Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Why Sri Jayanthi, Krishna Jayanthi, Gokulastami on different dates






We all have heard stories about why we celebrate Krishna Janmastami. I am here to just delve a bit into the diffrence in dates in celebrating Sri Jayanthi, Krishna Jayani, Gokulastami.

There are two main vaishnava temple agama methods. One is Vaikanasam. The other one is Pancharathram.

Vaikanasam: Brahma's son Vikanasar was born as a Munivar in the earth and he was worshipping Lord Narayana. To this Muni, Sriman Narayanan himself explained the sasthram (Rules) on temple-building, procedures of installation of idol for worship etc. Vikanasa Muni conveyed these sastras to his disciples Athri, Marisi, Kasyapar and others. Since Vikanasa Munivar was first to establish this agamam, it came to be called "Vaikanasa Agamam". This agama sasthram was brought into print form in the 3rd century A.D.

            The principles under Vaikanasam are: 
                 Lord Vishnu is Aadhi Purushan. From Him, evolved the other forms of the Lord viz., Sathyan, Achuthan, Aniruthan. Vakanasa temples will be normally built inside towns and not permitted to be constructed on hills. Also, Lakshmi is inseparable from Narayanan. She is the embodiment in five bhoothas, five states of Lord Vishnu (Para, vyuga, Vibhava, Andharyami  and Archa). And, chit, Achit and Iswara are always sathyam. Worshipping can be done only to Lord Narayana with Lakshmi and to none other. So under Vaikanasa sastra, even Azhvars and Acharyans are not worshipped and so there won't be idols of Azhvar, Acharyars in temples. Even the tamil 4000 divya prabhandams are not recited in vaikanasa temples. Ahobhilam, Oppiliappan, Srivilliputhur temples are examples of Vaikanasa agamam. (Tirupathi, though installed on hill, is an exception for observing Vaikanasam)

Pancharathram: It is connected with the purusha sukhtham found in Rig Veda. At several places in Mahabharatham, Vasudevan is extoled as principal Lord as per Pancharathra agama principal. Originally, worshipping was through conducting Yagas and Yagnas. Only Pancharathra Agama set forth ways for building temples for worhip by installing vigrahas, conducting uthsavas and arranging veedhi ula of the deity. Pancharathra agama is appreciated in Mahabharatham, Srimad Bhagavatham, Vishnupuranam, Padhma puranam,Garuda puranam, Naratheeyam and Varaga Puranam. There are 108 samhithais in Pancharathram.

There are quite different schools of thought for fixing the name Panchrathram. One explanation is that originally this sasthram was followed in five paruvas of the year and five specific rathris were selected for the culminating the rituals. By another explanation, Ananthan, Garudan, Viswakshwnar, Kapali and Brahma got the upadeasam directly from Lord Narayana in five days.

Under Pancharathram, temples are constructed away from towns, on hills and on river banks. There is no caste difference observed under Pancharathram, All who get dheekshai are equal. Andal is worshipped equal to Lakshmi. Azhwars are also installed in temples and worshipped. The same five states of Sriman Narayanan are worshipped in Pancharathram as in Vaikansam.                                                                                                                                    Srirangam, Kanchi, Melakkottai, Tiruvallur etc are pancharathra temples.

Now regarding Sri Jayanthi. Smarthas observe only ashtami thithi in Sravana month. Vaishnavas observe Ashtami merging with Rohini star in pathrabha month (next to sravana month). Here again, in temples, vaikanasas observe the evening - night time for the thithi and star combination. Pancharathra temples observe the combination at day time. 

In the case of Munithraya anushtanam, which is common for Ashramam and Madam, the choice of the combination of thithi and nakshthra with timing of the day is decided by individual Acharyan. And, the sishyas have to blindly follow the instructions of their individual Acharyas.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

What is Prapathi / Bharnyasam /arasamarpanam/Upayanushtanam (Prapatti)

Description: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7w8c2YvRoF0Hka-gDIkVpp3vKqM-6g0kCNOCUGkgswj9tMeWUK8K3ShHH_3hGiifCu5VnEE8zeHIrUJh-OYibsjfUKVdgfSssq3QKXUXsalvYUjZuh2Qx5Wvq0A3daRoeLk85D6EGxr75/s320/p_Ponnadi.jpg
Prapathi and Bharnyasam are one and the same. Prapathi or Baranyasam is submission to Acharyan through whom we submit ourselves to Sriman Narayanan for reaching Vaikuntam after death.

The text below is the doubts I've shared with my father -in-law. So i've just reproduced his explanation for that. I’ve also stated my understanding below that

The other names are: Parasamarpanam, Upayanushtanam.

Actually, Prapathi is of 4 types. Namely,


1. Swa Nishtai: In this the person himself realises the means of reaching Sriman Narayana directly without other's help. As on date, no body practises this.

