Upanayana – Sandhyāvandana

The daily worship of the sun is called Sandhyā.[1] The word ‘sandhyā’ literally means ‘twilight’ but also indicates the prayer performed during the morning and evening twilight.[2] This act of adoration to the sun is generally styled ‘sandhyopāsana’ or ‘sandhyāvandana’ or simply ‘sandhyā.’[3] The word ‘sandhyā’ can also mean ‘the junction between night and day (i.e., dawn)’ or ‘the junction between day and night (i.e., dusk).’ The former is known as ‘prātaḥ-sandhyā’ and the latter as ‘sāyaṃ-sandhyā.’

Typically the sandhyā is prescribed twice[4] but some authorities require the sandhyā to be performed thrice a day – at day-break, in the noon (madhyāhna-sandhyā)[5] and at sun-set. A dvija who possesses knowledge of the Self was expected to perform three sandhyā prayers,[6] also called Gāyatrī (prātaḥ-sandhyā), Sāvitrī (madhyāhna-sandhyā), and Sarasvatī (sāyaṃ-sandhyā).[7]

Prātaḥ-sandhyā was to begin before sunrise and end by the time the disc of the sun is seen on the horizon. Sāyaṃ-sandhyā was to begin when the disc of the sun is about to set and ends by the time the stars appear. The duration of the sandhyā prayer was around one muhūrta—i.e. two ghaṭikās—equal to forty-eight minutes.

Gāyatrī mantra japa and recitation of sacred mantras is the focus of the sandhyā ritual and other aspects like mārjana are secondary.

On the day of the upanayana there was no prātaḥ-sandhyā. Jaiminī says that as long as there is no imparting of the Gāyatrī mantra there is no sandhyā. The student begins his sandhyā in the noon of the day of upanayana. Since on that day he knew no Vedic text except the Gāyatrī, the whole sandhyā worship comprised the recitation of the Gāyatrī mantra.

The sandhyā prayer was intended for the brahmacārī to contemplate upon the deity Āditya represented by the orb of the sun. He must contemplate on the fact that the brilliance of the sun is the akin to his own.

The proper place for the sandhyā prayer is outside the village,[8] in a lonely place (like a forest),[9] or in a river or at a sacred spot.[10]

Prātaḥ-sandhyā is to be performed standing; sāyaṃ-sandhyā is to be performed in a sitting posture.[11] Prātaḥ-sandhyā is to be performed facing the east and sāyaṃ-sandhyā facing the northwest.[12] He is to bathe, to sit in a pure spot on a seat of kuśa grass, should have the sacred cord in the usual position and restrain his speech (i.e. should be silent and not talk in the midst of sandhyā).

Sandhyopāsana primarily consists of:

1. Ācamana (sipping of water)
2. Prāṇāyāma (regulated breathing)
3. Saṅkalpa (committing to the ritual)
4. Mārjana (sprinkling oneself with water thrice while reciting specific mantras)
5. Aghamarṣaṇa (driving out sin)
6. Arghya-pradāna (offering of water to the sun)
7. Gāyatrī mantra japa (silent recitation of the Gāyatrī)
8. Upasthāna (reciting mantras for the worship of Mitra in the morning and of Varuṇa in the evening)

Some authorities refer only to the Gāyatrī mantra japa as part of the sandhyopāsana.[13] Some refer only to the Arghya and Gāyatrī mantra japa.[14] The gṛhya-sūtras explain in detail the elaborate process for the sandhyā with the various components like ācamana, mārjana, upasthāna, etc.[15]

Ācamana is a general act of purification that precedes every ritual. One should perform ācamana in a sitting posture (and not standing nor bent) in a pure spot, facing the north or east; one should sip water thrice with water that is not hot and that is free from foam or bubbles.

