Sunday, November 02, 2014
SANDHYA UPASANA
The importance of Sandhya Upasana and
the meaning relating to the Krishna Yajurveda Sandhya Vandana - Mantras
therein.
Our
Vedas propagate Santana Dharma (code of righteous conduct). They guide us to
attain knowledge of the Self. Vedas
show the way to attain the desired
objectives and for
removal of all
our Sins and
impediments in life. They
also show the way to know the Real
Truth which is beyond our perceptions and inferences. Dharma Bodha is the main ingredient
that differentiates human beings from animals. It is good for us to see that animal within us
dies so that man within us lives. It is
well known that Vedas are pramanam for all our doubts. ( Veda Akhilo Dharma Moolam).Righteous code
of conduct as prescribed
in vedas is Dharma. Those who protect vedas will certainly get
divine blessings. Vedic injunctions are
permanent and cannot be altered. (Dharmo
Rakshati Rakhitah).
Vedas
are treasure trove of Hindu religion; tradition and culture containing code of
righteous conduct. They are eternal commands for shaping man’s good conduct and
for developing impeccable character. Smrithi has divided Dharma into 6 parts. They are
Varna Dharma Ashrama Dharma, Varnasrama
Dharma, Guna dharma, Nimitha Dharma and day to day Sadharana Dharma.
Ahimsa-Truthfulness-Non-stealing-
Soucham-Control of mind- all come under normal Sadharana Dharma. According to
Varna Dharma the daily
six routine duties are Sandhya,Japam, Homam,Devatha
Poojanam,Adhithyam and Vaiswadevam.
The duties ( karmas) under the
head of Vedas are
classified as follows:-
NITHYAM- NAIMITHIKAM -
KAMYAM AND PRATHISHIDHAM.
Nithyakarma:-
by performing this
no special punya ( moral good) is
acquired-But by not performing the same
papas ( sins) are accrued.
Naimithikam:
- Karma to be performed because of special occasions like Tharpanam during
Eclipse etc.
Kamyam:
- This is performed to obtain the desired result. Like invoking Lord Varuna in
the sacrifice to get rain.
Nishidham:
- Such karmas which should not be followed or performed.
By performing
daily karmas with sradha and
devotion one can obtain Chitha
Sudhi which is a preliminary
requirement to progress
further in our
life.
Sandhya
is the best time to perform Dhyana or meditation. The twilight time between the
day and night is called Sandhya. Sandhya
is also called as
Sakthi from which entire world
has come into existence and is beyond
Maya and formed out of
three tatwas i.e. Jeeva-Eswara- and Nature. Sandhya
Upasana is a vaidheeka karma by which one
pray the Supreme Lord to forgive
us and to remove
all our sins. Tejas is a derivative of Jnanam. Similarly
water is the derivative of worship.
While performing Sandhya
Upasana we offer water
as worship to the Supreme
Lord and by doing
that we surrender
ourselves to Him in
totality. Long life ; Knowledge; Fame; Name; and Brahma Tejas
can be acquired by
performing Daily Sandhya
with Sradha and
devotion. Sandhya Anushtanam is a
must daily duty and
the real strength
of the Brahmanism
is in the this
worship. Earlier days ARGHYAM-
GAYATHRI JAPAM- AND DHYANAM (MEDITATION) were the main ingredients for all followers
of Veda. But on later stages different methods came into
existence.
To mention
a few additions that came
into existence are Jalaprathana
Mantra, Devatha Tharpanam, Slokas from
puranas, Siva Vishnu and Yama Vandanams etc. Upasthana Mantras also vary
from one Veda Shaka to another. Whatever
it may be the ultimate aim is to acquire Chitha Sudhi. By
this one can
get rid of
one’s sins and this
lead to Jnanam
which in turn leads to Moksha
in the end.
In
Sandhya Upasana a person who
knows that the sun is the
same as the Supreme Brahman meditates on the
sun and perform circumambulation enjoys
all happiness. He who knows
this secret of identity that
he himself is
Brahman, attains Brahman.
Sandhya means the time when day and
night meet and vandanam means thanks giving
to the Lord Supreme. Performing of Madhyahnikam is an orthodox
derivation.
