SANATANA DHARMA.
PART II.
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[ GENERAL HINDU RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS AND RITES. ]
CHAPTER I.
The Samskaras.
EVERY religion prescribes a number of ceremonies, or rites, to be performed by its followers. The use of the ceremonies, speaking generally, is:
(1) to help the Jiva to conquer and purify his sheaths;
(2) to bring to his aid superior Intelligences, such as the Devas and the Rishis;
(3) to improve the atmosphere around him and so make it easier for him to steady and concentrate his mind.
To this end are used material objects, gestures, postures and sounds, all carefully arranged to bring about the results aimed at. The objects used are chosen for their good magnetism, and in many cases such as particular flowers offered to a particular Peva because they share the magnetism of the Object of meditation or of worship, and thus make a link between that Object and the worshipper. Thus a " mala", a rosary, of tulasi beads is used in the worship of Shri Krishna ; one of rudraksha in the worship of Mahadeva.
Gestures and postures, for the most part, affect the Pranas the sub-divisions of the life-breath that circulate in the body ; some prevent the magnetism of the body from escaping into the surrounding atmosphere, and force its currents to move in a way suitable for calm and quiet thought.
Sounds are used for all the three purposes mentioned above. They give riso to vibrations, and as these vibrations are regular and even, they make the vibrations of the Siikshmasharira which is very sensitive and easily affected regular and even also. When these vibrations of the Siikshmasharira are made regular, the Jiva is much helped in steadiness of thought and devotion. Sounds of a suitable kind attract the attention of the Rishis and Devas to the person uttering the sounds, and they help him. Further, suitable sounds drive away hostile Intelligences and bad magnetic influences, and so improve the sur- roundings of the speaker.
Sounds thus used are called Mantras. A mantra is a succession of sounds, a definite sequence, the sounds being arranged in a certain order : if the sounds are changed the vibrations are changed, and the results will be changed. That is why a mantra cannot be translated. A translated mantra is like a sentence in which all the letters of the words are jumbled up, and so convey no meaning .
There is another thing to remember about mantra ; if the man who utters a mantra is not trying to lead a good life, the vibrations of the mantra will do him harm, not good. For, as they work on his Sukshmasharira, they bring to bear on it a force antagonistic to evil desires and evil thoughts, and shake it very violently and may even wound and tear it, as his evil resolves make it vibrate in one way and the vibrations of the mantra force it into another. If his resolves are good then they work with the mantra and cause no conflict ; however weak they may be, they aid and do not hinder.
Mantras need not be spoken aloud, and their silent repetition is, indeed, more powerful than audible recitation. They affect the subtler kinds of matter more than the denser. Among the ceremonies in the life of a Hindu are some important ones that mark the chief stages of his life ; in old days these were numerous, ten standing out as the chief, but of these ten, only some are now practiced.
Seven of the Samskaras relate to infantile life and early childhood. Of these seven, the sixth, Annaprasanam, the first feeding with solid food, is universally observed ; and the seventh, Chudakaranam the tonsure, and with it the piercing of the ears is performed almost universally.
Then comes the important eighth Samskara, the Upanayana, the leading of the boy to the Guru who gives him the sacred thread, and teaches him the Gayatri, this initiation making him a Dvija, twice-born. The Upanayana is the beginning of the student stage of life, during which Brahmacharya, entire celibacy, is enjoined, and the duty of the lad is to study diligently. This stage is closed by the formal return home, the Samavartanam, after which he is ready to enter the second stage of life, that of the householder, the Grihastha ; the tenth Samskara, Vivaha, marriage, marking his entry into manhood and its responsibilities.
In modern India these wholesome rules have fallen into disuse, though the Upanayana and Vivaha Samskuras are maintained as ceremonies. Marriage is incongruously thrust into the midst of the student life, and the duties of manhood and boyhood are mixed up to the injury of both. May the ancient rule be speedily revived.
