Srimad Bagavatham - Time of Sunset - Sandhya !! Final Part !!

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Sage Kashyapa and his wife Dithi  had no offsprings for a long time and they were longing for a child. Sage  Kashyapa’s  second wife Adithi,  had children .  The Sage was on Tapasya for many days.   One day, during the time of Sunset, Sage Kashyapa  opened his eyes.    Dithi approached Kashyapa and pleaded him with her desire for a child.    Sage Kashyapa  replied that it was the responsibility of the wife to have a child, her desire for a child was justifiable.  But   during sunset it was not advisable to be engaged in such things.  He explained to her that the child born would be a Demon.  The Sage persuaded her to find a good time to have a child.    Dithi was not in a position to understand  the Sage's advices.  She persisted with her wish to Sage Kashyapa and fulfilled her desires. 

After her desires fulfilled,  she fell on the feet of Sage Kashyapa and cried for forgiveness of her mistake.   The Sage explained to her that, it was not possible to change the fate.  She would have two children with all the natures of a Demon.  They wodul be cursed by everyone asking,  ‘Who is the sinner who gave birth to these demons? ’.  She felt guilty of her sin and enquired consensus of the sin  she had committed during the time of Sunset. The Sage revealed the truth that it was not a curse but the truth.  The two sons will be known as Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu  (Dwarapalakas of Lord Vishnu in their previous birth).  The Elder son Hiranyakashipu will have four children and one amongst them will be Prahlada - An ardent devotee of Lord Hari.  The whole world shall praise  the glory of him and he will be remembered for his firm devotion to Lord Hari .   It  will be capable to take seven ancestors and descendents to  heaven.




It is the curse of Lord that Hiryankshan and Hiranyakashipu were brought as evil demons.  God is the Cause and the Effect.   The fate  made Dithi to compel Sage Kashyapa to have a child during the hours of sunset.  Lord Brahma created Ithihasam and Puranas from one mouth, Vedham from another and Astrology and Medicine from the third one. It is all provided by Lord Hari Himself  and it should be followed strictly. 

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Srimad Bagavatham - The Time of Sunset - Sandhya !! Part II

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Sage Kashyapa explains to his wife Dithi that during evening one should pray to Lord, Nama sankeerthanam  and lighten the Lamp after abulations.  The lightening of Lamp helps to  remove all the darkness in the house.   Lord Rudra looks for the people who does not follow these kind of auspicious activities and punishes them. Lord Rudra has no one as enemy and no one close, all are equal to Him.  Lord Shiva won over  Maya – Illusions and we are the ones falling to Maya,  longing for all material and immaterial things without knowing the Truth that everything is perishable.  Nothing in this Universe is Permanent .   Even Ravana did severe penance and asked Lord Shiva for Fame.  Lord Rudra  never does any partiality to sinners, He performs his Duty as the Destroyer.  He wants  every soul  to attain salvation and  gives dharshan during the time of Pradosham without any jewels or elegant ornaments.  He gives us the Dharshan as Digambareshwar with  serpents on his body, tiger skin  around His waist and smeared  ashes all over his body.  To remind us the eternal Truth – Everything is going to be ashes and nothing is going to remain. 

Lord Rudra wants  to save  us from ignorance and make us aware of  the Truth with the smear of ashes on His body.  Lord Shiva gives dharshan to us in this form to hate the materialistic thinking and way of life. During sunset, one should  worship  Lord Surya Narayana.  During this time  of Sandhya, one should not sleep or spend time on bed.  This is the time to worship Lord and chant Adithya Hrudayam.  During  the time of Sunset, one should avoid unwanted speeches as the urge to do  good things will be lesser than that of evil.  The  Kaliyuga has all the evil forces because of the ignorance of finding a right time to have an offspring.   This is also one of the reasons which adds misery to human life.  Lord Brahma, all the deities and Maya  worship Lord Rudra during the time of Pradosham.

