[Advaita-l] Gayatri Mantra and Sandhyavandana

[V Subrahmanian]

On Mon, May 17, 2010 at 8:06 AM, ravi chandrasekhara <vadhula at yahoo.com>wrote:

> Namaskara to all:
>
> I have a question re: Gayatri Mantra
>
> 1.Can it be recited outside of sandhyavandana ?
>
> 2.My understanding is that before it is recited, Gayatri Shaapa-Vimochana
> Mantra must be recited first, which is what I do.
>
> 3.Albiet not an excuse, is there a shortened version of sandhya-vandana for
> those who are dharmically weak or times of exigency (aapatkaal).


Namaste.

There is the provision to do sandhyAvandanam mentally, mAnasika, in times of
ApatkAla like when one is traveling during the sandhya time.  In this mental
mode, the entire process of sandhya vandana is 'run' through mentally, from
beginning to end, without leaving out any part.  The Sringeri Acharya HH Sri
Abhinva Vidyatirtha MahaswaminaH has said this in the Tamil book:
'SandhyAvandanam' with His detailed explanation.

During times of 'aashaucha' like the period of 'impurity' owing to someone's
death or birth, the sandhya is done in a very shortened way.  This depends
on family practices.  Some do just the number of Gayatri without the other
parts.

I have also observed in the case of 'shiShTa' s that when one is seriously
ill and unable to do his sandhya, someone else sits near him and does the
sandhya on his behalf.  Of course, if the patient is mentally able, he can
do it in the mAnasika mode lying / sitting in the bed.  Even snAnam is
permitted in various concessional modes.  Just prokshanam of water with
mantra is mantra snAnam.  Applying bhasma with the mantras is bhasma
snAnam.  With this kind of purity, a patient too can perform sandhya.

Many such matters are discussed in that Tamil book priced at Rs. 50.  It
even contains a CD for the entire mantra portion of the Yajurveda sandhya.
Published by Sri Vidyatirtha Foundation, Chennai.

Best regars,
subrahmanian.v















> I have read there are Madhva versions of a shortended SV but what is
> appropraite for those belonging to Smartha sampradaya ? I have seen a
> shorter version that after giving arghya, it proceeds to the point of
> reciting Achutayanama, Anantayanama, Govindayanama; then Kaayena vaacha etc
> and then giving respects to Bhoomi Devi at the end. Now this method omits
> tarpana to Navagrahas, Dasha-Pranayama, nyasa, Gayatri Mantra, salutations
> to Mitra/Varuna, Yama, and lords of thee directions.
>
> Dhanyavaad,
> Ravi Chandrasekhara
>
>
>
>
>
>
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