Good conduct and good practices.

CODE OF GOOD CONDUCT AND VIRTUOUS (GOOD) PRACTICES.

Good conduct is essential in all acts that we perform, in worship and in discharging daily routine of life.

Good conduct is regarded as supreme dharma.Good conduct leads to long life, the attainment of good children, wealth and health of mind and body.The good conduct of a son shows his good parentage and breeding.Hence is dearer than life, to a person.

EARLY RISING: About an hour before sun -rise is considered divine. .The Gods and the spirits of our ancesters visit the earth at that hour.We should then keep awake; we thus honour the gods and our ancesters. We get piece of mind at that time and we will not meet with untimely death.

After we get up from bed, we should reverently think of our spiritual teacher, parents, vishnu, shiva, nine planetary deities, and Emperor nalan, Dhamayanthi, King rithuparnan. The contemplation of these good souls keeps us off the evil time spirit. "PRAATHAS SMARANAM STHOTHRAMS " are there.

Then we should think of the acts of charity and good turns done by us during the previous day. we should also regret for the falsehood if uttered by us on t he previous day. Then we should chart out the path of Dharma to be followed that day, as well as the right full efforts that we should take for getting wealth and the pleasure of life.

கறாக் ரே வசதே லக்ஷ்மி கரமத்யே சரஸ்வதி
கரமூலே து கௌரி ஸ்யாத் ப்ரபாதே கரதர்சனம்
See your right hand palm lakshmi is there in fingers, in the middle saraswathy and in the end of palm Gowri is there. Seeing the palm saying this slokam very earlyy in the mong will give prosperity. If you sleep at this time your punyam will go and you will get curse from pithrus.

Then do prarthana to earth devi.சமுத்ரமேகளே தேவி பர்வத ஸ்தன மண்டலே
விஷ்ணுபத்னி நம ஸ் துப்யம் பாதச்பர்ஷம் க்ஷ மஸ்வமே . Then chant suprapatha slokams.do pranayamam and yogasanam, surya namaskaram is a kind of yogasanam which shd be done now.Then answer the calls of nature. then cleaning the teeth. Then Bathing.

While a person is sleeping his sense organs get confused and impure. Hence he should take a bath early in the morning to purify himself.The early morning bath helps a person to keep his body handsome,and healthy and frees him from his sins, These are the ten benefits that a person attains from the early morning bath: Bodily beauty, brightness , strength, purity, longevity, health, detachment, , freedom from the evil effects of bad dreams, courage and mental alertness.

The period about 4-30 am in the early morning is the dawn of the day . A bath at that time is considered as most suitable. a little before sunrise or at sunrise a person must take bath. at the latest. Before taking bath a person should wash his feet , sip water with the holy names on the lips and meditate on the Lord.

Then he should mention the year,rithu, month, paksham, day and mentally resolve to have the bath. He must get into river or tank so that the water may be upto his waist. If it is a running water, he must face the sun and in the evening face west, night towards north. If there is temple in front of the tank,he must face the temple front.. He must utter the name of Ganges thrice, sprinkle water nine times over his head and body and also think of the blessed feet his spiritual teacher

Then he take the water in his palms and offer it in the tank chanting the sacred words ""May the whole universe be satisfied and
happy. A fter bath he should go up, out of the tank, and rub his body with a dry cloth. This holy morning bath is of two kinds. Principle bath a modified virtual bath.

The principle bath is done when the head is immersed in water. This bath is of six kinds: Daily routine bath, special bath; bath for attaining a desired end; bath as part of a rite; the purifying bath and religious bath. THe daily morning bath is a routine one. The bath done after the shave, after following a funeral procession,or after pollution of some kind is the special bath.

The principle bath is done when the head is immersed in water. This bath is of six kinds: Daily routine bath, special bath; bath for attaining a desired end; bath as part of a rite; the purifying bath and religious bath. THe daily morning bath is a routine one. The bath done after the shave, after following a funeral procession,or after pollution of some kind is the special bath.

