Sandhyavandanam (Rigveda) - Evening

1. Achamanam · ஆசமனம்

Take water in your right hand and swallow it while reciting each mantra — 3 times in total.

Then wash your hands, and touch your face, eyes, nose, ears, chest, and head while reciting names like Govindaya Namah, Vishnave Namah.

Om, to Keshava - svaha. (First sip.)

Om, to Narayana - svaha. (Second sip.)

Om, to Madhava - svaha. (Third sip.)

Homage to Govinda. Homage to Vishnu. (Continue touching the face, eyes, nose, ears, chest and head with the names your family uses.)

2. Ganesha prayer · விக்னேஸ்வர ப்ரார்த்தனை

Recite this before starting, to remove obstacles.

One who wears white garments, all-pervading, moon-coloured, four-armed,

with a cheerful face - one should meditate on him for the calming of all obstacles.

3. Pranayamam · பிராணாயாமம்

Close your nose with the right hand's ring finger and thumb — recite line 1 while inhaling (Puraka), line 2 while holding (Kumbhaka), line 3 while exhaling (Rechaka).

Om - the earth, the space between, the heavens.

Om - the higher worlds: Mahah, Janah, Tapah and Satyam.

We meditate on the adorable light of that divine Creator;

may he inspire and guide our minds.

Water, light, flavour, nectar - all is Brahman, the Universal Soul; the three worlds, Om.

4. Sankalpam · சங்கல்பம்

Take water in your right hand (left hand placed above), recite, and finally pour the water down.

Through the removal of all the sins that have clung to me,

to please the Supreme Lord, I worship the evening Sandhya.

5. Marjanam · மார்ஜனம்

Take water, recite each line, and sprinkle it on your head and shoulders.

Oh waters, you are indeed the source of happiness;

grant us food and strength,

so that our senses grow strong and we may have great joy.

That most blissful essence of yours,

make us share in it here,

as loving mothers share their milk with their children.

May we have enough of that essence of yours,

by whose presence within you, you give delight.

Oh waters, grant us offspring and new life.

6. Sipping water · நீர் அருந்தும் மந்திரம்

Recite and sip a little water at the end.

May Agni, the god of anger, and the lords presiding over anger,

protect me from the sins born of anger.

Whatever sin I committed in the day,

by mind, by speech, by hands,

by feet, by belly, by the organ of generation,

may Day remove all that.

Whatever other sin there is in me,

this (sin) and I myself, into the immortal source,

into the light of Truth, I offer. Svaha.

7. Second Marjanam · இரண்டாவது மார்ஜனம்

Sprinkle water on your head again while reciting the whole Apohishtha sukta — the first three verses once more, then the six that follow.

Oh waters, you are indeed the source of happiness;

grant us food and strength,

so that our senses grow strong and we may have great joy.

That most blissful essence of yours,

make us share in it here,

as loving mothers share their milk with their children.

May we have enough of that essence of yours,

by whose presence within you, you give delight.

Oh waters, grant us offspring and new life.

May the divine waters bring us good fortune, so that we may drink them gladly;

may they flow over us, bringing health and well-being.

You waters, who rule over precious things and sustain all people,

from you I ask for healing medicine.

Soma told me that all healing herbs lie within the waters,

and so does Agni, who brings good to all the world.

Oh waters, give my body a full supply of medicine that cures all diseases,

so that I may see the sun for a long time.

Oh waters, carry away whatever sin there is in me —

whatever wrong I have done in treachery, whatever curse or untruth I have spoken.

Today I have entered the waters and united with their essence;

Agni, who lives in the waters, come, and fill me with radiance.

8. Aghamarshana · அகமர்ஷணம்

Recite while holding water on your head, and on the last line, shake your head and fling the water away.

From tapas arose truth and cosmic law; from that arose night, the ocean, time, and the whole universe — the same power is believed to dissolve our sins.

From the blazing tapas of the Creator were born Rita (cosmic order) and Satya (truth);

from that was born Night; from that, the ocean of waters.

