Brahmins and Pujas

These posts were made in another thread. As these relate to the above subject, these are copied from that thread.

Nacchinarkiniyan wrote

Brahman and Brāhman means "belonging to Brahman"
English word Brāhmin is an anglicised form of Sanskrit word Brāhmana.

People who have knowledge of Brāhman are called Rishis.
Brahmins seek Brāhman.

The six duties of Brahmin are given as per the Sloka

adhyāpanam adhyāyānam
yajanam yajanam tathā
dānam pratigraham caiva
brahmanānāmakalpayāt
​

Teaching, study (svādhyāya), performing Yajna, make performing Yajna, accept Daana, and give Daana are the six duties of a Brahmin.

The daily routine includes performing

• Snana (bathing),
• Sandhyavandana,
• Japa,
• Puja,
• Aupasana and
• Agnihotra.

There are very very few people who fit in the above description. They are all in Ashrams seeking Brāhman.

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Nacchinarkiniyan wrote

God is the Universal Mother (our belief). The same way that you butter up your real mother you can butter up the Universal Mother. We call her Sdhuthi Priyayai and Stotra Priyayai.

But like your mother will refuse to buy you things which will harm you, MAA will not give you anything which will harm you.

Nallathu, Theeyathu, namariyom Annai. Nallathu Nattuga! Theemayai Ottuga!!

Saranagadha Deenartha Parithrana Parayane,
Sarvasyarthikare Devi Narayani Namosthudhe.

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vijisesh wrote

Mr.Nacchi,

If that be the case , the gurukkal is the person who is the nearest to GOD and offers prayers , the maximum number of times, the sastrigal is also in the top list who repeatedly performs poojas, homams umpteen number of times in their lifes . But I do not see any special privilege given by GOD to them !.
Why isn't GOD impressed ??

Actually the concept of archanai itself is intriguing ! It is like " informing GOD to mark attendance " ,
Doesn't GOD know by his creation who you are? Why do you have the sastrigal to inform GOD loudly your name , nakshtra gothra during archanas ??
What's behind this ?

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Nacchinarkiniyan wrote

The Sasthirigal and the Archaka perform Yagnas and Archanai only on behalf of the Yajamana. The Vedic Yagnas were also performed mostly for Yajamanas. If you see my earlier posting it was one of the duties of the Brahmins "make performing Yajna". They get Dakshina for that. That is all. But if there is any lapse in the performance the consequences will be on the Sasthirigal.

There are many Archakas especially in the rural areas and in the unfrequented temples who keep the lamps burning and offer Neivedhyam from their own resources. They are in most cases poor, but their devotion is fantastic. Who says they are not rewarded. They are. They are the ones who will get Mukthi.

There are many Brahmins who do not ask the Sasthirigal to perform the Homams, but do it themselves. Not many among Tamil Brahmins. But it is more common among the Nambuthiris of Kerala.

We do not. We conduct all our homams and Yagnas. But it requires special Diksha (What we call Adhikara) and training. "performing Yajna"
This is not for the faint hearted.

Again we do not perform Archana in temples. The only exception is in those temples where there is hardly any visitors and the Archaka needs the Dakshina and we feel honored by giving Dakshina.

Some months back during my last visit to Kapaleeswarar temple, I was standing near the sannidhi and reciting some mantras. The archaka said "Ellorum intha mathiri panninal engalodu Pizhappu ennavakirathu". I do not blame him.

The name, gotra etc is a sankalpa. The archaka does the sankapa for you because Archana is a puja. Pujas need sankalpas.In regular pujas we do the Sankalpa ourselves.

As your progress you give up the sankalpha. It is nisssankalpa where you do not ask for anything. But not all sampradhayas believe in this. Most of them insist on a sankalpha before Puja.

But strictly according to sasthras these archanas followed by Karpura Arthi is wrong. Temples have trikala Puja during which the deity is offered Shodaupachara Puja. Karpura Nrajana should follow dhupa, deepa, Naivedya and other Upacharams. Doing only Karpura Nirajanam is wrong. But traditionally it is done in Tamil Nadu. In some of the non HR&CE temples you will find a board saying "no Archanas will be done."

