Artile Courtsey: M. Subramanian, Mumbai (Camp U.S.A.)
This article is on one of the practices widely used by Indian Brahmins all over using a Holy Grass named Dharbham or Dharbai . In all the functions, auspicious or inauspicious, the performing person needs to wear a ring made of this Dharbham. But many have lost the reason of why it is to be used in the first place. What I learnt from my grandfather is proved to be correct by a Medicine Practitioner. A Doctor named Sadhashiv Rao, once visited my home.
When the talk turned to many subjects, I needed to tell him about the Holy Grass named Dharbham. When I told him about the sage and the values, he could not just believe my words. So, he took out a bunch of the Dharbham from me, went straight to the clinic to take an x-ray of his palm, by covering his hand with the Dharbham. To his utter surprise, he found that the grass absorbed bout 60% of the radiation!
When the so powerful X-ray radiation can be absorbed by the Holy Grass, why can it not absorb the ill radiations spread over the atmosphere? While chanting and reciting some Vedic phrases and versus, one needs to wear a ring made of Dharbham on his right hand ring finger. The count of leaves depends upon the function that is held viz.: for some functions related to death only Single leafed Dharbham is used; for Auspicious and daily routine a ring made of two leaves is used; for inauspicious but not death related functions, (i.e. Amavasya Tharppanam, Pithru Pooja etc.) a three leaf Dharbham ring is used. And for the Temple Prayer and Pooja, Four-leaf Dharbham ring is used. Also, when a fire ritual known as Agni Santana is performed, these Dharbham are spread all the four sides of the Agni Kundam. Also, during the Eclipse time, these Dharbham are used to cover all food items to protect these from the harmful ultraviolet radiation.
Whenever any function is held, firstly they perform a site-cleansing act known as “Sudhhi Punyaahavachanam”. While reciting the selective versus, they hold the Dharbham bunch in their hand and placing the tip point of it over the vessel containing water. Thus the recited vibration values are absorbed by water in the vessel through the Dharbham. They found that the Holy Grass known as Dharbham has the highest value in conducting the phonetic vibrations through its tip. Later, they sprinkle the Holy water at every nook and corner of the place, where the function is held.
A Dharbham without the tip is considered of no value, as the conductor-type value is lost in it. My grandfather, Late. Shri. Sivarama Iyer of Mullaivasal, fond called by everyone as Siva has given me these immense values of Dharbham and its usage. With Sanskrit phonetic sound and vibration, using the Dharbham increases its value. The usage varies according to the functions. It is really a marvel, that in those days of Vedic Era, the Sages, Saints of Hindu used to control the Magnetic path disturbances, just by simply using this Dharbham!. Apart from the above, Dharbham cannot be planted and grown every where. It only grows naturally at selective places and available almost in every state in India. Some learned scholars name it after Saint Vishwaamitra hence Dharbham is known and called as Vishwaamitra. If it is kept for a longer time, say for more than six months, then it loses it value and the power of absorbing the radiation or magnetic path control values. Dharbham cannot just be plucked straight or cut on anyday; There is a specific Slokha that is to be recited before cutting it; That too it can be cut only on the day next to Full Moon - known as Krishna Paksha Pradamai.
A Dharbham without its tip portion is not to be usedfor making a Ring like item known as "Pavithram".