Prāṇāyāma—the restraint of breath—is defined as the regulation of the inhalation and exhalation of air.[16] The three steps of prāṇāyāma are pūraka (inhalation), kumbhaka (retention), and recaka (exhalation). Three prāṇāyāmas are to be performed, each lasting for fifteen mātras (morae).[17] The śiras of Gāyatrī, the three vyāhṛtis (‘utterances’) each preceded by ‘om’ and the Gāyatrī mantra are to be rehearsed mentally during the time of prāṇāyāma.[18]

Saṅkalpa—committing to the ritual—is done in a sitting posture, typically cross-legged. The spatio-temporal coordinates were specified by placing the right palm over the left palm and clasping the left hand, placing both hands on the right knee.

Mārjana literally means ‘cleansing.’ This process purifies the body and makes a person fit for the ritual. Mārjana is performed by using kuśa grass dipped in water, which kept in a vessel of copper or udumbara wood or earthenware. While doing the ceremony, one must repeat ‘om,’ the vyāhṛtis (‘utterances’), Gāyatrī mantra, and specific verses.[19] Baudhāyana prescribes the recitation of more Vedic mantras during mārjana.[20]

Aghamarṣaṇa consists of taking water in the right hand formed in the shape of a cow’s ear, holding it near one’s nose, breathing out from the nose on the water (with the idea of driving away sin from oneself) while reciting specific verses[21] and then casting the water away to one’s left on the ground.

Arghya-pradāna consists in taking water in one’s joined hands, reciting the Gāyatrī mantra, standing (in the morning) or sitting (in the evening) facing the sun, and casting it up thrice. If one doesn’t have access to water, he could use dust instead of water. A brāhmaṇa contemplating the rising and setting sun and paying respects to it—by going from left to right—attains all bliss, since Āditya is Brahma.[22]

Gāyatrī mantra japa is the silent repetition of the Gāyatrī.[23]

Upasthāna is typically performed standing up. It consists of reciting mantras praising Mitra, the Sun god, in the morning and Varuṇa, the deity of ṛta, in the evening.[24]

To be concluded…

Thanks to Pradeep Chakravarthy for getting me to write this essay. Śatāvadhāni Dr. R Ganesh and Dr. Koti Sreekrishna, who have always supported and encouraged me, were kind enough to go through the essay and give their detailed feedback. Shashi Kiran B N, a young scholar-poet went through the essay and offered valuable suggestions. Yet another scholar-poet, Arjun Bharadwaj, helped me with getting some of the reference books needed for this essay. My heartfelt gratitude to all of them.

Bibliography

Achari, Sri Rama Ramanuja. Saṁskāras: The Hindu Sacraments. Srimatham, 2015 <http://www.srimatham.com/uploads/5/5/4/9/5549439/hindu_samskaras.pdf>

Devuḍu. Mahādarśana. Bangalore: Devuḍu Pratiṣṭhāna, 2009

H H Sri Rangapriya Swami’s lecture on the Gāyatrī mantra

Harshananda, Swami. Upanayana: Sandhyāvandana and Gāyatrīmantrajapa. Chennai: Sri Ramakrishna Math.

Harshananda, Swami. A Concise Encyclopaedia of Hinduism. Volume 3. R-Z. Bangalore: Ramakrishna Math, 2008

Kane, Pandurang Vaman. History of Dharmaśāstra. Vol. II, Part I. Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, 1941

Pandey, Rajbali. Hindu Saṁskāras: Socio-Religious Study of the Hindu Sacraments. New Delhi: Motilal Banarasidass, 1969

Ṛgvedasaṃhitā. Vol. 17. Ed. Rao, H. P. Venkata. Mysore: Sri Jayachamarajendra Vedaratnamala, 1948-62

Śatāvadhāni Dr. R Ganesh’s seven-part lecture series in Kannada titled Ṣoḍaśa-saṃskāragaḻu at Gokhale Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA) in December 2005

The Sixteen Samskaras <http://cincinnatitemple.com/articles/SixteenSamskaras.pdf>

Footnotes