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1

1

llaniarJi Cnllfgf
Etbrarjj

THE BEQUEST OF

P(tOFE390R OF SANSKRIT
■SSO-I9X6

R

■S^h:^''^''^

^r^^tX/f '^—

UUdCT'u-^t^^^;^^--^

t

^

«T

THI'l

San dhya van da n aw

OK

Jlig. Yujns, and Suina Vt'dins

WITH

II, lileritl triin»lalu»i, iih ejfilainiti^rn jHiriiphi'iiiH'

\\\

B. V. KAMESVARA AIYAR M.A.

Pro/t'ifMtr of /'^mjliKli.H.n. Thv Muha Hajfi'n Cotlfgr Vitduhvtial

\
/•Jfliior. tStiHft^rit Jiturmd.

MA OKAS :

It. A- NATESAN A CO-, PRINTERS, ESPLANADE-

y^^3CD'-i^2(a

i?ix AL 3001' 2-1.^

HAtn-AW COU.EGE UBMW

f— > -TM' "T/.TEOF
C!;,.:.U.: l..;C-->''-LLl.ftHMAH

luUXil 15, 1041

IdeJicoileGl U

M. R. Ry. A. Sashiah Sastriar AvI. C.S.I,
cij a ichcrt of cdlccin and qxaliladcf

THE AUTHOR.

^w '

SANDHYAVANDANAM.

Introduction.

Sandhyavandanam is tlie daily prayfel*
of the Aryans of India. It is a noble
institution embodying a simple faith knd
breathiiig a lofty spirituality. And yet
inost of us Biahmans have tiirhed it illt6
a farce more or less. We have no tiirie'
for it in these busy days. We haidlj^
suspect its existence till it is time for
breakfast or dinner; then mdfiitd steps
in and rudely reminds us of a duty we
owe to Brahraanhood. We throw down
a few spoonfuls of water and utter a few
words wliicl) convey no meaning to us
and feel satisfied that we have discharged
a debt that is due to oiir religion. We
fail to see that here as elsewhere the
letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

We had better not do a thinff than do

2 SANPHYAVANDANAM.

\t. in this perfunctory manner. Let us
see if it is worth -i^oing and if it is worth
the trouble let us do it well. How can
we hope to catch the spirit of the prayer
yhen vve have no idea of what it means?
Yet most pf us hav^ not the slightest
idea of what in meant by the several
Mantras we recite. Our Sdstras lay down
t)jat it is useless, if not mischievous, tq
repjte the Mantras without a knowledge
of their meaning. Such a course is
compared to threshing chaff instead of
tljresliing the ^orn^^-gisfpjjp^o^ifq^. It has

been said :

WFJl^ ^^fR: f^^T^

He who learning the Vedas by role
does not know thejr meaning is a mere
block of wood, a mere carrier of burdens.

INTHODUCTION. 3

He who knows the meaning is absolved^
through his knowledge, of all liis sins,
•enjoys all happiness, and (at last) goes
to. heaven. 3R^ or he wlio does not

know the meaning is counted among thd
^ix kinds of qT3?n^q — ' tlie worst of re-

<iiters.' So also says the Ckhandogyi Sruti:

q^ f^^ ^F^ ?!r?PTT

' 13oth d6 this, he who knows and he
who does not know; knowing and not
knbwing are different thiiigs. That which
one does with knowledge, with faith ^nd
wisdom, that alone becomes efficacious.'

In the face of texts like these nianv of

V

•out' orthodox country liien -would rei^ard
i\\\ .equiry into the meaning of the Scrip-
tures a profanation. What a pity ! .
The 5'.«;i<iAy^/ service is binding on alK

4 SANDHVAVANDANAM.

All the amritis and. Purftnas dwell on \ik
necessity. Vidyaranya, in his comm^nf-
»vy t>n Pardsara Smriti^ brings together
some of the authorities bejpiving on this
pc^Jnt. A free translation of the passages
is givpn below.

Yyfvsa says that Sandhyfl is the prayer
tQ God that we pffer in the morning and
the evening .twilight. Ydjnqvalkya says
that we should perform this service
thrice a day, before the sun sinks
entirely below the horizon, before the
SUM has entirely risen above the horizon,
and at midday. The Scriptures (Taitt.
Aran. II Pra, 2 anu) state that the
Tirahnian who meditates on tlie rising
i^nd the setting sun as the Supreme being
enjoys all happiness. The Vishnu Purdna
states that those who do not perform the
Swdkyd service are sent to the dark
hell, and G&bhila says in his svinti that
one who neglects the Sandhyd becomes a

INTDODUCTION. 6

t

sMra while living and is born a dog
after • deailh ; YdjnavaUcyti deckres -iu
liis Smriti thab he who praits the Scind/it/<J^^
in the absence of sufKcient reason ^uch
a.s. illness, comes to rnin ; and Pulasttfd
laLy.s down that the. service should- be
gone through evea iu times of pollution.
The Dhai'via stitras l:iy down a siniilar
injunction. Gautama, for instance, ..says:
'And the mpniing and evening .devotions
-^Sdndhyd — must be performed 'outside
the. village. Silent he shall ^tand during
thei former and sit during the latter fron>
thei time when one li<jht is still visible

> o ...

until ithe ()ther light appears* ^Gautama)
IT, It) &.:II ; ' also* compare Apastamb:!' I^
11,30,8.)

In the RAnift,yana and tl)e MahA-BhAvata
fr^i|uent mention is made of the servitj^
and' "we read how scrupulously Rdnux^
y'u'd/iishthira and others went throngli ihej
ceremony even in times of emergency. (

'6 SANDHVAVANDANAM.

A text is often quoted from the Scrip-
tures laying down the imperative nature

of this duty. '^W^^ «-^ltJHItfi?l' * wor-
ship the Sandhyd every day'. There is
an arthavdda on the subject in the
TaitHnya Aranyaka, (II Prapathaka, 2nd
anuvfika), a' free translation of which is
given beloW.

'*In former days the evil spirits por-
fornied a severe penance. Prajdpati
granted them a boon. They made this
request — that the sun should consent to
ifight with them. Prajdpati said to them
^ Fight on'. And so the evil spirits fight
Svitli the rising sun till he sets ; and these
evil spirits are vanquished by the water
consecrated by the Gdyatrt

♦Tlierefore it is that the wise Brahma-
vddina in this world face the east during
the^norning twilight and throw up water
consecrated by the Gdyatrt These waters
becoming thunderbolts hurl the evil

iNTRObUCTtON. 7

dpirits to ftn inland called ArUna where
dwell the evil spirits called Mandehas.

* These Brahmavdctms then perform i.
circurnambulation around themselveiS. By
this they Scatter awAy their sins.

*The Brahman who knowing, that the
suh is the same as the Supreme Brahman
meditates on the rising and the setting
sun and then performs a •^circurnambula-
tion enjoys all happiness.

*He who knows this (t. ^., the secret of
this identity) is himself Brahman and
attains Brahman.'

Th^se quotations will also serve to
show that this institution of Sandh^a h'ai^
•been in existence from very early times.

Sandliy&vandanam is essentially a
Vedic prayer. We Bnd in it mahy verses
in the later style as it is now recited
among us. But these are the addition]^
of a latet age and are due M the sec-
tarian, purmici And other Influences brought

to bear c)i| onr practice; from time to
time. In the fqllo wing page/? an ;£^tfeinpt
}s jpa(],e (.9 giye a literal meai)ing of the
jjeyeral vejijic te^t^ used iir |ihj3 sprvj<J^
and offer su(|h c;oranipnts as niay 1)0 .siigj-
gfi^tec] by theni. ; ';

; J Sandhya ' n^eans : ' the tin^Q vylieu i day
Jind night meet mil. ' Vdndanam- nlieans
^.thaMkJ?giving', po that jths : (e:5pries8iou
' Sandhydvandanam ' nieai^S' th;e priiyer of
ll^anjcsgiving to (lod during the morning
i\ni\ i\\e ejyening; twilight. Sir ; Moni^r
Williams would explain Sandhy4 to mean
a prayer well meditated on (from w.^^ell
4Pj^ ^ to inediffi^ upop). ButtjnsexplanaT

ti on ignores the importance to bis attached
to the time when, the service sjiould be
performed,..! The ; analogy of the term
Mddhydhnika (the service during inid-t
day) favours; the; orthodox derivation,; :

Jt m^y he asked that: if Saudhyai is
MOtUing but ft ! prayed- to tbp AlmiglUy it

INTKODUGTION. P

is reasonable to praj' in the language
which we daily use. Our reply is this.
We believe that the blood <)f sages—
Rishis that lived more than 4,000 years
ago-^runs in our veins. We* liAve a
<listinguished ancestry to be proud of4-r
nn ancestrj* that goes back • to a ' period of
time earlier than 'any that any- modern
nation can claim. It gratifies Wiir feeli
insjs of nationalitv to think'! thai the
prayer \Ve now. litter is iiJ fiifet the very

one which" was uttei'fed • by* ciUr-'anciestor^

•

thousands of years ago! -kVU this, apart
from the intrinsic worth' of the Language in
whiclj our prayer is Couched^ its ability Iq
exipress the nicest shadies of meaning, the
sublime character of the prayer hi question^
and the value to be attached to the^a.^socia-t
tions of Vedic simplicity and Vedic
Poetry which it is calculatfed to recall. »