2. Ukthi Nishtai: Person not knowing the means of prapathi but merely repeats what Acharyan says, blindly having faith in Sriman Narayana.

3. Acharya Nishtai: Knowing the rahasyarthas conveyed by the Acharyan and believing in reaching Sriman Narayana by means of Sarangathi being done by the Acharyan, who represents us to Sriman Narayana on behalf of the Sishyas. ( Almost all of us follow only this type of prapathi)

4. Bhagavata Nishtai: Person who sticks to and follows a Bhagavathar who does Saranagathi to Sriman Narayana.

Here, a prapathi where a person desires immediate Moksha is called Aartha Prapathi.

If Moksha is desired when normal death occurs, it is called Dhruptha Prapathi.

Is Prapathi doen only in the fag end of life?

It is wrong to state that prapathi is done at the fag end of man's life. No! You can do Saranagati just after Samasrayanam. Once you take prapathi, you have to be very strict in all the anushtanams right from the food you take, worship you do etc. You cannot take food outside. You cannot worship any other devatha except Lord Narayana, You cannot even think of some thing which is Papa and not suited to the Lord.

You have to observe 5 codes of conduct towards the Lord. They are:

  • ·        Strictly following vedas, sastras and other things which are to the liking of Lord (Anukulya sangalapa),
  • ·        Strictly shun all activities that are forbidden by Veda-sastras which are naturally to the disliking of the Lord (Prathikulya varjana),
  • ·        Have unshakable faith in the Lord that he would save you (Maha Visvasam),
  • ·        Understand that you are otherwise not capable of reaching the Lord and his abode and so the prapathi you do alone is the way (Akinchanyam),
  • ·        Earnestly and continuously beseech Lord to save you, fully understanding him as the Saviour at all stages and times (Gopthruav varanam).

Thus Samasrayan is the present upayam (tool) for living a vaishavaite life and Prapathi is the ultimate upayam for raching Vaikuntam and not ever returning to this sinful worldy life.
Since many people are not able to be very strict in observing post-prapathi life due to occupation, health and other circumstances, they postpone the Prapathi to older years, since it is highly sinful to fail in anushtanams after taking up prapathi.


My understanding: (Not as a rule but as Common Sense...
When Samasrayanam is done, we promise to oblige to the rule of "Maha Vishvasam" which means, I am truthful to Mahavishnu alone. So People who actually take up that vow follow it to the end.


My understanding of this concept In our philosophy we do Idol worship (i.e.) we start by fixing our mind on a Roopa (form). We then associate the Roopa to His Gunas (qualities). As common sense would suggest us, the more the roopas, the more the distribution of concentration and thus the distribution of love. Since Sri Vaishnavism has Lord Vishnu as its Epicenter, one is asked to resort and imagine Him as the only God and to get immersed in His Qualities. There is yet another way of seeing it. A Sri Vaishnavin would know a lot more about Lord Vishnu and His qualities than any other and so it is easy for the person to fall in love with Lord Vishnu and His qualities than any other. So the love for God and the bakthi that comes out of his loyalty to that one God is much more powerful and will bring him to the lotus feet of Sri MahaVishnu than the concept of following many.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Why is samasrayanam done? Its significance.

What is Samasrayanam?

All Srivaishnavins undergo a sacravant called Samasrayanam which is same as "Pancha Samskaram" ( Five Duties) which every Sri Vaishnavan should get done from his Acharyan (guru).

Who does it and how is it done? 

In olden days, all the Vaishvaites were very orthodox, performing daily Agni Hothram* and therefore the father of the family himself was the Acharyan for the members of that family. He was initiating the members into Sri Vaishnava sampradayam by Samsrayanam process.Now-a-days, most of the family heads are loukhikas and so for the purpose of Samasrayanam, we approach pontiffs heading religious Madams.

*Agnihothram is the daily Homan ritual to be done by a brahamin. Fire for cooking will be taken daily by the housewife from this homa kund only.  The fire will never extinguish in the homa kund. When the person dies, he will be cremated from the fire taken only from this homa kund) 

Since there are two specific sub-sects in Vaishnavism namely Vadakalai and Thenkalai, the respective followers will have to get Samasrayanam done from their respective pontiffs.
 Even under the two sampradaya groups mentioned above, there are many Acharya paramparas and each parampara pontiff has His own shishya kotis.

What is its Significance?

