Method of Sandhya Vandana and worship of Devi Gayatri

Sandhyopasana to be performed thrice a day in the morning, midday and evening is

must to the Brahmanas. The timings in the morning are the best when stars are still
visible, medium when they disappear and inferior after the Sun has risen; at midday; and
in the evening as Sun is disappearing is the best, when Sun has disappeared the timing
for Sandhya is medium and inferior when Stars are visible. If for any reason, it is not
performed, rayashitta !antra be recited.
"ormally, the duration of the morning and evenings ta#e two dandas each or forty eight
minutes. In case the Sandhya vandana is nor performed the Brahmana becomes bad and
would become a dog in the ne$t birth. The best form of Sandhya is when it is carried out
on a river ban# in a temple before %evi, the one e$ecuted in an enclosure of cows is of
medium value and done in a household is of inferior nature. &s %evi 'ayatri is the
residing %eity of Sandhya and as She is the (riginator of )edas, Sandhya is as good as
meditating all 'ods and other prayers might be optional.
Sandhya vandana is to commence with &chamana* Ta#ing water into the right palm
and sipping it thrice+ as an opening action of Sandhya saying Om Kesavaya svaha, Om
Narayanaya Swaha and Om Madhavaya Svaha while washing the hands; continue to
recite Om Govindaya namah / om Vishney namah; touch the lips with right thumb
from right to left saying Om Madhusunanayh /Om Trivikramaya namah; after wiping
the lips, say OmVamanaya namah / Om Sridharaya namah; sprin#le water on the left
hand to say OmHrishikesa namah; then say Om Padmanabhya namaha and sprin#le
water on legs; Om Damodaraya namaha sprin#le water on head; Om Sankarshayana
namah touch mouth with the three fingers of the right hand; Om Vasudevaya
namah /Om Pradyumnayana namah touch nostrils with right forefinger; Om
niruddhaya namah /Om Purusho!!amaya touch eyes with right thumb and ring
finger; touch both the ears saying Om dhoksaya Namah / Om Narasimhaya
namah; Touch navel, right thumb and little finger and say Om "hyu!aya namah ;
say Om #anardanaya namaha while touching breast with palm; then Om
$%endrayana Namah touch the head ; and finally Om Haraye Namaha , Om Sri
Krishnayana Namah touching the two arm roots. Then perform &chamana by sipping
pea si-e drop of water from the hollow of right hand palm, with the fingers tight and
drawing the thumb and little finger together, silently recite ranava !antra
and ranayama comprising the processes of ura#a, .umbha#a and /echa#a three times
minimum and reciting (m Bhu, (m Bhuvah, (m Svah, (m !ahah, (m 0anah, (m
Tapah, (m Satyam, followed by 'ayari !antra 1 Tat Savithuh )arenya Bhargo %evasya
%heemahi %hiyoyona rachodayat (m &po2yoti /asomritam Brahma Bhur
Bhuvavatsuvarom. This would be followed by &ghamasana !ar2ana !antra1 Om
%ohish!ha mayo bhuvah !ana $r&e !adha!ana Maheranaya 'hakshase/
yovassiva!amo rasah !asya bha&aha!hehanaha usi!eerivama!arah/ !asma aran(a
mamavaha/ )assyakshayaya &invadha %o&ana yadha"hanahah*
3 aramatma4 &s you are #ind to accept our prayers, do favour us with the means of our
e$istence li#e 5ood and so on; do bless us with your endless #indness our sincere desire
to have 6our divine appearance which is blissful eternally7. !ar2ana !antra is to be
used along with ranava, )yahritis vi-. (m Bhu, (m Svah etc. and 'ayatri !antra. Then
follows &chamana !antras preceding morning, mid8day and evening 'ayatri
!antras vi-. Suryascha mamanuscha manu patayascha manu #rutebhyaha papebhyo
ra#shantam etc; &pah punantu prithiveem tha punatumam punantu
BrahmanasrutirBrahma punatunam etc; &gnischa ma manuscha manupatayascha manu
#ritebhyah papebhyo ra#shantam etc.respectively preceding morning, mid8day and
evening 'ayatri !antra. 9ater on, unah !ar2ana !antra vi-. :iranya varnassuchaha
pava#aya su2ataha etc. apa vimochana !antra follows. The ne$t step is &rghya pradana
!antras relevant to morning 1;dyantamantam aditya mabhidhyanan etc. while
performing rada#shina; noon time1 :agumsasuchishadva surantari#sha etc. and
evening1 sama san#alpa as morning west faced. The <ommon rada#shina !antra for
morning, noon and evening is1 ;dyantamastam &dityamabhidhyayan #urvan etc.
