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

COMPASSION OF KRISHNA AND SANATANA DHARMA

In each avatAra, BhagavAn shows his deepest compassion to all irrespective of their affiliations. In RAmAyaNa, he blessed vAnara (sugrIva) , Pakshi (JatAyu) , hunter (Guha), rAkshasa (vibhIshaNa) and so on. He is freely accessible to one and all irrespective of caste, creed or colour.

The following important Slokas are pramANas that BhagavAn is there to take care of those who surrender to him unconditionally.

BhagavAn SrI LakshmI VarAha has assured as follows, which is known as varAha carama Sloka :

sthite manasi susvasthe SarIre sati yO nara: !
dhAtusAmye sthite smartA viSvarUpam ca mAmajam !!
tatastam mriyamANam tu kAshtha pAshANa sannibham !
aham smarAmi madbhaktam nayAmi paramAm gatim !!

Whomsoever worships BhagavAn SrI LakshmI varAha when he is healthy, is fondly remembered by BhagavAn Himself during his last moment of departure from this world and is escorted by His divine grace to SrI Vaikuntha , His Supreme abode.

SrI RAma's assurance is known as SrI RAma carama sloka, which is as follows:
sakrudeva prapannAya tavAsmIti ca yAcate !
abhayam sarva bhUtebhyo dadAmyetad vratam mama !!

--- RAmAyaNa

One who seeks refuge in SrI RAma by stating just once that he belongs to SrI RAma is given assurance of total safety against all types of beings . This is the vow of SrI RAma.

Sarva dharmAn parityajya mAmekam SaraNam vraja !

Aham tvA sarva pApebhyo mokshayishyAmi Ma Sucah !!

--- Bhagavad GIta

BhagavAn KrshNa assures that He would deliver one from all sins if one unconditionally surrenders to Him. Hence there is no sin which the Supreme cannot nullify.

We have to keep in mind that VarNASrama dharma is meant for those for whom they have been prescribed by the Dharma SAstras. Those people alone have to perform them as Karma Yoga and at the ripened exalted stage it is only Bhakti towards KrshNa that permeates and there is no other karma to be done by them.

There are people in this world who are not covered by VarNASrama dharma like foreigners belonging to other faiths by birth. For them, there is no need to follow VarNASrama dharma as they are outside the ambit of sanAtana dharma. Whomsoever desires on his own free volition after reflection and contemplation to follow KrshNa, he is most welcome to do so. However, sanAtana dharma does not prescribe any mode of  change from one VarNa to another or outside VarNa to any VarNa. In case one gets attracted to KrshNa due to his vAsanas, he has to be treated with great respect as BhAgavata. But there is no need to mix up this with VarNASrama dharma, which is not applicable to them. They are entitled to study the purANas as applicable in the case of non-dvijas..

 strI SUdra dvijabandhUnAm
trayI na Sruti gocarA
karma Sreyasi mUdhAnAm
SreyA evam bhaved iha
Iti bhAratam AkhyAnam
krupayA muninA krutam !!
-- SrImad BhAgavatam

However, wearing of YajnopavItam , recitation of Vedas and performance of Yajnas by such people are not sanctioned in Vedic scriptures. These are not required as they have already related directly to KrshNa and through his divine grace, they can attain his supreme abode

SrI NammazhvAr has clearly mentioned in his TiruvAimozhi that he himself is the humble servant of one who is the dAsa of KrshNa, even though such a person is born in any jAti outside the ambit of CaturvarNam.

kulam tAngu sAdigaL nAlilum keezh izhindu,

ettanai nalamtAnilAda saNdAla saNdALargaLAgilum,
valam tAngu sakkarataNNal maNivaNNarkkALenRu uL
kalandAr, adiyAr, tam adiyAr, em adigaLE
--- TiruvAimozhi

 जय जय श्रीराधे 

LESSONS FOR UNITY OF MARRIED COUPLE FROM WORDS AND DEEDS OF THE DIVINE MOTHER SITA -- PART I

There are many lessons to learn for maintaining the harmony and unity of married couple from the words and deeds of divine mother SrI sItA as enunciated in SrI VAlmIkI RAmAyaNam.

For a chaste wife upholding loyalty, living with one’s husband even in the fearful forest is enjoyable like residing in her own father’s house.

सुखम् वने निवत्स्यामि यथा एव भवने पितुः |

अचिन्तयन्ती त्रीम्ल् लोकामः चिन्तयन्ती पति व्रतम् ||  

अहम् गमिष्यामि वनम् सुदुर्गमम् |

मृग आयुतम् वानर वारणैः युतम् |

वने निवत्स्यामि यथा पितुर् गृहे |

तव एव पादावुपगृह्य सम्मता ||  

In separation from the husband, even heaven is not liked by her.

स्वर्गे अपि च विना वासो भविता यदि राघव |

त्वया मम नर व्याघ्र न अहम् तम् अपि रोचये ||

Father, mother, brother, son, daughter-in-law, each one gets the fruit of one’s own action.

आर्य पुत्र पिता माता भ्राता पुत्रः तथा स्नुषा |

स्वानि पुण्यानि भुन्जानाः स्वम् स्वम् भाग्यम् उपासते ||  

Accordingly, wife shares the fortune of the husband and hence has to accompany him even in forest.

भर्तुर् भाग्यम् तु भार्या एका प्राप्नोति पुरुष ऋषभ |

अतः चैव अहम् आदिष्टा वने वस्तव्यम् इति अपि ||  

For the chaste woman,neither  father, mother, son, self or friend is the recourse. Only the husband is the true recourse in this life and thereafter as well.

न पिता न आत्मजो न आत्मा न माता न सखी जनः |

इह प्रेत्य च नारीणाम् पतिर् एको गतिः सदा ||  

To be with the loving proximity of the husband is better than residing in a palace or travelling in the aeroplane or flying in the sky or attaining all positions of esteem.

प्रासाद अग्रैः विमानैः वा वैहायस गतेन वा |

सर्व अवस्था गता भर्तुः पादच्छाया विशिष्यते ||

जय जय श्रीराधे

WHETHER THE TERM "DEVA' REFERS TO VISHNU AND IDOL?

In samskrtam, the same word means differently based on the context. This is the beauty of the divine language

As far as the meaning of Deva is concerned, the term " Deva" refers to Vishnu as well as Idol as stated by Monier.

Deva for VishNu

Udbhavah kshobhaNO devah SrIgarbhah parameSvarah !

--- MahAbharata 12-135- 54

Deva for Idol

KItopi sumanasangAdArohati satAm Sirah !

ASmApi yAti devatvam mahadbhih supratishthitah !

- HitopadeSa

In my humble view if Apte is VAmana, Monier is Trivikrama.