Sandhyavandanam (

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion ...

: , ', lit. 'salutation to (Goddess) Twilight' or 'salutation during the twilight') is a mandatory religious ritual centring around the recitation of the

Gayatri mantra The Gāyatrī Mantra, also known as the Sāvitri Mantra, is a highly revered mantra from the '' Rig Veda'' ( Mandala 3.62.10), dedicated to the Vedic deity Savitr. is the name of the Goddess of the Vedic meter in which the verse is composed. ...

, traditionally supposed to be performed three times a day by '' Dvija'' communities of

Hindus Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

,Dvija
Encyclopedia Britannica (2014) particularly those initiated through the sacred thread ceremony referred to as the

Upanayanam ''Upanayana'' ( sa, उपनयनम्, lit=initiation, translit=Upanāyanam) is a Hindu educational sacrament, one of the traditional saṃskāras or rites of passage that marked the acceptance of a student by a preceptor, such as a ''guru'' ...

and instructed in its execution by a ''

Guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan- Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverential ...

'', in this case one qualified to teach Vedic ritual. Sandhyopasana is considered as a path to attain salvation (moksha). Practice of Sandhyā in

Ramayana The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th to 4th centuries BCE, and later stages ...

and

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the '' Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the K ...

Rama Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bei ...

and

Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is on ...

can be observed. In Balakanda (23.2, 23.2) of Ramayana, Viswamitra wakes Rama and Lakshmana up at the break of the dawn for the worship of sandhyā. In Udyogaparva (82.21) of Mahabharata there is reference to Krishna performing Sandhya.

Definition of Sandhyā

Sir

Monier-Williams Sir Monier Monier-Williams (; né Williams; 12 November 1819 – 11 April 1899) was a British scholar who was the second Boden Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford University, England. He studied, documented and taught Asian languages, especially ...

translated as

twilight Twilight is light produced by sunlight scattering in the upper atmosphere, when the Sun is below the horizon, which illuminates the lower atmosphere and the Earth's surface. The word twilight can also refer to the periods of time when this i ...

(i.e. the period between night and day), as well as "the religious acts performed by Brahmans and twice-born men at the above three divisions of the day". The Sandhyāvandanam consists of ritual recitation from the

Vedas upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute th ...

. These rituals are performed three times a day - at morning ('), noon (') and evening (').

The Gayatri mantra

The

, the central mantra of the Sandhyavandanam, has 24 syllables: : ' : ' : ' : ' :– Rigveda 3.62.10

Stephanie W. Jamison Stephanie Wroth Jamison (born July 17, 1948) is an American linguist, currently at University of California, Los Angeles and an Elected Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. She did her doctoral work at Yale University as a student ...

and Joel P. Brereton translated the mantra as, "Might we make our own that desirable effulgence of god

Savitar Savitar may refer to: *Savitr, or Savitar, a Vedic solar deity associated with the Aditya class of divinities *Savitar (comics), a supervillain published by DC Comics *Savitar, a character from Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter series *''Savitar'', th ...

, who will rouse forth our insights."

Sandhyākāla

Sandhyākāla is also defined as the ''time to perform Sandhyā''. Traditionally, the day is divided by 5 parts, each having an interval of 2 hour and 24 minutes. They are ''prātaḥ-kālaḥ'' (early morning), ''pūrvahna'' (forenoon), ''madhyāhna'' (around noon), ''aparāhna'' (afternoon), ''sāyāhna'' (evening). As per Hindu traditional calendar, the day which starts with sunrise (i.e. from midnight of previous night until sunrise is considered part of previous day). A Sandhyākāla is 72 minutes (i.e. 3 ghaṭīs of 24 minutes). # Prātassandhyā spans from two ghaṭīs before sunrise and until one ghaṭī after. # Madhyāhna sandhyā spans from one and half ghaṭī before noon and until one and half ghaṭī after. # Sāyam sandhyā spans from one ghaṭī before sunset and until two ghaṭīs after.

