DEEPAVALI - SOME MORE INFORMATION

Deepavali is referred to variedly  in the  Puranas and Dharma Sastras.

(1) A five day festival symbolising  victory over Narakasura, worship of  Mahalakshmi, victory of Vishnu over Bali and dice play and exchange of brotherly and sisterly affection. Bali Pratipada –Dhanteras.

(2) Naraka Caturdasi snanam  with oil bath  / apamarga twigs for those who fear Hell – Crushing of a bitter fruit called KarIt by foot - Performance of Yama tarpanam – Worshipping of Cows- Lighting of Lamp for avoidance of Naraka - Eating of 14 types of vegetables - In the evening lighting of lamps for the deities and decorating houses and public places

(3) On the evening of Caturdasi and Deepavali – lighting of firebrands in hand and show the way for the Pitrus who have come for Mahalaya back to their own worlds.

There are many other detailed  practices  which have been referred to in the scriptures.

WHAT IS ARYAVARTA ACCORDING TO DHARMA SASTRAS?

I think over a long period of various Yugas, the earth has taken different shapes with the disappearance of various sacred rivers like sarasvatI and accordingly the initial strict restrictions in the Vedic scriptures regarding the frontiers of AryAvartam have also changed . There are different names used in the dharma SAstras for the dharma DeSa like AryAvarta, BrahmAvarta, BrahmasideSa, Madhya deSa and so on. In my humble view, for the current Kali Yuga, the following yardsticks can be taken for determining the dharma DeSa which is also known as AryA varta.
1. Yasmin deSe mrgah krshNas tasmin dharmAnnibodhata !
 ( YAjnavalkya)
Wherever Deer is there, that place is  suitable for performance of karma.

 

2. svabhAvAt yatra vicaret krshNa SArah sadA mrugah !  
dharma deSah sa vijneyo dvijAnAm karma SAdhanam !!
(samvarta)
Where the Deer lives naturally, that place is good for performance of Yajna. That place is dharma deSa for performance of karma by Dvijas.

 3. CaturvarNya vyavasthAnam yasmin deSe na vidyate !
tam Mlechha deSam jAnIyAt AryAvartAdanantaram !!

( VyAsa)
Where the four-fold VarNA order is not there, that place is Mleccha DeSam   and the superior AryAvartam  is suitable for the purpose of KarmAnushthAna.

PROBLEM OF PLENTY IN SANATANA DHARMA

There are many conflicting views floating around as regards the pursuit of dharma whether it is karma kANda, jnAna mArga or Bhakti yoga.
 There is the problem of plenty in sanAtana dharma. There are too many sacred texts, too many paths , too many rituals, too many philosophies, too many AcAryas, too many interpretations that one gets baffled. But life is short and there are compulsions of contemporary livelihood and the force of Kali.
SAstrajNAnam bahu kleSam
citteh calana kAraNam !
It is very difficult to understand and tread the righteous path in the limited time of our existence.
Only the loving grace of the Supreme should guide us.
KrshNam vande jagatgurum !

जयजय 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

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 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

WHETHER YAJUR UPAKARMA HAS TO BE PERFORMED ONLY ON 2ND AUGUST 2012 ?

There are a lot of intricacies in determining the upakarma. Each sect gives importance to one key aspect and determines the day accordingly. One should not forget that there are reputed traditional scholars still alive in each of these sects.Accordingly,one major sect of vipras in Tamil Nadu including us are observing yajur upAkarma on 1st August 2012. We cannot say that it has to be only performed on 2nd August,2012.

Similar is the case with reference to determination of ekAdaSi, SrI KrshNa jayanti, SrI RAma navami , amavAsyA and so on. All these would have regional / sectoral variants. That is the beauty of sanAtana dharma. Starting from Vedas, smrtis, dharma SAstras, sUtras, there are a lot of variations which are there from time immemorial. No one can ever make them uniform all across.

In the light of the above, in these matters the best way is to follow one's own tradition without adversely commenting upon others' traditions and practices. After all, doing upakarma with SraddhA on any of these acceptable days is better than arguing endlessly as if upakarma is being performed by the vipras for the first time ever in BhArata deSa.