The
first and foremost function in the Sandhya upasana is Achamanam. They
are of three types
( Sruti – Smrithi- Purana)
Sruti achamanam is mentioned in
the Taittareeya Aranyaka- where
it is said that the following mantra “ Vidhyudasi Vidhya may Papmanam ritaat sathya
Mupaimi” is chanted and water is touched. Meaning
of this rik is as follows: - You are lightening. Remove my sins. Through truth I attain unto Truth. After
washing hands -Three time achamanam
is followed by two
time lips wash and again after
washing of palm head,eyes,ears,nose,heart etc. are
touched (This system is followed during Brahma Yagna). Smrithi Achamanam is of two types. Srauta and
Smartha. In srauta, achamanam is
followed by recitation of
three pada Gayathri then
21 parts of the
body are touched. While performing
mantras are recited- nine ablingas by apohista mantra seven vyakruthees-Three pada Gayathri and ending with
Om apo jyotheerasa: Amrutam Brahma. In Smartha achamanam laid down
by Manu/Yajnavalkya and
others-achamanam is performed
two times then lips are washed twice and then cleaning palm, mouth and other sensory organs are touched.
In Purana achamanam-Water is
sipped thrice and several
parts of body
touched. Each single operation being accompanies by repetitive of a distinctive names or Lord Vishnu or
Lord Siva. (practice differ from place to place).
After
Lord Ganapathy Dhyanam, pranayama is done by mentally reciting the mantra.
Sankalpa – determination with mental
resolve to perform the
Sandhya upasana is
followed thereafter.( In some
places Jala Prarthana “ Apo va
idagum Sarvam…”mantra is chanted that
too only for
the morning Sandhya).
MARJANA
MANTRA: - It is well known that You the deities of water are the cause of great
happiness. Please nourish us with the divine vision which brings glory and
loveliness. Please make us worthy of imbibing the auspicious bliss even as a
mother feeds her children. We approach you with eagerness for that bliss, to
distribute, which you have taken a form and are shining. Bestow on us the boon
of a next life sanctified by knowledge.
PRAASANAMANTRA:
- They are three in numbers for each time zone. (Morning Sun God- After noon Holy water and in the
evening Lord Agni). May Sun
/Agni’/Varuna and the
God of anger and
the Lords presiding over anger; save me from the sins caused by
anger. Whatever sins I have committed; by mind, speech, hands, feet, belly,
and the sensual organ may the Lord of the departed night/day remove all that
and whatever other sins that may be in me. I sacrifice in the Self, illuminous
light, the eternal first cause. As an
emblem of such
sacrifice, I pour down this
consecrated water as libation in
my mouth , which shall be the
sacrificial fire. May this
sacrifice of mine become well offered.( Here
water represents the sinner and
all his sins and pouring down of water typifies the
act of sacrifice)
It is said in the vedas that energy
of the sun passes on to Agni in the evening.
Hence the substitution of Agni Lord for Surya in the evening Sandhya
Upasana
In Madhyahnikam
Sandhya Upasana praasana mantra meaning
is as follows:-May the waters purity
the earth by pouring down rain.
May the earth thus purified make me pure. May
the waters purify my spiritual
preceptor and may the
Veda as taught by him purify me. Whatever impure food
I may have taken, whatever I may
have received as
gift from the unworthy, may the
waters destroy all that sins and purify
me; and for this purpose, I pour this sanctified water as
libation down my mouth as sacrifice.
Then come
second Marjanam (Punarmarjanam):-
I make obeisance to the Supreme Person
who supports, rules and sustains all the worlds, who is ever victorious
and who has taken the
form of Hayagreeva the repository of all knowledge. May He make our
faces and other organs fragrant. May He protect our lives. (the remaining meaning
- as stated in the first
Marjanam).
The
performer after attaining his
outer and inner purification then offer Arghyam (
offering water respectfully to the
Supreme Lord). The sanctified –
water-consecrated- by chanting of Gayathri
mantra and thrown upwards with
both hands ; becoming thunderbolts, hurl
the evil spirits to an island called
Aruna ; where dwells the evil spirits called Mandehas. (By this act entire world is
protected)
Meaning of Gayathri Mantra: We meditate on the
adorable light of the supreme creator of the universe. May He (existing in our mind
in the form of light) guide our intellects in the pursuit of the Truth.
