Sunday, August 06, 2006
SIGNIFICANCE OF UPANAYANAM AND GAYATHRI MANTRA
Upanayanam is the Samaskara or the ceremonial rite in which the young Brahmin boy is invested with the sacred thread and initiated into the Gayathri - the Holiest of all mantras in the legacy of the Rishis.
After the Upanayanam is performed, the boy or the Vatu - as the young Brahmachari is called, becomes eligible to study the Vedas. As this Samaskara signifies a spiritual rebirth as it were, the boy becomes a Dvija or a "Twice Born" after the Upanayanam is performed.
Etymologically speaking, the word means, taking (NAYANAM) near (UPA). In the ancient days when the scripturally ordained modes of conduct were strictly followed, the father took his son near the Gayathri Mantra, and there after near a Guru and left him under his care and tutelage soon after the Upanayanam was performed.
The Guru took him near the Vedas (i.e.taught him to chant them in the traditional way) which in turn ultimately took him near God. Thus, the ceremony opens for the young Brahmachari, a succession of gates, leading to the ultimate goal of human existence - the realisation of God. In the scheme of the four ashramas prescribed for the individual, the Upanayanam Ceremony signifies the boy's entry into the ashrama namely Brahmacharya.
The Investiture
Ideally, this Samaskara is to be performed when the boy is just past seven. In any case, the investiture with the sacred thread should not be delayed beyond the sixteenth year. Before the onset of adolescence, and before the dormant primordial biological urges in an individual surface, he must be initiated into the Gayathri.
The Gayathri Mantra
Literally, Gayathri means which protects him who chants it. She is the mother of all the mantras, and when chanted with devotion and single pointed concentration and purity, takes the chanter to the ultimate bliss - the knowledge of the Supreme Truth, called the Brahman.
The Gayathri is a mantra praying for divine guidance to inspire and illumine the intellect so that the Jiva may know his real self - the Atman. Universal in its approach, it does not seek any personal benefit for the chanter.
The venerable Bhisma, while extolling the greatness of the Gayathri from his bed of arrows declares –
Where the Gayathri is chanted, ultimately deaths, involving the performance of obsequies for children by their elders will not occur. Thus it is a prayer for universal welfare which the brahmin must perform as a sacred trust enjoined on him.
Method to perform the Gayathri Mantra
The Gayathri, must be chanted in the prescribed manner, thrice a day, as a part of the religious duty called the Sandhyavandanam, ordained for all brahmins.
The Sandhyavandanam is an excellent daily exercise in quitening the mind and rendering it fit for meditation on the highest truth epitomized by the Gayathri.
Because of its great importance as a spiritual practice, the sastras have proclaimed its primacy of place in unequivocal terms, to the extent that no exceptions are provided. It has to be definitely performed thrice daily, throughout one's life.
All the good things a brahmin may do are of no avail, if he fails to perform his Sandhyavandanam and Gayathri Japa regularly.
The scriptures are unanimous on this point. The immense benefit accruing from regular and assiduous practice of the Sandhyavandanam and chanting of the Gayathri, is something that each individual can corroborate by his own experience.
The Sacred Thread
The sacred thread with which the Vatu is invested on the holy occasion of Upanayanam, may be compared to an electric circuit. Even as any leakage point in an electric circuit will result in a drain of precious electrical energy, any object, like key or coin, tied to the sacred thread, serve as leakage points through which the carefully garnered spiritual power of the Gayathri is frittered away.
The sacred thread must therefore be kept free from association with any other object.
Monday, April 17, 2006
INTRODUCTION : BACKGROUND OF VISHNU SAHASRANAMA....
OM NAMO NARAYANAYA.. OM SRI VENKATESAYA......
INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND OF VISHNU SAHASRANAMA....
Vishnu Sahasranama means the “Thousand Names of Vishnu.”
This narrative is based upon the commentary of Shankaracharya.
Acharya sankara reached the feet of his Guru, Sri Govindapaachaarya, and on the bank of Narmada, the Nambootiri-boy from kaaladi got initiated into the secrets of the Mahaavaakyas. At the end of his short but intense study, sankara, the inspired missionary, wanting to fulfill his glorious work, craved from the blessings of his teacher. Govindapa Acharya tested sankara by ordering him to write an exhaustive commentary (Bhaashya) upon the Vishnu Sahasranaama.
He accomplished his great task and the very first work of the Upanishadic commentator, sankara, the greatst Hindu missionary of the 7 th century, thus came to see the light of the day.
Govindaacharya, satisfied with the proficiency of the student blessed him and set him on the road of service and action. Earning the grace of the teacher and the blessings of the Lord Vishnu, Sri sankara inaugurated an incomparable revival movement of the decadent culture of the 7th century Hinduism. We shall here follow closely Sankara’s commentary and also draw our material from the Puranic literature that has an endless store of appeal to the hearts of all devotees.
The Vishnu Sahasranaama was composed by Sri Veda Vyaasa, the author of the Puraanas, and we meet this great chant in his classical work, the Mahaabaarata, Prince Yudhisthira, the eldest of the pandavas, at the end of the war approached Bheeshma Pitaamaha, when the mighty grandsire of the Kuru family was lying on the bed of arrows, unconquered and in conquerable, awaiting the scared hour of his departure to the feet of the lord. Yudhishthira, the righteous, asked six questions, Bheeshma, the constant devotee of Krishna, the gigantic Man of Action, calmly answered them all.
FOLLOWING ARE THE QUESTIONS BY THE GREAT YUDHISTRA..
Yudhishtira uvacha
Kimékam daivatham loke kim vápyekam parãyanam
Sthuvantha kam kamarchanda prapnuyur mãnavã shubam
Ko dharma sarva dharmãnam bhavatha paramo mathaha
Kim japan muchyathé janthur janma samsãra bandhanãth
ENGLISH TRANSLATION ..OF THESE QUESTIOS...
1. Who ("kim") is the greatest ("ekam") Lord ("daivatam") in the world ("loke")?
2. Who is the one ("ekam") refuge ("paraayanam") for all?
3. By glorifying ("sthuvantah") whom ("kam") can man ("manavah") reach the Auspiciousness ("shubam") (peace and prosperity)?
4. By worshipping ("archantah") whom can a man reach auspiciousness (peace and prosperity)?
5. What ("ko") is, in thy opinion, the Greatest Dharma?
6. By doing japa of what can “creatures” (jantu) go beyond ("mutchyate") the bonds ("bandhanaath") of samsara?
PITHAMAHA BHISMA's ANSWERS INDICATING the “Thousand Names of Lord Vishnu” AS VISHNU SAHASRANAMA THUS WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL OF US.
Wait for the next postings on "HOW TO GET THE BENEFITS OF VISHNU SAHASRANAMA BY CHANTING ONLY THREE SLOKAS"
Sunday, April 16, 2006
A COMPLETE SITE FOR VISHNU SAHASRANAMA
Due to immense interest shown by many friends here in ABU DHABI as well as friends from MALAYSIA ,INDIA i have decided to dedicate a blog web page for the Almighty and try to post useful information and rare collection of details related to Self realisation, Vishnu sahasranama and other prayers, slokas , as well as any other useful thoughts for the benefit of our friends.
As i am spending and plan to spend time on these topics i request all of you to log in to this web page and provide your comments.
I hope this web page also will be useful as a reference for many interesting and informative topics and issues to know, understand and practice in day to day life and also i can keep in touch with all of you which will give me more strength to develop this site.
Thanking and expecting your support ....
NHRAO.. ABUDHABI
