This japam is performed only by those who have been initiated fully and by those who have passed through the ceremony of prapatti (See Pl I-A).
The japa is begun by repeating the taniyans (stanzas in praise) of his own Āchārya who initiated the performer and taught the vākya gurupāramparā, Ślōka [[०७४]]
[[६९]] guruparamparā, mantra, mantrartha, and then he should repeat the mūla mantra twenty-five times and do prāṇāyāmam. Then he performs the sankalpam repeating the following mantra :- " Śri bhagavadajňaya Srimannārāyanaprītyartham prātāśsandhyāyām ashṭōttara śatakritvah (or daśakritvah) ashtaksharamahamantrajapam karishye." He does nyāsam repeating as follows:-" Asya śrīmad ashtakshara maha mantrasya badarikāśramavasinārāyaṇa rshih dēvī gāyatrīchandah . paramātmā śrīmannārāyanō dēvata," and then contemplates about Narayana. The translation in English of the above is “Narayana rshi is the seer of the divine, eight syllabled mantra, the metre is the divine gayatri, the presiding deity is Narayana associated with Lakshmi and the Lord of all.” The contemplation of Narayana is done by repeating the following:— “Aum bijam, āyaśaktiḥ, mām kīlakam, hrim kavacham, buddhistatvam, udattādisvaraḥ . Śrī Vaikuntham Kshetram jīvaparamātmanōḥ svasvamibhāvassambandhah . śrimannārāyanaprītyarthe japë viniyogaḥ “॥.
Then repeating the tirumantra he smears the inside and outside of his hands and does anganyāsas and karanyāsas.
He does aksharanyāsa as is usually done. Then he does nyasa as in the gayatri japam repeating “om om angushthābhyām namah . om nārāyaṇa madhyamābhyām namah . om om anā nikābhyam namah . om kanishthakābhyām namah om nārāyaṇāya karatalakara prshthābhyām namah.” Then he does anganyasa repeating “Omom jñānāya hrdayāya namaḥ om namah aiśvaryāya śirasēsvāhā . om nārāyaṇa śaktyai śikhāyaivaushat om om balaya kavachaya hum om namaḥ tējasë nētrābhyām vaushat . om narāyaṇa vīryāya astraya phat॥ “.
Folding his hands and saluting he repeats the following dhyāna sloka :-“Savyam pādam prasārya śritaduritaharam dakshinam kunchayitvā jānunyādāya savyētaramitarabhujam naga bhoge nidhaya . paśchat bahudvayēna pratibhataśamanë dhārayan śankhachakre devi bhūshadi jushto janayatu jagatam sarma vaikuntha nathah.” The translation of the above is as follows:—“May the Lord of Vaikuntha give happiness to all the world, who is seated on the serpent couch with his left leg hanging down, with his right leg which removes the distress of its refugees bent and kept erect over the couch, with his right arms placed over the right knee and with his left hand resting on the couch and who is holding the sankha and chakra which are used in quelling his enemies by his two backarms and who is in company with his wife and adorned by several ornaments and other things.” He thinks of Para Vasudeva after repeating the above ślokas. Then he thinks of God by repeating the following slokas and then does japa of “Tiru ashtakshara” “Iha sangrahataḥ śrīmān gōptā śeshi samādhika daridrah . śaraṇam sarvaśarīri sēvyaḥ prāpyaścha sadhubhirbhavyah” and “Padatrayētra samkshepat bhavyananyarhaseshata ananyōpāyatā svasya tathānanyapumarthata “॥ The above passages when translated are as follows:–“In short the Lord of the Universe has to be conceived by Sri Vaishnavas as having Lakshmi as his consort, as the protector of all, as the master of all, as having [[०७५]] ७० Bulletin, Madras Government Museum. [G.S., poverty, as not having an equal or superior, as the only refuge, as having the whole universe as his body. and as the only one to be served and reached.” “In brief the purport that should be conceived from the three words are that no other than Narayana associated with Lakshmi is the master, the means to attain him, and the end or aim to reach.” Then with hands raised together he contemplates on God repeating: -“Kshirambhonidhiratnamandapamahāsauvarnasimhasane vāmanke sthitayā prasannavadanaś I- kantayālingitam . dordandankitaśankhapankajagadachakrairudāra śriyam tvām nityam kalayāmi janma vimukho Lakṣhmīśa Narayana “॥. This passage when rendered into English runs as follows:-“Oh Narayana, Lord of Lakshmi, feeling a deep aversion to births, I daily contemplate on You, as having been seated on a golden throne supported by lions, placed in a temple of diamonds in the centre of the milky ocean, as having been embraced by Lakshmi of pleasant face sitting on Your left thigh, and as appearing more beautiful by holding Sankha, lotus, gaḍā and chakra in Your hands.”
