843. Sandhyavandana……!

Sandhyavandana is a mandatory religious ritual performed, traditionally by those initiated through the sacred thread ceremony (Upanayana).  Sandhyavandana literally means “I bow to Sandhya”. 

Who is this Sandhya???

Sandhya was the first among the creation from Brahma along with Saptarishis, Prajapatis, Swayambhu Manu, Satrupa, and Kama. Sandhya was beautiful and wise too hence was appointed to impart the significance of Vedas, and to reveal procedures of Agnihotra to Saptarishis. Saptarishis were asked to assist Brahma in creation. Swayambhu Manu and Satrupa were allotted the role of man and wife to undertake the act of procreation. Prajapatis were 10 in numbers who were in charge of protection of life. Kama was instructed to induce desires and play cupid among couples.  

   

Kama out of curiosity to check his powers tried it on Brahma and Sandhya. Brahma got infatuated towards Sandhya. Maha Rudradeva who watched all this brought Brahma to sense. Humiliated Brahma curses Kama to be burnt by the third eye of Mana Rudradeva. Sandhya too felt humiliated and decided to immolate herself. Rishi Vasishta one of the Saptarishis stopped and advised her to do penance. Maha Rudradeva satisfied with her penance asked her to request for any boon. She request Him to grant her wish to end her present life as she was disturbed to be one who had beauty which had led to cause infatuation to her own father. Further she requested Maha Rudradeva to grant her next birth where she would be example for chastity for the future generations.

Maha Rudradeva advised her to disown her mortal coils to facilitate her subtle body to be born again. At the same time on the banks of Chandrabhaga river a Yagna was been conducted. Sandhya threw herself into the Yagna Kunda and immediately her Tejas (aura) travelled to Surya Loka. Suryanarayana divided it into two, Pratah Sandhya and Sayam Sandhya to decorate His one wheeled chariot. From then on it was the transition moments of the day at two twilight, dawn and dusk. That Tejas is even today adored as Sandhyavandana.   

There are 5 main components of Sandhyavandana:

Achamana: It is a simple process of reciting the names of Maha Vishnu while performing Jala paana (sipping water) as per Vedic tradition. This is followed by touching various sensory organs of the body by reciting the 24 names of Chaturvimsati Murthy (Kesavadi Nama). By doing so those parts gets activated.

Pranayama: Manas (Mind) and Prana (Breath) are like two people on a see-saw thus interconnected and pivoted at Consciousness. It can be observed when we are agitated or nervous our breath pattern is altered. Manas is very volatile and hard to control so Prana can be trained and this restrain of Prana is in the method called Pranayama. Pranayama is a unique way of Mind Control.

Arghya Pradhana: This is a gesture of lifting the water from the water body by cupping the palms and again pouring the same back to the water body. This is to remind the seeker that the wealth got by the grace of Absolute has to be given back to Him and be blessed.

Gayathri Mantra Japa: Soura Shakti (Solar energy) pervades the whole earth nourishing and activating all beings. This grace of Suryanarayana is on all beings effortlessly. As a seeker one has to get his Buddhi (intellect) illuminated, Gayathri Mantra Japa is the source for it. Dhiyo Yonah Prachodayat (Illuminate my Intellect) is the request made to Savitur in this mantra.  

Upasthana Mantra: Concluding part is to appease the Vedic Gods. In Pratah Sandhya it is addressed to “Mitra” (God of oath & friendship), in Sayam Sandhya it is “Varuna” (God of water). The mantras are quite immensely deep and plead for the welfare of not only self but for the family and also the whole community.

Further as per her wishes Sandhya was re-born as Arundathi and Sage Vasistha married her and she earned the exemplary fame of chastity. In our traditional astronomy, pair of Alcor and Mizar in constellation Ursa Major is believed to be Sage Vasishta and Arundhati. The practice of Vedic weddings is followed by the visioning of the Arundhati Star in the sky by the newly wedded couples as a part of the wedding procedure till date.