aikyAnusandhAnam

[Vaidya N. Sundaram]

In the sandhya vandhanam, three times a day, we say:
 asAvAdityO'brahma|
 brahmaivaahmasmi ||

 This is called aikyAnusandhAnam. These two lines are widely held to be
the life line of the sandhyA vandhanam. I though that today being makara
shankarAnti, when prayers to Adityan are performed, we might as well spend
a few minutes analyzing this.
 The simple translation of this is: This Adityan (Sun) is Brahman. I am
of the same Brahman.
 The prayOgam for this mantra is to just close the eyes and touch the
heart with the finger tips and just meditate on the Oneness of the Atman
and the paramAtman.

 The importance of mentioning that the jivAtma is same as that Brahman in
Adityan is because of the place of pride that Adityan has. he is
considered to be (like) the eyes of even such great divinities like
Mithran, varuNan and agni. In fact He is described as being peculiar in
that, while He enables the Devas to have appealing forms, He Himself stays
formless, and defies quanitfication. He permeates everything. Nothing is
to be seen without His help.  Refer to verses in the AdityaHridayam, like:
 haridashvaH sahasraanchiH sapta saptir mariichimaan.h
 timironmathanaH shambhustvashtaa maataNda anshumaan.h
 He is the Omnipresent One who pervades all with countless rays. He is the
power behind the seven sense organs, the expeller of darkness, bestower of
happiness and prosperity, the removerof misfortunes and is the infuser of
life.

 sarvadevaatmako hyesha tejasvii rashmibhaavanaH:
 He indeed represents the totality of all celestial beings. he is Self
luminous and sustains all with His rays.

 This shows that at the core of even day to day ritualistic worship that
we so much take for granted, the Oneness of the JivAtma with the paramAtma
or brahman is stressed.

Cheers,
Vaidya.


                        Vaidya N. Sundaram

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uddharedaatmanaatmaanaM naatmaanamavasaadayet.h |
aatmaiva hyaatmano bandhuraatmaiva ripuraatmanaH ||

Let a man raise himself by his own efforts. Let him not degrade himself.
Because a person's best friend or his worst enemy is, none other than his
own self. (BG 6.5)

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