[Advaita-l] Mantra Japa during grahana.

[KAMESWARARAO MULA]

I had mentioned some stotras etc. which are recited during grahanakala. (I
personally bathe change clothes and recite Adityahrdayam and Narayana
Kavacha.) Ganapati atharvashirasa is also one of them.  But in general, I
still maintain japa, particularly of Veda mantras should not be done.
Perhaps as Shri Subrahmaniam suggests it is a matter of deshachara but
I'll see if I can find some shastra pramana about it.

Sir,
         Pls don't take it otherwise. As subbuji said there will difference in deshachara pramana, but will provide the shastra pramana for the auspiciouness of the  japa during grahana kala.

Counted Japa is more preferred than Strotra patha, as you said veda parayana can be avoided.
But Japa is mot preferred thing druing Grahana Kala.

Since it was our in house regular practice of many years (Krishna Yajurveda Dravida apsthamba sutra shaka adhaya sampradaya) that we take the initial bath before the grahana starts and by wearing the fresh clothes as you mentioned (I was told not coomb the hair also at that time) and sit in sukhasana and perform the Japa as much as one can do after the finishing time of the Grahana Kala time, we always used to bath again (full head bath) and proceed the normal function of that day.  This is strictly followed by the people of Godavari Dirstrict of Andhra Pradesh.

Apart from this I have seen many northern indian pandits performing japas at the varanasi ghats during that period of grahana kala. They do also take bath before & after that. May be I can easily get pramana from anybody from varansi.

It was also practice of telling & doing the mantra japa for the snake, scorpion bites during the grahana periods, but don't have any reference for this.

These are purely my personal views only.

Kameswara




 On Wednesday, 17 July, 2019, 11:22:19 AM IST, Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com> wrote:





 On Tue, 16 Jul 2019, KAMESWARARAO MULA wrote:

> No.  Grahanakala is an inauspicious time for japa
>
> I don't agree this as I have reference to contradict this statement.
> Ganapathi atharvana sirsha says that : Suuryagrahe-Mahaa-Nadyaam
> Pratimaa-Sannidhau Vaa Japtvaa Siddha-Mantro Bhavati.

I had mentioned some stotras etc. which are recited during grahanakala. (I
personally bathe change clothes and recite Adityahrdayam and Narayana
Kavacha.) Ganapati atharvashirasa is also one of them.  But in general, I
still maintain japa, particularly of Veda mantras should not be done.
Perhaps as Shri Subrahmaniam suggests it is a matter of deshachara but
I'll see if I can find some shastra pramana about it.

--
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>