Vazhivadu (Prayers/offerings)
As I was growing up, I watched with fascination at the small rituals people around me would perform. For example, my grandmother, Chithi as we call her, would do a lot of pradakshinams to the Bramha Rakshas in our home.(She has done lakhs of them over the years - such is her faith and dedication).
All of us have our own favourite temple, favorite Gods/Goddesses and rituals and slokams that have yielded result and we go back to them time and again. I decided to jot down a few that I have observed among my closest family.
My grandmother's other vazhivadus and activities that are small but work very well:
1. Jala (water) thulabaaram at Guruvayoor temple for health
2. Chembarathi Malai or a money offering to Paramekavu Bhagavathy for mensus related issues
3. 108 kozhakattais to Pulayaar for a specific goal
4. Chandanam and Pottu every day on the protrait of Anjaneya swamy
5. Writing "Sreerama Jayam" or "Rama Rama" regularly in a book.
6. Yellow flowered small plant with root for Ganapathi(this grows in our backyard in Trikkur)
7. Lighting of lamps(vellakku).
8. Reading the Sai Charitham these days.
For my father, Chitappas, Athimbers and other, trikala Sandhyavandanam is regular. Also Tharpanam on Ammavasai, Maasa Paruppu and other days.
For my father, it is his daily Siva Poojai, followed by Parayanams of Sree Rudram, Devi Mahatmyam, Vishnu Sahasranamam and Sundarakandam. "Achuthananda Govinda" - Appa chants this simple but effective mantram 108 times for good health.
My mother's favourite is to keep a full coconut(with the husk) near Pullayaar Padam for a specific goal say safe travel and then breaking it in the temple nearby, 108 kottus to Pullayaar for karya parapthi, the Narayaneeyam Stotram(Asmit Parapta) for health and Kozhakattais to Pulayaar.
Krishnan Chitappa who is Srividya initiated does Devi Pooja everyday and chants Lalitha Sahasranamam regularly. (According to Appa, those who have received the Shodashi/Panchadasi do not have punar janmam).
Sahasravarthi: reciting the Gayatri 1008 times every day:
I have heard that Anoop, Arun, Sri Krishnan and Vivek do this regularly. I have seen Vivek meditating in the Vadakunnatham temple in the mornings.
Sekar recites the Rudram, Chamakam daily.I think Venkatesh and Chitappas are also into these.
Mahesh told me how going to Mangadu Kamakshi temple every Saturday(on any particular day of the week) for 6 consecutive weeks helped resolve a major problem that has been dragging for years.
Alwarpet Anjaneya Swamy - Mahesh calls him the 'Visa God'- and this Hanuman is indeed powerful.
Lakshmi would do a lot of pradhakshinams regularly to the Ganesha temple in Chandra Layout.
Ney vallakku for prosperity and Nallenai vallakku for warding off evil.
My mother-in-law does the lemon vallakku(with ghee) at the local temple every Tue for Durgai.
Others:
1.Reading the 29th sargam of Sundarakandam regularly. This is the sargam where Sita sees good omens and reading it brings good luck and prosperity. It is also quite small.
2. Bala Kandam for begetting children.
3. Sankhu Kolam with 108 sankhus - this was famous in Bangalore for a while.
4. Kandha Shashti Kavacham or Subramanya Bhujangam or Devi Kavacham for protection of small children
5. Uruli kavuthal at Mannar Salai for begetting children, also Santana Gopala mantra Japam
6. Paal Payasam at Kuttangulangara temple on Thursdays for begetting children
7. Satru Samhara pushpanjali at Sankarangulangara Kshetram
8. Kayaru Japikyal by thirumeni at the local temples - and then tying it to children for protection
9. Offerings to the kutty Pulayyar facing MG Road (part of the Vadakunnathan temple). This Pulayaar is one of my favorites and poojai here does yield results.
10. Angadipuram : Ganesan Athimber does this so often. Poojai on the birthday for 3 years for marriage.
11. Kalabam to Trikkurappan
12. Poomoodal & Karya Prapthi Poojai at Kamakshi Amman temple
13. Visiting Navagrahams, Ayyapan on Sat and lighting 'ellu vallakku' with 'ellu kizhi'
14. Aal pradhakshinam before 9 a.m. in multiples of 9?
15. Santana Gopala Mantra japam for begetting children(initiation from a guru)
A little bit on Slokas, Stotrams, Mantrams and Kavachams:
1. Slokas are general small peoms( 4 or 8 lined) on Gods/Goddesses- either a description or a prayer or both - VakrathundaMaha Kaya, Vanamali Gadi Saangi, Suklam Bharadaram etc
2. Stotrams are the same as slokas but have many stanzas) eg. Lalitha Sahasranama Stotram*, Vishnu Sahasranama stotram
3. Mantras are a few syllables or words given by a Guru eg. Om Namah Sivaya which when imparted by a guru becomes a Mantram. The famous example is of course the Gayatri Mantram
4. Kavacas are used for protection. eg. Sudharshanashtakam, Devi kavacham from Devi Mahatmyam.
5. In addition, people also do Parayanam - Sundarakandam, Narayaneeyam, Ramayanam, Bhagavatham etc
Vaidyanatha Vadhyaar, Ramanatha Sastrigal, Dr.Mami, Appa, Krishnan Chitappa are some people from whom one can take Mathra initiation.