Thereafter &chanamam andSandhyanga Tarpanam is as follows18 !orning1 Sandhyam
Tarpayami, 'ayatreem Tarpayami, Brahmeem Tarpayami and "imru2eem Tarpayami;
!id day1 Sandhyam Tarpayami, Savitreem Tarpayami, /oudreem Tarpayami and
"imru2eem Tarpayami; =vening1 Sandhyam Tarpayami, Sarasvateem Tarpayami,
)aishnaveem Tarpayami. Then the .ey invocation or &vahana to 'ayatri %evi and
other manifestations of the Super =nergy is as per the following
!antra1Omi!hyekaksharam +rahma (nirdeva!aa +rahmai!yarsham Gaya!ram
'hhandam Parama!mam saaru%am Sayu&yam viniyo(am aya!u varada Devi
ksharam +rahma Sammi!ham Gaya!reem 'hhandasamma!edam
+rahama&ushasvame adahna! kuru!ey %a%am !hadahna! %ra!imu"hya!ey yadra!rya
kuru!hye %a%am !adra!ya! %ra!imu"hya!ey Sarvavarnye Maha Devi Sandhya Vidye
Sarasva!i O&osi Sahosi ba,amasi bhraa&osi Devaanam dhaamanamasi
Visvayurssarvamasi Sarvaayurabhi bhurom Gaya!rimavahayami
Savi!rimavahayami Sarasva!imavahayami 'hhandarshinamavahayami
Sriyamavahayami Gaya!rya Gaya!i"hando Visvami!r -ishi Savi!a
Deva!a(nirmukham -udrassikha Pridhiviyoni Prana%ana vyanodana
samanasa%rana sve!a varna Samkhyaya Sa Go!raa Gaya!ri 'ha!urvi(amsa!
ksharaTri%ada Shu!kus""hih Pan"ha Sirsho%a Nayane Viniyo(aha* 3 The word (! is
ara Brahma, &gnihotra is %evata, Brahma is /ishi, aramatma is Svarupam; this
!antropasana is the fruit of Salvation. 'ayatri !other, we are your meditators, #indly
fulfil oue desires. 6ou are the !other of )edas and )edantas; let our sins committed
during the day and night be abolished at once. 6ou are the =nergy of our limbs and
sensory organs, the entire source of our Being.>e have the honour of inviting you to our
prayers as 9a#shmi, Sarasvati, Savitri, )edas and their !eters, )isvamitra and other
/ishis. 'ayatri !antras <hhandas or !eter is 'ayatri :erself, /ishi is )isvamitra, Sun
is the %eity, 5ire is the 5ace, Brahma is the head, )ishnu is the heart, /udra is the tuft,
=arth is the <reative 5orce, the 5ive types of &ir,vi-. rana, &pana, )yana, ;dana,
Samana; 5air <omple$tion, Sam#hyaya 'otra, <omprising Twenty four 9etters, three
feet or steps, Si$ Stomachs, 5ive 5aces * !anas, Buddhi, <hitta, &ham#ara and ragna
indicative of five directions of north, east, west and north plus the above+7. &fter the
&hvana or welcome, Sroutachamana and &pohishta !antra, &nganyasa is presented.
The !antras are as follows1 Om +hu %adabhyam Namaha . !ou"h ,e(s/,Om bhuvah
#anubhyam Namah.!ou"h !wo knees/, Om Svaha .atibhyam namah .!ou"h hi%/,Om
Maharnabhyai namah . nave,/, Om #ana! hridayaya namah . hear!/, Om Ta%ah
Kan!hyaya namah .!hroa!/, Om sa!yam 0a,a!aya namah . 1orehead/* .aranyasa of the
si$ body parts is e$ecuted vi-. Om !a!savi!huh 2 +rahma!mane n(ush!ham Namah
Hridayaya namah; Varenyam Vishna!mane Tar&aneebhyam namah Sirase Svaha;
+har(o Devasya -udra!maney Madhyamabhaym Namah Sikhaya vasha!; Dhimahi
Sa!ya!maney namikabhyam NamahaKava"haya hum; Dhiyoyonah #na!a!mane
Kanish!hikabham Nanah Ne!ra !rayayavousha! ; Pra"hodaya! Sarva!mane Kara!ha,a
%rush!habyam Namah Kara!ha,a %rush!habhyam namah s!raya %hu!