ĀDHĀRAŚAKTI TARPANAM.
Afterwards he does dvayam, charama ślokam, dvādaśakshara and Shaḍakshara according to the time available and means.
This is begun by achamanam and then Pranayamam. The ceremony is begun by repeating the following sankalpam:-“Śrī Bhagavadajñaya Śrīmannārāyaṇa prītyartham ādhāra śaktyāditarpaṇam kariśye.” Repeating the above he takes water with both the hands, as in keśavādi tarpaṇam during sandhyā. Then he does tarpaṇam with this water repeating the following mantras:-“Om adhāraśaktāi namaḥ Om prakrtyai namaḥ . Om akhila jagadhādhāraya kūrma rūpine Narayanaya namaḥ . Om anantāya Nāgarajāya namaḥ . Om bhūm Bhūmyai namaḥ . Om Śrī Vaikunthāya divya lokāya namaḥ . Om Śrī Vaikunthāya divya jana padāya namaḥ . Om Śrī Vaikunthāya divya Nagarājāya namaḥ . Om Śrī Vaikunthāya divya vimānāya namaḥ . Om ānandamāyāya divya mandapa ratnāya namaḥ . Om astarana rūpāyānantāya Nāgarājāya namaḥ . Om dharmaya pitha pādāya namaḥ . Om jnanaya pitha pādāya namaḥ . Om vairāgyāya pitha pādāya namaḥ . Om aiśvaryāya pitha pādāya namaḥ . Om adharmāya pītha gātrāya namaḥ . Om ajñānāya pithagātrāya namaḥ . Om avairāgyāya pīthagātrāya namaḥ . Om anaiśvaryāya pithagātrāya namaḥ . Om abhiḥr parichinnatanave pithabhrte sadātmane anantāya nāgarājāya namaḥ . Om ashṭadala padmāya namaḥ . Om vimalāyai chamarahastāyai namaḥ . Om utkarshinyai chamarahastāyai namaḥ . Om jnānāyai hasthāyai namaḥ . Om kriyāyai cāmarahastāyai namaḥ . Om yogāyai chamarahastāyai namaḥ . Om prabhvai chamarahastāyai namaḥ . Om satyāyai chamara hastāyai namaḥ–Om Iśānai chamarahastāyai namaḥ . Om anugrahāyai chamara hastāyai namaḥ . Om jagatprakṛtaye divyayoga pithāya namaḥ– Om divya yoga paryankāya namaḥ . Om sahasraphaṇāmani maṇḍitāya anāntāyanagarājāya namaḥ . Om pada pithātmane anantāya Nagarājāya namaḥ . Om sarva parivārāṇām padmāsane [[०७६]]
[[७१]] bhyo namaḥ . Om anantagaruda Vishvaksēnānām sapithaka padmāsanebhyo namaḥ . Om asmadgurubhyo namaḥ . Om Śrimate Narayanāya namaḥ . Mūlamantre namaḥ . Om Śrīm Śriyai namaḥ . Om bhūm Bhūmyai namaḥ . Om nim nīlāyai namaḥ . Sarvabhyō bhagavad divya mahishtbhyo namah . Om kiritayamakutadhipataye namaḥ . Om kirīţa mālāyai apīdātmaně namah . Om dakshina kundalaya makarātmane namah . Om Vāmakundalāya makarātmane namah . Om Vaijayantyai Vanamālāyai namaḥ . Om Śrīmad tulasyai namaḥ . Om Śrīvatsaya Śrinivasaya namah . Om haraya sarvabharanadhipataye namah . Om kanchi gunōjvalāya divyapītāmbarāya namaḥ . Om sarvebhyō bhagavad divya bhūshanebhyo namah . Om sudarśanāya hetirajāya namaḥ Om nandakaya khadgādhipataye namah . Om Padmaya namah . Om Panchajanyaya śankhādhipataye namah! Om kaumodakyai gadādhipatyai namaḥ . Om Sarngaya chāpādhīpataye namah . Om sarvabhyo bhagavaddivyayudhebhyo