Now coming to Samasrayanam. This process of initiation of a vaishnavan into Sri Vaishnavism, is by performing Pancha Samskara through an Acharyan. 
The Pancha samskaras [five fold rituals] are the following:

1. tApa samskaram- or wearing [or embossing] the marks of the Conch [Shakhu] and Discuss [ChakrA] the two weapons [ornaments] of MahavishNu.
2. pundram: To wear the dvAdasa Urdhva pundram (12 Thiruman & Srichoornam)
3. nAmam: To be initiated by the AchAryA afresh as"RAmAnuja dAsan"(addition of 'dAsA'at the end of ones name) to indicate that one is forever a servant of the Supreme Lord Sriman NArAyanA and BhagavAnRAmAnujA.
4. manthram: To get the initiation of "Rahasya Traya MantrAs" - AshtAksharam, Dvayam and charama slokam.
5. Ijyai: To learn the worship of Sriman nArAyanA in proper form (Bhagavad ThiruvArAdhanam).

All Individuals are subordinate to the Lord. As a token and mark of this quality, we identify ourselves thorugh a symbol of the Lord. The Acharya after prayers invoke the Lord and His weapons [Sudharsana and Paanchajanya] to be present in the fire. He [Acharya] specially prays to Sudharshana and Paanchajanya to be eternally present in the individual undergoing Pancha samskara. The emblem of Sudharsana [Chakra] is heated in the fire and embossed on the right hand, chanting the following:

Sudharsana Mahajwala! Koti Soorya sama prabha |
agnAnanda syamE dEvA vishNOr maargam pradharsaya ||

(Oh! Flamy, fiery Sudarsana as lustrous as crores of Sub, please show me, an ignorant one, the path of Lord Vishnu.)

Afterwards, the emblem of Paanchajanyam is hearted in the fire and embossed on the left hand chanting the following hymn:

Paanchajanya nijadwana dwastapataka sanchya |
Paahimaam paapinaam ghOra Samasranava pathinam ||

(Oh paanchajanya! [Conch Shell] you are capable of driving away the sins of individuals through your Sound. Please protect me, a sinner from this samsaaram)

Taapa samskara is the most important because in the absence of this, an individual is not qualified to recite the mantras and perform the ArAdhanam [formal workship] of Sriman Narayana. The purpose of this is to purify the body and mind of the individual who is the token of his having become a VishNu devotee should bear permanently on his body the symbol of ChakrA and Sankhu. The reason for choosing these two symbols of Vishnu is that the Conch represents the auspiciousness, whereas the ChakrA [discuss] represents the spiritual energy that wards off evil.

Out of the above 5 rituals, the 4th namely Manthram has three parts.

1. Ashtaksharam: the eight akshara manthram of Narayana.
2. Dhvayam: Mantra for promising kainkaryam to Perumal & Piratti.
3. Charam sloham:  Lord krishna's "Mam Ekam Charam Vraja"

These three Mantras have to be learnt as upadesa only from the Acharyan.
Only after Samsrayanam, anybody, even when born in a Vaishnavite family, will becomt Sri (True) Vaishnavan and only after this, he is fit to perform any vaihnavite ritual -- right from daily Perumal Aradanam up to rituals linked to departed elder of the family. 
In the case of ladies, even cooking for the family can be done only after samasrayam. Otherwise, Sri Vaishnavas will not touch the food prepared by them. 

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Why is Abishegam / Thirumanjanam performed?



This Blog throws some light on the doubts I've. For which I got some answers from my Father in law, Sri. Parthasarathy. If there are more doubts, pls post. I'l try to find some answers. These details are very interesting as we delve deeper. 
Why is Thirumanjanam/ Abishegam performed? Is there any scientific significance attributed to it? 
"Abishekam", as mentioned, is the term used with reference to saivaite formalities. For Vaishnavites, it is "Thirumanjanam". The deities, very importantly made of "Nava pashana" like the one of Lord Muruga in Palani and others made of "pancha lokha" are applied with special preparations mainly to extract the medicinal benefits of such vigrahas. 

Nava Pashana is believed to be an amalgam of nine minerals – Veeram, Pooram, Rasam, Jathilingam, Kandagam(Sulphur), Gauri Pasanam, Vellai Pasanam, Mridharsingh and Silasat
Before applying items like Milk, Fruit-mix, Honey etc, the statues are cleaned with oil, soap-nut, turmeric etc. Then the application of eatable items will render transfer of Nava pashana or the metallic  flavour into the applied items. These items are later given to the devotees as prasadam and consuming the same with medicinal particles of the statues, will add strength to our body and will cleanse and clear any in-built deficiencies. This secrecy of science is not openly conveyed to people, lest, they might think"Ho! only that!".
 
One other lateral concept is that the metal and stone statues have to be kept cooled regularly -- even daily -- in order to suppress the physical phenomenon of "expansion of solids", which might deform or crack the structure. Abishekam will keep the structure at optimal temperature.
 
The third and commonly seen concept is to treat the deity as our child and bathe it and adorn it with vasthram and flowers, to show our love, as you have rightly mentioned  Most of the Alwars have treated the Lord Narayana as child and rendered pasurams of conducting bathing (Neerattam), which are sung in the temple at the time of performing Thirumanjanam.