Who established fidelity in marriage ?

Mahabharatha Adi Parva .122

Pandu lost his procreate power due to the curse of a deer. He tries to convince Kunti to raise a progeny from someone else.

"I shall now tell you about the ancient practices established by the great Rishis, who were authorities on every aspect of morality. Women formerly were not confined to the houses and dependent on husbands and other relatives. They used to go about freely, enjoying themselves as they wanted.. They did not not have to be faithful to their husbands and it was not considered to be a sin then.. This practice is followed even today by birds and beasts and jealousy is seldom found among them. This has been the practice of antiquity approved by the great Rishis and the present practice came into existence lately.

There was a great Rishi by the name Uddalaka and his son Shvetaketu was also a great ascetic. The present virtuous practice of fidelity between husband and wife was established Shvetaketu out of anger. One day, he witnessed his mother being held by hand by another brahmin and being taken away  saying "Let's go". This brought great anger within Shvetaketu. Uddalaka tried to convince his son saying that there is nothing wrong as this is the practice sanctioned by antiquity and women are free to do what they want. Shvetaketu disapproved and laid down the law of absolute and exclusive fidelity between husband wife. Women transgressing the limits of marriage and men violating a woman who observes the vow of purity would be sinful to the extent of bhrunahatya ( causing abortion )."

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Steps in construction of a temple

1. Examining the land for its suitability for construction of temple.
2. Offering bali to the various deities and demons present in the land and taking over the land from them.
3.Ploughing of the land, sowing grains and legumes and allowing cows to graze when ready.
4.Ascertaining the directions and demarcating the plot based on vastu.
5.Making plans based on the principles of vastu.
6.Vastu bali
7.Keeping the garbhanyasa kalasha and laying the first bricks.
8.Constructing the foundation
9.Constructing the sanctum and the other parts of the temple.
10. Completing the construction and installation of the idol (including the sikhara/vimana)

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How to place coconut on top of a kalasha

अधोमुखं शत्रुविवर्धनाय ऊर्ध्वस्य वक्त्रं बहुरोग वृद्ग्यै |
प्राचीमुखं वित्तविनाशनाय तस्माच्छुभं  संमुखनारिकेलम् ||

The face of the coconut is where its three eyes are. If it is facing down, enemies are strengthened. If it faces up, it increases many diseases. If it faces east ie:- away from the worshiper, it causes loss of wealth. The face of the coconut should face the worshiper.

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Names of Saptadhanyas

Saptadhanyas or seven grains are used in daanam. They are -

यवगोधूमधान्यानि तिलाः कंगुस्तथैव  च ।
श्यामाकं चीनकं चैव सप्ताधान्यमुदाहृतम् ।।

यवः - barley
गोधूमः - wheat
धान्यम्  - paddy
तिलः - sesame

कंगु: - Hindi: Barri; Tamil: Panivaragu; Telugu: Varigulu; Kannada: Baragu)

श्यामाकः - Bengali : Shyama Hindi : Sanwa Kannada : Oodalu Oriya : Khira Punjabi : Swank Tamil : Kuthiraivolly  Telugu : Udalu, Kodisama

चीनाकः  - Bengali : Sama Gujarati : Gajro; Kuri Hindi : Kutki, Shavan Kannada : Same, Save Marathi : Sava, Halvi, vari Oriya : Suan Punjabi : Swank Tamil : Samai Telugu : Samalu

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What to do with pratimas received in daanam.

A brahmin receives in daanam a pratima of God (say, Vishnu) or that of Cow. Doubt arises as to what he should do with it. Take home and worship ?

दानकालेषु देवत्वं प्रतिमानां प्रकीर्तितम् |
धेनूनामपि धेनुत्वं श्रुत्युक्तं दानयोगतः ||
दातुर्वै दानकाले तु धेनवः परिकीर्तिताः |
विप्रस्य व्ययकाले तु द्रव्यं तदिति निश्चय इति || ब्रह्मवैवर्ते

The divinity exists in these pratimas only at the time of daanam. He is free to sell it just like ordinary material.

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Don't sleep with your feet towards east or south !

East is the direction of the devas and south that of pitrus. Hence it is forbidden to sleep with your feet in these directions.

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Significance of 108 beads in a japamala

Sun's diameter = 13,80,000 km

Distance between Sun and earth = 14,96,00,000 km

14,96,00,000 divided by 13,80,000 equals 108.4058 rounded off to 108.