namaḥ . Om Sarvabhyō bhagavatpādaravinda samvahinībhyo namah . Om anantaya nagarajāya namaḥ . Om Sarvebhyo bhagavat parijanebhyo namah . Om Bhagavat padukābhyām namah . Om Sarvebhyō bhagavat paricchadebhyo namah . agratah Om Vam vainatēyāya namah . Om Bhagavate Vishvaksēnāya namaḥ . Om gam gajānanāya namaḥ . Om jam jayatsēnāya namaḥ . Om ham harivaktrāya namaḥ . Om kam kalaprakṛtisamjñakāya namah . Om Sarvebhyō bhagavadvishvaksēna parijanebhyo namah . Om chandaya dvārapālaya namah . Om prachandaya dvārāpālāya namaḥ . Om bhadraya dvārāpalaya namah . Om subhadrāyadvara pālāya namaḥ . Om jayāya dvarapalaya namah . Om vijayāya dvārapālāya namaḥ . Om dhātre dvārapālāya namaḥ . Om vidhātrě dvārapālāya namah . Om sarvebhyo Bhagavaddvārapalebhyo namah . Om kumudāya janādhipatayě savahana parivāra praharanāya namaḥ. Om kumudakshaya gaṇādhipatayē savāhana parivāra praharaṇāya namaḥ. Om pundarikaya gaṇādhipatayē savāhana parivāra praharaṇāya namaḥ . om vāmanāya ganādhipataye savāhana parivāra praharanāya namaḥ . Om Sankukarnaya ganādhipatayē savāhana parivāra praharanaya namah . Om sarvanētrāya ganādhipatayē savāhana parivāra praharaṇāya namaḥ . Om sumukhāya gaṇādhipata yē savāhana parivāra praharaṇaya namah . om supratishthitāya gaṇādhipatayē savāhana parivāra praharaṇāya namah . om sarvebhyo bhagavat parshadebhyo namaḥ . Iti santarpya devarshi kanda rshi pitr tarpaṇam karishye.” The above when translated runs thus :—“Om salutation to the support which supports the Vaikuntha loka. Om salutation to primordial matter Om salutation to Narayaṇa in the form of tortoise who is the supporter of the whole universe. Om salutation to the serpent king Ananta. Om salutation to the earth. Om salutation to Vaikuntha, the divine world. Om salutation to the population of Vaikuntha. Om salutation to the divine city of Vaikuntha. Om salutation to the dome of the divine world. Om salutation to the divine mandapa which is blissfull. Om salutation to the king of Nagas who is in the form of bed to Vishnu. Om salutation to Dharma which supports the seat of Vishnu. Om salutation to Aiswarya which supports the seat of Vishnu. Om salutation to adharma which embodies the seat of Vishnu Om salutation to ignorance which embodies the seat of Vishnu. Om salutation to Avairagya which [[०७७]] [[७२]]
embodies the seat of Vishnu. Om salutation to Anaiswarya which embodies the seat of Vishnu. Om salutation to Ananta who is the king of Nagas or serpents, who is of good soul, and who is supporting the seat embodied by these devatas. Om salutation to the lotus of eight petals. Om salutation to vimala, chamara holder. Om salutation to Utkarshini, another chamara holder. Om salutation to Jnana another chamara holder.
