cannot aord itR It is for them that arashurAma saysOsaNkalpA Akalpo vAO/ that is !hen the poor do the pu9a to 'od& they shouldmentally imagine !earing the ornaments. Thus it is only right to perform pu9a inpomp& and !ith personal decoration.

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*oing abhiShekam to deiva vigrahas !ith !arm !ater

As the saying goes& OabhiShekapriya6 shiva6O& Shiva !ould be happy !ithabhiShekas done to him. The abhiShekam is done to Shiva on ordinary days usingeleven kinds of articles such as fragrant oil& and !ith dierent other articles on thefestive days such as the ahashivarAtri. In the same !ay& in the erumAM temples&abhiShekam is done to 3ishnu !ith articles such as milk& curd& fruits& and so on.

In order to remove the oil grime and stains that accrete on the images due toabhiShekam !ill articles such as oil& fruit 9uice and milk& the deities are -rst given abath using cold !ater& then !arm !ater !ith bearable !armth and then !ith cold!ater again.

+8य च!),!दकE $त!दकE स%यप-.व' ;

$ पव), द-य!E...

bhaktyA choShodakai6 shItodakai6 sasnApayech0hivam G

shrI viShu kShIra dachyodyai6...



*harma Sindhu& @>+

This shloka says that !e should !ith devotion do abhiShekam to Shiva !ith !armand cold !ater and to 3ishnu !ith articles like milk and curd. %arm !ater is&

ho!ever& not an abhiSheka dravya (substance for ablution)& only used to removethe stain and grime on the images. This is the method used in the temples eventoday.

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5sing earthen plates and vessels for nivedanam

The articles such as coconut& betel leaves& fruits and annam (cooked rice) and theutensils they are contained& for doing nivedanam to deities should be clean.

hairaya rA9ata kAsya tAmra m4unmayeva cha G

pAlAsha padmapatra vA patra viShoratipriyam GG

*oing nivedanam in utensils made of gold& silver& brone and clay& and the leavesof pAlAsha#purasa (Indian -g) tree and lotus plant !ould make Sri ahavishnuhappy says Sri arashurAma Dalpas5tram.

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saidevo



:> ?anuary @==& =,/:< A

chaturAv4utti tarpaam

Lne of the !ays of upAsana (!orship) of Sri ahAganapati is the chaturAv4uttitarpaam. This !orship is performed by oering tarpaam (libation) for +++ times!ith the !ater perfumed by sandal po!der and cardamoms& on the bimba (image)of Sri ahAganapati and all other Avaraa devatas (!orshipped deities).

Sri Adisankara says in his book prapanchasAra sangraham that all men and !omen

!ithout any distinction of caste& creed or religion can do it to seek the blessings of'anesha.

*य !"य 'E7वय 5& प)ट' हय$ ;

कपवव + प8त ' प8त च चत व 0 पF त ,त >

AyurArogya maishvarya bala puShTirmahAyashA6 G

kavitva bhukti mukti cha chaturAv4utti tarpaAt GG

In accordance !ith the above vachanam (saying)& if the chaturAv4utti tarpaam isperformed daily for a perior of one ma*alam (+, days)& by the blessings of SriahAganapati& one can get a long life& good health& dharmic !ealth& bodily strength&lasting eminence& authorial skills& en9oyment of !orldly life and the moDSha(liberation).

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*ropping Ko!ers in arpaam in archanAs



) त @& चEव यर!त तरऽ यत

puShpa patra phala chaiva yathotpatra tathA7rpayet

%hen oering puShpa& patra& phalaKo!ers& leaves and fruitsin arpaam inan archanA by gently thro!ing the Ko!ers#leaves at the deity1s feet& and keepingthe fruits in a plate or bo!l& they must be dropped#kept facing up!ards in the samemanner they blossom#gro! in their plants#trees.

6o!ever& !hen doing archanA !ith the leaves of the bilvambael tree& the leavesmust be dropped so they fall !ith their face do!n!ards.

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*oing puShpAn9ali !ith mantrapuShpam

antrapuShpam or puShpAn9ali is done by dropping Ko!ers at the feet of the deity!ith bhayabhakti (revertial devotion) at the end of a pu9a& reciting the mantras one

kno!s. This is a kind of pu9A upachAram done to the deity.

सप7&)ट ह%तGय 'Hयवत स I =9 क स '=9प& %यत

sashliShTa hastadvaya madhyavartI pras5napuH99a6 kusumAH99ali6 syAt

The group of Ko!ers in bet!een a pair of 9oined hands (as they are scooped up) iskno!n as puShpAn9ali. Therefore this oering of mantrapuShpam must be do!n!ith both hands& bringing the palms together. There is no need !orry that the lefthand is involved in this act& since it is not improper.

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saidevo

:, ?anuary @==& ::/:;

%earing the sectarian religious mark during pu9a

%hen doing pu9a& 9apam& homam& or stotra pArAyanam& one should !ear his#hersectarian religious mark on the forehead& such as the vibh5ti#tripu*ram&tiruma#5rdhvapu*ram#shrIpun*ram& shrIch5ram& kunkumam& gopIchandanamaccording to one1s kulAchAra (family tradition). Lnly then !ill the vaidIka#AnmIkakAryam (ritual#spiritual endeavour) give the maximum fruits.

य-च $ I नय &&ट तदय1 J& +वत ;

KHव 46 पत 46 व #यF यरक &' >

yachcha sh5nya lalATena tadatyalpa phla bhavet G

5rdhvapu*ra tripu*ra vA dhArayettu yathAkulam GG

4itual#spiritual endeavours done !ithout !earing the sectarian religious mark onthe forehead !ould only get the minimum fruits. Therefore& one should !ear themark !ithout fail on these occasions.

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m5lavar and utsavar/ darshanam and archanA

The m5rti (image) in the m5lasthAnam (sanctum sanctorum) has the namem5lavar& and the panchaloha vigraham (image made of -ve metals) !hich is near

the root image is kno!n as utsavar. The daily archanA and abhiSheka !ill be doneto both the images of the deity.

Ln the days of brahmotsavam (main festival)& since the people !ho are old&physically challenged and visionless cannot have svAmi darshanam by coming overto the temples& the deity itself goes to them by taking a procession round the fourstreets around temple as archAvatara utsava m5rti (image for prayer and archanA).

Aसवर 5पहय त स!'%कनद पव$:त ;

*&य%र ' I &प&D ( ' I पत ) सवत कदच >

*क 0 )य सव 7च क& स!'%कनद%त प&D त ;

,!8त!सवर य 5पहय पत स$य >

utsavArtha bahiryAte somAskande visheShata6 G

Alayastha m5laliHgga (m5rti) na seveta kadAchana GG

Ak4uShya sarvAshcha kalA6 somAskandastu liHggata6 G

purAoktotsavArthAya bahiryAti na sashaya6 GG

Thus& the utsavam5rti goes out absorbing all the kalA (shakti#po!er) of them5lavar sitting in the garbhag4uham (sanctum sanctorum)& and therefore& at thattime& no darshanam or pradakShiam (going round) of the m5lavar should be done&

says the Shivayogi SamvAdam. 8ut then as

%वय2+ व चत तप&D पव#य त%य I 9' ;

द I त '%क 0 पत कय ...

दप, च कय %यत $8य चद +य!प >



svayAmbhuva chet taliHgga vidheya tasya p59anam G

d5rAt namask4uti6 kAryA...

pradakShia cha kArya syAt shakya chedubhayorapi GG

in temples !here the m5lavar is set as a svyambhu m5rti (selfmanifested image&!ithout external installation)& even during the times the utsavar has gone out& onecan do darshan of only the m5lavar from a distance. The priest can go near them5lavar but he cannot do any archanA.

If it is possible& pradakShiam of both the utsavar in procession and the m5lavar in

the temple can be done together& but then no independent pradakShiam to eitherthe m5lavar or the utsavar should be done.

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saidevo

@: ?anuary @==& :=/++

4esting a!hile after Shiva darshanam

%hen !e enter a Shiva temple& the shiva dh5tas (Shiva1s messengers) take charge&stay !ith us until our darshan is over and !hen !e exit the temple& follo! us to the



entrance. Therefore& in order to bid them fare!ell !e need to recite the follo!ingshloka and rest there a!hile before !e move a!ay.

'ह5प& ' < सव 3 प$व? प&क ;

'य स पर त य I य वत Hव प$वसपन#B >

mahAbali mukhA6 sarve shivA9H9A paripAlakA6 G

mayA saprArthitA y5ya vartadhva shivasannidhau GG

OL Shivabhaktas such as ahAbali !ho a!ait Shiva1s ordersJ lease accede to my

reCuest and you all stay here in the presence of Shiva.O

4eciting this shloka& one should sit a!hile either in the prAkAram (rampart) oroutside the temple (but not sit on the steps of the temple entrance) and then movea!ay from the temple.

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4eceiving the Alaya tIrtha prasAdam

The tIrtha prasAdam (divine gift of !ater) oered in the 3ishnu temples and invaidIka p59as !here the pu9a is done !ith a kalasham (-lled up pot) should bereceived !ith devotion in both hands three times separately and taken three times.

पत प5त पत पव# त%यह$ पव7यपत

tri6 pibet trividha pApa tasyehAshu vinashyati

sm4uti kaus+:)



This sm4uti vAkyam says that if !e take the tIrtha prasAdam !ith devotion threetimes separately and three kinds of sinskAyikam& vAchikam& mAnasamdone byour body& !ords and mind !ill be removed.

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The many vigrahas in Shiva temples

'enerally& there must be in Shiva temples -ve kinds of m5rtis (images) either inthe linga or vigraha form. These have the names/ m5la lingam& somAskanda&chandrasekhara& pradoSha nAyaka& astradeva. 'enerally& during the times of

brahmotsavam (main festival)& the m5rti !ith uruga (Skanda) sitting in bet!eenhis parents Shiva and arvati& !hich goes on procession is kno!n as somAskanda.Sometimes the m5rti chandrasekhara too comes in procession.

Ln the days of pradoSham& the pradoSha nAyaka comes in processiion. After thefestival is over& the m5rti that goes to the pond for a bath (tIrthavAri) is calledastradeva.

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saidevo

@@ ?anuary @==& :=/;<

*irection to face !hen sitting for a pu9a



'enerally& !hen doing pu9a to the images or portraits of Sri ahAviShu(erumAM)& Shiva& Salagramam& panchAyatana images& and deities like urugan(Skanda) and 'anapati& the images or portraits should face the east& and it is best

for us to sit facing north and do the pu9a.

6o!ever& in the !orship of !omen deities such as ThAyAr (Makshmi) and Amman(arvati)& in accordance !ith the !ords

I Lय I 9कय!' Hय च पदक स2कपत त

p59ya p59akayormadhye prAchI dik samprakIrtitA

the direction east is one that is in bet!een the p59ya (the deites pu9a is done to)and the p59aka (one !ho does the pu9a)& so the direction !e face for the pu9abecomes the east.

Therefore& it is best to do devi pu9a to ahalakshmi& AmbaaM or the tiruviMakku

(sacred lamp) pu9a or do stotra pArAyaam (reading hymns)& sitting directly beforeand facing the p59ya (deities).

Thus& !hen !e do pu9a& if the image& portrait or lamp faces east& !e might need tosit facing !est& or if they face north& !e !ould sit facing south and do the pu9athere is nothing in facing south on such occasions.

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%hy !e ring the bell during pu9a

*on1t !e receive the sages and other distinguished elders !ho come to our home!ith the sound of mangala vAdya (divine musical instruments)R In the same !ay&



!e receive the deities !ho come to our pu9a place ringing the bell& and sometimes!ith song and music.

Met us look at the mantra !e chant !hile ringing the bell/

*'र त दव 'र त स' ;

क व 3 /4टव तत दवत *M &=.' >

AgamArtha tu devAnA gamanArtha tu rakShasAm G

kurve ghaTArava tatra devatA AhvAna lAH90hanam GG

This mantra says/ OI ring the bell !hich is the mark of receiving divinity& in order to!elcome the *evas& and dispel the 4akShasas (!ho stay invisible at the pu9a placesand try to cause hurdles to our !orship).O

s!ami 0hinmayananta says that the chime of the bell accompanied by divinemusic and the vibrations that they set o& specially in temples& helps dro!n thecackle of other unnecessary noises& and help us concentrate on the deity& dispelling

the dark forces !ithin and !ithout us. (4ef/ 6indu 4ituals and 4outines/ %hy *o %eEollo! themR do!nloadable at http/##!!!.esnips.com#nsdoc#aB;dcacfd=b+e,e,>d;++d:a=ceca=)

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Fvents !hen the bell is rung in a pu9a

At the start of any pu9a& the bell should necessarily be rung to !elcome the deities.Apart from this& the bell should be sounded on certain other events in a pu9a.

snAne dh5pe tathA dIpe naivedye bh5Shae tathA G



ghaTA nAda prakurvIta tathA nIrA9ane7pi cha GG

parashurAma kalpa s5tram

Thus the bell should be rung necessarily at the times of

doing abhiSheka to the deity

!aving dh5pam (incense)

!aving dIpam (lamp)

doing nivedanam (oering) fruits& cooked rice& etc.

adorning the deity !ith Abharaa (9e!elry& Ko!ers) the karp5ra (h)Arati (!aving camphor) called nIrA9anam.

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saidevo

@< ?anuary @==& :@/=> A

navarAtri p59A/ eight or nine daysR

The *urga avarAtri festival is celebrated from the Asvayu9a#Ashvina shuklaprathama (the day after the e! oon *ay in Sep#Lct) until the follo!ing



mahAnavami for nine days& !ith pu9a celebrations on each of the nine tithis (lunardays).

8ecause of the time change of the ghaTI#ghaTika#nAhigais (a 6indu time unit of @+

minutes& thus <= ghaTIs for a day)& the number of days the tithis falling on might beless or even more than the usual nine days.

In those years !hen the navarAtri tithis comprise a period of eight days& thenavarAtri p59A celebrations should be conducted for t!o tithis on the day of tithidvayam (t!o tithis)& thus totalling up to nine days.

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kanyA p59A during the navarAtri festival

Lne of the rituals that Cuickly obtains the divine grace of AmbaaM is to do pu9a tothe kanyA (!omen) children& considering them as 8Ala TripuraSundari AmbaaM& andmaking those children happy thereby.

The female children made to don the role of AmbaaM is usually bet!een t!o andeleven years of age& since a child under t!o years of age !ould not kno! much tofeel happy about the decorations of Ko!ers& clothes& 9e!elry and garlands put onher.

Importantly& these children might be from any vara or caste& !ith diering fruitsof the pu9a done to children from the families of the four varas.

brAhmaI6 sarvakAryArthe 9ayArthe n4upavasha9Am G

lAbhArthe vaishya vashotthA sutArthe turIya vasha9Am

dArue chAntya 9AtAnA p59ayet vidhinA nara6 G



5 N, सव कय र 3 9यर 3 0 व$9' ;

&+र 3 वE7य व$!र स तर 3 त य व$9'

दO, चनय 9त I 9यत पवप# ;

8y doing pu9a to !omen children born in the family of these varas& one can obtainthese fruits/

3edic brahmins !ho lead a pure life/ sarvakArya siddhiaccomplishment of all thatis sought

kShatriyas (people in high governmental positions) !ho guide the people !ith fair 9ustice/ 9ayArthesuccess !ith all people in life

vaishyas !ho conduct business !ith honesty/ all !ealth and pro-ts

faithful servants/ kuTumba v4uddhi expansion of family !ith children andgrandchildren

dalits/ relief from harsh and persisting diseases& long life and prosperity says the*harma Shastra.

Therefore in performing the kanyA p59A there is no necessity to observe the

distinctions of vara and caste.

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Mighting lamps burning !ax

%hen doing pu9a to deities& it is best to put a !ick in a lamp and light it usingbees!ax. This !ould reduce our ego& remove poverty and avoid bad karmas.

6o!ever& it is not proper according to our 3eda Shastras to light lamps burning !axmade of fats and chemicals says the book p59A paddhati. Therefore it is only best tolight lamps burning ghee or oil in the p59A sannidhis.



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%ith this !e complete the sample solutions and regulations of the 6indu SamskAraas given in the books sandeha nivAraI authored by Sri annilam 8rahmashrI4a9agopala 'aapAThigaM. Eor further reading of this and other books of the author&please check this link in his %ebsite/ http/##!!!.vaithikasri.com#publication.htm

The postings under this thread have been done !ith a vie! to share and spread theauthor1s kno!ledge and guidance and the 6indu *harma& !ith absolutely nointention of infringing on his authorial copyright. embers may buy his books andsubscribe to his magaine for further guidance.

retnath

@< ?anuary @==& =/B, A

amaste Saideo ' and 3a9ayan '&

Uour posts are very understanding& but I have many Cuestions I think I must kno!.

As Saideo ' tells about mantra 9apam& !e must need 'uru for mantropdesh& and!rite !ords etc for 9apam. 8ut !hat for hearing impaireds ho! can they understandthe !ords in voiceR/confused/



Is 'ayatri chand ok to chat in mindR/dunno/

lease tell me soon

saidevo

@< ?anuary @==& ::/:;

amaste retnath&

If by the phrase 1'ayatri chand1 you mean the 1gAyatri mantra1& then there are t!oopinions among the 6indu gurus as to !ho and !hen can the mantra be chanted/

!hile some gurus say that only the 1dvi9a1s (those !ho !ear the sacred thread) canchant the mantra& and that only during the 1sandhyA vandanam1& there are someothers !ho say that the mantra is universal and can be chanted at all times. Iusually chant the 1gAyatri mantra1 !hile commuting to shopping& travelling andother times I -nd such leisure& and have found the mantra to make things gosmooth for me.

%hile a guru is necessary for 1mantropadesham1& there are certain popular matrasthat can be chanted or meditated upon by everyone at all times. lease note that

the correct pronunciation !ith proper intonation is a must for chanting Samskrtamantras. Some popular mantras are/

aum shrI gaeshAya nama6 G

aum vakratu*Aya nama6 G



aum mahA gaapataye nama6 G

aum gam gaapataye nama6 G

aum nama6 shivAya G

aum namo nArAyaA G

aum namo bhagavate vAsudevAya G

aum shrI k4uShAya nama6 G

shrIrAm 9ayarAm 9aya9ayarA G

aum shrI durgAyai nama6 G

aum shrI mahAlakShmiyai nama6 G

aum shrI sarasvatyai nama6 G

hare rAma hare rAma G rAma rAma hare hare GG

hare k4uSha hare k4uSha G k4uSha k4uSha hare hare GG

aum shrI hanumate nama6 G

aum soham G

aum tat tvam asi G

aum aham brahmAsmi G

P $ ,$य ' ;

P वक त 46य ' ;



P 'ह ,तय ' ;

P ' ,तय ' ;

P ' प$वय ;

P '! य, ;

P '! +वत वस दवय ;

P $ क 0 ),य ' ;

$ ' 9य' 9य9य ;

P $ द यE ' ;

P $ 'ह&Qप'यE ' ;

P $ स%वयE ' ; ह ' ह ' ; ' ' ह ह >

ह क 0 ), ह क 0 ), ; क 0 ), क 0 ), ह ह >

P $ ह 'त ' ;

P स!ह' ;

P तत व' अपस ;

P अह' 5 Nप%' ;

A popular mantra for 1likhita 9apam1 (chanting by !riting) is/ shrI rAma9ayam

retnath

B: ?anuary @==& =>/@> A



amaste Saideo '&

Thanks for telling me so much& but I still have some Cuestionsrefered to 6andicaps

I have !ritten in the forumne! to sanatan dharm& thread handicap options& pleaseans!er them you can put your ans!er in this thread also

Thanks

saidevo

=: Eebruary @==& =:/:B A

6o! to identify pure vermilionR

(Erom/ http/##!!!.hindu9agruti.org#hinduism#kno!ledge#article#ho!toidentifypurevermilion.html)

1Turmeric being an underground stem& the freCuencies of earth in it are far greaterthan stems gro!ing above the surface of soil. 3ermilion is prepared from turmeric.

Since turmeric and vermilion are oered to deities the !orshipper bene-ts from thefreCuencies of earth in them as !ell as the freCuencies of deities. 0onseCuently theSattva attribute is enhanced in him. At the same time his ability to tolerate ra9atama (distressing) freCuencies also increases.1 (*ivine kno!ledge received throughthe medium of rs. An9ali 'adgil& :>.,.@==+& B.+< p.m.)



ure vermilion is made from pure turmeric& !ater of soda lime po!der and a smallCuantity of pure camphor. Though it is made from turmeric& the odour of turmeric isentirely eliminated and a divine scent takes its place. The odour of turmeric isevident only !hen it is snied. In contrast the scent of pure vermilion is evidentupto a certain distance. ure vermilion though possesing humidity is completely dry.

Its touch is icecold. ure vermilion is blood red in colour. It has a high iron content.8y application of this vermilion on the forehead& negative energies are preventedfrom entering through the midbro! region (bhr5madhya).

In the past (Satyayug& Tretayug and *!aparyug) pure vermilion !as available. %iththe passing of the eras the Sattva attribute in the vermilion has also deteriorated. Inthe Daliyug people making pure vermilion are very fe!. (*ivine kno!ledge receivedthrough the medium of rs. Davita atil& @@.@.@==+& .B= p.m.)

