CONCERT BY SMT. BHARGAVI BALASUBRAMANIAN - PRESENTED BY ARTS CULTURE INDIA FOUNDATION

ARTS CULTURE INDIA FOUNDATION PRESENTS :-
Vocal - Smt. Bhargavi Balasubramanian
Violin - Smt. V. S. P. Gayatri Shivani
Mridangam - Shri. S. Hariharan
जय जय श्रीराधे

Whether doing SandhyA Vandanam and Gayatri Japam by Brahmanas living abroad is fruitful?

The Sastras clearly declare that Bharata Desa is the Karma Bhumi fit for the performance of various Karmas in order to be fruitful. But the question remains to be answered as to whether the Karmas performed by the Brahmanas who have gone abroad due to various reasons are fruitful or not.
It has to be admitted that place (desa) is an important aspect of performance of Karma which tilts heavily towards Bharata Desa. In the light of Bhagavad Gita, it is advisable to perform a karma and surrender the fruit to the Suporeme Lord ( Karma phala tyaga) instead of not doing anything (karma tyaga) irrespective of the fact that the karma performed outside is not as fruitful as done in Bharata Desa. SandhyA Vandanam is a Nitya Karma which has to be done as long as one is alive and fit. Even while some one is abroad, he has to do that sincerely. When a dvija lives abroad under certain inevitable circumstances, it is always preferable to perform the nitya karma to the extent possible rather than giving up the same totally, quoting the SAstras.
SandhyA Vandanam is nothing but chanting and celebrating the splendor and glory of the Supreme and his manifestations in different forms. The mental framework (bhAva) of the doer (KartA) is more important than the physical ritualistic aspects involved.
What is not possible through proper performance of VarNASrama dharma in such difficult circumstances can be compensated through devotionally chanting the mahAmantra. Thus, the deficiencies (lopas) of karmAnushthAna can be addressed through devotional surrender to the Supreme.
One should not condemn the changing yuga dharmas and those dvijAs who follow those, as the dvijAs are suited to the yuga concerned.
yuge yuge ca ye dharmAs tatra tatra ye dvijAh ।
teshAm nindA na kartavYA yugarUpa hi te dvijAh ॥
--- ParAsara
dhyAyan krute yajan yajnaih tretAyAm dvAparercayan ।
yadApnoti tadApnoti kalau sankIrtya keSavam ॥
--- VyAsa
YAvanna kIrtayet rAmam kalikalmasha sambhavam ।
tAvattishthati dehesmin bhayam cAtra pravartate ॥
--- Sivasarvasvam
SrutismrutipurANeshu rAma nAma samIritam ।
tannAma kIrtanam bhUyas tApatrayavinASanam ॥
--- Chyavana smruti
sarvapApa prasaktopi dhyAyannimishamacyutam ।
punastapasvI bhavati panktipAvana pAvanah ॥
--- PaiThInasI
natAvatpApamedhena yannAma hatam hareh ।
atireka bhayAdAhuh prAyascittAntaram vrithA ॥
--- YogayAjnavalkya
prAyascittAnyaSeshANi tapah karmAtmakAni vai ।
yAni teshAmaSeshANAm krishNAnus smaraNam param ॥
---SrI VishNu PurANa
kalau kalmasha chittAnAm pApadravyopa jIvinAm ।
vidhikriyA vihInAnAm gatir govinda kIrtanam ॥
In conclusion, Brahmanas should endeavor to do karmas to the extent possible and offer the fruit to BhagavAn in the true spirit of karma yoga. They should also daily do nAma japam and surrender unconditionally to BhagavAn. A vipra who does vihita kamAnushthAna should not find fault with others who do not do, as each one is driven by his own PrArabdha karma. He should not think that he is superior to someone who does not do kamAnushthAna properly nor to a dedicated Bhakta who is always immersed in the thought of the Supreme.
जय जय श्रीराधे

SRI PUSHKARA PRARTHANA (श्रीपुष्करप्रार्थना)

श्रीपुष्करप्रार्थना
परमपददात्रे च पुण्यपुष्करवासिने ।
तीर्थराजस्वरूपाय नारायणाय ते नम:॥
जय जय श्रीराधे

THINGALUR SRI VARADARAJA PERUMAL GAYATRI MANTRA

वरदाय च विद्महे योगेश्वराय धीमहि।
तन्नो विष्णु:प्रचोदयात्॥
வரதாய ச வித்மஹே யோகேஶ்வராய தீமஹி ।
தந்நோ விஷ்ணு: ப்ரசோதயாத் ॥
varadāya ca vidmahe yogeśvarāya dhĪmahi ।
tanno viṣṇuḥ pracodayāt ॥
जय जय श्रीराधे

WHAT ARE THE SEVEN VEDIC CHANDAS?

The following are the seven  Vedic Chandas :-

गायत्री   ---) 3 Lines  8 Syllables each = 24 Syllables 

उष्णिक् ---) 2 Lines  8 Syllables each   + 1 Line  12 Syllables  =  28 Syllables 

अनुष्टुप्  ---) 4 Lines  8 Syllables each = 32 Syllables 

बृहती ---) 2 Lines  8 Syllables each   + 1 Line  12 Syllables + 1 Line  8 Syllables = 36 Syllables 

पङ्क्ति ---) 5 Lines  8 Syllables each =  40 Syllables 

त्रिष्टुप् ---) 4 Lines  11 Syllables each = 44 Syllables 

जगती ---) 4 Lines  12 Syllables each = 48 Syllables 

जय जय श्रीराधे 

Whether it is correct to write in English as "GAyatri"?

