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re:abhivaadhanam

From the Bhakti List Archives

L&T-ECCG-Buildings & Factories • February 3, 2000 


Dear Sri Vaishnava perunthagaiyeer,

In the discussions on the abhivaadhanam, I felt some details as given below
are worth repeating, even though, it may be known to many, and few can pick
up some of the missing links. 

Elders must be respected with saashtaangamaga sEviththal and abhivaathanam. 

Who are these elders? 

They are 
*	thaayar -mother
*	thagappanaar- father
*	guru
*	bhagavathaas

Why Abhivaadhanam is to be done? 

To obtain 
*	aayuL- long life
*	keerthi- fame
*	balam- good physique
*	selvam- wealth 
*	santhathi- progeny

When not to do this sEviththal to these elders?

When they are
*	Lying down
*	Inside the temple
*	Wearing wet clothes
*	While observing Vruththi (somebody in the family has given birth to
a child and observe theettu) kshaym (some body in the family passed away and
observing theettu) kaalam
*	When the person is having in his/ her hand any one of 
*	Samiththu -dry stick to be used in the homam
*	Pushpam- flower
*	Dharbam- the dry grass used in homam etc
*	Thulasi
*	Agni- fire
*	Water
*	Earth
*	Food- annam
*	Akshathai- yellow rice 

Note: after sEviththal the person who received the sEvai has to take
akshathai and then put on the person blessing him. (he should not hold
akshathai in hand and then bless but that is what is being done generally
which is not correct) 

After sEviththal NO abhivaadhanam is to be done to
*	perumaaL
*	yathis
*	ladies other than mother
*	ghoshti- congregation of bhagavathaas

While  performing abhivaadhanam one has to 
*	tell the abhivaadhana manthram (words?)  loud enough to be heard by
the other person in front who receives the seviththal
*	both palms of hand to cover the ears while telling the abhivaadhana
manthram
*	during abhivaadhanm mention the following
		*	pravaram
		*	gothram
		*	soothram
		*	vEdha saakai- rig yajur saama, 
		*	sarman- name
*	then open both palms and keep the left lower, right hand upper in
cross position and offer to the feet of the person (so that right hand
reaches the right leg and left hand reaches the left leg).

The person receiving the sEviththal and abhivaadhanam has to bless the
person who is doing sEviththal by saying dheerkaayushmaan bhava ....sarman-
the last letter must be long enough for 3 maathrais. If he does not know how
to do this aasirvaatham then he does not deserve the abhivaadhanam. (this is
not said my MGV but the procedure book).

Comments: This is more of "an introduction" is correct. 

Why it should be done daily to parents? Parents don't need any introduction
daily is correct. But their daily aaseervaatham of "dheerkaayushmaan bhava"
is required. Who else is going to wish you daily "dheerkaayushmaan bhava"-
certainly not your friends and nor boss or other wayside man. This wish is
the tonic for well being. 

Whenever the veeryam of such tonic of accumulated well wishes is reduced, it
is to be replenished. That is why this "dheerkaayushmaan bhava" has to be
heard from one who is very near and dear. That "near and dear" immediately
available is the parents. Hence daily sEviththal and daily abhivaadhanam to
the parents.

Trust the information given above serves its purpose.

Dasan 
vasudevan M.G.