Prayaschitha
Arghyam is followed for not offering the arghyam on time.
Aikyanusandhanam: Asavadityo
Brahma Brahmmaeva Ahamasmi. Means:-The Sun is Brahman and I too am Brahman.
Next comes Tharpanam to Navagraha
and Dwadasa names of
Vishnu, This Tharpanam is
considered as Puranic additions and no reference is made
to them in the Taittareeya Aranyaka ( as opined
by learned people) Hence it
is stated that
these additions are inconsistent with the spirit of the Vedic
Sandhya- which is a prayer
directed to the “one
alone “ without a
second.
(Here ends
the first part
of the Upasana called Sandhya . The
second part is called Japam.)
It is
reported by learned
people that popularly
known as Three pada Gayathri has
got a turiya ( Fourth) pada
also. This should be revealed only to the one who is properly
initiated. Meaning of
this pada “PARORAJASE
ASAVADOM” - He who is beyond all
phenomenon, He is Bliss , He is
eternal OM. This fourth pada is hidden
in the Vedas-Hence not
visible. ( Mantra Drashta for
the turiya pada of the Gayathri is
Vimala Rishi- Chandas is
Tureeyam and Devatha is
Paramatma.)
Gayathri Avahanam: May the Goddess Gayathri Devata-who grants all
our desires come to us to
make known to us the eternal Lord, who is revealed to us only through the
scriptures. May the Gayathri
the mother of all the vedas reveal to us the eternal
Truth.
Devi
Gayathri – you are the source of all spiritual strength . You are
the power that drive away the evil inclination
which are my enemies You are conducing
to a sound
mind which conduces to a sound
body. You are the light of the Gods; that dispel
my intellectual darkness and illuminate my heart with divine wisdom. You are everything. You are Eternal Truth that destroys all
our sins. You are
the pranava that reveals to me
the unknown, Come to me Oh! Goddess
Gayathri and make me wise.
After invocation of
Gayathri comes enumeration
of the
four principal characteristics of the Gayathri Rik. Mantra Drashta: (Rishi)-
Chandas ( metre) –Devatha ( praise of the
Devatha it sings)- Viniyoga( The purpose to which
the Rik is applied)
For Gayathri
Mantra consists of Pranava ( OM)-
Vyakruthees ( Bhu: Bhuvaha:
Swaha:) and Savithri mantra- which
already existed . This combination
was revealed to Sage Viswamitra who in turn
gave this to the world. He
is the mantra
Drashta –Chandas ( metre) the
number of letters in the Savithri mantra equally
divided into three parts of eight
letters each and has 24 letters. Devatha for Gayathri is Savithri- the supreme Lord
Paramatma. Viniyoga: Prayer for sayujya
or absorption through knowledge
into the universal
soul. ( There are Angannyasa and karannyasa that are followed
by few, before chanting of
Gayathri mantra- elders say
that these are
of tantric origin).
After
completion of Gayathri
Japa Gayathri Upasthana follows:-
The Goddess Gayathri resides on a lofty peak on the summit of mount Meru in the earth. Oh! Goddess take leave from the persons who have worshiped you and who have been blessed with your grace and go back to your abode as comfortably as possible.
The Goddess Gayathri resides on a lofty peak on the summit of mount Meru in the earth. Oh! Goddess take leave from the persons who have worshiped you and who have been blessed with your grace and go back to your abode as comfortably as possible.
Morning Upasthana
Mantra Meaning:- We sing
the adorable glory
of the Sun God, who sustains
all men by causing rain, which
glory is eternal and most worthy
of being adored with wonder.
The
sun well knowing the inclinations of several men directs them to their several
pursuits, the sun upholds both
heaven and earth. The sun observes all creatures
and their action ( Karma Sakshi) without ever winking to
this eternal being . We offer
the oblation mixed with
clarified butter. Oh! Sun
God may
that man who through such sacrifice
offers oblation to you become
endowed with wealth for he who is
under your protection is not cut-off by
untimely death. He is not
vanquished by anybody and sin has no hold
on this man either from near or
from far.
MADHYAHNIHA UPSTHANA MANTRA :- The Lord Savita
daily appears in the heaven.