On these occassions, a person should immerse his head thirteen times at a time in water, wear his clothes after waving them up and down for seven times and then bathe again. THe bath taken on sacred days like Pushyam is the bath done for a desired end. The bath taken before worshipping gods or before the annual ceremony for ancesters is the bath done as part of that particular rite.

A oil bath cleanses his body. A bath at sacred rivers or tanks is considered a religious rite, Bath is also taken on special occassions as in solar/lunar eclipse; after a period of pollution and by women after monthly periods. The bath after pollution should be had after 3 hours after sun rise.

Do not take oil bath early in the morning except deepaavali. oil bath must be taken only after 2 hours after sun rise.

kgopalan said:

Bath is also taken by women after monthly periods.

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Dear sir,

Can I have some details on this..as far as I know Muslims have a well documented purification bath for woman and also a technique of bathing and also verses to recite for this.

It is called a Hadas Bath which can be further divided into Major Hadas and Minor Hadas.

You see for most of us Hindu woman who have good personal hygiene we take bath 2 times a day and sometimes even 3 times days and wash our hair daily too.

So our level of personal hygiene is already high to start with so no extra purification method is employed after the monthly period.

Is there any verses to be recited or is there any special bath techniques for example any special items used to add to bath water that can be employed which is suitable to be employed in a modern day bathroom.

I would be grateful if you could kindly explain.

Then chant suprapatha slokams.do pranayamam and yogasanam, surya namaskaram is a kind of yogasanam which shd be done now.Then answer the calls of nature. then cleaning the teeth. Then Bathing.

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Dear Goplan Sir,

Thanks for the wonderful post. Could you please clarify the above lines. Here the bath is the last thing done. What i am doing is get up , clear nature calls, brush up than immidiately take bath, then onky sit for the morning prayers and Japam. For me this has been the practive since i am aware of god, temples etc. Kindly guide the correct way.

thanks.

There is a sloka which can be chanted while taking bath, i.e.
Ganga Cha Yamuna Chaiva Godavari Saraswati,
Narmada Sindhu Kaveri Jalesmin Sannidhim Kuru.

For Dr Renuka Madam, I need not have to explain the features about it. Yet, this being
a forum, I am submitting it.


The meaning for this mantra : In this water, I invoke the presence of divine waters from the rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri. These rivers are considered as goddesses and I pray to them for considering me for their blessings.

It has its own significance. We are living in an wonderful world created for us. It has many rivers and oceans. Rivers viz.
Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati etc are mentioned as holy rivers in our Purnas. Therefore, taking bath in these rivers
is considered holy and auspicious. Therefore, reciting this mantra is very apt.

Balasubramanian
Ambattur

Sloka while taking food

Brahmaarpanam Brahma Havih Brahmaagnau Brahmana Hutam,
Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam Brahmakarmasamaadhina


Sloka while going to bed

Karacharana Krn Itam Vaakkaayajam Karmajam Vaa,
Shravananayanajam Vaa Maanasam Vaaparaadham,
Vihitamavihitam Vaa Sarvametatkshamasva,
Jaya Jaya Karunaabdhe Shriimahaadeva Shambho

Sloka while lighting a lamp

"Deepajyothi Parabrahma
Deepajyothi Janardhana
Deepo Me Hara Tu Paapam
Deepaa Jyothir Namostute

Balasubramanian
Ambattur

nannilam_balasubramanian said:

There is a sloka which can be chanted while taking bath, i.e.
Ganga Cha Yamuna Chaiva Godavari Saraswati,
Narmada Sindhu Kaveri Jalesmin Sannidhim Kuru.

For Dr Renuka Madam, I need not have to explain the features about it. Yet, this being
a forum, I am submitting it.


The meaning for this mantra : In this water, I invoke the presence of divine waters from the rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri. These rivers are considered as goddesses and I pray to them for considering me for their blessings.