Direction of Sandhyāvandanam

The Sandhyāvandanam is traditionally done facing the east in the morning sandhyā (doing Gāyatrījapa until sunrise), the north in the noon and the west in the evening sandhyā (doing Gāyatrījapa until stars rise). In the evening, only ''āchamana'' part is performed in east or north.

Parts of Sandhyā Vandanam

As per the work Sandhyātattvasubhodini, the ''Sāṅgopāṅga Sandhyāvandanam'' (lit. Sandhyāvandanam with all the essential and subsidiary parts) consists of different components termed as aṅgas (lit. limbs). Apart from the principal ''aṅgi'' it has 5 anterior parts (pūrvāṅga) and 5 posterior parts (uttarāṅga). Before commencement of the 5 pūrvāṅgas, there are 3 angas: Ācamanaṃ (आचमनम्), Prāṇāyāmaḥ (प्राणायामः) and Sankalpaḥ (सङ्कल्पः), which are not mentioned separately. These 5 pūrvāṅgas are: # ''Prathama Mārjanaṃ'' (प्रथममार्जनम्, First cleansing) # ''Mantrācamanaṃ'' (मन्त्राचमनम्, Water-sipping via Vedic mantras) # ''Punarmārjanaṃ'' (पुनर्मार्जनम्, Second cleansing. Also known as Dvitīyamārjanaṃ) # ''Pāpavimocana Mantram'' (पापविमोचन मन्त्रम्, Liberation from sins. Also known as Aghamarṣaṇa) # ''Arghyapradānam'' (अर्घ्यप्रदानम्, Offering of water to the Sun ( Sūrya)) The principal part is the Sandhyopāsanā mantram (सन्ध्योपासना मन्त्रम्), which involves contemplation on

Brahman In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...

, referred as 'Brahmabhāvanam'. This Upāsanā mantra is also referred as Dhyānam part in Sandhyāvandanam by the

smriti ''Smriti'' ( sa, स्मृति, IAST: '), literally "that which is remembered" are a body of Hindu texts usually attributed to an author, traditionally written down, in contrast to Śrutis (the Vedic literature) considered authorless, that ...

s. However, few smritis such as by Manu and Āśvalāyana consider Gāyatrījapaḥ as the principle one. The 5 ''uttarāṅgas'' are: # ''Gāyatrījapaḥ'' (गायत्रीजपः, Deep meditation with the chanting of

) # ''Sūrya-Upasthānaṃ'' (सूर्योपस्थानम्, Adoration in the presence of the Sun with Vedic mantras) # ''Dik Namaskāraḥ'' (दिङ्नमस्कारः, Salutation to the Devatas in all the

cardinal direction The four cardinal directions, or cardinal points, are the four main compass directions: north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials N, E, S, and W respectively. Relative to north, the directions east, south, and west are ...

s) # ''Bhūmyākāśa ābhivandanam'' (भूम्याकाशाभिवन्दनम्, Respectful salutation to the Sky ( Dyaus Pitṛ) and the Earth (pṛthivī)) # ''Abhivādanam'' (अभिवादनम्, Formal salutation by reciting ones'

Gotra In Hindu culture, the term gotra (Sanskrit: गोत्र) is considered to be equivalent to lineage. It broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor or patriline. Generally, the gotra ...

and Pravara) In addition to the above Vedic components of the Sandhyāvandanam, many include the following due to Tantric influences: # ''Gayatri tarpaṇaṃ'' (तर्पणम्), nyāsa (न्यासः) and Mudrāpradarśanam (मुद्राप्रदर्शनम्) are performed in Yajurveda Sandhyāvandanam due to Śiṣṭācāra. # ''

Navagraha Navagraha are nine heavenly bodies and deities that influence human life on Earth according to Hinduism and Hindu astrology. The term is derived from ''nava'' ( sa, नव "nine") and ''graha'' ( sa, ग्रह "planet, seizing, laying hold of, ...

tarpaṇam'' are offerings made every day to each of the 9 planets.