Eclipse times are especially auspicious times for Mantra Japam.
Many women chant the Vishnu Sahasranamam, Lalitha Sahasranamam*, Soundarya Lahari*, Mahishasura Mardhini Stotram, Thirupugal etc.
For men it is the Sree Rudram, Chamakam, Mantra Pushpam, Purusha sooktham and Sree Sooktham.
Devi Mahatmyam, Indrakshi japam, Aditya Hrudayam are others.
Madhurashtakam, Govindashtakam, Lakshmi Nrusimha Stotram(Karavalamba stotram), Lakshmi Ashtotram, Annapoornashtakam, Lakshi Ashtakam are others.
Hanuman Chalisa is also popular.
Soorya Tharpanam for health.
* Lalitha Sahasranamam, Soundarya Lahari:
These are Tantra related and hence initiation from a Guru is needed before commencing and they have strict rules.
Rudram, Chamakam etc: Swaram is important, learning it from a learned person is the right way to go aboout this.
Appa teaches Veda classes in the evenings. Appa teaches Sree Rudram, Chamakam, Purusha Sooktham, Punyaham, Durga Sooktham, Sorrya Namaskaram, Navagraham and Taitreya Upanishad to his students.
Some slokas:
For finding lost things : Appa taught this to me and this is from the Sundarakandam and it works for me every time.
Namostu Ramaya Salakshmanaya
Dhevyai ca tasyai janakatmajayai
Namostu rudrendra yamanilebhyah
Namostu chandrarka marudganebhyah
An Ayyapan Stotram for health:
Yasya Dhanvantrir Maata
Pita Devo Bhishak Tamaha
Tam Saastharam Aham Vande
Maha Vaidyam Dhaya Nidhim.
Namaskarams for Ayyapan.
Balan Chitapaa taught me these slokas:
Gnanananda Mayam Devam
Nirmala Spatika Kruthim
Aadharam Sarva Vidyanam
Hayagrivam Upasmahe
Sura Sura Sevitha Padha Pankaja
Kare Virajith Kamaneeya Pusthaka
Virinji Pathni Kamalasana Sthitha
Saraswathy Nruthyathu Vajimey Sadha
All of us have our own favourite temple, favorite Gods/Goddesses and rituals and slokams that have yielded result and we go back to them time and again. I decided to jot down a few that I have observed among my closest family.
My grandmother's other vazhivadus and activities that are small but work very well:
1. Jala (water) thulabaaram at Guruvayoor temple for health
2. Chembarathi Malai or a money offering to Paramekavu Bhagavathy for mensus related issues
3. 108 kozhakattais to Pulayaar for a specific goal
4. Chandanam and Pottu every day on the protrait of Anjaneya swamy
5. Writing "Sreerama Jayam" or "Rama Rama" regularly in a book.
6. Yellow flowered small plant with root for Ganapathi(this grows in our backyard in Trikkur)
7. Lighting of lamps(vellakku).
8. Reading the Sai Charitham these days.
For my father, Chitappas, Athimbers and other, trikala Sandhyavandanam is regular. Also Tharpanam on Ammavasai, Maasa Paruppu and other days.
For my father, it is his daily Siva Poojai, followed by Parayanams of Sree Rudram, Devi Mahatmyam, Vishnu Sahasranamam and Sundarakandam. "Achuthananda Govinda" - Appa chants this simple but effective mantram 108 times for good health.
My mother's favourite is to keep a full coconut(with the husk) near Pullayaar Padam for a specific goal say safe travel and then breaking it in the temple nearby, 108 kottus to Pullayaar for karya parapthi, the Narayaneeyam Stotram(Asmit Parapta) for health and Kozhakattais to Pulayaar.
Krishnan Chitappa who is Srividya initiated does Devi Pooja everyday and chants Lalitha Sahasranamam regularly. (According to Appa, those who have received the Shodashi/Panchadasi do not have punar janmam).
Sahasravarthi: reciting the Gayatri 1008 times every day:
I have heard that Anoop, Arun, Sri Krishnan and Vivek do this regularly. I have seen Vivek meditating in the Vadakunnatham temple in the mornings.
Sekar recites the Rudram, Chamakam daily.I think Venkatesh and Chitappas are also into these.
Mahesh told me how going to Mangadu Kamakshi temple every Saturday(on any particular day of the week) for 6 consecutive weeks helped resolve a major problem that has been dragging for years.
Alwarpet Anjaneya Swamy - Mahesh calls him the 'Visa God'- and this Hanuman is indeed powerful.