SLOKA FOR TYING RAKSHA BANDHAN

The following Sloka has  to be recited by a sister while tying the Raksha Bandhan in her brother's right hand:


Yena baddho balI rAjA dAnavendro mahAbalah !
tena tvAmapi badhnAmi rakshe  mA cala mA cala !!

The brother reciprocates with liberal gifts to his sister.

RakshA bandhan  will be celebrated   on  2nd  August, 2012 and the most auspicious time to tie the same is between 4 p.m. and  7 p.m (IST) on that day.

WHETHER THE YOUNGEST SON CAN PERFORM THE ABDHIKA SRADDHA OF HIS MOTHER INDEPENDENTLY?

As per dharma SAstras, brothers living separately or whose family property has been distributed amonst them,  have to perform the SrAddhA of their parents separately.

The youngest son  can perform independently the Abdhika SrAddhA. of his mother.

FOURTEEN SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

According to tradition, the following are the 14 sources of knowledge (vidyA sthAnam):

(1) 4 Vedas
(2) 6 VedAngas
(3) PurANa
(4) NyAya SAstra
(5) MImAmsa SAstra
(6) Dharma SAstra

PurANa nyAya mImAmsa dharmaSAstrAnga miSritah
VedAh sthAnAni vidyAnAm dharmasya ca caturdaSa
--- YAjnavalkya smrti

angAni VedAscatvaro mImAmsa nyAyavistarah
PurANam dharmaSAstram ca vidyA hyetAscaturdaSa
--- Manu smrti

जय जय श्रीराधे

YAJNAVALKYA SMRUTI

As per tradition, it is the same YAjnavalkya Maharishi who propagated the SUkla Yajur Veda is the Author of the YAjnavalkya smruti .

Let us remember the opening verse of YAjnavalkya smruti :

YogISvaram YAjnavalkyam sampUjya munayo abruvan !
varNASrametarANAm no bruhi dharmAnaSeshatah !!

After properly worshipping YAjnavalkya Maharishi , the best among the Yogis, the Sages asked him to explain them fully the dharmas pertaining to VarNA , ASrama and others.

Om namah parama Rishibhyo nama: parama Rishibhya:!

WHETHER IT IS ALWAYS NECESSARY TO QUOTE FROM SCRIPTURES ?

We need not necessarily quote from Scriptures all the time. As long as our practice is not in variance with the dharma, we can always go by it and explain it in general terms. If a genuine practitioner of dharma says something it carries full conviction.

Dharma is of two types, sAmanya dharma and viSesha dharma . In order to properly understand the intricacies of dharma for practical appliication in a specific situation, we may have to refer to the Scriptures as they constitute the root of dharma.

One word of caution. While rationalizing one should not contravene the Scriptures.
Rationalization manifests as a poem while Scriptures constitute the prosody.

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

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF USING MANGO LEAVES IN RITUALS?

Significance of using mango leaves in rituals and PUjas:

(1) Symbolic of MahAlakshmI

(2) Prevents negative energy

(3) Sign of Auspiciousness

(4) Helps against drushti dosham

(5) Full of Oxygen

(6) Promotes hygiene and health

(7) Symbol of fertility

WHETHER DHARMA SASTRAS CAN BE ALTERED TO SUIT MODERN TIMES?

In order to suit modern times, Dharma SAstras as applicable to Kali yuga should not be altered.

On the other hand, considering the modern age, total compliance with dharma SAstras is too difficult for many of us.

As an alternative, those who feel that they are not in a position to comply with certain stipulations of dharma SAstras should take the advice from those well-versed in dharma SAstras and act accordingly. Such guidance is valid only for that particular person as applicable to his case under certain circumstances. We should not generalise these guidelines and make them universally applicable in all other cases without any reference to the facts and circumstances involved. Such personal one to one advice has to be respected and should not be discussed in open Forums. I offer this suggestion only for those who are interested in following dharma SAstras as far as possible.