Accessories for Sandhyā

Pañcapātra

A Pañcapātra is the set of holy utensils used for Hindu rituals containing plate (''thāḷī, laghupātra'') and ritualistic spoon (''uddhariṇī''/''ācamanī'').

Āsana

As per vyāsa and parāśara, a seat (''Āsana'') for japa is traditionally made of silk (''kauśeya'') or blanket (''kambala'') or skin (''ajina'') or wood (''dāruja'') or (

palm Palm most commonly refers to: * Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand * Palm plants, of family Arecaceae **List of Arecaceae genera * Several other plants known as "palm" Palm or Palms may also refer to: Music * Palm (ba ...

) leaves (tālapatra). Hindu texts cite various spiritual and material benefits or drawbacks depending on different materials used for the seat.

Japamāla

A Japamāla is often used for counting the number of recitations in Gayatri japa. An Āsanamantra typically chanted before taking seat.

Tilakadhāraṇa

The Tilakadhāraṇa is a holy mark (

Tilaka In Dharmic culture, the ''tilaka'' ( sa, तिलक) () is a mark worn usually on the forehead, at the point of the Ajna chakra, or sometimes another part of the body such as the neck, hand, chest or arm. ''Tilaka'' may be worn daily or for ...

) made on the forehead as per the local tradition before commencement of Sandhyā. ''Kumkuma'', ''gandha'', ''gopichandana'' and ''bhasma'' are often used for marking. Saivaites and Smartas mark tripuṇḍram, while, vaishnavaites mark ūrdhvapuṇḍram. ''Tripuṇḍram'' (

:त्रिपुण्ड्रम्) or Tripuṇḍraka refers to the “three parallel lines of ash marks over the forehead”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 1.18. ''Ūrddhvapuṇḍram'' (ऊर्द्ध्वपुण्ड्रम्) is a perpendicular line on the forehead made with Sandal, &c. a Vaishnava mark. Traditional authorities strictly advised against doing Sandhyā without tilakadhāraṇa.

Upavītam

The yajñopavītam (

: यज्ञोपवीतम्, sacred thread) worn as upavīta (i.e. in the proper manner of wearing it from over the left shoulder and under the right arm) is cited as a necessity for performing the Sandhyavandanam.PV Kane
History of Dharmasastra
Volume 2.1, 1st Edition, pages 290-293

Yajurveda Sandhyāvandanam

It is usual practice to recite mantras from one's own Veda in Sandhyāvandanam. The procedure below are given taken from the Taittirīya śākha of (Kriṣna)

Yajurveda The ''Yajurveda'' ( sa, यजुर्वेद, ', from ' meaning "worship", and ''veda'' meaning "knowledge") is the Veda primarily of prose mantras for worship rituals.Michael Witzel (2003), "Vedas and Upaniṣads", in ''The Blackwell C ...

as followed by Telugu people adhering to the smarta tradition. The mantras used in ''Prāṇāyāma, Mantrācamana, Gāyatrī āhvānam, Devatānamaskāraḥ'' and ''Gāyatrī Prasthānam'' are directly from

Mahanarayana Upanishad The ''Mahanarayana Upanishad'' ( sa, महानारायण उपनिषद्, IAST: Mahānārāyaṇa Upaniṣad) is an ancient Sanskrit text, and is one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism. The text is classified as a Vaishnava Upa ...

(Andhra rescension containing 80 anuvakas).

Mānasasnānam

Sandhyāvandanam starts with mānasasnānam (lit. mind bath) that involves ''viṣṇusmaraṇaṃ'' (remembrance of Vishnu): By uttering the above chant, water is sprinkled on head three times.

