Om namo Narayana !!
Respected members:
It is a real pleasure to read Shri Sadagopan's note on the most critical
nitya karma i.e. Sandhyavandanam. This writer would like to add the
following :
a. Sandhya is a form of Yoga. Yoga as defined by the Great Patanjali -
who is none other than Adiseshan come down to their earth to help humans
- is understanding the fluctuations of the mind and the methods to
address these and go beyond. Asana is one part, pranayama the other key
aspect. Only with Pranayama the mind can be brought under control
Both these key aspects are included in the Sandhya. Our very life force
the Prana is offered to the LORD and this Prana which is full of potent
power much much higher than any nuclear bomb is held back and infused into
the Water while doing Argyam to give power to the water to dispel and
destroy evil and darkness.
b. Even if one person does the Sandhya, especially the Arghya pradanam even
once, many persons may get the benefit. If today in this Kali Yuga, if at
all things have not fallen apart is only because of a few thousands
performing the Sandhya diligently globally.
c.Without Sandhya there is little relevance of doing other poojas, worship,
chanting, homam, yajna. If Sandhya is done on the other hand, everything
else becomes optional. Either way Sandhya is supreme
d. Sandhya is also a social obligation enjoined by divinity/Vedas.
Therefore, it has no relation to teetu etc. It has to be done irrespective.
Moreover, it has to be done with an attitude of selflessness. One cannot
ask for this or that, unlike in other mantras, slokas etc. some of which
have the ' reward' aspect built into. For example we have the Ayush homam
for long life, Mahamritunjaya homam etc. but Sandhya has to be general. For
'lokakshemam' for welfare of all, animals, man, trees etc.
e. Today we have movements like Greenpeace, Whaling committee, World
Wildlife Funds etc each one trying to push their limited agenda but
nevertheless recognizing that endangering of species will result in chaos.
This was already in-built in the Sandhya, where everything is worshipped.
The prayers are for all.
f. Divine arithmetic :
In addition, there is a more meaningful aspect of the Sandhya which is
in-built. The mind, by nature is fickle and lethargic and can be easily
influenced by various external factors. Knowing well that in such
situations, although in Kali Yuga chanting of the name, Namaa itself may
not be adhered or may be casually done, the Sandhya ritual contains the
chanting of names, Naama also. Hence the importance of 'mandatory'
doing this.
The assumption here is if one lives a purely traditional life as laid
out by the Sastras and Orthodox stricture and the advice of the Gurus /
Acharayas, then assuming the Upanayanam is done at age 7 the person may
live say upto 97 i.e. 90 more years after Upanayanam.
1. During Sandhya, during achamanam, 12 names of Vishnu at the minimum
are taken. Achamanam is done thrice at the minimum. This works out to 36
name chanting. Multiply with 365 days a year and you have 1.18 million
namas during a lifetime of 90 years assuming you do the Upanayanam at 7 and
continue the chanting till you are 97 years
2. Further, if you by chance happen to be a Sri Vaishnavaite dedicated
to the Sandhya, you need to chant 24 namas instead of 12, so this
straightaway doubles your Namaa count to 2.36 million times in your
lifetime.
3. In addition, you are touching each part of your body with the names
of Vishnu. You are literally installing and plucking Vishnu from all around
and fixing into your body. You are purifying yourself 2.36 million times.
You are surrounding yourself with HIS name several times that no harm or
problem can even deign to come close to you, leave along touching you.
4. This apart, you are offering deva tarpanam to all the planets and
again this includes the names of Vishnu. So this works out to 24 names x 3
times a day x 365 days x 90 years which is another 2.4 million names as
Deva tarpanam is done once.
5. Add to this divine total Saranagathi sloka "Sanka chakra Gadha ..."
which is done once, i.e. 1 x 3 x 365 x 90 and this comes to around 99,000
chants
6. This does not take into account the 9 planets, Guru, Rahu, Saturn
etc. for which tarpanam is done, this is 9 x 3 x 365 x 90 = 8.88 million
name uttering. No need to cast horoscopes, think about “7 year Shani”, all
griha doshas!!!
7. Then there is Om Shri Kesavaya namaha which is done initially during
Sandhya. Thus another 99000 chants of the Holy name.
