VEDIC PRAYERS FOR PLEASANT ENVIRONMENT

mahAnArAyaNa upanishad xxxix-3

madhu vAtA rutAyate
(Let the air be pleasant)
madhu ksharanti sindhavah
(Let the rivers be pleasant)
mAdhvIrnas santvoshadhIh
(Let the plants and creepers be pleasant)
Madhu naktamutoshasi
(Let the day and night be pleasant)
Madhumat pArthivam rajah
(Let the dust of the earth be pleasant)
Madhu dyaurastu nah pitA
(Let our father-like Sky be pleasant)
madhu mAnno vanaspatih
(Let the herbs be pleasant)
madhumAm astu sUryah
(Let the Sun be pleasant)
mAdhvIr gAvo bhavantu nah
(Let the cows be pleasant to us)

Whether a Brahmana is determined by birth?

Apastamba dharma sUtra clearly establishes that the VarNa is determined by birth. Accordingly a BrAhmaNa is also determined by birth.

catvAro varNo brAhmaNa kshatriya vaiSya SUdrAh ! i-3
tesham pUrvah pUrvo janmatah SreyAn ! i-4

BRAHMANA

Vipraha means BrAhmaNaha.
A person is born as a BrAhmaNa.
As the first born among the mortals, he is known as agrajanmA.
After Upanayana. he becomes a dvijaha.
As one learned in Vedas, he is known as a Srotriyaha.
As a deity upon earth, he is known as BhUdevaha.
As one who has emanated from the mukha of the Supreme, he is known as Mukhajaha.
A BrAhmaNa who is only by birth and not by performance of duties is known as BrAhmaNabruvaha.

NAVAGRAHA AND JYOTISHA

The Vedic Navagraha Mantras have been compiled mainly from Rig Veda , Atharva Veda and Sukla Yajur Veda .

Jyotisha , one of the six VedAngas, deals mainly with astronomical aspects and is known as the eye of the Vedas. Jyotisha SamhitAs have been composed by Garga, NArada and ParASara. Lord SUrya has composed "SUrya siddhAntam" and taught it to Maya. The works by others include VarAhamihira, Arya Bhatta and BhAskarAcArya. This Science is used to primarily determine the planetary position and fixing auspicious times for performance of Vedic Sacrifices.

In my limited understanding, astrological predictions based on horoscope could have started at a later period.

"VEDIC MANAGEMENT" 2009 EDITION RELEASED

MY BOOK TITLED "VEDIC MANAGEMENT: THE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO MANAGERIAL EXCELLENCE" 2009 EDITION RELEASED

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WHAT ARE THE 96 (SHANNAVATI) PITRU TARPANAS?

The 96 (shannavati) pitru tarpaNas to be performed in a year are :
1. amavAsya -- 12
2. yugAdi -- 4
3. manvAdi -- 14
4. Masa tarpaNam -- 12
5. vaiDhruti -- 13
6. vyatIpAtam -- 13
7. mahAlayam -- 16
8. ashtakA -- 4
9. anvashtakA -- 4
10.tisroshtakA -- 4

WHETHER BY PERFORMING GAYA SRADDHAM , THE PERFORMANCE OF PRATYABDIKA SRADDHAM AND MAHALAYA TARPANAM CAN BE GIVEN UP?

Performing GayA SrAddham does not mean that one can give up the annual pratyAbdika SrAddham.
.
As per Scriptures, the following are the three important duties of a Son:

1. Following the words of Parents when they are alive
2. Performance of annual ceremony (SrAddha)
3. Performance of pinda dAnam at GayA

jIvator vAkya karaNat pratyabdam bhUri bhojanAt !
gayAYAm piNda dAnAt ca tribhih putrasya putratA !!


Regarding MahAlaya tarpaNam , it is part of the shaNNavati (96) tarpaNams and hence has to be performed. There are two options given. First, it can be performed for 16 days (paksha mahAlayam) or it can be on a single day (sakrin mahAlayam). The second one is suggested in case one cannot perform it for 16 days.

GayA SrAddham is very important. It immensely pleases the Pitrus.But saying that after performing GayA SrAddham everything else need not be done is incorrect reading of the Scriptures.