4eference/

1%hat is the importance of the substances used in ritualistic !orshipR1& published bySanatan Sanstha.

0urrently hard copy of reference book is available in/ Fnglish& 6indi& arathi&

Dannada

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%hy is milk or sandal!ood paste used !hen making vastra from cottonR

0heck/ http/##!!!.hindu9agruti.org#hinduism#kno!ledge#article#!hyismilkorsandal!oodpasteused!henmakingvastrafromcotton.html

%hat is the Science behind oering the sacred thread (9anave) to deitiesR

0heck/ http/##!!!.hindu9agruti.org#hinduism#kno!ledge#article#!hatisthesciencebehindoeringthesacredthread9anavetodeities.html



%hat is the spiritual signi-cance of !ater from the seven riversR

0heck/ http/##!!!.hindu9agruti.org#hinduism#kno!ledge#article#!hatisthespiritualsigni-canceof!aterfromthesevenrivers.html

6o! to arrange the components of the ritualistic platterR

http/##!!!.hindu9agruti.org#hinduism#kno!ledge#article#ho!toarrangethecomponentsoftheritualisticplatter.html

%hich speci-c Ko!er should be oered to a speci-c 'oddessR

0heck/ http/##!!!.hindu9agruti.org#hinduism#kno!ledge#article#!hichspeci-cKo!ershouldbeoeredtoaspeci-cgoddessand!hy.html

%hat is importance of 1oering a sari1 for the 'oddessR

0heck/ http/##!!!.hindu9agruti.org#hinduism#kno!ledge#article#!hatisimportanceofoeringasariandablousepieceforthegoddess.html

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abhiShekam milk for cooking

Vue/ 0an the abhiShekam milk used for the deity be used for cookingR

Ans/ Things oered to 'od become his property. The nivedanams such as sundal(cooked nuts and dhal)& pAyasam& panchAm4utam are only distributed to the

devotees as prasAdam. In the same !ay& the abhiShekam milk should only bedistributed as prasAdam& not used for personal cooking.

(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ?an @;&@==& p@,)



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pancha ya9nas

Vue/ %hat are the pancha ya9nasR

Ans/ They are/ deva ya9na& pitru ya9na& bh5ta ya9na& manuShya ya9na& brahmaya9na.

Lering samits (t!igs) in the agni is deva ya9nam.

Lering tarpaam (!ater) to the deceased ancestors is pitru ya9nam.

Lering food for the living beings is bh5ta ya9nam.

Lering food to the atithis (guests) !ho seek our house is manuShya ya9na.

4eciting the 3edas is brahma ya9nam.

(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ?an @;&@==& p@)

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TirumAngalyam& golden pendant of 6indu marriage

Vue/ There is no mention of TirumAngalyam in the 3edas any!here. %hat is youropinion about the ritual of !earing the mAngalyam (golden pendant) on themangala s5tra (auspicious thread) in a 6indu marriageR

Ans/ It is customary to feed a ne!ly born child !ith a pinch from the mixture ofhoney and ghee& rubbing some gold into it. This !ould help the child to control itskapham (phlegm) and improve its digestive po!er.



Ln the seventh day of birth of the child& people !ould adorn its hands !ith goldenbands and legs !ith silver bands. As the child gro!s& the golden ornaments it !earson the body !ould increase.

The child1s ears are also pricked and adorned !ith studs a golden thread is !oundround its !aist a pair of kolusu is !orn on the legs. And for the girl child as it gro!s&she !ill have a stud on her pricked nose& banbles called vangi on her !rists& and agolden belt called oddiyAam on her !aist.

The dharma shastra exhorts golden ornaments to be !orn on the body& specially bythe girl children. The 3eda also advises it/ tasmAk svaram hirayam dhAryam).

The thAli or mAngalyam is one such golden ornament a girl is adorned !ith at thetime of her marriage. Since gold is auspicious& it is best to !ear the metal exhortedby the 3edas for !earing on the person.

saidevo

=: Eebruary @==& =+/=; A

Self performance of antyeShTi kriyA (last rites)

Vue/ Since I have no children of my o!n& can I go to Dashi and myself do myantyeShTi kriyAR



Ans/ Such thinking is !rong. 8hIShma itAmaha !as a brahmachAri& so !e all oertarpaam to him. Eor those !ho have no children& others !ould give tarpaam.6o!R

It is customary to keep a pi*am for those born in our kulam during the ArAdhanAof our ancestors. In that !ay& someone born in your kulam !ould include you for thepurpose (ye agni dagdhA ye anagni dagdhA). It is customary to say during thetarpaam& OI oer this !ater for those !ho died as orphans& !ith no mother& father&relatives or children.O

Therefore& it is not necessary for self performance of antyeShTi kriyA !hile !ith nochildren is alive. %e approach the tIrtha sthalas 'aya and Dashi to satisfy ourancestors. In those days& people used to spend their last days in Dashi 9ust to let

their death happen in that sacred place. Such people did not themselves do theiro!n last rites there.

The *harma Shastra says that the purpose of one having a putra is that he !ouldoer the pi*am for the parents. If everyone starts doing self performance of thelast rites& then the advice of *harma Shastra !ould become meaningless& becauseno one !ould bother about having a sonJ

(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Eeb =&@==& pB@)

'aruda uranam and the sonless parents

Vue/ It is customary to read 'aruda uranam during the last a person1s last ritesare performed& in order that the deceased1s AtmA !ould get shAnti. 8ut then the'aruda uranam says that those !ho had no sons and died !ould reach a kind of

hell meant for such people. y parents have only us-ve daughters& no son. Theyare pious and adhere to their dharma. %hat !ould be their fate !hen they aredeadR

Ans/ erhaps the statement in the 'aruda uranam that the putra is one !horescues a person from the hell of put is the cause of your concern. The purpose of



'aruda uranam is to stress that !e should not forget our dues to our deceasedparents& because !e are only made of their 9Iva aus. *eath and the misery thatfollo!s it are inevitable& so !ithout getting oneself lost in the misery& one shouldensure proper performance of the last rites of the deceased& this is the message of'aruda uranam. If one gets the feeling that the deceased has been rescued to the

shore by proper performance of last rites& that !ould give distinction to such duties.

The explanations in the uranas should be seen in context and the right meaningobtained. The purpose of Shastras is to emphasie that a putra is desirable forvasha v4uddhi.

Eor those !ho have no sons& the Shastras !ould direct the last rites to beperformed through the daughter1s son. If there is no daughter1s son& the Shastra

says that the daughter can perform the last rites. Thus the Shastra gives alternatechoices !ith the emphasis that if no eligible relative is there& a person !ho is not arelative can also do the last rites. The Shastras direct that even the orphans shouldbe given the last rites.


saidevo

=B Eebruary @==& ::/@+

4eading out 3eda mantras in pu9as



Vue/ 0an any good accrue by reading out the 3eda mantras such as shrI rudram&puruSha s5ktam& shrI s5ktam from a book in pu9asR

Ans/ 3eda mantras should not be read out from a book& only recorded in mind.

%hen this is not possible& there is no compulsion to !orship only chanting thosemantras.

Lne can do !orship by chanting the gAyatri mantra& or aum namo nArAyaA oraum nama6 shivAya& chanting the divine names. It is enough if the prArthanA isdone !ith the sincere supplication& 1I can1t recite the 3edas as per regulartions. I dopu9a thinking of Uou and Uou should give me your grace and blessings.1 and thefruits eCuivalent to chanting the 3edas could be obtained.

The tradition of a guru reciting the mantras& the students committing it to memoryand then chanting it back has been in vogue from time immemorial. It is todayfollo!ed in the 3eda AThaShAlas/ teaching 3edas !ithout books.

An eight year old boy gets to learn the 3edas by listening& memorising andchanting. This practice should not be transgressed. 8esides& it is !rong to expectfruits by going against the rules of the *harma ShastrasJ


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m5lam nirm5lam for a girlR

Vue/ Is it right to say that the birth star m5lam means nirm5lam (extirpation) for agirl& specially !hen Sarasvati& the 'oddess of Fducation !as born in that starR



Ans/ There is no loss or lack of eligibility for marriage for a girl born in the starm5lam. In the books !ritten by the 4ishis and such astrology experts as3arahamira& there is no evidence for the saying 1girl in m5lam !ould be nirm5lam1.

This is perhaps something someone said in the books published later on.

Fveryone of the people must be born in one of the @> nakShatras (asterisms). The 9ob of the asterisms is to provide the link of time to man (nakShatrea yukta6kAla6). Their nature does not stick to a person& only the karma of the person.

Therefore& !e should not have blind faith in such truthless sayings. There arepeople !ho even con-rm that such and such a man lost his father because hemarried a girl born in the star m5lamJ And there are parents !ho repose their faithon charts that invalidate a girl born in m5lam for matrimonial alliance.

antresvara in his book phaladIpika explains that a person1s lifetime& kno!ledge&actions and -nancial status are all determined !hen the person is in the mother1s!omb.O (Ayu6 karma cha). 6o! can then the lifetime of a related person be aectedby the birth star of a girl !ho is accepted as a daughterinla!R Thus !hen there areseveral direct reasons for the loss of life and property& and for the hurdles in eorts&ho! can a girl1s birth star be blamed for themR

Such sayings as OThe girl in 8harai !ill rule Tarai (!orld)O& OThe Appan (father) of 0hittirai is on the streetsO& ODettai is not suitable for ?yeShtaO are not acceptable&and it is our responsibility to save our youth from their inKuence.

And then& ho! can Sarasvati *evi have a birthR The *harma Shastra only says& OMetthe !orship of 'oddess Sarasvati commence on the day of the m5lam star.O(m5lena AvAhayet devIm).

The 3eda has the information& O%e should pray to the goddess of 5lam& !ho isthe god of creation. She must give us active& valiant children the capability toconCuer our enemies and prosperity to the people.O



The 3edas portray 5lam as only an auspicious star/ m5lam pra9Am vIravaI. Therefore there must be no !rong opinion about the star m5lam.

There are many pieces of information in the books of astrology that Cuote no

evidence of their source. %ithout adeCuate examples of proof& !e should not follo!their advice.

(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated *ec @>&@==& pB@)

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dIpam in a coconut cut in half

Vue/ Is it proper to light a lamp using a coconut cut in halfR

Ans/ %hy a coconut to light a lampR Erom the point of vie! of purity and economy&only the lamps made of clay are the best. Somebody sometime lit a lamp breaking acoconut... and others started follo!ing it as a customJ

Lnly thatR The sampradAya of lighting a lamp using cut lemons has also takenroots. Also the prachAram that a lemon lamp is visheSham for this god& a coconutlamp for this other has also startedJ

The grammar and rule is also there in the matter of lighting a lamp. The *harmaShastra does not permit using anything to light a lamp.

In some villages& the coconut is used as a lamp in the homes !here a death occurs. There are also people !ho use it as a ghee-lled lamp to !orship Amman. Suchthings are born out of some belief. It is al!ays best to light lamps as ordained in ourtradition and culture. Lne can very !ell ignore the customs that cropped up at latertimes.



(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated *ec @>&@==& pB@)

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saidevo

=< Eebruary @==& :=/B>

*isposing !ater from the tarpaam

Vue/ It is said that the !ater collected from oering tarpaam on days such asamAvAsya should not be poured to feed any plant including the tuMasiR %hereas the!ater collected from the sandhyA vandana 9apam is poured in a tuMasi potR

Ans/ %e normally keep a vessel to collect the tarpaam !ater from falling on theground. Mater the !ater is poured onto the !ater bodies (such as the !ell). Since inthese days people have to take up residence in places !here there are no open!ater bodies& there is nothing !rong in pouring the tarpaam !ater in a clean placesuch as under a coconut tree or even the plants or creepers& along !ith the sesameseeds ho!ever& it should be ensured that the seeds don1t sprout.

It is not necessary to collect the !ater oered during sandhyA vandanam. The 9apam can be done outside the house so the !ater falls on the ground. It is a ne!custom to do the 9apam inside the house& keeping a vessel to collect the !ateroered. It !ould be childish to seek explanations in the Shastras !hen !e do thingsas !e like.



(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated *ec @>&@==& p@,)

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3a*ai mAlai to Sri An9aneya and Sri Dala 8hairava

Vue/ %hy do people adorn Sri Dala 8hairava too !ith a va*ai mAlai as is usuallydone for Sri An9aneyaR

Ans/ It is customary to adorn a deity !ith garlands made of Ko!ers& pearls& gold&diamond& coral& tuMasi and rudrAkSha. The Ko!er (puShpam) is generally asubstitute for the gold (svara puShpam).

Elo!ers are ature1s !ealth& they are soft and fragrant& so !earing them over theneck of a person or deity in the form of a garland is very meaningful. The puShpamAlA !as used in the svayamvaram festivities in the olden days. Thus !e read inthe uranas that the princesses Sita& *raupatI& Indumati and *amayanti !ere

!aiting !ith Ko!ery garlands in their hands for their !ould be husbands.

0ustoms are getting transgressed in the course of time and today !e -nd thatseveral substances such as the va*ai& betel leaves& fruits& coconuts& ko*aikka*alai(chickpeas)& arugampul (hirati grass) and even currency notes are used to makegarlands and adorn deities. To con-rm the ne! practices& people even resort to thesthala purAam and stories of devotees !ho used such garlands and got blessedJ

The va*ai mAlai& incidentally& can be oered to any deity as !ell as An9aneya.*istinctions as to the deity or the substance may not be applicable !hen the divineservices change according to the !hims of the devotee.

Lur ancestors expressed bhakti and acted !ith peace& character& culture andcontrol. %e too can follo! them in this regard& but then in today1s circumstances&



ne! garlands are made& given prominence& and used in deity !orship& !hose scaleis changing according to the devotee1s !hims and !ishes.

6o!ever& it is better to stop !ith this& !ithout adding novel thoughts to deity

!orship.

(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated *ec @>&@==& p@)

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8reaking !hite pumpkin to !ard o d4ShTi

Vue/ %hy is only the !hite pumpkin used to !ard o d4ShTi (looks !ith evilthoughts)R

Ans/ The banana among the fruits and cotton garments among the clothes arepreferred& along !ith such other things& for cleanliness and economy.

The !hite pumpkin is Keshy and 9uicy& so easily absorbs the mixture of lime andturmeric& turning it into a bloodred color. This color gives a sense of disguest anddismay to an onlooker& preventing any thoughts of 9ealousy that might arise in theperson1s mind as he#she looks at the ob9ect to !hich the pumpkin is oered& thus!arding o the d4ShTi.

The tradition of killing animals in sacri-ce for the deities of protection has been an

ancient one. Since it !as established in course of time that killing is against thedharma of ahisA& people started using the !hite pumpkin as a substitute for theKesh of the animal and the mixture of lime and turmeric for blood& and thussimulate an actual blood sacri-ce. Thus the !hite pumpling used to !ard o d4ShTihelps us to overcome our chaH9chalam (unsteady mind) and carry on our task.



(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ov @>&@==& p:=)

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saidevo

=> Eebruary @==& =,/+;

samaSTi upanayanam/ unsuitable day for one vaTu

Vue/ The subha muh5rta dinam of one of the vaTus involved in a samaSTiupanayanam does not conform to his nakShatra. %hat is the solutionR

Ans/ The samaSTi upanayanam is not favoured by the *harma Shastras. It isstrange to seek explanations such as muh5rta for practices introduced ne!ly.

Shastras permit conducting the upanayanam simultaneously for t!ins& since theauspicious function time !ould be the same for both the boys. 8ut for others born atdierent times& even if they are brothers& the upanayanam should only beperformed separately at the appropriate time.

The upanayanam is a saskAra that should be conducted as the boy completes hiseightth year of age& including the ten months he !as in the mother1s garbham. Thisvaibhavam that gives the Cuali-cation to carry on the svadharma must beperformed in time.



%e strive and obtain the voting rights and the concessions for the senion citiens atthe right time. The same care must be there in conducting the vaibhavams such asthe upanayanam too. Since the upanayanam is a boy1s birthright& our carelessness

and procrastination should not deprive the child of his right.

Since you missed the right time of the upanayanam& you seek to do it in samaSTi. To do something that must be vyaSTi in samaSTi !on1t give the appropriate fruits. Itis not good to seek the samaSTi sho!ing your inability as a reason.

The compassion that at least for the upanayanam to happen at the right time& let itbe done in samaSTi is not acceptable. This !ould result in encouraging people !ho

have no shraddha. And in course of time& all upanayanam ceremonies !ould mergein samaSTi.

eople !ho have no shraddha !ould never realie their mistake. Lne should notfeel happy about some act of reformation& pointing to !hat one or t!o others do.

These days even people !ith shraddha have come to accept the samaSTiupanayanamJ

If the samaSTi is accepted& then one should not !orry about the muh5rta dinam.

The vivAha vaibhavam that !as conducted for four days in those days has beenreduced to a one day ceremony. It !ould be no surprise if it gets reduced further to

9ust one session in course of time. %e also conduct the shAnti kalyAam !hichshould be done at the bridegroom1s house& (at the marriage venue or else!here) onthe same night. %hat our ancestors thought !as one thing and !hat happens todayis totally another.

Should the upanayanam be reduced to this stateR Think about it.

(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ov @>&@==& p:@)



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*isposing pratimAs that are bhinna

Vue/ Since the pratimAs of our kula deivam are bhinna !e have made alternativeimages and !orship them. 6o! do !e dispose the broken imagesR

Ans/ The pratimAs that are bhinna !on1t do for the p59a. There is no harm inremoving them. They can be disposed as desired.

If the thought that divinity !as present in them till recently troubles you& you mightleave the broken images in !ater bodies such as a river or pond. Lr you can recastthem into other forms and use them. A broken images loses its divinity andsAnnidhyam. So it can be disposed of in any suitable manner the !ay of disposalonly reCuires -rmness of heart.

(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ov @>&@==& p:B)

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saidevo

= Eebruary @==& =/+=

*onning kAvi vastram



Vue/ According to the *harma Shastras& !ho can !ear the kAvi vastram and on!hat occasionsR

Ans/ The saron cloth is also kno!n as kAShAyam. This is a cloth that should bedonned by the ascetics. Those !ho are past !orldly desires and hates can !ear thekAvi vastram.

The ascetics are kno!n as m4utita kaShAya6. Since it suits their nature& the kAvivastram is preferred by the ascetics.

The *harma Shastra& !hich advises that the people other than the ascetics shouldavoid !earing the kAvi vastram& recommends the !hite cloth for them. The 3edasays that the !hitecolored dhoti is suitable (vAsa6 cha shaumam anyatvAshuklam). The thread should be dra!n from cotton& !oven into a cloth and !orn(kArpAsA vA vik4utam).

The !hite clothes should be !orn during the ArAdhana of the *evas and ancestors&and !hen the *harma Shastra codes are practised. The !hite color indicates thesatva guamJ Eor one !ho does his *harma Shastra duties !earing red& saron&

blue or yello! clothes& the *harma Shastra insists on a parihAram (nIla pItAdi vastradhAraa...). It is not acceptable for the *harma Shastra to !ear saron clothes inthe !orship of 'od. It !ould advise us to avoid colors meant for the ra9o and tamoguAsJ

The Ayurveda !hich says that one can !ear clothes of dierent colors to suit theseason& advises that the saron cloth can be !orn for reasons of sukhAdhAra& butthen it should be thin (taddhArayet uShakAle).

The red and yello! clothes can be seen in the tantra !orships. There& the kAShAyavastram !ouldn1t be an appropriate oneJ

%e should not connect the practices !e have devised for our o!n comforts to theShastras. If one accepts renunciation& then one can !ear the kAvi& not other!ise.



(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Eeb @+&@==& p@<)

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shaiva itihAsas

Vue/ The 4amayana and the ahabharata are connected !ith 3aishaavam. Arethere any such itihAsas connected !ith the ShaivamR

Ans/ 8ooks such as the Shiva urana& Minga urana& Skanda urana& Agni urana&D5rma urana& the Shiva MIlAravam& and kAvyas such as the IlakhaTa3i9ayashambhu explain the Shaivam sect. Apart from these& there are other bookssuch as the Tripura Samharam.

Fven in the 4amayana and the ahabharata& the shado! of Shaivam could beseenJ Uou might be kno!ing the information that Sri 4ama !orshipped Isha (Shiva)in 4ames!aram and Ar9una not only fought !ith Shiva but by 6is grace obtained the

AshupatAstra.

It is the tradition in the uranas to glorify that form of 'od !hich the devotee likes. This !ould help the devotee focus his#her mind in the urana& follo! the codes ofconduct it teaches and progress.

(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Eeb @+&@==& p@<)

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5padesha regarding deiva upAsana



Vue/ Should one seek only the 8rahmins to get upadesha (instructions) regardingdeiva upAsana (deity !orship)R

Ans/ It is best to approach the Cuali-ed brahmins for mantropadesha connected

!ith the 3edas. Eor the mantropadesha that is related to the Tantra Shastras& peopletrained in those areas of kno!ledge can be approached.

