Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara – Our Periyavas has advised us to do Nithyakarma, Tharpanams, etc.  in river banks. We have also seen many pictures on the same. One of our volunteers compiled this article on the importance of doing Sandyavandanam with Punnya Theertha’s like Ganga Jalam and the significance behind it quoting our Ithihasa Puranas. Let’s follow this as much possible. Thanks for the compilation Sir. Rama Rama

Sri Rama Jayam –  Special Sandhyavandanam – With Ganga Jalam

Sri Vedavyaasaaya Namah, Namah Parvathi Pathaye Hara Hara Mahadeva

Every work needs a special ingredient for exemplary results. Let Maha Periyava show us more special ingredients.

भगवद्गीता किञ्चिदधीतागङ्गाजललवकणिका पीता ।सकृदपि येन मुरारिसमर्चाक्रियते तस्य यमेन न चर्चा ॥

 “Let a man read little Gita, drink a drop of Ganga, and at least once worship Murari. Then he shall have no arguments with Yama.”

The above is from Bhaagawath Padhal’s Bhaja Govindam. Now there are couple more things:

What is “Lava” ?

If we look at the line, it says only drink a drop of Ganga. But “Lava” has many meanings but the apt one is “the drop of water which is sufficient to immerse one black gram or urad dal”. For Achamanam, we use this quantity of water.

Here, Aacharyal hints about using Ganga Jalam in Achamanam.

Ummachi Thatha hinting at Bhaja Govindam

Maha Periyava’s attendants daily used to give Ganga jalam for doing Achamanam in the mornings.

So, Achamanam with mantras is special but even more better is doing it with Ganga jalam. Ladies must not do Achamanam with mantra, but they can do Achamanam reciting Ganga nama or remembering Ganga.

Achamanam, Vigneshwara Dharanam, Pranayamam and Sankalpam are prescribed before every karma.

Using Ganga Jalam for an activity brings multifold auspiciousness and victory. Ganga is present with the divine trinity always and which is why even a Jagadguru needs Ganga jalam for ensuring success throughout the whole day.

Hints from Mahabharatham

In Mahabharatam, it is mentioned that a person using Ganga jalam for all of his activities will become the favourite among the Devas, Rishis and Pitrus. All of his problems will be solved very soon.

Yes, we have the means to visit auspicious temples, sacred rivers, etc. but one thing we might tend to neglect is doing Sandhyvandanam or Brahma Yagnam at those places.

When all thought Pandavas were killed when the palace was burned. Vidura mentions this to Bhisma – “Stop saying the mantras, simply offer the oblations.” Bhisma understood that Pandavas were alive and pretended to cry.

Then again when Pandavas were exiled,  Yuddhisthra was grief stricken. He was convinced by Vidura again, Vidura mentions “Do offer oblations with the sacred waters from the Theertas on your way.”

Then Yuddhisthra gains hope, the Pandavas did Sandhyvandanams, Brahma Yagnams, Ati Rudram, etc. using the Theertas only.

It is mentioned that Pandavas recited hymns praising Shiva. So, they must have definitely recited Rudram standing in water like Rudra Pasupathi Nayanmar did.

If one recites or hears Rudram, then all the anxiety will vanish. So, which is why the exiled Pandavas did Veda Parayanam extolling Rudra.

Why Special Theerta for Karma ?

Those days, our ancestors were very wise. They always used river waters only, which is why Brahmanas used to stay near rivers.

Why use river waters ? These days, people may feel difficulty in learning Sandhyavandanam and precisely pronouncing the mantras with svaras. Our ancestors were brilliant but what was the reason ?

“Doing Sandhyavandanam with sacred waters will help to reduce our mistakes in the procedures. The holy rivers made our ancestors brilliant, they always took extra help.” Imagine a Panchayatna Pooja with Cauvery jalam till their death, imagine how lucky they were.

If one feels difficulty in Sandhyavandanam, using Ganga jalam in Sandhi or Pooja will have tremendous results in improving the mantra pronunciation or mistakes that we might make. Also, one gains more brilliance and success in all matters by using Ganga jalam.

We talk of education a lot these days, Ganga is the best mother we have. When Shantanu wanted to have his eighth son alive, he stopped Ganga from Bhishma being drowned. Ganga could have just given away that son, but she didn’t do it that way. Ganga wanted her son to be the best among all. So, Ganga Devi made Bhishmar to learn under Brihaspathi, Shukracharya, Vasishtar, and Parashurama.

Brihaspathi is the Guru for Devas.
Shukracharya is the Guru for Asuras.
Vasishtar is the foremost of Rishis.
Parashurama is the Brahmana with great combat skills.

After his education was over, Ganga gave the boy to Shantanu. Shantanu was very pleased with Bhishma’s prowess and wits after knowing what Ganga Devi had given their son.

These days, all parents are keen on providing the best institutes for their children. Ganga Devi is the wisest of all the mothers, she directly made 4 Mahans to be the Guru for her son. If we use Ganga Jalam, we also would get all her grace in becoming brilliant also, either directly or indirectly.

There is Navagraha Tarpanam, and many other important things in Sandhyavandanam. Ganga is the treasure for Bhu Loka. We must utilize it for good deeds, imagine how many rivers are exploited? Instead visualize the good that will happen if used for temples or our spiritual karmas.

Use Ganga jalam or Pushkaram water or sacred temple tanks’ water, the Navagraha tarpanam and Dwadasa Nama Tarpanam gets boosted effect.

Be it Pushkara waters like Krishna Pushkaram or Cauvery Pushkaram, one must use that water for Sandhyavandanam.

In Sandhyavandam itself, we have mantra Snanam, so we get double benefit. Further, isn’t Ganga Snanam a big Parihaaram to remove our doshams ?

Summary

One should use other sacred waters than Ganga within a day, usually Ganga Jalam can be kept however long as possible.

One need not bring the waters home, but can do anushtanam near the sacred river or tank.

If cannot do either of the above, then one can always chant or remember Ganga.  There are slokas which can be used to request sacred rivers to bless us (“Ganga” is 1 of the 10 important namas of Lalitha Sahasranamam, “Gayatri” also comes under the 10.)

Sloka for Snanam and Sandhyavandanam –

गङ्गेच यमुने चैव गोदावरी सरस्वति ।
नर्मदा सिन्धु कावेरी जलेऽस्मिन् सम्निधिं कुरु ॥

O Divine Mothers ! Ganga ,Yamuna and also Godavari, Saraswathi. Naramada, Sindhu, and Cauvery. Please grace us by appearing in this water near me.

At least once, let us try doing Sandhyavandanam with sacred waters otherwise we can keep chanting this sloka or their namas before Sandhyavandanam.

Sri Rama Jayam

Categories: Deivathin Kural

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