PART III SAAYAM SANDHYAA-VANDANAM,
EVENING PRAYER
1. Wash your feet, rinse your mouth, have kumkum
or namam on forehead and sit down to
pray facing East. Then Chant the following: “Apavitrah pavitroe vaa sarva avasthaam angatoe-pivaa | Yas smaret pundareeka-akshaam
sabaahyaabhyantarah suchih”
[Under all
circumstances performer of the ritual gets purified however impure he may be by
recalling the name of the lotus eyed Lord]
Some schools of
thought mention of facing north, the path to heaven as it is dark. But Sun is
ever present and earth misses Sun at certain places due to its own rotation.
2. Do Aachamanam (sip the water after
chanting each mantra)—Keep the right hand in a cup form; hold water poured from
the spoon from left hand; drink after chanting each mantra (3 mantras)—a) Om Achyutaaya Namah (sip) b) Om Anantaaya Namah (sip) c) Om
Govindaaya Namah (sip). Then touch
the various parts of the body with the fingers chanting each mantra as
indicated: “ A) Om Kesavaaya Namah
(right cheek with the thumb);
B) Om Narayanaaya Namah (left cheek
with the thumb); C) Om Maadhavaaya Namah
(right eye with ring finger); D) Om Govindaaya Namah (left eye with the
ring finger); E) Om Vishnave Namah (right
nose with index finger); F) Om Madhusoodanaaya Namah (left nose with
index finger); G) Om Trivikramaaya Namah (right ear with little finger); H) Om
Vaamanaaya Namah (left ear with
little finger) ; I) Om Sridharaaya Namah (right
shoulder with middle finger); J) Om
Hrisheekesaaya Namah (left
shoulder with middle finger) K) Om
Padmanaabhaaya Namah (belly button with four fingers leaving the thumb) L) Om Daamoedaraaya Namah (top of head with
all fingers).
[These are
obeisance to twelve emanations of Vishnu]
3. Do Praanaayaama: This is breathing exercise
and chanting. Close the left nostril with little finger and ring finger and
release the breathe (exhale); then close the right nostril firmly
with thumb; breath in from the left nostril. Close both the nostrils and hold
the breathe, close the mouth and chant the following mantra—“Om Bhuh, Om Bhuvah, Om Suvah,
Om Mahah, Om Janah, Om Tapah, Ogum Satyam, Om Tatsavitur Varenyam, Bhargoe
Devasya Dheemahi Dheeyoe Yoe Nah Prachoedayaat Om Aapoe Jyoetee Rasoe Amritam Brahma Bhoor Bhuvas Suvaroem”.
(Please remember this mantra and Aachamana mantra as these will be repeated
many times).
[Om is
Earth. Om is Sky. Om is Heaven. Om is Middle region. Om is
Place of Birth. Om is Mansion of the Blessed. Om is Abode of Truth. May we meditate
on the adorable Light of that Generator (OM) who quickens our thinking power..
Om is water, light, flavor, ambrosia, and also the three worlds Bhooh, Bhuvah
and Suvah. He who is denoted by Pranava(OM) is all the above.]
4. Sankalpa (Religious resolution to do
the ritual)—“Sri Bhagavad aajnyayaa Sri
bhagavad kainkarya roopam Sriman Narayana preetyartham saayam Sandhyaam
Upaasishye. (This is for evening prayer).
[As ordained
by the Lord I undertake to perform my evening prayers in Lord’s service and to the
pleasure of the Supreme Lord Narayana.]
5. Please chant and
with your right hand sprinkle water from the vessel on head: “Om aapoehishthaa mayoebhuvah—taana oorje dadhaatana—maheranaaya
chakshase-yoe vas-sivatamoe rasah || tasya bhaajayate ha nah—usateeriva
maatarah—tasmaa aranga maamavah”.
Next chant the following sprinkling water on the feet “yasyaa kshayaaya jinvatha”. (what juice
you seek to be immortal). Then chant the following sprinkling water on body: “aapoe jana yathaa cha nah” (Oh water
deity! Make us worthy of birth to be
good) and “Om bhoor bhuvahs suvah”. (The
three worlds Bhooh, Bhuvah and
Suvah are Brahman alone!)
[Oh Water Deities!
You are enchanting, great and keepers of health in every individual. Please
keep us food to radiate our vital forces. Please make the same Lord, who is
auspicious and blissful to you be friendly towards us in this very life. Oh
Water Divines! We are craving to attain that Supreme Principle whom you adore.
Oh Water Divines make us worthy of attaining the knowledge of that Brahman!