It is interesting in this (Connection lo notfe
how our SandhyA. service strikes a sympa«

10 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

thetic Christian Sanskritist like Sir Monier
Williams. He sa3^s (in his Bralunanism
and Hinduism) :

^* We are so accustomed to give all our
attention to tlie Veda for purelj' literary or
philological objects that we are apt to for-
get that, directly or indirectly, for goo<l or
for evil, these ancient books^— the 'oldest' in
the world except, perhaps^ |)ortions of the
Christian Bible — have for three thousand
years moulded the faith, inspired the
prayers, animated the aspirations, influ-
enced the conduct, sliaped the lives of a
large portion of the great Aryan race to
which -we. ourselves belong. And to this
very day the remarkable spectacle may be
seen of millions of Indo- Aryans, comprising
countless tribes of various origin^ scattered
over a va^t area from the Punjab to Cape
Comorin, from Bombay to Assam, living
dbtinct from each other in separate castes
and communities, yet all united by the

ACIIAMANA. 11

common boiui of this Veda, which they sliU
iise as their daily prayer- Book. ^*

A Br&hnian should rise fearl}' iti thft
morning (in what is called Br&hina Mnhfirta
i.e., the hour and a half that itnmediiktdy
[}re*fceAe sun-rise), go out (t)leferably A feu*
furlongs to the west of his.residenqe) Jind
clean his teeth. He should then bathe in
some sacred stbeaiii, but Ifi def'siult of a
river he may use a pool or tank, tie sholitd
then mark his forehead and some other
paits of his body with the sacred marks^
of his own faith.

First comes Achamana (^If^^ or sipping
water). A little water is taken in the palm
of the right hand, just sufficient to moisten

a grain of piilse im And sipped. This is

done three times, after this nine pai*ts

* A 8iva-\vorsliipper rubs ashes on the head, tlie
forehead, across the breast, the navel and the elbow
joints. The ashes used should, strictly speaking, be

taken from the ^^jRHIffit (the sacred domestib

12 SANDIIYAVANDANAM.

of the bod}' 'M'q toqched. Tiie wat^i*
sipped is supppsed to clej^nse iJiq Jntenif^l
j>(jrt§; of t\\e body in 'its downward course,
jqsf ill the same wafy ag bj^tljiiig cleanses
t|ie e^teiiial parts of the body.^ Achaniana
js ^. purjficator}^ act and is the usual prelj-
iniiiary tq fill HindLj religious rites.
,J\ AYfts ft .simple tflmg at first, but later
>v|itevs h;^ye, yrith tbejr uspal eh).bpratei^e:^s,

' r • • • . , .

liearth which every Jirahman is enjoined to keep and
pay' Iiomage to). " Wlien rubbing ashi^s he genemlly
Vecito^ |:hefpri^yor to Siv^l (^^l^en ^rpir^ tl|e Tait^riyA

Aranyaka (^^N|i3fl^3iq^TFp( &c.J, The th fee fiprj-

/^jntal lines .may be) supposed fq typify the tjiree
fufictiona of &Sva-r-cr<$atjng, pre$eryin^ and destroying,
'flip worshippers of Vishnu us^ Qopi Chandajia, a
kind of white earth from Dvaraka. The upright mark
denotes the impress of the God Vi'ihriu's feet, and the
red Hne mark in the centre haJSf been supposed to
typify Lt^kshpi.

* Some sf^y that mditfui is the central line on tli^
p(ihn and quote a verse to (;hat effect. ^^^Fi^^PKJWST

M

^A'

*

ACHAMANA. 13

eticumberetl it with hliiueroiis details to
the fextent of making it A tedious ceremony.
To such as dre cdrioils, the following details,
which for fear of tiring the patience of the
• deader we have greatl}' abridged, may
perhaps be interesting.

Achamana is said to be of three kinds-^ —
Si'uti^ Smriii^ ^lwA Piirdnd, Directions for
Sruty&chamana are given in the Taittiriya
Aranyaka where it is said timt the follow-
ing mantra : —

' Thou art lightning. Remove my sins.
Through Truth I attain unto Truth,' should
be recited^ and the hands shodld be washed,
water sipped three times, the palm washed
again, and the head^ the eyes, the ears, and
the sides of the nose should be touched.
Smritynchamana is silb-divided into two
kinds^ Srauta alid Smftrta. Srautachamana is
thus performed ; water is sipped thrice^
accotiipaiiied by the recitation of the thrfe^

I i SANDHY AyANDANAM.

pp,c]i^9 of OAyiitvi i|) «uc(*es^ion. Tlien
twenty one parts of tlie boc]y are toucliecV
wliije tlje follpyi'iiig {.vventy-pne niantras ara

recite(l — the nine ablingas — ^IMlRtir &q.
<&c, the seven Vyaljritis i.^., the names of«
tlie seven worlds preceded bj' the saeredi
syllable Oni, the three pfldfts of Gftyatri-

siras {i.e.) ^^tmt^t^^ftm^ &c.

Sniarlachaniana is laid down by Mann,
YnjnavalkyaandotherSnuiti writers. Water
is sipped thrice, the lips are washed and
the month and the several seiisorv orirans
are touched. Some of the details are dif-
ferently given by others. Pnranachamana
also is variously given by different writers.
Water is sipppd thrice, and several parts of
the body a re touched, each single operation
being accompanied by the repetition of a
distinct name of Vishnu or Siva.

After the Achamana the Smartas qsnal-
ly recite . a benedictory prayer to
Vighnesvara- 5T35RWt ^^ 5T%^ "^^ I

PHANAYAMA. J 5

q?r5T5R[?f ^sqmc^^^pfra&miRW WSukla—ambara
— rf/i(iram=weanng a wliite gannent,
FwA7iMm= pervading all space, Scts'ivaniajn
rzliaving the colour of the moon, Chatur-
6Atyaw=having four hands, Prasannavada-
wam=elephant-faced, Dhydyet=oue should
pray to, Sarva — vighna — upasantaye — fo r
the assuagement of all obstacles.

Then comes Prdimyama (the restraining
of the vital breath). This process consists
of threee distinct acts. 1. Pfiraka i.e.
pressing in tlie right nostril with the fingers
and drawing in the breath through the left,
and then pressing in tlie left nostril and
drawing in the breath through the right.
2. Kumbhaha i. e, pressing in both nostrils
with the finger and the thumb, or with all
the fingers and holding in the breath as
long as possible. 3. Rechaka i. e. pressing
in the right nostril with ihe thumb and
expellitig the breath through the left and
then pressing in the left nostril, and expel-

1 6 SANDHYAVANnANAM.

ling ihc! breath tliroiigU th^ rights . WW\\^
each process is beiug gope through^ the
Gayatvi precedec] by the seyen Vyrihritis
(«., e^ ^'^ &c.) and followed by tiie

Siroraautra o (i e^ #flP7l ^cfk# &q.).. i&
mentally recited, and when facility is ac-
qqired in the process of retention, the same
is mentally recited as long as possible.

The suppression of breath which is the
special aim oi Pvdndydma is a preliminary
Y6ga piactice and aids us in fixing our mind
on the Supreme Being who is meditated
upon, in concentrating our thoughts on Hin^
and in placing ourselves in the proper atti-
tude of devotion. Stories are current amonff
US of Ybgins who have by such practice^
b6en able to abstract their thoughts entirely
fr6m their surroundings, with their minds
firmly fixed elsewhere.

i '

Then comes the Sankalpa or determiha-
tio'n. Man is thought to be fickle-minded
and likely to be easily drawn away from

SANKALPA. 1 7

any undertaking tinliesd he should sit to it
with B fixed resolve. The two hands, are
brought together, with the right pahn over
the left and placed on the riglit. thiglu
Thid attitude is itulicative of vow-taking
among us. The Sankalpa inaiitra i$ tPT <?-

Meanings Mama=n\y, Updtia — simaMa-
dtirita — kshaya — rfi'aiu=tli rough the re-
moval of all sins that have adhered to nie--^
Parames'vara — pHti — artham={or the pur-
pose of acquiHug tlie favour of tlie Supreme
Lord — Prdtah or Sdyam SaJidhychn=ll\e
morning or the evening Sandhyft, Updsiahye
=1 worship. In the case of Mddhydhnika
we say Mddhydhnikavi Karishye=l perform
Mddhydhnikam.

Then comes Mdrjana or sprinkling with
tvater — a mode of self-baptisnl performed
by the worshipper sprinkling water ou the

2

} 8 SANDHy4VANI>ANAM.

lieacl >yhile the following verses are recited.
f5?ftfi^ ST^* II

«n^ 55fphn '^ ^: ii

They are the first three verses of the 9th
Sftkta ot the 10th Mandela in the UUj Veda.
They occur also in the Taittiriya Samhila
(i|:t)i Ivunda 1st Pras'na Stli Anuy&ka.)
'^hey ^re also foujul iu tlie Ist Mandala of
the Atharva Veda >yitb slight modifications
and in several places in the Taittiriya
Ar^i^y^ka. The literal nieaning is given
belo)/y.

