SANKALPAM AND ITS MEANING.
For those who are/ may be fascinated by ancient Indian thoughts.Sankalpam and its meaningSankalpam and its meaningWe are always curious to know the meaning
of the Sankalpam that we take before the start
of a pooja or a ritual. Firstly, we need to know
the Hindu Cosmic cycle.
1 Mahayuga = Sum of 4 Yugas(Krita, Treta, Dwapara
and Kali) =4,320,000 years.
1000 such mahayugas comprise a day-time of
Brahma also known as a Kalpa.
The kalpa is ruled by 14 manus in succession.
The reigning period of a manu is one manvantara
which is 71.42 mahayugas.
There is an equivalent night-time of 4,320,000,000
years. The day-night of Brahma together constitutes
one Brahma day (8.64 billion years). 360 Brahma
days constitute a Brahma year while 360 years
represent the lifetime of Brahma which is the
life of the cosmos. Doing this simple calculation
gives the age of the cosmos to be 311 trillion years.
Carl Sagan, the noted scientist says in relation
to this, ""The Hindu religion is the only one of the
world's great faiths dedicated to the idea that
the Cosmos itself undergoes an immense, indeed
an infinite, number of deaths and rebirths. It is
the only religion in which the time scales
correspond, to those of modern scientific
cosmology. Its cycles run from our ordinary day
and night to a day and night of Brahma, 8.64
billion years long. Longer than
the age of the Earth or the Sun and about half
the time since the Big Bang. And there are much
longer timescales still."
We are presently in the Sveta-Varaha kalpa in the
reigning period of Vaivaswatha - the 7th manu.
In this manvantara we are in the 28th mahayuga.
As per our Cosmology, Brahma is supposed to have
completed 50 Brahma years and is in his 51st year.
That is why he is called "Parardha-dvaya-jivin"(ie)
he lives for two parardhas. A parardha is half.
Two halves make one. He is called so as he has
completed one half of his tenure. These
terminologies makes better sense in relation
to the Sankalpa.The actual Sankalpa mantra and its meaning runs like this
".... Dviteeya parardhe - in the 2nd half of Brhama's life
Svetavaraha kalpe - in the kalpaof Sveta-Varaha
Vaivaswatha manvantare - in the reining period of the current manu
Vaivaswatha
Ashta Vimsati tamey - in the 28thmahayuga of the current manavantara
Kaliyuge - in this kali yuga
Prathame Padhe - in the firstquarter of this yuga
Jamboodveepe - this denotes the place where the ritual is performed.
India was known as Jambudveepa
Bharata Varshe, Bharata Kande -in the land of Bharat
Sakhabde Mero, Dakshine Parsve -to the South of the Meru mountain
Asmin Varthamane Vyavaharike -in the current period now reigning
Prabhavadi Shasti Samvatsaranam Madya - among the cycle of 60 years
starting from Prabhava
.....Nama Samvatsare - the name ofthe year in the 60 year Hindu calendar
.... Ayane - Dakshinayane (Aadito Marghazi) or Uttarayane (Thai to Aani)
.... Ritou - denotes the 6 seasons or Ritus - Vasantha, Greeshma, Varsha,
Sharadh, Hemantha and Shishira
.... Maasey - one of the 12 tamil months
.... Pakshey - either ShuklaPaksham (day after Amavasya till and including
Pournami) or Krishna Paksham(day after Pournami till and including
Amavasya)
.... Subha Thithou - one of the15 days between Pournami and Amavasya
(Prathama, Dvithiya, Trithiya,Chaturthi, Panchami, Shasti,
Saptami, Ashtami, Navami, Dasami,Ekadasi, Dwadashi, Trayodasi,
Chaturdasi, Pournami or Amavasya
.... Vasara Yuktayam - one of the days of the week (Bhanu, Soma,
Bhowma, Soumya, Guru,Brugu and Sthira)
.... Nakshatra Yuktayam - the day's star or Nakshatram.
