இந்துக்களின் தினசரிக் கடமைகள்:

[Padmanabhan.J]

இந்துக்களின் தினசரிக் கடமைகள்:





1. தினமும் சூரியன் உதிப்பதற்கு முன் படுக்கையிலிருந்து எழ வேண்டும்.

2. காலையில் எழுந்தவுடனும், நீராடிய பின்னும், உணவு கொள்ளும் போதும் இஷ்ட தெய்வத்தைச் சிந்தனை செய்ய வேண்டும்.

3. நெற்றியில் இந்து சமயச் சின்னம் (திருநீறு, குங்குமம், சந்தனம், திருநாமம் - ஏதேனும்) அணிய வேண்டும். நீறில்லா நெற்றி பாழ் என்பதற்கேற்ப எதையும் அணிந்து கொள்ளாமல் வெறும் நெற்றியுடன் இருக்கக் கூடாது.

4. இறைவழிபாட்டுக்கு என, தனியே இடம் ஒதுக்கித் தவறாது வழிபாடு செய்யவேண்டும். காலை - மாலையில் விளக்கேற்றி நறுமணப் புகை பரவச் செய்யும்.

5. சமய நூல்களைப் படித்தல் வேண்டும்.

6. படுக்கும்போது தெய்வத்தின் நினைவோடு படுக்க வேண்டும்.


Source: Nagarathar

[soundararajan50]

Re: இந்துக்களின் தினசரிக் கடமைகள்:

ந்ல்ல சிந்தனை சார் அது சரி இந்த படம் கேரளாவில் எடுக்கப்பட்டதோ ந்ல்ல வெய்யிலில் எடுத்த படம் எனத்தெறிகிற்து

[mageshiyer]

Re: இந்துக்களின் தினசரிக் கடமைகள்:

Sri Nannilam BrahmashrI Rajagopala GaNapAThigaL, editor of the magazine vaithikasri has published a book titled sandeha nivAraNI under four parts. I would like to share select answers from the book for the benefit of us all. Members may also contribute with their own selection from such books. (In the following selections any reference other than Sri Rajagolala GaNapAThigaL's books are given by name).

Asanas (seats) for mantras/stotras/japa

When doing pArAyaNam (reading/reciting) of mantras or stotras or when doing japam (litany), our scriptures prescribe certain Asanas (seats) for obtaining the best fruits of our efforts.

सर्वान् कामानवाप्नोति मनुष्यःकम्बलासने

sarvAn kAmAnavApnoti manuShyaHkambalAsane

--a seat of white woolen cloth could fetch all that is sought by the recitation.

कुशासने भवेत् ज्ञानम्

kushAsane bhavet j~jAnam

--a seat of Darbha grass can sure the defects in recalling the text and give the required knowledge for proper recital. This is the reason that brahmins symbolically place a pair of Dharbha grass leaves under their feet and squeeze a pair around the right hand ring fingure when doing ceremonies.

आरोग्यं पत्र निर्मिते

ArogyaM patra nirmite

--a seat of leaves could give better health, free of diseases.

पाषाणो दुःखमाप्नोति

pAShANo duHkhamApnoti

--sitting on the ground directly or on a rock for doing litany could bring sorrow.

काष्ठे नानाविधान् गदान्

kAShThe nAnAvidhAn gadAn

--sitting on a plank made of bamboo or other wild wood could bring in diseases. (However, sitting on a household wooden plank with the legs folded on the ground can give good benefits.)

वस्त्रे श्रियमवाप्नोति

vastre shriyamavApnoti

--spreading a cloth and sitting on it could bring in lasting wealth.

These regulations apply to all kinds of mantra japas and pArAyaNas of all stotras such as Vishnu SahasranAmam, Lalita SahasranAmam and so on.

The fruits will also differ according to the place of recital. For the amount of fruits obtainable by reciting at home,

• two times of it for reciting near water bodies such as a river, pond or well;
• a hundred times when recited in a cowshed;
• more than a hundred times when recited near the agni after the performance of the homas;
• a hundred crore times when recited in puNya kShetras (holy places), sannidhi (presence) of gods in the sacred temples;
• infinite number of times for japas done in Sri MahaVishNu's sannidhi.

