Bhakti List Archives

[sv-rituals] Re: Gayatri Japam

From the Bhakti List Archives

sadagopaniyengar • Sat Sep 07 2002 - 04:57:32 PDT 


 Dear Shri Mani,
Sandhyavandanam is indeed to be done wearing a pavitram (except during
Achamanam)-whether we do it or not, this is what Smritis lay down.
In the Saccharitra Sudhanidhi sloka, the prohibition relating to homas
appears to apply to doing them without uttareeyam and pavitram, and not
without enumeration.  However, counting may be necessary too, where there is
a specific number of Ahutis to be performed, as in Gayatri Homam, Ayushya
Homam, Sudarsana Homam, etc.
 I do agree that provision of reasons for the various acts,which we required
to perform and avoid, would have generated greater conviction in us.
However, these dicta are none the less relevant for that, considering the
impeccable source (Maharshis and great Seers) from which they emanate, and
that the prescription is intended solely for our welfare, without any vested
interest on the part of the distinguished authors.
Under the circumstances,
"Yat yat Acharati shrEshtta: tat tat Eva itarO jana:
  sa yat pramANam kurutE lOka: tat anuvartateE"
looks good enough for us.   with regards, dasan, sadagopan.

Date: Fri, 06 Sep 2002 06:02:34 -0000
   From: "mani2" 
Subject: Re: Digest Number 89----Gayatri Japam

--- In sv-rituals@y..., "sadagopaniyengar" 
> the Saccharitra SudhAnidhi, an exhaustive compendium on rituals,
> prohibits japa without enumeration-
> " apavitra kara:sankhyAm akurvan anya mAnasa:
>   Japa hOmAdikam karma anuttareeyascha varjayEt"
>  A few other activities to be avoided during Japam are-
> uttering the mantra loud enough for others to hear, [...]
> performing japam without
> pavitram, ...

Some of these dictates are indeed puzzling.  The sandhyavandana
to my knowledge is not done with pavitra-pANi. What then of the
gAyatri-japa therein? Is it fruitless? And I notice that japa
and homa are included in the above. What does it mean to enumerate
the homa?

It seems that according to the sudhAnidhi a yathA-Sakti japa
is as bad as japa doing with a wandering mind! This I find
surprising. I wish there were more reasoning included in these
ritualistic works. Instead they end up simply being an amalgamation
of rules.

adiyen,
Mani




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