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Sandhya
Vandanam
is a specially devised efficient spiritual ritual for the realization of
the Divinity of the Self (Atman). It is a Nitya Karma or an obligatory
daily ritual whose object is to bring about self-purification and
attunement to Cosmic Reality. It is an all-round complete ritual which
incorporates the principles of the Supreme Divinity (Brahman).
RITUALS
OF THE SANDHYA
Each
part of the ritual is meant to give expression externally to an internal
mental attitude and spiritual feeling (Bhava). Some necessary changes
are introduced in the Mantras and ritual according to the time of the
Sandhya-- dawn, noon, or sunset, and according to the Veda (Rg, Yajur,
or Sama) to which the votary is affiliated. However, the main purpose as
well as most of the Mantras, the procedures, and rituals are all common.
The
procedure involve :
| 1. |
Achamanam
:
Sipping a little water, in the prescribed manner, for
self-purification, remembering the Supreme All-pervading
Reality.
|
| 2. |
Apo-Marjanam
:
Invoking all the waters of the earth which form the cause of the
emergence and sustenance of all life, by sprinkling water on
oneself, to enable one to be attuned to the cosmic life and
reality.
|
|
3.
|
Pranayama
:
Regulated breathings, as per prescription, for establishing
psycho-somatic harmony, using the Gayatri-Mantra. |
| 4. |
Punar-Achamanam
:
Again sipping water with appropriate Mantras for the removal of
all sins and obstacles, attuning oneself to the light-giving sun
in the morning, to the life-giving waters at noon and to the
heat-giving fire in the evening, which are the means of all our
life and activity, and as such are termed as the sources of
Immortality (Amrta-yoni).
|
| 5. |
Punar-Marjanam
:
Again sprinkling water over oneself with the Gayatri and other
Mantras praying for welfare here in the world and highest
spiritual attainment hereafter.
|
| 6. |
Aghamarsanam
:
Repeating the cosmic creation Mantras, feeling oneself as a part
of it, to remove the limitations of personality.
|
| 7. |
Suryopasthanam
:
Invoking the Sun-God who brings life and light to the world and
attuning the mind to the Divine in the Sun and to all the cosmic
surroundings.
|
| 8. |
Gayatri-Upasanam
:
First the Divine Gayatri is invoked as the source of the Vedas
and then the different Worlds and the Supreme Divinity are
located in the various limbs of one's body by touching them
while uttering the Gayatri-Mantra, along with the Vyahrti (Bhuh,
Bhuvah, Svah). This process of locating is known as Anga-Nyasa.
This is followed by the Japa and meditaion of the Gayatri-Mantra
for as long as one can do conveniently, fixing, however, a
decent minimum number of times for the Japa. For meditation
Gayatri is conceived in the form of a luminous Goddess
illuminating the Heart and removing all darkness of Ignorance.
|
| 9. |
Visarjanam
:
Valediction. Praying to the Goddess to retire, to return again
when invoked. Salutations are offered with devotion.
|
| 10. |
Antya-prakaranani
:
Ending. Now, concluding the Upasana, protection against all
wrongs and evils is sought and salutations are offered to the
Sun-God and other Cosmic divinities. Forgiveness is sought for
any flaws or lacunae in the uttering of the Mantras and the
performance of the rituals and the Supreme Being is remembered
to make them complete. The Upasana is concluded with the
offering of salutations.
|
Preparation
for the Performance of Sandhya :
Before
performing the Sandhya, one should be physically clean, mentally calm
and restrained and have a prayerful attitude. One should sit in a clean
quiet place on a mat or Deer-skin, in a straight position with legs
tucked in (ordinary Padmasana).
Contd
(page2)
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