.

[ashtalakshmi]

Dear learned members,
I have few doubts regarding reciting mantras to lord Shiva and lord Vishnu.
I read that its not advisable to pray/ chant mantras to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu at the same time one after another.Is that true?
Also should we sit facing north while praying lord Shiva ?
Which direction facing should we keep our pooja mandhir at home?
Can we light two kamakshi amman lamps while praying?
Which corner in the pooja mandhir should the lamps be kept?
Is it advisable for everyone in the family wear a single rudraksha in their neck?
In my house , my pooja mandhir is facing north ( slightly north west) is that okay?

Please help me.

[SWARNIM]

IMO:
- Not true.
- Not necessarily, East or North advisable.
- The devotee should face East or North.
- One is sufficient.
- Right Hand Side Corner.
- Not necessary.
- Not Okay.

[Lex]

Dear learned members,
I have few doubts regarding reciting mantras to lord Shiva and lord Vishnu.
I read that its not advisable to pray/ chant mantras to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu at the same time one after another.Is that true?
Also should we sit facing north while praying lord Shiva ?
Which direction facing should we keep our pooja mandhir at home?
Can we light two kamakshi amman lamps while praying?
Which corner in the pooja mandhir should the lamps be kept?
Is it advisable for everyone in the family wear a single rudraksha in their neck?
In my house , my pooja mandhir is facing north ( slightly north west) is that okay?

Please help me.

Hi Thayye
Reciting mantras, I assume, you are saying about slokas.
Lets see an e.g of Sasranamam
Vishnu or Shiva or Lalita
Sasranamams are slokas
Who has Chanted Shiv Sasranaman
By Lord Krishna
Who is Lord Krishna
Lord Vishnu
Who has given Lalita Sasranamam
Lord Hyagrivar
Who is Lord Hyagrivar
Lord Vishnu
Who gave Lalita Sasranamam to Humans
Adi Shankarar
Who is Adi Acharya
Lord Shiva
Who gave Vishnu Sasranam to world
Bheeshma
Who is Bheeshma
Ganga Putran
Who is carrying Ganga in the Head
Lord Shiva
Who gave Vishnu Sasranamam to world
Adi Shankarar

See how Lord Shiva and Lord Shiva interlinked

When Mantras. .Rudram chanted
it is followed by
Purusha Suktam..Lord Vishnu
Before that Durga Suktam

Please chant slokas of Lord Vishnu or Lord Shiva in tandem

..next

[Lex]

..contd
When doing Rudra abhisekam, Lingam abhisek thirtam falls on North side
So chanting of mantra and performing
Rudra abhisekam
One can sit on North side, however if it is not feasible, than
During day time till sunset, one can sit facing Sun
Night time, Rudra abhisekam time, one has to face North side only

Even in Sandhya Vandanam, at the time of Sunset, one has to give arghyam facing North

..contd

[Lex]

..contd
If mantras like
Rigveda, Samaveda, etc or Rudram, Chamakam, Mahanyasam etc
not performing Rudra abhisekam, than Chanter
has to face East or West, with left leg going over Right leg, mantras has to be chanted
It is not disrespecting position but it is the way or posture, that has to be followed

..contd

[ashtalakshmi]

Thanks SWARNIM for helping me out.
I mean to ask is it wrong to keep two lamps?
Is it ok to wear if all in our family wear rudraksha ? I am not asking is it compulsory ?
I have no other option except keeping the mandhir north facing , what shall i do?

[ashtalakshmi]

Lex ji, thank you for the reply.

I thought slokas and mantras are same
I dont know to chant mantras from vedas .
I am asking about ashtakams for kalabhairava, mahalakshmi and about shasranamams.
I think you are saying that we can pray to lord Shiva first and then to lord vishnu because everything is connected to lord Shiva.Am I correct?