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Good to know this info reg archanai,

and the other website indicated that the " Mantras " are so powerful and leads them to their " Ishta Devtha " !!
and so easily people talk about 2 hours of Japa/ meditation holding the beads !!
All depends on what one finds comfortable , right !
Some like chanting mantras in a group !
Some like silent meditation
Some like chanting Bhajans in a chorus !
Some get peace of mind seeing the smoke from the homams free flow into the house to remove impurities off the home !

What other ways ??

Really , Hinduism gives people a liberty to practice , the way they want !

I am in total agreement with you. Sri Ramakrishna said there are as many ways as there are men.

Tamil Nadu more than any other state in India has many religious traditions.

I had posted earlier about Saiva Siddhanta.

You must have heard and known about the Eighteen Siddhas. They followed the Nath/Siddha Sampradhaya.

Then we have the great tradition of Sri Vidya.

Tamil Nadu is the birth place of the Bhakthi movement. Our Alwars and Nayanmars set the tradition.

Although there is a wide variety in ways of offering prayers ,
most of the people in this mechanical world
prefer to remember GOD , at their convenience !
May be 5-10 mins a day , visiting temples once a week!
But i often have this question in mind ..
When some other faiths believe that each minute spent more on worship adds more points to your karma , is it so in our religion!
Thoonilum Iruppar thurumbilum iruppar !! concept !

Na Janaami Dhanam, Na cha dhyana yogam,
Na janami tantram, na cha sthothra manthram,
Na janami poojam, na cha nyasa yogam,
Gathisthwam, Gathisthwam thwam ekaa Bhavani

Neither do I know how to give, Nor do I know how to meditate,
Neither do I know Tantra, Nor do I know stanzas of prayer,
Neither do I know how to worship, Nor do I know the art of yoga,
So you are my refuge and my only refuge, Bhavani

Na janami Punyam, Na janami theertham,
Na janami mukthim, layam vaa kadachit,
Na janami bhakthim, vrutham vaapi maatha,
Gathisthwam, Gathisthwam, thwam ekaa Bhavani.

Know I not how to be righteous, Know I not the way to the places sacred,
Know I not methods of salvation, Know I not how to merge my mind with God,
Know I not the art of devotion, Know I not how to practice austerities,
Oh, mother, So you are my refuge and my only refuge, Bhavani

Kukarmi, kusangi, kubudhi, kudasa,
Kulachara heena, kadhachara leena,
Kudrushti, kuvakya prabandha, sadaham,
Gathisthwam, Gathisthwam, thwam ekaa Bhavani.

Perform I bad actions, Keep I company of bad ones, Think I bad and
sinful thoughts, Serve I Bad masters,
Belong I to a bad family, Immersed I am in sinful acts,
See I with bad intentions, Write I collection of bad words, Always
and always,
So you are my refuge and my only refuge, Bhavani.

Mr.Nacchi ,

There are so many versions of suprabhatam, namavali, sahasranamam etc etc

praising GOD and his might !

The Skanda shasti kavasam says , if recited 36 times , u can conquer ur enemies , adithya hridhayam - in praise of the SUN GOD ! should be recited for success , in principle was chanted by Agasthya ma -munivar to lord rama prior to fighting ravana !

Belief is different amongst us and by creating so many slokas , are we not providing a chance for ourselves to shift from one GOD to the other , as seasons change !
Too many GOD's and too many slokas -- will confuse the young brahmin , wouldn;t it?

Is the Daily Sandhya Vandhanam enough or
Does a brahmin need to do regular poojas as part of his karma ?

If you go to a restaurant, there are a variety of dishes available for the customer. Its the customer's choice in selecting the dish that he/she wants to consume. The ultimate aim of all the customers is to quench their hunger. Likewise, all the manthras / slokas have the same goal. If we regularly practise any manthra/sloka, the attainment of goal -to attain mukthi / liberation would be achieved. This is my view - hope it thorows some light...Sairam.

vijisesh said:

Is the Daily Sandhya Vandhanam enough or
Does a brahmin need to do regular poojas as part of his karma ?

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Once I was told in a Upanayanam function that Daily performing Trikala Sandhyavandhanam is a must even any birth or death taken place in his house. Sandhyavandhanam itself is a regular worship and pooja to goddess Sandhya.

Comments awaited.

