Vedic Injunctions of man's duties and obligations
Namdharak was all raptures joy listening to the glorious narrative of Guru Leelas from the lips of Siddhamuni. He said he was at a loss to know how he could express his gratitude to Siddhamuni who came to him like a dawn of Sun to dispel his ignorance and fill him with the light of wisdom. He said that his thirst and yearning to hear more and more of the Guru Leelas was insatiably increasing. Siddhamuni, pleased with the yearning of Namdharak, continued his narrative.
Gangapur had become a great centre of pilgrimage because of Sri Narasimha Saraswati's stay there and his association with the place. Thousands of people from different parts of the country started pouring in daily, seeking Guru Nath's Darshan and blessings and for redress of their afflictions - afflictions of the body, mind and spirit through his divine grace.
In Gangapur, at the time, there lived a Brahmin, who was very devout. He never accepted gifts from any. He never used to go to Samaradhana, where cooked food (Paranna) is fed. He used to maintain himself and his family on dry alms (cereals offered to him). His wife had an angry temperament. She used to tell him every day that he should accept Paranna which would relieve their troubles to a large extent.
Everyday, many people used to come to Gangapur and perform Samaradhana. At Samaradhana, couples are invited for Bhojan (food). At Samarashana, sumptuous feast is given with several preparations and delicacies. The Brahmin's wife felt that her husband's obstinacy was depriving them of proper and even minimal food when it was aplenty around. But the husband was never in an agreeable mood to their going to Samaradhana feasts.
Once the woman went to Sri Narasimha Saraswati and requested him to tell her husband to change his mind and to accept invitations to Samaradhana Bhojan. To this Guru agreed and prevailed upon the Brahmin to comply with the wishes of his wife once atleast. How could anyone disobey Guru Nath's command?
When the Brahmin and his wife went to the Samaradhana feast, a strange thing happened. The woman had an obnoxious vision of dogs and swine hovering around her plate of food, and she felt a revulsion and nausea to partake of the food, though it was lavishly served and was rich with many delicacies. She got up from her seat and asked husband also to leave from there all at once, and to come out along with her. She along with her husband, came to Sri Narasimha Saraswati and told him about the repulsive and nauseating vision, which she had at the Samaradhana gathering. Sri Narasimha Saraswati said that it was very much wrong on her part to have forced her husband through him (Sri Narasimha Saraswati), to change his principle and observance. The woman prayed to Guru Nath and also her husband that she that she should be forgiven for what she had done. As he Brahmin was feeling very sorry for having broken his rule, Guru Nath told him that he was not to worry about it any longer. No sin would touch him on that account because he did not go there on his own volition, and that in exceptional cases Brahmins can accept Paranna form other's houses.
The Brahmin prayed to Guru Nath to enlighten him in which houses one can take food and in which houses it is to be avoided. Guru Nath explained about this in detail, as under.
There are many disciplines regarding acceptance of food. One can take food in Guru's house without any hesitation, so also in the maternal uncle's house, in the father-in-law's house, in the houses of brothers, and in the houses of pious people. If there was no Brahmin priest available at the time of Sraddha ceremony, one can attend and take food, but on the next day, he should do Gayatri Japa.
Anyway, food is most holy. It should be taken in the houses of the pious and Satwic people, and taking God's name.
Home's of evil minded people are to be avoided. Food is not to be accepted from: i) Greedy people; ii) People who are not doing their duty to their family; iii) People who are proud and egositic; iv) People who indulge in always self-praise and taking ill of others; v) People who are ill tempered; vi) People of immoral conduct; vii) People who are addicted to drinking wine and other intoxicating drinks; viii) People who delight in harming others; ix) People who live regularly on Paranna only, etc. If we accept food from such people, their sins will affect us.
The food should be taken only from the hands and homes of people of Satwic and devout temperment. Through the food we take, the gunas flow into us. The food should promote Satwa Guna, i.e., pure, cool and enlightened temperament in us.
The Brahmin requested Guru Nath to instruct him on Achara Dharma, the code of conduct for Brahmins. Guru Nath said that Parasara Smriti lays down in great detail under Achara-Samhita the code of conduct for the Brahmins, who are spiritual custodians of the community and the society. The Achara Samhita is something like Bhagwad Gita, for the Brahmins. It is, so to say, like a Fifth Veda. It lays down daily disciplines to be strictly observed by a Brahmin from dawn to dusk. The disciplines laid down are as under and whoever meticulously observes them will attain everything and will never suffer from any want, nor will be ever subject to grief.
Early Morning Prayers:
The Brahmin should rise in the early hours of the morning, which is called the Brahma Muhurta (between 3.30 and 5.00 AM), during which time, the Satwa quality will be prevalent in the atmosphere.
As soon as one rises form bed, he should remember his Guru first and offer mentally his obeisance to him; he should then offer his obeisance to God and the deities (Trimurties, Sun God, the Navagrahas, etc), then to the sages, the Pitru Devatas and to the parents. he should not let the mind wander away. He will have to let it dwell on Guru God thoughts only for sometime atleast.