/+hurbhuvassoromi!i Di(bandhah* 'ayatri !antra 0apa Sam#alpa is then made. !ain
%hyanam is as follows1 Muk!avidruma hema ni,a dhava,a "hhayirmukhayir
s!reekshanayir yuk!amindu nibaddha ra!na maku!am !a!var!ha varna!mikam
Gaya!rrem varadabhayam kuskasassubhramka %a,am (adam sankham "hakra
dharavinda u(a,am has!yirvahan!eem bha&e* 3%evi 'ayatris five faces are white li#e
pearl; one is red li#e coral, second is yellow li#e gold, third is blue li#e neelam, fourth
white li#e mil#, and the fifth is of trinetra or three eyed. >e meditate :er gem studded
headgear with half8 moon li#e 2ewel on :er :ead, and eight hands with Benedictine
mudras, &n#usam, 'ada *mace+, San#ham, <ha#ram, S#ull, and Two9otuses.7
The !udra %harana or performing Twenty four !udras, as taught by 'uru would be
ne$t step in the 'ayatri vandanam. The relevant !antra is1 Sumukham
Sam%u!am"haiva vi!a!am vis!ru!am !adha/ dvimukham !rimukham"haiva "ha!uh
Pan"ha mukham !adha Shanmukho!ho mukham"haiva vya%akaaman&a,im !hadha
saka!am )ama Pasam"ha (radhi!am sanmukhom %ra,ambam mush!ikam "haiva
Ma!syah Kurma Varahakou Simhakran!am Mahakran!ham mud(aram %a,,avam
!adha* 9amityadi ancha u2a to 5ive =lements vi-. 9um rithivi tatvatmane Tripada
'ayatri %evatayi "amah8'andham pari#alpayami; hum &#asa tatvatmane ushpam
samarpayami; yam )ayu tatvatmane %hupam aghrapayami; /am )ahni deepam
darshayami; )am &mrita tatvatmane &mrita "aivedyam; and Sum sarvatvatma#e
Sarvopachara u2aam pari#alpayami namah. Before performing 'ayatri 0apam, the
permission of 'uru be obtained.3 The word8by8word meaning of 'ayatri !antra is1 (m 1
&lmighty 'od; Bhur * =mbodiment of )ital =nergy+; Bhuvaha * %estroyer of
Suffering+;Svaha * =mbodiment of :appiness+; Tath * That &lmighty+; Savitur * Bright
li#e Sun+; )arenyam * The Supreme+; Bhargo * demolisher of Sins+; %evasya * the %ivine
5orce+; %himahi * !ay receive+; 6o * >ho+; "a * (ur+, rachodayat * 9et inspire in right
direction+. In other words 1 (h &lmighty, 6ou are the <reator of 9ife, Slayer of Sorrow,
Bestower of :appiness and <reator of the ;niverese. !ay we receive 6our Supreme
=nergy to ra-e our sins and guide us in our intellect in the right direction.7 >hile
performing 'ayatri 0apam mentally, one should not sha#e head and nec# or show
teeth.The number of the 0apam could be hundred and eight times or fifty eight timed or
at least ten times.The 0apam is not performed while bathing, for 'ayatri is li#e 5ire or
&gnimu#ha. Soon after the 0apam, recite the !antra of !u#ta vidruma hema neela
etc. #eeping a mental picture of 'ayatri as 2ust mentioned earlier and then perform
=ight !udras reciting Surabhi #nana yonis"ha nis"ha sankham "hakram "ha
Panka&am 0in(a nirvana mudras"hyesh!a Mudrah %rakir!i!hah* Triachamanam 8
&chamanam thrice8 follows and then proposingSuryopasthanam or ta#ing leave of Sun
'od in the morning and afternoon Sandhyas and in the =vening Sandhyas
propose )arunopasthanam as per !antras relevant to morning, mid8day and in the
evenings respectively. %i# devata namas#aram or salutations to the %eities in charge of
si$ directions of =ast, South, >est, "orth, ;pper and "ether /egions is e$ecuted
followed by concluding %hyanam, Tri achamanam and the concluding and formal
Salutation from Brahma downward 1 a +rahma ,okadaseshadaa ,oka,oka %arva!a! /
ye san!hi +rahmanaa Devas!hebhyo ni!yam Namonamaha* &e tatbhavam tat
arameswara arpanamastu.