After saying the above the name of the ritual is said. The Paramacharya
says the Sankalpam is a kind of record of what you performed with finer
details going down to the day and location of the ritual. It seems to me
the fore runner for a kind of book keeping or a system of
maintaining minutes of a meeting. Sankalpam: Detailed explanationLet us understand the meaning of the phrases that the Sankalpam
is comprised of.
To understand the phrases in the Sankalpam we need to understand
the concept of the
Cosmic Cycle and Cosmic time calculations
Cosmic CycleTime, as per Hindu practices, has evolved and revolves around the life
cycle of Brahma, the Creator. This is known as the Hindu Cosmic cycle.
Cosmic cycles are infinitely recurring periods of the universe, comprising
its creation, preservation and dissolution.
Time CalculationsWe start by using a calendar year as the basis. Unless otherwise
specified, year shall mean a Calendar Year. One year for humans
represents one day for the divine beings. 360 such divine days make
one divine year. 12,000 such divine years makes a Mahayuga comprising
the 4 yugas of Krita, Treta, Dwapara and Kali yugas.
i.e. each Yuga comprises of thefollowing calendar years:
• Kali yuga -- 432,000 years
• Dwapara yuga - 864.000 years
• Treta yuga --- 1,296,000 years
• Krita yuga ---- 1,728,000 years.
Kalpa
Total for one Mahayuga (Also called Chatur Yuga) = 4,320,000 years
or 4.32 million years.
72 Mahayugas constitutes one 'Manvantara' (i.e.) the life of a Manu,
the law giver ( we are in the 28thMahayuga)
14 such Manvantaras make one dayor Kalpa of the Creator Brahma.
2 kalpas = 1 day and night of Brahma ( called Ahoratras )
360 ahoratras = 1 year of Brahma
ParardheHalf the life span of Brahma, OR50 Brahma years. We are in the
51st Brahma Year, OR the second or Dwiteya Pararadhe
Two Parardhe : Life span of Brahma ie 100 years
After that, pralaya equal to the duration of 2 parardhas take place,
and at its end, a new cycle starts.
Jamboo dveepeyThen , the Sankalpa refers to the geographical position of the place
where the ritual is performed. This could be the historical or
mythological name of the place. Sri Bhagavatham deals with
the geography of the world in a great detail. It divides the world
into seven dweepas. India is in Jambu dweepa and America in
Krauncha dweepa.
Bharata varshey, Bharata:khandey, Sakhabde, mero: dakshiney parsvey
In the geographical part to the south of the Meru Mountain in the
land of Bharata. Meru is the mythological heavenly mountain, and
our planet Earth is south of it. Technically , this also means that this
particular term merO:dakshiNE pArSvE would be applicable to all parts
of the world.
……nAma samvatsarEResuming the reference to time,the Sankalpa
proceeds further as follows:
Samvatsaram is a Year. Hinducalendar has a 60 year cycle. Next year
is Nandhana corresponding to the Year (2012 -2013)
……AyaNE (Ayanam)As per calendars based on thesolar system the year is divided into two
halves in accordance with the movement of the sun, Northwards and
Southwards. The former is termed Uttaraayanam and the latter
Dakshinaayanam.
Dakshinayanam (6 months) – Aadi to Margazhi
Uttarayanam (6 months) - Thai to AaNi
……Ritou (Rithus)The year is divided into 6 seasons or RITUS, which correspond
to 2 months
each of the Lunar Calendar. These are as follows:
• Chithirai & Vaikasi =Vasantha Rithu (March-April, April-May)
• Aani & Aadi = Greeshama Rithu (May-June, June-July)
• Aavani & Puratasi = Varsha Rithu (July-Aug, Aug-Sep)
• Iypasi & Karthigai =Sharadh Rithu (Sep-Oct, Oct-Nov)
• Markazhi & Thai = Hemantha Rithu (Nov-Dec, Dec-Jan)
• Masi & Panguni = Shishira Rithou (February/March)
……Subha-tithau (Thithis)These are days of the month calculated from the day after Pournami,
till
Amavasya, or vice versa.