1 . Apah=Oh waters ! //i=indeed, &ha
sayou are, AIayobhuvah±=\\i^ sourc^j? of

h^ujiiness ; 7^<JA=those (you), iVaA==us, C/i»y^
=fr.»od, Dadhdtana=:gv2iul^ (^hakshase==(oY

MAHJANA. 15)

fiight, J/zi/t^arrgreat, li'indya^Rnd) delight-
ful.

Oh waters ! you are indeed the sources
of all comforts. Being such, grant us food
so that our senses may grow strong and
give us joy.

2. FriA =which (is), Vah^youVj Sivatrt-
mfih^=^\i\ost blissful, Rasah=essei\ce^Tasya^=^
of that, /Ari=here, M(/a=us, Bhdjayata=
iiiiake the recipients, /rnr. = as, Usaiih=B,Sec-
tionate, Mdtarah^mothevs.

That essence of yours which is the most
blissful, make us the recipients thereof. As
affectionate mothers (feed their childreit
witli milk from their breast).

3. Yasy a Kshaydy a'=ow account of whose
•existence, Jinvatha^=yo\i are pleased, Tasinai
=that, Aram=eno\xg\\^ Gamairui=\\\^.y
we liave. -^/?ti/i=oh waters ! A^aA=u8, Jtina-
ya</ia = grant offspring.

May we be obtain enough of that esseilce
-of yours, the existence of which within you

20 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

makes ybn feel glad. Oh waters! grant us
offspring.

Tills rik has thus been interpreted by
Haradattfich&rya and Nftrayana Yatindra
in their commentary on the Sandhyd. Vidya-
ranya offers a slightly different interpreta-
tion, thus: We come to you, till we be
satisfied, for that food by the existence of
yrlnch within you, you please herbs and
plants ; and he has also given another inter
pretation, thns: We quickly invoke you for
the destruction of those sins which you
please us by destroying.

Commmt. 1. IJaradattachArya quotes a
Mca in this connection.

JWJf^n sqqtffcT II
'These Mantras — ApohishthA &c., are
vell-known. They have nine feet. Water

MAUJANA 21

is Lo be sprinkled (on the head) while each
foot is being recited. It will wasli away
even the sin of Urahmicide.'

2. Nar&yana Yatlndra prefaces his: inter-
pretation of these riks with these remarks:

* These Mantras are regarded in sacred
works like the Pancharatras as addressed tq
the Supreme Lord. We should therefore
resfard the address here as directed to the
Jjord (and not to the waters). The Ved&nta
has established in the Vedic passage
relating to the analysis of names and
forms (Chhand. Upanis VI) that even
words which appear to denote other
things signify really the Supreme Being.'
The Vedic bards were genuine lovers of
nature. The}' had ^ the divine a flatus^^ iti
them. Tliis * divine afflatus \ like gun-,

22 * SANDHYAVANDANAM.

powder stored up, required a spark ta
liberate it and set it at work. Nature iu her
different manifestations furnished the re-
quired spark, and the mind of the Vedic
seer * pregnant with celestial fire,' poured
itself out * in profuse strains of unpremedi-
tated art'. The rapturous song was really
directed to the Supreme Being ; but the
more immediate inspirer of the song, the
particular aspect of nature which appealed
\6 his feelings had the honor of t\\^. form,

From the Rig Veda, Prof. Max Mliller
says '* we learn a lesson, which it is well to
learn, and which we can hardly learn any.

where else how the Beyond or the

Infinite was named by different names in
order to bring it near the mind of man, to
make it for a time comprehensible, until^
when name after name had proved of no
avail, a nameless God was left to answer best
the restless cravings of the human heart.'^
(^India — What can ii teach us? ' — Lect. V.)

MARJANA. 2«^

3. Water is here regarded as the soulTe
of life, as things that sustain life cannot
grow in the Jlbsence of rain. The Vedic
seer prays in these riks for this life-sustaili-
itig essence whereby his selises may grow
strong, his intellect clear, and he hiraself^
strong enough to bear children (propagation
of the line being considered a i-eligious
duty which one owes to one's fathers).

4. Janayaiha^ This word is taken by
VidyAranya and tlaradattAchArya to mean
'make us have children*; but NA.rA.yAha
Yatlndra interprets it to mean ' bring us
into existence.' He quotes from the Upahi-
shads to show that what we usually call birth
is not birth in the highest sense of the
term ; there is a higher atid nobler birth —

the springing of divine knowledge. ^' wIT

m^ ^^A^{^ ^ ^ W^.^^ This divhie

knowledge — the realisation of the Supreme
Soul — is^ he says, what has been called

24 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

' ' SUmUmcih Itasali or * the most blissful
essence' ill these riks. This bliss alone, is
eternal', all othev joys, the most lasting of
them, are but transient. As the saying

goes, ^ir^lft«KW|<**i, all conditions of
existence np to the exalted position of
Brahma the creator— are but miserable.

13ut what is meant by saying that waters
possess tliis most blissful essence-^^divine
wisdom ? Narayana Yatindra thus answers
the question. Mere water cannot bestow,
earthly or heavenly happiness. The Ganges,
Setu and other sacred places bestow great
happiness only through their special rela-
tion to God. We have a passage in the
Ks^ushi. Upanishad where the waters are said
tocontendforsupremacywithothers. Waters,
in this passage, are taken to refer to the
Deit)*^ presiding over the waters. Similarly
the term waters here means the Supreme
Lord. x\nd what is the most blissful essence
that the Lord can grant us 9 It is spiritual

M AH J ANA. 25

ihsiglii. The springing of this spiritual
vision which leads to the realisation of the
Universal Self is the second and far more
inif^ortaiit birth and it is this second birth
that is prayed for in the riks.

Thus far NjlrAj-ana Yathidra. Western
scholars who see in the hymns of the
Rig Veda the primitive simplicity of a- race
that have just awakened to the wonders of
nature around them would consider all this
as ingenuity wasted in the attempt to read
later philosophy into the primitive hymns.
Perhaps they might be right. ]3ut th6
orthodox view is that Truth is o)ie^ and
eternal ; it may appear in severalgarbs -one
way in the Samhitas, another wa}' in the
IJpanishads and a third way in the Pur/lnas ;.
but the truth underneath all these disguises
is the same.-

5. The three verses recited are ill
Gayatri metre. A verse in G&yatri nietrd
hasthree padas (feet), each foot having eight

26 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

syllables. Water is sprinkled over the head
and otlier parts of the body, each time a foot
is recited. Then conies the mantra for tasting
water for self-purification. Tliere are three
mantras — one for the morning service, tlie
same witli slight modifications, as required
for the evening service, and a third for tlie
mid-day service. These mantras form
respectively the 25th, the 24th and the
2Hrd Aunvakas of the 10th Prapathaka of
the Taittiriya Aranyaka. The morning
mantra is tliis : —

For the evening service ^rft^ is substi-
tuted for ^^, ^STgT for ^I5q[, ^ST^^for TJ^:

and ^ for ^.

SCiryasch a = the sun and, 3/a = me, Alan-.

MAIUANA. 2t

ytisclia = Krodhdbhiiimm Devah = the Lord
presiding over anger, Manyujiatayali^Krd-
dhasvdminah = Tanniydmakdli = the * God»
that help a msln to restrain his anger^
Manyukritebhyali rdpehhyah=^from the sin&
caused by (my) anger, Ii(tJcsha7itdvh = nmy
(tliese Gods) protect (nie by destroying
those sins). Rdtrijd == lidtvaii = m the nighty
Yad P(Jpam== what m}jAMrsham = l com-
mitted, Manasd — rdclid — hastdhliydm — pad-
hhydm — udarena — sis'nd.^Ayy mind, speech^
hands, feet, belly (i. e. appetite), and the
sensual organ, Tatsarvfim^^W that, Rdtrili
Aralumpatu = mRy the (Lord presiding over
the departed) night remove. Yai — lci7n —
eha — duritam = whatever other sin (tliere
is), Mayi==^m me, Idmn^2i\\ this (sin)^
il/am = (and) myself, Aham = 1, Amrita yoiiati
— Siirye — jyotishi = in the self-luminous
light i.e. the sun, the immortal First Cause,
Jtihomi^I sacrifice, Svdhd-^SLud for that
purpose), may ihiH (purified water) be well

28 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

offered (as libation in the sacrificial fire i.e.
my mouth).

Ill the evening service, where Sat ye U
substituted for Sdrife^ Satye is taken by
Say ana to mean Bddharahite=fvee from
affliction.

