Whether doing SandhyA Vandanam and Gayatri Japam by Brahmanas living abroad is fruitful?

The Sastras clearly declare that Bharata Desa is the Karma Bhumi fit for the performance of various Karmas in order to be fruitful. But the question remains to be answered as to whether the Karmas performed by the Brahmanas who have gone abroad due to various reasons are fruitful or not.
It has to be admitted that place (desa) is an important aspect of performance of Karma which tilts heavily towards Bharata Desa. In the light of Bhagavad Gita, it is advisable to perform a karma and surrender the fruit to the Suporeme Lord ( Karma phala tyaga) instead of not doing anything (karma tyaga) irrespective of the fact that the karma performed outside is not as fruitful as done in Bharata Desa. 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 splendor and glory of the Supreme and his manifestations in different forms. The mental framework (bhAva) of the doer (KartA) is more important than the physical ritualistic aspects involved.
What is not possible through proper performance of VarNASrama dharma in such difficult circumstances can be compensated through devotionally 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 ॥
--- Chyavana 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, Brahmanas should endeavor to do karmas to the extent possible and offer the fruit to BhagavAn in the true spirit of karma yoga. They should also daily 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 someone who does not do kamAnushthAna properly nor to a dedicated Bhakta who is always immersed in the thought of the Supreme.
जय जय श्रीराधे

NITYAGNIHOTRI VAITHIKASRI NANNILAM SRI RAJAGOPALA GHANAPATIGAL ATTAINED THE LOTUS FEET OF SUPREME SITARAMA

It is very shocking to hear that  Nityagnihotri Vaithikasri Nannilam Sri Rajagopala Ganapatigal suddenly passed away on 24th December 2019.

Sri Rajagopala Ganapatigal was a great Vedic scholar who was instrumental in spearheading the propagation of Sanatana Vaidic dharma. He was an expert in dharma Sastras and astrology. He was instrumental in many laukika Brahmanas doing Sandhya Vandanam and Pitru Tarpanam. He tirelessly propagated the performance of Shannavati Pitru Tarpanam. 

Sri Rajagopala Ganapatigal  started and popularized  the  Magazine "Vaithikasri" exclusively devoted for performance of  Vedic rituals, nuances regarding Karmanushthana and worship of various deities. His discourses clarified many of the doubts of the Brahmana community members in the  performance of rituals, dharma sukshma and so on. He has published  many Books which deal with various aspects of  Dharma, Karma, Mantra , Puja and so on.

He was the founder of  Sri Sri Seetharama Gurukulam Veda Patasala  which was started at the command and blessings of His Holiness Sri Paramacharyal of Kanchi. 

His untimely loss  has created a great void in the Vedic community  which is very difficult to be filled by any one.

It is a great personal loss for all of us who have been so kindly blessed by him all along.

We deeply mourn the great loss and offer our deepest condolences to his family members.

राम राम

WHAT ARE THE KEY ASPECTS OF KARAKAM (कारकम्) ?

The following are the key aspects of  Karakam (कारकम्) :-
(1) Karta (कर्ता )
(2) Karma (कर्म)
(3) Karanam (करणम्)
(4) Sampradanam (सम्प्रदानम् )
(5) Apadanam (अपादानम्)
(6) Adhikaranam (अधिकरणम्)
जय जय श्रीराधे   

HOW MANY NARAKAS (HELLS) ARE MENTIONED IN THE SCRIPTURES?

There are twenty-eight Narakas (Hells) mentioned in the Scriptures for experiencing the fruit of various sins committed  in this world. These are :-

• ·       Andhakupam
• ·       Andhatamisram
• ·       Asipatram
• ·       Avici
• ·       Ayahpanam
• ·       Dandasukam
• ·       Kalasutram
• ·       Krmibhojanam
• ·       Ksharakardamam
• ·       Kumbhipakam
• ·       Lalabhaksham
• ·       Maharauravam
• ·       Paryavartanakam
• ·       Pranadhoram
• ·       Puyodaram
• ·       Rakshobhaksham
• ·       Rauravam
• ·       Salmali
• ·       Sarameyasanam
• ·       Sucimukham
• ·       Sukaramukham
• ·       Sulaprotam
• ·       Tamisram
• ·       Taptamurti
• ·       Vaitarani
• ·       Vajrakantakasali
• ·       Vatarodham
• ·       Visasanam

 जय जय श्रीराधे  

WHO IS THE REAL “BIG BOSS” WITNESSING ALL THE DEEDS WITHOUT CAMERAS?

