[Advaita-l] apa upaspR^ishya

[Venkateswaran N E]

Namaste,

I am re-opening a discussion on the subject which was discussed in this list in Sep-2012.

https://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/2012-September/033034.html <https://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/2012-September/033034.html>

A little background :

A question was raised by Shri.Bhaskar Mahodaya as to why we do *apa upaspR^ishya* after any offering to Rudra, Pitrus etc ?
Is it due to asoucha, was the question.

Shri. Venkata Sriram garu responded that "BTW, the purpose of *apa upa sprushya* is something else and one doesn’t
become ashaucha by worshipping rudra.  If yes, then why to worship Him who is the personified form of auspiciousness."

Apastamba paribhAShA sUtra (2.9) provides the situations when we have to perform *अप उपस्पृश्य*.
रौद्र-राक्षस-नैॠत-पैतृक-चेदन-भेदन-निरसन-आत्माभिमर्शनानि च कृत्वा, अप उपस्पृशेत्” |

Haradatta’s commentary on the above sUtra says thus :
रुद्रो देवता यस्य तद्रौद्रम् । एवं राक्षसादयः । छेदनं द्वैधीकरणं। 
भेदनं विदारणं । [आत्माभिमर्मनं, आत्मोपकारकं कर्म ।] 
रुद्रोपकारकं कृत्वोदकस्पर्शनं कार्यम् । यथा ‘यो भूतानामधिपतिः ‘ ।
“ रौद्रेणानीकेन “ इत्यत्र नोपस्पर्शनम्  । अनीकविशेषणत्वात् ।
‘ रक्षसां भागधेयं ‘ इत्यत्रोपस्पर्शनं कर्तव्यम्  ।   … etc

It also says " यत्र रौद्रादीणां नैरन्तर्येण वा करणम्, रौद्रपित्रचाणां वा करणम् ,  
तत्रापि न प्रतिरौद्रं न प्रतिपित्रचं वोदकस्पर्शनम् ; अन्त एव सकृदुपस्पर्शनं ।
पित्रचबलिहरणोपस्पर्शनं कृत्वैव रौद्रं बलिहरणमुपस्पृशेत् । etc

Couple of points :

1. It appears from the above that we touch water after offering to Rudra because he is *bhUtAnAm adhipati*. Not sure what bhUtAs mean here. Do they mean all creation or ghosts ?

2. We touch water after we drop the darbhas, once we finish sankalpam.  This *अप उपस्पृश्य* is for the दर्भान्निरस्य act or darbha nirasanam.

Would request Venkata Sriram mahodaya and other scholars to provide any alternate pramanams or interpretations to the above.


Warm Regards,
Venkateshwaran N E