Om salutation to Kriya another chamara holder. Om salutation to Yoga another chamara holder. Om salutation to Prabhu, another chamara holder. Om salutation to Satya another chamara holder. Om salutation to Isana, another chamara holder. Om salutation to Anugraha, another chamara holder. Om salutation to the divine Yoga-seat which is the embodiment of primordial matter of the universe. Om salutation to the divine Yogi-bed.
Om salutation to Ananta, the naga-king ornamented by the diamonds of his thousand hoods. Om salutation to Ananta, the naga-king who embodies the support on which Vishnu rests his foot. Om salutation to the lotus seat of the several followers of Vishnu.
Om salutation to the lotus seats with bases of Ananta, Garuda and Vishvaksena. Om salutation to my preceptors. Om salutation to Narayana associated with Lakshmi (This may be done even with the ashtakshara mantra). Om Srim salutation to Goddess Lakshmi. Om bhum salutation to Earth. Om Nim salutation to Nila. Salutation to all the divine Consorts of Vishnu. Om salutation to the presiding deity of the crown of Vishnu. Om salutation to the chaplet tied round the crown of the head. Om salutation to the makara kundala in the right ear of Vishnu. Om salutation to the makara kundala in the left ear of Vishnu. Om salutation to the garlands known by the name of Vaijayanti and Vanamala. Om salutation to the tulasi plant or leaves. Om salutation to Srinivas the abode of Lakshmi. Om salutation to the garland and to the lord of several ornaments. Om salutation to the divine pitāmbara which is made more resplendent by the zone worn over it. Om salutation to all the various divine ornaments. Om salutation to Sudarsana the lord of missiles. Om salutation to Nandaka the lord of swords. Om salutation to the lotus. Om salutation to Panchajanya the lord of sankhas or conches. Om salutation to Kaumodaki the lord of all gadas. Om salutation to the Sarnga the lord of all bows. Om salutation to all the various divine weapons. Om salutation to all the shampooers of the lotus feet of Vishnu. Om salutation to Ananta the Naga-king. Om salutation to all the attendants of Vishnu. Om salutation to the sandals of the divine Vishnu. Om salutation to all the paraphernalia of Vishnu. Firstly om salutation to Garuda. Om salutation to the holy Vishvaksena. Om gam salutation to the elephant-faced. Om jam salutation to Jayatsena. Om ham salutation to Hari Vaktra. Om kam salutation to the kala prakrti.
Om salutation to all the attendants such as Vishvaksena and others. Om salutation to the door-keeper Chanda. Om salutation to the door-keeper Prachanda. Om salutation to the door-keeper Bhadra. Om salutation to the door-keeper Subhadra. Om salutation to the door-keeper Jaya. Om salutation to the door-keeper Vijaya. Om salutation to the door-keeper Dhatri. Om salutation to the door-keeper Vidhatri. Om salutation to all the door-keepers of Vishnu. Om salutation to Kumuda, a lord of all attendants, with his [[०७८]] १९३०. [[७३]]
vehicle, attendants, weapons, etc. Om salutation to Kumudaksha, a lord of all attendants, with his vehicle, attendants, weapons, etc. Om salutation to Pundarika, a lord of all attendants, with his vehicle, his attendants and weapons. Om salutation to Vamana, a lord of all attendants, with his vehicle, attendants and weapons. Om salutation to Sankukarna, a lord of attendants, with his vehicle, attendants and weapons. Om salutation to Sarvanetra, a lord of attendants, with his vehicle, attendants and weapons.
Om salutation to Sumukha, a lord of attendants, with his vehicle, attendants and weapons. Om salutation to Supratishthita, a lord of attendants with his vehicle, attendants and weapons. Om salutation to all the various leaders or lords of attendants.
Having pleased all the above deities by offering libations of water by uttering the mantras whose meanings are given above I shall then please the Devas, Rshis, Kanda Rshis and Pitrs by libations of water.” After repeating the above he does tarpanam repeating the mantra ending with “Sarva rshiganapatnistarpayami” and then repeats the following:–“Om prajapatim kanda rshim tarpayami. Om Somam Kanda rshim tarpayāmi Omagnim kānda rshim tarpayami.