A man !rote a commentary for the Saundarya Mahiri. 6e had explained AmbaaM1sm5la mantra in that book. A debate arose that he had publicied a mantra thatshould be hidden and only taught by !ord of mouth in the gurushiShya tradition.6e replied 1everyone !ho reads my commentary !ith devotion is my disciple& and Ihave only given him#her the mantropadesham in !riting so there is notransgression of the traditionJ1

It is best to approach the appropriate person to get upadesha. *harma Shastrashave entrusted the !ork of upadesha to the 8rahmins.

Ar9una learnt the skills of archery from *roa. Dara approached arashurama. SriDrishna approached ShantIbini maharshi. %e too can follo! themJ

(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Eeb @+&@==& pB:)

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saidevo



:< Eebruary @==& =>/@B A

hotos of the deceased in pu9a room

Vue/ I have kept the photos of my deceased fatherinla! and motherinla! nearthe portraits of deities. Is this rightR 0an I place a tilak on the photo of my motherinla!R

Ans/ The motherinla! !ho should remain in mind& you have oPoaded her into aportrait. 6o! can that be a symbol of devotionR Uour idea of thinking of those !hoattained divinity by death as eCual to the aramporuM (8rahman) is strangeJ

In the homes of the !ealthy& the photographs of father and mother !ould be hungon the !all. In the olden days& the portraits of ancestors !ere not hung on the !allson par !ith those of the deities. This tradition cropped up in the middle. Thephotograph of your motherinla! kept in the pu9a room might help sho! therespect you have for her to the others& only that muchJ

*evotion is one that should be !ithin us. It is not necessary that others should

come to kno! it. %e should keep in our mind the people !ho lived !ith us andpassed a!ay. %e should not shut them o from mind and hang them as 9ustpictures.

If it is your !ish to hang a picture& hang it in the !all of some other room& not along!ith the portraits of deities.

4egard 'od as above everything& only that is the good traditionJ

(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated *ec :@&@==,& pB;)

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%orshipping Shiva !ith tuMasi leaves

Vue/ 0an Shiva erumAn be !orshipped !ith the tuMasi (basil) leavesR

Ans/ 1%ith devotion& if a leaf& a Ko!er& a fruit or !ater is oered& I shall accept it1&says Sri Drisha aramAtma. 6e does not specify a leaf or plant has left it to the!ish of the devoteesJ

Lnly those !ho have not attained p5raatvam (completion) !ould have love andhate. 'od is parip5raa (perfect)& so you can choose the articles you !ish to oer

6im. Thus& you can oer the tuMasi leaves to Shiva erumAn.

uranas !ould mention that such and such speci-c leaf is suitable for the image ofsuch and such deity. Eor example& bilva leaves are special for Shiva tuMasi forarayana. This is only to highlight the speciality of the leaf& so !e shouldn1t thinkthat the other leaf is not suitable for this god.

The uranas !ould mention that @= leaves are special for iMMaiyAr ('anapati).Among them& the mango leaf is one. So& do !e !orship him daily !ith mango leavesin practiceR

There is another information that for the Isha (Shiva)& the tAhamp5 (scre! pineKo!er) is not suitable. There !ould be a story for that. At the same time& it !ould bementioned that for AmbaaM !ho is Isha1s *evi& the scre! pine Ko!er can be oered.

This !ould raise the Cuestion& 10an the image of ArdhanArIshvara be !orshipped!ith the scre! pine Ko!ersR1J Shiva !ho accepts 5ma !ith scre! pine Ko!ers on

her hair& ho! can he remain !ithout breathing in the fragrance of the scre! pineKo!ersR

Therefore& it is useless to analye as to the articles that are right or not for theimages of the deities.



ShabarI oered the fruits that she tasted and found tasty to Sri 4ama. Daapparthe hunter& oered only the food that he liked to Shiva. And AndAM oered the samegarland that she !ore to erumAMJ

The tuMasi has a special fragrance !hich is suitable for the body and mind. Lne canoer an article that is (spiritually) suitable to him to the image of his favourite deity.

The fragrant Ko!ers and the leaves are creations of 'od. %hat he created& !e mayoer to 6im and be happy.

(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated *ec :@&@==,& pB;)

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Lering mAngalyam for divine svarAbhiShekam

Vue/ An abhiShekam for 'oddess 'urga !as performed in a temple. %hen thegurukkaM (priest) told& OI am going to perform a svarAbhiShekam. Those !ho are!illing may oer their gold ornaments.O A young !oman gave her tirumAngalyam!ith its ko*i (thick chain). %hen the abhiShekam !as over& the priest returned the

9e!els& and she !ore it back on her neck. Is this rightR

Ans/ It is !rong that the young !oman gave her tirumAngalyam& removing it fromher neck. It is also !rong that the priest accepted and used it. L!ing to theirignorance& these t!o people have perhaps introduced a ne! customJ

The tirumAngalyam should al!ays remain hanging on the neck for the sumangalis.1AmbaaM1s tirumAngalyam is visible like a line& sticking to her neckJ1 says Adi

Sankara. The elders !ould bless& OShould live long !ith your tirumAngalyamshining.O

The priest should have asked for another ornament !hen the tirumAngalyam !asoered. And that !oman too should have given some other ornament of hers.



A king named 4aghu !ho !as the ancestral light of the Surya vasha& conducted aya9na. The niyati (obligation) !as that the king should oer in the -re sacri-ce allthat he had earned and saved as his belongings. 8ut then 4aghu did not oer his

sihAsana (throne) and the !hite chAmaram (hand fan). 1They are things thatpreserve his royal individuality and lineage1& says poet Dalidasa in his4aghuvasham. In the same !ay& the tirumAngalyam is the individual identity forthe sumangalis& and the niyati is that it should never be oered. If the p55l(sacred thread) is taken o& the eligibility to chant the 3edas !ould be lost. Fven if itis a !ell !orn out thread& only after !earing a ne! thread (!ith the reCuiredmantras) that the old thread be removed.

The la!yer is kno!n only by his black coat. *uring the 8ritish reign& a policeman

!ould be considered to have lost his 9ob if his hat !as seied a!ay from himJ

AmbaaM has a name 1sarvamangaMA1. Lnly the tirumAngalyam that the Isha (Shiva)tied to her neck gives her this distinction. In the same !ay& only a !oman1stirumAngalyam tied to her neck by her husband makes her a sumangali. ThetirumAngalyam indicates that an ordinary !oman has been raised to the status of amangaMa nAyaki. So& the tirumAngalyam should not be seen as 9ust an ornament.'old !ill heighten the eect of the abhiShekam !ater& but the tirumAngalyam is notneeded for that purpose.

To distinguish the bride& her husband (during the marriage ceremony) !ould poursome goldadded !ater through a yoke on her head and thus symbolically sanctifyher bath. %omen !ear gold on their ears and nose& and this gold gets added to!ater during their bath and sanctify it. en too !ear a gold ka*ukkan on their earsand a ring on their -nger for this purpose. The *harma Shastra advises (the kartA)to !ear a golden pavitram (ring) and perform the rituals.

Therefore& our *harma Shastras do not advise !earing gold ornaments as anindicator of !ealth or for the others to feel happy looking at them. It has thepurpose of puri-cation and sancti-cation of our dhArmic activities. AncestralCualities and manners are replete !ith meaning.



%hen there are so many !ays to oer and do service to 'od& the idea of giving thetirumAngalyam should never crop up.

(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated *ec :@&@==,& pB>)

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saidevo

: Eebruary @==& ::/=

4ig& Ua9ur upAkarma

Vue/ %hat is meant by the terms 4ig upAkarma& Ua9ur upAkarmaR

Ans/ 4ig stands for the 4ig 3eda& Ua9ur for the Ua9ur 3eda. 1upAkarma1 refers to thelearning of the 3edas. This includes reading out the 3edas so as to rene! it.

There is a part called 1vedArambha1 in the 1upAkarma1. This refers to thecommencement of 3edas for those !ho learn them& and the rene!al of the 3edas(by reciting it) for those !ho already have learnt them. It is not enough to 9ust havelearnt 3edas. They must be chanted daily and rene!ed.

3edas should al!ays remain !ith its fresh their bloom and lustre. So 1upAkarma1 isthe ritual that 3edas insist on for this purpose. 3edas are to be preserved orally.



Therefore it is stressed that on the sacred day of the 1upAkarma1& the disciple shouldrepeat chanting of the 3edas after his guru.

It is not a distinction to record in !riting the 3edic sounds that should be recorded

in mind. %ith a !ritten copy& the 3edas !ould vanish !hen the book is !orn out sothe 3edic vidyA should be preserved in the brain.

The oral education of 3edas helps to preserve its evergreen state. If 3edic teachinghad been from books& it !ould have lost its prominence gradually like the otherareas of education. Thus 1upAkarma1 is the festival meant to save the 3edas !hichare the basis of our culture and tradition.

(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ov :@&@==,& p@)

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pit4u kArya& shrAddham for the lost people

Vue/ A man left his family += years ago and it is not kno!n if he is still alive. 6o!do !e perform his 1pit4u kArya and shrAddham1 for him& and ho! do !e computethe 1tithi1 for this purposeR

Ans/ The *harma Shastra says that if a person !ho left home is alive is not kno!nto be alive after t!elve years& his last rites should be performed& assuming him tobe dead. In the (unlikely) event of his returning alive after such a long time& theShastra says that he can be considered as ne!ly born and admitted afterperforming the rites such as the 19Atakarma1.

It !e leave out performing karma for a long lost person !ith the bother that hemight perhaps be still alive& it could result in de-ciency in 1kAryas1 such as 1pit4ushrAddham1 and 1nAndI shrAddham1. 6o! is thisR



If the lost person is really dead contrary to our expectation& he !ould remain only!ith the 1preta sharIram1 until the last rites due to him are performedJ 6e cannot becalled for the 1shrAddha kAryas1 done to our ancestors. And if he cannot be called&then the 1shrAddham1 rites cannot performed to his ancestors such as his father andgrandfather& by their descendants& resulting in unnecessary mental discom-ture.

And then& he cannot be included in the rites such as the 1nAndI shrAddham1 done atthe time of a !edding and there !ill be no fruits if !e pretend to include him insuch rites.

The main reCuirement for 1shrAddham1 is 1shraddhA1& !hich !ould be spoiled byunnecessary doubts rising in us.

If the son of a long lost father does not perform 1shrAddham1 for his father& then

after he is gone& his o!n son cannot include the name of the paternal grandfather inthe 1shrAddham1 done to him& thus creating de-ciency in the 1shrAddham1.

Therefore& it is best to do the karma as ordained.

In these circumstances& either the 1k4uSha pakSha ekAdashi1 or the 1amAvAsyA1may be considered as the 1tithi1 in the rites performed to a long lost person.

(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ov :@&@==,& p@)

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%ife doing charity !ithout her husband1s kno!ledge

Vue/ 0an a !ife carry on the acts of charity !ithout her husband1s kno!ledgeR

Ans/ 1ractice the dharma1 (1dharma chara1) says the 3edas. 1*esire to practicedharma1 said AvvyaiyAr. %hen a person is residing !ith other people such as thehusband& !ife& and son& it is obligatory to include them in the acts of dharma. 3edasinsist on -rst giving a!ay some food before one starts eating it. Eor peace in life&dharma and the faith in dharma are necessary.



Trying to make the husband understand this and have faith in dharma and thendoing charity !ith his kno!ledge is al!ays best.

(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ov :@&@==,& pBB)

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saidevo

@+ Eebruary @==& =/@>

'arlic and onion in food

Vue/ 'arlic and onion represent cursed 4ishis& they should not be included in ourfood& specially on the e! oon day& says my grandmother. Is there any puranicbasis for thisR

Ans/ 'arlic and onion are good for health. The onion has a special name& 1rasonam1.

In sustaining the bodily health& the onion is praised to be the king. (1nikila rasAyanarA9ogandhe nokrea lashuna iva1).

The onion is used as the root and constituent of several drugs. The Ayurveda saysthat it is used as remedy for several ailments. So the onion may be used to sustain



health. 8ut then since they create some hurdles in our daily spiritual eorts& theyshould be avoided& says the *harma Shastra.

Since the 1tAmasa1 food aects our mind& it is likely to lessen the 1shraddhA1 in our

activities. This could induce lainess& raise anger and craving levels and spoil ourspiritual progress. Since the onion and garlic have this 1tAmasa gua1& the *harmaShastra recommends avoiding them in our food. 8ut then the poeple !ho areaccustomed to using them can1t give up easily& so the practice arose to avoid themat least on the e! oon day.

eople !ho chant the 3edas and handle the 1shAstra prayogas1 should avoid theonion and garlic so their mental Ko! is not aected. 8rahmins of 8engal !ouldavoid the onion. eople are there !ho are experts in the 1tarka shAstra1 and the

1yoga shAstra1 (scriptures of logic and yoga). Sri Drishna also advises us to avoid1tAmasa1 food.

'ood and bad are mixed in everything. It is not proper to exaggerate the good andspeak ill of the badJ It is better to be cautious about the bad and avoid them. It isdiWcult to avoid the onion that holds a primary place in our food but easy to cutdo!n the occasions !hen they are used.

(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Lct @,&@==,& p>+)

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0lapping hands to !orship Sri 0ha*ikeshvara

Vue/ It is the custom to clap hands to !ake up Sri 0ha*ikeshvara and !orshiphim. 8ut some people say this is !rongR

Ans/ Uou don1t have to change the custom& continue it. 3ishvAmitra 4ishi !akes up4amaMakshmaA from their sleep calling& O0ome on& get upJ It1s da!n already.O



%e !ake up FhumalaiyAn (Sri 3enkateshvara) singing SuprabhAtam to him. In thetraditional bha9ans it is customary to put 'od to sleep and !ake him up in themorning. In the olden days& there !ere assistants in the palace !hose 9ob !as to

!ake up the king by singing 1stutis1 to him. It is among the services of the 1bhaktAs1to sing a song in a speci-c 1rAgA1 to put 'od to sleep and in another 1rAgA1 to !akehim up in the morning.

oreover& !here is sleep for Sri 0han*ikeshvara !ho is al!ays immersed in1dhyAnam1 (meditation)R 6e is adored !ith the !ords Ocha*ikesha mahAbhAgashiva dhyAna parAyaaO (OL Mord 0ha*ikeshvara& you are greatly blessed&because you are the one !ho al!ays keep IshA in your meditation and areimmersed in itJO). %e clap our hands to seek his attention. There are minds !hich

do not take this as an 1apachAram1 (inappropriate act).

0an !e say that the announcement& OEor the kind attention of the passengers... The train number...O disturbs the sleep of a personR

It is the devotee1s nature to call S!ami !hen he#she is in trouble. 0an !e say that!e !on1t get any problems during the deity1s time of sleepR (Suppose) A snake isholding a frog in its mouth trying to s!allo! it. If !e try to rescue the frog& !e incur

the sin of depriving the snake of its food. If !e don1t !e incur the sin of not havingrescued the frogJ In the same !ay& if !e clap hands then 0ha*ikeshvara1s sleep!ill be disturbed if !e don1t& his attention !on1t be directed to!ards us. Therefore&!e can follo! the act of our elders !ho clapped hands& as there is nothing !rong init.

(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Lct @,&@==,& p>>)

Another point of vie! about this act Cuotes the proverb 1Sivan sotthu kula nAsham1(1(Taking) Shiva1s property !ould ruin the family1). Thus !e indicate to Sri0ha*ikeshvara !ho is Shiva1s guarding deity that !e have not taking even an iotaof property from the ShivA temple by clapping hands so even the sand particles thatmight have stuck to our hands !ould fall do!n.



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1shraddhA dinam1 falling on the 1ekAdashi tithi1

Vue/ If the 1shraddhA dinam1 falls on the 1ekAdashi tithi1& !hat are the 1AhAraniyamas1 of the 1shraddhA brAhmaa1 as !ell as the person !ho observes the1shrAddha1R

Ans/ If the 1shrAddha1 falls on the 1ekAdashi tithi1& only the 1shrAddha1 should bepractised. To the person !ho observes the 1vrata1 on all the 1ekAdashi1 days& this!ould obviate the intervention by the 1shrAddha1 and fetch the 1ekAdashi vrata

phala1. This is the practice of the 1smArtas1.

1Smritis1 are compilations of rules and regulations based on 3edic principles.1SmArtas1 are those !ho follo! the 1smritis1. They are people !ho don1t involvethemselves !ith the religious books of the latter days and stand -rm on theprinciples of Sanatana *harma. They !ould give preference to the 1pitru kAryam1!hen it happens to coincide !ith the 1deva kAryam1.

The 1ekAdashi vratam1 falls on several occasions& !hereas the 1shrAddha1 occursonly once in a year. So there is al!ays chance to observe 1vratam1 on other1ekAdashi1 days and avoid it on the day it concides !ith 1shrAddha1. If preference isgiven to the 1ekAdashi vratam1 on that day& it !ould interfere !ith the 1shrAddha1.

The person doing the 1shrAddha1 and the person !ho conducts it& can take foodonly once on that day they should avoid eating for the second time.

(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Lct @,&@==,& p><)

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saidevo

@; Eebruary @==& :=/@;

1naraka chaturdashI1 and *eepavali

Vue/ %hat is the relationship bet!een the 1naraka chaturdashI1 and *eepavaliR

Ans/ The 1chaturthI1 (fourteenth day) of the month of 1Ashvina6#Aippasi1 (Lctov)has a distinction. It is kno!n as the 1naraka chaturdashI1. At early morning on thatday& one should have a 1mangaMa snAnam1 in the manner of an oil bath. 'oddessMakshmi in the oil and 'anga in the !ater !ould be resident on that day. Lur*harma Shastra says that an oil bath on this day removes poverty& brings in purity.

The *harma Shastra that doesn1t accept an early morning oil bath on ordinarydays& makes it obligatory on this day.

After the bath& Mord Uama should be !orshipped. It is enough to give 1arghyam1(oering !ater) to him fourteen times& speaking out his fourteen names. The term1chaturdashI1 means fourteen. Ln that day& 0handra (moon) !ould be in hisfourteenth 1kalA1 (onesixteenth part)& after having !aned for thirteen days at one

1kalA1 per day (from the earlier ne! moon day). Eor the 1ArAdhana1 of our deceasedancestors& !e !ould determine the 1shrAddha1 day based on 0handra1s 1kalA1.0handra and Uama are connected !ith our ancestors. It is customary to includedthem !hen !orshipping our deceased ancestors (Osoma6 pit4umAn yamoAHggirasvAn...O).



The 19nAnendriyas1 are -ve 1karmendriyas1 -ve adding 1manas& buddhi& chitta&ahakAra1 to them makes it fourteen. an is distinguished by these fourteenCualities.

The fourteenth 1kalA1 of 0handra is the time of bath Uama appears

in fourteen forms and on the early morning of the day of 1chaturdashI1 of the1Ashvina6#Aippasi1 month& Makshmi in the oil and 'anga in the !ater& Uamadharmaalong !ith them& !ould be present. Thus it is the special time !hen these threecome together.

The term 1narakam1 means aPictions. The bath and the !orship of Uama !ould giverelief from the aPictions. Uama is one !ho removes the Atma that is connected !ith

the fourteen Cualities and puts a fullstop to the functions of the body. The Ayur 3edasays that life is the continuation of the connection bet!een the body& senses& mindand the soul.

%ealth is reCuired for our life to Kourish for this is reCuired Makshmi1s grace. Toen9oy life a pure mind is necessary& for !hich 'anga1s grace is reCuired. To get relief from the aPictions of the 1narakam1& one should on this day gift 1dIpam1 (lamp) asgift and include the poor in Uama !orship and light the lamp to Uama !earing ne!clothes. This !ould help to get a bright life and remove the ignorance. The *harma

Shastra says that lamps should be lit in a ro! for relief from the aPictions of the1narakam1. (OnarakAya pradAta vyo dIpa6...O)

Ln the day of the 1naraka chaturdashI1& Sri Drishna destroyed arakasura !ho !astormenting people. Since his destruction happened on that day& it is con-rmed thatthe 1naraka chaturdashI1 bath !ould remove suerings. It !as a day !henarakasura !as relieved of his o!n suerings and attained okSha. Thus theShastra is also practised on that day !hen the aPictions gave !ay to the s!ell ofhappiness.

Lur ancestors !ould say OshAstrAya cha sukhAya chaO. The 1chaturdashI1 bath ofSanatana *harma& 9oining !ith the 1arakAsura vatam1 has a double distinction.*eepavali also serves as the fare!ell festivity of our deceased ancestors !ho comefor a !alk to the gross !orld from their !orld during the 1mahAlaya pakSha1. A torch



should be lit to sho! them the !ay on that day. The 8rahma urana !ould say thatlamps should shine in all splendour in the houses and temples.

Involvement in action and devotion to 'od& the t!o reCuirements of man& is

practised on the 1naraka chaturdashI1 day. %e should thus celebrate !ith happinessthe *eepavali !hich is also linked to the Shastra. The distinctive honour of thatfestival is that it merges !orldliness !ith spirituality.

