Avani avittam countdown- Sandhyavandanam- a refresher- part 2

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Om Sri Paramatmane Nama:

 

Sandhya Vandanam

 

The time:

 

What is the apt time for doing Sandhya Vandanam ? The name suggests

Sandhya , the meeting time of Day with night, which is just before and

during sunrise and sunset.

 

Ajyotisho darsanat sandhi, jyotisho bhanutare

 

The above statement of the shastra means

 

Sandhi is the time when the sun and the stars are together visible.

The practical thing therefore will be to start

1. In the morning before sunrise, give Arghyam( explanation later)

during sunrise and finish just after sunrise.

2. In the evening, begin before sunset, give Arghyam during sunset and

finish later.

 

For those who always are inconsistent with their timings, Shastra says

For prAtha: (morning) Sandhyavandhan

 

Uttama tarakopeta madhyama lupta taraka

Adhama urya sahita prata: sandhya tridha mana

 

To do PrAtha: ( morning) sandhyA vandanam when the stars are visible

is Uttama (first grade.); Maddhyama (middle grade) when doing without

the stars; and Adhama ( least grade when Sun is visible)

 

Similarly,

 

Uttama suryasahita maddhyama anudita taraka

Adhma tarakopeta sayam sandhya tridha mata

 

To do Sayam( evening) Sandhya Vandanam , It is Uttama doing while the

sun is still shining; Maddhyama when doing before stars are visible;

Adhama after the stars are fuly visible.

 

Sri Abhinava Theertha swamigal says whatever be the grade, it is

always best to do it regularly. Otherwise, he warns, one's

Brahmanathva itself is wasted.

 

The morning and evening sandhis are also ideal since, traditionally

and habitually, a person's stomach will be empty doing both sunrise

and sunset. An empty stomach is achieved after four hours of a solid

meal. An empty stomach is a prerequisite for Sandhyavandanam since

there are at least three sets of pranayama totaling 15 in one full

routine. A loaded stomach will interfere with pranayama greatly

resulting in indigestion, sleepiness etc. Even the madhyahnikam (

noon) routine is done with an empty stomach before the meal.

 

There are three types of Karmas- Nithya, Naimithika, and Kamya karmas.

Kamya karma is one which is done with a desire to achieve, like a

yagya for long life etc .Even if kamya karmas are not done , there is

no sin. Naimithika karma is one which is not shastra bound and not

niyamic, i.e., a necessary duty , such as taking bath after an

eclipse. Nithya karma is one which is `niyata nimitta' meaning ` that

which is done which is shastra bound' . Sunrise and sunset are the

reason for doing Sandhya vandanam. Hence this is classified in the

Nithya karma, which has to be done daily , lifelong.

 

In the next part we will discuss a fascinating karma called Achamanam

which is spiritual and profoundly scientific.