The IN & OUT of ATHIRATHRAM...!
Long
considered extinct, the ceremonies require several months of preparation and
rehearsals. This performance was in a way revived by the Indologist Dr. Frits
Staal of the University of California who passed away recently at an advanced
age and by Robert Gardner, with support from several international agencies.
Frits Staal was responsible for organizing and recording the ritual.
Seventeen
priests are required for performing the ‘Agni’. The course of time is 12 days.
The First day begins with the Yajamana and his priests entering the ritual
enclosure carrying three sacred fires in pots. The main ritual vessel is
prepared from clay. A symbolic animal sacrifice would be performed for Vayu.
After selection of five chief priests fire is produced by friction. This is
followed by tying a turban around the head of Yajamana. He is protected by a
golden breast plate, is given a staff and closes his fists and deprived of
speaking (except for recitations), from bathing etc. The Yajamana picks up the
main ritual vessel filled with fire, and takes three steps with it.
On
the Second day another ritual pot, also made of clay is prepared. A sacrificial
pole is made on the Third day. On the Fourth day among others, the Indra God is
invited to attend the ritual. From Fifth day to Seventh day, layers of the
altar are laid on each day. On the Eighth day the fifth layer is laid. On the
Ninth day, the implements used in the process are putdown on the new altar in
the shape of a man. The ceremonies from Tenth day up to the dawn of twelfth day
will continue throughout and on the twelfth day the Yajamana and his wife take
“Avabhratha bath”. The Yajamana installs three fires on his home after
returning. He performs morning and evening Agnihothra for the rest of his life.
The major offerings to the sacrificial fire are Somarasa, the juice of
Somalatha, an herbal plant plus dozens of other herbs.
62
Year old Brahmasree Hari Haranatha Sarma who performed 16 Somayagas to his
credit along with son, also a Vedic Pundit Raja Sekhara Sarma, after witnessing
the Panjal Athirathram-2011 and impressed by the whole process decided to
perform the same in Andhra Pradesh through his organization “the Samatha Lok
Seva Samithi”. This would be the 17th Yagnam to be performed
by them. A
Steering Committee with Sri P. V. R. K. Prasad (Ret IAS) and former Executive
Officer, TTD as Chairman and persons of eminence from different walks of life
like former Prasarabharati Chairman Sri KS Sharma, former TTD Executive
Officers Sri P. Krishnayya and Sri MVS Prasad, DG Prisons Dr CN Gopinath Reddy,
Senior IAS Officer Sri CVSK Sharma, former MD AP Forest Development
Corporation, BJP Leader Sri NVSS Prabhakara Rao, former DGP Sri Roddam
Prabhakara Rao, Members of Parliament Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, Vundavalli Arun
Kumar and Balaram Naik etc has been formed to organize the Athirathram-2012.
Help and assistance from State Government, TTD, Singareni Collieries, ITC
Bhadrachalam, and Public Sector Undertakings is being sought to meet the huge
expenditure expected to be incurred. The efforts are encouraging. The Steering Committee has been formed to serve the
society at large by imparting and disseminating ancient Indian scientific and
philosophical knowledge towards attaining unity, peace, prosperity and ultimate
wisdom.
Writing
about Athirathram, Prof Staal mentioned that, “temples, cathedrals, and
skyscrapers were built and fell into decay, languages and religions have come
and went, and innumerable wars were fought, the Vedas and their ritual
continued to be transmitted by word of mouth, from teacher to pupil, and from
father to son. What a triumph of human spirit over the limitations of matter
and the physical body!”
All
that what we are all supposed to do is to participate in the Holy Ritual
Athirathram-2012 which is being performed during our life time and extend a
helping hand if we can!
The
stage is almost all set to perform the World's oldest surviving 4000-year old
fascinating Vedic ritual, “Athirathram-2012”, as per the Vedic ritual
hierarchy, for the first time in Andhra Pradesh from April 21 to May 2, 2012
this year, at Etpaka near Bhadrachalam. Athirathram refers to “building up of
the fireplace and performed overnight”. According to Kerala
Namboodiri Brahmins, who alone have kept this alive, it is considered to be one
of the most complex and greatest rituals.
Vedic
rituals have come down to human beings in two broad types-the Grhya and the
Srauta. The former is concerned with rites of an individual such as the
Upanayana or Marriage. The later on the other hand, is solemn and exalted, show
casing in oral tradition the great learning of the Sruti literature,
comprising, in other words, the three Vedas-Rig, Yajur and Sama and their
ancillary texts. The Grhya system is still in existence almost all over India,
whereas, the Srauta type has survived in only few isolated pockets of Brahman
groups. In Valmiki Ramayana’s Balakanda there is a reference to Athirathram in
fourteenth Sarga (Chapter) said to have been performed by King Dasaratha.
The
Namboodiri Brahmans of Kerala have been keeping alive traditions of the Srauta
rituals. Agni to the Namboodiris, lasting twelve days, is a great spectacle and
display of learning. The ritual is the basic feature of the civilization and
religions of India. Ritual activity is essentially physical and is therefore
primarily related to the body unlike thinking or believing, which are mainly
connected with the mind. Athirathram ritual emerged around the 10th century BC,
and was practiced until the 6th century BC. In post-Vedic times, there were
various revivals of the practice, under the Gupta and Chola Empire. By the 11th
Century, the ritual was kept alive only by the Namboodiri Brahmans of Kerala.
There is interesting information available both from “Brahma Vaivartha Purana”
and from Telugu Literary Volumes published by Madras Government, that,
Namboodiri Brahmins migrated from Andhra Pradesh to Kerala. After Satavahanas,
the most popular emperors were Kadambas dynasty. Mayoora Sharma, one of the
Kings of that Dynasty ruled the Kerala Area for some time. He took some of the
Andhra Brahmin families from his native Coastal Andhra forming part of
Konaseema in East Godavari District to Kerala who came to be known as
Namboodiris. Adi Shankara too belongs to Namboodiri sect of Brahmins.
Each
day, the rituals vary. The major offerings to the sacrificial fire are
Somarasa, the juice of Somalatha, an herbal plant plus dozens of other herbs.
The fire is created by rubbing two pieces of wood, as detailed in ancient Vedic
scriptures. No modern prop is used.
Vedic
Scholar Brahmasree Naduvam Narayanan Somayaji would be primarily responsible
for the Athirathram-2012 and will be the “Yajamana” along with his wife Savitri
Pathanadi. Two other Ghanapathis and Vedic Scholars Brahmasree Krishnan
Namboodiri and Brahmasree Kadaloor Sri Das Namboodiri, would occupy central
positions in the ritual realm of the Rig-Veda and Yajurveda. Both of them as
well as the Yajamana have already been initiated in to the Holy penance
required for the Athiarhram-2012 for the last six months.
Athirathram
is planned in Bhadrachalam from April 21, 2012 to May 2, 2012. The training and
rehearsals for the ritual are on-going. The ritual will be performed just as it
was done 4000 years ago, with wooden vessels and bricks made from Kerala forest
products. No use of metal will be made. All the main priests come from Kerala
and all of them are Namboodiri Brahmins. The Yajamana or the main conductor of
Athirathram has gone through rigorous preparation prescribed for performance of
Athirathram. The Adhvaryam of the Yajurveda in the ritual and the heaviest load
will be borne by the Kapra family, the Hautram of the Rig-Veda is led by the
Naras family and the Audgatram of the Samaveda in the ritual by Tottam.
Bhadrachalam
is getting ready to host Athirathram. Preparations began on the sixty acres of
Land donated for the purpose by Sree Sitaramachandra Swami Temple Trust Board
Chairman Kuricheti Panduranga Rao. The Yajurveda and Samaveda practices that
precede Athirathram have already begun. Traditional craftsmen are busy making
the innumerable clay and wooden utensils that will be utilized during the
ritual. The choice of the venue is also in accordance with geographic and
vaastu principles.
Can
anyone confidently confirm that ritual would be conducted precisely in
accordance with the Vedas? "Spotting of a solitary eagle flying in the sky
above the Yagnashala and a heavy downpour are indications that the gods are
pleased with the ritual," says a Namboodiri who believes strongly in the
Athirathram. In 1975 and in 2011, for instance, it happened!
Scientific research has proved
the impact of Vedic chanting and Yaga on agriculture and its implications on
micro organisms. Athirathram is held for universal harmony, peace and spiritual
enlightenment. This will bring peace, tranquility and ecological balance
besides all-round development in the state. This Holy Ritual is attributed to
the definite impact on the thinking processes of the individuals, who
participate in the Yaagam and those who reside in that Rajya (State) bestowing
positive thoughts, bringing about harmony amongst people, while contributing to
their overall prosperity and well being.
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