At the time of Sunset, all the living beings undergo  chemical changes  in their body organs like  digestive system, uterus, blood vessels etc.  This is what happens  during the times of  eclipse too.  The tendency to do evil things and evil characters dominate in these hours.  It brings out Tamassik  and Rajassik  nature of all the living beings.   This is one of the reasons   Sage Kashyapa insists to spend these hours in worshipping Lord.   The Brahma Muhurtham provides intelligence and all the Satwik qualities while the time of Sunset brings all the Rajassik and Tamassik qualities. 

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Srimad Bagavatham - Time of Sunset - Sandhya !!Part I

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

In  Srimad Bagavatham  - Pradhama Skandam -  (1 – 3 – 14 ) Shuka Brahamam explains  to King  Parikshit about the Time of Sunset – Sandhya - as  Demonic Time.

Sunset  is  the end of the day and the beginning of the night.   During sunset, one should not do the things  which are forbidden.   Sage Kashyapa explains to his wife Dithi about ‘Sandhya Kal’. 

Sage Kashyapa addressing his wife as Fearful nature  of woman, it is the responsibility of a husband to  fulfill  all  her desires as a husband.   Hinduism  has given so much of respect to women.  During the time of Yaga , Yagnam  and Dhanam, a man cannot perform any auspicious rituals without a woman.  She carries so much importance to perform any kind of sacrifices and rituals.  When Lord Rama decided to perform Ashwamedha yagam, the Yagam took place only after keeping an idol of Sita next to Him.  Veda declares women are  half of men.  That is why she is known as  'Grahalakshmi'.   The families where  women are  respected and honored is where all the deities live.  It is believed that in houses where the cruelty and injustice to woman takes place, all the deities refuse to step.

A Woman makes her husband  capable to face any kind 0f struggle in  his life .  The rest of the three Ashramas depend on Gruhastha.  Any kind of difficulty or grief  in the  ocean of human life,   husband  faces  everything courageously  with the help of a woman.  Gurukulashram, Grahastha, Vanaprastha , Sanyasam  are the four Ashrama Dharmas .  The sanyasin asks for food and  Donations to Grahasthas only.  During Unchavruthi, women provide grains to the Sanyasins.  During Vanaparastha, the couple come to have food from  Gruhasthas.  Ashramadharma is  just a transition of the journey in one’s life.  It is the duty of the wife to receive the guests, cook for them and serve them.  It is the right of a woman to honor the guest.  Even if the King receives sanyasins in his Palace,  the Queen is the one who serves food for the Sanyasins.

The responsibility of home is taken care by them.  The daily routine,  even the simplest things in the home is taken care by them. Women are the ones who have the right to lighten the lamp at home.  Control over the five senses   is possible only with the help of  a wife.  Who are righteous would not do anything against his wife.  When any argument arises, it is the responsibility of the husband to handle it properly. Everyone desires to have virtuous children  in their  life, capable to  follow  all the righteousness and  it is possible only through  the togetherness of husband and wife during the times ( Muhurthams - auspicious times ) which were followed by our ancestors .  The  time of Sunset is forbidden to do such things.

The time of sunset is known as  evil time -  Pradosha.  This is the time for the spirits and Ghosts to wander along with Lord Shiva to punish whoever commit sins.  The time of sunset is the morning for the spirits and ghosts.  Just like human beings have sunrise as beginning of  their day,  the spirits and ghosts are Ganas of  Lord Shiva –  Who is the destroyer of sins.    These spirits and Ghosts follow Lord Shiva wherever He goes.   During the time of Sunset , Lord Rudra travels on His bull with His ganas in search of  sinners. His hairlocks are covered  with ashes and his body is smeared with ashes.  His Three eyes represent Lord  Surya,  Moon and Agni .  He measures the entire Universe with His three eyes which are capable to bring down the sinners into ashes, thereby  taking care of the entire Universe.  He is  more active during the  time of Sunset - Sandhya.  His duty is destroy and support things which are able to destroy them  in future.  Sage Kashyapa explains to Dithi (one of the daughters of Dakshaprajapathi – Sister of Sati) that Lord Rudra thus protects the Universe.

Jai Sriman Narayana !!