The Supreme is the real “Big Boss” who witnesses all the deeds of a person without the aid of any camera. According to Vedic scriptures, a host of deities are engaged in witnessing the deeds of all living beings.

sūryo ’gniḥ khaṁ marud devaḥ

somaḥ sandhyāhanī diśaḥ ।

kaṁ kuḥ svayaṁ dharma iti

hy ete daihyasya sākṣiṇaḥ ॥

āditya-candrāv anilo ’nalaś ca

dyaur bhūmir āpo hṛdayaṁ yamaś ca ।

ahaś ca rātriś ca ubhe ca sandhye

dharmo ’pi jānāti narasya vṛttam ॥

The sun, fire, sky, air, celestials, moon, evening, day, night, directions, water, land and Yama all witness the activities of the living entity.

जय जय श्रीराधे 

KARMA PHALA AND THE ROLE OF GOD

In the scheme of nature, there is a free will for an individual to do something or not to do something or do differently. This is the free space available to us.

Destiny, on the other hand, plays its trick starting with the birth of a child. Why one is born poor and another rich ? Why one is healthy and another has serious birth defects? One loses the mother the moment it is born? One is born dead? The questions are too many.

But what is the force which causes such disparities ? Whether God is to be blamed for this partiality?

The only logical answer could be the Karma Theory which explains that the human being takes birth to exhaust his PrArabdha Karma. This gets extinguished only by experiencing in the world, going through the vicious cycles of pleasures and pains. In the process there is always a little scope to do some action within a limited domain. Just like a Cow which is tied by a long rope has the freedom to move within the space determined based on the length of the rope, human beings have some free will to exercise. Beyond that limited area the tied cow cannot roam about. This represents the force of destiny. The reason why some selected people lose their precious life suddenly due to accidents, diseases, natural calamities like Tsunami , earthquake, floods,  fire and so on cannot be otherwise explained.

Self- effort is absolutely essential for any one without taking shelter under the guise of destiny. Therefore one has to do his Svadharma in a given environment without any attachment to the fruits of action. If destiny decides otherwise, one should have the will power to take it in his stride in a positive manner without losing heart. For this meditation techniques help a lot to make one develop equanimity towards the dualities. 

One should take caution not to abuse the little free will that is available to him.

Despite one's best intentions and efforts, the effect of PrArabdha Karma embedded as VAsanAs may suddenly manifest and impact one any time. But that is the embedded secret of life .

The role of God in the scheme of Karma is that he has created the process of cause and effect and ensures that it works out without any flaw whether it is an ordinary person or a mighty man. God’s worship mitigates the impact of  the numerous problems of life  caused by one’s bad karmas and gives him the moral  strength to bear them and come out of them.

In order to get released from  the vicious circle of birth and death  caused by one’s accumulated Karmas over many births, BhagavAn offers a secret and secure route of grace which is available for one whose mind is focused on the Supreme and who has unconditionally surrendered unto him. For those great souls, BhagavAn neurtralises all their  bad deeds and grants them his divine association for ever.

It is very difficult to  understand properly the concept of Karma and Karma phala. 

KarmaNohyapi boddhavyam boddhavyam ca vikarmaNah ।

akarmaNasca boddhavyam gahaNa karmaNo gatih ॥

--- Bhagavad GItA

As per Dharma SAstras, there are different types of Sins classified as mahApApa, PAtaka, anupAtaka, upapApa, atipAtaka, mahApAtaka, upapAtaka, jAtibhramsakara, SankarIkaraNa, apAtrIkaraNa, malAvaha, PrakIrNaka and so on.

