WHETHER PREGNANT WIFE HAS TO SIT BEFORE AGNI WHILE PERFORMANCE OF SIMANTA RITUAL?

According to Apastamba, the pregnant wife must sit to the west of the Agni , facing east for performance of sImanta.

 

parishecanAntam krtvA apareNagnim prAcIm upaveSya treNya SalalyA tribhir darbha punjIlair SalAlupsenetUrdhvam sImantam unnayati vyAhrutribhiruttarabhyAm ca !

-- Apastamba Grhya sUtra

WHAT ARE THE FIVE KEY CONSTITUENTS OF VEDIC VIVAHA?

The following are the five key constituents of Vedic VivAha:

(1)VAk dAnam

(2) KanyA dAnam

(3) VaraNam

(4) PANigrahaNam

(5) saptapadI

vAgdAnam ca pradAnam ca varaNam PANi PIdaNam !

saptapAdIti pancAngo vivAha; parikIrtita: !!

By proper performance of the vivAha as per Vedic scriptures with sraddhA (faith), all the graha doshas (planetary deficiencies) get fully neutralised and the couple lead a joyful, prosperous and harmonious long life.

mAngalyam tantunAnena mama jIvanahetunA !

kaNthe badhnAmi subhage sanjIva Saradah Satam !!

जय जय श्रीराधे 

WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF VEDIC VIVAHA?

The following are the important aspects of Vedic VivAha (Wedding) :

1. vAk dAnam

2. kanyA dAnam

3. vara prekshaNam

4. mangala snAnam

5. mAngalya dhAraNam

6. pAni grahaNam

7. saptapadi

8. pradhAna homam

9. aSma ArohaNam

10. lAja homam

11. gruha praveSam

12. praviSya homam

By proper performance of the vivAha as per Vedic scriptures with sraddhA (faith), all the graha doshas(planetary deficiencies) get fully neutralised and the couple lead a joyful, prosperous and harmonious life.

mAngalyam tantunAnena mama jIvanahetunA !

kaNthe badhnAmi subhage sanjIva Saradah Satam !!

जय जय श्रीराधे

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE SAPTAPADI MANTRA CHANTED DURING VIVAHA ?

In the Vedic culture, the bride and groom are considered as loving friends as they perform the saptapadi ritual wherein the groom holds the right leg of the bride and together they take seven steps to the north of the homa kuNda on the wedding day.

BhagavAn Sri LakshmI NarAyaNa is propitiated through the Vedic hymns by the Groom for attainment of the following by the bride:

(1) Anna samruddhi (Plentiful food) by the first step

(2) Vrddhi ( multiple development) by the second step

(3) Sat karma siddhi ( Good deeds) by the third step

(4) Sukham (Pleasure) by the fourth step

(5) paSu samruddhi (Cattle wealth) by the fifth step

(6) Kshema (welfare) in all the six Rtus (seasons)by the sixth step

(7) Performance of Yajnas (sacrifice) like soma yAga by the seventh step

Having walked together seven steps, the groom and bride have become loving friends.

The Vedic hymns are intended to seek life-long loving and sweet companionship between the bride and groom without any separation at any point of time. Thus mutual love and affection based friendship is established between the couple.

Ekamisha VishNus tvAnvetu

Dve Urje VishNus tvAnvetu

trINI vratAya VishNus tvAnvetu

catVAri mayobhavaya VishNus tvAnvetu

panca paSubhya: VishNus tvAnvetu

shat Rtubhyah VishNus tvAnvetu

sapta saptabhyo hotrAbhyo VishNus tvAnvetu

sakhA sapta padA bhava

sakhAyau saptapadA babhUva

sakhyante gameyam

sakhyAtte mayosham

sakhyAnme mAyoshthA:

--- EkAgni kAnda i-3-7 to14

By proper performance of the sacred vivAha ritual  using Vedic Mantras with utmost faith and devotion , all the graha doshas   (planetary deficiencies) get fully neutralised and the couple enjoy a long life with mutual love, prosperity, peace and sound health.
जय जय श्रीराधे

WHO IS A SROTRIYA?

According to Devala, a  Srotriya is one  who is born as a BrAhmaNa , who has duly performed all the samskAras(Dvija) as ordained in the SAstras and one who is  well-versed in the Vedic Scriptures (Vipra). 

janmanA brAhmaNo jneya: samskArai: dvija ucyate!

vipratvam vidyayAcApi  tribhi: Srotriya ucyate !!

 ---- Devala

WHETHER PARASARA SMRUTI CAN ALONE BE FOLLOWED IN KALI YUGA TO THE EXCLUSION OF THE VEDA SAKHA SUTRAS AND OTHER DHARMA SASTRAS?

