Doing Sandhyavanada everyday is a discipline that I have been cultivating for the past few years. In the next year or so our son will be ready for upanayana, so I wish to be a role model to him as my father was to me. First step towards that I thought was knowing the meanings of what we chant because my son has already started to express keen interest in the meaning. This blog is more for myself than anyone else so that I can help my son if he needs.
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Sandhyavandana is a way to salute and thank the Sun for his contribution to our existence. It is not just the external sun that Sandhyavandana salutes. It is the sun within. Hindu ideology believes that what is outside is within, so whatever is done externally is also to be internalized.
It involves multiple phases:
- Purification and Conviction: begin with purification - external (bAhya) through water and Internal (abhyantara) through bhagawad nAma and prANAyAma; making the sankalpa (determination)
- Invocation and Welcome: preparing the stage and inviting the auspicious deities within; welcoming; giving the arghya (respectful reception of a "guest")
- Meditation or mantra japa: gAyatri japa is central to the sandhyavandana, and the above preparations are vital before doing gAyatri; offer oblations
- Conclusion: thank all the deities, give a graceful sendoff, re-invite them the next time, extend apologies for any shortcoming and conclude by offering everything to the Lord, Sri Krishna.
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Here are some of the most important elements of Sandhyavanadana:
[start by purification process: external through water and internal through the Lord's names]
अपवित्रः पवित्रः वा सर्व अवस्थां गतॊपि वा ।
यः स्मरॆत् पुण्डरीकाक्षं सबाह्य अभ्यन्तर शुचिः ॥
Whether one is pure or impure (bathed or unbathed,
wearing the sacred thread or not, sinful or sinless), whatever state
(jAgrt/swapna/shushupti, bAla/kaumAra/yuva/vriddApya/mrityA,
brahmacharya/grihasta/vAnaprastha/sanyAsa etc) one has reached, one who
remembers (remembers, recollects, recites, thinks of, is mindful of) the Lotus
Eyed One (the Lord, Sri Krishna, Sriman Narayana), he/she is purified (shines,
glows, gleams) from outside and from within.
केशवाय स्वाह | नारायणाय स्वाह | माधवाय स्वाह |
केशवाय स्वाह - offering to Lord with fine luxuriant hair (hair likened
to the rays of the Sun; the Supreme Being) i.e. to Lord Sri Krishna
नारायणाय स्वाह – offering to the
Lord who pervades us from within (described as one who keeps the blood warm and
responsible for circulation; He is described as the eye of the world, the world
itself, the indestructible, supreme abode, eteral, unending, soul of the
universe, last resort, the ultimate one who is to be known, the root,
imperishable, supreme brahman, infinite, limitless, all knowing etc.), i.e. to Lord Sri Krishna
माधवाय स्वाह – offering to the
Lord who is sweet like honey (the all attractive, the most fragrant one), i.e. to Lord Sri Krishna.
(offering made to the external
aspect, the internal aspect and the deep inner core which is likened to honey)
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गोविंदाय नमः – Salutations to the
one who gives pleasure to the senses (one who is the chief herdsman), i.e. to
Lord Sri Krishna
विष्ण्वॆ नमः – Salutations to the
one who is all pervading, all embracing, i.e. to Lord Sri Krishna
मधुसूदनाय नमः – Salutations to
the Lord who slayed Madhu demon, i.e. to Sri Krishna (who like the bee collects honey for the living
beings to consume)
त्रिविक्रमाय नमः – Salutations to
the Lord who strides over the 3 worlds (bhu, bhvah, suvah; who can push His
devotee out of the 3 worlds and the 3 modes of material nature)
वामनाय नमः – Salutations to the
Lord who came in the form of a dwarf (complementing trivikrama)
श्रीधराय नमः – Salutations to the
Lord of Fortune (one who is all splendor, intellect, fame, glory, grace, luster, virtuousness, excellence; posseses all wealth)
ह्रिशिकॆशाय नमः – Salutations to
the Lord of the organ of senses (one who delights, and creates happiness)
पद्मनाभाय नमः – Salutations to
the Lotus Navel'd Lord (the causal root of the entire creation)
दामोदराय नमः – Salutations to the
Lord with a rope around the waist (Sri Krishna)
संकर्शणाय नमः – Salutations to
the Lord who beholds the entire universe (Lord from who all the manifestations
or incarnations supposedly happen; Anantashesha, who is born as Lord Balarama)
(Sri Krishna)
वासुदॆवाय नमः – Salutations to
the Lord of Soul (vAsu: “The Soul”; the soul of the universe; the supreme being),
the son of Vasudeva (Sri Krishna)
प्रध्युम्नाय नमः – Salutations to
the Lord of Intellect, of love, the per-eminently mighty one, who radiates or
illuminates (also, the son of Krishna and Rukmini, and Krishna Himself) (Sri Krishna)
अनिरुद्धाय नमः – Salutations to the
Lord one who cannot be suppressed, stopped, confined, i.e. who is self-reliant
and self-willed (also, the son of Pradhyumna, said to have close resemblance to
his grandfather Sri Krishna )
पुरुशोत्तमाय नमः – Salutations to
the Supreme Spirit (highest being, best among all that is) (Sri Krishna)
अधोक्षजाय नमः – Salutations to
the Lord who never falls down or dishonored or undermined (Sri Krishna)
नारसिम्हाय नमः – Salutations to
the Lord who is nArasimha (man-lion), the great warrior (Sri Krishna)
अच्युताय नमः – Salutations to the
Lord who is imperishable, firm, fixed, permanent; almighty being; (Sri Krishna)
जनार्दनाय नमः – Salutations to
the Lord who excites, motivates, inspires all that is born; one who annihilates
all that is born. (Sri Krishna)
उपेन्द्राय नमः – Salutations to
the Lord who as the younger brother of Indra descended as vAmana; who is Indra
Himself. (Sri Krishna)
हरये नमः – Salutations to the Lord
(also the Lion, Indra, Brahma, beautiful, fire, wind, the sun) (Sri Krishna)
श्री कृष्णाय नमः – Salutations to
Lord Sri Krishna (the all attractive; who is in essence all the above names and
more).
<to be continued>
