Sage of Kanchi –

Pranams at the lotus feet of Sri Parmacharya !

Paramacharya describes the significance of the Shatkarma while bathing it is customary to chant a few Sanskrit verses/Sankalpa, and Akamarshanasuktham that could purify the body as well as the mind,  it removes the sin of the worshiper.  Sandhyajapam is sun worship, it is performed for the welfare of the soul, it is performed three times a day, once in the early hours of dawn while the stars are visible, once in the afternoon anytime after 10.48  before 1.00, and in the evening before sunset.    Aupasana, Bhramayajjam, Devapooja/Panchayathanapuja is the worship of Goddess Shakthi, Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, Adithya,  and Ganesha,  and bhojanam/consuming meal during Madhyahnikam.  Pithru karma should be performed during Aparahnna/mid-day,  Deivakarma/veneration of deities during Sankalpa in the early hours of dawn, and recitation of sacred chants during Sayamkala/ early hours of sunset and Deivadharishanam/visiting shrines during Pradhoshakala.   

Acharya describes the significance of PanchamahaYajjam known as  Devayajjam/worship of deities, Pithruyajjam/homage to ancestors, Bhoothayajjam/Vaishvadevam, Bhramayajjam/recitation of Veda, and Manushyayajjam/service to humanity were strictly followed in olden days.  We are too busy with our livelihood, even though we have to take all the effort to perform whatever possible in this life, especially sun worship on a regular basis.  The performance of spiritual and religious rites will remove the sins of the worshiper, it will improve the intellect, and we will come to know what should do and what not, finally it provides happiness in this life and liberation from worldly existence.  Observing fast on Ekadhashi day and finish Parana on the Dwadhashi day before 8.24 brings an abundance of piousness.  Even the office-goers can do Snanam, Sandhyavandhanam, Aupasana, Shivapooja and Adithyam, retired people can perform Bhramayajjam and Vaishvadevam as well.  All the above religious rites can be performed for people who have the facilities.  These are the rites performed by Lord Bhrama, Rishis, deities, and our ancestors.  We have stopped performing all these rites or took hold of a few, that is the reason we are going through endless miseries, sorrows, grief, physical and mental afflictions, moreover, we have stopped the performance of these essential rites and prevented the abundance of piousness of our younger generations too.  A widower cannot perform Aupasanam, he can perform the rest of the rites, Aupasana is the performance of offerings to the creatures in Pithruloka, Devaloka, and Nagaloka.  Almighty has given us endless comforts but we are not willing to show basic gratitude by performing these rites.  We are incapable to produce a single piece of grain, supreme Lord has given us all that required for our life on Earth, we will remain, thieves, if we consume a meal without making an initial offering to him.  He is omnipresent; whatever offered to him will accept amicably.  We are performing homage to ancestors with the belief that the offerings will be received by our ancestors without any fail, in olden day’s telegram and money order system prevailed to transfer messages and money from one place to another, the performance of rites work exactly like this.  Acharya repeatedly insists every individual to follow Shatkarma which could provide piousness in this life and afterlife too.