Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Nitya Karmanushtanams - A glimpse

Nithya Karmanushtanams

(This post is an extract from the book “Hinduism Rediscovered” by Shri U.Ve Anbil Swamy.My sincere thanks and gratitude to Shri Anbil Swamy for enlightening us on this topic )

The principles underlying what we now know as acupuncture and acupressure were developed by our ancestors as acutouch, dispensing with the painful `puncture' and `pressure'. By mere `acutouch' of the various parts of the body with appropriate Mantras, the same effects could be secured, though our ancestors did not spell them out in a way understandable to the so called modern scientific mind.

Modern Computer is activated by soft feather touch of the keys in the keyboard. Similarly, our physical body with the nerve endings would respond to mere soft 'acutouch" provided the touch is administered in conjunction with the appropriate 'Mantras". No puncture or pressure would be needed to activate these nerve endings and the mere touch would do the magic.

Our body is held together by Pranas or life force which moves through meridians - a kind of electrical pathways. These connect various organs and glands with endings in our hands, chest, neck, forehead, stomach, back of neck as also feet, knee joints etc. Just as the arteries carry blood, these meridians carry the life-force energy throughout the body. This system has switches and junction points, which could be activated to regulate supply of life- force to the various parts of the body.

When the flow is interrupted for any reason, disease sets in. The remedy lies in switching on the current by applying a stimulant by a gentle touch at the appropriate end points as aforesaid. This relaxes muscular tension, promotes blood circulation and ensures flow of life force energy to the affected parts by releasing pain killers like endorphins, neuro chemicals etc. and they stimulate an alpha wave response in the brain and pituitary glands thus increasing our energy stock and facilitates diaphragmatic breathing and relieves knuckles - all without our ever noticing it.

During Sandya Vandana, we sprinkle water on these nerve endings and touch them with appropriate `Mantras' and earlier to that, we apply the `Sacred marks' with white clay (TirumaNN) and powdered saffron (SrichurNam) at the appropriate places which suck the impurities invisibly. These have been integrated in our daily chores as an in-built discipline?

(From Chapter 16 Section 3 Karma Yoga of "Hinduism Rediscovered" by Anbil Ramaswamy)

Red or yellow? Why?
Both Red and yellow are mentioned.Srisuktham which has Vedic authority along with Purusha Suktham mentions in Slokam 4 Padma VarNaam which means lotus colored. Though lotus comes in several colors (e.g.) white one on which Goddess Saraswati is found seated, generally it is associated with color red.

There are several references to the use of yellow. A few are as follows: -
The same Sri Suktham Slokam 13 and 14 lend authority for this since they describe Mahaalakshmi as PingaLaam which means tawny-colored or brownish yellow and HirNmayeem which means of golden form. And, we know gold is yellow in color.

Swami Desika in his Sri Sthuthi Slokam 11 uses the expression Taptha jaambhoonadha aabhaa which means “One who shines like melted gold” to refer to the color of PiraaTTi. He says that this golden hue of Thaayaar heightens the beauty of the color of the Lord” Hari marakathE” which means emerald colored (and we know emerald is green in color).

Therefore, Paramaikanthins who worship PerumaaL and PiraaTTi as the divine couple as the means and the end of meditation use yellow to represent Thaayaar while wearing the Sacred marks along with ThrumaNN to represent PerumaaL. (The above is as per the inputs at Kaalakshepams of Acharyas on AnushTaanams, while in India)

What if only white or red/yellow alone is worn?
White alone:
We know what happened to Soorpanaka who tried to separate the Lord from His spouse. Those who wear only white are considered to belong to Soorpanaka party and face the consequences! Further it is worn alone only for apara karyam (ceremonies related with death)
Red/Yellow alone:
We know similarly what happened to Ravana who abducted Sri Sita away from her Lord. Those who wear only Red/Yellow are considered to belong to Ravana‟s party and face consequences, which Ravana faced!
What if nothing is worn?
A forehead without the sacred marks is compared to a barren land especially a Smasaanam?, a cremation ground!
Can we rub it off?
It used to be said that Wearing is like putting up a temple and rubbing it off like pulling down a temple. We know that it is PuNyam to construct a temple while it is sinful to demolish a temple. Of course, it can be rubbed off, if faded in part or full accidentally or only one is visible or both are not visible by such fading. We are advised to wear them again immediately after such rubbing off. This is like renovation (JeerNOddhaaraNam) of a temple.

It has to be noted that Urdhwa pundram represents temple itself, as the Lord has declared that PerumaL and PiraTTi themselves stay in the temple of Urdhwa pundrams.

(The above is as per the inputs at Kaalakshepams of Acharyas on AnushTaanams, while in India)
Adiyen,
Dasan,
Dasharathi
Sarvam Sri Krishnarpanamastu

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