In Nitya karma, we follow the celebrated Gayatri-Vidya of the Upanishads͵ for attaining Brahman. Even during the Mahabharata war͵ soldiers used to take time off to do Sandhya worship.
Ritual purity is a must. To illustrate this point͵ scriptures mention the tale of King Nala who once did Sandhya Vandanam without washing his feet and consequently lost his kingdom and had to wander in forests half crazy.
The nitya karmas need to be done till death or till one makes Vyuththanam. Vyuththanam (or its later name Sannyasa) is the ideal state of life in the Vedas͵ wherein a person gives up all selfish eshanas (desires/attachment) for putra (children)͵ Vitta(wealth) and Loka(worldly pleasures) and while happily settled in the state of Atmaarama (As the Gita says in sloka 3.7)͵ devotes the rest of his/her life for the welfare of the world͵ maintaining this body only through Bhikshaacharyam (begging). This is the goal that a person performing nitya karmas is striving for. At the time of Upanayanam, the vatu says "Bhavati Bhikshaam Dehi".
Traditionally͵ this is considered much more difficult for women to perform͵ as nature has designed women to have more role than men in childbirth and child rearing (at least in the initial stages of childhood). This is the antithesis of the giving up of the attachment to children͵ or Putra-eshana.
In our religion the performance of rituals is considered a relatively lower form of spirituality. Since it implies that something remains to be attained, for which effort needed to be expended through rituals. In reality Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma (All are Brahman), Neha nanaasti kinchana (There is not an iota of manifoldness in this universe, and never will be too) Mrtyoh sa mrityum aapnoti ya iha naanaiva pashyati (One who differentiates here, goes from death to death) say our scriptures.
The only differentiation we accept is not man-woman but between the Jnani and the Ajnaani. The Jnaani is ever happy in the allpervasive Self and desires nothing else, while remaining ever happy with the universe. The Ajnaani is ever bent on thinking me", "my children", "my house", "my wealth" and is always getting trapped between fleeting moments of joy and sorrow.
In terms of Nitya karmas like Sandhyavandana - both Jnanis and Ajnaanis might perform them however
* Ajnaanis perform them for self purification - an essential step to be eligible for the ultimate step of Sannyasa
* Jnanis like lord Krishna performed Nityakarmas to show an example for common humanity.
We consider Atmajnaanam as the highest form of wealth, above all rituals.
Ritual purity is a must. To illustrate this point͵ scriptures mention the tale of King Nala who once did Sandhya Vandanam without washing his feet and consequently lost his kingdom and had to wander in forests half crazy.
The nitya karmas need to be done till death or till one makes Vyuththanam. Vyuththanam (or its later name Sannyasa) is the ideal state of life in the Vedas͵ wherein a person gives up all selfish eshanas (desires/attachment) for putra (children)͵ Vitta(wealth) and Loka(worldly pleasures) and while happily settled in the state of Atmaarama (As the Gita says in sloka 3.7)͵ devotes the rest of his/her life for the welfare of the world͵ maintaining this body only through Bhikshaacharyam (begging). This is the goal that a person performing nitya karmas is striving for. At the time of Upanayanam, the vatu says "Bhavati Bhikshaam Dehi".
Traditionally͵ this is considered much more difficult for women to perform͵ as nature has designed women to have more role than men in childbirth and child rearing (at least in the initial stages of childhood). This is the antithesis of the giving up of the attachment to children͵ or Putra-eshana.
In our religion the performance of rituals is considered a relatively lower form of spirituality. Since it implies that something remains to be attained, for which effort needed to be expended through rituals. In reality Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma (All are Brahman), Neha nanaasti kinchana (There is not an iota of manifoldness in this universe, and never will be too) Mrtyoh sa mrityum aapnoti ya iha naanaiva pashyati (One who differentiates here, goes from death to death) say our scriptures.
The only differentiation we accept is not man-woman but between the Jnani and the Ajnaani. The Jnaani is ever happy in the allpervasive Self and desires nothing else, while remaining ever happy with the universe. The Ajnaani is ever bent on thinking me", "my children", "my house", "my wealth" and is always getting trapped between fleeting moments of joy and sorrow.
In terms of Nitya karmas like Sandhyavandana - both Jnanis and Ajnaanis might perform them however
* Ajnaanis perform them for self purification - an essential step to be eligible for the ultimate step of Sannyasa
* Jnanis like lord Krishna performed Nityakarmas to show an example for common humanity.
We consider Atmajnaanam as the highest form of wealth, above all rituals.
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