According
to the scriptures, each man is indebted in three ways.
Our ancient sages have described the means of being free
from these three debts. One must not try to avoid or run
away from these debts. If a man dies with the debt over
his head, , then he will have to clear those debts in
his next birth. Therefore a man must clear all these
three debts, which are as under.
1.
PITRARINA - (Indebtedness towards the Ancestors)
2. RISHIRINA - (Indebtedness towards the Rishi (Sages)
3. DEVA RINA - (Indebtedness towards Deities & God)
The different ways to clear all these three debts are
described as below :
1.
PITRARINA - A man is fortunate to have a
virtuous son, because being a virtuous soul he would
perform all the pitrakarma (Shraadh) - offering of
water, food, etc. to the Brahmanas. TARPANA - Libation
of water to the deceased ancestors, Brahmana-Bhoja -
Feeding the Brahmins).
2.
RISHI RINA - By doing Tarpana to the Rishis
daily, one gets free from the debts, which Rishis have
on us.
3.
DEVA RINA - By doing worship of the deities we
get liberated from DEVA RINA.
The
same thing has been said by Sage AASHVAKAAYAN in the
following way
ATHOCCHYATTE
GRIHASTHASYA NITYAKARMA YATHAVIDHI
YATKRITVAA NRINYA MAAPNOTI DAIVAAT PAITTRAYAACCH
MAANUSHAAT
The
Nitya Karma of a man is being explained as in the
scriptures, by performing which, a man is liberated from
the RINA (Debts) which he has towards DEVA, RISHI and
PITRA.
"JAAYAMAANO
VAI BRAHMANAH TRIBHIR RINVAA JAAYATE"
According
to the above shloka which has been derived from
TAITIRIYA UPANISHAD means that As soon as a man takes
birth, he carries three Rinas over his Head. To get
liberated from these three Rina (Debts) performing the
NITYA KARMA has claimed to be it's remedy.
There
are Six Karmas in the NITYA KARMA
SANDHYAA
SNAANAM JAPASHCHAIVA DEVATAANAAM CHA POOJANAM |
VAISHVADEVAM TATHATITHYAM SHAT KARMAANI DINE DINE ||
(A
man should take bath SNAAN, perform SANDHYAA (worship in
the evening), Japa (Chanting of Mantras) Devapoojan
(Worship of Deities), BALIVAISHVADEVA (repenting
atonement for such petty sins which are committed daily
and are unavoidable, like we kill infinite number of
germs while cooking,walking,cleaning the house etc.
There are six Karma to be performed daily.
DUTIES
(KRITYA) TO BE PERFORMED BEFORE HAVING A BATH IN THE
MORNING
The scriptures have explained some compulsory duties,
which must be performed. Each GRIHASTHA (a householder)
should perform these NITYA KARMA. According to the rules
given in the scriptures, only after that he is fit to be
called a SHAT-KARMA ADHIKAARI (or performer of six
duties.)
GETTING
UP IN THE BRAHMA MUHURTA
A man must get up one and a half hour before Sun Rise.
There are many disadvantages of not awaking in that
time, described in the scriptures like
BRAAHME
MUHURTE YAA NIDRAA SAA PUNYAKSHAYA KAARINEEM,
TAAM KAROTI DVIJO MOHAAT PAAD KRICCHREN SHUDHYATI.
(A
sleep during the time of Brahmamuhurta destroys all the
virtues, One who sleeps during this time commits a sin,
which can be atoned (PRAYASCHIT) by performing
PAADAKRICCHA (There is no need for atonement in the case
of a sick man or a man who had been performing KEERTANA
the previous night.)
KARAAVALOKAN
(SEEING THE PALMS)
As soon as one wakes up in the morning, during the
Brahmamuhurta period, the first thing he must do is to
watch the palms of Both his hands, and say the following
SHLOKA.
KARAAGRE
VASATE LAKSHAMIH KARMADHYA SARSWATI,
KARMOOLE STHITO BRAHMAA PRABHAATE KARDARSHANAM
(Laxmi
dwells in the foremost part of the palm, Saraswati in
the middle part of the palm, At the Base of the palm
resides Brahma, One must see his palms everyday.)