He is advised to have first the darshan of Cow (Gomata), before he does anything else.
Achamana:
After offering obesiance to the cow, he should (gargle his mouth and then) do Achmana, by sipping a little water. This Achmana is a constant practice, many times during the day, prescribed for Brahmin. If there is no water available for the Achmana, if he just touches his right ear, that is said to be sufficient. The right ear is said to be the seat of Agni (Fire God), Varuna (God of the seas and air), Surya, Chandra and other Dieties. Achamana is to be done taking the Guru's / God's name and chanting the appropriate Mantras.
Swadhyaya /Vedic Chant / Meditation:
Till sunrise and before he goes out for his morning ablutions, he will have to devote either to chanting of prayers, recital of Vedic Mantras or Meditation.
Morning Ablutions:
After dawn one should attend to the calls of nature. At that time he should keep silent. He should then clean his mouth and teeth (to get rid of the foul odor, as well as for the mouth hygiene). The twigs of trees which are to be used for cleaning the teeth are listed. After this one should take his bath. It cleanses and refreshes the body and drives away laziness. It endows strength, longevity, intellectual brilliance, etc. It cleanses away the effect of bad dreams and also drives away poverty and all ills.
Brahmacharis (celibates) are to bath in the mornings and all house-holders both in the morning and in the afternoons as well as in the evenings ie, all three times during the day. Whatever water one should be using for bath, he should deem it as waters of the Holy Ganges flowing down from the feet of Hari, and which endow both bodily purity as well as purity of the mind and spirit.
When water is not available or when one is sick, one should recite the "Apohista..." Mantra, and do Marjana three times. This is called "mantra Snana". Doing Vishnu Nama Sankirtan is called "Manasika Snana". Taking Darshan of the Guru, or sprinkling the water after washing the feet of the parents is called "Teertha Snan".
On the days of Vratas, Sraddhas, or after birth ceremonies or death ceremonies in the family - on the tenth day of the pollution period, how water bath is prohibited. In flowing water of a river one should face opposite the current, and in tanks, etc,one should face towards the east and then take the bath.
If one takes oil-bath on Sundays, it could lead to disease, on Mondays it should lead to draining of energy, on Tuesdays it could lead to death, on Wednesdays it endows wealth (Lakshmiprapti), on Thursdays and Fridays, it could cause the impairment and danger to the health of children (Santhana-Nastham), and on Saturdays it brings in all auspiciousness, health and wealth. Housewives are not to take hair bath daily.
On the days when one has taken oil bath, he is not to apply Bhasma. On all other days and at all times, he should necessarily apply Bhasma on his forehead.
Gopichandan is to be applied by those devoted to the form of Hair. It is called Urdhva Pundra (vertical markings) and it is equally meritorious like Bhasma-Dharana which is to be applied in horizontal lines (Tripundra). Whoever applies both Bhasma and Gopichanda, he is equally dear to both Hara and Hari. Gangapur had become a great centre of pilgrimage because of Sri Narasimha Saraswati's stay there and his association with the place. Thousands of people from different parts of the country started pouring in daily, seeking Guru Nath's Darshan and blessings and for redress of their afflictions - afflictions of the body, mind and spirit through his divine grace.
In Gangapur, at the time, there lived a Brahmin, who was very devout. He never accepted gifts from any. He never used to go to Samaradhana, where cooked food (Paranna) is fed. He used to maintain himself and his family on dry alms (cereals offered to him). His wife had an angry temperament. She used to tell him every day that he should accept Paranna which would relieve their troubles to a large extent.
Everyday, many people used to come to Gangapur and perform Samaradhana. At Samaradhana, couples are invited for Bhojan (food). At Samarashana, sumptuous feast is given with several preparations and delicacies. The Brahmin's wife felt that her husband's obstinacy was depriving them of proper and even minimal food when it was aplenty around. But the husband was never in an agreeable mood to their going to Samaradhana feasts.
Once the woman went to Sri Narasimha Saraswati and requested him to tell her husband to change his mind and to accept invitations to Samaradhana Bhojan. To this Guru agreed and prevailed upon the Brahmin to comply with the wishes of his wife once atleast. How could anyone disobey Guru Nath's command?
When the Brahmin and his wife went to the Samaradhana feast, a strange thing happened. The woman had an obnoxious vision of dogs and swine hovering around her plate of food, and she felt a revulsion and nausea to partake of the food, though it was lavishly served and was rich with many delicacies. She got up from her seat and asked husband also to leave from there all at once, and to come out along with her. She along with her husband, came to Sri Narasimha Saraswati and told him about the repulsive and nauseating vision, which she had at the Samaradhana gathering. Sri Narasimha Saraswati said that it was very much wrong on her part to have forced her husband through him (Sri Narasimha Saraswati), to change his principle and observance. The woman prayed to Guru Nath and also her husband that she that she should be forgiven for what she had done. As he Brahmin was feeling very sorry for having broken his rule, Guru Nath told him that he was not to worry about it any longer. No sin would touch him on that account because he did not go there on his own volition, and that in exceptional cases Brahmins can accept Paranna form other's houses.