(Ans!er by Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Lct @,&@==,& p>;)

ote/

The fourteen names of Uama are/

1dharmarA9a1..... Ding of *harma

1pit4upati1...... Mord of the Eathers

1samavartin1..... Impartial ?udge

1paretarA91...... Ding of the *ead

1k4utAnta1....... Fnder

1yamunA bhrAt4u1. 8rother of UamunA

1samAna1......... *estroyer

1yamarA91........ Ding of Uamas

1yama1........... Uama

1kAla1........... *estructive Time

1da*a dhAra1.... 0lub 8earer

1shraddhadeva1... 'od of 4ites for *eceased 4elatives 1vaivasvata1..... Son of 3ivasvat

1Antaka1......... The Fnd



(!ith their eCuivalent names in 8uddhism& from the book 5ntying the Dnots in8uddhism& http/##books.google.com#booksRidX!=CQi*BYrA07pgXA+<<7lpgXA+<<7dCXZ@@yamaZ@@[Z@@fourteen[namesZ@@7sourceXbl7otsXQf4%+aV09l7sigXA+x3@<<ymYhdhv?vQoBk+,gmI7hlXen7eiXT!ymSbeA8IQ3kA%bBs95*V7saX\7oiXbookQre

sult7resnumX<7ctXresult)

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ore on doing namaskAram

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.:)

amaskAram should not be done to people !ho are lying do!n& doing 19apam1 or!earing a !et cloth.

1abhivAdanam1 should not be recited !hen doing 1namaskAram1 to !omen& exceptone1s mother.

Similarly& for the 1sannyAsis1 and in an assembly of people& only 1namaskAram1!ith no 1abhivAdanam1 should be done.



amaskAram should not be done to people in temples.

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%earing vibh5ti

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.+)

'enerally& the 1vibh5ti1 should be !orn& making it into a paste !ith !ater. After!earing it this !ay& the palms should not be !ashed instead the vibh5ti remainingin them should be smeared onto the hands and legs.

%hen 1vibh5ti1 is given as 1prasAdam1 it should be !orn dry. The 1prasAdamvibh5ti1 should not be mixed !ith the normal 1vibh5ti1 !e keep at home.

mantra to remember !hen !earing 1vibh5ti1/

(from the Tamil book 1mantras and their mahima1& source of this mantraR)

bhAsanAt bhasitam proktam bhasma kalmaSha bakShaAt G

bh5ti6 bh5tikarIpusA rakShA rakShAkarI shubhA GG

Erom the book 16indu 4ituals and 4outines %hy do !e follo! themR1S!ami0hinmayananda/

The !ord bhasma means& Othat by !hich our sins are destroyed and the Mord isremembered.O 18ha1 implied 1bhartsanam1 (Oto destroyO) and 1sma1 implies1smaranam1 (Oto rememberO). The application of bhasma therefore signi-esdestruction of the evil and remembrance of the divine. 8hasma is called 1vibh5ti1(!hich means OgloryO) as it gives glory to one !ho applies it and raksha (!hichmeans a source of protection) as it protects the !earer from ill health and evil& bypurifying him or her.



8hasma is specially associated !ith Mord Shiva !ho applies it all over 6is body.Shiva devotes apply bhasma as a tripundra. %hen applied !ith a red spot at thecenter& the mark symbolies ShivaShakti (the unity of energy and matter that

creates the entire seen and unseen universe).

Tryambakam ya9aamahe

Sugandhim pushtivardhanam

5rvaa rukamiva bhandhanaan

rytyor muksheeyamaa amrutaat

O%e !orship the threeeyed Mord Shiva !ho nourishes and spread fragrance in ourlives. ay 6e free us from the shackles of sorro!& change and death ] eortlessly&like the fall of a rip brin9al from its stem.O

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%etgrinding the sandal paste

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.>)

After the sandal paste is ground& it should be removed from the grinding stone!ithout using the thumb.

After grinding& the stone and the sandal stub should be kept a!ay separately& notas the stub on the stone.

*uring pu9a& !omen should not !etgrind the sandal paste.

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saidevo

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*oing archana in Tamil in temples

Vue/ 0an Tamil 1stotras1 be recited in the temple 1archanas1R

Ans/ Ues& they can be& and 'od !on1t say no for them. 8ut then in temples builtaccording to the 1Agama shAstras1 !e don1t have the 1adhikAram1 (authority) tochange the language of !orship from Sanskrit. In the same !ay& !ho are !e dointroduce a language change in the 1vaidIka karmas1R %herever the 1archanas1 don1t

involve 1vaidIka karmas1 and the 1archanas1 are not done in 1Agama shAstra1temples& they can be done in Tamil.

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.:B)

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%omen doing the 1go p59a1

Vue/ 0an !omen do pu9a to the co!sR

Ans/ Ues& they can do. The co!1s !ealth is limitless. eople of all the 1varas1 can dothis 1go p59a1 for !hich only devotion and faith are necessary. *oing 1go p59a1 !ould



remove the mental suerings and give all the 1aishvaryas1 (!ealth). It is also the1aitihyam1 (traditional instruction) that the 1asa1 (share) of all the devas are livingin the co!. (Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.:B)

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u9a in LWce

Vue/ lease advise as to the portraits of the 'ods I need to hang and the !ay to!orship them in the business company I am running.

Ans/ As far as the portraints are concerned& you may use the pictures of your 1iShTadevatas1 (preferred deities) and speci-cially those of 'anapati and ahalakshmi.

1vigrahas1 (material images) are not needed in oWces. If any 1yantra1 has beenreceived through authoried elders& it might be kept.

Might a lamp daily and adorn the portraits !ith Ko!ers. Fnsure that !omen do not

go near them during their period days. It !ould be 1visheSham1 (special) to do!eekly 1archana1 on Eridays done by a 1shAstry1 (priest).

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saidevo



=, arch @==& ::/;,

ational Anthem

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.@=)

Vue/ Today& the 19ana gaa mana1 and the 1vande mAtaram1 are our nationalanthems. %as there any such national anthem for our ancient countryR

Ans/ There is a beautiful national anthem in the Ua9ur 3eda/

* 5 N 5 N,! 5 Nवच स 9यत' )ट 9नय

$ I (:वय!ऽअपतय# 'हर! 9यत द!"# # व R6 व$

सपCत पन#य! : प9), I र)ठ स+य! य व%य य9'%य व! 9यत पक' पक'

9 नय! व: त @&वय! *:#य -यनत य!'! क1त' >

A brahman brAhmao brahmavarchasI 9AyatAmA rAShTre rA9anya6

sh5ra iShavayo7ativyAdhI mahAratho 9AyatA dogdhrI dhenurvA*hAna*vAnAshu6

sapti6 purandhiryoShA 9iSh5 ratheShThA6 sabheyo yuvAsya ya9amAnasya vIro 9AyatA nikAme nikAme na6

par9anyo varShatu phalavatyo na AShadhaya6 pachyantA yo9akShemo na6kalpatAm GG

Ua9ur 3eda& @@.@@

OL 8rahmanJ Met there be born in the kingdom 1brAhmaas1 !ith 1brahmate9as1(divine lustre) !ho are !ell versed in the 3edas let there be born the 14A9anya1&heroic& skilled kings& archers and mighty !arriors co!s giving abundant milk oxengood at carrying the s!ift coursers industrious& cultural !omen. ay 1ar9ana1 sendseasonal rains may our fruitbearing plants and trees ripen may the1yogakShemam1 (spiritual and prosperous !ellbeing) of our people increasesteadily.O



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SamskAras for milestones in age

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.@,)

Vue/ %hen should the 1ShaShTiapta p5rti1 (<=th anniversary) be done/ oncommencement or completion of the <=th year of ageR %hat are the other 1shAntis1done in accordance !ith the 19anma nakShatra1R

Ans/ Ln the month and 1nakShatra1 of the -rst year after a child is born& the1aptap5rti Ayush homam1 should be performed. 6ere is a list of other 1shAntis1/

1bhIma shAnti1 ... 8eginning of the ;;th year of age

1ugra ratha shAnti1 ... 8eginning of the <=th year of age

1ShaShTiapta p5rti1 ... 8eginning of the <:st year of age

1bhImaratha shAnti1 ... 8eginning of the >=th year of age

1eka shAnti1 ... 8eginning of the >@nd year of age

1prapautra shAnti1 ... 8irth of a greatgrandson (the son of a son1s son)

1satAbhiShekam1 ... Ln completion of ,= years and , months of age

1p5rAbhiShekam1 ... In the :== years of age

Lf these 1samskAras1& the 1ShaShTiapta p5rti& bhImaratha shAnti and

satAbhiShekam1 are customary and !idespread. *uring the time of these 1shAntiprayogas1& the 1mahA prAyachitta vaidIka kAryam1 kno!n as 1shrIrudra ekAdashani1(chanting 1shrIrudram1 eleven times !ith 3edic rites) is also performed along !iththe other rites. (http/##!!!.geocities.com#srigant#rudraekadashi.htm)

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1vaidhyanAtha dikShatIyam1

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.B:)

Vue/ %ish to kno! something about the 1vaidhyanAtha dikShatIyam1 book...

Ans/ Sri 3aidhyanAtha *IkShatar& !ho !as born around B;= years ago at the villageDandramanickam in the Than9avur district& compiled the *harma Shastra detailsgiven by our S5trakAra 4ishis into < cantos in a book titled 1vaidhyanAthadikShatIyam1.

This book has been accepted as the 1book of pramAas1 (standard reference) byour pundits. This compilation is also kno!n as 1Smriti uktAbalam1. The six cantosthat comprise the book are/

:. varAshrama dharma kA*am @. Ahnika kA*am B. Asaucha kA*am

+. shrAddha kA*am ;. prAyachitta kA*am <. tithi niraya kAn*am

(ote/ A set of dharma shastra booklets in Tamil in the pdf format can bedo!nloaded from the Uahoo group 3aideekam athttp/##groups.yahoo.com#group#vaideekam. The publication says that these bookletsare from the book published by 4.uthusamy Ayyar in :B>& possibly based on the1vaidhyanAtha dikShatIyam1 as the canto names indicate.sd)

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saidevo

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du6kha vichAraa/ visiting for personal condolence

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.B@)

Vue/ Any rules about visiting the home of a deceased person for oering personalcondolencesR

Ans/ Ues& 1du6kha vichAraa1 has certain 1niyamas1. Some of them might bedierent due to the 1deshAchAras1 (local practices)& but certain others should beobserved !ithout fail.

Lne should avoid customary personal beauti-cations !hen seeking to oerpersonal condolence.

Lne should not come in tactile contact !ith the 1kartA1 (doer) of the deceasedperson !ho is in !et clothes& ready to commence the last rites.

If one needs to get back immediately& it should be done !hen the 1sharIram1 (deadbody) is in the house and the last rites have not started. Lther!ise& one shouldleave the place only after the body leaves the house for the creation ground. It isnot proper to leave the house in the middle of the rites.

Eor ten days& no food or drink should be taken from the house of the deceasedbecause of the ceremonial impurity.

The 1du6kha vichAraa1 may be done on any of the -rst ten days& except theninth. %hen a !ife is sought to be oered condolences& days of Tuesday and Eridayshould be avoided.



It is best to visit on the day of the death and oer any help needed. Such helpshould not ho!ever be a hindrance to the rites or people or be a display of personalkno!ledge about the 1vaidIka1 last rites performed. Instead& !here it is necessary&

advice can be oered to the 1kartA1 in a subtle manner to ensure that the last ritesare performed according to the 1shAstras1.

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Alaya pradakShiam

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.B+)

Vue/ Is there any 1krama1 (custom& rule) !hen a husband and !ife do1pradakShiam1 of a temple& as to !ho should lead and !ho should follo!R

Ans/ Ues& there is. %hile doing 1Alaya pradakShiam1 as 1dampati1 (husband!ife)&the husband should lead and the !ife should follo! him. This 1krama1 is to befollo!ed in the 1pradakShias1 done in 1veda pArAyaas1 and 1homas1.

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mana sachalam (mind in agitation)

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.B;)

Vue/ y mind is al!ays agitated and !aves about. %hat can I do to mitigate my

1mana sachalam1R

Ans/ If you have the 1abhyAsam1 (practice of Kuent chanting)& you may chant the3ishu SahasranAmam daily. Lr you may do the 1likhita 9apam1 (litany by !riting) of!riting 1Sri 4ama9ayam1 at least :=, times a day. %henever you get time& you may



get into the habit of visiting the nearby Subramaya S!ami temple. Fverything !illbe -ne eventually.

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homa mudrAs

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.B<)

Vue/ %hen doing homam& the -ngers are kept dierently for holding dierentsacri-cial items. Any niyama for thisR

Ans/ They -nger intert!inings are kno!n as mudrAs. A speci-c homa mudrAdepends on the dravya (substance) used in the -re sacri-ce. There are three kindsof homa mudrAs/

%hen sesame or ghee is placed in the -re& the m4ugI mudrA is employed. ThismudrA comprises raising the index and little -ngers and gathering the other threeat their tips.



%hen samidh (t!igs of -re!ood) is placed in the -re& the hasI mudrA isemployed. This mudrA comprises collecting all the -ngers at the tips& leaving outthe little -nger.

%hen charu (annam) is dropped in the -re& the varAhI mudrA is employed. This issukhari (or is it shukari) mudrA. This mudrA comprises 9oining all the -ngers at theirtips.

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pit4u kArya& shrAddham/ bahiShTAt

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.B,)

Vue/ %e follo! the Ua9ur 3eda. If on the day of shrAddham& the !ife is bahiShTAt(1out of doors1)& can the husband proceed !ith the shrAddhamR

Ans/ There is no restriction& and the husband can very !ell proceed !ith theshrAddham and do it as pArvaam (!ith homam).

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Spiritual uses of tulasI

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.B>)

Vue/ Some details about the spiritual uses of tulasIR

Ans/ 6ere are some spiritual uses of the tulasI leaves.



It is good to string tulasI leaves into a garland and adorn 8hagavan !ith it.Speci-cally& for 3ishu and An9aneya this garland is of much prIti (aectionatelyreceived).

The tulasI can be used in archanA using them in single dalas (leaves).

The tulasI garland is good for 9apam also.

It !ould bring in mangalam (prosperity) for !omen to light a lamp at the tulasImA*am in their homes daily in the morning and evening& do pradakShiam andnamaskAram. o durdevatas (evil spirits) !ould come near the home and

subhikSham (abundance of provisions) !ould ensue.

Erom the tulasI plant the pu9a is done to& no leaf should be plucked for !hateverreason (even for doing pu9a to deities). %omen should not pluck the tulasI leaves.

They should not be plucked after mAdhyAnikam (noon) or on the day of dvAdashI. The tulasI leaves should not be dropped in the homa -re.

It is good to add tulasI dalam to the substance used in nivedanam also puyam

to add it !hen dakShia is given during sambhAvana (honouring) the priest.

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panchAngam/ for the ordinary householder

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.B,)

Vue/ %e don1t use the anchAngam& but !e buy it regularly every year. Is itnecessary for an ordinary householderR

Ans/ Fveryone of us should keep a anchAngam at home that in itself is puyam. If possible& after morning bath and a lamp is lit before the S!ami& you should open the



anchAngam before the deity and read out the day1s tithi& nakShatram& yogam andsuch other details and get to kno! them panchAnga nitya paThanam !ould givepuya& no doubt about it.

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Motus leaf/ eating on it

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.B)

Vue/ 0an one eat food on the lotus leafR

Ans/ Ues& one can. %ith no other leaf& food can be taken on its backside& but thiscan be done !ith the lotus leaf. 8ut then in general it is not customary for ag4uhasta to eat food on a lotus leaf or a purasa leaf/ only brahmachAris& yatis(bachelors& ascetics) can do it. Eood can be taken on the leaves of the 9ackfruit&mango& coconut& plantain and bilva trees.

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3edas/ and !omen

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.B)

Vue/ lease explain !hy !omen should not seek to learn the 3edas to recite them.

Ans/ %e should understand one thing at the start. 3edas are not 9ust prArthanastotras (prayer songs) or a religious scripture taught by a speci-c person to thepeople of only a speci-c vara.

Three things are to be borne in mind !hen chanting the 3edas/ :. svaram (musicalnote& accent and tone)& @. pronunciation and B. mAtra (duration of individual



syllables). The rules and regulations involving these reCuirements are veryelaborate. Lnly if the 3edas are recited according to these regulations !ill they givesap5ra phala (!holesome fruits).

To do adhyayana (3edic study and practice) in the abovementioned manner& onlymen have the suitable physical features in their bodies. The nA*i chalanas(movement in 1nA*is1) that !omen are naturally endo!ed !ith !on1t be suitable forthe 3eda svaras. The veda svaram that arises from the nAbhi (navel) !ould createviparIta (adverse& inauspicious) results in !omen.

In addition& it reCuires guru mukha dIkSha (initiation by a guru) to recite the 3edasas such for this reason too !omen are prohibited from chanting the 3edas.

Although men are eligible physically for learning the 3edas to recite them& only ifthey undergo the upanayana samskAram& they can learn the 3edas. Since theshAstras do not prescribe upanayanam for !omen& there is no Cuestion of theirchanting the 3edas.

6o!ever& there is no bar on !omen to kno! about the 3edas through bhAShyas(commentaries)& study them deeply or discuss them. In fact !e kno! that there

!ere !omen 3edic experts in the ancient daysJ

Mike the 8ible and Vuaran of the %estern religions& there are many books ofprayers in our religion tooJ 8hagavad 'ita& 3ishnu SahasranAmam& MalithaSahasranAmam& Saundarya Mahiri& Subrahmaya 8hu9angam& *evI ahAtmiyamand such other countless stotras& shlokas and nAma sakIrtanas are there& andthere is no bar on !omen to do pArAyaa of them.

%e should not forget that in the past !omen !ho !as fed up !ith the samsArasAgaram (sea of !orldly life) and !anted relief from it& only sought the abovescriptures to regulate their mind. ot only that& in the 6indu *harma& !e kno! thatthere are several vratas (vo!s) and pu9as that are specially meant for !omen.



There is no Cuestion of men being superior to !omen in such matters (as havingthe privilege to learn the 3edas). %omen do have certain natural bodilyinconveniences that rule out their learning the 3edas for chanting. A lot of heat isgenerated dur to the veda pArAyaam (3edic chanting). The pronunciations thatarise from the 9aTharAgni (-re in the stomach) !on1t go !ell !ith the physiology of

!omen.

Met us kno! about another thing here. It is not that only 8rahmins should learn the3edas. onbrahmins !ho are 3aishyas or DShatriyas can also learn the 3edas.

?ust because a person is not physically suitable or scripturally permitted to dosomething& she#he does not become inferior to another person. If any !omenchooses to forgo these regulations and start to learn and chant the 3edas by !ay of

a revolution& let them carry on. Since this is the age of Dali& !e should only keepCuiet at any such eortsnot slight or prevent them. There is not doubt to me thatone1s o!n experiences and the results of such eorts !ould teach her#him a goodlesson.

I pray to AmbaaM that !omen !ho do pArAyaa of stotras and involve themselvesin nAma sakIrtana& pu9a and vratas get sakala saubhAgyas (all the prosperities).

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kutthu viMakku (standing brass lamp)

Vue/ %hen a kutthu viMakku is lit in the homely nitya p59a& ho! many of itsmukhams (openings& faces) should be litR

Ans/ Though it is a kutthu viMakku !ith many mukhas& there is no custom to lightmore than one mukham in the homely nitya p59a. Eor example& if it is a panchamukha kuttu viMakku (lamp !ith -ve openings)& only one of the openings can be lit.%hen this is done daily& the mukham that is lit should face the east or northdirection. Ln festive days such as DArtikai& all the faces of a lamp can be lit.



%henever a kuttu viMakku is lit& kumkumam should be applied to its front(mukappu). After the lamp is lit& the !oman !ho lights it should do namaskAram. Inthe same !ay& namaskAram should be done !hen the lamp is colled do!n(malaiyet4al). Also& it is not necessary to !ash the kuttu viMakku daily.

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?e!ellery/ !earning multiple ear studs

Vue/ These days some !omen have multiple pricks on their ears and !ear manyear studs. Is this rightR

Ans/ o. According to the 6indu sampradAyam (tradition) it is anAchAram(oensive practice) to have more than one prick on an ear.

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deshAchAra (local practice)/ sandal paste and !omen

Vue/ In ans!ering an earlier Cuestion& you had said that !omen should not !earthe sandal paste on their forehead& but they can !ear it on their neck. 8ut then inDerala !omen commonly !ear the sandal paste on their forehead. 6o! is thisR

Ans/ True& but that is a deshAchAram (local practice). 0ertain customs and habitsdier in certain places. Speci-cally& in the Derala state certain things do indeed

seem viparIta (adverse& inauspicious). Eor example& in this state !hich is consideredas the OarashurAma kShetramO/

!omen do not !ear the halfsari over their chest& !here as this garment isconsidered a must for !omen



it is also commonly seen that !omen spread out their hair instead of !earing it inplaits.

Things such as these are not acceptable in our tradition and culture. %e can also

see that several !omen avoid such inauspicious customs and habits and live forgenerations according to the prescriptions of the ShAstras.

Lnly the general rule is important for us. %e need not !orry about deshAchAras.