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Alaya pradakShiNam

When doing pradakShiNam (going round clockwise) in temples, one should do it slowly, like a pregnant woman expecting her baby very shortly, with the full attention on the memory of God. Such a pradakShiNam could remove all the pApams (negative karmas) accumulated in our earlier births.

As the saying goes:

एकहस्त प्रणामश्*च एकञ्चाऽपि प्रदक्षिनम् ।
अकाले दर्शनं विष्णोः हन्ति पुण्यं पुरातनम् ॥

ekahasta praNAmash^cha eka~jchA&pi pradakShinam |
akAle darshanaM viShNoH hanti puNyaM purAtanam ||

these acts can reduce the accumulated merit of our earlier births:

• doing only one pradakShiNam to any god except Ganesha;
• bowing to gods raising a single hand/palm (as in the good morning gesture);
• going to PerumAL temple and having darshan of Vishnu at odd times.

Going round oneself is known as AtmapradakShinam. Such pradakShinam can be done only to the Sun god, or when doing sandhyA vandanam--not in temples or other places.

Further, in accordance with the saying:

एकं विनायके प्रोक्तं, द्वे सूर्ये, त्रीणि शङ्करे, चत्वारि महाविष्णोः,
पञ्चास्तु देव्याः, सप्ताऽश्*वत्थ प्रदक्षिणम्

ekaM vinAyake proktaM, dve sUrye, trINi sha~gkare, chatvAri mahAviShNoH,
pa~jchAstu devyAH, saptA&sh^vattha pradakShiNam

the number of pradakShiNas that should be done minimum for each god is as follows:

• one pradakShiNam for Sri MahA Ganapati;
• two for the pradakShiNam done towards the Sun god;
• three for Sri Parameshvara (Siva);
• four for Maha Vishnu;
• five for mother or Mother Goddess;
• seven for the peepul (arasa) tree.

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mantropadesham and mantra japam

Mantras purify the mind and obtain the divine grace for us. For the mantrasiddhi (obtaining the fruit of the mantra), the guru's grace is vital. Only a guru can select a mantra that suits the abilities of his disciple and guide him/her in practice. The guru also bears the karmic burden of the disciple and prays for its dissolution. Therefore it is always best to be initiated into mantra japam by a guru.

The best time for mantropadesham are the times of the solar and lunar eclipses. Receiving mantropadesham or doing japam for mantrasiddhi during the times of the eclipse could obtain the fruits early.

As for the other best times, mantropadesham can be had on the day of sangramaNam (first day of a Hindu calendar month). The six months of the uttarAyaNam period (from the month of thai-pushya to Ani-Anusi), and the period of shukla pakSham (from the day following the Newmoon day until the next Fullmoon day) are auspicious times for mantropadesham.

While all the mantras must be chanted with the correct and clear pronunciation, the Veda mantras should be chanted with the correct svaras (udAttam, anudAttam, svaritam).

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dhanur mAsa pUja

In the calendar of the devas, where one year of our time equals one day, the month of mArgashIrSha-mArgazhi is the uShaH kAlam (dawn time) of the devas.

As the shAstra says:

उषः काले तु सम्प्राप्ते बोधयित्वा जगत्पतिम् ।
समभ्यर्च्य भजेत् विष्णुम् जगतां दोष शान्तये ॥

uShaH kAle tu samprApte bodhayitvA jagatpatim |
samabhyarchya bhajet viShNum jagatAM doSha shAntaye ||

the puja performed during the entire month of mArgashIrSha before sUryodayam (sunrise) at the uShaH kAlam for Maha Vishnu, with abhiShekam and tulasI archana, offering in nivedanam pongal prepared using payattam paruppu (greengram dhal) would bring welfare with all the doShas cured, for the village, the creatures and animals and people living in that area.

Thus the dhanur mAsa pUja is done in all the temples for the welfare of the people at dawn time during the mArgashIrSha month. In addition, people also perform such pujas in their homes.

कोदण्डस्ते सवितरि प्रत्यूषे पूजनात् हरेः ।
सहस्त्राऽब्दाऽर्चन फलं दिनेन एकेन लभ्यते ॥

kodaNDaste savitari pratyUShe pUjanAt hareH |
sahastrA&bdA&rchana phalaM dinena ekena labhyate ||

When the sun is in the dhanur rAsi, Sri Vishnu puja done during the uShaH kAlam for a single day could obtain the fruits of doing puja for a thousand years.