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एकः शब्दः सम्यक् ज्ञातः सुप्रयुक्तः स्वर्गे लोके. कामधुक् भवति।
यह एक उद्घोषणा (महावाक्य ) है ! महर्षि पतंजलि ने महाभाष्य में कहा है, ‘एकः शब्दः सम्यग् ज्ञातः सुप्रयुक्तः स्वर्गे लोके च कामधुग् भवति।’ अर्थात् एक भी शब्द यदि सम्यक् रीति से ज्ञात हो तथा सुप्रयुक्त हो तो वह इस लोक में और स्वर्ग में मनोरथ पूर्ण करने वाला होता है।शब्द नामक ज्योति सारे संसार को प्रकाशित करती है। जैसा शब्द हमारे भीतर गूंजता है, हम वैसे ही हो जाते हैं। जिसे परमात्मा की तलाश होती है उसके मन में परमात्मा के शब्द गूंजते हैं। जिसे भौतिक और दैहिक सुख की तलाश रहती है उसके मन में भौतिक इच्छाओं की गूंज रहती है। गुरुनानक देव जी ने कहा है, "शब्दे धरती, शब्द आकास, शब्द-शब्द भया परगास। सगली सृस्ट शब्द के पाछे,नानक शब्द घटे घट आछे। शुद्ध उच्चारण का महत्व : आचार्य पाणिनी ने एक श्लोक में उच्चारण शुद्धता का महत्व कुछ इस प्रकार बताया हैः
मन्त्रो हीनः स्वरतो वर्णतो वा मिथ्या प्रयुक्तो न तदर्थमाह ।
स वाग्वज्रो यजमानं हिनस्ति यथेन्द्रशत्रुः स्वरतोऽपराधात् ।।
"The mantra defective in Svara (inflection) or Varna (letter or colour) is uttered falsely and declareth not the true meaning. That lightning-word slayeth the performer himself as (the word) 'Indra-Shatru' for fault of Svara (slew Viittra, the performer of the sacrifice, and the enemy of Indra, instead of slaying Indra, the enemy of Vrittra, as intented.
अर्थात् - स्वर (accent) अथवा वर्ण से अशुद्ध उच्चरित हीन मन्त्र उस अर्थ को नहीं कहता (जिसके लिए उच्चारण किया जाता है) । वह वाग् रूपी वज्र यजमान को नष्ट करता है, जैसे स्वर के अपराध से इन्द्रशत्रु ने किया ।
{ अशुद्ध उच्चारित मंत्र साधक को लाभ के स्थान पर हानि पहुँचा सकता है। त्वष्टा नाम के असुर ने अपने पुत्र वृत्रासुर की वृद्धि के लिए एक यज्ञ किया था, जिसमें “इन्द्रशत्रुर्वर्धस्व” (अर्थात् इन्द्रशत्रु की वृद्धि हो) मन्त्र में इन्द्रशत्रु पद का उच्चारण “इन्द्रः शत्रुर्वर्धस्व” पद के रूप में कर दिया गया, जिससे इन्द्र वृत्रासुर का शत्रु (मारनेवाला), यह अर्थ प्रकट हो गया । फलतः इन्द्र द्वारा वृत्रासुर मारा गया। एक और उदाहरण हमें मिलता है कुम्भकरण का। जिसने ब्रह्मा से वरदान में "इंद्र आसन" मांगते समय गलती से इंन्द्रासन की जगह "निंद्रासन" का गलत उच्चारण कर वरदान को अभिषाप में बदल लिया था। मनुर्भव : अर्थात् मनुष्य बन ! महर्षि यास्क ने मनुष्य का लक्षण लिखते हुए अपने निरुक्तशास्त्र में कहा है- मत्त्वा कर्माणि सीव्यति, मनुष्यमानेन सृष्टाः। मनस्यतिः पुनर्मनस्वीभावे। मनोरपत्यं वा।। (3.37) जो विचार कर कर्म करे, उसे मनुष्य कहा जाता है। कर्म करने से पूर्व जो अच्छे प्रकार से विचार करे कि मेरे इस कर्म का फल क्या होगा? किस-किस पर इस कर्म का प्रभाव पड़ेगा? मेरे इस कर्म से किस का भला और किस का बुरा होगा? साथ ही यह भी सोचना चाहिए कि बुरे कर्म का बुरा फल होगा और अच्छे कर्म का फल अच्छा होगा। अच्छे और बुरे कर्म ही जीवन में सुख-दुःख का कारण होते हैं, जो जीव को अवश्यमेव भोगने पड़ते हैं।}
वैदिकैः कर्मभिः पुण्यैर्निषेकादिर्द्विजन्मनाम्।
कार्यं शरीरसंस्कारः पावनः प्रेत्य चेह च ॥
(मनुस्मृति 2-26)
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