Om visvandēvān kanda rshīmstarpayāmi. Om samhitir devatā upanishadastarpayāmi.
Om yajñakir devatā upanishadastarpayami. Om brahmānam svayambhuvamstarpayami; sadasaspatimtarpayāmi.” This when translated runs thus:-“I please Prajapati a rshi of a particular kānda of the Veda by this libation of water. I please Soma, a rshi of a particular kānda of the Veda by this libation of water. I please Agni, a rshi of a particular kānda of the Veda by this libation of water. I please Visvēdēvās, rshis of particular kāṇḍas of the Veda by this libation of water. I please the deity of the Upanishads known by the name of Samhita by this libation of water. I please the deity of Upanishads by the name of Yajña by this libation of water. I please Brahma, who was self-born, by this libation of water. I please Sadasaspati by this libation of water.” Repeating the above mantra he does tarpanam by pouring water after each mantra. Then the other tarpanams are done repeating the appropriate mantras.
Then achamanam is done. He puts on the sacred thread as “nivīti” and the wet upper cloth folded in four and repeats the following mantra:-“Yeke chasmat kulē jātā aputra gotrajā mrtah te grhnantu mayādattam vastranishpīdanodakam.” The meaning of this passage is as follows:-” Those who were born in our lineage and are dead without sons and those who were born in our gotra and are dead without sons let them receive these libations of water given by me, got by squeezing out this cloth.” After repeating the above mantra he takes the wet cloth folded into four in an apradakshina manner and twists it so as to make the water flow out. Then the cloth thus treated is placed on his left wrist and he puts on the sacred thread properly and then does achamanam twice. The avahanams of tirthas that were done during the snanam must now be done so as to do avahanam within himself. The “Vastranishpidana” (ceremony of pressing out the water from the cloth described above) should not be done on dvādaśi and pournami days. On amāvāsya days, sankramana days and śraddha days the Vastranishpidanam is done after the tarpaṇa sraddhas. If one’s father is alive the Vastranishpidanam should not be performed.
[[१०]] [[०७९]] [[७४]]
Then satvikatyagām is done by repeating the mantra beginning with “Bhagavānēva " and ending with “Pratassandhyōpāsanākhyam karma svasmai svaprītayē svayamēva kāritavan.” This when rendered into English runs thus :- “The divine Lord done this act, viz., the prayer at the morning twilight, himself, for his own sake and for his own gratification.” Then he finishes the pratassandhyā by repeating “Pratassandhyopāsanākhyena bhagavatkarmaṇā bhagavān priyatām Vasudevah.” This in English runs thus: “May the divine Lord Vasudeva become pleased by this divine act of prayer at the morning twilight.” BRAHMA YAJNAM This part of the ceremony is begun by the performer doing achamanam and prāṇāyāmam and then sankalpam is done as follows: “Śrī Bhagavadājñaya Śrīman Narayanaprītyartham brahmayajñēna yakshye.” Afterwards he repeats “Kritamcha karishyāmi brahma yajñēna bhagavantam Vasudevamarchayishyāmi.” The above in English runs thus:- “I am doing what has been done. I shall worship the divine Vasudeva by brahmayajña. By the power of our Lord, etc.
The divine Lord makes me do this brahmayajña himself for his own sake and for his own gratification.” After the above he repeats the bala mantra thus:—“Bhagavato balēna”, etc. He then does satvikatyāga by repeating thus: “Bhagavaneva.
