DEIVATHIN KURAL # 114 (of Vol 2) Dt 31 May 2008

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 114 (of Vol 2) Dt 31 May 2008



(This is continued from Deivathin Kural # 113 (of Vol 2) of 29 May 2008. These are translations of talks given by Periyaval of Kanchi Kamakoti peetam, over a period of some sixty years while he was the pontiff in the earlier part of last century. These have been published in Tamil by Vanadi Padippagam, Chennai, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each, as Deivathin Kural. To day we are proceeding ahead of Page 842 of volume 2, of the Tamil original. )



50. To do ‘trikala sndhya’ everyday, to take a bath in the holy Ganges river and then visit the ‘Rama Sethu’ at Rameswaram, at least once in a life time, is the cherished ambition of every religious minded Hindu, from time immemorial! If somebody was running high fever, others around him should do Sandya Vandanam and administer that water to the man with fever. Now-a-days we all seem to be running fever all of the time, with no one doing the Sandya Vandanam.

51. For the sick person medicine is needed. Similarly, we are all afflicted by the disease of overly being attached to the body. For this disease, the only medicine is the Gayatri mantra japa. This medicine is not only a cure but a preventive and maintenance prescription too. So this medicine has to be taken daily without a break. Gayatri japa is easily done by all. The only material required for this is a little water, say 200ml. There is no physical exertion either. Sandya Vandanam should not be missed till one is alive. Gayatri should be adored as a Mother. God comes in our life in so many forms. More than anybody else Mother is the most loving. She gives us unconditional love. So, Gayatri is to be thought of in that form, Vedas say.

52. Man has Gayatri. What does a woman have? If the husband chants Gayatri, his wife gets the automatic advantage. Similarly, if men of the three castes chant Gayatri, the people of the fourth caste get all the advantage. You can give up something if you were the only beneficiary. When you know that by giving up doing something, others are going to suffer, you better not give that up! The persons entitled to chant Gayatri are like ‘Trustees’. They have to get the Mantra Sakti for the sake of others. There is no expiation if they fail in doing their job entrusted to them.

53. There are many types of mantras. Before chanting them, we say that we are about to chant ‘so and so’ mantra for ‘so and so’ purpose. In the case of Gayatri mantra the purpose is ‘chitta suddhi’ that is, cleansing of the mind! The purpose of all mantras is also finally the same, but indirectly. In the case of Gayatri, that is the direct result. The only result. Even now, whatever otherwise one may be doing, this thrice daily ritual can be done without fail. Morning and evening is no problem. To chant these mantras at a not too hurried pace, it does not take more than 15 to 20 minutes. May be that since we may be at the work place at noon, the ‘Madyanhikam’ could be done six nazhigai after sunrise, that is at about 8.30 A.M. before leaving for the place of work!

54. Unless totally disabled, we should not miss doing the ‘trikala’ Sandya Vandanam. If totally bedridden, as we ask others to help us in feeding or drinking water, we could ask them to do the Sandya Vandanam for us! Let us all pray to the Almighty to bless us and enable us to enhance and progress mantra shakti, without letting it become extinguished!

55. Other Parts of Sandya Vandanam. In Dhanur Vedam, two types of weapons are described. One is Asthram and the other is Sastram. (Saastram is the generic name for Scriptures, whereas Sastram is a weapon, made or meant to be a weapon, like an arrow, sword or gun.) Asthram is anything not necessarily meant to be a weapon, like a piece of grass used as a missile with mantra power. Even regular weapons could be used with mantra power. The twice born castes of Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vysyas; have to use the Asthra Prayogam of Argyam, thrice everyday! This Argya Pradaanam goes as missiles all over the cosmos capable of destroying the negative evil forces that have established control over the human minds. Sins and untruth have to be vanquished. That is the purpose of Sandya Vandana Argyam. The Sun of Gnaana has to shine with effulgent glory! For this we have to do Argya Pradana every day three times, after establishing control over our breaths, that is, “moochchai pidiththukkondu”

56. When ever we start an Endeavour whole heartedly, we say that, ‘he did so catching his breath’, that is ‘moochchai pidiththukkondu’. Actually this Argya Pradanam should be preceded and followed by Pranaayaamam or breath control. Now-a-days most of the people doing Pranaayaamam are only catching or touching their nose and not controlling the breath. Saastram does not say, ‘naasikaayaam aayamya’ but ‘praanaan aayamya’. So instead of just touching the nose, you have to bring the breath under control!

57. When we do Argyam, we should aim to have oneness of mind. Actually, that is needed as a pre-requisite for efficient execution of any job. For Yoga, ‘Chitta Aikagriyam’ or ‘oneness of mind’ is essential. You know that ‘Yoga : is karya kousalam’. Advanced techniques of Pranaayaamam need guidance from an expert. In Sandya Vandanam, we do Pranaayaamam for about ten times. In some places we are required to do only three times. From childhood, when we were given Yagnyopaveetam, had we been doing simply this Pranaayaamam, we would have become a far advanced ‘Yogeeswara’. What we do should be done correctly, is it not so? The breath should be stopped for about 30 seconds. More effort is not required. But, when you practice this with regularity, control over breath results in control over mind! When you offer Argyam in that stage of breath and mind control, the simple water you offer becomes charged with so much power that it will drive away the negative energies of the world.

58. The Argya Pradanam is an Astra Prayogam, that should be done, before chanting the Gayatri Mantra. Pranaayaamam should be done as far as possible. Some inhalation, holding of breath, some exhalation and holding of breath; is all that is required. Not much of gymnastics and acrobatics required. The Sandya Vandanam, covering the whole ambit of, Sankalpam, Marjanam, Prasanam, Argya Pradanam, Japam, Stotram and Abhivadanam; should be done with the clarity that it is all being done for the satisfaction of Parameswara, ‘parameswara preetyartam’! That is the first sankalpam. Pranaayaamam is an important part in it. That should be done to the extent possible, all the three times a day. Actually it is said clearly that even a sick man should do Sandya Vandanam everyday. Evidently he is required to do the Pranaayaamam as part of it. This clearly means that, doing Pranaayaamam does not entail any super human efforts. Actually doing this keeps one hale and hearty.

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva.