अथर्ववेदीय ब्रह्मणो मे किसी भी माङ्गलिक कार्य के आरम्भ मे सङ्कल्प लेने से पूर्व संकल्प सूक्त का पाठ किया जाता हैं । संकल्पसूक्त अथर्ववेदसंहिता में प्राप्त नहीं होता हैं अपितु यह कल्पजा हैं अर्थात् यह अब लुप्त कल्पसूत्र में से संग्रहित हैं ।
अथर्वण परम्परा में आदिम मन्त्र शन्नो देवी मन्त्र के साम का गायन विशेष आथर्वणिक कर्मकाण्डों में किया जाता हैं । इस साम के ऋषि अथर्वा , छन्द गायत्री तथा आपो देवता हैं । अथर्वणसाम की आधारभूत सामयोनि अथर्ववेद का प्रथम मन्त्र “ॐ शं नो॑ दे॒वीर॒भिष्ट॑य॒ आपो॑ भवन्तु पी॒तये॑ । शं योर॒भि स्र॑वन्तु नः ॥हैं।
Next he mixes in a copper pot this rice with various flavours such as ghee, milk, wheat, sour milk, and molasses. Near this pot he gets ready a piece of gold, a book, clods of earth, etc, as per the family’s custom, and having done the sipping and the sprinkling with pacifying water he should feed the child with the first solid food while reciting the two verses of the hymn “Propitious to thee be the rice and barley” (PS 16.4.8-9). “Propitious to thee be rice and barley, free from balAsa, causing no burning; these drive off the yakshama; these free from distress. What thou eatest, what thou drinkest, of grain, milk of the ploughing what should be eaten, what should not be eaten all food I make for thee poisonless.” (PS 16.4.8-9) Next, with the verse “Both to day and to night” (PS 16.4.10), having uttered “I commend you to day and night!”, he should feed the child the first bite for the sake of the day and night. This is the second feeding. “Both to day and to night, to them both we commit thee. Defend ye this man for me from the Arayas that seek to devour him .” (PS 16.4.10) Next, with the mantra “Unto autumn thee” (PS 16.5.2), having uttered “I commend you to the seasons!” he gives the child a bite. This is the third feeding. “Unto autumn, unto winter, unto spring, unto summer, we commit thee; [be] the rains pleasant to thee, in which the herbs grow.” (PS 16.5.2) Next, he should feed the child as per the latter’s capacity. Afterwards he should offer the child gold, etc. The thing that child grasps, that is his share, thus it is known. Next, he should perform the second part of the tantra, which is prescribed by the nakshatra kalpa , and the recitation of auspicious verses. Nevertheless people put only rice and barley in a copper pot and so on and with the hymn “Propitious to thee be the rice and barley” (PS 16.4.8-9) perform the first feeding.
|| Hence concludes in karmasamuchhaya , jAtasaMsTha chapter , the annaprAshana ||
A small fragment from lost paippalAda brAhman preserved in vedavrata section of karmapañjIkA . This fragment describes a myth about madakarma , how a rishI obtained this kama form gods . madakarma is a special vedavrata rite ,where homas are performed by different ‘rasas ‘ by AchArya and young initiate ( bramhachArin ).Aim of this karma is to achieve all bhutas, devas and lokas.( i.e. ownershipon all bhutas, devas and lokas )
skanda yAga is a peculiar rite to atharvavedins with taittirIya parallels ( boudhAyan ,vaikhAnasa ) .
This rite is probably earliest vedic trace of skanda dhUrta .
( All parallel bodhAyana mantras are mentioned highlighted and in image format , individual description is with every image )
The rite has to be performed thrice a year on the shashthI thithI ( sixth of shukla paksha) in the shukla paksha of phAlguna , AshADha and kArtika months. ( चतुर्षुचतुर्षु मासेषु फाल्गुणाषाढकार्त्तिकपूर्वपक्षेषु नित्यं कुर्वीत | DK 1.2).boudhAyan instead of shashthI thithI for all three months mentions of trayodashI in case of last two . On the day of the performance, performer should fast and go towards the east or north of his residence .At a suitable pure place he should erect a mandapa of 13 aratanI ( 13 cubit circumference ). The mandapa is decorated with tree leaves ( sarva vanaspatyAm ) garlands , bells , flags .In the center of mandapa ‘skanda dhUrtA’ is invited in a mirror ( probably image made up of glass ) with following mantras.
ॐ संविशस्व वरघण्टाप्सरःस्तवे यत्र सुभुजो हि निर्मिताः | संविष्टो मे धेहि दीर्घम् आयुः प्रजां पशूंश् चैव विनायकसेन ||१||+ प्रतिगृह्णातु भगवान् देवो धूर्त ||
Water mixed with sandal paste should be offered as for washing feet to the skanda dhUrta with the mantra .’इमा आप ‘ (A.S.-3.12.9) + प्रतिगृह्णातु भगवान् देवो धूर्त || . arghya + snAna are to be offered with the six verses beginning with ‘ हिरण्यवर्णा इतीमे ( A.S.-1.33.1) + प्रतिगृह्णातु भगवान् देवो धूर्त || .Sandal paste should be offered while muttering the mantras ‘ दिव्यो गन्धर्व ( A.S.- 2.2.1)’ and ‘यस् ते गन्ध’ …( A.S.- 12.1.23-25) + प्रतिगृह्णातु भगवान् देवो धूर्त ||
. Flowers should be offered while muttering the formula ‘इमा सुमानस ‘*+ प्रतिगृह्णातु भगवान् देवो धूर्त || .dhupa should be offered with following mantra.
The lamp ( dipa ) is offered with following
‘ यक्ष्येण ते दिवा अग्निः शुक्रश् ‘*+ प्रतिगृह्णातु भगवान् देवो धूर्त ||
( * untraceable , possibly corrupt actual mantra is
)
and leaves ( parna ) should be offered with
‘ यो विश्वतः सुप्रतीक’
(RV-1.94.7) + प्रतिगृह्णातु भगवान् देवो धूर्त . Then different oudans , pAyasa , modaka and othere food stuff is offered to vallIpatI. Now according to injunction of dhUrta kalpa , agnimukhaM is to be performed .Hence he should perform purva tantra .
The oblations ( AhutIs ) are offered with six kAma suktAs ( भद्रम् इच्छन्तो, हिरण्यगर्भो, ममाग्ने वर्चस् ,त्वया मन्यो यस् ते मन्यो ,यद् देवा देवहेडनम् इति षट् ) and also with following mantras.
{ total 10 oblations
According to another division (mantra vibhAga ) , mantras are ॐ महीपतये स्वाहा॥
ॐ धूर्तायस्कन्दाय स्वाहा॥ ॐ विशाखाय स्वाहा॥ ॐपिनाकसेनाय स्वाहा॥ ॐ भ्रातृस्त्रीकामाय स्वाहा॥ ॐ स्वच्छन्दाय स्वाहा॥ ॐ वरघण्ताय स्वाहा॥ ॐ निर्मिलाय स्वाहा॥ॐ लोहितगात्राय स्वाहा॥ ॐ शलकटङ्कटाय स्वाहा॥ }
Parallel bodhAyana homa mantra
Then he should perform uttara tantra . Thus practitioner of dhUrta kalpa preys to skanda dhUrta .
ॐ शिवाग्निकृत्तिकानां तु स्तोष्यामि वरदं शुभम् | स मे स्तुतो विश्वरूपज् सर्वान् अर्थान् प्रयच्छतु ||१||
धनधान्यकुलान् भोगान् स मे वचनवेदनम् | दासीदासं तथा स्थानं मणिरत्नं सुराञ्जनम् ||२||
ये भक्त्या भजन्ते धूर्तं ब्रह्मण्यं च यशस्विनम् | सर्वे ते धनवन्तः स्युः प्रजावन्तो यशस्विनः ||३||
यथेन्द्रस् तु वरान् लब्ध्वा प्रीतस् तु भगवान् पुरा | देहि मे विपुलान् भोगान् भक्तानां च विशेषत ||४||
Now other gifts are offered with six kAma suktAs and following mantra.
ॐ उपहारम् इमं देव मया भक्त्या निवेदितम् | प्रतिगृह्य यथान्यायम् अक्रुद्धः सुमना भव ||1|| + प्रतिगृह्णातु भगवान् देवो धूर्त ||
He thus perform the upasthAna of kumAra skanda ( In 10 forms to whom oblations are offered in agnimukhM .)
ॐ सद्योजातं प्रपद्यामि सद्योजाताय वै नमः | भवेभवे नादिभवे भजस्व मां भवोद्भवेति भवाय नमः ||१||
ॐ देवं प्रपद्ये वरदं प्रपद्ये स्कन्दं प्रपद्ये च कुमारम् उग्रम् | षण्णां सुतं कृत्तिकानां षडास्यम् अग्नेः पुत्रं साधनं गोपथोक्तैः ||२||
ॐ रक्तानि यस्य पुष्पाणि रक्तं यस्य विलेपनम् | कुक्कुटा यस्य रक्ताक्षाः स मे स्कन्दः प्रसीदतु ||३||
ॐआग्नेयं कृत्तिकापुत्रम् ऐन्द्रं के चिद् अधीयते | के चित् पाशुपतं रौद्रं यो ऽसि सो ऽसि नमो ऽस्तु त इति ||४||
ॐ स्वामिने नमः ||५|| ॐशङ्करायाग्निपुत्राय कृत्तिकापुत्राय नमः ||६|| ॐ
भगवान् क्व चिद् अप्रतिरूपः स्वाहा ||७|| ॐ भगवान् क्व चिद् अप्रतिरूपः ||८||ॐ मणिरत्नवरप्रतिरूपः ||९|| ॐ काञ्चनरत्नवरप्रतिरूप ||१०||
The skanda murti ( archA vigraha ) should be circumbulated thrice and a ‘pratisara‘ ( amulet )is be tied on the hand with the two verses.
Now the ceremony is to be closed with visarjana of skanda dhUrta .With following mantras the image of skanda is consigned in flowing water body.( river / sea / spring ).
When the nakshatras ( constellations/ stars )rises i.e. at the starting of night , the performer should enter house, see his wife and recite following presha mantra.
ॐ धनवति धनं मे देहि ॥
dhUrta kalpa mentions
” यद् भोक्तुं कामजातं जगत्यां मनसा संहीहते तत्तद् द्विजन्मा पिनाकसेनयजमानात् कामम् उपभुक्तो भुक्त्वामृतत्वं तद्वद् एवाभ्युपैति ||”
It is stated that those who worship skandadhUrta get enjoyments, wealth, progeny and glory and attain immortality.
श्री देवसेनावल्लीसमेत श्रीस्कन्दाय नमः ॥
Better to end with the following verse of khandar anubhutI.
”
வானோ? புனல் பார் கனல் மாருதமோ?
ஞானோ தயமோ? நவில் நான் மறையோ?
யானோ? மனமோ? எனை ஆண்ட இடம்
தானோ? பொருளாவது சண்முகனே
Oh shanmukha ! Pray reveal to me that ONE THING. Is it Ether (AkAsa), Water, Earth, Fire or Wind? Or, is it Knowledge that dawns? Or, the ever reverberating Vedas? Or, is it simply the Mind, the abode where I was subdued and won. ”
References
1) Atharvaveda parishishtha
2) bodhayana grihya parishesha sutra
3) Modak, B. R.; The Ancillary Literature of the Atharvaveda (With special reference to the Parisishtas) ,Rashtriya Veda Vidya Pratishthan; New Delhi; 1993
4) ‘ The Skanda-yaga -‘ article on same subject by Sri Vishal Agarawal
( http://www.hindunet.com )
5) Kandar Anubhuti
‘The Skanda Experience’
English translation by Swami Anvānanda from Saint Arunagirinatha by Swami Anvananda, (Madras: Pongi Publications, 1975) ,verse 3
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