Water is essential for life on earth. The subtle part of the body is life’s
vital forces called PanchaPraanas. Oh Lord! with the auspicious fluid flush us
out of all impurities and purify our
body and soul!]
6. Then hold a
spoonful of water in the right hand cup and chant: “Agnischa maamanyuscha manyu
patayascha manyu kritebhyah | Paapebhyoe rakshantaam—yadahna paapa makaarsham—manasaa
vaachaa hastaabhyaam–padbhyaam udarena sisnaa—ahas tada valumpatu—yat kincha
duritam mayi-idamaham maamruta yoenow | satyae
jyoetisha juhomi swaahaa || (so chanting drink the water).
[May Fire,
Anger, Guardians of Anger guard me from the sins arising out of Anger! May the day efface completely whatever sin I
have committed on this day by thought, word, hands, feet, stomach and genital organ.
Further, whatever sinful deed has been committed by me all that and myself I
offer as an oblation into the Self-luminous Truth, the source of immortality.
Hail to Lord Agni! Both Sun and Agni are aggregates (Vyaahriti) of Brahman. In invoking Surya or Agni we are
invoking that invisible Supreme Light, the light of all lights only.]
7. Do Aachamana as in 2.
8. Chant the
following: “Dadhikraavannoe
akaarisham-jishnoer asvasya vaajinah-Surabhinoe mukhaakarat-prana aayoogamshi
taarishat—aapoehishthaa mayoebhuvah—tana soorje dadhaatana-maheranaaya
chakshase | yoevas sivatamoe rasah | tasya bhaajayateha nah—maheranaaya
chakshase | tasma arangamaamavo yasya kshayaaya jinvatha | aapoejana yathaacha nah”
and sprinkle the water on body as before. Then sprinkle water on body
chanting: “Om Bhoor bhuvahs suvah”.
Then take water in the cup of the right hand and chant: “drupadaadiva munchatu drupadaadi
venmu-muchaanah-svinna-snaatvee-malaadiva | pootam-pavitrena eva-vaajyam |
aapas-suddhantu mainasah” so
chanting leave the water in your hand on the right side on the floor. (this last
mantra is omitted by many)
[I offer my prayers to the Supreme Lord
who is always victorious, moves fast, Omni-present, ever interested in
protecting his devotees and occupying the entire Universe. Please purify our
faces meaning give us trouble free long life.]
[It is customary
to offer curds as oblation to Fire God (Agni). Therefore Agni is known as Dadhikrava. Agni is an aggregate
(Vyaahriti) of Brahman. So, Agni is worshipped as visible light that derives
its power from that invisible light--Light of all lights.]
[Just as we are
released from the log of wood to which our legs are tethered, just as we are
relieved of the sweat from the body and purified and just as Ghee for oblation is
purified by the sacred Kusa grass we pray to you to burn off all the impurities
from within our body to get purified. This mantra is omitted by some.]
9. Arghyam (water oblation)--Do Praanaayaama
as in 3 and get up. Arghyam and Japam in the evening is done facing west. Then
Join both the hands and hold water in both the hands and chant Gayatri mantra: “Om Bhoor Bhuvas Suvah, Om Tatsavitur
Varenyam, Bhargoe Devasya Dheemahi, Dheeyoe Yoe Nah Prachoedayaat”. Then
release the water downwards looking at the Sun. (To hold water on both hands
first pour water from left hand holding the vessel on to the right hand cup maximum it can hold, then keep the vessel down and join the left
with the right; then evenly distribute the water to both cups of hands. (In old
days they used to stand in the river and get water to both hands from the river
or tank. By this act you are offering your prayers through the medium of water).
This has to be done three times. If you are late to do your evening prayers you
have to do this fourth time as indicated in 10 below.
10. Late performance-Do one
Praanaayaama. Then chant Sri bhagavad
aajnyayaa sri bhagavat kainkarya roopam Sriman naaraayana preetyartham
kaalaateeta praayaschitta artham
tureeya arghya pradaanam karishye’’ so saying repeat the Arghya as in 9
above.
[As per the
command of the Lord and in His service to the
pleasure of Narayana I offer the
fourth additional water oblation for not keeping up to the time schedule
(repentance for being late).
11. Tarpana—chanting the Mantra “Asaavaadityo Brahma” sprinkle water on
your body. Then Make a cup on your right hand, pour water from a vessel from
your left hand each time and release water from right hand chanting each mantra
after the word “Tarpayaami”—Kesavam
tarpayaami (release water); Naaraayanam
tarpayaami; Maadhavam tarpayami; Govindam tarpayami; Vishnum tarpayaami; Madhsoodanam tarpayaami; Trivikramam tarpayaami; Vaamanam tarpayaami; Sreedharam
tarpayaami; Hrisheekesam tarpayaami; Padmanaabham tarpayaami; Daamodaram
tarpayaami. (These are the twelve names you chanted in Sankalpa above). Tarpana
means satisfying. The deities are bening satisfied with water oblation called
Tarpana.