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[mageshiyer]

Re: இந்துக்களின் தினசரிக் கடமைகள்:

Advice for Women

• Women can very well do prANAyAmam as prescribed. For this, KausalyA Devi herself is pramANam (proof). It is mentioned in Srimad ValmIki Ramayanam, "प्राणायामेन पुरुषं ध्यायमाता जनार्दनम्"--"prANAyAmena puruShaM dhyAyamAtA janArdanam"--"Sri Rama's mother Kausalya performed prANAyAmam and prayed to her family deity SriRanganatha."

• It is uttamam (best) that only women do the puja for Amman (AmbAL, mother Goddess) rather than men. That AmbAL much likes the puja and archanA done by women can be gathered from the nAmAvali text in Lalita Sahasranamam "सुवासिन्यर्चन प्रीता"--"suvAsinyarchana prItA". Therefore women have the preference in performing any Devi Puja.

• To do pArAyaNam of the purANAs composed by Sri Veda Vyasa and Srimad Ramayana composed by Sri ValmIki, everyone is eligible, irrespective of the caste and religion. So women can very well read/recite Ramayana and Bhagavata and other puranas. However, receiving upadesham of the shrI rAmaShTakSharI or aShTakSharI from a suitable AchArya and then do the pArAyaNam with the blessings of the guru will fetch quicker fruits.

• Women can very well get mantropadesham; there is no distinction as to men or women for getting mantropadesham. But then mantras should not be recited in japam looking up from the books or knowing it otherwise. They should be chanted in japam only by upadesham from a father or husband (who has enough AchAram) or from a Sadguru. To decide as to what mantra should be received in upadesham, the family kula AchAra (family traditions), horoscope or guru's advice may be considered.

• It is best to do japam of the panchAkShara mantra after the husband and wife as dampati (in pair) receive it in upadesham through a guru; where this is not possible, women can receive the upadesham on their own and do the japam.

• Women periodically change the shrI-mAngalya cord. To wear the mAngalyam on a turmeric-smeared cord increases the lifetime of both the woman and her husband. This cord needs to be clean and pure at all times; no other article such as a small key, a safety pin or some rakSha should be added to it. When the cord becomes thin or dirty, it must be replaced with a new one.

The cord can be replaced on a Monday, Tuesday or Thursday, in the morning before meals, sitting in the DeivaSannidhi facing east. The cord should not be replaced in the evening, night or during the time of RahukAlam or Yamakandam.

• There is a mantra to be recited when wearing kumkumam. Kumkumam is the most important of the things that give beauty and prosperity to women. Sumangali women (having their husbands alive) and spinsters who always wear the kumkumam on their forehead would receive the blessings of Mahalakshmi. It also removes any dRShTi doSha (impure looks) of the beholders.

The kumkumam should be worn in between the two eyebrows (for all women) and on the crown of the head (for married women), sitting or standing facing east and reciting the mantra: श्रीं श्रियै नमः शं शुभं भूयात्--shrIM shriyai namaH shaM shubhaM bhUyAt.

[mageshiyer]

Re: இந்துக்களின் தினசரிக் கடமைகள்:

Advice for Men

• According to the Dharma Shastras, only gRuhastas (married men) should smear the sandal paste on their chest. The brahmachAris (bachelors) should not smear the sandal paste on any part of their body.

• The Shaivites and Vaishnavites must wear the prasAdam of their deity on places such as foreheads: Vaishnavites wear Sri Vishnu's prasAdam which is the Urdhva puNDraH (tirunAmam), while Shaivites wear Shiva's prasAdam which is the vibhUti (bhasma puNDraH). Wearing the sectarian mark gives chittashuddhi (purity of mind), Arogyam (freedom from disease), deiva anugraham (God's grace) and all such benefits, says the Anhika kANDam, a Dharma Shastra book. In addition, the greatness of the vibhUti is elaborated in books like the Devi Bhagavatam.

• Veda mantras have immesurable power; so they must be learnt only from a guru. By chanting the Veda mantras such as the shrI rudram, puruSha sUktam from books or audio recordings, you run the risk of errors in the svaram, akSharam and pronunciation; and this can bring in fruits in direct opposition to the ones desired. Even people who are capable of proper chanting must learn from a guru, only then could they get the complete benefits.

