Svastivacana
Every question on the site tagged Svastivacana, each answered from a timestamped source rather than a summary written from memory.
The recitation of auspicious verses performed after the initial lamp-lighting rituals but before Sankalpa — sacred-thread wearers recite Vedic mantras like 'Aa No Bhadrah', while others recite Puranic verses such as Ganapati's twelve names and 'Shuklambaradharam Devam'.
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Svastivacana: full Vedic form for yajnopavita wearers, Puranic shlokas for everyone else
The speaker says the first item after the six opening rites is Svastivacana, the recitation of auspicious shlokas, which include Vedic mantras and Puranic shlokas. Those who wear the Yajnopavita should learn the full svastivacana, including correct recitation of mantras like "Aano Bhadra", from a teacher or from YouTube. Those who do not wish to learn it, do not wear the thread, or are women recite only the Puranic shlokas: the 12 names of Ganapati, "Shuklambaradharam", a mantra of Bhagavati Durga, some verses of the Bhagavad Gita and some on Bhairav and the Kashi kshetra, all found in books such as Nitya Karma Puja Prakash.
How much water is used for the daily sankalpa, and where does it go?
Keep the pronunciation clear, he says. Asked by Deepesh Sharma ji how much the water of the daily sankalpa is, he answers that there is only a little water. Even if you put it in a plate near Shiva ji, near the Shivling, the water will dry up. People also put it into the Tulsi; there is no problem in that either.
Which verse is used to purify oneself before sitting?
The speaker gives the verse as: "ॐ अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा सर्वावस्थां गतोऽपि वा। यः स्मरेत् पुण्डरीकाक्षं स बाह्याभ्यन्तरः शुचिः॥". By it, he explains, we remember Bhagavan Pundarikaksha, by whose mere remembrance we may attain purity both within and without, and impurity be removed. Have faith in the name of that Pundarikaksha, that Bhagavan Narayan; understand the mahatmya of that mantra; recite it, sprinkle water, and then sit down and do it.
When in a puja should nyasa be performed?
He says nyasa should be done daily: whatever mantra paath you perform, whether it be the Bhavani Saptakshari mantra or any other mantra, nyasa always has to be done after the sankalp. The sankalp we take at the beginning — at the outset, after doing Ganpati or svastivachan and the like, we will take the sankalp then and there. After that we will do nyasa, when we go to do the mantra paath, when we go to do mantra japa.
Sankalp on the first morning of the Navratri vrat: guru-Ganpati pujan, svastivachan, and stating the fast exactly
The speaker says that on the first day of the Navratri Vrat, at the time of the morning pujan, one sits at one's place and takes the Sankalpa. Guru and Ganesha pujan come first, then Svastivacana, then the sankalp. If one does not know svastivachan, take Bhagwan Narayan's name three times, take Ganpati's name and do a Ganpati path, then with water, Akshat and flowers in hand resolve that one is taking the vow of the nine-day Navratri vrat. If one is not going to fast, or will fast only on the first and last days, he says to state that clearly in the sankalp itself.
He is still corrected on how the Sankalpa is made, how the hand Mudra is held, and how a Svastivachan mantra is pronounced.
No. He says people comment that he is a very learned person — and he still sits while being told that the Sankalpa is not made like that but like this, to make the hand Mudra this way, to tie one more knot in the Chutaiya, to pronounce properly, that this mantra in the Svastivachan goes this way.
What is done immediately after sitting on the asana?
Sitting on the asana, first complete the opening procedure of achman and so on. After that, first recite the Guru Stotram. He has not kept a svastivachan: since svastivachan means Vedic mantras and Pauranic shlokas, one may either pronounce those or recite the Guru Stotram, so he has put the Guru Stotram directly. After that comes the taking of the sankalpa.
At the Udyapan two married women and two Batuks are fed, a night vigil kept, and only the clay image is dissolved
Two Suhagan women and two Batuks — Brahmin boys under twelve — are worshipped by rule and fed respectfully before the image. Then a night vigil, worship again at dawn, and Ganesh requested to come again and dissolved. The Visarjan here, he clarifies, is of the clay image installed for the Udyapan.
Who receives worship first at any large function?
