AapOhishtaa Mantram
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AapOhishtaa Mantram :
1)AapOhishtaa mayO bhuva: = Oh waters ! You act as creators of sukham ! ( maya means sukham).
2)taana UrjE dadhAtana = Oh teetams of this reputation ! Please grant us the foods ! (Urjam means annam).
3)mahEraNAya chakshasE = please grant us lofty and most enjoyable Jn~Anam !
4)yO vaSSivatamOrama: =are there rasams ( essences) that can grasp your wonderous sukhams arising from the tongue ? ( ungaLyudaya sukhAdhisayatthirkku kaaraNamAhiya naakinAl grahikkak-koodiya rasamunDO?).
5)tasya iha bhAjayata= Please gain that rasa pravAham (flow) in this world !
How could that be attained ?
6)uSateeriva maatara:= just like the affectionate mothers give the breast milk to their children ,please grant us your nectarine flow ( amruta rasam kodungaL).
7)tasmaa arangamAmava:= May we gain that amruta rasam as much as we need !
8)yasya kshayAya jinvatha = Oh Waters! similar to that amruta rasam that you use to bless our houses to please our residences ,
9) AapO janayathaachana:= May we attain the amruta rasams that generate children by us throughthe prOkshaNam of the consecrated waters !
he AapOhishtaa mantram has 9 paadhams incorporated inside it . Sage VyAsar says that one is releved of Mahaa paatakams like Brahma hatti dhOsham . The proKshaNam with these mantrams converts the waters into sarva dEvatAs and those devatAs cleanse the external limbs of the sandhyaa performer.
For this mantra snAna mantram, sindhu dhvepa rishi, devi Gaayatri chandas and AapO devataa are invoked . PrOkshaNa viniyOgam is Aapaam prakOshana viniyOgam .
( To be continued )
DhAsan , V.Sadagopan
P.S : The internal organs are cleansed with the Sooryasccha Mantrams . This will follow
_________________________________________________________________
In the previous articles , we presented an introduction and covered the meanings of the 9 part Veda Mantram associated with the Mantra SnAnam performed during sandhyaa vandhanam as explained to us by HH Sri Ranganatha Yateendhra Mahaa Desikan of Sri AhoBila Matam .
Today ,we will study the seven types of SnAnam and the meanings of the AapOhishDaa mantram as per VisishtAdhvita BhAshyam . We will also study the "Sooryasccha " mantram for the cleaning of the internal organs of the sandhyaa Vandhanam performer just as the "AapOhishtA " mantrams cleanse the external organs .
Extnesive demos and recitations of the mantras and their significance have been assembled in the sandhyaavandhanam link of the following URL :
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia
Please refer to this source for details on the 25 steps of the Sandhyaa Vandhanam . Here , we will just add information not covered there . We will be drawing heavily from the VaishNav SadAchArya nirNayam (Ahnikam) monograph of asmath AchAryan , Prakrtam Sriamth Azhagiya Singar , SrI NaarAyaNa yatheendhra MahA Desikan .
General observations:
It is well understood that the performance of the nitya Karmaa of TrikAla sandhyAvandhanam is a must for all the adhikAris . The SandhyAvandhanam protocols are different however for different VarNams.Dharma SaastrAs state that the sandhyAvandhanams prescribed for one of the traivArNikAs should not be done by the other.Such cross observances would decrease one's life span according to the dharma sAstrAs .
Among the three vedams ( Yajus-Saama-Rg) , the methods for the performance of the SandhyA Vandhanam are also different and each of them follow their own Veda SaakhA .
Preliminaries:
Before starting any Vaidhika Karmaa , the performer is expected to clean his legs and hands and thereafter do Achamanams at the beginning and end . SnAnam before the start of the karmaa is also essential. If for some reasons , the SnAnam could not be done with immersion in water ( VaaruNa SnAnam) , there are six other methods of SnAnam prescribed to fit the dEsa-Kaala-sareera viSEshams .
