Shadanga
Every question on the site tagged Shadanga, each answered from a timestamped source rather than a summary written from memory.
The six preliminary limbs performed alongside a full mantra or text recitation (such as the Durga Saptashati) — a major reason a complete recitation takes real time and discipline compared to a shorter substitute like the Saptashloki.
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What sadhana is recommended during Gupt Navratri, and why the Saptashloki over the full Saptashati?
It's recommended to repeat a proven sadhana from prior Navratris rather than start something new — the Durga Saptashloki (7 potent verses) is the practical alternative to the full 700-verse Saptashati with all six limbs (Shadanga), which not everyone has daily time for.
Chandi path: what a full Durga Saptashati recitation contains
Setting out the difference between Chandi path, Navchandi path and samput path heard of in Navratri, the speaker first describes the full mool path. The shastras say the thirteen main chapters of the Durga Saptashati are read with six angas (Shadanga): chiefly Kavach, Argala, Keelak and the three Rahasyas that follow. With them come the Ratri Suktam, the Atharvashirsha, the Saptashati Nyasa and the Navarna vidhi, and after the thirteenth chapter the Devi Suktam and the Rahasya paath. Before the first chapter the Navarna Mantra is chanted for one mala, eleven malas as per vidhi, or nine, and again after the thirteenth, so the whole paath is chiefly enclosed by the Navarna. This whole vidhi is what is called Chandi Charitra, Durga Saptashati path or Chandi Path, and it counts as one paath.
What is panchang sevan and where does the hriday paath fit into an anushthan?
The speaker says that whenever an anushthan is done for one's adhishthatri devata by correct vidhi vidhan, for their pleasure, panchang sevan comes into that anushthan, and the paath of the hriday comes under panchang sevan. Every deity, every Mahashakti and Mahavidya, Bhairav and Mahadev, has a hriday stotra of its own.
Can a sadhana be performed in a house that has a Shalya dosha?
There can be trouble. Where a Shalya dosha or Ved dosha exists, first have the Vastu Purusha's sadhana done, or the Vastu Yantra consecrated by the prescription, or whatever the Shastra proof gives as the remedy. For the sadhana of the Mahashaktis, no fault of a particular place applies — the difficulty comes in the Anga Vidyas.
Nothing is felt in daily Gayatri japa — where should one start?
Ankit ji says he does japa of Gayatri daily but never feels he is doing any sadhana, and asks where to begin for Bhagavati's sadhana. If you are doing the sadhana of Bhagavati Gayatri, the speaker answers, then do it according to Gayatri's own niyams — then it will happen. Learn the full display of mudras: from the first day satisfaction will begin. If you do Gayatri without mudra, no ananda is going to come, nor is your Gayatri going to be nourished. Learn the whole process of shaap vimochan, how shaap vimochan is to be done. And whether you do it at two times, or three times, or one time, whenever you do it — how your sandhya pujan is to be at that time, how the kavach is to be done, and which of the three times' dhyanas of Gayatri applies.
How exactly is the karanyasa performed?
At angushthabhyam the two thumbs are joined; at tarjanibhyam the two index fingers are joined; and so on, until at kartal — the palm with which we clap is our tala, and the back part is the prishtha — that is touched. In the hridaya nyasa, the heart, the head, the shikha and the rest are all written down.
What is done at the astra phat, the sixth mantra?
At astra phat, which is the sixth mantra — as in saying yam and then astra phat — you snap the fingers three times around the head, and then a clap is to be made with two fingers. That is called the phatkar. So the astra phat is done. After that comes the dhyana mantra of Bhagavan Shiva.
What if a Satchandi is undertaken in a ten-day Navratri?
If you mean to do a Satchandi alone, the speaker says, it becomes a very large matter. As for the Utkilan: the whole procedure and rule will be there every time. Each Chandi will have its own separate Shraap Vimochan; the whole six Angas will be separate for each.
How should pranam be made, and what about the mudras?
Asked about the mudras and how pranam should be made, the speaker says: do it with both hands joined. For a special mudra, in whichever kul you are initiated, your guru ji will give you the knowledge of the mudra especially. And as for those who say about ordinary mudras that everybody can do them, that all can do them — brother, at the least there ought certainly to be upadesh for it. What is to be said. What is the difficulty in taking upadesh from someone? If it has to be done at all, then take the upadesh.
How should one get the upadesh from a teacher who says all may do a mudra?
Tell the very person who is saying it should be done, that you yourself give the upadesh, the speaker says. Everyone will come to some field or other at some time or other — say, brother, when will you come to Prayag? The other will say, yes, I will come on such a day. Sooner or later somebody will go to some tirtha kshetra; keep hold of him. Those who say on YouTube that mudras should be done — tell them, brother, you give it. When you reach him, go to him and say, brother, please give me the upadesh. Learn the mudra once from in front of him — the other is teaching it; learn it and keep it. Just take the upadesh once in his presence: brother, do it once and give me the upadesh. What will be lost in it? See for yourself. If at that time he gives it from in front, then say yes, this subject happened. If the other is hesitating to give it from in front, then understand why he is not giving it — apply your own intelligence to this. And if he gives it from in front, then it is jai jai; do it entirely at ease, in comfort.
Can the three Rahasyas be replaced by Kavach, Argala and Keelak?
Asked whether, since the three Rahasyas are read when the adhyayas of the Durga Saptashati finish, it is right to do Kavach, Argala and Keelak in their place, he answers that it is completely wrong. There are six angas — how will you then bring the later anga forward? The whole subject will become different. There are a great many kramas of the Saptashati, and then it will go into the reverse krama.
What are the six angas of the Saptashati?
He names them as the shadanga, the six angas: the Kavach, the Argala, the Keelak and the three Rahasyas. This entire subject, he says, is connected with what he has just described. Without these six angas, the Saptashati of seven hundred shlokas as it exists today cannot be complete.
How many shlokas do the Kavach, Argala and Keelak make together?
He says that the Kavach, Argala and Keelak taken together make a thousand shlokas — that is a separate subject. Only the mool Saptashati, he tells the listener Mahesh, is the one that is Sahasradhik.
What is the order of the panchang sevan in the tantrokta vidhi?
Of the ishta whose sadhana you are doing, of all the things that make up the panchang sevan — kavach, sahasranama, satnam, stotra, stuti — the kavach should be made siddha first of all. After it has been made siddha, doing the panchang daily will be better still. First the satnam should be done, then the hriday, then the sahasranama, then the kavach, and only then whatever mantra japa and stuti of their name is to be done.
If one already recites the Kali Kavach, must the Saptashati's kavach also be done?
If you are doing the paath of the Saptashati, the speaker says, then do only the Saraswati kavach; that alone is plenty. It comes under the angas, in the anga vidya. Of the six angas, one anga is the kavach, so you should do it.
What is obtained through a yantra?
A great deal is obtained through the yantra — by doing archan, by doing tarpan, by doing its abhishek, and by the special archan of the anga shaktis present within it.
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