ŚRĪ PARĀŚARA SAMHITĀ II – 69th Chapter

69^th Chapter (Ēkōnasaptatima Paţalah)

“Procedure of Performing Rituals”

(Karmācaraņavidhānam)

श्रीपराशरः
मैत्रेय जपतां नित्यं मन्त्रमेकं हनूमतः
सप्तकोटिमहामन्त्रास्सिद्ध्ययन्त्येव न संशयः।। 1

ŚrīParaāśara:

“Oh! Mytrēya! Whoever recites at least one Hanumān mantra daily, achieves fulfilment of all the 70 million (saptakōţi) great mantras. There is no doubt in this. (1)

आराधिते कपिश्रेष्ठे समस्ता अपि देवताः
भवंति सततं तुष्टाः सर्वदेवात्मको हि सः।। 2

If Hanumān is worshipped, all the gods will always be happy. This is so because Hanumān is is present in the hearts of all gods (sarvadēvātmaka). (2)

येन केनाप्युपायेन हनूमत्पूजनैर्बुधः
दिवसं सफलं कुर्यात् स्तोत्रैर्वा वंदनैरपि।। 3

A wise person worships invoking Hanumān daily, via invocatory hymns (stōtras), reverential bowings (namaskāras) or by any other means. (3)

पायसं घृतसंपूर्णं मंदवारेषु पव्म्चसु
मर्कटायार्पयेद्धीमान् हनूमांस्तेन तुष्यति।। 4

A wise worshipper has to offer rice cakes, well fried in ghee, and devotionally offer to Hanumān.  Hanumān gets very happy with that. (4)

वालमुद्रां प्रकुर्वीत जपादौ मन्त्रवित्तमः
जपांते च तथा कुर्यादाम्नाये प्रणवं यथा।। 5

A mantra reciter must be in vālamudra posture before recitation commences, this mudra has to be done at the end of the recitation too. Vālamudra (see details in Paţala 61) for Hanumān mantra is as important as saying ‘Om’ (praņava) before and after reciting Vēda mantras. (5)

वालमुद्राप्रभावेन जपस्संपूर्णतां व्रजेत्
हनूमानपि संतुष्टो मन्त्रराजाधिदैवतम्।। 6

The mantra recitation attains fullness under the influence of Vālamudra. Hanumān the Lord of this great mantra will be very happy under the influence of the Vālamudra. (6)

यत्कर्म विहितं नित्यं काम्यं नैमित्तिकं तु वा
प्रातःकाले कृतं स्याच्चेत्तदुत्तमफलप्रदम्।। 7

Whether it is a regular activity (nityakarma) or special purpose activity (naimittikarma) will give best results when performed early in the morning (prātahkāala). (7)

दैवात्प्रमादादालस्याद्यदि कर्मादिलंघनं
नित्यादीन्यपि कर्माणि न यथोक्तफलानि वै।। 8

If the rules are not followed due to fate or some incident or delay, the activity will not give the desired results, even if it is a nityakarma. (8)

जंतुर्बद्धो पि संसारे सुखदुःखमये सदा
निर्लिप्त इव वर्तेत पद्मपत्रमिवा म्भसि।। 9

A person should be ever vigilant (against all eventualities), like a drop of water on the lotus leaf (immiscible), immersed as he/she is in the affairs of this mundane world, (9)

स्वाभीष्टदेवतासक्तहृदयश्शुद्धमानसः
कुलालकीटवन्नित्यं नयेत्कालमतंद्रितः।। 10

Like the mud insect in its cocoon, one should always spend time as one with his dear divine persons with a pure heart and alert to the work in hand (unmindful of all other things; the insect remains in mud but does not stick to it). (10)

दुःखमित्येव नो भीतिः सुखमित्युच्छलंतु वा
प्राप्नुयान्मतिमान् जंतुः कर्माधीनं जगद्यतः।। 11

A wise person is neither frightened due to sadness of the world nor gets enthralled sue to its happiness. Why? Because this world is influenced by one’s own functions or acts (karmas). There is no other reason except obtaining them. (11)

कर्माण्यपि सदा कुर्वन् विहितानि समाचरेत्
विहितान्याचरन् जंतुः मनःपूतं समाचरेत्।। 12

The functions prescribed in scriptures have to be performed. The soul has to be kept purified by performing so ordained functions. And the functions are to be performed with a pure heart. (12)

साकल्येन न शक्यते कर्तुं कर्माणि जंतुभिः
गहना कर्मणो रीतिर्मनःपूतं समाचरेत्।। 13

The system of karmas (functions or actions) is deep and complex. No one can physically perform all the functions. Hence, the prescribed functions have to be performed with a clear mind. (13)

भक्तिश्रद्धाविशुद्धात्मा विहितं किंचिदेव वा
नित्यं नैमित्तिकं वापि सदा कर्म समाचरेत्।। 14

Whether the regular functions or the obligatory functions or even the scripture-prescribed functions, at least some of them have to be performed with devotion, right attitude and clearness of mind. (14)

अहंकारं च दंभं च विहाय फलकामनां
नित्यं यत्क्रियते कर्म हनूमांस्तेन तुष्यति।। 15

Hanumān appreciates well any activities performed devoid of ego, showiness, desire for result and with truth. (15)

अन्नादिकं निजाभीष्टदेवतायै समर्प्तंतं
प्रोक्षितं चापि गायया भक्षयेद्भक्तशेखरः।। 16

A very good devotee has to eat only the food offered to the Lord and purified with the Gayatree mantra.  (16)

कदाचिदपि नैवेद्यं नोपेक्षेतापि संकटे
उच्छिष्टस्पृष्टदोषे वा नत्यजेदपि किंचन।। 17

Never, the food meant for offer to god (naivedyam) has to be eaten. Even in difficulties, offering food to the lord should never be missed. Even a little of the offered food (prasāda) should never be rejected on the plea of being left-over by others or touched by others or polluted somehow. (17)

प्रमादादपि गर्वाद्वा तृप्तेष्चा रुचिभावनात्
निवेदितान्नरेणुं च पात्रमध्ये न शेषयेत्।। 18

Even a grain of the food offered to the lord (prasāda) should never be discarded on the plea that one has just eaten full or the prasāda is is not tasty or due to mistake or by pride. (18)

उल्लंघनात्प्रसादस्य भक्तिः पूजा वृथा भवेत्
जाज्वल्यमानजिह्नागे्र नीहार इव पावके।। 19

Any great devotion or worship will go waste if the prasāda is rejected, like a dew drop touching the burning flames of fire.” (19)

इति श्रीपराशरसंहितायां श्रीपराशरमैत्रेयसंवादे कर्माचरणविधानं नाम एकोनसप्ततितमः पटलः

Thus ends the 69^th Chapter “Procedure of Performing Rituals”