He sustains Gods and Men ( He confers
on men eternal Bliss or a mortal body once more accordingly
as they acquit
themselves on earth) He comes in
golden chariot illuminating all worlds.
Adoring the Sun God
among the Gods, the loftier light that rests
above darkness or Sin, we attain
most excellent light. His rays bearing him a lot, the God
who knows the ways of all living beings; Surya, that all my look on Him adore
Him- and become wise. The wonderful
collection of rays has risen ( the orb of light). This orb is the eye of the earth, air, and heaven. This orb has
filled the earth ,air, and heaven with light everywhere. Sun God is the
soul of all things that move and all
that move not. This brilliant eye the orb of
the Sun ,on whom as lord of
sacrifices; the devas depend for their oblations, rises in the east. May we live a hundred years to see Him. May we live plenty
through His grace. May we be
happy in
His presence for a hundred years.
May we through His grace live secure in our homes. May we learn the secrets
of Vedic theosophy from our guru, and may we gladly
impart the same to our
disciples. May we never meet the
reverses, and may we long
live to see and adore Him. May He who rises with resplendent glory
from the midst of waters, out of the eastern ocean- the bright eyed and all wise Surya, who shower all
blessings on His worshipers, may make me
pure in mind.
EVENING UPASTHANA MANTRA:- Hear
Oh! Varuna Lord this prayer of mine. Be gracious unto me this day, longing for your protection. I pray to you. (
This prayer rik is said
to have been taught by Sage
Viswamitra to Sunassephah, when he was
tied to the sacrificial post and about to be
immortalized by Harischandra to
appease the wrath of
Lord Varuna. This prayer saved
him from death.) Adoring you with prayer,
I beg long life from you, the sacrificer does the same with oblations he offers to you; therefore,
Lord Varuna without indifference in this matter, take
my prayer into your kind
consideration and do not cut off our lives. Oh! Lord Varuna, whatever law of
yours we, as men, violate day after day,
forgives us for those trespasses.
( The ethical consciousness of human frailty
and the appeal for mercy and forgiveness based on such consciousness find a
beautiful and simple earnest
expression in this Rik). Oh! Lord Varuna
whatever offence we, as men, have
committed against divine beings, whatever work of yours, we have neglected
through ignorance, do not destroy us,
for such sins. Whatever offence is attributed to us by our enemies as by gamblers at dice, whatever sins
we may have really committed and what we
may have done without knowing , please destroy all those
sins. Also pray that we shall become
beloved to You.
Then follows
prayer to Gods residing
in all directions. Kamam Akarsheet Manyu Akarsheet mantra
follows. This a shortened version of the
actual mantra in the
Veda. Whatever sins I have
committed, has been done by
passion or anger and not by me- hence forgive me. Oh!
Lord I bow to you again and
again.
Sandhya prayer now closes with
Abhivadanam or salutation. The practice of reciting at this
stage a few slokas from puranas and slokas
in praise of
Lord Vishnu, Siva, Yama does not form integral part of Vedic
Sandhya Upasana. After Raksha mantra the whole ceremony is brought to a close by
an internal purification of the body
by Achamanam and dedicating the entire
service gone through to Para Brahman.
Summing up: - Sandhya
Upasana service is simply a
thanks giving and a prayer to the
Universal Lord. It begins with external purification of body by sprinkling of water by chanting few hymns,
and internal purification by
sipping few drops of
consecrated water. We pray all
sins committed during the preceding 12
hours be washed away.
After conducting purificatory functions, the
worshiper feel that he is worthy of
approaching the Supreme Lord and
pays his adorations to Him, by offering
of water according to traditional usage.
He looks at the Sun Lord
and makes his offering. His
offerings are really to the
Paramatman, the nameless one. Sun is only visible
symbol of God’s power and glory.
He praises with Vedic hymns and implores Him to
forgive him; his sins and vouch safe to
him- His grace and Blessings.
Sandhya Vandanam is one of the few remaining links that unite us to a glorious past. It is duly rendered imperative by solemn voice of
Vedic injunction. It is a
distinctive badge for us.
P.S.Notes:-
Na annam
udagam dhanam na
thithir dwadasee samaha:
Na Gayathrya paro mantrah: Na
Mathur daivadam param.