The whole mantra means, ' May Surya
(or Agni, in the evening), and the
God of anger, anc^ the lords presiding
over anger, save me from the sins caused by
anger. Whatever sin I have committed,
by mind (i.e. sinful thoughts), speech (i.e.
by speaking sinful words — lies &c.), hands,
feet (i.e. by doing sinful deeds), belly {iM.
b}' eating jinptire things) and the sensual
organ, may the Lord of the departed night
(or (lay) remove all that. Whatever other
sin there niay l)e in me,* and myself, I

* We have £ollovVi3d Sayaaa's iiiterpretatioa. N4-
rdyaua Yatindra takes * whatever otiier sin fthere'
may be) in me' with * aoalmnpdta/ tims — t remove all
tjiat and whatever other sin there miy he in m^.'

MARJANA. 29

sacrifice in the self-luminous liglit, the
eternal J*irst Cause (Sftrya or S^tya). (As
an emblem of such a sacrifice, I pour doWii
this consecrated water as libation in my
mouth which shall be the sacrificial fire).
May this be well offered !'

1. One or two remarks in this connec-
tion may no»t be amiss. Yliska says in the
Nirukta, "The Vedic Gods are resolvable
intothree-^Agni who^e place is on the edrth,
India or Vflyu whose place is in the
atmosphere and Sftrya whose place is lli
the sky. These again are resolvable into
one — the Supreme Being."

2. It is 9aid in the Vedas that the enerev
of the sun passes on to Agni in the evening,

" ?^#5IWI^^ ?WR^ '^ also compare, "f^^TT-

=% f^^^: ?ff^ ^dWH:" (Kaghuvatnsa
IV). Hence the substitution of Agni for
Sftrya in the evening.

3. But as we have elsewhere pointed

30 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

ovU, wjiether it be Surya or Agni, Manyu
or Varuna, that is addressee}, he ii^ ad-
-clr^ssed as ^ symbol of the Sqpreme, as
the * luaiiifestation of Hun who is infinitely
beyond human ken.'

i. This prayer recognises that anger is
tlje chief source of sins and begs for control
•oyer this 'Tartar chief of passions^.'

,5. Myself with all my sim I sacrijice
in the Eternal Light, Consciousness of si|)
.^nd MMCondil^ional sacrifice of oneself at the
fqotstool of Divine mercy are recognised
as the only mean^ of ^eliv^er^nce from sin.
The closing words of the prayer seem to
say — and in such sweet, simple language —
-" Oh Lord, such as I am, take me with all
4T)y sins and dispose of me as thou wilt."
*^li^ eflScacy of such a prayer is not In ^n}'
^jftfftueous granting of th^ boon required
.^9 is generally supposed, but in the heart-
felt words inducing a state of aniud in
JiarniQuy with the sentiment expressed ; this

MAIUANA. 81

State conduces to a loftier frame, a lifting
up of the soul, which is the first step
towards the realisation of the sttmmmn,
honuvi of life — the emancipation of the soul
from all earth I v trammels.

6. This unconditional sacrifice is svni-
bolically lepresented l)y pouring a small
quantity of water into one's moutii. The
water represents the sinner with his sins
and the pouring down typifies the act of
sacrificing. During the Vedic period sacri-
fice was a reality to the sacrificer. His
fervid faith could realise the picture whjc^h
his imagination painted in suchglowingj
colours before his mental vision. This
reality passed away in later timfes, " wlien
Sphageology was only an idea — a wAini,
inspiring and vivid idea. It had ceased

to be an image Gradually the ideA

passed into a symbol and the symbol wits
petrified into a form."*

♦ M. jNI. Kunte's * Vicissitudes of Aryan civilizaiioh
in India ' — p. 144.

a? SANDHYAVANDANAM.

7*. iVanyw/?^ toi/a/i =^ Haradatta and Nura-
;]^'ana Yi^tindri^ take it to mean ^desire, hat red ,
lust &c." ^ May these protect me ' is taken
to mean ^ may I, through the grace ( f God,
be kept from their evil influence.'

8. The Yajurvedins and the Rigvedins
iise these mantra$ for tlie morning and the
ev^ijii^g purificatory libatipp, The Sftmar
V^dins use an abbreviated form, thus: In
the morning, tiiey taste a sip^U quantity of

Vfater with the following mantra, ^^^ HT

^3Trf^9?<^ R*ilcJWI^r, ''May (tlie presiding

P^ity of) the d^.y a^d the sun piake nie
pur^ ! y\^y this water be well ofTered !" The

evening mantra is t^^ m W^^ 5^1^(^151,
'VMs^y (the presiding I)eity of) the night and
Varuna make me pure ! May this w(^ter be
well offered!" As will be explained in the
sequel, the sun typifies' the Supreme Lord ^s
presiding over the day. and Varuiia r^pre-
sentfj the Ifiord as presiding over the li\^\\\.

MAHJANA. «3d

The mantra for the inid -day service is this:

^: 3^ ?^ ^jMt ^ yrrg k\ I J^F^

Mestniilg. Apah Puna7itu=msLy the waters
purify, Prithtrrm— the earth (by poiiriiig
down raih), PritKivi — pHtd —punatu =^ itiay
the purifiied earth purify, Mam = me, PtbiantU
= may (the waters) purify, Brahmaiiaspatili
^Vedasya Patwi* = Vieda8ya PratipAlakain

\ I

♦ We have, here an elsewhere, foJJowed the iritet*-
pretation of Sflyana. He takes jmtHi (nom.) ds
equivalent to patim (ace). This apparently forced
interpretation seems to be justified by the folloi^ing
Considerations : 1. If 7V?<t/i be taken in the nominative,'
the next sentence Bvfihntd Pitid Pundiu Mdm \v6tild
bo a needless repetition of the same meaning. 2:
7 Wt/i in the nom. sing, i will have to be taken with
jni^iantH, a predicate in the plural — a grammatical
difficulty equally perplexing. Viewed in any, lights
the passage is a gitimmatical puzizle acd denes the
rules of concoixi. Others make out the t)a88&g^ thus :

3

34 SANPHYAVANDANAM-

Achdryam = the Ach&iya who preserves the
{t^J^ching pf the}) Veda, 5m/ima = th^ Veda,
f^titd =,Sioayamfyiltam 5a^ = lioly (by itself)
Pimdtii^msiy (it) purity, Mdm = n\e9 i'at—
iiehhishtqm = \yh\it le^yi\\gH^ of food (I may
hftve eal^fjii), Abhojyam = w\}^ithi\\g8 unfit to
^at(I may have eaten), Y^^d-^dwcharitqn}
— :?^awa=or ^ny other improper act ofraii»^,
Asqidm-—pv(itigrahiim'^ch(i^2a\iX tlie receipt
of gifts from the puyvorthy, Sarvam^2M{i\\2L\)
sin, (understaiid parihntya =deati'oying),
il/(tm=me, P^m«'m^?^=may (the waters) purify:
Svdhd (And for this purpose &c.)

The pia/ntra means this — (i) May the
waters purify tlie ea^th by pouring dowi^
rain. May the earth thus purified make
me pure, (ii) May the waters purify my

Br(fhmana^p<iiihz=zmfiy the Lord of the Yeda, jnind^tcss
purify (me). Brahmaputd (Pi'Uhivi)sXhe earth puri-
fied hy the Veda, Pundtu Mdmz=:pnniy me. This
interpretation is open to the objection of needless
repetition.

MAKJANA. 35

spiritual preceptor and may the Veda {f^s
taught l)y the purified preceptor) purify tue.
(iii) Whatever leavings ot another's foqd
and whatever impure things I may have
eaten, whatfevel'I may have received as gift
from the unworthy, may the waters destroy
all that sin and purify me ; and for this
purpose, I pour this sanctified water as
libation down my mouthi

This vianti*a contains three distinct
prayers. j

1. May timely rains fertilise the eartJi
^nd make people prosperous and happ}- anjl
may my heart be purified from all taint of
selfishness by rejoicing in the prosperity of
all living beings. What a beautiful prayer!
To wish for a heart that rejoices ill the
well-being of all things on earth — riiot a
heart 'concentred all in self! With^liat
divine intuition is the point grasped^ that
the heart of man is purified only by forgetr
ling self and identifying its joys withfthose

36 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

of "all living beings 'V that unselfish love
for all thingfi on earth is the onlj^ * stream of
tejidency which makes for righteousness/
This is the burden of the Brahman's song.
<'#f!n «Hl?IT: ^k^ ^^.'' '^May all the
world be happy ! " Every public ceremony
t)mt the Brahman engages in invariably
ends with this prayer. When we hear this
noble refrain from the lips of Brahmans —
and times without number have we heard
it — we cannot help thinking that a people
with such noble sentiments ever on their
lips cannot but be god-favoured.

2. The second prayer is directed nearer
home. May my spiritual preceptor be
happy — my Acharya who by laying before
me ^he treasures of Vedic wisdom has
enraptured my soul and made it Mive, and
move and have its being* in the Universal
P^ram&tman^ — and ma)- the wisdom of the
divine Veda soak my soul through and
through, and make m}' heart a fit abode

MARJANA. 37

for the * Nameless One.' Comment is
siipiBrfluous.