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ii

:B arch @==& :=/+=

ost of these rules sound as if they !ere made by fallible mortals and certainlyinfallible divinity. Indian society is rotten and putrid& denying its o!n strengths andpouring its human !eaknesses into glori-cation of its o!n inner sense hungersleading to societal meltdo!n at the physical level. The faults are human& and not atall found in the 3edas& of this I am certain. 8ut it1s going to take the burning -re ofdissolution to take that rotten foundation of superstition and greed do!n. %e

humans never learn until !e1ve been burned& it1s true...

I have contempt for all of these rules !hich distract from things that matter most.



saidevo

:B arch @==& ::/=:

amaste aomi.

I have contempt for all of these rules !hich distract from things that matter most.

The 6indu SamskAra 4egulations are meant for and practised by 6indus !ho areorthodox at dierent levels. They are 0F4TAIMU LT FAT for the casual and

Kippant !esterners !ho do not understand the depth of rituals and devotion andpersonal gods& !hich are the reason for the sustenance of 6induism in the grassroots and also the reason many non6indus seek to 6induism.

0ertainly you are not in a position to pass 9udgement on !hat might seemsuperstitions in the rituals or Cuestion the divinity behind them. Thousands of6indus do derive their bene-t of follo!ing these regulations and !ill continue to do.

Sacraments are there in all religions& though to some they might seem primitive&superstitious and fallible. They have their values and motivations in the dharma oflife.



Uou might perhaps be bene-ted by reading books like The Science of theSacrements and The 6idden Side of Things by 8ishop 0.%.Meadbeater& !hich arehosted in the %ebsite/ http/##!!!.anandgholap.net#

ii

:> arch @==& ::/;B A

I have nothing !ith %esterners nor Fasterners& there is no salvation in humanity.

These rules serve as distractions from the !ays to regulate mind& and are to bedisregarded by serious practitioners of yoga since they incur unnecessaryrestlessness in the mind and an assurance of righteousness !hich is but illusionary.5selessness under the pretense of righteousness is as bad as sinful reaction you

can be assured of that it is harder to detect and 9ust as rotten. It1s a !aste of timeand ultimately a deadend...but by the time you -gured it out much precious time islost. Those !ho assert these rules as a test of virtue are also corrupt.

I have a right to Cuestion anything as I see -t& and I respect this right in others as!ell. I am suspicious of anyone !ho asserts holiness on the grounds of meretradition. 6uman traditionR !hat a Ka! on this planet...



saidevo

:> arch @==& ::/:@

amaste amomi.

I don1t expect a subscriber#practitioner of 1deviant art1 to understand all of thisreply. It is meant more for the others !ho might see some value in your recklesscriticism.

These rules serve as distractions from the !ays to regulate mind& and are to bedisregarded by serious practitioners of yoga since they incur unnecessaryrestlessness in the mind and an assurance of righteousness !hich is but illusionary.

The rules that reCuire a 6indu (I am not talking about %esterners or their religiouspractices here) to adhere to his#her dharma are not distractions to his#her 1yogasAdhana1. They are neither illusionary nor give restlessness of mind. Ln the otherhand& they regulate the mind and body for the 1sAdhana1. A 6indu is al!aysexhorted to follo! his#her dharma at least to the minimum extent. The very name1Sanatana *harma1 is a case in point.

5nless one becomes a sannyAsi (ascetic)& the dharma precepts are a must& thoughthere is no compulsion for the 6indus to follo! everything listed here. (It cannot be

done also. A 6indu realies that these rules& like the rules of life and society areguidelines !ith their o!n rigours and options).

And !hen one becomes a sannyAsi& a dierent set of rules and regulations apply.%hen even sannyAsis !ho are AchAryas (teachers) to the public& involvethemselves in the bhakti path& observe the rigours of devotional routines& !ho are



!e to neglect them under false notionsR %ho is a better yogi than Sri Adi Shankarafor all his Advaitic teachings& he is popularly kno!n only for his bhakti stotras(devotional hymns).

5selessness under the pretense of righteousness is as bad as sinful reaction youcan be assured of that it is harder to detect and 9ust as rotten. It1s a !aste of timeand ultimately a deadend...but by the time you -gured it out much precious time islost.

Uoga and meditation are not like 1deviant art1 !here the artist can break rules andtraditions !ith !ild and reckless abandon.

Assumed usefulness under the pretext of 1yoga sAdhana1 that neglects dharma and1niyama1 is even !orse than the above. There is no greater 1yoga sAdhana1 thanatan9ali1s eightlimbed yoga& !hose very -rst reCuirements are 1yama1 and1niyama1.

There is no 1yoga sAdhana1 that does not depend on a form or soundan image or!ords and images and !ords impose their o!n regulationsJ Eor example& if aperson thinks that he#she can meditate on a mantra such as aum namo nArAyaaor even the basic aum mantra& mentally reciting it !ith one1s o!n intonations&pronounciation or pauses& his#her 1sAdhana1 !ould be fruitless. In the same !ay& animage or concept has its o!n regulations. A form that imposes its o!n regulations isa must until a person practising meditation is able to reach the state of samAdhi at!ill.

Those !ho assert these rules as a test of virtue are also corrupt.



This is an irresponsible and arrogant statement. %hat do you meanthat the 6indu*harma Shastras and the Acharyas !ho follo! and assert their rules are corruptR

I have a right to Cuestion anything as I see -t& and I respect this right in others as!ell.

I am glad that you recognie that others have a right to Cuestion your Cuestions.

I am suspicious of anyone !ho asserts holiness on the grounds of mere tradition.6uman traditionR !hat a Ka! on this planet...

Uou perhaps think yourself as an angel to say this. %hat other tradition !hich is nothuman do !e have on this planetR The very concept and holiness of 'od derivesonly from human traditionsJ

The problem of %esterners declaring themselves to be 6indus !ith little faith in the6indu *harma or traditions and criticiing 6indu practices !ith reckless abandonand passing generalied innuendo on 6indu sages and AchAryas is on the increase

in 6*E.

I think Satay must obtain and publish as part of their pro-les their earlier religionand the reason they 1became 6indus1& so devout 6indus (both Indian and %estern)



!ho !ant to truly learn and increase their kno!ledge can mind their business andask in one !ord& people !ith no intention to learn or understand& to keep mum&instead of !asting time !ith sympathetic explanations that are met !ith !antonignorance !ith a face of !ild mockery.

saidevo

:> arch @==& ::/@;

pet animals/ a dog at home

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.+;)

Vue/ There is an opinion that one should not keep a dog at home. Uour opinionR

Ans/ It is true that one should not keep a dog at home. ahabharata says this/ OIt isnot considered good omen to have a boken vessel& broken cot& dog or a peepul treeat home.O (ahabharata& AnusAsana arva& :@>.;).

The *harma Shastra says that a dog can be kept to secure the home or guard theagricultural -elds. It is not !rong to feed it or give it shelter& but then the dogshould be kept at a distance. It is not good to hug or kiss the dog& or make it lie

do!n on the bed nearby.

'enerally& it is the duty of a kuTumbasta (householder) to feed living animals suchas the dog& no doubt& but moving !ith them should kept !ithin limits. It is better forthe people !ho have shraddhA (faith& trust) in the AchAraanuShThAna (religiousregulations) to keep pet animals such as a dog at a distance& no doubt.



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%omen doing yogAsanas

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.+>)

Vue/ 0an !omen do yogAsanasR

Ans/ Ues& they can& nothing !rong in that. Some!hat necessary in these times. Those days !omen occupied themselves !ith manual labours such as dry and !et

grinding using mechanical& stone devices& using the grinding stone in kitchen (in theplace of a mixer)& !ashing clothes by beating them over a stone and so on& !hichactivities gave them all the daily exercise they reCuired. These manual activities arecompletely forgotton today.

Therefore& through a suitable teacher& !omen can learn yoga that -ts their healthand stature. They should not& ho!ever& neglect their daily home chores under theguise of doing 1yogAsanas1. Lnce the reCuired 1Asanas1 are learnt& a daily !orkout of :; minutes is suWcient for them.

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pit4u kArya& shrAddham/ annadAnam

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.;:)

Vue/ %e arrange for annadAnam on the shrAddha tithi. Is this rightR

Ans/ %hen the shrAddham is done as pArvaam (!ith homam)& there is no placefor annadAnam there. In case due to some constraints or circumstances if theshrAddham is done as hirayam (!ithout homam)& there is nothing !rong in doingannadAnam on the day.



Fnough if !e understand one thing. The annadAnam cannot become a substitutefor the shrAddham. shrAddham is only shrAddham& nothing else.

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saidevo

@B arch @==& ::/@>

rudrAkSha mAlA niyamas

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.;+)

Vue/ It !ould be useful to let me kno! the niyamas for !earing a garland ofrudrAkSha beads.

Ans/ If it is a single rudrAkSha bead tied around the neck as a necklace& it can be!orn at all times and the niyamas don1t apply.

In other cases& the rudrAkSha mAlA should not be !orn all the @+ hours. *uring thetimes of nidrA (sleep)& having a meal& going to the toilet& and doing shASTAnganamaskAram& the garland should be removed. 6o!ever& there is an opinion that ifthe rudrAkSha beads are stringed !ith svaram (gold)& it can be !orn all the times!ith no doShas.



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pit4u kArya& tarpaam/ times

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.;;)

Vue/ It is said that the pit4u kAryas such as the amAvAsya tarpaam& mahAlayashrAddham should not be done in the morning hours& only more or less during themAdhyAnihaka (noon) time. 8ut this can hardly be done in cities by !orking men&!hat to doR

Ans/ Met us understand one thing. 'enerally& the times prescribed for these

ceremonies are based on the kAla krama computed by our ancestors. It is notpossible to adhere to them completely in the urban circumstances of these days.

It is uttama to do the ceremonies in the noon time. If !e say that they should notbe done before that time& there is the danger of people giving up such karmAs.oreover& the shAstrigaM !ho do dattam (guide performance) of these ceremoniesat ten or -fteen homes& cannot be at the homes of his client disciples at the sametimeJ In these days !hen most people have migrated from the villages to to!ns andcities& the dierence in times for performing these ceremonies do not constitute

doSham.

Lne thing& though. The pArvaa shrAddham must be done at the prescribed time&because it is pratyApttikam (restitution)& therefore of great mahima. So theshrAddham should be done !ith great bhaya bhakti& AchAram and !ith the kAlaniyamanam.

In summary& if you follo! the advice of your family priest you !ill not have anybAdhakam (annoyance).

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bhakti in the T3 channels

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.<=)

Vue/ These days bhakti is dispensed through religious and spiritual programms in T3 channels. *oes any good accrue by !atching themR

Ans/ It does& but then !e should not get into the trap of aya. Mistening to 3ishuSahasranAmam on the T3 is not the eCuivalent of our chanting it loudly !ith ouro!n mouth. Thus the satisfaction !e derive from the T3 chanting is only aya/ thefruits !ill accrue only !hen !e ourselves chant the stotra and do the pArAyaam. Inthe same !ay& only !hen !e have personal darshan of the temples by going onpilgrimages& !e !ould get the puyas& not by !atching them over the T3.

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pit4u kArya& shrAddham/ s5tram

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.<<)

Vue/ In the place !e live !e have& there is no shAstrigaM !ho kno!s the tradition of bodhAyana s5tram !hich is our sidhra (custom) for the shrAddham ceremony. Lnlya vAdhyAr !ho kno!s the Apastambha s5tram is there. %e do not kno! ho! toperform the ceremonyR

Ans/ %hen a vAdhyAr (priest) of one1s speci-c s5tram is not available& theshrAddham may be done through another s5tram. There !on1t be any karmanaSTam (loss of the ceremony) by such act& so you may proceed !ith it& as it isimportant that the shrAddham should be performed.

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6ome pu9a/ !omen doing pu9a done by men



(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.>+)

Vue/ %hen men can1t do the daily home pu9a& can the !omen do itR

Ans/ Ues& they can do it very !ell. 8ut then there is no place in the ShAstras for!omen to do the panchAyadana p59a. Fven if one cannot do the pu9a in vistAram(detailed manner)& one may do it brieKy& chanting the bhagavAn nAmAs kno!n tooneself& removing the old Ko!ers and adorning the deities !ith ne! Ko!ers andthen oering some nivedanam and lighting the camphor& and -nally do thenamaskAram. Lne may chant the relevant shlokas that he kno!s. 8hakti is the mostimportant thing& and the pu9a should not go unperformed !ithout a valid reason.

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*oing puya tIrtha yAtras for another person

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.>+)

Vue/ 0an another man do the gangAdi puya tIrtha yAtras (pilgrimages to holy

places of rivers) for another manR

Ans/ Ues& one man undertake tIrtha yAtra for another by !ay of helping the otherman. roper sakalpam should be done for this purpose. In the same !ay& !ith thenecessary sakalpam& one can also do the pradakShia namaskAram for another.

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ii

@+ arch @==& :=/B< A

erhaps you are right saidevo

but I strongly believe all of these rules are an irrelevant distraction and saying (asper your o!n !ords) god comes from humans is& !ell...a Satanic vie!point& butnonetheless& I prefer to keep the door open to the phenomenon of socalled godcoming from an allpervading Atman !hich is independent from the existence ofhumanity. (even if inter!oven therein) in other !ords humans are maya and not

ultimate reality. So rules about earrings are incredibly silly.

good day to you.

saidevo

@+ arch @==& :@/;:

o! that1s some responsible reply aomi& thanks for sharing your L3. Ues& perhaps

everyone of us is right in our o!n !ay& so no point in one -nding fault !ith theother.

And yes& the humans& things around them& and this !orldeverything& is aya butfortunatelyor unfortunately perhaps!e don1t have the (!hat seems to me as)Cueer mix up and combinations in the practice of religion that !e can have in



deviant art& and perhaps also in life. erhaps you have more enlightenment on theallpervading Atman in your practices.

So rules about earrings are incredibly silly.

There you go againJ Lur rules are for our belief& like the unruly rules of your deviantart. Lne might think anything but !hen thinking is reduced to !ords in speechor !riting& it1s reducedJ There is al!ays a tricky and treacherous gap bet!een

thoughts and !ords.

Art can be deviant& but speech is more disciplined. I hope someday the Americans!ho use their 6olly!ood trendset& hideously slangridden& sexallusive language!ith pride& !ould understand& lest they should end up like people in the movie1Idiocracy1.

'ood day and all the best.

saidevo

@+ arch @==& :=/;;

u9a articles from !ayside shops



(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.>;)

Vue/ 6o! do !e -nd out the purity and cleanliness of the pu9a articles !e buy from!ayside shops for our nitya p59a or other visheSha (festivity)R

Ans/ Lne need not !orry on this account. The Shastram says decisively that all thepadArthas (material articles) bought from !ayside and other shops are pure andclean.

In the same !ay& !e need not insist about cleanliness !ith people suering fromdiseases& small boys !ho have not undergone upanayanam& and the !oman in the

kitchenour ancestors have advised us.

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8irthday parties

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.><)

Vue/ 0elebrations such as the birthday party are on the increase today& !hat isyour opinion about themR

Ans/ It is our custom to celebrate the birthdays of only mahAns. Ln the days ofDrisha ?ayanti& 6anumat ?ayanti& devatA p59as for these deities are prescribed forus.

Lther than these& !e have no custom of celebrating personal birthdays. In thosedays& our ancestors used to visit temples on the birthday of their children& pour oilto the temple lamps and perform archanAs.

If !e need to celebrate personal birthdays& !e might spend time by arranging for apArAyaam (scriptural reading) or a "i$nAmasankIrtanam (singing the glorious



names) in the evening. %e don1t have to follo! the %esterners simply closing oureyes.

Lne thing I should like to point out though. 0utting a cake and blo!ing out candle

lights !ith mouth should never be done. In our culture& shubha kAryas (good things)start !ith lighting a lamp& not blo!ing it out.

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ma*i vastram (ceremonially pure clothes)

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.>>)

Vue/ %here there is no ma*i vastram for the nitya p59a& can !e do the pu9a!earing clothes already !ashed and kept separatelyR

Ans/ It can be done. 8ut then it is necessary to give a prokShaam to that vastram!ith the praavam& sho! it in the s5rya rashmi (sunlight) and then !ear thevastram for the pu9a.

If there is a nirbandham to use a !et cloth& if that cloth is Kuttered in the air forseven times it !ould construed to have become eCual to a dry cloth. ('enerally& oneshould not do the pu9a or 9apam !earing a !et cloth).

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Some bho9ana niyamas

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.>)

Vue/ Should one be Cuiet during a mealR 'enerally& !hat are the things to beobserved during a mealR



Ans/ 6ere are some bho9ana niyamas/

The g4uhastha should not be silent !hen eating. 6e is reCuired to observe silenceonly till the prAAhuti.

Lne should not eat !ith a !et or 9ust a single piece of cloth.

en should eat only after doing the pariseShaam both in the noon time andnight time.

If one needs to drink !ater !ith his left hand& the right hand should be touchingthe leaf plate.

After one is suWciently aged& he can avoid taking the pahaiyatu (leftover rice ofprevious day). %ith curd& buttermilk and oils& there is no doSham of leftovers.

If one -nds any de-ciency in a dish& one should not reproach the bho9anam duringmealtime& says the 5panishad. Mater on& it can be deftly advised to the people !hocooked the food.

It is much visheSham not to take parAnnam (food from another person).

8ut then it is my abhiprAyam (opinion) that in these days one need not be verystrict about parAnnam enough if this rule is observed during the times of

shrAddham& vratam. ore than the annam the dravyam (money) !e get reaches usbearing many shapes. *on1t !e accept it !ithout inCuiring anything about itR Then!hy should it be dierent for the annam too beyond a certain pointR (Eor argumentsake& if everyone is strict about parAnnam& then !ho !ould eat in !hose house andho! !ould the 1karmAs1 be heldR) This does not mean& ho!ever& that !e can take!hatever !e sight at !hatever places. It is A*iyen1s abhiprAyam that there isnothing !rong for ordinary householders (including the vaidIkAM) if there is a



nirbandham to eat another1s food. 8ut then there should be no anAchAram and theattention must be on the shuddham.

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saidevo

@; arch @==& :=/+B

(ainly observed by brahmins)

pit4u kArya& shrAddham/ brothers& 'ayA shrAddham

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.,=)

Vue/ Is it right if the eldest son is performing the shrAddham& the other brothersmay only need to be beside him (!ithout performing it separately)R Same !ay& afterone goes to 'ayA and performs the shrAddham& does the annual shrAddham needto be performedR

Ans/ Fvery son should do the shrAddham to his deceased parents once they areliving separately& having obtained or not obtained their share of the legacy ofparental properties. If all the brothers are living as a single& 9oint family& only thenthe individual performances of the shrAddham is not necessary. If the brothers areliving separately and meet on the day of the shrAddham for a combinedperformance& it is not acceptable. It is only for a 9oint family that the rule of only theeldest performing the shrAddham and the other sons may be by his side isapplicable. In the other case& only if the shrAddham is performed individually !ith



homam& !ould the pit4us be more satis-ed pit4us have the capability of beingpresent in more than one place for the shrAddham.

'ayA shrAddham

The idea that once a 'ayA shrAddham is performed& there is no need to performthe annual shrAddham is completely abhadram (inauspicious& mischievous) againstthe shAstras too. *o !e forgo our daily meal 9ust because one day !e have asumptuous dinner in a ;star hotelR 'ayA shrAddham is of great unnatvam(sublimity). It should be done at least once in the 9anma. 8ut then it has nosambandham (relationship) !ith the annual prAptika shrAddham. Therefore& theannual shrAddham must be performed !ithout fail.

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pit4u kArya& tarpaam/ shaavati tarpaam

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.,@)

Vue/ I !ould like to kno! the details of the shaavati tarpaam.

Ans/ The total of < tarpaas oered in one year is kno!n as shaavatitarpaam. These must be oered bet!een the time of one year after conductingthe shrAddham of one1s father& and before the next year1s tithi of this ceremonyfalls due. The shaavati is of great visheSham.

If the father is alive and the mother is not& it is not possible to practise shaavati.If the father is not alive but the mother is& it can be anuShThita (practised).



amAvAsya (:@)& mAsa sangkramaam (:@)& aSTakA and others (:@)& vaidh4uti (:B)&vyatIpAta (:B)& manvantara days (:+)& yugAdi days (+)& mahAlaya pakSham (:<)thus the shaavati includes a total of < tarpaas.

Among these < tarpaas& the amAvAsya& sangkramaam might occur on thesame day. If the sangkramaam is oered& both are deemed to have been oered.

There are certain rules for the inclusion of one tarpaam !ithin another. 8ut themahAlayam !ill not be included in the amAvAsya& so both should be oeredseparately. Although there is a rule that these < tarpaas can be done as pArvaashrAddham& since it is an impossible task& they can be oered in the tarpaar5pam.