Yes Sandhya Vandhanam is a must for all dwija's.If one does this,all papams are anihilated for janma janma plus we take care of others like Shudras,Kshatriyas,Vaisyas wrongdoing as well.Its our responsiblity to society,that is what makes a brahmin ,'a brahmin'.

sb

S.SIVARAMAN said:

Once I was told in a Upanayanam function that Daily performing Trikala Sandhyavandhanam is a must even any birth or death taken place in his house. Sandhyavandhanam itself is a regular worship and pooja to goddess Sandhya.

Comments awaited.

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hi all
sandhya vandanam is a must , besides there are called nitya pujas/
naimithika pujas....sandhya vandanam/panchayatana pujasare called
nitya pujas.......satyanarayana /any other special pujas are called
naimithika pujas........there are pancha yajnas daily for brahmins..
deva,pitur,manusya,bhoota,brahma yajnas are inportant for
daily.....pujas are three different upacharas..........panchopacharas,
shodashopacharas/dvathrisamt (32) upacharas in detail...


regards\\
tbs

S.SIVARAMAN said:

Once I was told in a Upanayanam function that Daily performing Trikala Sandhyavandhanam is a must even any birth or death taken place in his house. Sandhyavandhanam itself is a regular worship and pooja to goddess Sandhya.

Comments awaited.

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Sandhyavandana is a nityakarma ordained to be done as also is Panchayatanapuja for a smartha.Panchayatana includes Ganapathi,Surya,Vishnu,siva and Devi.Now it is performed by very religious people who have time.Sandhyavandana is an essential karma and as per Mimamsa,the duty which is essential is called Akaraneypratyavayajanakam meaning that the ritual if not performed would cause hardships and the other type is Karaneabyudayam meaning the performance would bestow good things or happiness.

The six duties of Brahmin are given as per the SlokaTeaching, study (svādhyāya), performing Yajna, make performing Yajna, accept Daana, and give Daana are the six duties of a Brahmin.

The daily routine includes performing

• Snana (bathing),
• Sandhyavandana,
• Japa,
• Puja,
• Aupasana and
• Agnihotra.

To reduce it to mere Sandhyavandhanam is not correct. Just because the Tamil Brahmins place more emphasis on Sandhyavandhanam does not make it the sole duty of a Brahmin. You can not neglect the other duties. Even the posts justifying the performance of only Sandhyavandhanam is a reflection on the sad state of affairs.

Nacchinarkiniyan said:

The six duties of Brahmin are given as per the Sloka

adhyāpanam adhyāyānam
yajanam yajanam tathā
dānam pratigraham caiva
brahmanānāmakalpayāt

​

Teaching, study (svādhyāya), performing Yajna, make performing Yajna, accept Daana, and give Daana are the six duties of a Brahmin.


The daily routine includes performing

• Snana (bathing),
• Sandhyavandana,
• Japa,
• Puja,
• Aupasana and
• Agnihotra.

To reduce it to mere Sandhyavandhanam is not correct. Just because the Tamil Brahmins place more emphasis on Sandhyavandhanam does not make it the sole duty of a Brahmin. You can not neglect the other duties. Even the posts justifying the performance of only Sandhyavandhanam is a reflection on the sad state of affairs.

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Again Sandhya is not the only duty.Actually forty samskaras are mentioned,some of them are once in a lifetime,some seasonal and others regular.Since the question was about Sandhya visavis puja,i only touched on that. Some smrithis do not mention about sandhya presuming it to be known by everyone.

The thread is about Brahmins and Pujas. Daily routine is not a Samskara. Japa and Puja are very important daily routines. Aupasana and Agnihotra have been given up by most of the Brahmins. But to give up Japa and Puja?

Every Hindu should do Japa and Puja daily. For a Brahmin to say that Japa and Puja are not important if you do sandhyavandhanam is not correct to say the least.