It has its own significance. We are living in an wonderful world created for us. It has many rivers and oceans. Rivers viz.
Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati etc are mentioned as holy rivers in our Purnas. Therefore, taking bath in these rivers
is considered holy and auspicious. Therefore, reciting this mantra is very apt.

Balasubramanian
Ambattur

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Thank you sir.

Renu I would like to ask about daily washing hair. Is it really necessary? I read somewhere that this dries out hair and strips hair of natural oils.

amala said:

Renu I would like to ask about daily washing hair. Is it really necessary? I read somewhere that this dries out hair and strips hair of natural oils.

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Amala..it depends on the climate and also lifestyle..out here it is humid so its better for daily wash.
If we exercise daily we have to wash hair too daily.

There are certain practices which Hindus follow : They are :

When a person meets some one, either say Namaskar or Namastey.
Normally before starting any new work Ganesha puja is done.
वक्रतुंड महाकाय सुर्यकोटि समप्रभ:
निर्विघ्नं कुरु में देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा:

Hindus are not supposed to wear footwear inside the house.
Similarly in temples and holy places. In some temples, Lungi and Shirts
are not allowed. Ladies are supposed to apply Kumkum between
the eyebrows on the forehead at the time of worship.

On hindu festival days, non-vegetarian food is not consumed.

Generally marriages are arranged ones unlike the present days.
Arranged marriages generally take place within the respective castes only.

For some it becomes a prestige issue.

Hindus normally do not kill Nalla Pampbu especially on Nagapanchami day.

At the end of first year, babies ears are pierced and they are adorned with ear rings.

Even Hindu girls and women pierce their nose according to one's own choice.

A married Hindu woman is supposed to wear Thirumangalyam around the neck,
bangles in her hand, and toe rings etc. so as to indicate that the girl is married.
Some apply Kumkum on the middle of the forehead.

Paying respect to elders is a routine duty of every hindu.
The son is supposed to take care of the parents and do all the rites.
Mother, Father, and Teacher are respected equally to God.
As regards worship is concerned, many deities are adopted accordingly to family procedure.

Hindus have a number of festivals during the year.
In northern India Laxmi Puja is celebrated during Deepavali period.

Hindu women and girls generally wear clothes covering the entire body.

A married Hindu woman pays more respect to her Husband compared to others.

When a new vehicle is purchased, lemons are put under the wheels of vehicles.

The idols (less than 1/2 inch) or pictures of Hindu deities are kept in the house
and pujas are performed.

Balasubramanian
Ambattur

Sloka while lighting a lamp

"Deepajyothi Parabrahma
Deepajyothi Janardhana
Deepo Me Hara Tu Paapam
Deepaa Jyothir Namostute

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Thanks for this Bala Sir. While lighting the lamp i pray to the Jyothi ( jyothi lakshmi)) to give my family good health and prosperity with no other prayer. Now i can recite this .

Cheers.

Normally, a mantra that is being chanted is directly associated
with the mental processes facilitating to frame our brain, nerves,
and remove unwanted emotional balances. A mantra is a sacred one
and utterance of the same safeguards and frees the mind from unwanted
thinking. Besides, the use of mantra sound and rhythm enables to
to redirect the flow of thoughts in the mind so that one is free from
fear which restrains a person at times.


When food is served, before eating one can chant the undermentioned mantra:

Brahmaarpanam Brahma Havih Brahmaagnau Brahmana Hutam,
Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam Brahmakarmasamaadhina



To remove the obstacles or problems if any in the progress of one's activities
Om Gum Ganapathaye Namaha - daily 108 times


Balasubramanian
Ambattur

If it is not inconvenient, one can follow the following procedures.