It !ould be good if the shaavti is observed at once in a man1s lifetime. 8ut there

is no compulsion.

ote/ lease also check http/##!!!.dvaita.org#misc#calendar#intro.html

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vivAham and tarpaam

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.,+)

Vue/ Some people say that both the man !ho gave kanyAdAnam (bride inmarriage) and the bridegroom1s father should not oer amAvAsya tarpaam forsome months after the marriage is heldR

Ans/ %rong. The tarpaam should never be given up. 8ut then in the oering&some akShata should be added to the sesame. Some people use arugam pul (hirathigrass) the place of the darbha grass for the tarpaam.

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saidevo

@< arch @==& =/:,

'ro!ing a beard (Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.,,)

Vue/ Is it good that men gro! beardR

Ans/ 'enerally& !ithout a reason& men shouldn1t gro! beard. Lnly during the timesof pit4u dIkShA& garbha dIkShA& vrata& there can be beard on men1s faces. After the

duration of that apara kAryam is over& the beard should be shaved o on the nextauspicious day.

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ure by nature

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.,,)

Vue/ %hat does the Shastra say about !hich among the things !e see are shuddha(clean#pure) by natureR

Ans/



:. agni (-re) is al!ays shuddha.

@. The feet of a brAhmaa.

B. The backside of a co! and the face of a goat and horse.

+. All items bought in the baaar.

;. The infant 9ust born.

<. The !easel& Ky& beetle and such other creatures.

>. o shuddha should be insisted !ith a rogiSTa (person !ith disease)& bAlaka(small boy)& the !oman in the kitchen.

,. Eor the Ko!ers like lotus born in !ater and the Ko!ers that are stringed& there isno doSham of their being old. They can be kept in a refrigerator for a day or t!o andused.

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nAmasankIrtanam (singing 'od1s glorious names)

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.,+)

Vue/ About the nAmasankIrtanam...R

Ans/ 8y singing the glorious names of 8hagavan& bhakti and Ananda !ould s!ell!ithin us& and this !ould help us forget our !orries. %e should get the habit ofdoing a nAmasankIrtanam either as a group or !ith our family members at home

daily for sometime. The paramAnandam obtained in a bha9an can only be kno!n byexperience it is beyond !ords.

aybe because that !e should sing the glorious names of 'od& !e see ourselveschanting 8hagavan1s various names in our daily Sandhya 3andanam.



Lne thing& though. The nAmasankIrtanam cannot be a substitute for our nityakarma or other anuShTAnas. %e should be careful about this. any of us are fooledin this regard. (4ecently& an opinion that a nAmasankIrtanam is enough on the day

of a shrAddham is also doing the rounds).

In the name of bha9ans !e should not neglect the karmas !e are blessed !ith byour 4ishis& and the treasures of prayogas handed do!n to us in succession by theS5trakas (mahAns such as Apastambha& 8odhAyana and AshvavAyana). If !e do it&the loss is only to us.

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saidevo

@> arch @==& ::/@:

Miving a meaningful retired life

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.,)

Vue/ I have recently retired from my service. There are no serious !orldlycommitments. 6o! can spend the rest of my life in uchitam (properly& delightfully)R6o! should I change myself for that lifeR

Ans/ A good Cuestion. ost people don1t think about this at all& and live their retiredlife as it comes.



If your health and household circumstances are favourable& you can think about thefollo!ing and take up !hat you can and have not done already. Thus you may/

Apart from the daily Sandhya 3andanam& do the Sahasra 'ayatri ?apam (:==,times).

Start panchAyadana or sAlagrAma pu9a and do it daily.

Seek poor children& and teach them shlokas and about our 6indu dharma.

If there is facility at home start doing daily aupAsanam.

Try some public service such as doing kaingaryam in a temple.

%hile doing your anuShTAnas such as Sandhya 3andanam and pu9a at home& !earpachakachcham.

'ro! a shikhA (tuft of hair). Should !e have not the shikhA atleast in one stage ofour lifeR *uring the days of school& college and oWce !e ignored this for reasons ofour o!n making. At least after retirement !e should think about having the shikhA!hich is of great visheSham and our 6indu identity !e should not feel shy about it.

Seek the gro!th of AtmIka chintanA (spiritual thoughts) through a suitable guru.

In summary& starting thinking about your life as retired but not tired. Mife !ill bemeaningful and useful.

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%earing golden kolusu (anklets)

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.=)

Vue/ 0an !omen !ear golden anklets (kolusu) on their legsR

Ans/ They can1t. It is not uchitam (proper) to !ear svaram (gold) belo! the hip.

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sAdhAraa nitya dharma

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.=)

Vue/ I !ant to kno! about the dharma that needs to be follo!ed in daily life.

Ans/ In these days& it is doubtful that one can completely follo! the precepts of the*harma Shastra !ith consistency. Still if !e kno! some of them& !e might try tofollo! a fe! of them completely and consistently in later life.

The follo!ing precepts are not only easy& but necessary too.

5nder the guise of talking truth& one should not use bad or harsh language.

Meaving balance in debts !ould scorch us !ithout a -re. So !e shouldn1t leave abalance either in our debts or in our vratas (religious vo!s).

%e should not al!ays be immersed in thoughts.



The g4uhastas (householders) should not remain in single vastram (piece ofcloth).

%omen !hen cooking in kitchen& should be doing smaraa (mental chanting) ofshlokas or bhagavAn nAmAs (names of 'od). This is very important.

After the m5trAdi visar9anas (restroom chores)& one should !ash the legs andgorgle at least t!ice (+&,&:@&:< times according to the Shastras).

*uring vrata (time of vie!)& taking milk& drinks such as 6orlicks& medicine& or the

shrAddha bho9anam (eating on the day of ceremony)& or talking during a maunavratam (vo! of silence)these things !ill not be deemed as resulting in vratabhangam (break in vo!).

%ithout a reason& one should not drink !ater !ith the left hand or eat meals ortiWn standing or !alking about.

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homa6/ k5ShmA*a homam

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.@)

Vue/ I have heard that the k5ShmA*a homam is a prAyachitta homam (palliativeact). I !ould like to kno! some details about it.

Ans/ The k5ShmA*a homam is a very good prAyachitta karmA. %hoever !hantsto do shuddhi of himself can do it.



A speciality of this homam is that in the other homas& the AchAryaM (vAdhyAr)!ould get the AchArya varam from the kartA and conduct the homam for him!hereas this homam should be done by the kartA himself. That is& the kartA shoulddo it in his aupAsanagni.

Another speciality is that except the k5ShmA*a homam no other homam isdirectly mentioned in the 3edas. (TaittiriyaAranyaka& @.>.:)

Lther than the !ish to remove pApas (sins)& thie homam can be done asp5rvAngam (preliminary) for the karmAs such as a daughter1s marriage& son1supanayanam& the annual pratyAptika shrAddhas& and ShaShTi apta p5rti.

These days brahmins after they are back from an overseas trip do this homam as apalliative for having crossed the ocean. This is also good.

If the k5ShmA*a homam is done !ith the dIkShA niyamas prescribed for it&maximum fruit !ill be obtained.

This homam is not expensive nor reCuires many ritviks or a large list of homam

material items. There is no doubt that this homam is a visheSha prAyachitta karmA.

ote/ Dushmanda homa 3idhi by *ikshitha&8rahmasri Sundararaam is listed in theonline library at http/##!!!.ne!.dli.ernet.in#cgibin#*8scripts#allmetainfo.cgiRbarcodeX:==@=:=@,=+

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About the AhvArgaM (Ahvaars)

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.+)

Vue/ About the AhvArgaM...



Ans/ Since these mahAns had aparimita bhakti (limitless devotion) to!ardsahAvishu and deep kno!ledge in 3aishavam& they !ere kno!n as AhvArgaM.

They !ere t!elve in number (:=[@)/

oikai AhvAr& 8hutattu AhvAr& FyAhvAr& Tirumahisai AhvAr& adhurakaviAhvAr& Dulasekhara AhvAr& eriyAhvAr& AndAM& To*ar A*ippo*i AhvAr&

TiruppAAhvAr and Tirumangai AhvAr.

The granthas (compositions) they blessed us !ith are @+ in number& comprising atotal number of +&=== songs. Lne speciality about this is that ammAhvAr1s fourbooks are considered eCual to the four 3edas/

Tiruviruttam 4ig 3eda& Tiru Asiriyam Ua9ur 3eda& eriya TiruvandAdi Atharvaa3eda& TiruvAimohi SAma 3eda.

In summary& all the songs composed by these :@ AhvArs are steeped in deepbhakti and are replete !ith facts of 3edanta. The collection of these +&=== songs iscalled *ivya rabhandam.

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saidevo

@, arch @==& ::/BB

kolam at the doorsteps



(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.)

Vue/ Things to attend !hen !ater is sprinkled on the ground of doorsteps earlymorning...R

Ans/ It is visheSham to sprinkle the ground at the doorsteps !ith !ater everymorning before sunrise and dra! a kolam. (If any occasions arise !hen the kolamshould not be dra!n& one should not stop sprinkling !ater any!ay.)

'enerally !omen do the chore of sprinkling !ater and dra!ing a kilam. 8ut there isno bar on men to do it !hen necessary.

Since it is our belief that certain devatas reside there for our security& !e shouldnot fail to dra! kolam on the vAsal pa*i (steps and the threshold) too.

It is best to use the Kour of rice for the kolam. Ln visheSha days it is necessary toborder a kolam !ith the semma (red oxide po!der).

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ArAdhana for siddha puruShas& s!ami9is

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.)

Vue/ 0an the ArAdhana of siddha puruShas and s!AmigaM !ho attained siddhi bedone at homeR

Ans/ 0an very !ell be done& there are no prescepts against it.

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pariSheshaam procedure

(Sri Sarma SastrigaM in his book 13aidIkam and 0ulture1& p.:==)

Vue/ lease explain the procedure of doing pariSheshaam.

Ans/ This has another name& 1prAAgnihotram1. The pariSheshaam is done duringthe time of taking a meal& !hich should usually be in the noon and night. It is notreCuired at times of taking tiWn or snacks. The pariSheshaa mantras should bechanted in mind& not loudly.

:. 0hanting 1Aum bh5r bhuva suvaha61& some !ater should be held on the palm ofthe right hand and trickled through the -ngers in drops around their leafplates. Theleft hand should lightly touch the leafplate !hile doing this.

@. 0ontinuing the chanting of the 'ayatri antra& prokShaam (sprinkling of !ater)should be done on annam and other padArthas on the leafplate/ 1tat saviturvareyam& bhargo devasya dhImahi& dhiyo yo na6 prachodayAt1.

B. 0hanting 1deva savita6 prasuva61& !ater should again be tricked round the leafplate.

+. 0hanting the mantra 1satyam tvartena pariShinchAmi1 in the morning and 14tamtvA satyena pariShincAmi1 in the evening (after ; o1 clock)& the food on the plateshould be encircled !ith !ater again.

;. Taking some tIrtham on the palm of the right hand (or letting another person tomeasure out the !ater) and chanting the mantra 1am4uthLpastharaamasi1 and sipit. This act is kno!n as Aposanam.

Eurther Info/



am4ut Apa6 upastaraam asi/ upastaraam means the act of spreading out underas a substratum. This !ay one invokes the little amount of !ater he sipps no! tospread !ithin him as Amrutam or nectar and form the substratum for the food tofollo!. 3ishnu urana says that liCuid substances should be taken at the beginningand at the end of the meal.

The 4ishis have mentioned in the 5panishads (0hhandogya 5panishad ;.@.@ and8rhadaranyaka 5panishad <.:.:;) that realied people& !hile eating& before andafter their meal& 1dress up1 the prAa (breath of life) !ith !ater. %ater is a puri-erit also sustains the body. ost 6indu rituals start !ith sipping !ater& an act kno!nas Achamanam. The Uoga Shastras recommend that !e should -ll only half ourstomach !ith food& a Cuarter !ith !ater and the rest should be air. This idealproportion brings in spiritual and bodily health.

<. 0hanting the six mantras belo!& sAdam in morsels of + or ; grains should betaken !ith the -ngers and s!allo!ed !ithout their touching the teeth.

aum prAAya svAhA G

aum apAnAya svAhA G

aum vyAnAya svAhA G

aum udAnAya svAhA G

aum samAnAya svAhA G

aum bhrahmaF svAhA G

Eurther Info/

:. This act is called prAAhuti. %hile taking a morsel of rice !ith -ngers& thethumb& middle and ring -ngers of their right hand in a typical mudrA of a deerhead&should be used& and the head should be kept do!n to face the plate so it is easy tothro! the morsel in.



@. After !ater& it is no! the turn of the air or breath. %ater nourishes the body tokeep it healthy& but air in the form of life breath sustains the soul and holds it in thedriver seat of this bodily vehicle. The life breath or prAa has -ve functions.

prAa is the principal breath coursing through our nostrils and lungs you can useit to control and regulate your mind and thoughts.

apAna is responsible for the excretory activity.

samAna circulates around the navel and plays a vital role in digestion.

vyAna is diused through the body and is responsible for circulatory activity.

udAna is the !ind that goes up!ard in respiration.

These -ve vital airs together represent the 3aayu deity they are also infused !ithagni or -re and Apas or !ater. Therefore !e oer a morsel of annam as Ahuti tothese gods& by s!allo!ing the food !ithout biting it. %e don1t bite it because it is

not for personal consumption.

>. 0hanting 1aum brahmai ma AtmAam4tatvAya1& a little amount of !ater shouldbe dropped on the left side& touched !ith the ring -nger of the left hand and then!ith that -nger the chest should be touched.

Eurther Info/

This mantra says& Oay the Self be united !ith 8rahman so it may attainimmortality.O

,. Lne can start eating no!.



. At the end of the meal some !ater is poured on the right palm and sippedchanting the mantra 1am4uthLpastharaamasi1.

Eurther Info/

After this& some !ater is trickled in drops around the leaf saying OannadAtA sukhIbhava6Oa Sanskrit proverb& meaning 1ay the food provider be happy and heartyJ1

This is an act of remembering all the people !hose labour has gone into the foodarticles consumed. This includes the people !ho cooked the food. As 8hishma saidin ahabharata the physical and mental health of the cooks !ho prepare the food

inKuences the people !ho partake the food. This is the reason orthodox brahminsavoid restaurants.

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saidevo

B: arch @==& =/@B A

chickpea garland to Sri *akShiAm5rti

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ar :=&@==& pB@)

Vue/ %e oer a garland made of :=, ko*aikka*alai (chickpea) pieces to Sri*akShiA5rti every Thursday. Some people say that !e should not prick a



chickpea !ith a needle to string them& as that !ould cause them pain since they areliving things. %hat is the position in this regardR

Ans/ Lur national song 1vande mAtaram1 says that ours is a land of Ko!ers gifted to

us by other ature (1pullakusumita1). Sri Drisha says that it is enough if one oershim a leaf& Ko!er& !ater or fruit. The Ko!ers are the most suitable for a garland. Itis !rong to string items that !e fancy into garlands sho!ing unsupportedreferences to it. Since IshA took poison& can !e oer him poison as nivedanamRDaan says that he is immanent in all that moves and do not move. 0an !e oerstone and sand to himR

The ?yotiSham (astrology) says that the sAnnidhyam (presence) of the nine planetsis felt in all the things in this !orld. It is also explained as dierent in a Ko!er& fruit

or an unripe #green fruit. These dierences are there to highlight their nature andare limited. Eor stringing into a garland& none others have the eligibility that theKo!ers have.

If it hurts to prick a chickpea& even the chicken and goat are hurt !hen picked&since they are living beings tooJ So& instead of using vegetables and fruits (andnuts)& use Ko!ers& !hich are eminently suitable for stringing into a garland. 5se thevegetables and fruits for eating. It is al!ays best to act !ith some thought.

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0onverting a beCueathed mAngalyam into 9e!elry

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ar :=&@==& p@@)

Vue/ After living a long life as a ripe Sumangali& my mother attained ShivalokarApti. 6er tirumAngalyam is !ith me for the last <= years. 0an !e convert it intoother 9e!elry and !ear themR

Ans/ 'old is al!ays pure. Its purity is not aected by someone !earing it& or bybeing paryushita (stale& not fresh). There is nothing !rong in changing it intoornaments. The husband !ould tie a ne! thAli (mAngalyam) around his !ife1s neck



on the day of their <=th year of age celebrations and feel happy. There is also acustom to convert a tirumAngalyam into chain and put it round the neck of agranddaughter.

eople also use the gold and silver kAppu (talisman) made for the -rst child for thesuccessive ones. This !ould then acCuire the honour of a family privilege (Akivandatu). There is also an unfortunate sampradAyam (tradition) that after the -rst!ife is dead& the husband marrying again use the her tirumAngalyam for the second!ife. There are also mothers !ho used their tirumAngalyam for their daughter1s!edding. others !ho are economically !eaker have a custom of !earing a 1golddot1 and let their daughter have their tirumAngalyam for her !edding. Therefore&you can reuse the said tirumAngalyam !ithout any hesitation.

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pit4u kArya/ amAvAsya& auspicious dayR

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ar :=&@==& p@B)

Vue/ It is customary to start good eorts on the day of amAvAsya. 8ut then in theanchAngam published by Sakthi 3ikatan (B.<.=, issue) it is mentioned&

1amAvAsyaiavoid good eorts1. lease explain it.

Ans/ Erom the point of vie! of ?yotiSha& the day of amAvAsya is not auspicious forgood eorts. Ln a day !hen the chandra balam is totally absent& it is not suitablefor eorts aimed at gro!thJ

any among us !ould prefer to ignore the !aning fortnight. 6o! can !e accept a

day !hen no phase of the moon is seenR Auspicious time is decided based on tithi&vAram& nakShatram& yogam& karaam amAvAsya does not give place for goodthings. Shastra is not in agreement !ith doing another thing on day !hen theancestors should be !orshipped.

%e say that during the memorial days of leaders !e need to be immersed in theirthoughts doing nothing else. The belief that the ne! moon day is auspicious is born



out of unsupported reference. %hen there is this reference in astrology& !e may as!ell as ignore the belief.

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saidevo

=B April @==& :=/;

pit4u kArya& shrAddham/ venue

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ar @<&@==& pB<)

Vue/ 0an the annual tithi be oered on the banks of a pond or riverR Lr should it begiven only at homeR

Ans/ The *harma Shastra says that divine !orship& ya9na& 9apa homas and theArAdhanam of ancestors are best done under a roof. The 3eda that introduced the-rst ya9na recommended only a place under a roof (antarhi dohi devaloko...).

%e live only under a roof& not in the open spaceR So& the tithi oered at home has aspecial distinction. The tIrtha shrAdhhas may be performed going to the place of apuya tIrtham and taking a bath there. This is dierent from the tithi that should beoered at home& and it !ould be !rong to oer such tithi on the banks of a pond orriver.



eople !ho live in a small house that can1t be used to oer tithi might considerusing the banks of a pond or river for this purpose. 6o!ever& everyone must try tooer the tithi at home as far as possible. And this !ould also ensure that thesanctity and importance of this rite is introduced to the next generationJ

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Fccentric devotional customs and habits

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ar @<&@==& pB>)

Vue/ *uring tFrLTTam (religious car procession)& some people scatter their oering

such as Ko!ers& fruits and food prasAdam before the divine car on its path. Thiscustom has the danger of people slipping over them as they pull the car. %hy can1tthey store the articles in a place and distribute them to othersR

Ans/ The mind of the devotees attains ful-lment in practising !hat they desire fortheir deity. The mental inclinations of devotees !ould make them forget thecircumstance (for such is the po!er of bhakti).

A bhakta !ould regard the divine car as the deity itself& reverentially touch it andtouch his eyes !ith those -ngers. 6e !ould also smear on his forehead the sandfrom the tracks of the car !heels. eople !ho pull the car !ouldn1t slip over thearticles on their path but !ould manage to overcome or avoid them& because theyare devotees tooJ

A mind that steps a!ay from the deity !ould regard things and acts dierently.Such a person might have the fear that the burning torches and bursting crackers

that precede a divine procession might cause a -re haard that the pieces ofcoconuts smashed to the ground might cause in9ury to the people standing by thatthere might be a sudden gush of Kood and s!eep the person a!ay !hen he#she isbathing in a sacred river.

The devotee stays !ith the faith that 'od !ould take care of everything and there!ould be no problem of any unto!ard incidents.



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pit4u kArya/ amAvAsya& auspicious dayR

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ar @<&@==& pB)

Vue/ eople say that good things can be started on the day of amAvAsya even if itis not an auspicious day according to tithi& nakShatramR Is this rightR

Ans/ %rong. A good thing should be started only taking into consideration the tithi&

nakShatram. 'enerally& the amAvAsya should be avoided for this purpose.

The dinam& lagnam (day and time) !hen !e start shubha kAryas must be anauspicious !ith matching tArAbalam and it should also be on the !axing phase ofthe moon for chandra balam& says the Shastra (tadeva lagna sudina tadeva2).

8ut there !ould be no chandra balam on the day of amAvAsya. 0handran (moon)has an intimate connection !ith our mind and the strength of the moon phase

!ould help us carry on in our act !ith concentration it !ould be !rong to lose thisbalam. Additionally& the roles of the tArA balam (star strength) yoga and karaa areimportant. If one says that there !ould be fruits ignoring all these aspects that areabsent on the day of amAvAsya& it is not proper.