Ācamana

Achamana Āchamanam (Sanskrit: , ') is part of any ritual in the Hindu tradition and is done in the starting. It is a purification ritual that is believed to cure all physical and mental impurities. Types of Āchamanam There are three types of Āchamanam ...

involves sipping of water three times without thinking of the self in any way, but meditating on the ‘Supreme Atman”. Achamana is done only in two directions, the East or North. There are three types of Āchamanam, namely, Śrautācamanam (

: ), Smṛtyācamanam (

: ) and Purāṇācamanam (

: ). Since, this is the first āchamana in Sandhyāvandanam, the sipping of water should be Purāṇācamana (i.e. 24 names of Vishnu starting with Om Keśavāya swāha & Co). Then, one Smṛtyācāmana and Bhūtocchāṭana are performed.

Prāṇāyāma

Prāṇāyāma refers to the practice of controlled breathing in meditation. It consists of three processes, first is ''inhalation'' that involves breathing in slowly through the right nostril; called as pūraka (पूरकः). The second is ''retention'' that involves retaining the breath by closing both nostrils, for a period more or less prolonged; called as kumbhaka (कुम्भक). As per Yajnavalkya smriti, the Gayatri mantra with its ''śiras'' (head) and preceded by the 7 ''vyāhṛtīs''; to each of which the syllable Om should be added. This chanting has to be done thrice during kumbhaka. Then, the third is ''exhalation'' that involves breathing out slowly through the other nostril; called as recaka (रेचकः).

Sankalpa

Sankalpa means taking the resolve. Then, Jalābhimantraṇam is done while reciting the

to purify the water just before ''Prathama Mārjana''.

Prathama Mārjana

''Marjanam'' is also known as ''Mantrasnānam'' (bath with mantras). Mantras commonly used here praise water as a source of nourishment, medicines and energy.

Mantrācamana

Mantrācamanaṃ or Jalaprāśanaṃ is sipping of water by reciting relevant Vedic mantras for internal purification in order to perform ritual acts. One offers water consecrated by mantras in the fire present in the mouth – contemplating that body, mind and heart have been cleansed. Sins specified include: Mental, i.e. evil thoughts, anger, Oral, i.e. lies, abuses and Physical, i.e. theft, prohibited sexual act, consuming undesirable food, crushing creatures under the feet. Seek emancipation of sins committed during the day or night.

Punarmārjana

Smṛtyācāmana is performed two times. Then the Punarmārjanaṃ, or second cleansing is done.

Aghamarṣaṇaṃ

Aghamarṣaṇaṃ is intended to liberate from sins with a few drops of water in the hand, chant the related mantra and mentally induce 'Pāpapuruṣa' to come out through the nose into the water and it is throw it away to the left side. In Yajurveda sandhya, the meaning of mantra is

Arghyapradāna

One Smṛtyācāmana and one Prāṇāyāma are performed. Then, ''arghyapradāna'' means offering of water to the Sun with two hands as laid down in the Grihyasutras. A handful of water is taken in two hands cupped together, standing in front of the Sun. Then recite the Sāvitri (i.e. Gayatri mantra) preceded by the vyāhṛtis and the pranava (i.e. om kāra). Arghya has to be offered thrice. These three arghyas destroy the mandeha rakshasas fighting the Sun every sandhya.. If there is delay in sandhya by exceeding the sandhya time, then Prāyaścitta arghya (i.e. fourth one) is given.

Sandhyopāsanā (Dhyāna)

The sun is then contemplated as the

brahman In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...

(i.e.the supreme reality) through the mantra asā'vādityo brahmā (

:असाऽवादित्यो ब्रह्मा, lit. this Āditya is indeed the ''Brahman''). Smartas who adhere to

advaita ''Advaita Vedanta'' (; sa, अद्वैत वेदान्त, ) is a Hindu sādhanā, a path of spiritual discipline and experience, and the oldest extant tradition of the orthodox Hindu school Vedānta. The term ''Advaita'' ( ...

utter additional verse '' So'ham asmi. Aham brahmāsmi.'' (

:सोऽहमस्मि। अहं ब्रह्मास्मि॥, lit. ''this is I''. ''I am Brahman'').

