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[sv-rituals] Some observations on sandhyAvandana - 3

From the Bhakti List Archives

Mani Varadarajan • May 21, 2002 


Fellow jijnAsus,

In my last post on this subject we saw that the Bodhayana 
Dharma Sutras ask us to be pure internally and externally
before be begin the sandhyAvandana proper. I had mentioned 
that one particular sUtra appeared to include the snAna as a
prerequisite for sandhyA, given the mantras that were
mentioned.

In response to this, a learned friend commented by email:

 * The HiraNyavarNa and pavamana rks do not have to go with
 * snana. The way these rks are used is that one touches the
 * vessel/utdharaNi holding the water, sanctifies/empowers those
 * waters with these two rks and sprinkles them on
 * oneself. i.e. they can be used in the same manner as the
 * ApOhiStA rks.

 * That is the procedure for the prAtah sandhya. For the
 * mAdhyAnika, they may be used with snana, as they could be with
 * the saayam sandhya.

 * My own impression is that if one finishes the morning deva
 * karmas and proceeds directly on to the mAdhyahnika, there is
 * no necessity of snana - there being no impurity associated
 * with any deva karma. For the saayam kaala, a snaana is needed
 * anyway.

[ Note: the bulk of the mantras mentioned by the sutra are found
  in a collection known as the pavamAna sUktam. This can be
  viewed online (without svara notation) at 
  http://www.ambaa.org/stotrams/pavamana_itrans.htm ]

Bodhayana gives guidance on this issue in this context:

  ... aprayato 'bhiSiktaH prayato vA anabhiSiktaH
  prakshAlita-pAda-pANir apa Acamya ... [ 2.4.7.2 ]

  If unclean, one should bathe; if clean, one need not
  bathe. Having cleansed one hands and feet, and 
  doing Acamanam by sipping water ...

The next sutra explains that snAna is enjoined upon all
people; the only thing different about the Vaidika snAna
is that it is done with mantras. (snAnam vihitam 
sArvavArNikam; mantravat prokshaNam cApi dvijAtInAm
viSishyate iti - 2.4.7.4).

I should point out an error in my previous post. I had
written that the sipping of sanctified water we perform
after reciting 'sUryaS ca mA manyuSca', etc., is called
mArjanam. It is actually called prASanam. In any case,
it is interesting that this is not mentioned in the
sutras at all.

Along the same lines, the arghya-pradAna (the offering of 
water while reciting the Gayatri mantra to the Divinity 
present within the sun) is also strangely not mentioned in
by Bodhayana.  The commentator, noting this omission,
argues that the purpose of the sutras is to clarify
what is unclear in the Veda.  What has been omitted
is only because it is well-known.  The arghya-pradAna
is a well-established practice mentioned in the 
Veda itself so there is no need to repeat it here.

The commentator is here making a reference to a brAhmaNa from 
the Yajur Veda (taittirIya?) which explicitly mentions the
ancient practice of arghya-pradAna:

  brahma-vAdinaH pUrvAbhimukhAH sandhyAyAm gAyatryA
  abhimantritA Apa Urdhvam vikshipanti 

  Those conversant with Brahman (the Absolute, or the Veda) 
  face east during the morning twilight hour, sanctify 
  water by reciting the Gayatri, and throw this water
  upwards (toward the sun).

In the same sentence, the Veda also cryptically mentions the 
reason for this practice.  The offering of the water
is said to destroy certain rakshasas that obstruct the
progress of the sun (tA etA Apo vajrIbhUtvA tAni rakshAmsi
mandehAruNe dvIpe prakshipanti).  

At first this no doubt strikes one as a primitive idea.
The thought that throwing water, sanctified or otherwise,
ensures the physical progress of the sun does not seem
convincing given our current sensibilities.  Nor does
it tally with our general perception of sandhyAvandana as
a profoundly spiritual religious duty. However, the story 
of the rakshasas actually symbolizes a significant psychological 
truth.  The rakshasas represent internal enemies that obstruct 
the pristine perception of Brahman, who is physically symbolized
by the sun. The offering of the sanctified arghya to Divinity 
while recitating the Gayatri keeps these internal obstacles at 
bay. This symbolism is explained very nicely in Sri Rangapriya 
Swami's preface to the Sandhyavandana book published by the 
Thillaisthanam Swami Kainkarya Sabha. If anyone has this book, 
I request them to reproduce what Sri Swami has written here.

Returning to the Bodhayana sutras, the next topic taken up
is a discussion of the mantra japa to be done during the 
evening sandhyA.  Bodhayana remarks that the one is to
repeat the Gayatri (Savitri) mantra *1000* times while seated
facing the setting sun! (darbheshv AsIno darbhAn dhArayamANaH 
sa+udakena pANinA  pratyaG mukhaH sAvitrIm sahasrakRtvA
Avartayet, 2.4.7.5).  

The count of 1000 presumably means 1008 by convention.
Our habit of (only) 108, 28, or 10 Gayatris is naturally
a concession to us. I wonder how realistic the daily
commandment to do 1008 Gayatris was. Did the dvijas of 
Bodhayana's time have nothing else to do -- no chores,
studying, cooking, cleaning, or rearing? Or, is Bodhayana
just setting up an impossible standard so that those
who follow him remain humbled by their inability to live
up to his words?

Back to our text. The meditation and mantra-japa is to 
be done facing the sun, setting in this case.  The commentator
remarks that sun is a visible symbol of Brahman Itself,
according to the very Veda: 'Adityo brahmeti AdeSaH'.
Furthermore, one of the central meditations in the Upanishads
is how the indwelling divinity of the sun is the same as
the indwelling, controlling self within the human, which
is the same as the indwelling controlling self that pervades
the entire universe. (See Chandogya Upanishad 1.6.6, for
example -- esha antarAditye hiraNmayaH purusho drSyate).

I will continue my observations in the next email.

 || namo vedapurushAya ||
|| namaH paramarshibhyaH ||

aDiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan
Mani

  


    

   




  


 


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