If some examples of success of eorts started on the ne! moon day are sho!n& !illthe falsity become the truthR

There could be many reasons for a successful eort all of them should be takeninto account !hen the fruits are assessed. The evidences of astrology are alsoimportant.



To think that starting a good thing on amAvAsya !ould get the blessings ofdeceased ancestors and make it a success is faith. 8ut to act on a fe! experiencesignoring the Shastras is !rong.

ote/

tadeva lagna sudina tadeva tArAbala chandrabala tadeva G

vidyA bala daivabala tadeva laxmIpate6 tenghri yuga smarAmi GG

a popular mantra in pu9as and auspicious rituals.

%hat is the best time to !orship the MordR %hen our hearts are at the feet of Mordarayana& then the strength of the stars& the moon& the strength of kno!ledge and

all the 'ods !ill combine and make it the most auspicious time and day to !orshipthe Mord.

%ikipedia has a good article on the 6indu calendar/

http/##en.!ikipedia.org#!iki#6induQcalendar

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saidevo

=< April @==& :=/B+

bhakti/ body or mind relatedR



(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ar @<&@==& pB)

Vue/ Is bhakti mere body relatedR Lr is it mind relatedR (Some of the acts ofdevotees such as) iercing the tongue or skin in other body part& !alking over

embers& and shaving o the head in the name of oering hair are all only bodyrelatedR

Ans/ Thinking of 'od in the mind and getting immersed in that thought is bhakti. The mind !ill obtain an alAti Anandam (distinctive 9oy) in reaching 'od.

8ut then the attachment to 'od !ould only express itself through body parts.

6ands oer Ko!ers in archanA (!orship) legs lead to a temple (lips chant a mantraor sing a bha9an eyes shed tears in momentary relaiation devotion courses do!nthe body in ripples of ecstasy). Therefore& only the body carries out the !ishes andorders of the mind.

%e declare in prayer 1y body& !ealth and soul all dedicated to you1J Acts such as!alking over embers and shaving o the head only express the thoughts of themind in action. The devotee1s !ishes related to his devotion to 'od !ould never beloathsome.

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shravaa vratam/ !hat and ho!R

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ar @<&@==& p+:)

Vue/ %hat is shravaa vratamR 6o! to observe this vo!R

Ans/ The TiruvLam akShatram is called shravaam. Its devatA is 3ishu saysthe 3eda (1shroo nakShatram viShur devatA1).



Therefore& it is best to !orship 3ishu on the day of this akShatram. The TiruvLam that falls in the month of Avai (Shravaa) on the day of *vAdashiduring the !axing fortnight is of great visheSham (distinction)J This day is kno!n as

1Shravaa *vAdashi1.

Ln this auspicious day& if 3asudevA is !orshipped by fasting and prayers all theshortcomings in us !ould be removed. ('aru*a uranam& ch.:+:). 'aru*a uranamexplains the procedure for this !orship.

Therefore& observe the Shravaa 3ratam !ith its simple precepts& !orship3asudevA and reap the bene-ts.

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oving to a ne! house in the month of Ani


Vue/ oving to a ne! house in the month of Ani (?yeShTa& ?un?ul) is said to be!rongR Any parihAram for thisR

Ans/ If you are moving to a rented house& you can very !ell do it in the month ofAni. If you are moving to your o!n house& try to avoid Ani.

eople !ho move to their ne!ly built home conduct a ceremony called

1'4uhaprevesham1 and then move on an auspicious day& computed based on thetithi& vAram& nakShatram etc. and time. Lnly that is best and !ould bring inprosperity.



eople moving on transfer to another place or moving to a house in another to!nor village& in vie! of the economical factors& need not consider Ani as unsuitable formoving to the ne! house.

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mantra/ *istinction of 1shrIm1 in a mantra


Vue/ %hat is the distinction of the 1shrIm1 in a mantraR

Ans/ 1shrI1 means MakShmi. This term has additional meanings such as kaMai(liveliness)& !ealth& 1bilvam1& fame& lotus Ko!er and so on. 3edas refer to the eternalfame of their kaMai (liveliness) as 1shrI1. The *harma Shastra underscores that thetitle ShrI should be added before the names of *evas& 'uru9is& elders and the 5rtisresiding in temples.

1shrI1 has the po!er to make !hatever it 9oins to and !hatever related to its holder&

prosperous. This is the very purpose of adding the title SrimAn& Srimati or Tiru.& Tirumati in Tamil to personal namesJ %ealth indicates not 9ust money but all thetypes of !ealth and prosperity obtainable in lifeJ %hat is 9oined !ith 1shrI1 !ouldKourish !ith all the prosperity.

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saidevo



:= April @==& =;/+, A

Ko!ers/ pavaMamalli (pAri9Ata& coral9asmine)

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ?an :=&@==& pB>)

Vue/ Some people say that the pavaMamalli (pAri9Ata) Ko!er should only be pickedfrom the ground not plucked directly from the plant. Is that soR

Ans/ The Ko!ers can be plucked from the plant as !ell as gathered from the ground

!here they fall.

0onsidering the diWculty of plucking Ko!ers that are small& people usually shakethe plant to let the Ko!ers fall to the ground and then pick them up. There isnothing !rong in picking them from the ground.

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Eestivals/ !hy nine days for AmbaaM aloneR

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Lct :+&@==,& pB<)

Vue/ %e stop !ith 9ust a day1s celebration for the festivals relating to the Trim5rtisdoing the three tasks !hereas for AmbaaM alone !e celebrate her festival for ninedays& !hyR

Ans/ A group of nine Asurasadhu& DaiTabha& ahiShAsura& *h5mralochana&0handan& un*an& Sumbha& isumbha& 4aktabI9aonce took control and harassedthe inhabitants of the three !orlds.



The Asuras could not be defeated by anyonethe BB crores of *evas& *igbAlakas&Indra or even by the Trim5rtis. The *evas had a serious discussion about liberatingthe !orlds from the clutches of the Asuras.

IshvarA (Shiva) !oke up from his meditation. 6e separated the te9as that !as hisShakti from his body. The *evas contributed their o!n te9as to it. The combinedshakti of them all became a great source of light. The name of that great light !as*urga. The shakti !hen it !as hidden in masculinity !asn1t much helpful& so the*evas !anted it come out on its o!n in a feminine form.

The rise of *urga signi-es that in the ultimate& there is no dierence bet!een manand !oman and that the hidden po!er inside them should be used for productivetasks. In addition to their po!er& the *eva1s !eapons too reached AmbaaM. In short&

AmbaaM !as a combined form of the *evas& as the *evi ahatmyam elaborates.

As 8rahma1s po!er !as 9oined to her& she became 8rAhmI. The name aheshvariindicates aheshA1s (Shiva1s) po!er in her. In the same !ay& she has the po!ers ofurugap eruman& 3ishu and Indra& as indicated by her names DaumArI&3aishavI& 3arAhI (asa of 3araham5rti& 3ishu1s avatar) and IndrAi.

It is customary to celebrate the death of an enemy in a !ar !ith kut5halam(interest). *evi destroyed all the nine Asuras !ho !ere the enemies of the three!orldsJ So !e celebrate her victory for nine days. She !as one !ho acted for the!elfare of the people and accomplished it.

The p5raa mahatvam (full splendour) of a great light !ill be accentuated at night.It is a feast for the eyes to have darshan of her at night. Eor an enlightened&delightful life it is best to !orship her !ho is full of light. S5rya (sun) gives light onlyduring day& !hereas she gives her light in darkness too. S5rya can1t remove thedarkness of ignorance that is dense in the mind *evi can do it. Thus !e canunderstand her speciality that is dierent from the other gods.

Eear should be gone from the peoples1 minds. overty shouldn1t embrace them.Ignorance should be removed and the light of kno!ledge shine. So for a happy lifeshe dispenses po!er& !ealth and kno!ledge to everyone.



She is the other of the !orld. Adi Sankara !ould say that the heart of a mother!ouldn1t distinguish bet!een her children& though the children might themselves bepartial.

?ust thinking about her !ould remove the fear of death. It is not necessary todecorate her feet and !orship her 9ust thinking about her in mind !ould do to gether grace.

To face diWculties in life& the fear must go. She !as one !ho destroyed those !hoterri-ed the three !orlds. Lnce the fear is gone& she !ould foster our thoughts andguide them to good kno!ledge. She !ould also ensure that poverty does not strike

the people. arkadeya urana adores her as& Oo& *urga maa& you remove the fearby 9ust remembering your name and give good intellect to healthy people there isnobody other than you !ho removes poverty& unhappiness& and fear and al!aysready to help all.O (1durge sam4utA harasi1*urga Saptasati& arkadeya urana:>).

Therefore& three days for the form of *urga !ho removes fear three for Makshmi!ho removes poverty and three for Sarasvati !ho grants kno!ledge. Thus it is adistinction to celebrate and !orship AmbaaM for nine days. Something said thrice is

deemed to be ful-lled. 3edas !ould say 1aum shAnti1 thrice similarly& the traditionof having nine days to !orship AmbaaM is meaningful.

Minks/

http/##dalsabi.tripod.com#%isdomQScrip#deviQmahatmyaQnavratriQkatha.htm

http/##divinenotes.blogspot.com#@==,#:=#navarathricelebrations!hitehouse.html

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*aily prArthanA and !orship !ith sakalpam

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ?an :=&@==& pB)



Vue/ %hen !orshipping gods daily& can the prArthanA be done !ith a sakalpamR

Ans/ 'ods can be prayed to and !orshipped !ith a sakalpam. The thought thatappears in mind& comes out in !ords and excels in action. That !hich does notappear in mind !ould never come in !ordsJ The 3eda says& O%ords express !hatthe mind thinks& and the senses practise it.Onote :. The mind !ill plan and decideabout !hat task to be done by !hom and ho! and !e !ould act accordinglyJ

The sakalpam is a combination of four things/ !ho takes it& !hat time& !hatpurpose and !hat form of action. *harma Shastra says that doing something!ithout these four !ouldn1t get the desired eect. %hat the mind !ishes should be

included in the sakalpam. Fven if there is no !ish& the sakalpam should indicate&Oto please 'odO (such as 1parameshvara prItyartam1).

A karma has its phala (fruit). If the fruit is not desired& it should be oered to8hagavan. The tradition of oering the fruits of our karmas is still in vogue. (1mayAanuSTitamidam karma aum tat sat brahmArpaam1note @). Therefore& pray !ith asakalpam).

ote/

2:. This seems to be a Cuote from the n45sihatApinI upaniShad/

yanmanasa dhyAyati& tadvAcha vadati G

yadvAcha vadati& tatkarmaa karoti G

yat karmaa karoti& tadbhisampadyate GG

OAs a man thinks in his mind& so is his speech as he speaks& so does he conducthimself as is his conduct& so does he become.O

Minks/



http/##!!!.akhand9yoti.org#RAkhand?yoti#@==<#arApr@==<#Triadersonality#

http/##!!!.advaitavedanta.org#archives#advaital#:,April#=@;;.html

2@. I can1t trace the source of this mantra. embers may please help.

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saidevo

:@ April @==& :@/=> A

mantra/ mantra one Cuarter& mati three CuartersR

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Lct :+&@==,& pB)

Vue/ Lur elders !ould say& Omantras one Cuarter& only mati (determination) formthree Cuarters (of our accomplishments)O. If that be so& ho! to believe the mantrasR

Ans/ The medicine& doctor& patient and the nurse#compounder#pharmacistonly thecombined eect and eorts of all these four factors cure the disease of a patient.

The doctor has to select the medicine for the disease. Although it might be the bestmedicine& he should prescribe the right time and dosage for it. (Thenurse#compounder#pharmacist should administer#customie the medication.) Thepatient should take the medicine given. If one of these four factors is in error& thecure !ould not be accomplished. Lf these four& the doctor is the most important. If



all the other three factors are onefourth& the doctor is threefourths.It is thusAyurveda describes the importance of the doctor and his responsibility.

The vAchakam (saying) you mention is one such. If mantras form a Cuarter of an

eort& our intelligent action should form threefourths. Then that eort !ill besuccessful. Lne that helps the eorts is the mantraJ

A person uses o!n thoughts to get clarity of the lessons learnt from a teacher alsoconsults friends to clear doubts in due course& the study is completed !hen theexperience in life too 9oins the eorts of learning. So if the teacher1s share inimparting kno!ledge is one Cuarter& the other three Cuarters are from one1s o!neorts. 0an !e say then that the teacher is not necessaryR

The mantras are necessary also the sharpness of intelligence and the intensity ofeortsJ The mind that chants the mantra stands focussed on one thing& so oureorts !ould excel by itJ

rahlada1s mind ruminated on arAyaa nAmam. 6is practice that !as blended in'od1s initiative gave the results. It !as only the Cuarter share of mantra thatmotivated him to act focussed his mind !ithout creating other digressive thoughts

thereby the threefourths of his eorts excelledJ

Although good luck may be seen in one1s horoscope& it !ouldn1t arrive on its o!n.Muck is only a Cuarter share to make it happen the threefourth share of eorts areneeded.

Lnly a seed becomes a tree& but the land has to be thoroughly ploughed& the seedand plant !atered and there must be sunlight for the gro!th of the plant. If the

seed is a Cuarter share the other factors are three Cuarters.

The fruits contained in a mantra is like the ghee in milk& oil in the sesame seed. Sothe mantra is onefourth and our eorts to derive its fruits threefourthsJ



Therefore one should understand that the saying Omantras one Cuarter& only matithree Cuarters1 only explains that the fruits of the mantras are obtained to theextent of our eorts.

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8eliefs/ Sighting the drumstick tree on getting up

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Lct :+&@==,& p+:)

Vue/ Some people say that the drumstick tree should not be sighted !hen gettingup from bed in the morningR

Ans/ The drumstick (horseradish) tree is mostly planted at a distance from thehouse& in a place !hich is not normally sighted readily& !ith an eye on healthfactors.

The drumstick ra! fruit is needed& and also the problems that arise out of gro!ingthe tree must be avoided. 8ro!n caterpillars !ith !oolen hair infest the tree and

cause skin irritations if they come in contact !ith it. So our ancestors acted !ithcaution and !isdomJ

*espite these precautions& if one happens to sight the drumstick tree as the -rstthing on getting up in the morning& there !ould be nothing !rong !ith that.

Mook at the palms of both of your hands !hen you get up in the morning. After this&you might look at anything else. *on1t get confused !ith baseless tidings.

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dharma/ atithi bho9anam/ feeding before eating



(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Apr =&@==& pB<)

Vue/ OLne should have the meal only after giving atithi bho9anam (food to guests).Oany sages including Danchi aramacharya have said it. Is it possible to implement

this in today1s circumstancesR

Ans/ The 3eda that recommends feeding a guest goes a step further and says&OLne !ho takes food !ithout feeding others takes only sin.O (OkevalAkobhavatikevalAtiO).

1atithi upachAram1 (service to guests) is the tradition of our 8harat. It is the advice

of the 3edas that the natural !ealths are common to all beings& so the share onegets of them also belongs to other beings& and therefore one should share them&such as feeding a guest before taking a meal.

The gro!th of civiliation today does not impede the arrival of guests. If a guestkno!s that he#she !ould get food& the person !ould surely visit the houseJ Margecro!ds can be seen in place !here annadAnam is held. There !ould be no dearth of guests in places like *harmasthala. (Obho9ana syAdaro rasa6O).

In case an atithi is not foundthe *harma Shastra has a solution for that too.8efore adding rice to boiling !ater for cooking it& drop a small portion of it into the-re that cooks the rice. This !ould amount to feeding Agni& the pratinidhi(representative) of the *evas. After the rice is cooked& give some annam to thecro!s& considering the cro! as the representative of living beings& and this !ouldget merits.

If there is no traditional oven& no traditional method of cooking the rice and no cro!

!ould arrivein such a predicament& pray 'od !ith all your heart pleading that thecircumstances prevent you from doing your dharma and the fruits of having givenatithi bho9anam !ould be obtained.

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saidevo

:B April @==& :=/=+

Temples/ ight abhiShekam& erumAM temple& alaysia

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Apr =&@==& pB>)

Vue/ I am a resident of alaysia. In the erumAM Dovil here& abhiShekas areperformed at night. Is this correctR

Ans/ There might be changes in the services to 'od depending on Agama& *harmaShastra& Sthala urAa& historical events& SampradAyam (tradition) and localcustoms. In certain temples there !ould be no abhiShekam at all to the deity made

of !ood. In certain other temples& abhiShekam may not be given the preference butdone only on visheSha (special) days. There are temples !here the abhiShekam isdone only in the morning.

0ontrary to the regulations& in certain temples& the abhiSheka ArAdhana is doneaccording to the !ishes of the devotees too.

Some temples have become commercial centres due to changes in the social

thinking. They install a hundi& collect money and perform visheSha p59as& specialArAdhanas and thereby increase their economy giving employment to many people.Lnce it becomes commercial& it is natural that their aairs do have a change. So&there is nothing !rong in performing abhiShekam at nightJ

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4earing elephants in temples

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Apr =&@==& pB)

Vue/ Are there any special reasons for rearing elephants in templesR

Ans/ AlayAs are not sanctuaries for animals and birdsJ 8ut then in order that milk isavailable !ithout any hitch for deity abhiShekam& co!s are reared in temples.Similarly& to take the deity on procession during festival times& some temples rearelephants.

%here elephants are readily available for festive processions& it is not necessary torear them in temples. It !ould then be best to hire an elephant instead of creating aburden in the temple administration by rearing it in the temple.

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*reams/ Seeing birds and animals

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Apr =&@==& pB)

Vue/ I had a dream in !hich a kite (eagle) entered my house. Is it good or not tosee birds and animals in dreamsR

Vue/ I had a dream !herein I sa! nine tigers entering my house. Seeing tigers incertain numbers& !hat could it indicateR %hat could be the fruits of such dreamsR

Ans/ *reams are not reality. They come and go like streaks of lighningJ



1*reams are an indication of de-ciency in health1 opines the Ayurveda. According topsychology& dreams are expressions of a !eary mind. The *harma Shastra (SvapnaShastra) says that dreams are indicative of things to happen in future. According to

?yotiSha (astrology)& dreams mark the beginning of the action of karma.

That !hich is not there can1t creating anything real sat cannot gro! from asat anda shado! cannot become the ob9ectJ

Take bath at da!n and pray to 'od. The opposite eects !ould move a!ay. Thinking about the dream attributing some reality to it could cause problems.

%hen the body takes rest& the mind should also sleep. If the mind sleeps too& there!ould be no dreams. Eind out !ays for it and peace !ould be certain to obtainJ

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saidevo

:; April @==& ::/@@

Spiritual bene-ts of the darbha grass

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Apr =&@==& p+:)

Vue/ %e perform the ya9nas !earing k5rcham& pavitram made of the darbha grass.%hat is the specialityR



Ans/ %hen practising the *harma Shastra& darbha (pavitram) should be !orn onthe hand. 1pavitram1 means purityJ So the darbha grass by nature is pure. So the3eda says that pavitram stands for the darbha grass. (pavitram vai darbhA6).

%hen doing 9apam and dAnam& !e should remain darbhapAi. ?ust as !ater !illnot stick to a lotus leaf& so !ould not pApam stick to the person !earing darbha&says the *harma Shastra. (vibhyate nasapApena padma patra mivAmpasA). Theinvisible rAkShasas !ho try to prevent our doing 9apam and ya9nam !ould run a!ayfrom seeing the darbha. In the ArAdhana of ancestors& to drive a!ay the evil forces&it is customary to !ipe the Koor !here the meal is served& !ith darbha grass.

Mike sh5lam of 'od Shankara& chakram of 'od 3ishu& Shastra recommends the!eapon pavitram for people doing their dhArmic duties. %ith 9ust a glance at thedarbha grass& it is said& that the evil forces such as bh5ta& pishAcha andbrahmarAkshas !ould run a!ayJ So the darbha must be !orn for purity as !ell asto remove hurdles. %e call the -nger that !ears the darbha& pavitra viral (the -ngerof purity).

To minimie the AkarShaa shakti of bh5mi it is customary to sit on an Asana madeof darbha. This seat also minimies any ill eects from the AkAsha. (darbheshu

Asana6). The darbha is also used to purify the items used in a ritual. Although agniby itself is pure& darbha further strengthens its purity.

Ln the kumbha& the seat of devatas& the k5rcham !ould be there. The arghyamoered to the pitrus is also linked !ith the k5rcham. The purity of substances isheighted !hen they are linked !ith darbha. The darbha grass does not conductelectricity& and is also more po!erful. %e kno! the story of ho! a missle of darbhagrass that Sri 4ama thre! at DAkAsura& drove him a!ay running all the !ay backJ

The urana says& OA snake licked the ghee that fell on darbha and the darbha grass

punished it by cutting its tongue into a !edge.O 3arahamitra says the place !heredarbha grass gro!s is good for digging a !ell for !ater. To sum up& darbha isature1s gift to usJ 4ead the *harma Shastras to learn about its greatness/ and you!ill be impressedJ

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Temple pu9a timings/ ho! they are decided

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Apr @+&@==& pB<)

Vue/ Seven kAla p59as are said to be performed for 0hidambaram Sri atarA9aR6o! are the pu9a timings decidedR

Ans/ In temples& (usually) four kAla p59as are performed/ in the morning& noon&sunset time and midnight. There are temples that stop !ith 9ust the morning (onekAla) pu9aJ

There are eight yAmas in a day of @+ hours/ four during daytime and four duringnighttime& each yAma being of B hours. The udayAstamayana (sunrise& sunset)!orships are done during the time of four yAmas of the day. Ln festive days like theShivarAtri& four kAla p59as !ill be held during the four yAmas of the night.