Without us knowing itself,we say,the moola mantram-'so' - 'ham' ; while we breathe in and breathe out.While this process is a continuous process as 'pranam' for a jivaatma,whilst concentrating on the 'kshana' gap,between breathe in & breathe out,will give mukti,so says Lord Shiva to Amma Parvathi,in Shiva Sutras.

sb

Acharya Explains

I now understand how in the simple worship of the Sun all possible stages in spiritual perception have been provided for

It is not only this, for you will find if you consider the matter still further, that all the three ways known as karma, bhakti and Gyana have been given places in the daily worship, but that is a different matter. Simple as the sandhya worship seems to be, it is sufficient to help us on to the highest stages. It is as useful to the highest aspirant as it is to the beginner. It is a folly, therefore, to belittle its value or to neglect it in practice.

http://www.srisharada.com/QA/Sandhya Worship.htm

sb

s007bala said:

I now understand how in the simple worship of the Sun all possible stages in spiritual perception have been provided for

It is not only this, for you will find if you consider the matter still further, that all the three ways known as karma, bhakti and Gyana have been given places in the daily worship, but that is a different matter. Simple as the sandhya worship seems to be, it is sufficient to help us on to the highest stages. It is as useful to the highest aspirant as it is to the beginner. It is a folly, therefore, to belittle its value or to neglect it in practice.

http://www.srisharada.com/QA/Sandhya Worship.htm

sb

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Strange. I post about the Oral tradition of the Vedas. You post that chanting of Krishna mantra is sufficient. I post about Pujas and Japa. You post that sandhyavandhana is sufficient.

I do not understand how belittling age old practices of Brahmins like the Oral rendering of the Vedas or the Japa and Puja they performed for ages helps the Brahmin community. If it was in some other forum it would be considered an attack on the Brahmins.

Is it that what I do and say is correct. Anything else is wrong.

I can post hundreds of links about the importance of Japa and Puja.

I believe in the Oral tradition of the Vedas and that the age old practice of performing Puja and Japa should not be given up.

I do not think a Brahmin can call himself a Brahmin just becuase he performs sandhyavandhana. And that that is what is required to be called a Brahmin.

Your attack on the practice of Japa and Puja in the name of defending Sandhyavandhana is an attack on the very basis of Hinduism.

There is a growing tendency in this forum to belittle the Gods/Goddesses and religious practices widely prevalent in Hinduism. I understand and respect the beliefs of others. But trying to belittle Shiva/Devi/Murugan and practices like Meditation, Japa and Puja only shows the total immaturity of the posters. Even a revered practice like Sri Vidya Upasana has been belittled. I wonder whether Paramacharya ( most of the posters swear by his viws) would have approved these kind of views.

I post about the different practices of Hindu religion for the information of the general viewer in the hope that it will kindle the interest of some of them who may take to that practice.

I do not belittle any Hindu practice. But it is sad that some of the posters are attacking and belittling the very basis of Hinduism just to promote their narrow views.

Nacchinarkiniyan said:

There is a growing tendency in this forum to belittle the Gods/Goddesses and religious practices widely prevalent in Hinduism. I understand and respect the beliefs of others. But trying to belittle Shiva/Devi/Murugan and practices like Meditation, Japa and Puja only shows the total immaturity of the posters. Even a revered practice like Sri Vidya Upasana has been belittled. I wonder whether Paramacharya ( most of the posters swear by his viws) would have approved these kind of views.

I post about the different practices of Hindu religion for the information of the general viewer in the hope that it will kindle the interest of some of them who may take to that practice.

I do not belittle any Hindu practice. But it is sad that some of the posters are attacking and belittling the very basis of Hinduism just to promote their narrow views.

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hi nacchi sir,
sandhyavandhanam itself part of japa and puja........gayathri chanting is
japa and mantra for surya is called puja.........so sandhyvandanam
is daily part of japa/puja...

regards
tbs

adhyāpanam adhyāyānam
yajanam yajanam tathā
dānam pratigraham caiva
brahmanānāmakalpayāt


from manusmriti means vedaadhyanam and adhyapanam is the
important profession for brahmins...

regards

I think we mean no harm to the community - we just need to understand that we are speaking form different perspectives...

Times have changed and we do not live the life of the brahmins of yore. But then again, there are people who do live the old fashioned way, except perhaps the bikshai thing...

Rushing on with the hectic pace of modern society, a brahmin finds it difficult to sit down and offer a little prayer... so, many advise to chant at least the sandhya gayathri.

It is a practice of convenience only. So, when we post that sandhya is only sufficient, it means for the one who does not have time to do the rest.

It does not belittle Japas, Pujas or other Upasanas in the sense that in this age of non-adherence to customs/traditions/rituals, it is fair that one does at least sandhya.