With the efflux of time, the practice of dharma undergoes certain changes and this is well recognized in the dharma SAstras.

As the yugas change, the yuga dharma also changes as determined by the great Rishis. Accordingly, the major shift has happened as follows in the four yugas:

Kruta yuga = DhyAnam

TretA yuga = YAga

dvApara yuga = PUjA

Kali yuga = nAma sankIrtanam (keSava)

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

na tAvatpApamedhena yannAma hatam hareh !

atireka bhayAdAhuh prAyascittAntaram vrithA !!

----YogayAjnavalkya

prAyascittAnyaSeshANi tapah karmAtmakAni vai !

yAni teshAmaSeshANAm krishNAnus smaraNam param !!

----SrI vishNu purANa

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

krute tu mAnavA dharma: tretAyAm gautamA: smrutAh !

dvApare SAnkha likhitAh kalau pArASarAh smrutAh !!

It is said that Manu smruti is applicable in Kruta yuga, Gautama smruti in tretA yuga, Sankha and Likhita smrutis in dvApara yuga and ParASara smruti in kali yuga.

Let us take the case of performance of SrAddha and see whether we can go fully  by only what is stated in ParASara Smruti. But ParASara smruti does not deal with the elaborate provisions regarding performance of SrAddha. A smruti is like a policy document. Only in the grhya sUtras, the detailed procedures are explained. We cannot ignore what is said by the sUtrakAras. The Sraddha prayoga that we practise today is a digested form based on various relevant smrutis and the sUtras. Hence we have to take this as the benchmark and try to follow to the extent possible.

It is to be noted that  in many places what we find is that the smrutis differ in the subtle aspects of performance of samskAras, karmAnushtHAnas and so on depending on the yuga dharma about which only the great Rishis deeply know. If a particular aspect has not been dealt with in a smruti, but is contained in another smruti, it can be considered  for guidance. There are areas of conflicts as well. All these call for proper reconciliation and resolution by experts in dharma SAstras from time to time. Hence we have to go by what is based on traditional practice wherever there is conflict in the statement of the various smrutis.

kalau kalmasha chittAnAm pApadravyopa jIvinAm !

vidhikriyA vihInAnAm gatir govinda kIrtanam !!

nama: parama Rishibhyo nama: parama Rishibhyah !

WHETHER SMRUTI VAKYAS CAN BE REJECTED NOW ON THE GROUND THAT THEY ARE NOT MENTIONED IN THE VEDAS?

Both Sruti and smrutis constitute valid pramANas. We have to keep in view that smrutis have only Sruti as the base. Though there were many SAkhAs (recensions) of the Vedas in the days of  yonder, only a few are available now due to various reasons.

anantA vai vedAh ! ---- TaittirIya KAthaka

The Vedas are infinite. Thus while a particular aspect (for example, mandatory performance of trikAla sandhyA including  mAdhyAnikam) specifically covered in the smrutis could have been  based on a Vedic statement which was existing  in a particular Vedic recension at that point of time but not now, it may not be correct for us to conclude that the particular aspect is not backed by Vedas. Hence it would be very difficult to overlook what is stated in the smrutis as being something which is not mentioned in the Vedas and hence need not be followed.

One cannot properly understand the intended and intrinsic meaning of Vedas. As Vedas are complex and innumerable, the Rishis through their great tapas composed the Smrutis which define what is dharma for a particular Yuga.

In order to understand the Sruti in the proper perspective, one requires the guidance of smruti. Interpreting the original Vedic Mantras on our own accord is dangerous in the modern environment.

For each Mantra, there is a Rishi, a Chandas and the devatA. One cannot overlook the Rishi and chant any Mantra including GAyatrI MahA Mantra. As Rishis are the Seers of Vedic Mantras and the authors of smrutis, we hold them in high esteem. Rishi TarpaNam is offered to them. KAnda Rishi TarpaNam is also there. All the Srauta, grihya and smArta PrayogAs are done even today based on the statements of great Rishis like Apastamba, BodhAyana, ASvalAya, Jaimini, LAtyAyana, KAtyAyana and so on. In addition, we have sanakAdi Rishis, Sapta Rishis , NArada, BharadvAja, Veda VyAsa and so many others.

Each BrAhmaNa (however materially he may be rich) is born only as a debtor with triple debts. He is indebted to the Rishis, DevAs and Pitrus. The Rishi debt is discharged through brahmacarya, Deva debt through performance of yajnas and Pitru debt through progeny.

JAyamAno ha vai brAhmaNah tribhir rNa vA jAyate !

brahmacaryena rishibhyah !

yajnena devebhyah!

prajayA pitrubhyah!

The Rishis including Rishi Patnis are to be respectfully worshipped. Without them, the Vedas would have disappeared. The smrutis, which are Rishi Proktam are therefore equally valid like Sruti.

namah parama Rishibhyo namah parama Rishibhyah !

