KUMBH MELA 2013 AT PRAYAG

The Kumbh Mela at PrayAg this Year has been a grand spectacular spiritual and cultural event   demonstrating the multi-faceted dynamism of sanAtana dharma.

 

I was  fortunate to be present in PrayAg and take a holy dip in TriveNI Sangamam along with my family. The sacred banks of  GangA / YamunA got further sanctified with the sacred dust from the holy feet of a multitude of mystic SAdhus . The  wide spectrum of  sanAtana  dharma is picturized vividly there. The fragrant aroma of SraddhA is manifested all through.

 

The Government of  Uttar Pradesh has done a very commendable job in maintaining the cleanliness, orderlines and sacredness of  PrayAg Kumbh Mela. Our deep sense of   gratitude is due to them.

 

Om namah parama Rishibhyo namah parama Rishibhyah !

जय जय श्रीराधे

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

ATTRACTION OF SRI KRISHNA'S DIVINE FLUTE MELODY

VrndASo  vraja vrshA  mrga gAvo
VeNu vAdya hrta cetasa ArAt !
danta dashta kavalA dhrta karNA
nidritAlikhita citram ivAsan !! 
 -- SrImad BhAgavatam

Hearing the sweet melody of  SrI KrshNa's flute, the bulls, cows and deer get attracted and approach   Him. Forgetting the grass taken into their mouths, they stand silently with ears raised and look like animals drawn in painting.
जय जय श्रीराधे

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 !

KANYA DANA MANTRAM

According to Smrtiratnam, the following mantra is to be recited at the time of performing kanyA dAnam during vivAha :

kanyAm lakshaNa samyuktAm kanakAbharaNairyutAm!

dAsyami vishNave tubhyam brahmaloka jigIshayA !!

Desiring to reach the abode of Brahma, I give as kanyA DAnam  the bride with good features and decked with golden ornaments to you (a deserving groom) who is VishNu svarUpa .