[Lex]

asthalakshmi amma
Pochuda!!! Pochu!!!
After narrating story of Ramayana, you are inquiring, Is Seetha related to Rama

Slokas and Mantras are different.Both are praising Lords, but Mantra anushtana rules and regulations are strict and rigid. Negative pronounciations of mantras leads to bad Karmas.

Laxmi astakam, Kalabhairavars are slokas.I said early Sasranamam is Sloka
Say, Vishnu Sasranamam chanting by a Lady in monthly cycle is o.k., but Chanting of mantra by a male at odd time is not permitted.For e.g. Morning Sandhya Vandanam, i.e chanting of mantras at 10 a.m. is not allowed and there is no meaning when one chants at 10 a.m

Mantras are to be learnt from a Guru like astrology, it cannot be learnt or Chanted from lipi i.e from book. Mantras has to come from stomach part when Chanting..i.e by heart and with dedication

..contd

[Lex]

..contd
Now coming back to query of yours
Lord Shiva Chanting First than later Lord Vishnu
It is not like that, depends on that occassion
Say for e.g Discourse on Parvati Kslyanam happening
During Breaks, Discourser will Chant Nama Parvati pateye, Hara Hara Mahadeva, Dicourser will not say Govinda Govinda
At the end of discourse, Discourser will Chant Sri Ram's sloka and Lord Hanuman

Similarly, Seeta Kalyanam discourse, Discourser will Chant Sri Ram's sloka and at the end of Discouse, Discourser will Chant Lord Hanuman sloka

Who is Hanuman
Lord Shiva

Who is Lord Vishnu
Umapate i.e Uma's Husband i.e Parvati Devi's Husband
Who is Her Husband, Lord Shiva
Uma Devi is Sister of Lord Vishnu.

When Pandavas asked Bheeshma to narrate Shiva Sasranam, Ganga Putran tells Pandavas, He is small person to narrate and He is not even not qualified to do so, the only person capable is He, Lord Krishna. He is seeing Paramatma daily.
Lord Krishna chanted Shiva Sasranamam and tells Pandavas
" To tell about Each Varna, auspiousness etc of Lord Shiva, it will take million years to complete each auspiousness of Lord Shiva"

..contd

[dc_4m_kolkata]

I can only suggest that please read Vishnu Puran and Siva Purana (even the abridged versions will do...) To me Vishnu and Shiva are inseparable. Anyways, I will try to answer your queries in short:

I read that its not advisable to pray/ chant mantras to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu at the same time one after another.Is that true?

No

Also should we sit facing north while praying lord Shiva ?

That is not compulsory and depends on your Puja Room.

Which direction facing should we keep our pooja mandhir at home?

It can be calculated from your Ashatakavarga.

Can we light two kamakshi amman lamps while praying?

Lighting a Lamp is significant of burning one's own impurities. One would suffice. If you have Sun-Venus conjunction, then don't light a ghee lamp. One actually offers a lamp during Pujas using the name of the Deity. Refer to any Panch-upachari (using 5 items) Pooja mantra and you will understand.

Which corner in the pooja mandhir should the lamps be kept?

In mu humble opinion, it is kept on your right side. Because that is left to the Idol.

Is it advisable for everyone in the family wear a single rudraksha in their neck?

Not at all. Wearing a Rudraksha is not a piece of cake. Please refer http://www.lightonvedicastrology.com/ph ... 11&t=27651

In my house , my pooja mandhir is facing north ( slightly north west) is that okay?

Please refer my point on calculation through ashtakavarga.

[Lex]

asthalakshmi
I will answer on Kamakshi villaku

..next

[ashtalakshmi]

dc_4m_kolkata Ji,

Thanks you so much for taking interest to reply .If you have time would you mind looking at the ashtavarga of my chart and tell me
Regarding rudraksha, I have this deep desire to wear rudraksha and chant lord Shiva's namas.

To be honest I already asked my dad to purc. hase two number of Dwi mukhi rudraksha for myself and my husband and two numbers of tri mukhi rudraksha for both of my children. I am yet to get it though.