Just like a drop of oil  spreading over water, the sin gets transmitted from one person to another by association with a sinner.

sankrAmanti hi papAni taila bindurivAmbhasi ।

cAndrAyaNam Yavakam tulA purushairiva ca ॥

One who blesses the sinner gets infected by the sins of the latter.

Kurvantyanugraham ye tu tat pApam teshu Gacchati ।

SarIrasyAtyaye prApte vadanti niyamam tu ye ॥

--- ParASara smrti

Through DakshiNa the sins get transferred to the BrAhmaNa and through the recitation of the Vedas, the pApas of the BrAhmaNa get nullified.

DakshiNAnAm BrAhmaNena BrAhmaNasya chandobhi:chandaSam svAdhyAyenapahata pApmA......

---- TaittirIya AraNyaka

Karma Marga

By doing prAyascitta as per dharma SAstras, one’s sins get destroyed.

prAyascitta Sabdah pApakshayArthe naimittike karma viSesha rUdah ।

--- vijnAneSvarah

JnAna Yoga

Regarding distribution of Karma of a Self-realized person, Atma bodha explains that the critics share his sins and the followers share his puNyas.

Ye jnAninam nindanti, dvishanti, du:kha pradAnam kurvanti tAnprati jnAnikrtam sarvamAgAmi kriyamANam yadavAcyam karma tatpApAtmakam gacchati ।

---Tatva Bodha

Bhakti yoga

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.

Sarva dharmAn parityajya mAmekam SaraNam vraja ।

Aham tvA sarva pApebhyo mokshayishyAmi Ma Sucah ॥

--- Bhagavad GIta

kalau kalmasha chittAnAm pApadravyopa jIvinAm ।

vidhikriyA vihInAnAm gatir govinda kIrtanam ॥

natAvat pApamedheta yannAmnA na hatam hare:।

atireka bhayAdahu: prAyascittAntaram vrthA ॥

--- Yoga YAjnavalkya:

sakṛdeva prapannAya tavAsmIti ca yAcate ।

abhayaṃ sarva bhUtebhyo dadAmi Etat vratam mama ॥

--- VAlmIkI RAmAyaNam

Impact of Bad deeds on the Doer and his Family

(1) Depending on the gravity and intensity of the sins, it can affect only the doer or along with him his wife or son or daughter or any one associated with him or  some or all of them together at any point of time.

(2) The Sins can be destroyed by following Karma yoga, jnAna yoga or Bhakti yoga as aforesaid. Else it may affect the person and his family depending on the severity of the Sins committed.

(3) Unconditional surrender to the lotus feet of the Supreme by following Bhakti Yoga will definitely nullify all sins and one will get released. This is applicable to all. 

(4) All the lineal descendants including sons , daughters, grand sons and grand daughters may get impacted depending upon the severity of the Sin. 

It will be very difficult to draw a matrix of all the sins in the world and then say who are all will be affected, to what extent, when (whether in this birth or later), in what sequence, to what extent, why and how. The Prarabdha Karma has to be experienced by all.

Karma Phala (Fruit of Action)

(1) Like a young calf which recognizes the mother cow amidst thousand other cows, the karma done by a person follows him meticulously.

(2) Like the tree which yields flowers and fruits at the appointed seasons, the fruit of action also manifests at the proper time.

(3) If a person cuts trees with an axe, then the person who cuts incurs the sin and not the Axe nor the maker of the Axe.

(4) For one's action Supreme is not responsible.

(5) There is the Supreme who by his Laws dispenses the Karma Phalam.

(6) Good and bad deeds rotate like a wheel.

(7) When there is great natural calamity like famine etc, all the people including great Rishis by-pass the dharma and adopt what is known as the Apad dharma

(8)In the case of a realized person, whatever karma he does after realization gets distributed to those who praise and follow him and also to those who find fault with him. The former gets his puNya phala and the latter the PApa, if any. He experiences the prArabdha karma while his Sancita karma gets neutralized.

