Mahanyasam is designed for purification of body. Nyasam means retraction. Putting pressure on various body ports will influence body to focus on a particular subject. While doing mantra anushtanam, without nyasam it can not be said to be fruitful. For japa arhata, mano vak kaya karma is required. Nyasam contains rushi, devata, chandas, etc and then karanyasam and anganyasam. After that we can chant the dhyana shlokam, of a particular devata. Even in Sandhyavandanam before we do gayatri japa, we perform nyasam. Nyasam contains mantram and also tantram.
Na rudro rudramarchayet – without becoming rudra, we can not do archana of Rudra. For us to become rudra, we must perform Mahanyasam. Rudra is present in every place. But specifically we look for some places and reinduce the feeling of the presence of Rudra.
After doing Manyasam and perform Shivarchana, it is said that we get the punya of donating 100 cows.
Mahanyasam should be done atlreast once in a month, karthika masam, arudra nakshatram, masa shivaratri. atleast once in week on monday, or atleast once in a 15 days. or any parvadina. Doing it on a special purpose. would be very fruitful. E.g. for nakshatra shanti. For navagraha shanti, like shani shanti, it is recommended to do mahanyasam purvaka rudraabhishekam and rudra archana.
atirudram, maharudram, laghurudram, ekadasa rudram, ekavara rudra are done. Manyam takes 3 hours and should be done on empty stomach. and preferably in mordning. There is a preferred protocol to perform nyasam. something like a dresscode and appearance accesories. viz vesha dharana. We should wear panchakattu and kanduva. We should do deepa aradhana. vibhuti dharana, wearing a mala. i.e. rudrakshamala. achanam should be done and white akshatas should be used. Chant the sankalpam.
Does chanting purify the body?
Our body is built with blood, skin etc. and considered impured. We perform bath on the outside of body. For devotional purpose, we must clean outside and also inside. We do this cleaning with Nyasam along with mantra and specific pressure applied on specific parts of body.
There is a deep connection between body and mind. Mind is able to control the body movements. So purified thoughts in mind can be penetrated through out the body. A thought of purification in the mind can make the body purified.