मन्त्रोहीनः स्वरतो वर्णतो वा मिथ्याप्रयुक्त्तो न तमर्थमाह ।
स वाग्वज्रो यजमानं हिनस्ति यथेन्द्रशत्रुः स्वरतोऽपराधात् ॥

mantrohInaH svarato varNato vA mithyAprayuktto na tamarthamAha |
sa vAgvajro yajamAnaM hinasti yathendrashatruH svarato&parAdhAt ||

If the mantra differs by intonation, letter or another way while chanting, that mantra will become VajrAyudham and torment the YajamAnan who chants the mantra, just as the wrong recital of the 'indrashatru' phrase did.

There is a story about this in the Yajur Veda.

Twaashtha wanted a Son to avenge the death of Trishira--his Son whom Indra adopted as a preceptor in the time Brihaspathi had left him due to the disrespect Indra had shown toward his Acharya. Indra found that Trishira had an Asura Mother and when he offered oblations into the Sacred Agni for the victory of the Devas, he also uttered the mantras for the victory of the Asuras with his other mouth (he had 3 mouths)--consequently the wars were stalemated. Indra in his anger killed Trishira with his Vajram and incurred Twaashtha's wrath.

The mantra which Twaashtha chanted had the words "Indra shatru" in it. In this the Indra was to chanted with anudhaatam and the shatru with swaritam. Twaashtha made the mistake of chanting the word Indra with svaritam and the Shatru with anudhAtam--he consequently got a Son--Vritra--not one who would kill Indra--but one who would be killed by Indra. The meaning changed due to the incorrect swara and hence the term "Yajamaanam hinasti".
(http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/ar...ep98/0069.html)

• Some bachelors refuse to get married, which is not proper. Marriage is not only for the conjugal bliss, it is also a duty ordained by the Shastras: te become a householder by getting married, begetting children and thereby following the dharma for a householder.

Only marriage and the resultant male offspring can deliver a man from his duties to his pitrus (deceased parents).

SannyAsis and BrahmachAris have no right to cook their own food: only the householders should provide them with the bhikShA (offered food).

We learn from the Puranas that many men observed naiShThika brahmacharyam (bachelor for life) and remained without getting married. This way of living is barred for the Kaliyuga by the Shastras.

[mageshiyer]

Re: இந்துக்களின் தினசரிக் கடமைகள்:

Using a lotus leaf to eat food from

People who are married should not keep food on the lotus or palAsha/purasa leaf and eat it. But then brahmachAris and sannyAsis can very well do it.

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Singing Veda mantras in janaranjana sangItam

Veda mantras should NOT be sung in janaranjana sangItam (popular Karnatic music). Above all the other mantras, the Veda mantras have a unique power. To obtain that shakti in full, the Veda mantras should only be recited with certain niyamas (regulations).

गीती शीघ्री शिरःकम्पी तता लिखित पाठकः ।
अनर्थज्ञः अल्पकण्ठश्च षडेते पाठकाऽधमाः ॥

gItI shIghrI shiraHkampI tatA likhita pAThakaH |
anarthaj~jaH alpakaNThashcha ShaDete pAThakA&dhamAH ||
--vyAsa shikShA

The following six persons won't get the full power of Veda mantras:

• One who sings the Veda mantras, setting them in sangItam;
• one who chants them very fast;
• one who nods his head while chanting them;
• one who reads them from a book;
• one who chants them without knowing their meaning;
• one who does not have enough facility of voice to chant them.

Of all these acts, Shastras say that singing the Vedas as songs would bring in opposite results. Veda mantras, recited with their own svara shuddham (purity of intonation), will be more enjoyable than music.

*********

Doing namaskAram to elders

The purpose of the namaskAram is the expression that the person who receives it is superior to us. This namaskAram can only be done to people who are elder to us in age by at least three years. However, this rule is not applicable to the elder brothers and sisters born with us.