I will do proper abhisekam to the rudrakshas before we wear .Let God bless us and forgive and rectify any mistakes that we do unconsciously.
Om Namah sivaya!

[ashtalakshmi]

Lex ji , thanks again.Now I understood clearly.
Waiting to hear more from you.

[ashtalakshmi]

dc_4m_kolkata Ji,
I dont have Sun-Venus conjunction in my chart.My Venus is in Taurus alone and I am running my Venus MD .I always make ghee myself for lighting lamps.I do it with utmost sincerity.

[Lex]

asthalakshmi ji
There are certain days one can pluck Tulsi leaves, similarly Rudraksham to be worn etc has restrictions. So, when I write on Rudraksham I will brief you.

I appreciate you are using Cow ghee in lighting Lamps. That is the way, it should be. If cow ghee not available, than alternative is Till or Black sesame seed oil only.

I will post on Kamakshi villaku subsequently.

Now lets see Auspiousness of mantra or Sloka chanting at different places.

One time recitation of Lalita Sasranamam daily is equivalent to 10 times recitation of Shiv Sasramam and 100 times recitation of Vishnu Sasranamam, if done at home.
If same done in Devi temple, its chanting auspiousness increases 100 times

If I do Sandya vandanam daily, that is my Karma.
If I do it near a Well, its auspiousness increases by 5 times
If I do it in a cow-shed, auspiousness increases by 10 times
If I do it near Tulsi plant, auspiousness increases by 50 times
If I do it Under Bilva tree, auspiousness increases by 100 times
If I do it daily in Vishnu temple, Vaigunda prabtam
If I do it daily in Shiva temple, Shiva loka prabtam

..contd

[Lex]

Now Rudraksham

From Rudrar's i.e Lord Shiva, eyes Rudraksha tree in Earth originated.
From leaves of the tree, seeds of Rudraksham formed.
Rudraksham is very Auspicious, touching all the time body parts is beneficial.
However, Rudraksham once in the house, should be worshiped with abhisekam and chanting of Mantras.
Rudraksham of all faces cannot be worn through out the day. Rudraksham once worshipped has to be in house Mandir itself.

If one wants to wear Rudraksham around the neck, a six faced or Five faced Rudraksham has to be selected and should be linked with Gold or silver has to be worn around the neck. In Gold and Silver, Rudraksham auspiousness is maintained.
Ladies, over sixty years old can wear Rudraksham of Five or six faced.

[Lex]

..contd
Lord Shiva pooja/ abhisekam etc

Shiva archanam sada buyopayam susi ekk Suryadu thanga mukha

It means, one who does Lord Shiva aradhana, has to sit facing North, infront, in a silver plate or even in bronze plate, facing West Shiva's related idols has to abhiseked. Abhiseked water has to trickle down from plate towards North side.

[ashtalakshmi]

Lex ji all the information you give are very useful and interesting.

Do rudraksham comes from the leaves of rudraksha tree? I am surprised to know this.

So rudraksham should be placed in pooja mandhir and worshipped instead of wearing it ? How about small children wearing it?

[Lex]

Kamakshi lamp or Villaku
Kamakshi villaku is very auspious denotes Mahalakshmi mata.
Either with Cow ghee or Gingerly oil you can lit.
In cow ghee, Mata Mahalakshmi is present.

Always lamps are litted in pair. In deepa aradhana will be single to God, though number of times deepa aradhana shown to God or Godess, but the item selected at a time will be single.

If space constraint in Pooja mandap to accomodate a pair of litted Kamakshi vilakku, than one of the lamp litted can be kept down in a Thambalam or in another room

Never face Southward a litted lamp, South denotes Pitrus. If someone suggests a pariharam for lighting lamps facing South way for God, straightway has to be refused. For pitrus pariharas, lighting of lamps not done.
Remember story of Lord Shiva telling Maha Vishnu to get a head of a person sleeping Southwards, head in South direction.