3, iMay the waters absolve me of the
sins of having eaten impure things and
having accepted gifts from the wicked.
Indulgence in 'forbidden food' rouses up
the carnal instincts of man, and obligation to
the wicked implies the commissioii of
wicked deeds to secure their favour and
involves an iniquitous indebtedness, perhaps
to be iniquitously discharged. The object
of their special mention is to put oneself on
guard against these temptations, to prevent
tlieir recurrence if tliey cannot be alto-
gether avoided.

Comment, — Haradatta offers a different iii-'
terpretation of the opening portion : May
this consecrated water (which I am aboUt
to use as libation) purify my body which is
of earthy essence. May this purified ekithy
essehce— my body — purify me, the spirit
dwelling within.

38 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

Nftr&yana Yatindia takes ' Brahmanas-
patili to mean " the Supreme Lord revealed
by tl»e Scriptures."

^ This mantra is used by the followers of
all theahree Vedas.

After tasting water with the mantra for'

• • •

self-purification, a second self-baptism is
performed^ this time beginning with the
mantra^ Dadhikrdvno ^"C, and followed by

• • •

the Ablingas^ Apohishtka ^x. As we have
already given the meaning of Ablinga
mantras with the remarks suggested thereby,
yiQ shall here give the meaning of the first
alone.

This mawfra occurs in the Rii? Veda IV
Mandalay 89th Stlkta- It also occurs in the
Utn Anurdku of the 5th Prapdthaka of the

* •

1st Kanda of the Taittiriya Samhita. It
runs thus.

^ ^ sijM ar^nft^ f^iOTjf jt^ qi^: I

• • ' * t '

MATIJANA. 39

Dadhikrdvnah = of the God Dad hikrftvaf i^
JUhnoh^vivXimow^^ Asvasya^Vydpakasyd ^
pervad ing (all), Vdjinah ^ Vegaraiah^of •jt'eat
speed (understand Siutim=^\nRisi^)jAkdrisham
^1 make 5 iVaA = oiir, Mukhd = Mnkhdni =^
mouths i.e- the eyes and the other senses^
Surabhi = Surabhini=^ fiatjranr , Karat = Ka-
ro<w = may he make, iVaA = our, AyUm"
«fet = life, Pratdrishai = \\\B,v he len<j;theh.

I sing the praise of the God DadhikrAvan,
who is victorious, all-prevading and who
moves with great speed. May he make our
mouths (and the senses) fragrant and may
he prolong our lives !

1. Da/ihi1crdva7i — This God is often
mentioned in the Veda and is the subject
of Sflktas 38, 39 and 40 of the fourth
Mcindala of the Rift Veda and the 44th
Sftkta of the 7th A/andala of the same. Hte
seems to he described in these places as h
kind of divine horse. Sometimes he is
r(msidered as a creation of heaven and

40 SANDHTAVANDANAM.

earth, spiuetimes of Mitra and Varuna, and
is jjivuked in the morning with Agni, Ushas
fl,nd the As'vins. Sir Monier Williams
WQuld derive the word from dadhi = curd
(wljich he takes to represent, dew) ^nd hri =
to, ,scatter, in allusion to the rising sun
spreading dew and hoarfrost like milk.
S Ay ana regards Dadhikr^van 2k% a form of
Agni. He says in his commentary on the
Eig Veda, (Mq^ndala 4, Sftkta 39, rik 2) :

"Agni in the forai of a horse is called
Dadhihra; the equine form of Agni has been
declared in the Br&hinana thus: Agni,
becoming a h'^rse, pursued them. "

IJaradatta says : ' ?ff^=5^,qjfH^= qiffhct

?^ ?rf^^iTWI ^Rff^^^Pi^H:, ^RlRs^*^. * A certain
deity who receives the oblations or xlgni as
others have it.' N^ray&na Yatindra takes
the term to denote 'Him who pervades

MAKJANA. 41

the Uiiiverse-^the Suineiiie Being/

2* Whethel- it be Agni or Sftrya (and
both are regarded only as different forms of
the same Divine Energy) that is represented
in this hymn as Jishtioh, victorious in hi^
fight with the powers of darkness, B,HAs'vasyay
illuminating tlie universe with his bright
rays, and as Vdjinah., moving with great
speed in his triumphal procession, he is
an apt emblem of heaven's perpetual King
who dispels our ignorance, illumines out*
heart with divine wisdom and flies to our
succour on tlie wings of grace.

3. The object of this second perforrtiance
of Mdrjana is set forth in the prayer embor
died in the second half of the hvmn, where
the worshipper asks for the gift of sweet
speech (lit — fragrant mouth) wherewith to
approach His throne with heart-felt Halle-
lujahsj and long life to be devoted to His
service and adoratioh.

TheYajur Vedins and the S&iriavedins

42 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

use this r'lk for the second Mdrjana ; but
the Bigvedins recite the whole of the Si^kta
which begins with Apohishtha. The remain-
ing riks and their translation are given
below.

5f ^ 5^kfJr^q ^ ^?5F3 H^ I

?F^1?M^^: II \ II

* May (ihe divine waters conduce to our
happiness, to our sacrifice and our drink ;
ipay they ward off diseases ^nd cure those
tbaji we jifive ; may they be sprinkled over
us.

^ ^^prki^i^ II ^ II

Waters, who are the controllers of the
cereals and the susiainers of men, I pray
to you for happiness (through the removal

of my sins.)

»

■M >9 MB MB . ■

MAR J AN A 43'

Soma has told me that iii the midst oF
the waters are all inedicameDts and Agni
who gives happiness to all the world.

^l4:3^ %^ ^^ g^ il4 I

^5 ^' ^ II » II

Oh waters ! Grant, lor my body, a full
supply of medicament that can cure al'
diseases ; so thatlmay see the sun for a long
time.

^4i^*lfJr|% ^^\ ^ 5?Ti^ II <\ II

Whatever sin there is in hio, whatevejr
I have done in treachery, what sin 1 have
contracted by cursing or by uttermg
untruth, may the waters remove all this I

M4wH«^3Tnte 5T ^?i5 ^%I II ^ ii

Tliis dav have t entered tlie waters ian(T
uiiited with their essence; Oli, Aghi,.
residing in the waters, do ttiotl come ahct'

44 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

unite me (who have bathed) with lustre.

After this second sprinkling, the Rig-
yedins recite a prayer for the forgiveness
of sins. This prayer is called Aghamarshana
(i.^. a prayer for the forgiveness of sins).
It is the last but one Sukta of the Rigveda.
A little water is taken up in anjali (both
the hands being brought together and
hollowed), air is drawn in through the left
nostril, and, after suppression of breath
for a while, is expelled through the right
nostril. The Sftkta is recited during ihis
Prdndydma and after the recital, the water
is thrown down to the left of the worshipper.
The Aghavmrshana hymn with the transla-
tion is given below : (The seer of the hymn
is s^lso called by the same name).

?ltl^^l*ld ?Rr:^5t ^^: II X 11

. ** "• .Jp ""

yrom fhe tapas performed (the conteippla-
tioi) made by Brahman, pveyious to cre^.tion

A0HAMAR8HANA. 45

»

or, according to ajiotlier interpretation of
SAyana, from the self-luminous Paramdtman)
sprang Truth in mind and Truth in word ;
then was born Night (and Day) ; then the
Ocean. '

^firari&l f|^ft4w R^NdM^fi II ^ II

Aftdr the Ocean was born the Year (i. e.
the several divisions of time); having
created (all beings represented by) day and
night, He is the^ Lord of all that winks.

%^=^ iMf ^t?Tfi!OT5t ^: 11^ H

The sun and the moon^ the blissful heaven,
the earth and th^ sky — (all these) — the
Creator brought into existence as in the
fortii^ ages.*

*, (For a detailed explanation of these ril-s, the
reader is deferred to the commentary oh the
Pnrushasul'ta by ihii miihoV). ' : . ' v

^6 SANDHVAVANnANAM.

All the cereinouial up to this point should
have been gone through before ihejact'Ual
appearance of the sun above the hori^soa.
The worsliipper has by these acts iif
purification, both internal and e^tepial,
ina'le liiniself worthy tq salute tlie Lord
who resides in the prb of the^rrsing
luminary arid rehdier Him homage in true
r^rahman style, by what is called the
Arghya. The Arghyi is a respectful
offering of water (sometimes mixed with
flowers and some other ingredients) to any
respectable guest. Tids fo|*fu pt* salpt^ation
has been in use among us from time imme-
morial. In the Sandhyd, it is an act of
homage to the Lord in the sun. Tlie
worshipper offers water and throws it in
the air, either from a boat-shaped cojiper
vessel or from the two open hands hoUpwed
and joined together, with th^ sacred tl)re^d
put round t^l>e two thumbs. He tl|U8 thrpwa
water upwards towards the$ sun tbre^ (ime^*

• ARGIIVA. 47

^aclj time reciting the G&yatri prayer.
The GAyatrl prayer runs thus.

f^ ^: XI5t^ II K. V. 111—62— 10.

This prayer is (!allcMl Gdyatrl froiit the
metre of the same name. For though
there are other hymns in the same nietre
this is thiB Gdyatri hymn jiar excellence and
is believed to contain tlie sum and substance
ofall Vedic teaching.

