|| Jai Sriman Narayana ||
Sandhya is converging point of night
& early hours of dawn, morning & afternoon and evening & night/early
hours of dusk. Sandhya Vandhanam is a
ritual performed during the above mentioned three most propitious hours of a
day, practice of worship of Lord Surya during the above mentioned periods of
time is called Sandhya Vandhanam. Sandhya
is three particular period of time of a day known as early hours of dawn, noon
and evening. There are six important
activities involved in the practice of Sandhya Vandhanam such as Achamaneeyam,
Pranayamam, Sankalpam, Arkhyapradhanam, recitation of Gayathri hymns and
Upasthanam. Achamaneeyam is recitation
of sacred hymn such as Acchuthaya Nama: Ananthaya Nama: Govindaya Nama: with
the pure water. Pranayama is the
practice of releasing the lungful of air methodically which we have already
consumed, holding the nose with the thumb finger and taking lungful of air and releasing the air meticulously through
the nose by holding the other nose with
the ring finger. Sankalpam is the
process of offering salutation to the hour of performance of
Sandhyavandhanam. Arkhyapradhana means
offering of pure water to supreme Lord Surya and deities, and Pithrus/ancestors,
followed by sacred chants. It is one of
most significant process in the performance of Sandhyavandhanam, it is believed
that thirty thousand and millions of valorous and dreadful demons Mantheha will
be waiting to swallow Lord Surya during the hours of Sandhya. Therefore deities, Rishis and Sages performs
Arkhyapradhanam during the hours of Sandhya in order to protect Lord Surya from
the vicious demons, it is also believed that the water poured as Arkhya will
transform into fierce weapons made of Vajra/diamond, and this would protect
Lord Surya from the threat of the demons, therefore Bhramins on the Earth also
follow the same practice.
Sandhyavandhanam is performed by people who had their
Upanayanam/Bhramopadhesha/ sacred thread ritual, it is usually performed by
Bhramin, Vaniya, potters and Kshathriya, but recitation of Gayathri is destined
to Bhramins. Children while performance of
Bhramopadhesha offer salutations to their parents assuming them as Goddess
Saraswathi and Lord Bhrama respectively, offers water on their feet, meditates
upon Lord Bhrama and Goddess Saraswathi, there after receives the sacred hymns
of Gayathri in their ears. The
recitation of sacred Gayathri hymns provides the meritorious reward of recitation
of four Vedas. The sacred hymns of
Gayathri consists 24 sacred syllables, consists of 24 Rishis, Agni and deities,
it has 24 Chandhas, 24 philosophies, and 24 Shakthis. Gayathri hymns should be recited systematically
108 or 54 or 27 times. It should be
recited meticulously and it should be recited in heart. Karmas are classified into three such as Nithya Karma/it is known as daily obligatory
duties, Naimithika/it is occasional obligatory duties, and Kamya Karma/rites
performed to fulfill desires. Sandhya
Vandhanam falls into the category of
Nithya Karma and it is daily obligatory duty, Kamya Karma is not at all necessary
to follow, but abandoning Nithya Karma/Sandhyavandhanam is treated as greatest
sin and the person who does not follow this rite is considered as
impure/sinner. A person who does not
follow the ritual of Sandhyavandhanam is considered as impure and he will automatically
lose the right to perform any of the spiritual or ceremonial rite, or fire
sacrifices, and it is definite that he will not benefit any of the meritorious
reward of the spiritual deeds. It is
evident that attainment of knowledge of Bhramam and pleasure of
senses/satisfaction/contentment are very important aspect in human life. Person who does not follow Vedic way of life
or Adhyayanam or Upasana will not be considered as ‘Dvija’/twice born/child
born from mother’s womb take re-birth at the time of performance of sacred
thread ceremony. Person who strictly
follows the rite of Sandhyavandhanam gets purified from the sins committed by
words, thoughts and deeds.
|| Jai Sriman Narayana ||
