NYASA

Abstract

As per sanatana dharma in the days of yore, man worshipped Godhead reciting Vedic chants newlineconsidered as co-eval with God according to the time, the day and the season of the year. newlineQuite often man worshipped God in the form of nature simply in ecstasy or in awe. Iconic newlineworship either individual or congregational, came later with the advent of Agamasastra and newlineTantric form of divine worship. In the preface to a book on congregational newlineworship,Leadbeater describes the thought-form generated when a group of persons perform newlinecongregational worship with Gayatri mantra which includes nyasa procedure, led by a priest. newlineAgama sastra lays down elaborate procedures for worship and stipulate strict adherence by newlinethe priests with the ultimate aim of welfare of the whole mankind. One of the procedures is newlineNyasa which is ordained as mandatory prior to every mantrajapa. Nyasa means to place parts newlineof mantra on parts of the body of the worshipper in a designated sequence. newlineBoth nigama and agama come from the root GAM (gachha) meaning to go and also to know. newlineThe more popular word for Nigama is Veda which means to know . Veda is considered as newlinethe fountainhead of all knowledge for all and for all time. It is held as anadi and apaurusheya newline(not composed by any person) and co-eval with God. Veda is also known as Sruti - the one newlinelearnt by oral tradition and thereby maintaining the purity and correctness of chanting. newlineAgamasastras on the other hand are regarded as instructions from Gods/Goddesses through newlineRsis for the performance of worship to the divine in a structured and systematic manner for newlinethe welfare of the society, the flora, the fauna and the ecosystem.Self as control with cross over from control to experimental and vice versa was used as the newlinedesign. newline