Sandhyavandhanam is part and not the whole ritual tradition of the Brahmins. Sandhyavandhanam and Surya Namaskaram is how you start the day. Then Puja. The emphasis on sandyavandhanam is more at the Brahmacharya stage. That is why the acharyals always enquire whether you are doing it when you visit him with your father. Puja assumes more importance when you reach the Grahastha stage. One of the things we did after getting married was to buy photos, idols for my family Puja. Relatives gift photos and idols at the time of marriage.

Puja is not always a Shodapochara Puja. Most families have the family Puja. It generally consists of a Sivalinga, a Shaligramam, a crystal representing the sun and other Murtis. Made out of either Panchaloga or silver. Here the emphasis is on daily Puja. Bathe the Murtis and adorn them with clean clothes and the do a small archanai or recite slokas. Then the Naivedhyam consists of Plain rice. Mahanaivedyam.

In our family any male member could do the Puja. Even small children used to do it. There competed with each other for doing it. They were taught slokas before anything elase. I knew at least half a dozen small and big slokas before I learnt my ABC. The first things my children learnt were the slokas starting with Gajananam .... Of course the children did it only when my father was not able to do it. When there was no male member the sasthirigal was called to do it. My father did an elaborate Puja. The Puja in my house is rather elaborate and takes hours. But in my purva ashrama when I was busy, it was a simple affair.

Family Pujas generally are inherited by the eldest son. But I have seen sons doing partition of family puja also. The reasons are some of them wanting to do Puja and at times the material value ( of silver idols) of the Puja.

How do they Puja in your house? What Idols do you have? Is it as simple as what I have stated?

On the topic

I have seen my father doing pujas since childhood... and he remembers his father doing it since childhood. We were also taught shlokas (the first one was mooshika vahana, i think, but including gajananam)... We recited the shlokas daily morning and evening. We used to sit with our father while he did the pujas. More often than not, there would be an eye on the Neivedyam... esp if it happenned to be fruits, payasam etc...

Then school started and we would rush off even before my father had completed his pujas... he did pujas twice in a day - morning and in the evening. He would never leave for office until he had done his morning pujas - which normally took about 2-3 hours. On Sundays, it was even longer.

We had Lakshmi Narayana vigrahams done out of panchalokam, and performed a kumbabishekam - it went on for threee days in our house... that was in the 80s...

We have small vigrahams of Anjaneyar, Ranganathar, Garudazhwar...

Nowadays, we do a very simple puja... compared to earlier days:

After aachamanam, digdevadha mantram, suprabatham, then we remove the old flowers... abishekam is done only on week days... or on special occasions... we recite the purusha sooktham while doing the abishekam... then vasthra dharanam... we show doopam and deepam... then archanai follows... during this time either we repeat it along with him or we recite other shlokas... after all archanais are over, dhoopam, then eka harathi, pancha harathi and then neiveidyam and tamboolam... then karpooram...

We have a set vensamaram done specificaly for the lord... after oonjal, samaram..., we have theertham, do our namaskarams, then he sings a mangalam song and the thirai is closed.

Normal neiveidyam would be annam or fruits (when evening puja was performed, the neiveidyam was milk)... If special items are cooked (on festival days like payasam, vadai), then they too would be included for offering to the lord.

This is how the puja routine is in my family... my father does it still... here in uae, I have pictures of various gods... and say my daily prayers after bath every morning. It is just a simple routine that I do here...

My sister's tiny tot who is now with my father (and quite attached to him), sits with him through the entire puja routine... mimics his offering of flowers to the lord, even tries to utter the shlokas though they eventually turn out in some innocent childish gibberish (he is just 2 yrs old)... and insists on carrying the dhoopam around the house...

Nothing like a good puja routine to give a positive energy in the house... and a deep inner satisfaction...

quite interesting, All the way of performing Pooja and following other things like Karpura arthi etc, was to show the Human being that Lightn is within you and start with entering in temple is a human body itself. Tirumular says "Ullam perum kovil oon udambu aalayam vallal biraanukku vaai gopura vasal thellath thelindarukku seevan sivalingam kallap pulan ainthum kaana manivilakke "Our Sidders never encourge pooja and other Hommams. They thougt us how to go inside and enjoy the company of the GOD. so this pooja and others was only to show real truth and follow the real in day to day life.