The Sn~Ana Vidhis and their sankalpams are elaborate . There are lots of dos and don'ts as prescribed by dharma SaastrAs .SnAnam has to be done with Pavitram in hand . Two or four darbhams have to be used to make Pavitrams for non-pitru karmAs. Seven dharbhams are used for Pitru karmA alone. Pavitram has its own lakshaNam and the making of it including the making of granti (mudicchu) have specific rules to follow. SnAnam has to be done as pavitra PaaNi . When Pavitram has to be removed , it should be placed on the upper side of the right ear . When the usage is over , the granti ( knot) has to be undone and discarded thereafter. Just discarding the pavitram with the granti needs the PrAyascchittam of three days fasting . Sanklapam for snAnam follows ending with "--PrAta: snAnam aham karishyE ". No Vaideeka karmaa including SnAnam should be done without sanklapam . If the snAnam is done not in a famous river or PushkaraNi of a temple , the sankalpam should use "Sri VishNu teertE " snAnam karishyAmi . Saatveeka thyAgam follows ( PrAta: snAnAkhyam karma svasmai svapreetayE SvayamEva kaarayati). Three prANaayaamams follow before the actual snAnam .
SnAnam has five angams : Sankalpam , VaruNa Sookta japam ( mantrams from Taittireeya Samhitai) , Maarjanam ( Cleansing /purifying) , aghamarshaNa sookta japam and snAnAnga dEvatA (deVa-rishi-pitru) tarpaNam .
While doing the snAnaam in river or pushkaraNi or well , specific directions have to be faced . In the river ,stand in the direction opposite to the flow of the current ; if one is standing in the waters of PushkaraNi , face the VimAnam and when doing the tarpaNam by the side of the well water,one has
to face the East ( Rising sun). The snAnaga tarpaNam (the 5th step) is done while immersed upto the knee in water of the river or pond or can be done after coming home and changing into dry vastrams .
There are specific rules for casting the wet vastram aside and wearing the dry vastram . Urdhva PuNDra DhAraNam takes place with the AavAhanam of the upa-VyUha Moorthys in the 12 PuNDra stAnams with their devis . If sandhya is to be done at the riverside , one can use the teertam of the river with recitation of KasavAya nama: , Sriyai nama: on the forehead for PuNDra dhAraNam.
Each one of the five steps has elaborate subdivisions. For the sake of brevity , we wont go into the VaruNa and agamarshaNa sootra Veda Mantrams and procedures here .
After sankalpam for SnAnam , the following verse Is cited :
samasta jagadhAdhAra ! Sankha chakra gadhAdhara
dEhi dEva ! mamAnujn~Am Yushmath teerta nishEvanE
(Meaning) : Oh the substrate for the Universe and its beings ! Oh Lord adorning the disc, conch and mace ! Please grant me Your permission to perform snAnam in Your teertam .
Afterwards , the yajamAnan enters the water and immerses himself three times while reciting Hari's name ( Hari ! Hari! ).The three times immersion is intended for (1) removal of asuddhi (2) removal of the dirt and grime in the body and (3) for pleasing the dEvatAs .
The seven types of SnAnam are :
1. VaaruNam : Immersing one's head under (flowing ) water in a river , pond or water fall .This is recognized as Mukhya SnAnam . For different reasons including sickness, this may not be recommended for some. They will then perform one of the gouNa snAnams listed below.
VaaruNa or Mukhya snAnam is of 6 Kinds: (1.1) nityam , the snAnam for suddhi to perform PrAta: and MaadhyAhnika sandhyA vandhanam (1.2) Naimittikam to restore suddhi after touching a corpse, chaNDALan or rajasvalai (1.3) Kaamyam for gaining some phalans as suggested by JyOtisham experts ; ParamaikAntis wont perform these kaamya snAnams (1.4) KriyAngam done before japam , archanam for pitrus (1.5) malApakarshaNam/oil bath and (1.6) kriyA snAnam /snAnam in holy waters during teertAdanam .
2. Paarthivam : To smear one's entire body with pure sand with the recitation of MantrAs starting from
" MruttikE hanamE paapam " .
3. AagnEyam : Smearing one's entire body with the ashes from the agnihOtra kunTam with the recitation of the mantram starting from "ISAnam ".