(9) Karma done without the sense of doership and offered at the feet of the Supreme does not bind one.

(10) The Supreme intervenes in the case of a very select few (who truly deserve) and neutralises their karma due to his divine grace.

prAyascittAnyaSeshANi tapah karmAtmakAni vai । 

yAni teshamaSeshANAm KrishNAnussmaraNam param ॥

जय जय श्रीराधे 

WHETHER THERE ARE ANY SPECIFIC PRAMANAS IN THE VEDAS ABOUT PERFORMANCE OF ABDIKA SRADDHA, AMA SRADDHA AND PITRU SAPA?

The very fact that we are asking Veda PramANa overlooking the smrtis of the great Rishis shows our lack of respect for their sagacious wisdom and trying to use our very limited knowledge to understand and interpret the Vedas. According to Manu, one who disrespects the smrtis is a nAstika.

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 rNavA 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.

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

Coming to the subject, there are two modes of samskAram in terms of Pitru medham and Brahma medham. For both, there are Veda Mantras available as per grhya prayoga and are currently in use. This varies based on the sUtra to which one belongs to. Now for each and every karmanushthAna if somebody asks for specific pramANa in the Vedas (of which only a portion is available now), it is not in line with the path of the wise. We need to understand that the Veda Mantras used in the context as recommended by the Rishis constitute the PramANas. It is to be noted that in the entire two volumes of SrAddha kAnda of VaidyanAtha dIkshitIyam, only pramAnas from dharma SAstras are given. In the Vedas we have ample references about Pitru Yajna, svadha , Pitru, PitAmaha, PrapitAmaha and so on. But for each karma and the detailed procedure, if some body demands specific Veda pramAna, it is too much and tantamounts to overlooking the sagacious wisdom of the  Rishis.

According to MarIcI, one is born as a candAla in crores of birth if one gives up performance of Abdika SrAddha.

PanditA jnAnino mUrkhAh striyo'tha brahmacAriNah !

mrtAham samatikramya candAlah kotijanmasu !!

--- MarIcI

According to LokAkshi, one shall do anna SrAddham only and not HiraNyam or Ama SrAddham.

Pushapvatsvapi dAreshu videSastho 'pyanagnikah !

annenaivAbdikam kuryaddhemnA va'mena na kvacit !!

--- LokAkshi

According to Jamadagni, Sumantu and USanas, one without wife is not entitled to perform pArvaNa SrAddham and he has to do Ama SrAddham.

 na bhavatyasya sAmagrI dArA vA gruhameva ca !

AmaSrAddham prakurvIta vrddho bAlaSca yo bhavet !!

- Jamadagni

One who thinks that there are no Pitrus and gives up performance of SrAddha earns the curse of his own Pitrus.

na santi pitaraSceti krtvA manasi yo narah !

SrAddham na kurute tatra tasya raktam pibanti te !!

--- Aditya PurANa

Where SrAddha is not done, there no Putras are born, no relief from dieseses, no long life and no goodness.

na tatra vIrA jAyante nArogA na SatAyushah !

na ca Sreyodhigacchati yatra SrAddham vivarjitam !!

--- HArIta

It is to be noted that even in the dharma SAstras different ways have been suggested for a particular situation by different Rishis. It is difficult to comprehend and interpret the proper course of action many a times. Our own interpretations of the Vedas in the context of performance of various Karmas would be grossly misleading. We have  to necessarily go by what the great Rishis have said and follow it as far as possible in one’s own prevailing circumstances.Hence if any one  who raises such questions  genuinely believes in Vedic Scriptures, he can personally approach a Srotriya well-versed in dharma SAstra, get his doubts clarified and act accordingly.

नमः परमऋषिभ्यो  नमः परमऋषिभ्यः।

जय जय श्रीराधे।

VEDANTA RELATED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1.

Q: I believe God has no second and hence the world, senses and thoughts and whatever is a part of the Brahmam - it may be an over simplification, but I wish to be corrected if wrong.