SAyana proposes three interpretatioik^.
The first is this. l\it Sdvitur Devdsya = 6{
•that Lord, the Creator of the Universe,
Varenyam = adorable, Bhargah = lights Dhi-
inaAi = we meditate on. Kafe* = \Vho, i\'aA
= our, Z^AiydA = actions or intellectud^i
faculties, Prachodaydt = umy stimulate (so
that we may grasp the eternal Truth.)

* dftyana thinks thiit yah nitty also be takeii to te
•equivalent to the neuter vat and the adjective clause
tasen with bJiarga^, in which case tat should be kUo
referred to hhargaSj thus meaning, * thai light &c.'

48 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

We meditate on tlie adorable liglu of
the Supreme Creator of the Universe. May
He (or it, th^ light) (existing in our minds)
guide our intellects (in the pursuit of Truth).

SSyana makes the next-interpretation
applicable to Surya thus: Vah^who (ie.
which sun), Nah = onv^Dhiyah = Karmdni =
duties, Prachodaydt = Frei'ayaii = directs,
Savitur = of the sun,7^a^ = San-aih Dris'yamd^
natayd Vrasidham = well-known as being
seen by aW^Varenyam = (and hence) adorable,
B/iargas=rTejom(mdalam=the halo of lights
^Dhimahi = we think of.

We think of the well-known adorable
halo of light of the sun, who (rousing us
from sleep) directs us to our (several)
duties.' Sdyana bases his third interpreta-
tion on the Gopatha Br&hmana of the
Atharva Veda, where Wtar</a.5 is taken to
mean food. " We pbtaiu foot] through the
favour of that sun who guides our intel^
lecits." . .

ARGHVA. 4!>

But it is clear that Sftyana prefers tlife
first meaning. The se(;oncl interpretatioli
does not materially differ from the first;
For it is every wliere recognised in the
Vedas tliat there is no distinction betweei>
the Supreme Lord who resides as light in the
sun and Him who lives in our heart,:
stimulating our understanding and guiding
us aright.

Thfe prayer speaks for itself. It says, " Oh
Lord ! I tliink of Thy glory. Illumine my
heart with Thy divine grace and guide nie
aright." We can think of no better word$
with which to approach the Supreme
Lord.

Some additional remarks on the Gdyatrt
will be found in the comment on the Prd-
naydma mantra (later on).

If this Arghyaprnddna' be not made in
the proper time an additional offering of
Arghyi is made to expiate thii^ sin.

The Yajurvedins offer three Arghyas in

4

50 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

the monuiig and the evening, and two
Arghyas in the noon and one additional
expiatory Arghya on each occasion. All
the Arghyas are offered with the Gdyatri
mantra. The Samavedins do the same ;
but the expiatory Arghya is not offered with
the Gdyatri but with three different riks^ for
the morning, the noon and the evening.
The Rigvedins also use the same riks for
the expiatory Arghyas and »offer the three
morning and evening ordinary Arghyas
with the Gftyatrl ; at noon, they offer the

jirst Arghya with the rik ^l^^llH &.C., the

second with the mauiri 5^: &c., and a
third witii the Gdyatri.

The morning expiatory Arghya mantra is,

^i gfeg ^^ II K. V. yiii— 93-4.
Oh thou Siirya, (vyho art the same as)
ludra, slayer of the Jlsur^ Vritra (the
demon of drought), whatever thy fays

ARGHYA. 51

shine on this day, all that is under thy
control. (It is the sun that rouses all beings
into activity and directs them in their
several |)ursuits).

The mid-day expiatory Avijhya mantra is:

gt^ K\Jmw 51%: il R, V. v.— 69— 3.

I invoke the Goddess Aditi in the morning
(and) at noon \vhen the sun has risen up;
Oh Mitra and Varuna, I praise you in the
sacrifice for wealth, for children, for . chil-
dren's children, for the assuagement of all
^.vils and for prosperity.

The SHn)avedins use tlie following ink
for the mid-day expiatory Arghna.

3<wl<^(^^4 II R. V. viii— 93— L
Oh Sftrya, thou risest for (receiving the

52 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

oblations of) tlie benefactor of men, fainecl
for his wealth, who showers wealth (on the
poor) and who is liberal.

The evening expiatorj* Ar^hya mantra is ^

qt 3^11^5^ ^sq^fcrf^: IE. V. viii.23-15
He who, with officiating priests at a

sacrifice, offers oblatipjis |;o Agjij, over him

not even an enemy >vith mdyic (ir^agical)

powers has power!
The Rigvedic mantra for the first mid-day

Arghya is :

: S| "" "" — — —

B. y. i_35— 2.

The Lord Savitri every day appears in the
blue heavens^ sustaining gods and men ; he
comes in a golden chariot, beholding all
the worlds.

The Rigvedic wuiwfra for the second mid-
day Arghya is :

ARunyA. 53

T^

^fk^ ^fm^ II R. V. iv— 40— 5..

This mantra occurs also in the Taitt,
Aran. (X-10) and is there a little diflereutly
interpreted by Sayana, the same commen-
4.ator.

The ever-travelling sun in the solar orb,
the air in the mid-heavens, the adorable
'Odrhnpntna fire at the altar, the fire in the
household hearth, the vital spark ill man,
the divine essence in sacred places, that
which exists in Truth, that which shines iii
the heavens (i.e, the light in the stai's);

•

that which lias sprung from the waters^
that which has sprung frohi the rays, that
which has sprung from Truth, that which
rises from the niountain, — all this is the
eternal Truth, the universal Param^tman/

Some Rigvedins offer the first mid-day
Anjhyx with this rik and th^ second and

54 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

the third with the G&j'atri.

The worshipper then throws water around
himself in the form of a circular ring, with
a view to keep off all evil influence from
him.

The worshipper then looks at the sun,,
and touches his heart with his fingers

repiting the mantra^

Asau — this, Adityah — Sun, Brahita (is)
Jiralu^ian, the Supreme Lord.

The Lord whom I invoke as residing in
the sun is not tlie visible luminary but
the §ame Supreme Being who lives in my
heart and guides me.

The object of this mantra seems to be to^
expressly put the worshipper on guard
against supposing that his worship is
directed to the physical sun he sees. The
Taittiriya Upanishad says : (Taitt. Aran.

viii-8) W\^ 2^qr I q^wkl/l^ I ^ '^i He

SAVITHI. 5&

who exists in man as tbe Jivdtvmn and He
who is visible in the solar orb, He is one.
Then the Upanishad goes on to say that he
who knows this is emancipated at deatl\
from all material bonds.

In this connection, a legend as related in
the Gopatha Brfthmana of the Atharva Veda
is worthy of note. GIftva of the race of
Mitra (Maitreya) presumptuously called the
learned sage Maudgalya ill-instructed.
Maudgalya then called upon Glftva to ex-
plain the S&vitri. Glftva could not auf^wer
the question. Thus humbled, he came to
the sage with fuel in hand. That was how
those wishing to learn approached their
teachers in those days. He said to Maud-
galya : " Sir, I beg your pardon. Please
enlighten ilie on the following points. To
whom do wise men allude by the |)hfase

^Hld^i^^H. <fec5., * the adorable glory of the
God Savitri' and advisfe me as to what they
mean by Dhiyah and tell me the coiirses

5i\ SANUHVAVANDANAM.

through which the sun moves on (prachod-
ay at).''

Maudgalya replied : * By VarSnyam, the
wise mean the Vedas and the Chhandas, by
Bhargo Devasyiy ahment (anna) and Dliiyah^
bj' which the sun moves on (or pracho-
d'lydt) are duties.' Learning this, Gl^va
requested him saying * Tell me, who is
Savitri and what Savitri'.

Then Maudgalya offers a lengthy expla-
nation and identifies Savitri and Savitri
with the followi)ig twelve couples: (I) Mind
and speech (2) Fire and Earth (3) Vfiyu
and Ether (4) the Sun and the Sky (5) the
Moon and the Stars (6) Day and Night (7)
Heat and Cold (8) the cloud and the rain
(9) the lightning and thunder (10) life and
food (11) the Vedas and Chhandas (12)
Sacrifice (Yajna) and fee (Dakshind),

Maudgalya thus concludes his expla-
nation — 'Sacrifice is established on the
Vedas ; the Vedas are established on speech ;

SAVITRI. 57

^speech is established on the mind ; the miiid
on life ; life on food ; food on earth ; the
-earth on water; water on light; light oii
VAvu; Vavn on Ether; the Ether on Brah-
man ; J3rahnian on Brfthmanas acquainted
with Brahman. Verilv he is conscient of
Brahman who knows this. He achieves
ineritorious acts and sweet odours-^— he
<lestroys all sins, and enjoys endless grace,^-^
who knows this, as also he who knowing
this adores the Upanisliad ' which has tlici
SAvitri for its subject '

Dr. Rajendra Lstl Mitra L.L.t)., in noticing
this legend in hi.^ edition of tlie Gopatha
Brahmana. offers the following remarks: — ■
This interpretation " is on all fours with the
belief of the Hindus that the object adored
is Bfalnnan (ir the Universal Soul, and
therefore also of the sun, aiid hot' the Sun
Itself as represented by its rays. As . the
interpietatidil is the oldest we poSsfess
^nd was ' sfiven Within a short timd

58 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

after tlie Qaj^atri had been composed,
this fact is worthy of note, — particu-
larly as it is at variance with the version
given by some European Orientalists,
notably by the late Professor Wilson, which
makes the Sun itself to be the object of
worship. It is of course impossible to say
what the author of the Gdyatri himself had
in view, but liis Indian commentators,
both ancient and modern, are at one in
believing that he rose from nature up to
nature's God, and adored that sublime
Luminary which is visible only to the eye
of reason, and not the planet we daily see
in its course. *'

We have adduced sufficient evidence
from the Sandhyfi, prayer itself to show
that the Deity contemplated therein is the
Universal Brahman and not the visible

sun.

