The
Vaidika sandhya is the rite performed by the twice-born castes thrice a day, at morning, midday, and evening. The morning
sandhya is preceded by the following acts. On awakening, a
mantra is said in invocation of the
Tri-murtti and the sun, moon, and planets, and salutation is made to the Guru. The Hindu
dvi-ja then recites the
miantra: "I am a Deva. I am indeed the sorrowless Brahman. By nature I am eternally free, and in the form of existence, intelligence, and Bliss." He then offers the actions of the day to the Deity, confesses his inherent frailty, and prays that he may do right. Then, leaving his bed and touching the earth with his right foot, the
dvi-ja says, "Om, 0 Earth! salutation to Thee, the Guru of all that is good." After attending to natural calls, the twice-born does
achamana (sipping of water) with
mantra,
cleanses his teeth, and takes his early morning bath to the accompaniment of
mantra.
He then puts on his caste-mark (
tilaka)
and makes
tarpanam,
or oblation of water, to the
Deva,
Rishi, and
Pitri.
The
sandhya follows, which consists of
achamana (sipping of water),
marjjana-snanam (sprinkling of the whole body with water taken with the hand or
kasha-grass),
pranayama (regulation of
prana through its manifestation in breath),
agha-marshana (expulsion of the person of sin from the body; the prayer to the sun, and then (the canon of the
sandhya)
the silent recitation (
japa)
of the Gayatn
mantra,
which consists of invocation (
avahana)
of the
Gayatri-Devi;
rishi-nyasa and
shadanga-nyasa (
vide post),
meditation on the Devi-Gayatri in the morning as Brahmani; at midday as Vaishnavi; and in the evening as Rudrani;
japa of the Gayatri a specified number of times; dismissal (
visarjana)
of the Devi, followed by other mantra.
Besides the Brahmanical Vaidiki-sandhya from which the Shudras are debarred, there is the Tantriki-sandhya, which may be performed by all. The general outline is similar; the rite is simpler; the mantra vary; and the Tantrika-vijas or "seed" mantras are employed.