 

A: All this is verily the Supreme.

Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma  - ChAndogyopanishad

 

ISavAsyamidam sarvam --  IsAvAsyopanishad

 

2.
Q: Does it mean even the vasanas are attached to the part of Brahmam?

A: VAsanas are not all  attached to Brahman.  It is attached only to JIvAtmAs.

3.

Q: The question I understand is not answered so far - as to how the vasanas came about in the first place. Was there a chance to use free will the first time and it was used against dharma at the first instance?

A: Yes. When the Jivas accumulate karmas through sakAma karma , VAsanas start to accumulate in terms of Karma Phala.

 

4.

Q:Have you tried to reconcile Darwin's theories and the big bang theory etc with the non-duality concept derived from Vedas? Where does vasana fit in here. Can there be a large repository of the deeds done by the portion of the Brahmam over a mind boggling length of time. As the concept of self and mind and feelings are not in the realm of Darwin or the recent origin of universe theories, I expect reconciliation would not be easy.

A: Darwin's Theory is not correct as per Vedic Scriptures. All the Beings have been independently  created by the Brahman  Each Being brings with it its own baggage od VAsanas based on the Karmas.

 

Vedic Scriptures give vivid  details of creation of the Universe.

  

5.
Q:It is told that world is a manifestation of the Brahman, animate and inanimate. Thought, feelings and intellect are transitory and hence are only a short reflection of Brahman in various forms for the time being. Apparently the vasanas influence these. Is this right understanding?

A: Thought, feelings and intellect are to be used to  realize the Brahman. No doubt  VAsanas impact these until divine grace is obtained and one pursues the path of nishkAma karma.

 

6.
Q:I am told that no intellect can understand such matters of Brahmam and only belief and dhyana can make one realise Brahmam. Scientific inquiries and reasoning does not help. Does it mean Jnana is different from such reasoning.

 

A: According to Advaita, Self realization is only through knowledge. JnAnAt eva tu kaivalyam.

But It is ViSvAsa (utmost faith) which takes you forward in the pursuit of the Supreme. The recommended and safer path for  Kali Yuga is Bhakti Yoga through devotional nAma japa  of RAdhAKrishNa.

7.
Q: I really do not know if I deserve to get answers, as I do not consider myself as a seeker with total dedication. All the same I thought I should start.

A: VedAnta is  your birth right. A truthful person like you  is verily  a true seeker.

FREE WILL, DESTINY AND VASANAS

In the scheme of nature, there is a free will for an individual to do something or not to do something or do differently. This is the free space available to us.

Destiny , on the other hand, plays its trick starting with the birth of a child. Why one is born poor and another rich ? Why one is healthy and another has serious birth defects? One loses the mother the moment it is born? One is born dead? The questions are too many.

But what is the force which causes such disparities ? Whether God is to be blamed for this partiality?

The only logical answer could be the Karma Theory which explains that the human being takes birth to exhaust his PrArabdha Karma. This gets extinguished only by experiencing in the world , going through the vicious cycles of pleasures and pains. In the process there is always a little scope to do some action within a limited domain. Just like a Cow which is tied by a long rope has the freedom to move within the space determined based on the length of the rope, human beings have some free will to exercise. Beyond that limited area the tied cow cannot roam about. This represents the force of destiny. The reason why people lose their precious life suddenly due to accidents, dieseases, natural calamities like Tsunami , earthquake and so on cannot be otherwise explained.

Self- effort is absolutely essential for any one without taking shelter under the guise of destiny. Therefore one has to do his Svadharma in a given environment without any expectation. If destiny decides otherwise, one should have the will power to take it in his stride in a positive manner. For this meditation techniques help a lot to make one develop equanimity towards the dualities. One should take caution not to abuse the little free will that is available to him.

Desapite one's best intentions and efforts, the effect of PrArabdha Karma embedded as VAsanAs may suddenly manifest and impact one any time. But that is the secret of life .

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.

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