From the ocean of waters was born the Year (time);

the Lord of all that blinks arranged days and nights.

The Creator fashioned the sun and the moon as before;

and the sky, the earth, the atmosphere and the heavens.

9. Arghyam · அர்க்யம்

Face west. Cup both hands, take water, raise it to shoulder height, recite the Gayatri, and let it fall - 3 times. Then offer one more, the expiatory Arghya, with the verse below.

Om. We meditate on the adorable light of the divine Creator;

may he inspire and guide our minds.

Over the mortal who honours Agni with offerings, no enemy has power -

not even one who works by magic.

10. Asau Adityo Brahma · அஸோ ஆதித்யோ ப்ரஹ்ம

Throw water around yourself in a circle to keep off evil influences, look at the sun and touch your heart, and recite.

This Sun is Brahman, the Supreme Lord.

11. Gayatri Avahanam · காயத்ரீ ஆவாஹனம்

Sprinkle a little water on the head and invite the Gayatri with these mantras.

May the Goddess come, giver of boons, the imperishable one, made known through the scriptures;

may Gayatri, the mother of the Vedas, reveal to us this eternal Truth.

You are spiritual strength, the power that defeats foes, bodily strength, and radiance;

you are the light of the gods, the whole universe, and everlasting;

you are all, ever-living, the conqueror of all sins - Om.

I invoke the Gayatri.

12. Nyasam · ந்யாஸம்

Touch each part as it is named. (A later Tantric addition - many families do it, some do not.)

Homage to the two thumbs.

Homage to the two forefingers.

Homage to the two middle fingers.

Homage to the two ring fingers.

Homage to the two little fingers.

Homage to the two palms and the backs of the hands.

Homage to the heart, whose deity is Brahma - to it I dedicate "Tat savituh".

Homage to the head, whose deity is Vishnu - to it I dedicate "Varenyam".

Homage to the top-knot, whose deity is Rudra - to it I dedicate "Bhargo devasya".

Homage to the shield (hands crossed on the chest), whose deity is Satya (Truth) - to it I dedicate "Dhimahi".

Homage to the two eyes, whose deity is Jnana (knowledge) - to them I dedicate "Dhiyo yo nah".

Homage to the weapon (snap the fingers around the head), whose deity is Paramatman - to it I dedicate "Prachodayat".

13. Gayatri Japam · காயத்ரீ ஜபம்

Recite the Gayatri mantra at least 10 times (can go up to 108). You can use a rudraksha mala to count, or count on your fingers.

Om. We meditate on the adorable light of the divine Creator;

may he inspire and guide our minds.

14. Upasthanam · உபஸ்தானம்

Fold your hands and recite these three mantras (the same for morning and evening).

We press the soma for Agni, who knows all that is born;

may he burn away the wealth of the one who acts as our enemy.

May Agni carry us across all difficulties and all evil, as a ship carries us across the sea.

We ask for relief from ill and for blessing, that we may sing of the sacrifice and of the lord of the sacrifice.

May divine blessing come to us, blessing to all people; may healing rise up;

may there be health for our two-footed and our four-footed.

Homage to Brahman, homage to Agni, homage to the Earth, homage to the plants;

homage to Speech, homage to the Lord of Speech; I offer homage to great Vishnu.

15. Gayatri Udvasanam · காயத்ரீ உத்வாஸனம்

Send the Gayatri back with these words after the japam.

Goddess, you dwell on the loftiest peak, on the summit of the mountain (Meru) rooted in the earth.

Having taken leave of the Brahmins who worshipped you, go back, Goddess, as it pleases you.

16. Abhivadanam · அபிவாதனம்

Say your own pravara, gotra and name where shown, then pay respects to your elders. Rigvedins usually say Ashvalayana sutra and Shakala shakha; please confirm these words once with your elders.

Om - (say your own pravara rishis here), endowed with that pravara,

(say your gotra) gotra, of the Ashvalayana sutra, student of the Rigveda, Shakala shakha,

(say your name) Sharma am I - sir, I bow to you.