8. Now comes the Gayathri chanting. At the minimum during pranayama of
10 times the Gayathri is told after each Om Bhu, Om Bhuva..., thus 10
Gayathri's x 3 times x 365 days x 90 = 1 million counts is done
9. To this add: the Sankalpam Gayathri done thrice i.e.another 99000
Gayathri
10. Then you worship the God of Death and his chief accountant
Chitraguptan by chanting their names which works out to 99000 chants to
Yama and another 99000 to his Chief accountant who keeps tabs on our deeds.
11. Now add to this 99000 name chanting of Saraswathi, the Goddess of
learning.
12. Include at names of 12 Great Rishis and Lord Hayagriva, this works
out to 13 x3 x 365 x90 or 1.28 million uttering
13. Achamanam is done thrice at the minimum and each achamanam is made of
Achutaya namaha, Anantaya Namaha,and Govinda i.e. 3 x 3 times x 3 rituals x
365 days x 90 = 645000 name chanting
14. Coming now to another unique prayer. Not many are doing this, but
this again is enshrined in the rituals. Prayer to the Snake god for
protection and warding off fears. Done thrice x 365 days x 90 is 99000
times. This is indirectly addressed to Adi Seshan and this will immensely
please Mahavishnu by default.
15. The rivers are also prayed for.
16. This is not the end of the story. Every direction, sub-direction,
down, up, center, innermost and outermost small, sundry and miscellaneous
demi-gods etc. everyone is called thrice i.e. another 99000 times. Gods of
each direction i.e. North, south, etc. are addressed. Bhoomadevi is
addressed, 99000 for each addressing of name
17. All Panchamahabhutas i.e. agni, vayu, earth, sky, ether, airspace
etc. are all invoked and prayed i.e. 99000 for each addressing of name
18. Last but not the least, the core Gayathri mantram itself which at a
base minimum of 10 Gayathris x 3 times x 365 x 90 becomes 1 million. Many
elders do the Gayathri many times. Some do it 108 times per ritual x 3 or
324 times a day !!!
Roughly this totals around 20 million chantings during your lifetime. Day
in and day out you if you do this you get the divine power and protection.
And this is just the tip of the ice berg
Now the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali also talk of the potent power of OM and
declare that if a discipline is done followed diligently with interest over
a period of time, impressions in the mind which impels us to act,speak and
think erroneously and which bring about misery in our material existence,
these impressions which are nothing but Karmas working themselves out,
these would be overwritten by the power of habit, And Yoga is nothing but
cultivation of an habit. Chanting, surrender to God, correct behaviour,
attitude and prayers are all part of the divine package of Yoga and this
habit will with "Abhayasa and Vairagya" i.e. constant learning and practice
coupled with conscious detachment
will make us a fit vehicle to peep into Vaikuntam!!
Some relevant extracts from the Yoga Sutras which are relevant to the
Sandhya practices is given for better appreciation of the underlying
importance of doing the Sandhya constantly :
The Yoga Sutras are the most complete and universally neutral terse truths.
They can be tested and experienced immediately here on this blessed earth
by each one of us. They are scientifically and logically structured. Only
one has to have the patience and energy to study them.
If you carefully go through the Sutras *, you will find:
I-20 talks of how progress happens in this field i.e. to one who has
Shradya (faith), veerya (boldness) , smriti (memory) etc.
I-21 declares that alternatively, for those who follow the principles with
depth of seriousness ...the word used is "teevra sama.."...
I-22 says there are three types of people i.e. medium, high energetic or
mild and depending on these tendencies the progress is measured
I-23 gives yet another alternative and says or if neither I-20, nor I-21
nor I-22 is applicable to such a person the solution is
"Iswarapranidhan...". This sutra has just one word. This Ishwar is not
God, or Shiva or anything else. It is just a higher, supreme being.
I-24 Ishwara is defined as a special (the word used is "visesha"), purusha
untouched by time, etc. Not God, or Shiva or Vishnu or anything. Just an
entity.
I-25 elaborates what all Ishwara possesses. Note the gender of Ishwara is
concsiously left blank. It does not say whether Ishwara is Male or Female.
It simply says ' In Ishwara there is all knowledge, everything
contained..."
I-26 Declares emphatically " Ishwara is the Guru, the primary ancient and
first Guru
I-27 :further clarifies that Ishwar manifests as sound form - the Sound
form is OM and OM is uttered at least 20 times during each Sandhyavandanam
which by itself works out to 20 x 3 x 365 x 90 = 2 million counts.
* Pages 259 onwards Vol 1, Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda titled Raja
Yoga.
Om tat Sat
Tat tvam asi
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