4. Vaayavyam : Smearing of one's body with the dust from the hoofs of cows with GosAvitri mantram .
5. Dhivyam : drenching in the rain showers during the middle of UttarAyaNam , when the rain falls as the sun is also shining.
6. Mantra SnAnam ( most recommended and easy to do for urbanites) : Reciting the 9 paadhams of the AapOhishtA mantrams and sprinkling the 9 spots with water from the sandhyA vandhana teertam vessel in this order : leg, head , chest , head, chest , leg , chest , leg and head .
7. Maanasam : This is dhyAnam about Soorya NaarAyaNan with the golden hue in the middle of the orbit of the Sun adorning the disc and conch and visualizing the waters of Gangaa flowing from the right toe of the Lord and falling on one's body and destroying the inner and outter asuddhams ( impuities).
Maanasa snAnam is considered superior to all other snAnams like Maanasa AarAdhanam , which is considered superior to baahya ( external) ArAdhanam .
There are 6 slOkams associated with Maanasa snAnam . These visualize performing snAnam in the GangA PravAham that flows from the lotus feet of the Lord and those sacred waters entering our body through the Brahma randhram ( Orifice in the head ) , cleansing the inside and outside and removing all blemishes . DhyAnam of the Lord in His splenderous from with AbharaNams and Ayudhams as Sri VaikunTha Naathan is done during the Maanasa snAnam .
There are other snAnams like PanchAnga snAnam ( washing both the legs, two hands, face ), Kaapila snAnam ( wiping one's body with a wet vastram , PuNDra snAnam ( adorning one's body with 12 urdhva PuNDrams).
One should not do any KarmAs with a wet cloth after snAnam . If there are no dry vastram available , SaastrAs state that you wave the wet vastram seven times in the wind and wear it then for the observance of the Vaidhika karmaa .
After that adorning of the ThirumaNN-SrI ChUrNam based on the practise of the Family takes place . When it is not possible to adorn regular ThirumaNN and SrI ChoorNam , use water to create the tilakam on the forehead .
Achamanam , PrANAyAmam procedures and the demos are available at ibiblio.org/sripedia site.
( To be continued )
DhAsan , V.Sadagopan
AapOhishtaa Mantram :
1)AapOhishtaa mayO bhuva: = Oh waters ! You act as creators of sukham ! ( maya means sukham).
2)taana UrjE dadhAtana = Oh teetams of this reputation ! Please grant us the foods ! (Urjam means annam).
3)mahEraNAya chakshasE = please grant us lofty and most enjoyable Jn~Anam !
4)yO vaSSivatamOrama: =are there rasams ( essences) that can grasp your wonderous sukhams arising from the tongue ? ( ungaLyudaya sukhAdhisayatthirkku kaaraNamAhiya naakinAl grahikkak-koodiya rasamunDO?).
5)tasya iha bhAjayata= Please gain that rasa pravAham (flow) in this world !
How could that be attained ?
6)uSateeriva maatara:= just like the affectionate mothers give the breast milk to their children ,please grant us your nectarine flow ( amruta rasam kodungaL).
7)tasmaa arangamAmava:= May we gain that amruta rasam as much as we need !
8)yasya kshayAya jinvatha = Oh Waters! similar to that amruta rasam that you use to bless our houses to please our residences ,
9) AapO janayathaachana:= May we attain the amruta rasams that generate children by us throughthe prOkshaNam of the consecrated waters !
he AapOhishtaa mantram has 9 paadhams incorporated inside it . Sage VyAsar says that one is releved of Mahaa paatakams like Brahma hatti dhOsham . The proKshaNam with these mantrams converts the waters into sarva dEvatAs and those devatAs cleanse the external limbs of the sandhyaa performer.
For this mantra snAna mantram, sindhu dhvepa rishi, devi Gaayatri chandas and AapO devataa are invoked . PrOkshaNa viniyOgam is Aapaam prakOshana viniyOgam .
( To be continued )
DhAsan , V.Sadagopan
P.S : The internal organs are cleansed with the Sooryasccha Mantrams . This will follow
_________________________________________________________________
In the previous articles , we presented an introduction and covered the meanings of the 9 part Veda Mantram associated with the Mantra SnAnam performed during sandhyaa vandhanam as explained to us by HH Sri Ranganatha Yateendhra Mahaa Desikan of Sri AhoBila Matam .