The next thing, as is now the practice,
is to make offerings of water to the Sandhyd

TARPANA. 59

Devatd^ to the several planets, to Vishnu and
to Yama who are invoked by their several
names, each time an offering is made.
Thus — Sandhydm Tarpaydmi i- e, I make
this offering of water to please the Sandliyft
Devarft. (fee; Kesnvam Tarpaydmi =^1 make
this offering to please Kesava &c. &(•.

But these are pcmranic additions and no
reference is made to them in the Taittiiiya
Aninyaka. We Jire of opinion therefore-
tliat these additions are inconsistent Avith
the spirit of the Snndhya Vandanam whicl>
is a prayer directed to the " One alone?
without a second"

The first part of the cerfMuony technically
called the Sandhyd now closes. Then
begins the second part Avhich is called
Japam, As usual, the Japam is also prece-
ded, by an invocation to Ganes'a, a
Prdndydma and Samkalpa or resolution-
This is apparently needless, but our fore-
fathers seem to have proceeded on the

"60 SANOHYAVANDANAAr.

principle tliat we cannot have too much of
a good thing. We have already explained
the meaning and the object of the prayer
to Ganes'a and the Samhalpa. We have
also explained the rationale of the Prdndydma
or the restraining of the breath ; we will
liere give tlie Prdndydma mantra in entire
and explain its meaning.

^^; I ^m: I ^%^: | 9^: \ ^t^iR; | ^.

*** fliM^d «i^ warn

^:^^ II 27th Aini. lOtU Pr^p. Taitt. Aran-
Bhith^ Bhuvah^ Siwah, Alahah, Janah^
Tapah, Satyam are called the seveii
Vydhritis and are the namep of the seven
worlds vyhich are believed to constitute the
Universe. Sayana remarks that (ihese
several ,, names are precedec] by the mono-
syllable Om as they denote the universe
which is the visible manifestation of the
Supreme f^oul who is represei)ted by On\,

PRAKAVA. 61

Volumes have been written on the syllable
Om, which is believed to contain the essence
of all the teaching of the Veda and the
Vedftnta* It is thought to be the most
expressive and significant of all the names
of the Infinite. It first appears in the
firfi,hmanas and the Upanishads as a
mystic monosyllable (such as Gopatha
Brahmana and Chhfindogyopanishad) and
is there set forth as the object of profound
religious meditation and as a mysterious
agent Endowed with supernatural powers.
The highest spiritual efficacy is attributed
not onlv to the whole word but also to the
three sounds J, f/, 31 of which it consists.
In the Purftiias Om is tlie mystic nalne of
the Hindu Triad and represents the union
of the three gods, A denoting Vishnu, U
Siva, and M Brahma. Three in fact is a
sacred mimber with the Hindus and O^n
has beeii sU[iposed to represent All the
sacred Hindu religious triads. It is

62 SANDHVAVANDANAM.

usually called Pranara and in later times,
it has been also called Omhara, All
sacred writings begin and end with Om.
All Vedic recitations begin with Om and end
with 0)n. All the Blja mantras begin with
this sacred exclamation and often end with
the same. Bhaskara R8,ya, the learned com-
mentator on the Lalitd Sahasi'tt-Ndrndvali
^ays that thePranava used at the cpmmence-
;ment, and at the end of an)' mantra is, as it
were, two pegs driven down at the two ends
•of the mantra^ to keep the several letters of
%he mantra intact and preserve their reli-
gious efficacy.

It has been derived from the root av to
protect ; but some western scholars (notably
Professor Bloomfield) are for deriving it
from dm and regarding it as originally
nothing move than a word of solemn
affirmation and respectful assent— some-
thing like amen. Even the Buddhists have
iiot escaped the influence of this word.

PRANAVA. 63

They refjfard Ovildrd (f) as the female
persoiiificatioii of Divine Energy. SirMonier
Williains notices that the Buddhists use
Om at the commencement of theii* Vidyd-
'Shddali'shari or mystical formulary in h\x
syllables {Om mdni padme huiv).

After the seven Vyahritis ccMnes ihti
Gayatri prayer, also preceded by Onu

Narayana Yatindra thus interprets the
Pranava. A^ he says, represents the Sup-
reme Lord NArAvana : the dative termina-
tion beinjr implied, A means 'To the Sup-
reme Lord \ U means ' alone ' (and it liiay
also be taken to denote Lakshmi). M^ the
twenty-fifth consonant, denotes the Iweniy-
fifth principle in man namely the spirit or
Jivdtman, Thus Aum means * To the
Supreme Lord alone, the JirdtvUm (is the
complement or Seshahh4tn)\ The Vranara
represents the vital faith of the Vis'ishtdd-
nutins^ that the human soul is an entity
' that lives and moves and has its being' in

64 SANDHVAVANDANAM.

the Supreme Lord alone. Tliis interesting
interpretation will illustrate how the most
contradictory beliefs can be proved to have
a basis on one and the same Vedic text.

The use of the Vranava at the beginning
and at the end of a mantra^ symbolises, i[>
N&r&yana*s view, the fact that everything
springs from the Lord and goes to Him in*
the end.

Haradatta says that the three letters x4, U^
Al^ represent the Pnranic Trinity — Brahma,
Vishnu and Kudra — and the Vvanava is the
symbol of llie Supreme Being, of whose
essence these gods are.

Others are of opinion that in addition to
the three letters A^ £/, il/, which typify the
Trinit}^ there is a fourth sound — an ardha-
mdtra, in the iVawara— ^which represents
a fourth and higher Being — the Param
Brahman.' '

The Gayatri has been similarly interpre-
ted in various ways ; and each interpretation

OAVATRI (>5

has been supported by its adherents by a
host of authoritative texts from the SeHp-
tured. The controversy it has given rise
to will form a library by itself and all that
can be attempted here is but the briefest
sketch of the several methods.

1. Sftyana's meaning has been already
given and his first interpretation is that
which has been accepted by the generality
of Advaitins.

2, N&rftvaim Yatindra : We meditate on
the adorable Light of the Ijord Vdsudeva,
who sustains the Universe. May He guidfe
our understanding aright!

The Lord Nftrftyana Himself is the Light
and so the term * light of Vfifiudeva'
is to be takeii like * the head of Kflhu'v
Ufthu being nothing but the head.

3 : Haradatta bas^s his interpretation
on the S^ninti BhdsVara and takes Tdd-^
bhargas to refer to the Pavamatman who
is to be worshipped, as residing in the

5

66 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

midst of the Solar orb.

4. The S'aivitea take the word Bliaryas
as a noun (in the masculine gender with — a
termination) in apposition with yah ; So the
prayer is addressed to S'iva^ as the Maitrd-
yanay the Talavakara and other S'rutia
declare that Bkargaa denotes S'iva ; (as, for
instance, in the MaitrAyana Upanishad, we

have ' Q[^^ ^n^W TO^rf^ ^2^1^ ' )

5. Tlie SaurcLS have prima facie a strong
case in their favour ; they take the Gdyatri
prayer as addressed to tlie Sun himself, who
is th0 source of all life. It is needless to
say thar this is the interpretation of all
western scholars.

6. Tlie S'dktas take Savituk as referring
to the Supreme Being who is the source of
all life ; and Vareayam Bhargas^ to His SaktL
It is tliis Sakti of the Supreme Lord, to
whom the adoration is paid in the Gdyatri^

7. S'amkara's interpretation is, of course
Veddntic, That which enlightensour under-

. VYAHRITIS. (57

standing is the Vratyagdtman which
enlightens Jndna, Buddhi^ and the Antah-
karana and which is the All-witness.
Tatsavituh refers to raramdtvian, who is
of the same nature 2l% Vratyagdtman. Bhargos
is the Jndna whii^h destroys Avidyd. Thus
the prayei* means : I, Vratyagdimariy who am
mere witness of the things seen by Buddhi
<^-6\ meditate on my nature as identical with
the Brahman,^

The %^vQn VydliritU have been thus
explained bj^ Haradatta. . [

Om Bhdh : BhAh ineans existence qnd sO
Om Bhnh means that the Supretne Being is
the only real existence, all things;; else
existing only phenomenally {Vydvahdrilca^
not Pdvamdrthika), . ,

* This interpretation of S'a^nkara has bee^
abridged ffom S. E. Gopalacharulu's translation. We
have riot met with the original of S'aiiikara, whicti',
he s4ys, is to be found in Mr; T. Tatiil's editioh of
Hig- Veda Bhashya.