Lakshmi would do a lot of pradhakshinams regularly to the Ganesha temple in Chandra Layout.
Ney vallakku for prosperity and Nallenai vallakku for warding off evil.
My mother-in-law does the lemon vallakku(with ghee) at the local temple every Tue for Durgai.
Others:
1.Reading the 29th sargam of Sundarakandam regularly. This is the sargam where Sita sees good omens and reading it brings good luck and prosperity. It is also quite small.
2. Bala Kandam for begetting children.
3. Sankhu Kolam with 108 sankhus - this was famous in Bangalore for a while.
4. Kandha Shashti Kavacham or Subramanya Bhujangam or Devi Kavacham for protection of small children
5. Uruli kavuthal at Mannar Salai for begetting children, also Santana Gopala mantra Japam
6. Paal Payasam at Kuttangulangara temple on Thursdays for begetting children
7. Satru Samhara pushpanjali at Sankarangulangara Kshetram
8. Kayaru Japikyal by thirumeni at the local temples - and then tying it to children for protection
9. Offerings to the kutty Pulayyar facing MG Road (part of the Vadakunnathan temple). This Pulayaar is one of my favorites and poojai here does yield results.
10. Angadipuram : Ganesan Athimber does this so often. Poojai on the birthday for 3 years for marriage.
11. Kalabam to Trikkurappan
12. Poomoodal & Karya Prapthi Poojai at Kamakshi Amman temple
13. Visiting Navagrahams, Ayyapan on Sat and lighting 'ellu vallakku' with 'ellu kizhi'
14. Aal pradhakshinam before 9 a.m. in multiples of 9?
15. Santana Gopala Mantra japam for begetting children(initiation from a guru)
A little bit on Slokas, Stotrams, Mantrams and Kavachams:
1. Slokas are general small peoms( 4 or 8 lined) on Gods/Goddesses- either a description or a prayer or both - VakrathundaMaha Kaya, Vanamali Gadi Saangi, Suklam Bharadaram etc
2. Stotrams are the same as slokas but have many stanzas) eg. Lalitha Sahasranama Stotram*, Vishnu Sahasranama stotram
3. Mantras are a few syllables or words given by a Guru eg. Om Namah Sivaya which when imparted by a guru becomes a Mantram. The famous example is of course the Gayatri Mantram
4. Kavacas are used for protection. eg. Sudharshanashtakam, Devi kavacham from Devi Mahatmyam.
5. In addition, people also do Parayanam - Sundarakandam, Narayaneeyam, Ramayanam, Bhagavatham etc
Vaidyanatha Vadhyaar, Ramanatha Sastrigal, Dr.Mami, Appa, Krishnan Chitappa are some people from whom one can take Mathra initiation.
Eclipse times are especially auspicious times for Mantra Japam.
Many women chant the Vishnu Sahasranamam, Lalitha Sahasranamam*, Soundarya Lahari*, Mahishasura Mardhini Stotram, Thirupugal etc.
For men it is the Sree Rudram, Chamakam, Mantra Pushpam, Purusha sooktham and Sree Sooktham.
Devi Mahatmyam, Indrakshi japam, Aditya Hrudayam are others.
Madhurashtakam, Govindashtakam, Lakshmi Nrusimha Stotram(Karavalamba stotram), Lakshmi Ashtotram, Annapoornashtakam, Lakshi Ashtakam are others.
Hanuman Chalisa is also popular.
Soorya Tharpanam for health.
* Lalitha Sahasranamam, Soundarya Lahari:
These are Tantra related and hence initiation from a Guru is needed before commencing and they have strict rules.
Rudram, Chamakam etc: Swaram is important, learning it from a learned person is the right way to go aboout this.
Appa teaches Veda classes in the evenings. Appa teaches Sree Rudram, Chamakam, Purusha Sooktham, Punyaham, Durga Sooktham, Sorrya Namaskaram, Navagraham and Taitreya Upanishad to his students.
Some slokas:
For finding lost things : Appa taught this to me and this is from the Sundarakandam and it works for me every time.
Namostu Ramaya Salakshmanaya
Dhevyai ca tasyai janakatmajayai
Namostu rudrendra yamanilebhyah
Namostu chandrarka marudganebhyah
An Ayyapan Stotram for health:
Yasya Dhanvantrir Maata
Pita Devo Bhishak Tamaha
Tam Saastharam Aham Vande
Maha Vaidyam Dhaya Nidhim.
Namaskarams for Ayyapan.
Balan Chitapaa taught me these slokas:
Gnanananda Mayam Devam
Nirmala Spatika Kruthim
Aadharam Sarva Vidyanam
Hayagrivam Upasmahe
Sura Sura Sevitha Padha Pankaja
Kare Virajith Kamaneeya Pusthaka
Virinji Pathni Kamalasana Sthitha
Saraswathy Nruthyathu Vajimey Sadha