The highest
Dhanam on earth is Anna
Dhanam. Similarly nothing
is more important than
Dwadasee Thithi, Gayathri Mantra, and Mother.
Achuta
Ananta Govinda Namocharana Bheshajad Nasyanthi Sakala Rogath Sathyam Sathyam
Vadamyaham.
Chanting
of Glory of God is
considered as medicine for all
diseases. Hence the importance of achamanam by chanting the Lord’s name. This is
called Nama Trayee Vidhya.
As we are
doing the Nithya karma
without expecting any result in return and by totally surrendering to the Lord
and in a
samarpana Bhavana we invoke the
Lord name by chanting Parameswara
Preethyartham in the Sankalpa.
Gayathri mantra protects the person one who sings His Glory. Another
version is Gayan
Pranan trayatheethi Gayathri. i.e. Mantra
Gayathri protects the
pancha pranas. It contain
24 vaidheeka Chandas. Hence
it is called
Gayathri. Each 8 padas
are taken from
the Rik,Yajus and Sama Veda
respectively in that order. Sarva Veda Saram is Gayathri Mantra. Gayathri mantra is hidden inside the
Vyakruthees and Vyakruthees
are hidden inside Pranava
“OM”. And that OM is
Paramatman.
There
are three types
of methods to do Gayathri Japam.
Vachikam- Upamsu- Manasam.
Chanting letters and padas clearly with
swaras like
Udhatham,Anudhatham,swaritam and Prachaya is called
Vachikam.
Moving the
lips and the chanting can be
heard by only the kartha is called Upamsu.
Reciting in the mind without
producing any sound
whatsoever is called Manasam. Maximum
result and effect can be obtained by this method.
Sandhya
Upasana is a sadhana ( spiritual practice) to
bring about the conjunction ( Sandhi) of the individual self
with the Cosmic Self to
realise the unity
of both. ( Aham Brahmasmi) (
Brahmeva Sathyam).Sandhya Vandanam
is a Yoga Sadhana for union of
the individual with
Supreme Reality. Sandhya Upasana incorporates the
elements or features of all
the four main ingredient
of Yoga, such as Karma, Bhakthi,
Dyana and Jnana. This upasana as such is devised
to lead one to both physical and spiritual advancement.
The Supreme
divinity is within oneself. Whatever one intensely thinks or meditate upon that
one becomes is the psychological law (Yath Dhyathi Tat Bhavathi)
In
Raksha Mantra that comes
in the end of
Sandhya Upasana prayer to the
Supreme Lord to bestow prosperity
including many children, prayer to remove
the cause and the effect of bad dreams, prayer to remove all
sins and to bestow on us
what is good for us are
included.
Present Sandhya Upasana practices for
Yajur Vedees contain the
following::-
1Achamanam 2. Ganapathy
Vandanam 3. Pranayama 4. Sankalpa
5. Jala Prarthana ( selective) 6. Marjanam/Prokshanam 7. Prasanam 8. Punar
Marjanam9. Arghya Pradhanam 10. Prayaschitha
Arghyam 11. Atma Pradakshinam12.
Atma Anusandhanam 13. Navagraha/ and
Devatha Tharpanam 14. Brahmarpanam.
Japa
parts consist of the
following:-
Achamanam 2. Ganapathy
Vandanam 3. Sankalpa 4.Pranayamam 4. Gayathri Avahanam 5. Gayathri Japam 6.
Gayathri Upasthanam 7. Surya Upasthanam 8. Samasti Abhivadanam 9. Dig Devatha
Vandanam 10. Yama Vandanam 11.Harihara Vandanam
12. Suryanarayana Vandanam 13
Samarpanam 14. Raksha .
References: Commentary
on Sandhya vandanam by
Prof: Sri. Kameswara Iyer- professor of
English at Maharaja’s College-Pudukkottai in the
year 1898.
Sandhya Vandanam in Malayalam by Brahmasri P.S.Ramanathan-Disciple of
Brahmasri. Sangameswara Sastrigal published in 1985 at Calicut Following Sayana
Bashyam. Subham bhavatu.
# posted by sapthagiri. @ 9:01 AM 