{“Asavadityo brahma—This Lord Soorya is
Brahman alone! May I be that Brahman! That Brahman is alone Truth!]
12. Gaayatri Japam—Do one Praanaanaayamya
as in 3. Then chant “Aaasana mantrasya
prithuvyaah Meruprishtha rishih sutalam chandah sri koormoe devata--koormaasane
viniyogah | pruthvi tvayaa dhrutaa loekaa devi tvam vishnunaa dhrutaa | tvam cha dhaaraya maam devi pavitram kurucha
aasanam ||”. (with this mantra you offer seat to Gayatree Deity with sacred
grass invoking Lord Koorma)
Then sprinkle
water on the seat and sit down for prayer.
Do three Praanaayamya as in 3 and say: “Sri bhagavad aajnyayaa bhagavat kainkarya roopam sriman naaraayana preetyartham saayam sandhya
Gayatreemantra japam karishye” “Pranavasya
rishi brahma devee gaayatree chandah paramaatmaa devataa anushtup chandah |”
atha dhyaanam; Fold your hands and say:
“Arka mandala madhyastham sooryakoti
samaprabham | brahmaadi sevya paadaabjam
naumi brahma ramaa sakham” . After this do Gayatree pranayama as in 3 for
10 times. Then chant: aayaatvitviti anuvaakasya vaamadeva
rishih anushtup chandah Gayatree devata,
Gayatree Aavaahane viniyogah |(By this mantra you are inviting the Goddess
Gayatri and others). Then with folded hands chant: “Aaayaatu varadaa devee aksharam brahma samitam | gayatreem chandasaam
maatedam brahma jushasva nah || Oejoeci, sahoeci, balamaci, bhraajoeci,
devaanaam dhaama naamaaci, visvamaci, visvaayuh, sarvamaci, sarvasayuh, abhi
bhoorome Gaayatreem aavaahayami, Savitreem aavaahayaami, Sarasvateem
aavaahayaami || “saavitryaah rishih visvaamitrah gayatree chandah savitaa
devata” “yoe devas savitaa asmaakam dhiyoe dharmaadi gocharah| Prerayet tasya
yad bhargah tad varenyam upaasmahe ||
“Gayatri japa Mantra: Om bhoor bhuvahs
suvah, om tat savitur varenyam, bhargoe devasya dheemahi, dheeyoe yoe nah
prachoedayaat—Close your eyes and chant this mantra 10 or 28 or 108 times
as time permits. This is the main Mantra.
[Oh Goddess Gaayatree! Thou art the essence of strength. Thou art patience or the subduing power. Thou
art physical capacity. Thou art splendor. Thou art the abode of gods. Thou art their
celebrated name. Thou art the insentient
universe. Thou art the full span of life or the Lord of all. Thou art every living thing. Thou art the
life span of all. Thou art the vanquisher of all that is hostile to us. Thou
art Truth denoted by Pranava, I invoke Gaayatree into my heart. I invoke
Saavitree. I invoke the prosodies (Chandas). I invoke Rishis and the gods. I
invoke the splendor of all gods. Of Gaayatree the meter is gaayatree, the sage
or rishi is Viswamitra and the Deity is Savitr. Please come and receive our
prayers.]
13. Do Praanaayaama
as in 3 once. “Sri bhagavad aajnyayaa sri
bhagavat kainkarya roopam sriman Naaraayana preetyartham saayam sandhya
upasthaanam karishye”--(This is farewell to Gayatri Goddess). Stand up and
with folded hands chant: “Uttame sikhare
devi bhoomyaam parvata moordhani | brahmanebhyoe hyanu jnaanam gaccha devi
yatha sukahm”.
[Oh Resplendent
Gaayatree, please bid good bye to those Brahmins who constantly worship you!
Then depart from the top of the sacred hills as per your convenience and
comfort.]
“Imam may varuna srudheehavamadyaa cha
mridhaya| tvaamasyuraachake | tatvaayaami brahmanaa vandamaanah tadaasaaste
yajamaanoe | ahedamaanoe varuneha bodhi
urusagam samaana aayuh pramoesheeh | yacchchiddhite visoe yathaa pradeva varuna
vratam | minee ma sidyavidyavi |
yatkinchitedam varuna daivyae janebhi droeham
manushyaascharaamaci | achittee yattava dharmaayayopima maanas-tasmaadenasoe devareerishah
| kitavaasoe yadri ripuh nadeevi yadvaaghaa satyamuta yanna vidma | sarvathaa vishya sithirevan devaathaa te
syaama varunah priyaasah ||
[OhVarunaa!