You cannot worship Jagadamba first, he says. Whenever a large function occurs, if a pandit ji or brahman ji who follows the vidhi-vidhan has come, he will first of all have the Nandi shraddh performed — the Nandi-mukh shraddh, the shraddh performed at a time of gladness. There the place belongs first to the pitrs, the right belongs first to the pitrs. After that it is Ganapati ji's, and only then that of the other devi-devatas.
How should arghya be given to Surya Deva?
If you perform sandhya, the arghya described within sandhya is a separate subject and giving it that way is excellent. If you do not do sandhya and want to give a general arghya, take water in a vessel and offer it with plain water; you may also add akshat and chandan — red chandan or roli — and gud may also be put in. But if you offer water in a copper vessel, a copper lota, only men should do so: women should not offer water from a copper lota.
Which gomutra is beneficial, and how is it used?
Asked whether what has been fed or given to drink is set right by gomutra, and from which gomutra, the speaker says: a cow of one colour, a Girnari cow, a desi cow. When a desi cow is being milked in the morning — at the time when the milk is being drawn — the urine that the cow discharges at that time. If that gomutra is chiefly consumed, having been made abhimantrit with mantras, whether by some sadhak or by an ordinary person reciting the svastivachan and such, then very great benefit comes from it.
Pushparchan vidhi from the opening rites to samarpan
The speaker lays out the pushparchan vidhi: first the opening process — achaman, pranayam, pavitri dharan, Shikha bandhan and the asana vidhi — then Swastivachan, Sankalpa, guru and Ganpati pujan, then pujan of Bhairav, Narsimha and Hanuman (brief or elaborate). After the Avahan mantras, do Dhyan of the very form you will worship, using the Tantrokta Devisuktam for the invocation; Bhagavati's tattva will surely be present and a consecrated vigraha or Yantra will awaken. Then recite that deity's Kavach, mix flowers with Kumkum, turmeric and fragrant substances, and with each name of the Shatnamavali or Sahasranamavali release the material onto the yantra or vigraha. When the Sahasrarchana is complete, do Aarti, Kshama Prarthana, stuti and samarpan.
Should one correct another person's ritual at all?
In his view, the speaker says, it is not proper to say such a thing at all. Their difficulty will not be that they did not know and you are telling them, but that they are learned, that they have had and done so many Chandi anushthans and nobody ever said this. The matter sticks right there, so one is simply not to interrupt. If a correction is to be made, let it be made tactfully; if the next person's ego begins to be hurt, let it go.
The pandit recited half of each mantra because the dakshina was a hundred rupees.
The speaker recounts going to a good temple of Bhagwati where those with him offered flowers, naivedya and sweets, and the pandit ji recited the mantras of Bhagwati, all the Saraswati-related ones, but recited none of them fully — Sarva Mangala Mangalye Shive Sarvartha Sadhike, and then he would fall silent. Four or five mantras were like this. Asked why he was not reciting the mantras fully, he said he was not reciting them fully because Bhagwati, hearing the full mantra, would grant her grace, and the dakshina being given was a hundred rupees.
How is achaman to be done on Nirjala Ekadashi?
Relaying what was told by the present Shankaracharya Maharaj of the Jyotish Peeth, he says that when achaman is performed on Nirjala Ekadashi, the water of the achaman should be so little that it remains only in the mouth and does not go into the throat. Because in the chief vidhi of achaman, when we drink the water it should go as far as the throat — only then, in a manner of speaking, is it counted as achaman. And there should be no sound while drinking, no slurping sound.
After the Pavitri come the Shikha Bandhan and the Svastivachan — at minimum Mangalam Bhagavan Vishnu
The Shikha Bandhan; and after that, first the Svastivachan. No very special mantra comes in the Svastivachan — at minimum do Mangalam Bhagavan Vishnu, which everyone will know and everyone can do. There is a corresponding Mangalam mantra for Mahadev too.
What is permitted during a 41-day avaran pujan of Bhagavati Vindhyavasini?
For example, the speaker says, if we are doing a 41-day mandal of the avaran pujan of Bhagavati Vindhyavasini, then in the middle of it the special pujan of any other devi-devata cannot be done either. In it we can do only the abhishek of Shiva ji. As for the rest of the ordinary devi-devatas, whatever pronunciation occurs in the svastivachan and the like occurs. After that there is no special pujan of anybody: only and only the complete avaran pujan of Bhagavati Vindhyavasini, and her Sahasranama and Gita paath and the rest, and her mantra japa, as much as you do in the whole day. No other special pujan of any other devi-devata will take place.
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