By
doing this act no matter how misfortunate a man is, his
fortune will change for good because the palms where
Laxmi, Saraswati and Brahma dwells, how can that man be
unfortunate? According to Palmistry, great importance
have been attributed to the Lines of the palm. The
Palmist, not only give the details of Man's life from
the time of his birth till his death, but he can also
give details about his previous births and forthcoming
births.
So
seeing the palms of the hand in the morning not only
begins a good day for us but also it turns the bad lines
into good lines. Therefore one must say the given Shloka
while seeing the palms.
BHOOMI
VANDANA (SALUTATION TO MOTHER EARTH)
After getting up from the Bed and before keeping your
feet down on the Bhoomi (Mother Earth) one should do
salutations to Bhoomi and also beg for pardon for the
helplessness of putting your feet on her, by saying this
shloka.
SAMUDRAVASANE
DEVI PARVAT ASTANMANDALE,
VISHNU PATNI NAMASTUBHYAM PAAD SPARSHAM KSHAMASVAME
(Salutations
to the wife of Lord Vishnu, Vasundhara (Earth), whose
Vastra (Apparels) are SAMUDRA (Oceans), and whose STANA
(Breast) are the Mountains. Forgive me for the sin, by
putting my feet upon you.)
The
Status of Mother Earth is higher than our own mother,
who has given birth to us, because our Mothers look
after our welfare till we are grown up i.e. (feeding,
Sanitation etc.) but the Mother earth looks after us and
care for us, since the time of birth, till we die by
nourishing us with food, and accepting even our
excrement. Even after being indebted to Mother, Earth, a
man acts unfaithfully to her by causing numerous harms
to her, like digging, filling the earth with waste
products, felling trees etc. To make her sons happy and
satisfied, Mother Earth accepts all the pains.
MANGAL
DARSHANA (AUSPICIOUS SIGHT)
After the salutations to the Mother Earth sight of
Chandana (Sandalwood) Sona (Gold), Shankh (Conch),
Mridanga (a Rhythmic musical instrument), Darpana
(Mirror), Mani (diamond) are considered Auspicious.
After that one should make salutations to his GURU
(Teacher, Mother-Father, elders) Agni (Fire) and the Sun
(Surya).
PROSTRATION
TO MOTHER FATHER AND GURU (TEACHER)
One must daily prostrate before his parents GURU
(TEACHER) and all the elders, because according to the
VEDAS, Parents and Teachers have been compared with the
Devta (Deities) like,
MATRI
DEVO BHAVAH, PITRA DEVO BHAVAH, AACHAARYA DEVO BHAVAH
(Mother,
Father and Teacher are deities)
Great
importance of Prostration has been described in our
scriptures :-
ABHIVAADAN
SHEELASYA NITYAM VRIDDHO UPASEVINAH,
CHATVAARI TASYA VARADAHANTE AAYURVIDDYA YASHOBALAM
(One
who is a prostrator by nature, and is always in the
service of Old (VRIDDHA) (GYAANVRIDDHA (Senior on
account of his knowledge), KARMAVRIDDHA- Being Senior on
account of his Superior Actions).
AVASTHAVRIDDHA
(Senior on account of his Age) achieves four things AAYU
(Long-Life) VIDDYA (Knowledge) YASHA (FAME) and BALA
(Strength).
These
four things have invaluable importance in the life of a
Man. A person who possesses all these four things, does
not lack anything in the life. Therefore a Man should
try to practice Prostration. After the Prostration, it
is necessary to purify our minds.
MANTRA
FOR PURIFICATION OF MIND (MAANASIK SHUDDHI MANTRA)
OM
APAVITRAH PAVITRO VAA SARVAAVASTHAAM GATOPIVAA,
YAH SMARET PUNDAREEKA AKSHAM SA VAAHYAA BHYANTARAH
SHUCHIH
ATINEEL
GHANSHYAAMAM NALINAAYAT LOCHANAM
SMARAAMI PUNDAREEKAAKSHAM TEN SNAATO BHAVAAMYAHAM
One
should sprinkle water on his body after saying these two
Mantras. By doing this one purifies his body.Then one
should remember the Almighty God by doing JAPA (Chanting
of Mantras), Kirtan (devotional song) etc according to
his liking.