सूर्य आत्मा जगतः -  Sun is the atma of the universe.

The mystical number 108 used in spiritual practice is a clear indication of how our sages knew this unique relationship between Sun and earth - the worldly existence and the highest spiritual enlightenment.

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When does one become the husband in a vedic marriage

नोदकेन न वाचा वा कन्यायाः पतिरुच्यते |
पाणिग्रहणसंस्कारात् पतित्वं सप्तमे पदे ||

नोदकेन - न उदकेन - not on kanyaadaanam
न वाचा - not on giving the word (engagement)

The second line means, it is only at the end of the seventh step ( of saptapadi ) owing to the panigrahanam that he becomes the husband.

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"There is no enemy bigger than yajna" ????

Electricity is very useful - if not used safely, it can kill.

Cooking gas is very useful - if not handled carefully, it can destroy.

The shloka says नास्ति यज्ञसमो रिपुः  -  there is no enemy bigger than yajna.

How ?

When not done properly.

Yajna ( havans and homas are also miniature yajnas) when not done properly not adhering to the prescribed rules can cause more harm than good.

अग्निहीनमनावृष्टिः मन्त्रहीनं तु ऋत्विजः |
आज्यहीनं कुलं हन्ति स्वरहीनं तु पत्नयः ||
यजमानं दक्षिणाहीनं  तन्त्रहीनं तु राष्ट्रकम् |
सर्वहीनं सदस्यानां नास्ति यज्ञसमो रिपुः ||

Improper Agni, with lot of smoke and not burning brilliantly and even offering ahutis at the wrong place ( as I had posted earlier) can cause drought. Deficiency in mantra will destroy the priests such as doing less repetitions than required, shortcuts . Shortfall in materials such as ghee used ( using less quantity than specified or low quality materials) will destroy the clan of the yajmana. Priests chanting the mantra with wrong svara will destroy the ladies of the family. Shortfall in dakshina will destroy the yajamana himself. Defective performance of the rituals will destroy the entire nation. All kinds of deficiencies and shortfalls are harmful to the onlookers.

Next time you venture to perform any kind of homa make sure that

1. Your priests are qualified and knowledgeable.

2. They are sincere and do the ritual systematically as prescribed.

3. Good quality and sufficient quantity of materials are used.

4. Proper dakshina is paid to the priests.

Else, you will be inviting trouble than grace of Gods.

You can't wash off your hands by saying " we don't know anything. we trust the acharya blindly"

If you don't know LEARN.

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Meaning of Mrutyunjaya mantra - from veda bhashya

त्र्यम्बकमिति त्रीणि अम्बकानि लोचनानि यस्य
Tryambaka means one who has got three eyes

यद्वा - अम्बका वेदाः  त्र्यम्बकः वेदत्रयीप्रतिपाद्यः
or one who is mentioned in the  three vedas

सुगन्धिः - शोभनः शरीरगन्धः पुण्यगन्धो  वा यस्य असौ सुगन्धिः
one who possesses auspicious fragrance of the body or of punya..

यथा  वृक्षस्य संपुष्पितस्य दूराद्गन्धो वाति एवं पुण्यस्य कर्मणो दूराद्गन्धो  वाति इति श्रुतेः 
just as the fragrance from a tree in blossom can be felt even from distance, so is the fragrance of punya karma.

सुगन्धिं सर्वशोभनं  यशोगन्धिं सर्वसुकृतमयत्वात् 
one who possesses the fragrance of fame owing to his good deeds (Tryambaka)

पुष्टिवर्धनं - गोभूमि वित्त विद्यादि  पुष्टि हेतुं देवम्
one who increases cattle folk, land wealth and knowledge.

पुष्टिवर्धनः - शरीर धनादि विषयं वर्धयतीति पुष्टिवर्धनः
one who nourishes the body (health) and increases wealth.

तादृशं त्र्यम्बकं  यजामहे पूजयामः
we worship Tryambaka (Rudra) who is of the above nature.

लोके यथा उर्वारुकफलानि बन्धनात् स्वयमेव मुच्यन्ते
just as ripe pumpkins  release from the creeper on their own

तद्वदहं त्र्यम्बक प्रसादेन मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मोचनयुक्तो भूयासम्
in the same way with the blessings of Tryambaka may I be released from the grip of death.

मा अमृतात् - चिरजीवितात् स्वर्गादेर्वा मा मुक्षीय
not to be separated from long life or svarga etc.

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