The Brahmin prayed to Guru Nath to enlighten him in which houses one can take food and in which houses it is to be avoided. Guru Nath explained about this in detail, as under.
There are many disciplines regarding acceptance of food. One can take food in Guru's house without any hesitation, so also in the maternal uncle's house, in the father-in-law's house, in the houses of brothers, and in the houses of pious people. If there was no Brahmin priest available at the time of Sraddha ceremony, one can attend and take food, but on the next day, he should do Gayatri Japa.
Anyway, food is most holy. It should be taken in the houses of the pious and Satwic people, and taking God's name.
Home's of evil minded people are to be avoided. Food is not to be accepted from: i) Greedy people; ii) People who are not doing their duty to their family; iii) People who are proud and egositic; iv) People who indulge in always self-praise and taking ill of others; v) People who are ill tempered; vi) People of immoral conduct; vii) People who are addicted to drinking wine and other intoxicating drinks; viii) People who delight in harming others; ix) People who live regularly on Paranna only, etc. If we accept food from such people, their sins will affect us.
The food should be taken only from the hands and homes of people of Satwic and devout temperment. Through the food we take, the gunas flow into us. The food should promote Satwa Guna, i.e., pure, cool and enlightened temperament in us.
The Brahmin requested Guru Nath to instruct him on Achara Dharma, the code of conduct for Brahmins. Guru Nath said that Parasara Smriti lays down in great detail under Achara-Samhita the code of conduct for the Brahmins, who are spiritual custodians of the community and the society. The Achara Samhita is something like Bhagwad Gita, for the Brahmins. It is, so to say, like a Fifth Veda. It lays down daily disciplines to be strictly observed by a Brahmin from dawn to dusk. The disciplines laid down are as under and whoever meticulously observes them will attain everything and will never suffer from any want, nor will be ever subject to grief.
Early Morning Prayers:
The Brahmin should rise in the early hours of the morning, which is called the Brahma Muhurta (between 3.30 and 5.00 AM), during which time, the Satwa quality will be prevalent in the atmosphere.
As soon as one rises form bed, he should remember his Guru first and offer mentally his obeisance to him; he should then offer his obeisance to God and the deities (Trimurties, Sun God, the Navagrahas, etc), then to the sages, the Pitru Devatas and to the parents. he should not let the mind wander away. He will have to let it dwell on Guru God thoughts only for sometime atleast.
He is advised to have first the darshan of Cow (Gomata), before he does anything else.
Achamana:
After offering obesiance to the cow, he should (gargle his mouth and then) do Achmana, by sipping a little water. This Achmana is a constant practice, many times during the day, prescribed for Brahmin. If there is no water available for the Achmana, if he just touches his right ear, that is said to be sufficient. The right ear is said to be the seat of Agni (Fire God), Varuna (God of the seas and air), Surya, Chandra and other Dieties. Achamana is to be done taking the Guru's / God's name and chanting the appropriate Mantras.
Swadhyaya /Vedic Chant / Meditation:
Till sunrise and before he goes out for his morning ablutions, he will have to devote either to chanting of prayers, recital of Vedic Mantras or Meditation.
Morning Ablutions:
After dawn one should attend to the calls of nature. At that time he should keep silent. He should then clean his mouth and teeth (to get rid of the foul odor, as well as for the mouth hygiene). The twigs of trees which are to be used for cleaning the teeth are listed. After this one should take his bath. It cleanses and refreshes the body and drives away laziness. It endows strength, longevity, intellectual brilliance, etc. It cleanses away the effect of bad dreams and also drives away poverty and all ills.
Brahmacharis (celibates) are to bath in the mornings and all house-holders both in the morning and in the afternoons as well as in the evenings ie, all three times during the day. Whatever water one should be using for bath, he should deem it as waters of the Holy Ganges flowing down from the feet of Hari, and which endow both bodily purity as well as purity of the mind and spirit.
When water is not available or when one is sick, one should recite the "Apohista..." Mantra, and do Marjana three times. This is called "mantra Snana". Doing Vishnu Nama Sankirtan is called "Manasika Snana". Taking Darshan of the Guru, or sprinkling the water after washing the feet of the parents is called "Teertha Snan".
On the days of Vratas, Sraddhas, or after birth ceremonies or death ceremonies in the family - on the tenth day of the pollution period, how water bath is prohibited. In flowing water of a river one should face opposite the current, and in tanks, etc,one should face towards the east and then take the bath.
If one takes oil-bath on Sundays, it could lead to disease, on Mondays it should lead to draining of energy, on Tuesdays it could lead to death, on Wednesdays it endows wealth (Lakshmiprapti), on Thursdays and Fridays, it could cause the impairment and danger to the health of children (Santhana-Nastham), and on Saturdays it brings in all auspiciousness, health and wealth. Housewives are not to take hair bath daily.
On the days when one has taken oil bath, he is not to apply Bhasma. On all other days and at all times, he should necessarily apply Bhasma on his forehead.
No comments:
Post a Comment