Do You Know why Achamanam is Done in Rituals?

Brahmana granthas deal with the ritualistic procedures of yajnas. They are also in the format of mantras. In the Vedic curriculum, unless you have learned the corresponding Brahmana of your Veda shakha, your education is not complete. That is the importance of rituals in the Vedic system.

Brahmana mantras provide a lot of insight into why something is done in a ritual or why something is important. Even when it is not explained why something should be done, they provide clarity on whether something should or should not be done.

Answering 'why?' may not be possible in all cases because there may be many concepts through which only you will be able to arrive at the answer. For that, you should have a fair understanding of what the Vedic system is all about.

It is not as simple as a god sitting in heaven and overseeing everything. The Vedic system is much more comprehensive, all-inclusive. In the Vedic system, there is a place for everything. Only slowly can you understand all these.

The Brahmana of Shukla Yajurveda is Shatapatha Brahmana. Shatapatha Brahmana starts with the procedure of observing vrata for Purnamaseshti. Purnamaseshti is the shrouta yajna performed by agnihotris in connection with Purnima. If the yajna is to be performed tomorrow, then from today, you have to observe vrata. The corresponding mantra is:

व्रतमुपैष्यन्। अन्तरेणाहवनीयञ्च गार्हपत्यञ्च प्राङ् तिष्ठन्नप उपस्पृशति तद्यदप उपस्पृशत्यमेध्यो वै पुरुषो यदनृतं वदति तेन पूतिरन्तरतो मेध्या वा आपो मेध्यो भूत्वा व्रतमुपायानीति पवित्रं वा आपः पवित्रपूतो व्रतमुपायानीति तस्माद्वा अप उपस्पृशति

Many interesting points are there in this.

अमेध्यो वै पुरुषः – Man is normally impure.
Why impure? यदनृतं वदति – because man tells lies.
Telling lies is built into man.
Now, don’t say 'I am always honest. I never tell lies.'
That’s what you think you are doing.

Now let’s say someone says that our temples are energy centers; they are not just places of worship. You found it very interesting. You forward this to your contacts. Basically, you are telling something to them—telling something that you heard. Now, are you sure whether this statement is correct? Do you understand the principles of Agama or Tantra to vouch that this concept is correct? Have you gone through the principles of installation of an idol or consecration of a temple to say—yes, this is all about energy? Do you know whether the principles of installation of deity or consecration of a temple involve energy theory? No. You didn’t bother to check. You didn’t bother to verify. You found it interesting and just forwarded it.

Now, if the original statement is true, then there is no problem. But, if the original statement is incorrect, you have uttered a lie. When you forwarded this message, you vouched for it. To the recipient of the message, you have lied.

Are we applying so much discretion to everything that we speak? No, in day-to-day life, we don’t. We take it very casually. But, then, without knowing it, you are lying a lot. That’s why it is said, lying is built into man.

We all say – 'Bhagawan himself has said in the Geeta,' meaning there is no doubt about its authority. Sanjaya is telling this to Dhritarashtra – that I heard the Lord saying all this on the battlefield. Then Vyasa says this is what Sanjaya told Dhritarashtra. Then Vaishampayana says – this is what Vyasa told. Then Ugrashrava Sauti says, this is what Vaisampayana told Janamejaya. And this is coming to you in the form of a book. So, you are reading in a book which says – Ugrashrava said, this is what Vaisampayana said, who was quoting Vyasa Samhita, in which it is said that this is what Sanjaya told Dhritarashtra and he said that this is what he overheard Krishna saying on the battlefield. And after that, we are saying with authority – this is what Bhagawan himself has said.

See how complex it is. Are you sure you are not lying? Have you never lied? Not intentionally, but are you always sure about what you are speaking?

Another perspective: when the world itself is an illusion, a delusion, a big lie, can there be truth in whatever you speak? You say that 'I saw him there yesterday.' Are you sure?

This is why it is said man lies a lot. And with that impurity, he cannot observe a vrata.

So, how can he become pure? By touching water, by drinking water. अप उपस्पृशति – तेन पूतिरन्तरतः
Apastamba Shrouta Sutra says – अप आचामत्युपस्पृशति वा. Either by touching water, you become pure or by doing achamana (sipping water), you become pure. If you do both, all the more better.

But why? Because मेध्या वा आपः पवित्रं वा आपः – Water is always pure. Water is never impure. By being with water, you also become pure.

Suppose you are accompanying a noble, respected person somewhere. You also get respect. Just because you are with him, you are also respected. They don’t know you, but because you are with him, you are also respected. Water is pure, so be with water, you are also pure. As long as you are with water, you are pure. That is why during ritual, if you have to move about, you carry your jala patra with you. Your jala patra has to be always with you. Sages always carry their kamandalu with them, with water in it. As long as you are in the company of water, you are pure.

Now why is water pure? Because water is what remains after pralaya. When the illusion called the world, the untruth called the world is gone, when all the untruth is gone, water is what remains. So there is no untruth in water. Water is always pure.

This is how Vedic concepts are built. If you think that everything can be known through postures and hyperventilation, that may not be all that true. Rituals are important. There is a lot you can learn from rituals. And with every single principle you learn, you grow, you evolve.

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