Gayatri Punascharana is a step forward from simple and regular Tri Sandhya 'ayatri
to higher category, after reciting 'ayatri 0apa by twenty la#h times. This has to be
e$ecuted in the presence of a 'uru at a :oly lace, Temple or /iver bed and afer
stringently following dietary and other restrictions such as prohibited months, days,
Stars, Tithis, and so on. Similarly, those who have a penchant for )aisva %eva >orship
by way of Five Yajnas vi-. %eva 6a2na, Brahma 6a2na, Bhuta 6a2na, itri 6a2na and
!anushya 6a2na. (ther stringent penances are to practiseVrats vi-. ra2apatya Tapta
.richchra, Santapana, ara .richchra and <handrayana. The ra2apatya )rata of the
four mentioned is for twelve days of which food is ta#en first three days as one mid8day
meal, ne$t three days as evening a day, further ne$t three days any one meal unsolicited
and the final round of three days without food at all. Santapana )rat is for two days, first
day consuming cows urine, dung, mil#, curd, ghee and water of #usa grass and the
second day on full fast. Tapta .richchra )rat is for twelve days, each three days
consuming hot mil#, hot water and hot ghee and final three days only air respectively
during each three days duration.The &ti .richchra )rat is to eat one mouthful food a day
for three dayas and ne$t three daysful fast. ara .richchra )rat is to abstain food for
twelve days. <handrayana )rath is to decrease one mouthful a day from the day after
&mavaysa, which would be a complete fast, to ournami and increase mouthfuls each
day during the ne$t fortnight. To repeat 'ayatri twenty four thousand times is as good as
one Tapta .richchira and si$ty eight times is e?ual to one <handrayana. Sim%,y
%er1ormin( Gaya!ri hundred !imes ea"h a,on( wi!h Pranayama durin( mornin( and
3venin( Sandhyas wou,d 4ua,i1y him 1or des!royin( sins* If he accomplishes three
thousand 'ayatri 0apas during the Trisandhyas every day and offers &rghya to Sun
'od, even %evas would worship him, let alone co8human beings. Sage "arayana
enlightened "arada !uni and through him the posterity about the twenty four
letterd Gayatri related Rishis The twenty four /ishis are1 )ama %eva, &tri,
)asishtha, Su#ra, .anva, arasara, and the family of )isvamitra, .apila, Sauna#a,
6a2nyaval#a, Bharadva2a, 0amadagni, 'autama, !udgala, )eda )yasa, 9omasa, &gastya,
.ausi#a, )atsya, ulasta, !andu#a, %urvasa, "arada and .asyapa. The twenty
four !hhandas are 'ayatri, ;sni#, &nushthup, Bhrihati, an#ti, Trishnup, 0agati, &ti
0agati, Sa##ari, &ti Sa##ari, %hriti, &ti %hriti, )irat, rastara an#ti, .riti, ra#riti,
&#riti, )i#riti, Sam#riti, &#shara an#ti, Bhu, Bhuva, Svaha and 0yotismati. The twenty
four 'ayatri related Devathas are &gni, ra2apati, Soma, Isana, Savita, &ditya,
Brihaspati, !itravaruna, Bhagadeva, &rya, 'anesha, Tvasta, usha, Indragni, )ayu,
)amadeva, !itra )aruni, )isva %eva, !atri#a, )ishnu, )asudeva, /udra %eva, .uvera
and the twin &wini .umaras. The twenty four 'ayatri related Sa"tis are 1 )ama %evi,
riya, Sathya, )isva, Bhadravilasini, rabha %evi, 0aya, Santa, .anta, %urga, Sarasvati,
)idruma, )isalesa, )yapini, )imala, Thamopaharini, Su#shma, )isvayoni, 0aya, )asa,
admalaya, arasobha, Bhadra and Tripada. #attvas are ancha Bhutas * =arth, >ater,
5ire, &ir, S#y+; anchendriyas or Sensory (rgans * Smell, taste, form, sound, touch+;
male organ, anus, legs, hands, tongue, eyes, s#in, ears, speech, 9ife giving vital =nergy
and five types of rana, &pana, )yana, ;dana and Samana. The twenty four Gayatri
Mudras have been aleady described as Sumu#ham, Samputam, )itatham, )istrutam,
%vimu#ham, Trimu#ham, <hatur 8mu#ham, anchamu#ham, Shanmu#ham, &dho
8mu#ham, )ayapa#am, &n2alim, Sa#atam, 6amapasam, 'radhitam, Sanmu#on
mu#ham)ilambam, !ushti#am, !atsyam, .urmam, )araha#am,Simha#rantam,
!aha#rantam, !udgaram and allavam.
