Sandhya Vandana

The term Sandhya is made up of two sanskrit words "sam" and "dhya"; indicating perfect or complete (sam), meditation or concentration (dhya). After bathing, and putting tilaka on, one should begin his sandhya. One should try to rise at the auspicious time of Brahma Muhurta, one and a half hours before sunrise.

"Activities During the Brahma Muhurta"


Mangala Shanti

Upon waking, one should immediately chant the names of the Lord.

Sri Krsna Caitanya Prabhu Nityananda

Sri Advaita Gadadhara Srivasadi Gaura Bhakta Vrnda

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare


Immediately upon rising in the morning one should remember the Lord through the chanting of His holy name. By the chanting of the Lord's name, all inauspicious influences from the night's sleep are dispelled and the pure image of Krsna becomes the first impression fixed on the mind for the day. One should rise placing the right foot on the ground first. One should then pay obeisances to one's spiritual master and then proceed to make one's bed.

Om Ajñana Timirandhasya jñanañjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah


Snana (bathing)

Having awakened from sleep, one should brush his teeth, relieved himself of natures call and proceed to take bath. One should remember the Lord by chanting while taking bath. (manasa snana)


Tilaka

One should dress in clean clothing and then apply tilaka to the forehead while chanting:

Om kesavaya namah


"Sandhya Vandana"

1)Samanya Arghya (consecrating the water)
After washing one's hands using the ankusa-mudra call the sacred rivers into the acmana cup.
om gange ca yamune caiva
godavari sarasvati
narmade sindho kaveri
jale'smin sannidhim kuru

2)Marjana (sanctification of self)
Spinkle the water three times over one's head while remembering the Lord by chanting.
om apavitrah pavitro va
sarvavastham gato pi va
yah smaret pundarikaksam
sa bahyabhyantara sucih

3)Asana Suddhi (purifying the asana)
Before sitting, purify the the sitting mat (asana) by sprinkling the mat with water (Proksana), while chanting:
Om astraya phat

4)Acamana
While sipping water three times, chant:
Om Kesavaya namah
Om Narayanaya namah
Om Madhavaya namah

5)Pranayama
(A) Puraka-Closing the left nostril with the little and ring fingers, breath in slowly through the right nostril while meditating on the mantra Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya one time.

(B) Kumbhaka-Next closing the right nostril with the thumb, hold the breath while chanting the mantra Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya four times.

(C) Rechaka-Slowly exhale through the left nostril while chanting the mantra Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya two times, thus beginning a second round of pranayama. Continue for three full rounds.

6)Punar-Marjana

Place water in the palm of the left hand covering it with the right, and chant the Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya. Sprinkle the water over the body. This procedure cleanses the subtle body of all impurities such as lust, anger, hatred etc.

7)Bhuta-Suddhi
"I am by nature the eternal servant of Krsna, but by misfortune, due to being inimical towards Him from time immemorial, I have been identifying with this body and have been wandering in the cycle of birth and death again and again in this material existence, being burnt by the three-fold miseries. Now, as a result of some unimaginable good fortune, by the mercy of my spiritual master, Sripad Turiya Das Mahasaya, I know that I am the eternal servant of Krsna, an infinitesimal spiritual being, completely apart from the gross and subtle body. Now, by the order of my spiritual master, having obtained the good fortune of being able to serve his lotus feet, and following in his footsteps, serve the lotus feet of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and those of Sri Sri Radha Vraja Mohan."

8)Arghya
With Tilak or candana write the sacred Om in the snana patra or plate. To the left of the sacred Om offer the purified water (arghya) 3x to the Spiritual Master with the mantra:
Idam Arghyam Om Gurave Namah

To the right of the sacred Om offer arghya 3x to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu with the mantra:
Idam Arghyam Om Gauraya Namah

9)Radha Krsna Dhyana
divya vrndaranya kalpa drumadhah
srimad ratnagara simhasana sthau
sri-sri-radha srila govinda devaau
presthalibhih sevyamanau smarami
In a Temple of jewels in Vrndaban, underneath a desire tree, Sri Sri Radha-Govinda, served by Their most confidential associates, sit upon an effulgent throne. I meditate upon Them.

And then over the sacred Bija offer arghya 3x to the Sri Krsna with the mantra:
Idam Arghyam Om Krsnaya Namah

10)Mantra Japa

Chant each mula-mantra counting on the fingers ten times with hands raised and covered while meditating on the meaning.

Om Gurave Namah

Om Gauraya Namah

Om Krsnaya Namah


11)Seva Vandanam


sri guro paramananda

premananda phalaprada

vrajananda pradananda

sevayam mam niyojaya

"My dear spiritual master, bestower of the fruit of the highest bliss of Love for Krsna. Please engage me in the blissful service of Sri Krsna, the bestower of the bliss of Vrndaban."

12)Atma-samarpanam
Placing water in the right hand chant the arpana mantra then offer the water by pouring out the water over the finger tips onto the ground as an offering of one's self.
aham bhagavato amso'smi
sadadaso'smi sarvatha
tat krpapesako nityam
ity atmanam samarpayet
"I am part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I am His servant eternally. I am always dependent on His mercy. I thus offer myself to Him."

13)Pranama

namo brahmanya devaya go brahmana hitaya ca

jagad hitaya krsnaya govindaya namo namah

"I offer my obeisances again and again to Lord Krsna who is always worshiped by the qualified brahmanas and is very dear to them. He is always concerned with the welfare of the cows, the brahmanas and the whole universe, as such, He is the giver of pleasure to the cows, the land and the senses.

One should now procede to execute one's morning pujas, chant japa and do some reading from sastra to make one's morning sadhana complete.