Pournami/Amavasya + 1: Prathama
+ 2. Dvithiya
+ 3. Trithiya
+ 4. Chaturthi
+ 5. Panchami
+ 6. Shashti
+ 7. Saptami
+ 8. Ashtami
+ 9. Navami
+ 10. Dasami
+ 11. Ekadasi
+ 12. Dvadashi
+ 13. Trayodasi
+ 14. Chaturdasi
+ 15. PourNami OR Amavasya
……mAsE (Months)
• Chitirai – Mesham April - May
• Vaikasi – Rishabam May – June
• Aani – Mithunam June - July
• Aadi – Kadakam July - August
• Aavani – Simham August - Sep
• Puratasi – Kannya Sep - Oct
• Iypasi – Tulam Oct - Nov
• Karthigai – Virchikam Nov -Dec
• Markazhi = Dhanur Dec - Jan
• Thai – Makaram Jan - Feb
• Masi – Kumbam Feb - March
• Panguni – Meenam March – April
……pakshE (Paksham)Shukla Pakshe: day after Amavasya till and including Pournami
Krishna Pakshe: day after Pournami till and including Amavasya
.
……vAsara (days of a week)
• Sunday: Bhanu Vasara;
• Monday: Indu /Soma Vasara;
• Tuesday: Bhowma Vasara;
• Wednesday: Soumya Vasara;
• Thursday: Guru Vasara;
• Friday: Brugu Vasara;
• Saturday: Sthira Vasara
……nakshatra yuktAyAm (Nakshatram)Aswani/ Aswinee ,
BharaNi/ apabharaNee ,
Kaarthikai/ Krutthikaa ,
ROhiNi/ ROhiNee ,
Mrugaseersham/ Mrugasiras ,
thiruvAdhirai/ AardhrA ,
Punarpoosam / PunarvasU ,
Poosam / Pushyam,
Aayilyam/. AaslEshA ,
Makam / MaghA ,
Pooram/ Poorvabhalgunee ,
Hastham/ HasthA ,
Chittirai/ ChithrA ,
SvAthi / SvAthee ,
VisAkam/ VisAkaa ,
anusham/ anurAdhA ,
KEttai/ JyEshtA ,
Moolam/ Moolaa ,
PoorAdam/ , PoorvAshADaa ,
UttharAdam/ UtthaAshAdaa ,
ThiruvONam/ SravaNam ,
Avittam/ Dhanishtaa ,
Sathayam/ Sathabhishak ,
PorrattAthi/ Poorvabhadhra ,
UttharattAdhi/UthrabhdhrA ,
Revathy/REvathee .
Example
The following is a worked out example of the Sankalpam.
This is for Yajur Upakarma for Saturday,16th August, 2008. The Ritual Year was
Sarvadhari,it was Dakshinayane (since it was Adi month) Kataka Mase, the ritual name for the
month ofAdi, Shukla Pakshe since it was pournami and paksham would change the nextday,
Pourniasyam, the name for Pournami,and since it was Saturday, it was Sthira vaasa. The star
of the day was Sravana.
SrI govinda govindagovinda! asya SrI-bhagavata: mahA purushasya
vishNor AgjnayA pravartamAnasya aadhya brahmaNa: dviteeya-parArdhE
SrI-SvEtha-varAha-kalpE, vaivasvatha-manvantarE, kaliyugE,
prathamE pAdE, Jamboo dveepE, BhArata varshE, Bharata: khaNDE, SakAbde:,
merO: dakshiNE pArSvE asmin vartamAnEvyAvahArikE, PrabhavAdi shashTi
samvatsarANAmmadhyE Sarvadhaari Naamasamvathsare Dakshinaayane
greeshma rithou kataka Maase Sukhla Pakshe Pournamaasyaam subhathithou
sthira vaasara SravaNa Nakshathra SrI-vishnu-yOga, SrI-vishnu-karaNa,
Subha-yOga, Subha-karaNa, Yevam guNa,-viSeshaNaviSishTAyAm, asyAm ……
AsyAm Subha-tithou,
SrI-Bhagavad-AjnayA, Sri Bhagavat-kainkarya-roopam
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