It is गायत्री ---- ईकारान्तः

In English we have to distinguish between GAyatri and GAyatrI .

Some people use GAyatree .

In Transliteration , it has to be written as Gāyatrī

Anyhow, it should end with ई and that is important.

जय जय श्रीराधे

WHETHER THERE IS NO USE OF DOING SANDHYA VANDANAM AND GAYATRI JAPAM WHILE A DVIJA LIVES ABROAD ?

sandhyA Vandanam is a Nitya Karma which has to be done as long as one is alive and fit. Even while some one is abroad, he has to do that sincerely. When a dvija lives abroad under certain inevitable circumstances, it is always preferable to perform the nitya karma to the extent possible rather than giving up the same totally, quoting the SAstras.

SandhyA Vandanam is nothing but chanting and celebrating the splendour and glory of the Supreme in different forms. The bhAva of the KartA is more important than the ritualistic aspects involved.

What is not possible through VarNASrama dharma in such difficult circumstances can be compensated through chanting the mahAmantra. Thus the deficiencies (lopas) of karmAnushthAna can be addressed through devotional surrender to the Supreme.

One should not condemn the changing yuga dharmas and those dvijas who follow those, as the dvijas are suited to the yuga concerned.

yuge yuge ca ye dharmAs tatra tatra ye dvijAh !

teshAm nindA na kartavYA yugarUpa hi te dvijAh !!

-------- parAsara

dhyAyan krute yajan yajnaih tretAyAm dvAparercayan !

yadApnoti tadApnoti kalau sankIrtya keSavam !!

---- VyAsa

YAvanna kIrtayet rAmam kalikalmasha sambhavam !

tAvattishthati dehesmin bhayam cAtra pravartate !!

---- Sivasarvasvam

SrutismrutipurANeshu rAma nAma samIritam !

tannAma kIrtanam bhUyas tApatrayavinASanam !!

---- cyavana smruti

sarvapApa prasaktopi dhyAyannimishamacyutam !
punastapasvI bhavati panktipAvana pAvanah !!
----- PaiThInasI

natAvatpApamedhena yannAma hatam hareh !
atireka bhayAdAhuh prAyascittAntaram vrithA !!
------ YogayAjnavalkya

prAyascittAnyaSeshANi tapah karmAtmakAni vai !
yAni teshAmaSeshANAm krishNAnus smaraNam param !!

------ SrI vishNu purANa

kalau kalmasha chittAnAm pApadravyopa jIvinAm !

vidhikriyA vihInAnAm gatir govinda kIrtanam !!

In conclusion, vipras should endeavour to do karmas to the extent possible and offer the fruit to BhagavAn in the true spirit of karma yoga. They should also do nAma japam and surrender unconditionally to BhagavAn.

A vipra who does vihita kamAnushthAna should not find fault with others who do not do as each one is driven by his own prArabdha karma. He should not think that he is superior to some one who does not do kamAnushthAna nor to a dedicated Bhakta who is always immersed in the thought of the Supreme.

जय जय श्रीराधे

UPANAYANAM

Apastamba dharma SUtra prescribes upanayana samskAra only for the first three VarNas.
For BrAhmaNa eight years  from conception during  vasanta Rtu 
For Kshatriya eleven years from conception during   GrIshmaa Rtu
For VaiSya  twelve years from conception during   Sarad Rtu

vasante brāhmaṇam upanayīta grīṣme rājanyaṃ śaradi vaiśyaṃ
garbhāṣṭhameṣu brāhmaṇaṃ garbhaikādaśeṣu rājanyaṃ garbhadvādaśeṣu vaiśyam !

------ Apastamba dharma sUtra 19

WHETHER GAYATRI JAPAM HAS TO BE PERFORMED BY COVERING BOTH HANDS WITH VASTRAM?

While performing gAyatrI japam, one has to cover both hands with vastram.

 strIpumsAtmaka gAyatrIm vastreNAcchAdyaiva japet !
udaye prAnmukhastishthan sankhyAyaiva japet budhah !
asankhyayA apavitrasca japo nishphalatAmiyAt
--- vrddhyamah

OmkArah purushah proktah gAyatrI sundarI tathA !
tayossamyogakale tu karamAcchAdayet budhah !!
---- viSvAmitrakalpa

WHETHER IN THE FOLLOWING DAY AFTER YAJUR UPAKARMA, 1008 GAYATRI JAPAM HAS TO BE DONE AS PART OF SANDHYA VANDANAM ?

gAyatrI japam has to be performed after doing the normal prAtah SandhyA vandanam with a separate sankalpa as "mithyAdhIta samvatsara prayascittArtham doshavatsu apatanIya dosha nirharaNArtham astottara sahasra sanhkyayA gAyatrI mahAmantra japam karishye."
PraNavasya Rishi brahma -----
AyAtu ityanuvakasya --- savitA devatA
upasthAnam