Sandhyavandanam

And its importance

Yagnopavitham in Indian
languages
 Deliverance from Suffering

The causes of all suffering are:

(1) ignorance
(2) infirmity and
(3) in-adequacy.
 Freedom from Suffering
A person becomes happy to the
extent he is able to remove these
causes of suffering from within him.
Gayathri japa is the cure for
 Astonishing Power of Gayathri Mantra

The cyclic enunciation of this mantra

stimulates the subliminal power centers of
the inner being.
 Meaning of Gayathri Mantra

We meditate (Dhimahi) on the Spiritual

Effulgence (Bhargas) of that Adorable Supreme
Divine Reality (Varenyam Devasya), the Source
or Projector (Savitr) of the three phenomenal
world planes the gross or physical (Bhuh), the
subtle or psychical (Bhuvah), and the potential
or causal (Suvah) both macrocosmically
(externally) and microcosmically (internally).
May that Supreme Divine Being (Tat) stimulate
(Prachodayat) our (Nah) intelligence (Dhiyah),
so that we may realise the Supreme Truth .
 In simple terms
Om bhurbhuvah swah tatsaviturvarenyam bhargo
devasya dhimahi dhiyo yo nah prachodayat

Om! Brahma or Almighty God

Bhuh embodiment of vital spiritual energy(Pran)
bhuvah destroyer of sufferings
swah embodiment of happiness
tat that
savituh bright, luminous like the Sun
varenyam best, most exalted
bhargo destroyer of sins
devasya divine
dhimahi may imbibe
dhiyo intellect
yo who
nah our
prachodayatmay inspire
 In short
it is a prayer to the Almighty
Supreme God, the Creator of entire
cosmos, the essence of our life
existence, who removes all our pains
and sufferings and grants happiness
beseeching His divine grace to
imbibe within us His Divinity and
Brilliance which may purify us and
guide our righteous wisdom on the
right path.
 Gayathri is Kamdhenu

One who sincerely invokes, adores

and worships Gayathri, He gets rid of
suffering created by ignorance,
infirmity and scarcity and all his
righteous desires are fulfilled.
 Steps involved in Sandhyavandanam
Achamanam
Suklam...
Pranayama
Sankalpam
Pranayama
Marjanam
Gayathri Upastanam
Prasanam
Aditya Upastanam
again Achamanam
dig devata vandanam
Punar marjanam
Abhivadaye
Arghyam
Tri murthi vandanam
Navagraha and
Yamaya
kesavadi Tarpanam
apasarpa
again Achamanam
Ritam satyam
Suklam..,
Suryanarana vandanam
pranayama,
abhivadaye
Sankalpam,
kayena vacha
rishi devata chandas
Achamanam, arpanam
for Pranayama
om tat sat..., etc.
mantra,
Ten pranayama,
Gayathri Avahanam,
Gayathri Dhyanam,
GAYATRI JAPAM,
Importance of Gayathri Japa
Time
Nadis and the Sandhya time

Sandhya means the time of union of the

day with the night. They usually are in the
evening and early morning. But, why do
Sandhya at this these times only ?
It is these times that one is in an empty
stomach which is a condition for any
spiritual exercise.
 Time importance
Sandhi is the time when the sun and
the stars are together visible. The
practical thing therefore will be to
start
In the morning before sunrise, give
Arghyam( explanation later) during
sunrise and finish just after sunrise.
In the evening, begin before sunset,
give Arghyam during sunset and
finish later.
 Achamanam
Achamanam means partaking of a
small quantity of water. The health
experts of our times have come to a
conclusion that taking large
quantities of water at any time is
harmful. They advice only sipping
small quantities.
 Achamanam and its uses
Achamanam removes the ill effects
of todays hectic lifestyle such as
Constipation, Stress, fatigue etc.
 Pranayama
Pranayama is the next.
Pranayama is to be done with
mentally chanting the
extended Gayathri. The Puraka,
Kumbaka and Rechaka type of
Pranayama was originally
suggested and practiced but
nowadays even the Puraka and
Rechaka themselves are
sufficient to derive benefit. The
Kumbaka has to be learnt only
with the help of Gurus.
 Pranayama uses
These Nadis Ida and Pingala are the paths of flow
of Prana or life force. They are in a continued
state of agitation during the daytime but, tend to
follow a uniform path during the Sandhya periods.
Hence such periods were chosen for
Sandhyavandanam to derive maximum
concentration, regulates the temperature of the
Body.
 Arghyam
Garuda purANa states that a kind of
asuras called mandeha , who
originally reside in an island called
aruNa are trying to destroy Surya in
the day at daybreak and sunset. The
arghyam given at these times serves
as a weapon to destroy them. Look
at the following slokas (1-213-62)
 Philosophical significance of
Arghyam
The philosophical significance is in the
symbolism. The Mandehas are nothing
but the Mandehas or mind -
body which are clouding the sun of
resplendent atman in us. The Gayathri
purifies us by this offering so that
the inner light can be perceived by us.
 Scientific Significance
The scientific meaning is even more interesting. The work of
Mr. Masaru Emoto of Japan who did some critical experiments
with water. He took a glass of water and spoke 'thank you' to
it.
He then freezed the water.

