Many Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara to our sathsang volunteer for sharing another important article on  Snanam and logical reasoning behind it. Rama Rama

Sri Rama Jayam – Snana Anushtanam Part – 2

Sri Vedavyaasaaya Namah
Namah Parvati Pataye   Hara Hara Mahadeva

In Vishnu Sahasranamam, the vyasam vasishta naptaram sloka comes. We say “shuka taatam taponidhim”, Shuka Brahma Rishi’s father is Vyasa Bhagwan and not the other way round.

Shuka Brahma Rishi (Shukacharya) narrated the whole Bhagavata Purana patiently sitting for seven days to Parikshit Maharaja (usually Shukacharya never stays in one place for more than an hour). Scriptures mention Shukacharya is a great mahan who is always in bliss with Parabrahmam, drenched in the divine joy, strictly keeps his senses under control and helps every being without any discrimination. If you ask which is the important Purana, Srimad Bhagavatam is the answer.

We have around 10 branches of the Vedas now (originally 1180 branches were there), some important information are not mentioned or explained in detail there (in these 10 branches). So, Bhagwan made sure that the important details that went missing are preserved and thus, the Puranas were written.

So, Shukacharya – one of the greatest Rishis has conveyed many important Vedic nuances through Bhagavatam.

Upanayanam samskaram for Vamana Avataram is narrated, Ramayanam is narrated, many other important secrets and simple strategies are mentioned only in this Purana.

One important detail about an anushtana is given here. Without this, getting good children or getting rid of diseases or destroying sins is a very tedious task.

All we need is Shukacharya’s blessing, one must follow certain anushtanas’ rules even if they don’t understand the meaning behind it. (Ramakrishna Paramahamsa mentions that yamas and niyamas must be followed to one’s level best to understand the subtle action behind karmas.)

Snana must be done properly, we must not let the body stink. More importantly, don’t let the Aatma stink.

When Snana is done properly as per scriptures, Atma and the body, both become pure so that we can realize Bhagwan’s abundant blessings.

Snana

Nithya snana, ganga snana, pushkara snana, upakarma snana, how many snanas are there !!! All the worldly comforts and moksha are easily attained by snana alone.

The simplest karma mentioned by Shukacharya for attaining the grace of Parabhramam is Snanam. One need not spend anything and it is one of the powerful pariharam that alleviates many doshams.Progeny, wealth, health, cure for diseases etc. are bestowed by Snana karma.

Two things important for snanam – sankalpam and  wearing a vastram during snanam.

Even in a hectic situation, you may skip sankalpam but never skip wearing a vastram. This may be seem trivial but it is not so.

Jagatguru on Snanam

Wearing a vastram (towel) is very important. Bathing without any cloth is disrespect to the Devatas. Krishna Bhagwan has advised to wear a cloth during snanam. In Bhagavatam, Jaganmatha Krishna mentions that one must definitely wear a cloth otherwise any vratam or any prayer (be it Ekdashi vratam or Sashti vratam or Ganapati homam) done after will have a reduced efficacy.

Santana Gopalan himself has advised on the important issue, don’t disrespect Varuna Bhagwan if you seek for good children. It is essential that we rectify the cause then go for a pariharam to solve the problem.

Varuna’s Role

Varuna Bhagwan has three important roles in helping us :

1. Reducing our sins.
2. Curing our diseases.
3. Bestowing good children.Shiva is fond of Abhisheka, what is the primary item for abhishekam  – jalam !! Rudraksha jalam, Navaratna jalam, Vilva jalam, Ganga jalam…, we say Santana Shiva or Santana Gopala. There is a combined effort from Varuna, Shiva, Krishna, Gho matha and Pithrus for bestowal of good children.We need not show our token of respect by doing harathi or pooja to Varuna Bhagwan, wearing a vastram is enough to show our respect. In turn, lots of punya is accumulated by us, this is the simplest and powerful pariharam according to Rishis.

   If one follows sastras to his/her level best then there is no need for conducting special prayers for getting rains or for getting progeny. Many temple ponds’ state have been made worse due to chemical soaps and shampoo usage , we must preserve them at all costs and we ourselves must bring awareness about snanam in rivers and other holy water places.

   A few don’ts in snanam –

   Don’t talk or sing during a bath.

   Don’t spit at the place where you bathe. (which is why mental recitation is better, if water goes into your mouth, you may be compelled to spit.)

   Don’t use soaps or shampoo in holy rivers, temple ponds, ponds etc. Snanam means immersing your full body three times inside the water. These kinds of snana bestow special energy to the body unlike the snanam at our homes, so, sastras advise us to take a snanam outside in a holy river or pond whenever possible.

   Don’t excessively immerse your head. (This is said for health reasons. Three times is enough. )

   Veda’s scientific reason for this

   There is a Panchabhoutika concept (panchabhoutika = mixture of all five elements) mentioned in our scriptures i.e., all objects in this universe is made up of the five elements – Pancha Bhutas – Akasha(space), Vayu(wind), Agni(fire), Jala(water) and Prithvi (earth).

   Human beings,  pebbles,  computers, animals, fishes etc. are all made of the five elements.

   Even these five elements are made up of Panchabhutas i.e., for Agni, it is made up of 50% Agni and rest of the bhutas are of 12.5%, though we say Agni, actually only 50% of it is made up of Agni.

   Agni composition – Agni 50% and Akasha, Vayu, Jala, Prithvi each constitue 12.5%

   Likewise, Jala composition – Jala 50% and Akasha, Vayu, Agni, Prithvi each constitute 12.5% (all bhutas have similar composition)

   View the pie charts for a better understanding.

   But the human body and other objects will have different percentage of panchabhutas due to external factors.

   Okay, we have shown this only to highlight a reason stated by an upanyasakar, during the discourse, he mentioned that the Agni in the Jalam will affect us by draining our subtle energy from our body, so by Periyava’s grace, we now know that Agni is present in all objects including water.

   What is this subtle energy ?

   There are numerous Nadis running in our body. These won’t be visible to the normal eyes. They are found in the suksma sharira (subtle) body not in the stoola sharira (visible) body. By reciting stotra or doing any japa, we strengthen our nadis. Nadis’ energy is lost by certain habits like bathing without vastram, shaking the head during japa etc. There are nadis responsible for each body function, their state of equilibrium is also essential, as a result some rules are prescribed so that we don’t lose these Nadi energies.

   Ignorance is bless, there is a reason behind every sastra. But our Rishi-blood instinct may push us to learn the meanings and the importance behind sastras, it is always better to blindly follow Periyava’s upadesha to our level best. I didn’t want to elaborate on this, still making meanings known makes a profound impact.

Jaya Jaya Shankara     Hara Hara Shankara
Sri Rama Jayam

Categories: Deivathin Kural