Ln the vrata (fasting) days of 4uShi panchami& pradoSham& four kAla pu9as !ill beheld.

The !orship timings in temples are determined based on the Agama and tradition.Fven among these temples& there are some !hose pu9a timings are dierent.0hidambaram Sri atarA9a temple is one such. %e can also !elcome temples thathave special traditional distinctions that are dierent from the general regulations.

%orships are also held& diving the time bet!een sunrise and sunset into -ve partsas prAta6 (morning)& sangava6 (forenoon)& madhyAna6 (noon)& aparAnna6(afternoon)& and sAyam (evening).

In the month of Argahi& early morning visheSha p59as !ill be held. *istinctivenight !orship is done during days that include annAbhiShekam& ArudrA darshanam&vaikuTha ekAdashi& shrI k4uSha 9ayanti. The uchchi kAla (noon time) !orship isheld during Sri 4amaavami. The festive times are usually decided asrecommended by the Agamas.



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Sri Sathyanarayana u9a/ kalasha tIrtham

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Apr @+&@==& pB>)

Vue/ 0an the kalasha tIrtham (!ater from the pitcher) oering during SriSathyanarayana u9a in places such as a aTham& be sprinkled in our homes tooR

Ans/ Ues& very !ell. 8ut it is best to do Sri Sathyanarayana u9a at home. It !ould

be appropriate to sprinkle the tIrtham in the home !here the pu9a is held.

It is not as proper to have the u9a at one place and the sprinkling at another.*evelop the eligibility to perform the u9a at your o!n house. Is it not better toperform the u9a at home than !atch it performed in a athamR If the u9a is doneat home& the prosperity !ould s!ell and the aishvaryam (!ealth) !ould KourishJ

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saidevo

@< April @==& =/@,

8roken image in a temple sanctum



(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Apr @+&@==& pB>)

Vue/ The m5lavar amman vigraham (image of the main deity& other) in thesanctum sanctorum of a temple is shithila (damaged). So they do pu9a to a

panchaloka vigraham in its place. Is this alrightR

Ans/ If an image in the sanctum sanctorum of a temple is bhinna (broken)& thatdefect should be recti-ed and kumbAbhiShekam conducted.

There is sannidhyam (divine presence) in the panchaloka vigraham too. So& it is not!rong to keep it in the sanctum and do pu9a to it. 8ut then it is not also proper to

leave the damaged image of the main deity as it is and do pu9a to the subsitutedpanchaloka vigraham.

The main image should be kept in a pAlAlayam (temporary shelter duringrenovation of a shrine)& its damage recti-ed& kumbAbhiShekam performed andthereby the sannidhyam restored to the image. 5ntil such time& pu9a can beperformed to the panchaloka vigraham. The recti-cation#replacement of the mainimage should not be delayed for years inordinately. A ShivAcharya should beapproached and his recommendations implemented for best results.

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*o Shiva1s sportive plays reduce his yogic statusR

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Apr @+&@==& pB)

Vue/ 'od Shiva is one !ho is al!ays immersed in yoga. The urana says that heburnt anmathan (god of love). If that be the case& !e can1t accept his ordinaryhuman acts as narrated in some uranic incidentsR Is the IshA one !ho can1t controlhis mindR



Ans/ Those !ho take on the role of a character of a play !on1t express their truenature in their acts. Lnce a person lets go the play& he !ould not become an actorin his real life.

%hen Shiva !as an actor& he carried loose earth for the !ages of pudding. %henhe !as svayam (his o!n nature)& he consumed the AlakAla poison and saved the!orld. Sri Drishna tended the co!s !hen he !as an actor !hen he !as his o!nSelf& he blessed us !ith the 'ita.

Sriman arayana !hen he appeared as Sri 4ama& !as immersed in sorro! !henSita !as separated from him. Sri Drishna born in the Uadava Dulam submitted to hisfoster mother UashodhA and took on the insults of SishupAla. Tbus& 'od1s naturediers according to the role he plays in the drama of life.

Since 'od has something that the ordinary man does not have& 6e can act in!hatever !ay that pleases him. This is not a shortcoming in him& only distinctionJ

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6ome pu9a/ !omen1s chores

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Apr @+&@==& p+:)

Vue/ Is it right for !omen to grind sandal paste and ring the bell in a home pu9aR

Ans/ %omen have priority in the chores of service to 'od. These chores !ould givethem Atma lAbham (spiritual gain). %omen naturally possess the Cuality of doing

the chores !ithout kopatApam (anger and heat). %omen in these days are givenpriority in doing certain services and their related chores/ !e -nd that their role ismore in the care of diseased persons and in babysitting the children.



'rinding the sandal paste and ringing the bell are the tasks of the person !hoperforms the pu9a. If that person can1t do these things& and !omen volunteer forthem& it !ould be courteous to !elcome them do those tasks.

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ya9van

@, April @==& =>/B,

hari^ o_

HHHHHH

amast` saidevo&

0an you be so kind as to add information on the B debts a brahmin ( and or others)are born !ithR i.e. to discharge their debt to their father ( pit or ancestors ) & theseers ( or teachers) and the devat.

It may be in this string& yet I did not see it.

pram



saidevo

=B ay @==& =:/@B A

amaste Ua9van.

*ebts to it4us are covered under various posts in the form of Cuestions andans!ers& but not all the three debts. Since the topic is large& I have opened a ne!thread/

6indu SamskAra 4egulations/ Three *ebts of the T!ice8orn

http/##!!!.hindudharmaforums.com#sho!thread.phpRtX+=@>

Thank you for the motivation and please feel free to add !hat I have left out& !ithyour usual explanations of the roots of Sanskrit terms and phrases.

saidevo

:: ?une @==& =/B



6ome pu9a/ !hat is upAsanamR

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Sep @,&@==,& p=)

Vue/ Some people are kno!n as devi upAsakA& An9aneya upAsaka !hat isupAsanamR 6o! to obtain upAsakamR

Ans/ upAsanam is !orshipping a speci-c deity by body& mind and !ords& afterbeing attracted by the deity1s form and then treating that sacred form asarabrahman. In other !ords& upAsanam is !orship of a speci-c godform !ithunited mind& that !orship being born of faith in the form.

*eiva 5pAsanam !ould help us perfect our birth. Sages !ould describe it as a pathto liberation. Ues& the upAsakA becomes -t for 'od1s grace& being immersed in thefeeling that !hatever happens is 'od1s !ill.

Tantra ShAstra is the basis for upAsanas. It describes the !ay to !orship and themantra for a speci-c deity. Lne can become a upAsakA by getting upadesham froma suitable guru& of the m5la mantra of the speci-c deity one desires to !orship.

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Fating Siamese t!ins bananas

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Sep @,&@==,& p=)

Vue/ 0an !e eat the t!in banana fruits that are 9oined like the Siamese t!insR

Ans/ *o !e ignore any t!in children born like the Siamese t!insR oJ So& eatingSiamese t!ins bananas is no harm.



ot everyone has t!ins for children& only some have. It !ould be diWcult to rearthe t!ins if they are born 9oined to each. 8ased on this fact& the saying that eatingSiamese t!ins bananas could get you similar t!ins for children has cropped up inthe villages.

There is another saying among the rustics/ if a !oman !ears Ko!ers !orn byanother !oman& she !ould get only a married man for husband. *harma ShAstrashave no sanction for such ne!s and beliefs.

Some people are born !ith 9oined -ngers some have six -ngers. These areconsidered as signs of luck or misfortune. In the same !ay& people born !ith sCuinteyes are ridiculted by some and praised by some others. There are no individualeects for such changes that happen at birth. It1s the same !ith the t!in bananas&

so there is no need to avoid eating them or seek them out to eatJ

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6ome pu9a/ using Ko!er petals for archanA

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Aug B=&@==,& p@>)

Vue/ 0an Ko!ers be torn into their petals and the archanA to pictures of deitiesdone !ith those petalsR

Ans/ The archanA should be done !ith the thought& 1this Ko!er is soft& so is yoursacred feet& and my heart is also soft. I oer my soft heart that has a mixture ofdesire and devotion& to your feet.1 If the mind is immersed in devotion& it !on1tindulge in such unnecessary research.

Any!ay& the Ko!ers like sAmandhi (chamomile)& shangkha puShpam (conchshaped blue#!hite Ko!er)& techchi& pAri9Atam (coral Ko!er) should be used in full&!ithout tearing them into petals. 8ut there is nothing !rong in converting largeKo!ers like the lotus& chemparutthi (large& red Ko!ers)& and the tAhamp5 (scre!pine Ko!er).



%hen Ko!ers are in shortage& one !ould think of using their petals. 6o!ever& insuch circumstances& the akShata can be used for archanA. If the akShata falls short&one can use kumkumam. Fven if that falls short& one may 9ust do the archanA&

chanting 8hagavan1s name. Thus& it is not necessary to create an arti-cial shortageof an archanA item and use it improperly.

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saidevo

=; ?uly @==& :@/;< A

Farly morning kolam and lamps

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Aug :<&@==,& p@=)

Vue/ I !orship 'od by getting up daily at early morning& taking bath& dra!ing a1kolam1 at the threshold of the home& light t!o 1ahal lamps1 over it& also light a1kutthu viMakku1 at the home pu9a spot and !orship 'od. Some people say that Ishould not light a lamp !hen some of the household people are still sleeping. Is thatsoR

Ans/ othing !rong in your doing your duty. %hen doing duty& ignore suchob9ections.



Farly morning is not the time for sleeping and those !ho sleep then are at fault& soit is they !ho must correct their !rong habit. Ayurveda says that one should avoidsleeping in the early morning for continued good health. So you continue your dutyand let them correct their !rong habit.

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hysical disabilities 'od1s punishmentR

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Aug :<&@==,& p@@)

Vue/ Is sharIra 5na (bodily disability) a punishment by 'odR

Ans/ 'od is parip5ran& one !ho is supremely complete in all aspects and respects.6e !on1t give anyone any handicap. It is only our bad karma that gets us thepunishment due.

Ayurveda says that any de-ciency in the parents1 shukra& shroita (sperm& egg)could be the reason for the child1s handicap.

The opinion of the *harma Shastra is that the bad karmic acts performed in earlierbirths fructify in the current birth as handicaps.

The book karma vibhAga says that a speci-c karmic act is the reason for aspeci-c bodily de-ciency. Sinful acts !ould rule over body parts and make us suerthe misery& says the 3eda.

Lur acts are the reason for our misery. It is the same !ith handicap. 0hildren !ithgood sight are born to blind parents and healthy children !ith no handicap are bornto a parent !ith a handicap. The child of a dump person !ould talk very !ellJ Thus&even if a person is handicapped& his semen#egg could be healthy& resulting in goodand healthy progeny.



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6ome pu9a/ *ivine horoscopes and 3astu portrait

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Aug :<&@==,& p@B)

Vue/ 0an the divine horoscopes of Sri 4ama and Sri Drisha and the portrait of3astu 8hagavan be kept in the pu9a roomR

Ans/ There !ould be horoscopes only for people !ith a birth and death. The

horoscope helps to kno! the karma done in the previous birth.

Sri 4ama and Sri Drisha are avatars of 'od. They don1t need any horoscopes. Theyplanned and prearranged the happenings in their lives and !ent through themaccordingly. To compute a horoscope for these gods and give predictions based onthem are against the 19yotiSha shAstra1. A horoscope should not be changed into apu9a article.

There is no necessity to !orship 3astu 8hagavan& keeping him in the pu9a room. This is because he is present on the very earth !e !alk through. %hen !e pray tothe land in the morning !e include him in our prayer& since he is merged !ith theearth.

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:= ?uly @==& :=/B;

Is the 1audumbara1 tree there on earth no!R

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Aug :&@==,& pB>)

Vue/ Is the 1audumbara1 tree mentioned in the urAAs there on earth no!R

Ans/ Lnly the country -g tree (Eicus racemosa) is called the 1audumbara1 tree. Thistree is commonly found every!here !hile its ra! fruits are visible& its Ko!er is not

commonly seen. Ayurveda explains the medicinal features of this tree. The spoonmade of the !ood of the 1audumbara1 tree is used to pour ghee in the 3edic -reoblations. The -g tree has the distinction of having been introduced by the 3edas.

ote/

:. The term 1audumbarAya1& meaning 1very strong and mighty1 is an attributeapplied to Uama& the god of death& in the 1yama vandanam1 part of the 1sandhyAvandanam1.

@. In Ayurveda& the Oaudumbara bhasmaO is used to maintain the good eects ofplanet 3enus. If 3enus is placed !ell in the horoscope& it leads to attractiveness&grace& elegance and long life. The use of the Oaudumbara bhasmaO makes anindividual re-ned !ith humanitarian Cualities.

%hen 3enus is illplaced in the horoscope& it leads to vanity& corruption& lack oftaste and re-nement and ageing and the Oaudumbara bhasmaO is used to remove

these eects of 3enus. (http/##!!!.religiousportal.com#Sacred6erbs.html)

B. The -ve trees 1bilva1 (!oodapple& Aegle marmelose)& 1shamI1 (vanni& Acaciaferruginea)& 1ashvattha1 (peepal& Eicus religiosa)& 1nimba1 (margosa#neem&Aadirachta indica) and 1audumbara1 (country -g& Eicus racemosa) are kno!n as the



1panchavaTI1 trees. In another version& the 1panchavaTI1 trees refer to 1banyan& -g&gooseberry (amla#nelli)& bhilva and ashoka1 trees.

+. Indian villages used to have a large& round& raised platform built around the

1panchavaTI1 trees !here religious and other village meetings !ere held. Thesetrees puri-ed the air people !ho sit under them breathed. The 1panchavaTI1 treeshave been a source of inspiration for our sages.

;. Megends tell us that Mord *attatreya d!ells in this tree and thus it is regarded asa sacred tree.

<. %ikipedia has detailed articles on these trees.

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%omen and 1anga pradakShia1

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated Aug :&@==,& pB>)

Vue/ 0an !omen do 1anga pradakShia1 in templesR

Ans/ They can. Fxcept for the bodily features there is no dierence bet!een menand !omen.

19yotiSham1 !hen it gives the 1phala1 (results)& -rst gives them for men and thensays& Oall these 1phala1 are also applicable for !omen1& and then proceeds to give

speci-c 1phala1 for !omen.

So far as !orldly actions go& there is no distinction bet!een men and !omen in the*harma ShAstras. 8oth rahlAda and IrA are kno!n for their devotion. urAAssay that even animals like the elephant and snake !ho lack the sixth sense canapproach 'od. It is the mind that determines the action of 1bhakti1. There is



information that both Daappa AyanAr and ShabarI -rst tasted the food itemsthey oered to 'od. Thus& !hen devotion is high& gender dierences disappear.

evertheless& since the nature of !omanliness is being soft and tender& the society

of those days hesitated to included them in hard tasks. *uring a 9ourney& thehusband !ould carry the heavy luggage !hile the !ife !ould carry light and easythings such as the 1!atermonkey1 (portable !ater vessel !ith a lid& 1k59A1 in Tamil).%hile hard tasks like ploughing& cutting !ood& digging !ells !ould be vested !ithmen& easy tasks such as planting the saplings& carrying bricks& sand and cementmixture !ould be allotted to !omen. Such distinction is only an expression ofbenevolenceJ

Same !ay !ith prayers& !hich might assume dierent forms reKected by peoples1

preferences. 6o!ever& there !on1t be any dierence in their 1phala1. %e shouldselect our methods of !orship and prayer based on hygiene and the *harmaShAstras and not to establish any right of eCuality.

Lur culture is one that adores femininity. Therefore it !ould be elegant to insist onand compete for tasks and thinks that heighten the state of femininity.

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:< ?uly @==& ::/:@

oving turmeric 'anesha image to north after pu9a



(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ?ul :>&@==,& p@,)

Vue/ After the 'anapati u9a is -nished& they say that the turmeric image of'anesha should be moved to north. %hyR

Ans/ Lnly thatR

*uring marriage& the bridegroom should sit facing north.

*uring the ancestor !orship& !e should sit facing only north.

%hile doing 1shubha kArya1 (auspicious rites) the threestringed holy thread shouldhang from the left shoulder (that faces north).

*uring a 1ya9na1& the related things should be kept at north.

After praying& OI !orship the devas for my elevationO& the remaining 1akShata1 and1darbha1 grass held in the hand should be dropped at north.

After -nishing !orship& one should raise and move to!ards north.

The 1paradeshi kola payaam1 (pretended travel of the bridegroom disguised as amendicant) during marriage should be to!ards north.

The 1Achamanam1 should be done facing north.

'ayA is located in the north so during ancestral rites& this sacred place !ould bekept in mind and the 1kartA1 !ould take a fe! steps to!ards north.



%hile serving food& the placing of items should end at north.

%hile !e lie do!n !e should stretch our legs to!ards north by this our hygiene!ould be guarded.

The 3edas should be chanted sitting one leg crossed over the other& and the leg atthe top should face north& says the ShAstra.

Thus& there are many instances of giving important to the direction orthJ

The sacred place kAshi (3araasi) and the eru ountain are in the north. It is theurAnic saying that eru is located orth of the !hole !orld. The device thatindicates direction al!ays has its pointer to!ards north& in !hatever direction oneturns it. Thus it is only orth that introduces the other directionsJ

That our acts relating to our progress should be concluded in north is the teachingof our *harma ShAstra. Therefore& in order that our progress continues& it is

signi-cant that !e move the 'anesha image to!ards north after the pu9a is-nished.

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0an death be sensed earlierR

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ?ul :>&@==,& p@)

Vue/ 0an 1maraam1 be sensed earlierR

Ans/ 8hIShmar embraced 1maraam1 the !ay he !anted it to happen. 6epostponed dying until the time of 5ttarAyaam. *asharatha kne! that Sri 4ama1s



separation !ould give him death. Ding arIkShit also kne! that as soon as thoseseven days !ere over& his death !ould happen.

*eath is certain for one that is born. 3edas bless us to live for a hundred years.

?yotiSham (astrology) gives us a life span of :@= years. *harma ShAstra tells us the!ay to conCuer 1maraam1.

Adi Sankara says& O*on1t suer getting stuck in the s!irl of death and birth listen& Ishall tell you a !ay out of it.O Fven the 0reator has a limit to his life says theurAas. The seed sprouts& gro!s& Ko!ers& bears ra! and ripe fruits& !ithers anddies. This state is there for man too. 1maraam1 is the matured stage of gro!th it isa compulsion of time.

Ayurveda indicates the pointers to death that can be sensed behorehand. ?yotiSham determines the time of death. The diseases that crop up in our body too!ould indicate us the possible time of our death. Lne !ho is bedridden (for the lasttime) !ould realie the separation of each and every atom from his body this !ouldbe follo!ed by the separation of the soul. Some speci-c dreams& things appearingdistorted& !ailing saying the names of forefathers& seeing something else instead ofa speci-c thingsuch incidents are indicators that death is nearby& says Ayurveda. Itintroduced a chapter called 1ariShTAdhyaya1 for this purpose.

%e should act !ith the thought 1I have no death& I am siran9Ivi (immortal)1. Then ourmind !ould give up its 1chAnchalya1 (unsteadiness)& concentrate on the act andmake us excel says the *harma ShAstra.

So& don1t keep thinking about death. Met it come !hen it may& forget it.

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6appenings !ith a reason are not omens

(Sri Seshadrinatha SastrigaM& Sakthi 3ikatan dated ?ul :>&@==,& pB:)



Vue/ Lne evening I !ent to the emilichcheri Sri AgattIshvara temple. There& !henI !as having darshan of Sri ahA 'anapati& the sandal paste stuck to his foreheadcame o and dropped to the Koor. Is this a good 1shakunam1 (omen)R

Ans/ The sandal paste that !as stuck in the morning could have come o anddropped do!n. It is a mistake to vie! this as a 1shakunam1. If the drop of the sandalpaste !as not seen by your eyes your mind !ould not have been confused.

6appenings !ith a reason cannot be considered as 1shakunam1. In the month ofDArtigai !e !ould light a lamp at the threshold. If the fame goes o !hen the !indblo!s& !ould !e call it a 1shakunam1R The Kame should go o !hen the !ind blo!sheavilyJ It is possible that the 1prasAdam1 !e get& slips and falls to the ground in therush of people. In the same !ay& the 1nivedanam1 could drop to the Koor !hen !e

take it out from the stove. %hen a coconut is broken for pu9a& it might slip from ourhands and fall do!n. %e should not include in 1shakunas1 such things that happendue to lack of care.

Uou are going out coming over to the entrance of your house you look up and see a'arudA bird Kying. That is 1shakunam1J Thus& !hat happens unexpectedly is a1shakunam1. Therefore be at peace !ithout confusing your mind by imagining

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