When he magnified the crystallized water, he was amazed to

see symmetric patterns. Curious, he then cursed a glass of
water with , " I hate you" and crystallized it. This time the
magnified image of crystals were uglyand random.
It was here that I wondered at the wisdom of our Maharishis.
All of our Sandhyavandanam is water based. We either
partake or offer water while uttering sacred mantras. Imagine
the effect of these mantras on thewater ! During Arghyam,
we chant the greatest of all mantras- the Gayathri.
Importance of Anganyasa and
karanyasa
Of all the japas, Gayathri
mantra japa is considered as
supreme.
No japa-mala is used in
Gayathri japa.
Counting the mantra is done
by the thumb moving over the
parts of other fingers.
This method has all the
trappings acupressure in
activating some important
centers of the body and brain
Perhaps the counting activity is an additional
feature to buttress the effect of mental
awakening.ctivity that seems to have some
curious connection to acupressure is the way
Achamanam is done.
The 12 names of Bhagawan are recited by
touching different body parts in different ways.
The thumb and the fingers and the divisions of
the fingers come into contact in a specific
fashion while touching the various body parts.

For example it is done like this for 'Keshava'.

The index finger touches the second phalange
Very Important meditations
We should contemplate and
meditate on these three prayer-
filled meditations slowly and
pausing for a moment on each
word and an imaginary picture of
that word should be drawn in the
mind.
 Three important
1. The Almighty God, who is known as Prana
pervades all the three Lokas, viz, Bhooha-lok,
Bhuvaha-lok and Swaha-lok. He is
Omnipresent. The cosmos is physical
manifestation of God who pervades its each and
every particle. I am seeing Him everywhere. I
would always refrain from evil thoughts and evil
deeds and perform true worship of God by
extending cooperation in promoting happiness,
peace and beauty in this universe which is His
creation.
 2. This (tat) God is extremely bright
(savitur), most exalted
(varenyam), devoid of sin (bhargo)
and divine (devasya). I visualize this
Divinity within me, in my soul. By
such contemplation, I am
becoming illumined, virtues are
growing in all the layers of my being.
I am being saturated with these
virtues, these characteristics, of
 3. That God may inspire (prachodayat) our
(naha) intellect, wisdom (dhiyo) and lead us
on righteous path. May our intellect, the
intellects of our family members and of all of
us, be purified and may He lead us on the
righteous path. On getting righteous wisdom,
which is the greatest achievement and is the
source of all the happiness in this world, we
may be able to enjoy celestial bliss in this life
and make our human life purposeful.
 Gayathri Japa
The Gayathri chanting part is the central part of
the Sandhyavandanam and many volumes can be
written on this alone. Gayathri is a most sacred
and mysterious mantra that can activate twenty
four spots of the human body. Look at this picture
where the individual sounds of the Gayathri are
marked on the body of the sadhak. The working of
Gayathri is very subtle and it was said that a
Brahmin need not do any sadhna if he does
Gayathri.
Dedicated to lotus feet of Moola
Rama

by
Madhva Raj
madhva.madhu@gmail.co