36 - Method of performing Sandhya 

Morning, noon and evening prayers. 

Hari said: 

1. O Rudra, I shall explain the mode of performance of Sandhya prayer. It destroys sins. Listen. After performing pranayama (holding of the breath) thrice, the devotee shall take the Sandhya bath. 

2. It is called pranayama when one repeats the Gayatri along with pranava and the Vyáhrutis (Om Bhūh Bhuvah Svah Om) three times while holding the breath, 

3. A twice-born will be able to burn off all mental, verbal and physical defects by prāņāyama. Hence, he shall practise the same always. 

4. The Achamana mantra during the evening Sandhya is the Vedic Ruk: Agnishchama; during the morning it is Suryascha ma; in the mid-day it is: Apah punantu. Let him duly perform Upas- parsha2 also. 

2. Bathing or rinsing the mouth, sipping and ejecting water as a religious act. 

5. He shall perform Marjana (mystical wiping) with the Ruk: Apo hi shtha and water by means of Kušha grass shall be sprinkled at every step with the recital of pranava. 

6. With these nine (three times daily three main rites) the devotee shall burn off the nine sorts of defects arising from Rajas, (passion) Tamas (ignorance), Moha (delusion) waking state, dreaming state and state of sound sleep, from speech, from thought and from actions. 

7. Taking water in the joint palms (in the form of a cup) and reciting the mantra, Aghamarshana water shall be offered three, eight or twelve times. 

8. The sun shall be worshipped with the two Ruks Udu tyam and Chitram. The sins committed during the day or night shall be destroyed instantly. 

9. The Sandhya prayer shall be recited in the morning standing and in the evening, sitting. The Gayatri shall be recited with pranava prefixed and accompanied by Mahävyährutis.1 

1. Bhür, bhuvah and svah are called the Mahavyahrutis. 

10. If it is recited ten times Gayatri removes the sin of this birth; if it is recited hundred times it destroys the sins of all previous births and if it is recited a thousand times it removes the sins of three yugas2 (Ages i.e. Kruta, Tretā and Dväpara). 

2. According to the Post-Rugvedic Hindu traditions Time is divided into the cycle of four ages or yugas. They are Kruta-yuga (also called Satyayuga), Tretäyuga, Dvaparayuga and Kaliyuga. (Vide details in Linga (AITM) p. 809; CDHM, pp. 381-3). 

11. Gayatri is crimson-coloured. Savitri3 is white-hued and Sarasvati4 shall be known to be dark in colour. These are the three Sandhyas as explained. 

3. Name of Gayatri, for the morning-worship. 

4. It is note-worthy here that Sarasvati is a name of Gayatri and it is dark-coloured for the evening-worship. 

12-13. After fixing Om Bhuh in the heart, Om Bhuvah shall be fixed on the head; Om Svah shall be in the tuft. The scholarly devotee shall fix the first pāda (group of six syllables, here) of Gayatri in the Kavacha; the second in the eyes. The Anga-vinyasa is to be done with the third (pada) and he shall fix the fourth (pada) all over the body). 

14. During the Sandhyas (morning, mid-day and evening) Gayatri the mother of Vedas shall be recited after due Nyasas. He shall be blessed with welfare in all limbs if the Nyasa is accompanied by pranayāma too. 

15. Gayatri of three pädas (3 x 8 syllables) is identical with Brahma, Vişhnu and Maheśhvara. The Japa shall be begun only after knowing the Viniyoga (application), Rushi (sage) and the Chandas (metre). 

16. Then he shall be free from all sins and shall attain Brahma's world. The fourth pada (last group of six syllables) is mentioned to be the essence beyond all Rajas (passion). 

17. The sun destroys the person who does not perform the Sandhya prayer. The sage of the fourth pada is "Nirmala", 

18. The Chandas is Gayatri the divine; and the deity is paramátma (the supreme soul).