Whatever one feels like doing according to his mental make-up does not constitute dharma. That is why in Bhagavad GItA , BhagavAn advises all to follow dharma as ordained in the Scriptures :

tasmacchAstram pramAnam te karYAkArya vyavasthitau!

jnAtvA SAstra vidhinoktam karma kartum ihArhasi !!

-----Bhagavad gItA ! 16.24

One who does not follow SAstras gains not Sukham or Siddhi or parama gati.

yah Sastra vidhim utsrijya vartate KAma kAratah !

na sa siddhim avApnoti na sukham na parAm gatim !!

---Bhagavad gItA 16.23

Learned sees through the eye of SAstras

" ----kavibhih SAstra cakshushA ---"

---- SrImad BhAgavatam x-84-36

Sruti smruti mamaivAjnA yad tad ullanghya vartate !

AjnAcchedhe mama drOhi mat bhaktOpi na vaishNava !!

--- VishNu

vedamUlAh smrutayah !

---- Sankha

durbodhA vaidikASSabdAh prakIrNatvacca ye khilAh !

tatraita eva drushtArthAh smruti tantrai pratishthitAh !!

---- MarIci

Srutim paSyanti munayah smaranti ca tathA smrutim !

tasmAt pramANamubhayam pramANaih pramitam bhuvi !!

---- Manu

According to Angiras, those who are learned in pramANas should duly take care of them. Otherwise, authentic pramANas would get destroyed by baseless pramANas.

pramANAni pramANajnaih paripAlyAni yatnatah !

sIdanti pramANAni pramANairavyavasthitaih !!

--------Angiras

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP MODERN VIPRAS WHO ARE UNABLE TO STRICTLY FOLLOW THE DHARMA SASTRAS?

The stipulations are numerous in the dharma SAstras in respect of every aspect of human life starting from birth to death. Different Rishis have said in different time periods so many varied things based on the yuga dharma. On an analysis of all these, I have come to the conclusion that there are more points of divergence rather than convergence based on the opinions of these Rishis. Of course, on the substratum of dharma there is uniformity. But on the detailed procedures to be followed, there are so many differences. This is there not only in the Grihya SUtras but also in the Srauta SUtras which deal with performance of yajnas. There are variations based on region, philosophy, sub-sect, kula AcAra and so on.

A brAhmaNa has to perform 40 samskAras besides the daily routines of karmanushthAna from dawn to dusk. This includes 7 pAka yajna, 7 havir yajna and 7 soma yajna. There is also the panca mahA yajnas in terms of deva yajna, pitru yajna, bhUta yajna, manushya yajna and brahma yajna. One has to do 96 pitru tarpaNas in a year. In addition, the SrAddhas have to be done. All these become mind-boggling in the modern times considering the fact that there are no kings to support the veda brAhmaNas and each one has to struggle to earn and maintain his family. Thus "udara nimittam bahu kruta vesham" is the order of the day.

In the modern world, most of the productive time in one's life is spent in materialistic learning and earning. In addition, he has to do the nitya, naimittika and kAmya karmAnushthAnas and also something to take care of his own salvation in terms of understanding Atma vidyA, Bhakti marga and so on.

Even by performance of all the 21 yajnas after learning the 4 vedas and 6 VedAngas, one does not attain the abode of the Supreme. He can rejoice in Heaven for a stipulated period but he has to take birth thereafter. Here the question of approaching a particular upAsana devatA comes to the forefront. There also a lot of approaches exist.

The life of a human being is too short to handle all these properly and before he comes to some definite conclusion, he passes away abruptly due to disease or accident. The vicious circle of samsAra hounds him for ever.

Considering the problems confronted by the modern vipra, we have to devise some ways and means of helping him out within the ambit of the dharma SAstras by following the essence and spirit of the same. Over a period of time a lot of practices have undergone changes. In the modern times, what is to be done by a person, how and when is something that we have to examine seriously and cautiously.

In my humble view, something more focused on the essence rather than on the form of karmAnushthAna could be worked out within the parameters of the dharma SAstras. This is a very serious, massive and long-term exercise which cannot be done through on-line forums. We need to have the guidance and collaboration of existing authorities on dharma SAstras so that some thing more pragmatic can be worked out as an alternative to those who are not in a position to fulfil the rigors of dharma SAstras due to various factors beyond their control.

Kindly note that we are not suggesting changes to dharma SAstras per se but we are trying to guide people as to what best they can do as an alternative if they are under circumstances where it is not possible to comply strictly with the stringent provisions of dharma SAstras. This will be a great and timely effort which requires the co-operation and support of all vipras so that something tangible and meaningful can be attempted with the grace of the Supreme.