Tarpaṇaṃ

Then, two times Smṛtyācāmana and three times Prāṇāyāma are performed. Tarpana is a term in the Vedic practice which refers to an offering made to divine entities, where some water is taken in the right hand and poured over the straightened fingers. In Sandhyā, Four devatarpaṇas are offered for Sandhyā devata.

Gāyatrī āhvānam

In Gāyatrī āhvānam (lit. invitation of Gāyatrī), the Sandhyādevata is invited by relevant Vedic mantras. One Śrautācāmana and one Prāṇāyāma are performed. Then ''Gāyatrī japa sankalpa'' is told.

Nyāsa

In nyāsa mental appropriation or assignment of various parts of the body to tutelary deities is done just before and after Gāyatrī japam. There are two nyāsas, karanyāsa and aṅganyāsa that involves "ritualistic placing of the finger over the different parts of the body as prescribed" with related ancillary mantras. When done before japa, aṅganyāsa ends with the utterance ''digbandhaḥ'' (invoking protection from eight cardinals) and when done after, it ends with the utterance ''digvimokaḥ'' (releasing the protection). Then, Gāyatrīdhyāna mantra is uttered.

Mudrāpradarśanam

Mudrāpradarśana is showing different mudras before and after the japa. These mudras are to be shown just after nyāsa. The mudras in Sandhyāvandanam are 32 in number, where 24 are pūrva mudras shown before the japa{{refn, group=note, Uttering the below sloka 24 mudras are to be shown
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sumukhaṃ sampuṭam caiva vitataṃ visṛtaṃ tathā
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dvimukhaṃ trimukhaṃ caiva catuḥ pañcamukhaṃ tathā
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ṣaṇmukho'dhomukham caiva vyāpakāñjaliṃ tathā
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śakaṭam yamapāśam ca gradhikam sammukhonmukhaṃ
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pralambam muṣtikam caiva matsyaḥ kūrmo varāhakam
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simhākrāntam mahākrāntam mudgaram pallavam tathaa and the remaining 8 are shown after it. After showing 24 mudras, the following sloka that emphasizes on showing mudras is to be uttered: {{quote, ''{{IAST, caturvimśati mudravaigāyatryāṃ supratiṣṭhitāḥ
(itimudrā najānāti gāyatrī niṣphalābhavet)''

Gāyatri is well-established in these 24 mudras. If these mudras are not known then gayatri (japa) becomes fruitless.

Gāyatrī mantra (Japa)

{{See also, Gayatri_Mantra#Textual_appearances Just before the japa, the Gāyatrī mantrārtha śloka that gives the meaning of Gayatri mantra is uttered. The Gayatri mantra is chanted either 1008,{{refn, group=note, Referred as ''sahasra gāyatrī''. 108,{{refn, group=note, Referred as ''aṣṭottara-śata gāyatrī''. 54,{{refn, group=note, Referred as ''caturpancāśat gāyatrī''. 28{{refn, group=note, Referred as ''aṣṭāvimśati gāyatrī''. or at least 10{{refn, group=note, Referred as ''daśa gāyatrī''. times using some '' japamāla'' or even ''karamāla''. Meditation upon the solar deity is done. He is considered the absolute reality (i.e. Parabrahman) settled in the lotus heart (''hṛtpadma'') of all beings. The counting should be made on the right hand which should be covered with a cloth. There are 3 ways of doing a Japa, namely, vācika, where the mantra is pronounced clearly and aloud, upāmśu, where the lips move quietly and only the meditator hears the mantra and mānasa (or mānasika), purely mental recitation of the mantra.

