GUIDELINES FROM DHARMA SASTRAS ARE THE NEED OF THE HOUR

We are not asking any one to formulate new SAstras for modern times. In fact we have written a lot about this subject in the past so many years.

What we are trying to say is to provide clear-cut guidelines within the framework of dharma SAstras to those who are interested in following sanAtana dharma but are not in a position to comply with the same 100% due to their circumstances.We cannot brush them aside saying that either it is 100% or 0%. There are a lot of provisions ( not known in public domain) in the dharma SAstras which can be suggested to those people to be applied in varying circumstances. These genuine work arounds have to be endorsed by leading authorities of dharma SAstra so as to ensure authenticity . Different Brhaspatis (VAdyars) advise the grhasthAs differently on the same subject matter, some times against the norms. In order to rationalize these, a great deal of efforts are to be made.

Vipras who can on their own comply with all the provisions of dharma SAstras need no guidance.We have always been appreciating vipras who are taking extra pains to do karmAnushthAna in these difficult periods. "Dharma rakshati rakshita:" But openly proclaiming that I have done so much is not advisable. "Mantram yatnena gopayet." No doubt one is free to decide his own path.

NAma aparAdham and bhAgavata apacAram have to be avoided by all.

Please note that on 16th September 2012 Sri Sankara TV Channel live relay in the evening, PUjya SrI Jagadguru Srngeri Swamigal highlighted the importance of nAma smaraNa wherein he quoted the following Sloka especially in kali yuga

kalau kalmasha chittAnAm pApadravyopa jIvinAm

vidhikriyA vihInAnAm gatir govinda kIrtanam

He said repeatedly that nAma sankIrtanam is the only resort for those who are unable to fully follow what is ordained in the SAstras.

Incidentally, he also mentioned in detail about ValmIKi episode. ValmIKi was a hunter who could not say even "rAma" but by the sheer power of RAma nAma, he rose up as a Maharishi .

PUjya SrI Jagadguru Srngeri Swamigal also mentioned about the exalted stage attained by SrI TyAgarAja Swami through nAma sankIrtana.

I am also giving this pramANa from dharma SAstras:

na tAvat pApamedheta yannAmnA na hatam hare: !

atireka bhayAdahu: prAyascittAntaram vrthA !!

--- Yoga YAjnavalkya:

For many people, Bhakti yoga is difficult to understand and put into practice. Many do not know the intricacies and supremacy of this path as spelt out in the Bhakti SUtras, Srimad BhAgavatam and Bhagavad GItA.

WHETHER BY PERFORMANCE OF SRADDHA ALONE ONE CAN REACH THE SUPREME?

We have to keep in mind that SrAddhA is not the only topic to be discussed in any on-line Forum. There are about 1000 pages in VaidyanAtha dIkshiTIyam known as SrAddha KAnda ( PUrva bhAga and uttara bhAga) which deal exclusively with SrAddha niyamas. There are numerous constraints which make it impossible for any one to perform the SrAddha exactly in accordance with the same. This in fact is the problem of any karma that we perform starting from Acamana, sandhyA vandana, SrAddha, VaiSva deva, homa or Yajna. There are always mantra lopa, kriyA lopa, SraddhA lopa, dravya lopa and so on. These deficiencies in karma are rectified only through the nAma japa of RAma and KrshNa. That is why Bhakti yoga stands taller.

 

If some body believes by endlessly arguing that with his deficient performance of SrAddha he can reach the Supreme, he is mistaken.

Only through BhagavAn's grace, one can reach Him through Bhakti Yoga.

yAnti deva vratA devAn Pitrn yAnti Pitr vratAh !

bhUtAni yAnti bhUtejyA YAnti mad yAjino' pi mAm !!

---BG ix- 25

Worshippers of demi-gods go to those demi-gods

Worshippers of the manes go to those manes

Worshippers of bhUtas go to them

Worshippers of the Supreme go to Him

 

Athato brahma jignAsA !

-- Brahma sUtra 1-1-1

जय जय श्रीराधे

WHETHER PARASARA SMRUTI CAN BE FOLLOWED REGARDING THE PROVISIONS OF SRADDHA TO THE EXCLUSION OF THE VEDA SAKHA SUTRAS?

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. 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.