1. Being adorned with Holy Ash and Rudraksham
2. Adoring the guide i.e. Guru
3. Praising and saluting the Lord Who holds the river Ganga on his head
4. Chanting the Nama of Lord Shiva or any Ishta Devatha
5. Shiva or Goddess Parvathi Worship or any other God as per their choice in the morning
6. Pilgrimage to abodes of Lord Shiva or any other Deity once in a while every year
7. Listening to the glories of Ishta Devatha
8. Devotees can be associated in any puja that is performed in our house, if not inconvenient
9. Feeding the Devotees of Lord Shiva once in a while
10. Donating to the Guru or Gurukkal in the Temple once in a while
11. Offer Vastram to the God or Goddess

12. Offer Nivedhanam or Neivedhyam for distribution to the Devotees in the Temple premises
13. Offer free books of Slokas or Stotras to the Devotees, if possible
14. Offer pictures of God or Goddess to the Devotees
15. Offer Rudraksham or Rudraksha Mala to the Siva Devotees


Balasubramanian
Ambattur

TheUltimate Science of Gayatri Mantra…

GAYATRI MANTRA & Its Scientific Meaning



Gayatri mantra has been bestowed the greatest importance in Vedic dharma. This mantra has also been termed as Savitri and Ved-Mata, the mother of the Vedas.


The literal meaning of the mantra is: O God! You are Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Almighty, You are all Light. You are all Knowledge and Bliss. You are Destroyer of fear, You are Creator of this Universe, You are the Greatest of all. We bow and meditate upon Your light. You guide our intellect in the right direction.
The mantra, however, has a great scientific importance too, which somehow got lost in the literary tradition. The modern astrophysics and astronomy tell us that our Galaxy called Milky Way or Akash-Ganga contains approximately 100,000 million of stars. Each star is like our sun having its own planet system. We know that the moon moves round the earth and the earth moves round the sun along with the moon. All planets round the sun. Each of the above bodies revolves round at its own axis as well. Our sun along with its family takes one round of the galactic center in 22.5 crore years. All galaxies including ours are moving away at a terrific velocity of 20,000 mile s per second. And now the alternative scientific meaning of the mantra step by step:

(A). OM BHUR BHUVAH SWAH:

Bhur the earth, bhuvah the planets (solar family), swah the Galaxy. We observe that when an ordinary fan with a speed of 900 RPM (rotations Per minute) moves, it makes noise. Then, one can imagine, what great noise would be created when the galaxies move with a speed of 20,000 miles per second. This is what this portion of the mantra explains that the sound produced due to the fast-moving earth, planets and galaxies is Om. The sound was heard during meditation by Rishi Vishvamitra, who mentioned it to other colleagues. All of them, then unanimously decided to call this sound Om the name of God, because this sound is available in all the three periods of time, hence it is set (permanent). Therefore, it was the first ever revolutionary idea to identify formless God with a specific title (form) called upadhi. Until that time, everybody recognized God as formless and nobody was prepared to accept this new idea. In the Gita also, it is said, "Omiti ekaksharam brahma", meaning that the name of the Supreme is Om , which contains only one syllable (8/12). This sound Om heard during samadhi was called by all the seers nada-brahma a very great noise), but not a noise that is normally heard beyond a specific amplitude and limits of decibels suited to human hearing. Hence the rishis called this sound Udgith musical sound of the above, i.e., heaven. They also noticed that the infinite mass of galaxies moving with a velocity of 20,000 miles/second was generating a kinetic energy = 1/2 MV2 and this was balancing the total energy consumption of the cosmos. Hence they named it Pranavah, which means the body (vapu) or store house of energy



