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Sutra 2 specifies that one must be pure externally before commencing this
ritual. Specifically, one must have clean hands and feet (pAda-pANi-
prakshAlanam) and one must perform Acamanam. I know from reading
this that my father's
repeated command to have me wash my hands and feet before
doing my sandhyA was not just an expression of punctiliousness but an
ancient mandate handed down by the revered Bodhayana himself!
Then comes a discussion of what mantras one should use to purify oneself.
The sUtra is:
surabhi-maty-ab-lingAbhir-vAruNIbhiH -
hiraNya-varNAbhiH pAvamAnIbhiH -
vyAhRtIbhir anyaiS ca pavitrair AtmAnam
prokshya prayate bhavati |
2) 'ab-lingAH' begins with the word 'ap' which means water. This refers
to the 'Apo hi shThA' mantra and succeeding Rks.
The next sUtra states that dvijas, the twice-born, must use these mantras
for prokshaNam.
The HiraNyavarNa and pavamana rks do not have to go with snana. The
way these rks are used is that one touches the
vessel/utdharaNi holding the water, sanctifies/empowers those
waters with these two rks and sprinkles them on oneself. i.e. they can be
used in the same manner as the ApOhiStA rks.
That is the procedure for the prAtah sandhya. For the mAdhyAnika, they
may be used with snana, as they could be withthe saayam sandhya.
My own impression is that if one finishes the morning deva karmas and
proceeds directly on to the mAdhyahnika, there is no necessity of snana -
there being no impurity associated with any deva karma. For the saayam
kaala, a snaana is needed anyway.
Bodhayana gives guidance on this issue in this context:
If unclean, one should bathe; if clean, one need not bathe. Having cleansed
one hands and feet, and doing Acamanam by sipping water ...
The next sutra explains that snAna is enjoined upon all people; the only
thing different about the Vaidika snAna is that it is done with mantras.
(snAnam vihitam sArvavArNikam; mantravat prokshaNam cApi dvijAtInAm
viSishyate iti - 2.4.7.4).
I should point out an error in my previous post. I had written that the
sipping of sanctified water we perform after reciting 'sUryaS ca mA
manyuSca', etc., is called mArjanam. It is actually called prASanam. In any
case, it is interesting that this is not mentioned in the sutras at all.
Along the same lines, the arghya-pradAna (the offering of water while
reciting the Gayatri mantra to the Divinity present within the sun) is also
strangely not mentioned in by Bodhayana. The commentator, noting this
omission, argues that the purpose of the sutras is to clarify what is unclear
in the Veda. What has been omitted is only because it is well-known. The
arghya-pradAna is a well-established practice mentioned in the Veda itself
so there is no need to repeat it here.
Those conversant with Brahman (the Absolute, or the Veda) face east
during the morning twilight hour, sanctify water by reciting the Gayatri,
and throw this water upwards (toward the sun).
In the same sentence, the Veda also cryptically mentions the reason for
this practice. The offering of the water is said to destroy certain rakshasas
that obstruct the progress of the sun (tA etA Apo vajrIbhUtvA tAni
rakshAmsi mandehAruNe dvIpe prakshipanti).
Back to our text. The meditation and mantra-japa is to be done facing the
sun, setting in this case. The commentator remarks that sun is a visible
symbol of Brahman Itself,according to the very Veda: 'Adityo brahmeti
AdeSaH'.
Furthermore, one of the central meditations in the Upanishads is how the
indwelling divinity of the sun is the same as the indwelling, controlling self
within the human, which is the same as the indwelling controlling self that
pervades the entire universe. (See Chandogya Upanishad 1.6.6, for
example -- esha antarAditye hiraNmayaH purusho drSyate).
|| namo vedapurushAya ||
|| namaH paramarshibhyaH ||
Shri Mani's present series on Sandhyavandanam is most informative. Here
are a few more points- as adiyen has been out of touch with the lists for
some time, please do pardon adiyen if the following is a repetition.
"Adou VedA: pramANam", Vedas are the first and foremost pramanam for
everything. And almost all the rituals we perform today have their roots in
the Vedas, in some form or the other. In fact, there are two prasnAs in the
Yajur Veda, (Mantra Prasnam) devoted to the mantras to be uttered for
performing various vaidIka karmas, be it upanayanam, vivAham, chouLam,
or the apara kriyAs.
Once upon a time the asurAs performed sincere and intense penance or
tapas. PrajApati appeared before them and queried them as to their
wishes. The AsurAs told Prajapati that they wished to fight with AdityA.
"So be it," pronounced Prajapati. From that day, the Asuras started
fighting with Soorya at every sunrise and sunset. Due to this constant
battle, Adiya started weakening. Concerned at the disastrous
consequences to the universe of Soorya being disabled, Prajapati devised a
way of saving Soorya from gradual decline.
We often hear people say that Sandhyavandanam does not bestow any
special merit on the doer, but its non-performance results in sin,
("akaraNE pratyavAya janakam") this being an "AgyA kainkaryam", or one
that we are ordained to perform. However, the Aranyaka says that every
Brahmin, who performs Sandhyavandanam and japam at all sunrises and
sunsets, is blessed with all that is auspicious ("sakalam bhadram asnutE"),
is freed from all sin ("tEna pApmAnam avadhoonvanti") and attains the
Ultimate ("BrahmApyEti").
The story narrated above also emphasizes the need for the timely
performance of this important ritual, for, it is precisely at sunrises and
sunsets that the Sun is at danger from the asurAs, and only timely arghya
pradAnam would vanquish the latter.
Adiyen has a question to the learned bhagavatas of the list- the aforesaid
anuvAkAs deal with prAtah: and SAyam sandhyavandanam, but say
nothing about the "MAdhyAhnikam" that we perform regularly. What is the
pramANA in the Vedas for this? "MadhyAhnikam appears to have the
sanction of Smriti (Dharma Sutras, etc) and of "SishtAchAram" (the
practice of great people), which should be enough for us. However, is there
a mention about it in the Vedas?
• Anatomy
When to perform
Exceptions
Recitation of Mantras