Please listen to my prayer! I make you satisfied. For my self-protection I seek
refuge in you who is praised by Veda mantras. Those who perform fire sacrifice
seek eight-fold success from fagots offered. Oh Lord! Please do understand us and without anger
protect us! Oh Lord you are venerated by everybody you are reputed for your
great fame, please do not shorten our lives! Make us serve you! You are always
sportive; we often spoil with our ignorance even the one daily worship ritual
directed to you. Please forgive us for
our lapses! Oh Lord! With our ignorance we do lot of harm to all the Divines;
we commit lot of sins; we spoil all the acts of Dharma—please do not punish us
for our sins! As hypocrites we often indulge in prohibited acts like your
enemies with or without our knowledge. Please destroy those sin in bits and
pieces and then please welcome us
according to your will and give us happiness.]
14. Then offer a series of salutations with
folded hands: “Sandhyaayai namah; Saavitryai
namah; Gaayatrai namah, Sarasvatyai namah, sarvaabhyoe devataabhyoe namoe
namah, kaamoekarsheen namoe namah”
[We pray our obeisance to various deities mentioned
in the Mantra]
15. You are
standing facing East . So salute the
deity guards of all directions, space sky, earth, starting with east “Praachyai
disae namah (East) Dakshinaayai disae namah
(North), Prateechayi disae namah (West
), Udeechyaii disae namah(North), Oordhvaaya namah (Above), Adharaaya namah(Below), Antarikshaaya
namah (Sky), Bhoomyai namah (Mother
Earth), Vishnave (Lord) namah”
16. “Sankha chakra gadhaa paane dvaarakaa
nilayachyuta | Govinda pundaree-kaaksha raksha maam saranaagatam”--
chanting this mantra do namaskaram prostrating on floor touching all parts of
the body and then say your abhivaadana mantram.
[Obeisance to
Lord of Dwaaraka who reveals to us carrying his weapons of distinction conch, disc and mace; obeisance to that lotus
eyed Govinda!]
ABHIVAADANA
MANTRAM
Abhivaadaye Aatreya Archanaanasa Syaavaasva
trayaarsheya pravaranvitah Aatreya Gotrah aapasthambha sootrah Yajus
saakaaha-adhyaayee sri Vijay saraman naamaaham asmi bhoh”.
[I Vijay is a
descendant of the three sages, Aatreya, Aarchanaanasa and Syaavasva; I belong
to the lineage of Atreya; I am student of Aapasthambasootra of Yajurveda. The
devote thus declares his lineage giving his name. The example given is for one who hails from
Aatreya Gotra. Each one should know his Abhivaadanam as given at the time of
Thread Ceremony or Upanayanam.]
FINAL
SALUTATION
Then do aachamanam twice as in 2 and say “sarvam sri Krishnaarpanam astu”. Go
round in circum-ambulation chanting: “Sriranga
mangala manim karunaa nivaasam sri venkatadri sikharaalaya kaala megham | sri
hasti saila sikharoejvala paarijaatam srisam namaami sirasaa yadusaila deepam”.
[Whatever
deeds I have done knowingly or
unknowingly I place all of them at the feet of Lord Krishna. Then conclude
the worship by final salutation to Lord Vishnu who is represented by none other
than Ranganatha of Srirangam and Venkateswara of Tirupati.]
REFERENCES
·
Praacheena Samskrita Granthaprakatana Viswa
Samsthe, Sandhyaavandana, Coronation Press, Mysore, India.(Kannada)
·
Lakshninarasimhacharya, Nityaanushtaana Kramam,
The Little Flower Company, Chennai 600017, India. (Tamil)
·
Varadaraja Tirumale, Veda Maarga, Sri Lakshmi
Hayagreeva Sevaa Trust, Bengluru 560010, India.(Kannada)
·
Ananta Rangacharya, Mahaa Naaraayana Upanishad,
Bengaluru, India.
·
Anudinam.org, Internet.
·
Swami Vimalananda, Mahaanaaraayana Upanishad,
Ramakrishna Math, Chennai,
India
·
Ramachandra Rao, S.K., Vishnu Kosha, Kalpataru
Research Academy, Shankarmutt,
Sharada peetham, Bengaluru 560004,
India.
·
Jagadguru Chandrasekharannda Sarswati, Dharma,
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai, India
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