Gāyatrī japāvasānam

One Śrautācāmana and one Prāṇāyāma are performed. Then ''Gāyatrī japāvasāna sankalpa'' is told. Then, ''nyasa'' is again performed; this time ending with the utterance ''digvimokaḥ'' and ''Gāyatrīdhyāna mantra'' is uttered. After that the remaining 8 uttara mudras are shown. Then, the fruit of japa is offered to

by uttering Om tat sat brahmārpaṇam astu (

:ॐ तत्सत् ब्रह्मार्पणमस्तु, lit. That is truth; (fruit of japa) offered to

Sūryopasthānaṃ

One Smṛtyācāmana and three times Prāṇāyāma are performed. In upasthānaṃ, some mantras related to Mitra (in the morning), Surya (in the solar noon) and Varuna (in the evening) are chanted by standing and facing towards sun. In the morning face east, in the noon face north and in the evening face west.

Digdevata vandanam

Digdevata vandanam or Dik Namaskāraḥ involves prayers to the lords of the cardinal directions, Indra, Agni, Yama, Nirutha, Varuna, Vayu, Soma, Eeashana, Brahma and Vishnu. They are witnesses to all our deeds. The ideals represented by each of them will provide a direction to us in our march ahead. Then, Munina maskāraḥ and Devatā namaskāraḥ are performed, where salutations to the munis and devatas. Among smartas, additionally, Hariharābheda smaraṇam is done by

smartas The ''Smarta'' tradition ( sa, स्मार्त), also called Smartism, is a movement in Hinduism that developed and expanded with the Puranas genre of literature. It reflects a synthesis of four philosophical strands, namely Mimamsa, ...

to contemplate on the oneness of Siva and

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...

Gāyatrī Prasthānam

Gāyatrī Prasthānam or ''Udvāsana'' involves bidding farewell to the Sandhyādevata by relevant Vedic mantras.

Nārāyaṇābhivandanam

Lord Nārayaṇa is hailed by chanting relevant mantra.{{refn, group=note, namo'stvanantāya sahasramūrtaye
sahasrapādākṣi śirorubāhave
sahasranāmne puruṣāya śāśvate
sahasrakoṭi yugadhāriṇe namaḥ

Bhūmyākāśa ābhivandanam

The Sky ( Dyaus Pitṛ) and the Earth (

Pṛthivī Prithvi or Prithvi Mata (Sanskrit: पृथ्वी, ', also पृथिवी, ', "the Vast One") is the Sanskrit name for the earth, as well as the name of a devi (goddess) in Hinduism and some branches of Buddhism. In the Vedas, her cons ...

) are offered salutations by considering them as parents by Sāṣṭāṅga Namaskāra with relevant Vedic mantras from ''Taittiriya Brahamana''.

Iśvara Prārthanā

Lord

Vāsudeva Vāsudeva ( sa, वासुदेव, ), later incorporated as Vāsudeva-Krishna (, " Krishna, son of Vasudeva"),"While the earliest piece of evidence do not yet use the name Krsna...." in Krishna-Vāsudeva or simply Krishna, was the son of ...

(i.e. Krishna) is hailed by chanting relevant mantras.{{refn, group=note, Ākāśāt patitam toyam।
yathā gacchati sāgaram।
sarva deva namaskāraḥ।
keśavam pratigacchati॥

sarvavedeṣu yatpuṇyaṃ।
sarvatīrtheṣu yatphalaṃ।
tatphalaṃ purusha āpnoti।
stutvā devaṃ janārthanam॥

vāsanāt vāsudevasya।
vāsitam te bhuvanatrayam।
sarvabhūtanivāso'si।
vāsudeva namo'stu te॥

Abhivādanam

It is formal salutation by reciting one's

and Pravara. It is also an expression of gratitude to the teachers (Rishis) for transmitting divine wisdom to the next generation. It is customary to mention the name, gotra, pravara, adhered dharmasutra (of

Kalpa Kalevan Pallo (KalPa) is a professional ice hockey team which competes in the Finnish Liiga. They play in Kuopio, Finland at the Olvi Areena. Team history Established in 1929 as ''Sortavalan Palloseura'' in Sortavala, the club relocated to Kuop ...

) and the Veda followed along with its ''śakha'' (

recension Recension is the practice of editing or revising a text based on critical analysis. When referring to manuscripts, this may be a revision by another author. The term is derived from Latin ''recensio'' ("review, analysis"). In textual criticism (as ...