brahmayajñākhyam karmasva Karayati” After this he repeats the mantra “Vidyudasi Vidyame papmānamrtat satyamupaimi,” “Oh deity you are the cause of separation Make my sins go away from me. From this water I reach satya or Paramātmā.” He then takes water with the right hand and cleans his left hand with it. Then without uttering the mantras he performs achamanam three times. He then cleans his hand with water, wipes his mouth, touches his head with all his fingers, with the fourth finger he touches his eyes, his nose be touches with his forefinger or the second one, his ears are touched by his fifth finger and his chest he touches with the palm of his hand Every time he touches the above parts he also touches the water and wipes his hand without uttering any mantra Finally he washes his hands, places darbha or spreads it as asana and sits on it Then he puts on pavitras on both the hands and does prānāyāmam three times He next places his right leg on the left leg, keeps his two hands joined together on the knee of the right leg and, says “Om bhūh, om bhuvah, om suvah, om tatsavitur varēnyam, om bhargō dēvasyadhīmahi, om dhyōyōnah prachdayat . on tatsavitur varē- nyam bhargō devasya dhīmahi om dhiyōyōnaḥ prachodayat, om tatsavitur varēnyam bhargō dēvasya dhīmahi dhiyōyōnah prachodayat” Instead of this the following may be substituted :– Om bhūh tatsaviturvarēnyam, om bhuvah bhargō devasya dhImahi, om suvah dhiyō yōnaḥ prachodayat . om bhūh tatsaviturvarēnyam bhargōdēvasya dhīmahi om bhuvah dhiyōyōnāḥ prachodayat, om suvah tatsaviturvarenyam bhargōdēvasya dhimahi dhiyo yonaḥ prachodayat, om bharbhuvassuvah tatsaviturvarēnyam bhargo devasya dhimahi dhiyōyōnaḥ prachodayat " If the performer is a samavedi instead of the above he has to repeat the following: “Tatsaviturvarenyam om, bhargōdēvasya dhimaht om, dhiyōyōnaḥ prachodayat om tatsaviturvarēṇyam bhargō devasya dhimahi om [[०८०]] dhiyōyōnaḥ prachodayat, om tatsaviturvarēnyam bhargo devasya dhīmahi dhiyōyōnah prachodayat om, bhūh bhuvaḥ suvaḥ purushah satyam om.” He should also repeat after the above, gāyatri sama and vyahrti sama.
Then the performer repeats the following:- “Harih om agnimide purohitam yajñ- asya dēvamṛtvijam hōtāram ratnadhatamam . Harih om Harih om . Ishētvōrjetvā vāyavasthō pāyavastha dēvōvassavitā prārpayatu śreshthatamāya karmane Harih om Harih om . Agna āyāhi vitaye grṇānō havyadātaye nihō tā satsi barhishi.” This passage runs in English thus:—I praise Agni (fire god) who secures homa or oblations for sacrifice or who is in front of me, who is endowed with the quality of giving gifts, who is the hota (one of the four kinds of officiating priests) of the sacrifice and who is the giver of enormous wealth.
“Oh Palaśa branch! I am cutting you in order to use you as an offering to Devas (in order to give food and strength to the devas). Oh calves! go away from your mothers to the forest to eat grass and again return to your master’s house in the evening.
Oh cows! the Supreme Lord that is within you prompts you to go to the forest to eat grass so that your milk may be used in sacrifices.
“Come Agni! to eat the sacrificial offering and to carry the sacrificial offerings to the Devas. Sit on the holy grass as Hota being praised by us.” If the performer is a Samavēdī he should repeat the following instead of the above;- “The sama beginning with “Om agnayi.” Then he should say “Harih Om Harih Om śannodēvīrabhishtaya apōbhavantu pītaye samyōrabhiśravantunaḥ . Harsh Om”.–The English version of the above is:–“Oh waters! be of comfort to us by removing our sins, be of use to our sacrifice, be of use to our drink. Remove all our diseases that have already afflicted us and kept us away from diseases that have not begun to afflict us. Sprinkle over us to purify us.” Some say that the performer should repeat the beginning or the characteristic portion of his own Veda. Then he is to repeat a śakha or some part of his Veda daily. If he does not know Vedas he must at least repeat the purusha sūkta. In case he is not acquainted with this, he is expected to say his gayatri ten times. After this he says “Om bhūr bhuvas suvah . satyam tapaḥ sraddhāyām juhomi” once. This is followed by the repetition of “Om namo brahmaṇē namðastvagnaye namaḥ pṛthivyai nama oshadhibhyah . namovāchē namovāchaspataye namo Vishṇave / brhatë karōmi” three times. This in English is as follows:–“Salutation to Brahma, salutation to Agni, salutation to Earth, salutation to the woods, salutation to Speech, salutation to the Lord of Speech, salutation to Vishnu.
