WHAT IS SANKALPAM ?

Yajur Veda - Sankalpam

Sankalpam is just like an oath (Promise) or resolution  and letting know when, where and what for the mantra/jabam is going to be chanted. It also tells what Mantra is going to be chanted, how many ties to chanted, and what one is going to want in lieu of the effort.

It is a scientifically devised mode to pinpoint a location in the universe. 

To know more about it we should know what is cosmic cycle and cosmic time.  As per Hindu practices, time is connected with the life cycle of Brahma, the creator of the Universe. This is cosmic cycles which are infinitely recurring periods of the universe, comprising its creation, preservation and dissolution.

We have already seen what is Kalpa, Ahortras (2Kalpa), Manvantara, Mahayuga (Chaturyuga), yuga, divine year, human year, ayanam, ridu, month, paksham, thithi, nakshtram etc in our earlier posting on “singnificance of Number 9 – series.

Now we are in the 2^nd half(parardhe is half ) life of Brahma, Sveta Varaha Kalpa, 7^th Manvatara (Vaivasvat), 28^th Mahayuga, earth is Jamboo dveepe ( some even divide earth into 7 dveepas and say India is in Jambu dweepa etc as Vayupuranam ), the King is Bharata, region is Bahara Kande, the place is south of – dakshine parsve -  Meru Mountain (mythological heavenly mountain and not the mountain in India).  We will go into detailed common sankalpa word by word.

".... dviteeya parardhe - in the 2nd half of Brhama's life

Svetavaraha kalpe - in the kalpa of Sveta-Varaha
Vaivaswatha manvantare - in the reining period of the current manu Vaivaswatha
Ashta Vimsati tame - in the 28th mahayuga of the current manavantara
Kaliyuge - in this kali yuga
Prathame Padhe - in the first quarter of this yuga
Jamboodveepe - this denotes the place where the ritual is performed. India
                          was known as Jambudveepa
Bharata Varshe, Bharata Kande - in the land of Bharat
Sakhabde Mero, Dakshine Parsve - to the South of the Meru mountain
Asmin Varthamane Vyavaharike - in the current period now reigning
Prabhavadi Shasti Samvatsaranam Madya - among the cycle of 60 years starting      from Prabhava 

Nama Samvatsare - the name of the year in the 60 year Hindu calendar
....Ayane - Dakshinayane (Aadi to Marghazi) or Uttarayane (Thai to Aani)
....Ritou - denotes the 6 seasons or Ritus - Vasantha, Greeshma, Varsha,

Sharadh, Hemantha and Shishira
....Mase - one of the 12 tamil months
....Pakshe - either Shukla Paksham (day after Amavasya till and including

Pournami) or Krishna Paksham (day after Pournami till and including
Amavasya)

....Subha* Thithou - one of the 15 days between Pournami and Amavasya (Prathama, Dvithiya, Trithiya, Chaturthi, Panchami, Shasti, Saptami, Ashtami,
Navami, Dasami, Ekadasi, Dwadashi, Trayodasi, Chaturdasi, Pournami or Amavasya)

....Vasara Yuktayam - one of the days of the week (Bhanu, Soma, Bhowma, Soumya, Guru, Brugu and Sthira)
....Nakshatra Yuktayam - the day's star or Nakshatram.
…. yogam         - name of yogam during that period of day
…. Karanam     - name of karanam during that period of day

Subha-yOga, Subha-karaNa, Yevam guNa,-viSeshaNa viSishTAyAm, asyAm ……AsyAm Subha* - tithou

... * for good functions we say Subha or tharpaanam etc we say Punya *

After saying the above the name of the ritual is said. The Paramacharya says the Sankalpam is a kind of record of what you performed with finer details going down to the day and location of the ritual.

Mamo partha samastha durithakshaya dwara , (For removing all problems and pains in life,)
Sri Parameshwara preethyartham, (or sri Narayana/Bhagavath prreethyartham/ Kainkaryarupam/Bhagavath Preethyartham – for vaishnava) (for making Lord Parameshwara happy or Narayana Happy)

Sri Parvathi prasada sidhyartham , (the blessings and grace of Goddess Parvathi… You can change or add more god/goddess in place of Parvathi)

Asmaham Sakudumbanam (or Asya Yajamanasya Sakudumbasya - if you are doing it on behalf of another person)
shemasya, dhairyasya, dhairya, vijaya, ayur, arogya, ishwarya, abhivrithyartham (increase in good life, courage, win, life, health, wealth)

(Then choose from the below what desired result you expect from your japa… you can select as many wish as you need)

1. Pathi vasikaranartham (for attracting and keeping husband in hold)
2. Ishta kamyartha sidhyartham (for getting wishes fulfilled)
3. SAkala Vigna Nivruthi Dwara Karya Sidhyartham ( to remove the obstacles and make the attempt successful)
4. Sakala Vyathi Nivruthyartham (to remove all diseases)
5. Gnana vaapthyartham (for knowledge)
6. Sakala vasikaranartham (to attact desired things, including lover)
7. Swaya haara jaya vabyartham (to win in court cases)
8. Abam ruthyu dosha nivru naartham ( to get well from diseases/ for successful operation)
9. Dhana Dhaanya samruthyartham (to get dhanam (money) and dhanyam (materials)
10.Dharamartha kama moksha chathurvidha phala purushartha sidhyartham (to get dharma, desire, wealth, salvation)
11. Sakala san mangala vapthyartha Aroogya druda gathratha sidhyartham (to get healthy body with all blessings)

Then we pronounce what mantra japa we are going to perform

Sri Swayamvaraparvathi maha mantra japam aham karishye / Udagasanthi jabam (I am going to do swayamvaraparvathi japam / udagasanthi jabam etc)
(You can change this “swayamvaraparvathi” with other slokas when you do this sankalpa for others like… Gayatri Maha Mantra Japam Karishya, Sri vishnu sahasranama japam aham karishye .. or sri mahalakshmi astothra japam aham karishye etc.)