Gayatri $avacha% * rotective &rmoury+ which is a certain means of obliterating sins,
is to precede &nganyasa, .aranyasa and %hyanam as in the prepages. The Te$t of
.avacham reads as follows1 !ay 'ayatri protect my frontage, Savitri %vi my rightside,
Sandhya my bac#side and Sarasvati my leftside. !ay %evi arvati protect my abode,
0alasayani my south east, 6atudhana Bhayan#ari the south west, avana )ilasini my
north west and /udrarupini /udrani my north east. !ay Brahmani safeguard my top
and %evi )aishnavi secure my nether regions. !ay the >ord Tat in the 'ayatri !antra
defend my legs, Savituh guard my #nees, let )arenyam shield my loins, and Bhargah
my navel. !ay the >ord %evasya protect my heart and %himahimy nec#, %hiyaha
ensure safety of my eyes, 6ah my forehead, "ah my head and prachodayat my tuft on
the rear side of my head. &n alternative version is1let the word Tat safeguard my head,
Sa my forehead, )i my eyes, Tu my chee#s, )a nostrils, re my mouth, ni my upper
lip, yah my lower lip, Bha my entire face, rgo chee#s, %e my throat, va shoulders,
Sya my right hand, %hi my navel, ma my throat,hi my belly, %hi naval, 6o loins,
yo anus, nah my thighs, pra my #nees, cho my shan#s, %a my heels , ya my legs
and at my sides. This powerful 'ayatri .avacham wards off all evil forces from the
physi?ues of the readers and the listeners ali#e, provides immense peace of mind, huge
contentment life long and finally divine bliss at the termination of life.

Gayatri &ridaya' e$plicitly mentioned in &tharva )eda, is the core of 'ayatri, the
!other of )edas and its athanam*reading+, Sravanam*hearing+, ;ccharanam
* reciting+ or !ananam * meditating+ is of e$cellent value. !aha )ishnu :imself is the
Sage of the !antra, it is in 'ayatri <hhanda and its %evata is !aha 'ayatri :erself. The
"yasa or the alignment of the %eity and meditator has to visuali-e the persons head as
that of 'ayatri, the twin &svini %evatas as the two rows of teeth, Sarasvati as the tongue,
Brihaspati as the nec#, &shtavasus or th =ight )asus as represented on the persons
chest, ar2anya or )aruna %eva on the heart, &#asa on the belly, &ntari#sha on the
navel, Indra and &gni as the loins, Brahma as )i2nana on hip 2oints, .ailasa and !alaya
mountains as thighs, )isvadevas on the #nees, )isvamitra on the shan#s, Suns two
movements to "orth and South vi-. ;ttarayana and %a#shinayana on the anus, =arth on
legs, )anaspati on fingers and toes, /ishis on body hairs, !uhurtas on nails, lanets on
bones, /ithus or Seasons on blood and flesh, 6ears on twin#lings of an eye, Sun and
!oon as day and night. 'ayatri, may I see# your shelter; do protect me from my sins.
Gayatri Stotra was e$plained by Sage "arayana to "arada as follows1 %evi 'ayatri is
the !other of the >hole ;niverse and the rimeval =nergy that is all8 pervading and all8
#nowing. She is the Time, Space and distance. She is Sandhya, Sarasvati, Savitri, Brahmi,
)aishnavi and /udrini. She is seen by ascetics as Brahmani riding :amsa, Sarasvati
riding 'aruda and Savitri riding a Bull. They find /igveda manifested as Savitri,
6a2urveda as &ntari#sha * (uter Space+ and Samaveda as /udralo#a8all evident by
'ayatri. She is Brahmani in Brahmalo#a, )aishnavi in )ishnulo#a and /udrini in
/udralo#a. She is %urga %evi noticeable by the Ten /upas as )arenya, )arada,
)arishtha, )aravarnini, 'arishtha, )arada, )araroha, "ilaganga, Sandhya, !o#sha, and
Bhoga !o#shada. She is Bhagiradhi on =arth, Bhogavati in atala and !anda#ini in the
!il#y >ay * :eavens+. She is the all enduring =arth in Bhulo#a, )uyu Sa#ti *&ir =nergy+
in Bhuvarlo#a, Ta2oSa#ti * ower of 9ight+ in Svarlo#a, Siddhi in !aharlo#a, 0ana in
0analo#a, Tapasvini in Tapar 9o#a,Truth in Satyalo#a, 9a#shmi in )ishnulo#a, 'ayatri in
Brahmalo#a and 'auri in /udralo#a. She is (m !ahat Tatva ra#riti and Samyavastha
ra#riti. She is Tri Sa#ti combined vi$. Icchha Sa#ti *>ill ower+, .riya Sa#ti *ower of
&ction+, 0nana Sa#ti *ower of .nowledge+. She is the various /ivers li#e 'anga,
6amuna, )ipasa, Sarasvati, Sarayu, %evi#a, Sindhu, "armada, Iravati, 'odavari, .averi,
.ausi#i, <handrabhaga, 'anda#i, Tapini and 'omati; She is .undalini, !uladhara,
)yapini, !adhyasana and !anonmayi in Brahmarandhra.