I do this for the Vedas.” Then he repeats the following :- “Vishtirasi vriśchamēpāpmānamrtat satyamupāgāni” and takes water in the right hand and cleans the left palm and then does achamanam.
The above passage when translated into English runs as follows:–” Oh deity! you are the cause of separation, remove all my sins. From the water I have reached satya or paramā- tma.” Then satvikatyāgam is done repeating the usual mantra as follows:–“Bhagavānēva brahmayajñākhyam karma kāritavan.” This in English would run thus :-The १०-A [[०८१]] [[७६]]
Divine Lord has himself done the act, viz., brahma yajña. Then samarpanam (finishing offering) is done by repeating the following :—- “Krtamcha brahmayajñēna Vasudevah.” This in English runs thus:-Iam doing what has been done. May Vasudeva become pleased by the Brahma yajña. If one fails to perform the brahma yajñam, while doing the morning sandhyavandanam, he may perform this ceremony after the madhyahnikam or Vaiśvadeva ceremony.
After performing brahma yajña the performer proceeds to a temple to pray to God. While proceeding to the temple on his way he should show respect to the following doing pradakshina round them:– God’s temple, Acharya, a scholar who is proficient in pancharatra śastra, a ficus tree, a banyan tree, cow, a meeting of big men and house of his Acharya. On reaching the temple he should prostrate, at least twice for each, before Vishvaksēna and Dvārapālakas and with their permission he enters the temple.
On entering the temple he must prostrate as many times as he can before God and after the prostrations he should stand on the right side of the God. Then he should feel that he is to be a servant of God, and he should repeat guruparampara before this. On account of seeing God who is pure and capable of attracting one’s mind, one feels very much pleased. He begins to repeat stotras of God (praises of God) capable of attracting God’s attention. There he should obtain sacred water, tulasi and other prasādams after prostrating. He should use them with proper obeisance and feeling of respect to God.
He should think that he is purified by thus worshipping God and taking permission from God he should sit within the temple in a place and do japam by repeating “Tirumantrams Then he comes out from inside the temple. He should not turn round his body while leaving the temple. He should not show his back portion of the body to God.
He should leave the temple facing God. On leaving the temple thus without any apacharams, he is to show respect to Vishvaksēna and take his permission to leave the temple. On coming out he is to take water in a vessel of gold, silver or copper and go to his house. There he is to wash his hands and legs with this water and sprinkle water all over within the house. On his way to his house he should not see any pashandis (men who do not worship Vishnu and who worship only Śiva) nor can he talk to them.
Persons who go to the temple to worship God should avoid the following apacharams i.e., they are not to do the prohibited things. The apachārams are detailed below :– (I) Those who cause disturbance by loud noise to music, to dancing and to the reading of sacred writings enter into २१ kinds of naraka. Then they are born as donkeys.
(२) Those who pray to God with the upper cloth covering the body will be born three times with white leprosy.
(३) Persons who come to God to pray to Him with woollen clothing on will be born as chandaļas for fourteen janmas.
(४) Men who with oil smeared over them and with their shoes or foot-wear come to pray to God and enter the temple with these are born as dogs for three generations.
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[[७७]] (५) Those who throw nails, hair and bones into God’s sannidhi are to be born as flies for seven times.
(६) He who spits the betel and nut from his mouth in the precincts within God’s temple will be in naraka as long as pancha bhūtas exist.
(७) One who spits in God’s temple has to remain in the hall where worms are abundant and he will be born as trees.
(८) One who goes to smaśānam and does pūja to God without bathing, loses the good that he secured during seven births.
(९) A person passing urine in God’s temple precincts, falls head downwards into a hell called urinal “mūtra gartam”.
(१०) He who passes fæces in the temple of God suffers in २१ narakams and is born as a worm in the fæces.
(II) He who has seen at close quarters of a dead body and comes to the temple without bathing and tries to worship God is sure to be born as a crow.