Today ,we will study the seven types of SnAnam and the meanings of the AapOhishDaa mantram as per VisishtAdhvita BhAshyam . We will also study the "Sooryasccha " mantram for the cleaning of the internal organs of the sandhyaa Vandhanam performer just as the "AapOhishtA " mantrams cleanse the external organs .
Extnesive demos and recitations of the mantras and their significance have been assembled in the sandhyaavandhanam link of the following URL :
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia
Please refer to this source for details on the 25 steps of the Sandhyaa Vandhanam . Here , we will just add information not covered there . We will be drawing heavily from the VaishNav SadAchArya nirNayam (Ahnikam) monograph of asmath AchAryan , Prakrtam Sriamth Azhagiya Singar , SrI NaarAyaNa yatheendhra MahA Desikan .
General observations:
It is well understood that the performance of the nitya Karmaa of TrikAla sandhyAvandhanam is a must for all the adhikAris . The SandhyAvandhanam protocols are different however for different VarNams.Dharma SaastrAs state that the sandhyAvandhanams prescribed for one of the traivArNikAs should not be done by the other.Such cross observances would decrease one's life span according to the dharma sAstrAs .
Among the three vedams ( Yajus-Saama-Rg) , the methods for the performance of the SandhyA Vandhanam are also different and each of them follow their own Veda SaakhA .
Preliminaries:
Before starting any Vaidhika Karmaa , the performer is expected to clean his legs and hands and thereafter do Achamanams at the beginning and end . SnAnam before the start of the karmaa is also essential. If for some reasons , the SnAnam could not be done with immersion in water ( VaaruNa SnAnam) , there are six other methods of SnAnam prescribed to fit the dEsa-Kaala-sareera viSEshams .
The Sn~Ana Vidhis and their sankalpams are elaborate . There are lots of dos and don'ts as prescribed by dharma SaastrAs .SnAnam has to be done with Pavitram in hand . Two or four darbhams have to be used to make Pavitrams for non-pitru karmAs. Seven dharbhams are used for Pitru karmA alone. Pavitram has its own lakshaNam and the making of it including the making of granti (mudicchu) have specific rules to follow. SnAnam has to be done as pavitra PaaNi . When Pavitram has to be removed , it should be placed on the upper side of the right ear . When the usage is over , the granti ( knot) has to be undone and discarded thereafter. Just discarding the pavitram with the granti needs the PrAyascchittam of three days fasting . Sanklapam for snAnam follows ending with "--PrAta: snAnam aham karishyE ". No Vaideeka karmaa including SnAnam should be done without sanklapam . If the snAnam is done not in a famous river or PushkaraNi of a temple , the sankalpam should use "Sri VishNu teertE " snAnam karishyAmi . Saatveeka thyAgam follows ( PrAta: snAnAkhyam karma svasmai svapreetayE SvayamEva kaarayati). Three prANaayaamams follow before the actual snAnam .
SnAnam has five angams : Sankalpam , VaruNa Sookta japam ( mantrams from Taittireeya Samhitai) , Maarjanam ( Cleansing /purifying) , aghamarshaNa sookta japam and snAnAnga dEvatA (deVa-rishi-pitru) tarpaNam .
While doing the snAnaam in river or pushkaraNi or well , specific directions have to be faced . In the river ,stand in the direction opposite to the flow of the current ; if one is standing in the waters of PushkaraNi , face the VimAnam and when doing the tarpaNam by the side of the well water,one has
to face the East ( Rising sun). The snAnaga tarpaNam (the 5th step) is done while immersed upto the knee in water of the river or pond or can be done after coming home and changing into dry vastrams .
There are specific rules for casting the wet vastram aside and wearing the dry vastram . Urdhva PuNDra DhAraNam takes place with the AavAhanam of the upa-VyUha Moorthys in the 12 PuNDra stAnams with their devis . If sandhya is to be done at the riverside , one can use the teertam of the river with recitation of KasavAya nama: , Sriyai nama: on the forehead for PuNDra dhAraNam.