(B). TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM: Tat that (God), savitur the sun (star), varenyam worthy of bowing or respect. Once the form of a person along with the name is known to us, we may locate the specific person.Hence the two titles (upadhi) provide the solid ground to identify the formless God, Vishvamitra suggested. He told us that we could know (realize) the unknowable formless God through the known factors, viz., sound Om and light of suns (stars). A mathematician can solve an equation x2+y2=4; if x=2; then y can be known and so on. An engineer can measure the width of a river even by standing at the riverbank just by drawing a triangle. So was the scientific method suggested by Vishvamitra in the mantra in the next portion as under:-
(C). BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI: Bhargo the light, devasya of the deity, dheemahi we should meditate. The rishi instructs us to meditate upon the available form (light of suns) to discover the formless Creator (God). Also he wants us to do japa of the word Om (this is understood in the Mantra). This is how the sage wants us to proceed, but there is a great problem to realize it, as the human mind is so shaky and restless that without the grace of the Supreme (Brahma) it cannot be controlled. Hence Vishvamitra suggests the way to pray Him as under: (D). DHIYO YO NAH PRACHODAYAT: Dhiyo (intellect), yo (who), nah (we all), prachodayat (guide to right Direction). O God! Deploy our intellect on the right path. Full scientific interpretation of the Mantra: The earth (bhur), the planets (bhuvah), and the galaxies (swah) are moving at a very great velocity, the sound produced is Om , (the name of formless God.) That God (tat), who manifests Himself in the form of light of suns (savitur) is worthy of bowing/respect (varenyam). We all, therefore, should meditate (dheemahi) upon the light (bhargo) of that deity (devasya) and also do chanting of Om. May He (yo) guide in right direction (prachodayat) our(nah) intellect dhiyo.

So we notice that the important points hinted in the mantra are:-
1) The total kinetic energy generated by the movement of galaxies acts as an umbrella and balances the total energy consumption of the cosmos. Hence it was named as the Pranavah (body of energy). This is equal to 1/2 mv2 (Mass of galaxies x squre of velocity.)

2) Realizing the great importance of the syllable OM , the other later date religions adopted this word with a slight change in accent,viz.,AmenandAmeen.

Collection - from a Literary Book

Balasubramanian
Ambattur

One can adopt simple procedures to do a pooja independently, suppose if one does not
know the actual methods or procedures. After we do the routine things like cleaning
the pooja room and lighting the lamp, etc. chant the following.
a) Idam asanam i.e. offering a seat to the worshiping God. One can also
chant Om Shri Guru Shukra Vigneswaraya Namaha
b) Take Water in a Panchatram. Do the Achamanam. Chant Chuklambaradam ....
Sarva Vignoba Santhaye. Then Pranayamam. Ladies need not do. Then
Comes the Sankalpam for the Pooja. Kalasa Pooja (Fill water in Pancha Patram,
apply sandal on all the four sides and drop a flower, cover it with the right palm
and chant Ganagec a Yamune ... Jalesmin Sannithim kuru. After this, one has
to do Prokshanam to all the flowers, the Idol and self. If one knows Mudras
then they can offer. Otherwise, nothing to worry.
c) Then comes the Conch Puja. Simple chanting
Sangaya Namaha, Davalaya Nama, Panchajanyaya Namaha,
Janardhanaya Namaha, Brahmane Namaha. With this water, one can do
Prokshanam. Gayathri is very simple - Panchajanyaya Vidmahe
Bavamaanaaya Dheemahi Sangaha Prachodayaat
Etam Padyam - Through the Uthirini offer water at the feet of the Lord
d) Peeda Pujai if it is temporarily organized
e) Guru Dyanam - One can Chant "Dakshinamurthi Gayathri"
f) Puja for the Mani (Kanda)
g) Prana Pradishtai and then Abishekam
h) Idam Snaniyam
i) Vastraartham Samarpayami i.e. offering cloth to the lord
j) Offering ornaments, if any
k) Gandhahan Daarayaami - applying sandal
l) Haridhra Kumkum Samarpayami
m)Pushpai Poojayami Offer flowers chanting Mantras.
Sumukaya Namaha ..... Skanda Poorvajaya Namaha
n)Doopam , Deepam and then Neivedhyam, Thamboolam
then Neerajanam.
o)Idam Neivedhyam--offering prasadam
p) Idam Paniyam -offering water to drinkq) Idam Sarvam Samarpayami -offering everything
r) Paradakshinam & Prarthana Prayer
s) Namaskaram

Balasubramanian
Ambattur