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Doing abhivAdanam

After doing namaskAram, dvijas (people who wear the sacred thread) perform the pravaram of abhivAdanam (enunciated salute) by keeping the palms over ears, announcing their Rishi lineage, gotram, sUtram (family lineage), family Veda, and sharman (name), and then touching the feet of the elders they prostrated to. This is the general rule. But then

देवान् नदीन् सभां वृक्षान् अग्निकार्यं तथा यतिम् ।
दण्डवत् प्रणमेत् भूमौ न अभिवादन माच्रेत् ॥

devAn nadIn sabhAM vRukShAn agnikAryaM tathA yatim |
daNDavat praNamet bhUmau na abhivAdana mAchret ||

For the namaskAram done

• before deities,
• in a sabhA (assembly),
• to the trees such as peepul or palAsam,
• before the agni in which rites such as samidAdAnam, aupAsanam were performed,
• before the sannyAsis (ascetics),

such namaskArams should be done falling like a daNDam (staff); and the abhivAdana pravaram should not be uttered on these occasions.

*********parihAram for things started getting stuck
Some people experience obstacles in everything they start and the effort gets stuck in the middle. This parihAram (measure for remedy) can be of help to them.

shrI MahAganapati is known as vighnaharta[/b] (destroyer of obstacles). When Shiva started off on his chariot to do [i]saMhAram (end the life) of TripurAsura, the axle of his chariot broke, causing an obstacle even at the start. At that time shrI Shiva who is father of MahAganapati, did stotram (worship with hymns) of his son with the Ganapati SahasranAma Stotram, got his obstacle removed and attained kAryasiddhi (task accomplishment), informs the Mudkala Purana.

Therefore, doing pArAyaNam of MahAganapati SahasranAma Stotram daily in the early morning at dawn time for a period of one maNDalam (48 days) will ensure that all the obstacles are removed and things started will proceed smoothly to their fulfilment.

Men, women and children--all the people--can do this pArAyaNam.

Note: The shivasthalam Acharapakkam near Chingleput, Chennai is traditionally said to be the place where the axle of Shiva's chariot broke.

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parihAram for delay in marriage

When the marriage of the boy or girl gets delayed unduly, for the marriage to take place early, pArAyaNam of Srimad Valmiki Ramayana can be conducted in vidhivat (according to rules) as navAham (for nine days).

Alternatively, as mentioned in the UmAsamhita:

कन्यार्थी च वटुः कन्याऽपि अनुरूप वरार्थिनी
सीता विवाह सर्गं तु पठेत् प्रातः प्रयत्नः
गव्यं निवेदयेत् क्षीरं सद्यो दुग्धं शुचि स्थले

kanyArthI cha vaTuH kanyA&pi anurUpa varArthinI
sItA vivAha sargaM tu paThet prAtaH prayatnaH
gavyaM nivedayet kShIraM sadyo dugdhaM shuchi sthale

Boys in order to get a suitable bride and girls to get a suitable groom, should do pArAyaNam of the seventy-third (sItA vivAha) sargam of the bAlA kANDam of Srimad Valmiki Ramayanam, everyday in the early morning for a period of one maNDalam (48 days), doing nivedanam of freshly milked cow's milk, the vivAham is certain to take place early.

It is uttamam (best) for the boy or girl who is to get married to do this pArAyaNam themselves daily, after receiving the Srimad Ramayana book from an elder.

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parihAram for the childless couple

Some couples remain childless even long after marriage. This parihAram can be of help to them.

पुत्रकामस्तु पुत्रीयां इष्टिं दशरथस्य ताम्
आगर्भधारणं स्त्रीणां पायसेन पठेच्छुचिः
निवेदयेत् प्रतिदिनं घृतमिश्रं तु पायसम्
श्रावयेच्चाऽपि पत्नीं स्वां कुल्यां विम्शति वासरान्

putrakAmastu putrIyAM iShTiM dasharathasya tAm
AgarbhadhAraNaM strINAM pAyasena paThechChatiH
nivedayet pratidinaM ghRutamishraM tu pAyasam
shrAvayechchA&pi patnIM svAM kulyAM vimshati vAsarAn

Thus those who remain childless due to pUrva janma karma (karma accumulated in earlier births), if they as mentioned in the UmAsamhita: remain pure and do pArAyaNam of the 15 and 16th sargam (the part covering Dasharatha's putrakAmeShTi yAgam and pAyasadAnam up to garbha dhAraNam, in the bAlA kANDam of Srimad Valmiki Ramayanam, everyday for twenty days, doing nivedanam of ghee pAyasam at the end, with the wife listening to the pArAyaNam in shraddhA (faith, trust, confidence), there would be putrabhAgyam (gift of a child) certainly by the kRupA (compassion) of shrI SitaRama.

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