). A typical abhivādana(recitation of pravara) of a Yajuevedin is as follows {{quote, ''{{IAST, catussāgara paryantaṃ go brāhmaṇebhyaśśubham bhavatu
....ṛṣeya pravarānvita
....gotraḥ, .......sūtraḥ
....yajuśśākhādhyāyi
....śarmā'haṃ bho abhivādaye''{{refn, group=note, चतुस्सागर पर्यन्तं गो ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्शुभम् भवतु
....ऋशेय प्रवरान्वित
....गोत्रः, ........सूत्रः
....यजुश्शाखाध्यायी
....शर्माऽहं भो अभिवादये In the above abhivādana,

Kshatriyas Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the c ...

and Vyshyas replace ''śarmā'' with varmā and guptā respectively.

Samarpaṇam

One Purāṇācamana and one Smṛtyācāmana are performed. Then, Samarpaṇam is done to note that the entire process was undertaken with an intent to please Him as per His directions. The fruits of such act are also placed at His disposal. He distributes them equitably. A philosophy of total surrender to Him is embedded here. This can only mollify our pride and implant humility. {{quote, ''{{IAST, kāyena vācā manasendriyairvā
buddhyātmanā vā prakṛteḥ svabhāvāt
karomi yadyatsakalaṃ parasmai
nārāyaṇāyeti samarpayāmi''{{refn, group=note, {{lang, sa, कायेन वाचा मनसेन्द्रियैर्वा। बुद्ध्यात्मना वा प्रकृतेः स्वभावात्। करोमि यद्यत्सकलं परस्मै। नारायणायेति समर्पयामि॥ {{quote, My body, speech, mind, senses,
intellect, essence, or outer and inner tendencies,
All that I will do over and over,
to the supreme Nārāyaṇa I offer.

Kṣamāpaṇam

Finally, Kṣamāpaṇam (lit. begging pardon (from the God)) is done to seek pardon for acts of omission / error that might have been committed by chanting three of His names thrice.Even with best of intentions and utmost care, inadequacies can creep in. It pays to look back, correct mistakes and strive to improvise.

Daily duties of Brahmins

Doing Sandhya-vandana first creates the eligibility for a Brahmin to do all rituals following it. Rituals done without doing sandhya-vandanam are regarded as fruitless by

Dharmaśāstra ''Dharmaśāstra'' ( sa, धर्मशास्त्र) is a genre of Sanskrit texts on law and conduct, and refers to the treatises ( śāstras) on dharma. Unlike Dharmasūtra which are based upon Vedas, these texts are mainly based on ...

. Thus, sandhyavandanam forms the basis or regarded as the foundation for all other vedic rituals. After doing Sandhyavandanam ( mādhyāhnika-sandhyā ) to get rid off sins occurred due preparation of lunch like boiling rice, cutting vegetables, burning firewood etc. In Vaishvadeva homa rice cakes are offered to vishvadevas (all devatas). As per Śāṅkhāyana-gṛhya-sūtra Adhyāya II, Khaṇḍa 9, a person should go in the forest, with a piece of wood in his hand, seated, he performs the Sandhyā (twilight/dusk?) constantly, observing silence, turning his face north-west, to the region between the chief (west) point and the intermediate (north-western) point (of the horizon), until the stars appear and by murmuring the Mahāvyāhṛtis, the Sāvitrī, and the auspicious hymns when (Sandhya-dusk?) passed. In the same way during dawn, turning his face to the east, standing, until the disk of the sun appears. And when (the sun) has risen, the study (of the Veda) goes on.

Miscellaneous

Other aspects of the ritual, though, speaking strictly, not included in Sandhyavandanam, may include

meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm ...