Each one of the five steps has elaborate subdivisions. For the sake of brevity , we wont go into the VaruNa and agamarshaNa sootra Veda Mantrams and procedures here .
After sankalpam for SnAnam , the following verse Is cited :
samasta jagadhAdhAra ! Sankha chakra gadhAdhara
dEhi dEva ! mamAnujn~Am Yushmath teerta nishEvanE
(Meaning) : Oh the substrate for the Universe and its beings ! Oh Lord adorning the disc, conch and mace ! Please grant me Your permission to perform snAnam in Your teertam .
Afterwards , the yajamAnan enters the water and immerses himself three times while reciting Hari's name ( Hari ! Hari! ).The three times immersion is intended for (1) removal of asuddhi (2) removal of the dirt and grime in the body and (3) for pleasing the dEvatAs .
The seven types of SnAnam are :
1. VaaruNam : Immersing one's head under (flowing ) water in a river , pond or water fall .This is recognized as Mukhya SnAnam . For different reasons including sickness, this may not be recommended for some. They will then perform one of the gouNa snAnams listed below.
VaaruNa or Mukhya snAnam is of 6 Kinds: (1.1) nityam , the snAnam for suddhi to perform PrAta: and MaadhyAhnika sandhyA vandhanam (1.2) Naimittikam to restore suddhi after touching a corpse, chaNDALan or rajasvalai (1.3) Kaamyam for gaining some phalans as suggested by JyOtisham experts ; ParamaikAntis wont perform these kaamya snAnams (1.4) KriyAngam done before japam , archanam for pitrus (1.5) malApakarshaNam/oil bath and (1.6) kriyA snAnam /snAnam in holy waters during teertAdanam .
2. Paarthivam : To smear one's entire body with pure sand with the recitation of MantrAs starting from
" MruttikE hanamE paapam " .
3. AagnEyam : Smearing one's entire body with the ashes from the agnihOtra kunTam with the recitation of the mantram starting from "ISAnam ".
4. Vaayavyam : Smearing of one's body with the dust from the hoofs of cows with GosAvitri mantram .
5. Dhivyam : drenching in the rain showers during the middle of UttarAyaNam , when the rain falls as the sun is also shining.
6. Mantra SnAnam ( most recommended and easy to do for urbanites) : Reciting the 9 paadhams of the AapOhishtA mantrams and sprinkling the 9 spots with water from the sandhyA vandhana teertam vessel in this order : leg, head , chest , head, chest , leg , chest , leg and head .
7. Maanasam : This is dhyAnam about Soorya NaarAyaNan with the golden hue in the middle of the orbit of the Sun adorning the disc and conch and visualizing the waters of Gangaa flowing from the right toe of the Lord and falling on one's body and destroying the inner and outter asuddhams ( impuities).
Maanasa snAnam is considered superior to all other snAnams like Maanasa AarAdhanam , which is considered superior to baahya ( external) ArAdhanam .
There are 6 slOkams associated with Maanasa snAnam . These visualize performing snAnam in the GangA PravAham that flows from the lotus feet of the Lord and those sacred waters entering our body through the Brahma randhram ( Orifice in the head ) , cleansing the inside and outside and removing all blemishes . DhyAnam of the Lord in His splenderous from with AbharaNams and Ayudhams as Sri VaikunTha Naathan is done during the Maanasa snAnam .
There are other snAnams like PanchAnga snAnam ( washing both the legs, two hands, face ), Kaapila snAnam ( wiping one's body with a wet vastram , PuNDra snAnam ( adorning one's body with 12 urdhva PuNDrams).
One should not do any KarmAs with a wet cloth after snAnam . If there are no dry vastram available , SaastrAs state that you wave the wet vastram seven times in the wind and wear it then for the observance of the Vaidhika karmaa .
After that adorning of the ThirumaNN-SrI ChUrNam based on the practise of the Family takes place . When it is not possible to adorn regular ThirumaNN and SrI ChoorNam , use water to create the tilakam on the forehead .
Achamanam , PrANAyAmam procedures and the demos are available at ibiblio.org/sripedia site.
( To be continued )
DhAsan , V.Sadagopan
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