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.

WHAT IS SAMA VEDA UPAKARMA PROCEDURE ?

sAma Veda upAkarma procedure is as follows:

1. prAtah sandhyA vandanam

2. samitAdhAnam only for BrahmacAri

3. AupAsanam for Gruhastha

4. MAdhyAnikam

5. mahA sankalpam

6. snAnam

7. Brahma yajnam

8. puNyAha vAcanam

9. Rshi PujA

10. Rshi tarpaNam

11. Rshi punah puja and yathA SthAnam

12. Homa

13. sapta Rshi pUja in kalaSa

14. yajnopavIta dhAraNam

15. vedArambham

16. KalaSa tIrtha pRokshaNam

16. PrasAda

17. Wearing the YajnopavIta offered to Rshis in the right hand

18. namskAram

HAPPY RADHASHTAMI 2012

Happy RAdhAshtamI

23rd September 2012

SrI RAdhA is none other than SrI MahAlakshmI, who out of great compassion, facilitates the individual Self to get the divine grace of the Supreme BhagavAn SrI KrshNa, the glorious YogeSvara. According to the Scriptures, the best way to approach SrI KrshNa is through first obtaining the grace of SrI RAdhA. Even a grave sinner gets redemption through Her ceaseless divine grace and becomes purified to serve the lotus feet of SrI RAdhA KrshNa. Let us not miss this opportunity to offer our humble and sincere prayers to the ever fresh and fragrant queen of BrndAvan. On this most auspicious RAdhAshtamI day, may SrI RAdhA  shower Her blessings on all.

RAdhA Slokas:

SrIgovindapriyAm rAjnIm VrndAvanamanoharIm !

krupAsvarUpiNIm divyAm RAdhA DevIm namAmyaham!!

I offer my respectful obeisance  to the Goddess SrI RAdhA DevI, SrI KrshNa’s beloved Queen, the source of the beauty of BrndAvan, who is auspicious and is mercy personified.

माधुर्यरससंपूर्णां माधवमनमोहिनीम् !

महाभावनिमग्नां तां मधुराधां नमाम्यहम् !!

MAdhurya rasa sampUrNAm mAdhavamanamohinIm !

MahAbhAvanimagnAm tAm madhuRAdhAm namAmyaham !!

I offer my respectful obeisance to the honey- like SrI RAdhA , who is full of MAdhurya rasa, captivating the mind of SrI KrshNa and immersed in MahA BhAva.

मङ्गलं कृष्णकामिन्यै मङ्गलं शुभ मङ्गलम् !

मङ्गलं प्रेमदायिन्यै मङ्गलं शुभ मङ्गलम् !!

मङ्गलं मनमोहिन्यै मङ्गलं शुभ मङ्गलम् !

मङ्गलं मधुराधायै मङ्गलं नित्य मङ्गलम् !!

MangaLam KrshNakAminyai MangaLam Subha MangaLam !

MangaLam PremadAyinyai MangaLam Subha MangaLam !!

MangaLam Manamohinyai MangaLam Subha MangaLam !

MangaLam MadhuRAdhAyai MangaLam nitya MangaLam !!

Subha MangaLam

KrshNa’s most beloved

Bestower of Prema bhakti

Captivator of the mind

Honeyed RAdhA

Nitya MangaLam

जय जय श्रीराधे

Four Songs on RAdhA KrshNa

Sung by : Bh. Murali and Dr.S.Kannan

Music : Bh. Murali

Sri Radha Krupa Kataksha Stava Raja Stotram

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGFMOC-gua4&feature=channel

Sri Krishna Krupa Kataksha Stava Raja Stotram

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5JGqtIbrH8&feature=channel

Barsane Wali Radhe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh_3wRRbg7c&feature=channel

Paramadhan Radhe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1Y2dInVlLc&feature=channel

जय जय श्रीराधे

WHO ARE THE 12 VISVEDEVAS?

There are 12 ViSvedevas as follows:
(1) SrAddham - PurUrava, Ardrava
(2) MahAlayam - Dhuri, Rocana
(3) NAndI - satya, vasu
(4) YAga - Kratu, Daksha
(5) sapindIkaraNa - KAla, KAma
(6) sanyAsinah - sAdhu, ruru