(१२) He who carries a dead body and enters the temple without bathing is bound to be born as a chandala.
(१३) One who worships God after taking food in nimantraṇam is sure to be born as a sparrow (house sparrow).
(१४) One who stays in the shade of a Vimana except during pradakshina will be born as a thorny tree in an open space.
(१५) He who passes urine or fæces near the temple gets into the hell called “Rau ravādi” naraka.
(१६) Those who talk in God’s temple about ordinary matters, and not about God, are sure to be born as “Tittiri” birds.
(१७) Those who take the light away from the presence of God to any other place, are sure to be born as blind people.
(१८) Those who do not care to listen to the words spoken about God’s capabilities and who mock at these words are sure to be born either as deaf or dumb people.
(१९) Persons who remain within the temple with their legs stretched and picking out insects from their body and sleep are likely to be born as trees in water-less deserts.
(२०) Those who worship God with flowers that are set apart for other devatās are born as frogs.
(२१) Those who go to the temples of devatās and then come to the temple of God without a bath are likely to be born as beggars going from house to house and yet not securing enough to be happy.
(२२) He who considers God as only a devata and equal to them is born as a Chandala (२३) Those who smell the flowers intended for the worship of God are born as lepers emitting bad smell.
(२४) Persons who are not generally allowed to come near such as Chandaļas, patitas outside a temple, should not be treated as untouchables when they come to pray to God. One should not bathe if they happen to touch them during God’s procession.
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(२५) Any one suspecting that he is defiled during an utsava and who bathes to get rid of this defilement will fall into Naraka from Swarga with his pitrs.
(२६) After taking Sripada tirtha of Vaishnavas or the tirtha (sacred water) of God achamanam should not be done.
The following are considered sins against God in a temple: so these should be avoidcd as far as possible :- Entering a temple on a vahana or with shoes on his feet; avoiding to see the procession of God during an utsavam; not doing obeisance (praṇāmam) to God on meeting God; saluting God with one hand; turning round and round in the presence of God; prostrating to God while unclean or under pollution; stretching legs in front of God; sitting on a plank in front of God; sleeping, eating, talking secretly, bawling loudly in the temple, crying in the presence of God, fighting before God, abusing one before God, blessing a person in the presence of God; talking to women with evil intention, and talking badly in the presence of God; leaving gas through the anus while in the presence of God; covering one’s body with a woollen clothing; abusing or praising others in God’s presence; doing only formal things when one is strong; eating things not offered to God; not offering to God fruits grown in the season; offering to God portions of food already used; sitting with the back turned to God; prostrating to men in temples; remaining quiet without talking to his guru in the temple; praising himself; decrying God; insulting a Vaishnava if he touches blood unknowingly and lying down within the temple just as he pleases; talking idly and repeating the Vedas at times not prescribed by the śastras; sitting within the temple on an asana or plank.
Any one who thinks that God is only an idol made of metal and that his Acharya is only a mortal being falls into hell.
Another set of things that are to be avoided in the temple are the following:– Entering the temple to salute God after eating things that have been prohibited; going near God without cleaning one’s teeth; touching God without bathing after cohabitation with women; coming close to God without bathing after seeing a corpse; coming near God without bathing after touching a woman in menses; touching a dead body and coming to salute God directly after burning the corpse and without bathing; while doing pūja to God passing gas through the anus; passing fæces and urine in the temple precints; bawling loudly when worship to God is being performed; saluting and seeing God with a black cloth covering the upper part of his body; saluting God with a single cloth in his waist; doing service to God with anger; offering flowers to God not fit for pūja; worshipping God wearing a cloth coloured red; touching God in the dark; doing service to God without bathing after touching dogs and such other unclean animals; saluting God after eating the flesh of animals; touching God immediately after touching the lamp; coming to God’s presence directly from the smaśāna without bathing; saluting God after neglecting the bhagavatās; saluting God with one hand; coming to God’s temple for the sake of meeting and bringing strangers; not offering new grains to God; offering to God dhupa only without flowers; rousing God from sleep without sounding the bheri.
[[०८४]] १९३०]
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