, chanting of other mantras (Sanskrit: '' japa''), and devotional practices specifically for divinities that are preferred by the practitioner. Regarding the connection with meditation practices, Monier-Williams notes that if regarded as an act of meditation, the ''{{IAST, sandhyā'' may be connected with the etymology ''{{IAST, san-dhyai''. Depending on the beliefs —

Smartha The ''Smarta'' tradition ( sa, स्मार्त), also called Smartism, is a movement in Hinduism that developed and expanded with the Puranas genre of literature. It reflects a synthesis of four philosophical strands, namely Mimamsa, ...

Sri Vaishnava Sri Vaishnavism, or the Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya, is a denomination within the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism. The name refers to goddess Lakshmi (also known as Sri), as well as a prefix that means "sacred, revered", and the god Vishnu, who ...

Madhva Madhvacharya (; ; CE 1199-1278 or CE 1238–1317), sometimes anglicised as Madhva Acharya, and also known as Purna Prajna () and Ānanda Tīrtha, was an Indian philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the ''Dvaita'' (dualism) schoo ...

— these mantras or procedures have slight changes, while the main mantras like mārjanaṃ (sprinkling of water), prāśanaṃ (drinking water), punar-mārjanaṃ and arghya-pradānaṃ remain the same in 95% of the cases. Smārtas (Advaitins) have aikyānu-Sandhānam, where they (Yajur Vedins) recite the verse from bṛhadāraṇyaka Upanishad ( brahmair vāhaṃ asmi ). Sivaprasad Bhattacharya defines it as the "Hindu code of liturgical prayers."For a definition see Bhattacharyya, Sivaprasad. "Indian Hymnology", in Radhakrishnan (CHI, 1956), volume 4, p. 474. Sri Thillasthanam Swamy Kainkarya Sabha, Bangalore have brought out a book on Sandhyāvandanaṃ modelled as a Guide with all the hymns in Devanāgari, Tamil and Kannaḍa scripts and the meanings of each hymn and explanations in English for better appreciation. For more details please visit the sabha website http://www.thillasthanam-swamy-sabha.in

Bibliography

* {{cite book , title = Sandhyavandana: With the Bhashya of Vedanti Sitaram Sastri (online text), url = https://archive.org/stream/SandhyavandanaBhashyam#page/n0/mode/1up , authors=Ed. Dewan Bahadur T.R.Ramachandra Iyer, C. Sankara Rama Sastri, publisher= Sri Balamanorama Press, Madras , year=1931

References

{{Reflist

Sources

*{{cite book , last=Balu , first=Meenakshi , title=Rig Veda Trikaala Sandhyaavandanam , year=2006 , publisher=MB Publishers , location=Chennai , isbn=81-8124-071-5 (fourth revised & enlarged edition). *{{cite book , last=Balu , first=Meenakshi , title=Yajur Veda Trikaala Sandhyaavandanam (Abasthampam & Bodhayanam) , year=2008 , publisher=Giri Trading , location=Chennai , isbn=978-81-7950-451-2 (First Edition). *{{cite book , last=Apte , first=Vaman Shivram , title=The Practical Sanskrit Dictionary , year=1965 , publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishers , location=Delhi , isbn=81-208-0567-4 (fourth revised & enlarged edition). *{{cite book , last=Radhakrishnan , first=Sarvepalli (Editorial Chairman), author-link=Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan , title=The Cultural Heritage of India , year=1956 , publisher=The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture , location=Calcutta Second edition, four volumes, revised and enlarged, 1956 (volume IV). *{{cite book , last=Taimni , author-link=I. K. Taimni , first=I. K., title=Gāyatrī, year=1978 , publisher=The Theosophical Publishing House, location=Adyar, Chennai, India , isbn=81-7059-084-1 (Second Revised Edition). *{{cite book , last=Taimni , author-link=I. K. Taimni , first=I. K., title=Gāyatrī, year=1978 , publisher=The Theosophical Publishing House, location=Adyar, Chennai, India , isbn=81-7059-084-1 (Second Revised Edition

Notes

{{Reflist, group=note {{Worship in Hinduism Rituals in Hindu worship Hindu prayer and meditation Meditation Evening