68 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

Om Bhuvahy means that all things, even
while they exist, exist only in Him.

Om Siivah, means that He is surrounded
by wise §ages like Sanaka^ or that He
pervades the entire Universe.

Om Mahali means that it is He alone who
is to be adored by all desirous of the final
bliss.

Om Janah means that it is He who has
brought all this Universe into existence.

Om Tapah means that the Sun who
illuminates and warms the whole Universe
is but a symbol of Him.

(yw*Sa<yaw means that HeisTruth Eternal.
These meanings Haradatla traces from
tlie etymology of the several words. He
also remarks that the Vydhritis may be
taken to refer to the seven upper (and by
iniplication, also the seven lower) worlds
and the pre-fixing of the Franava nieans
(hat ^U these worlds have sprung fron^ the
Supreme Being.

VYAHRITIS. 69

Ydjnavalkyas explanation of the Vydhritis
a.^ translated by Colebrooke, is given below.>

" The prayer is preceded by the names
of the seven worlds, as epithets of it, to
denote its efficacy ; signifying that this light
pervades and illumines the seven worlds
which, situated one above the other, are
the seven mansions of all beings ; they are
called the seven abodes, self-existent in
a former period, renovated in this. These
seven mysterious words are celebrated as
the names of the seven worlds. The place
where all beings, whether fixed or movable,
exist, is called Earth (BhUh) which is the
first world. Tliat in which beings exist a
second time, but without sensation, again
to become sensible at the close of the
period appointed for the duration of the
present universe, is the world of Re-exis-
tence (Bhiivah). The abode of the Gdod^
where cold, heat and light are perpetually
produced is named Heaven (Siivah). Th^

70 SANDHYAVANIMNAM.

intermediate region lietween the Upper and
the lower worlds is denominated the middle
world (il/aAa/i). The heaven where aninials
desbroj'ed in a general conflagration at the
close of the appointed period are born again
i^ thence called the world of Births {Janah),
Thatin whiciiSanakaandthesonsof lirahma;^
justified by austere devotion, reside exempt
from all dominion is thence named the
mansion of the Blessed (TapahX Truth
(Satyam) the seventh world and the abode
of the Brahman is placed on the summit
above other worlds. It is attained by true
knowledge, by the regular discharge of
duties, and by veracity ; once attained, it
is never lost. Truth is indeed the seventh
world, therefore called the sublime world. "^
The Gdyatrit is followed by : —

♦ Colebrooke's * Miscellaneous Essays* Vol. 1.

t The Odyatri is held to have a fourth pdda (which
is revealed only to tjie initiated). This iMa means,
'He who is beyond all phenomenon, He is Bliss
Eternal. Om.'

GAVATIII-SIRAS. 71

which is called the Q'iromantro, of the
Gdyatri,

Apah ^the waters (of rivers and oceans)^
Jyotis = \\ghl (of the Sun &c.), Rasah=^ihe
several tastes or flavours; Aniritam ^^ihe
nectar of the Gods — all this and, Bh4h
Bhuvah^ Suvah = the three worlds — all is Ovi^
the Universal Soul. Thus the whole Prdndr
ydma mantra means " All the seven worlds
are (the visible manifestation of) Om, the
all-pervading Brahman. We think of the
adorable light (glory) of the Lord who shines
in our hearts and guides us ; maj' He guide
our intellects aright! Water, light, all things
that have savout* (such as trees, herbs and
plants), the nectar of the Gods, the three
worlds— in fact everything that is. Is
Brahman, the Universal Soul.*'

This explanation of the Gdyatri-SiraS is
based on Sayana*s commentary.

Har^datta explains it thus;

72 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

Om Jlpah means ' He pervacles . all that
exists'. Jyotis means • He is Self-luminous
Intellectual Light '. Rasah means. 'He is
Bliss' ; in other words, the three words
indicate that He is Sat^ Gliit^ and Anaiida.
Amritam Brahma means that He (who is
characterised by Sat^ Chit^ ^nAAnanda) is the
imperishable Brahman. Bhiir Bhuvah Suvah
means ' He creates, sustains, and destroj'S
all the worlds.'

While holding the breath through the
Prdndydmie process the worshipper should
concentrate his mind. on the ideas expressed
by the above mantra and place himself in
an attitude of mind consonant with the
thoughts running through it.

After this Pra/i^am/c preliminary comes
the mantra for invoking the Gdyatn.
Sayana says that this mantra for inviting
Gdyatri is to be repeated after sprinkling a
little water on one's head. This mantra
like many others that are used in Sandhyft —

INVOCATION OF THE GAYATRl 73

Vandaiia, occurs in the lOtli Prap&thaka of
the Taittiri3'a Aranyaka. It runs thus.

515^ S^ 5RTT ^ ^ ^^k^:* I
2. ^I^Sf^ ^Sf^ 5^Hf^ Wtfsf^ ^^ ^
5inAf5 f^^^^l^ fl^j: ?T?fRl%5%:3?fireRf I

JIW^IHnW^II^ II 26th Anuvaka.

1 . Meaning. Aydtu = may She come !
Varadd Dm = the Goddess who grants all
our desires, understand Uddis'ya = {or tlie
purpose of making known to us, Ahsharam =
eternal, Brahma = the Supreme Source of the
Universe, Sammitam = wlio is revealed to us
througli the Scriptures. (Td//a<ri = (may)
the G&yatrl Devatft, Chhandasdm Mdtd = the
Mother of all metres, or of all Vedas,
Jmha^va =Joshayatii = reveal, Nah == to us,.
Tdani Brahma = the Eternal Truth.

May the Goddess Gdyatri Devoid who

* 5^^^ ^'^ another reading.

74 SANDHYAYANDANAM.

grants all our dej^i res come to us to make
known to us the Eternal Lord who is re-
vealed to us only through the Scriptures*.
M^y the Gayatri— the mother of all the
Vedas-^reveal to us the Eternal Truth !
:. Comment, There are hundreds of Vedie
7?ifcj m Gftyatri metre; but it is the partic.ular
Rik — Tat Savitur Vavenyam ^'C— ^alope, that
has come to be exclusively denoted by the
term Gftyatri. Tliis prayer is thought to

express, in the shortest possible compass,
the entire teaching of the Vedas. Hence if
in the entire body of Vedic revelation any
one particular Bik is said to contain the
spiritual essence of divine truth more than

; * \Ve have followed here as elsewhere ^he
iiitef^pretation of S&yana as found in his commentary
on the Taittiriya Aranyaka. Narayana also proposes
a slightly different interpretation thus : Brahma
Sammitam~a8 exalted as the Vedas, and Aksharam^^
Qteriial,are both taken B,h epithets oi Devt.Tdam Bralima
Jiishasva Kah is taken by him to mean * may she accept
this pmyer of ours!' The pmyer is what follows.

INVOCATION OF THE GAYATRI. 75

kny Other, it is tl)i}5 prayer. Accord in plj-
tlie Gflyatri is regarded as the word of G<k1
par excellences, and (as the word Gfiyatri is of
feminine gender in Sanskrit) is invoked as
the Muse presiding over Divine Wisdom.
The Gftyatrl is not to be approached in a .
light spirit of indifference or irreverence, but
Avith true humility and sincere reverence iii
which frame of mind alone, Divine grace
will enter and illumine our hearts; and the
object of the invocation is to induce thi&
t-ev6rential state of mind.

2. Ojas — asi = (Oh Gftyatri !) Thou art
the source of all spiritual strength, Sahas—
^m — Thou art the power that drivest away
my enemies (t.^., iny evil inclinations);
^^almnr-as^ =Tho\x art the source of physical
strength, Bhrdjas — rt5ii=Thou art Divine
Light, Derdndm-dhdma-nama-asi = What
light there is of theGods, That thou art, Vis'-
ramasi, Sarvam — a5i*= Thou art the entire

* Both mean the same.

76 SANnilVAVANHANAM.

Universe, Vis'vdyuh — sarvayuh — asi =Thou
«,rt eternal, Ahhibliuh{asi) =Thou causest the
destruction of all sins. 07n=Thou artth^
Pranava, Gdyatrim—dvdhaydrni = I invoke
(Thee) QayatT'i (of such powers).

Oh Gftyatri ! Thou art the source of all
spiritual strength. Thou art the power
that drivest away the evil inclinations which
are my enemies. Thou by conducing to a
sound mind conducest to a sound body.
Thou art the Light of the Gods that dispel-
lest my intellectual darkness and illuminest
my heart with divine wisdom. Thou art
all, In tlie whole universe there is naught
but Thee that is. Thou art the Eternal
Truth that destroys all sins. Thou art the
Pranava that reveals to me the Unknown.
Corne to n\y succour, Oh Thou Gftyatri ! and
make me wise.

Comment,— It is with thoughts like these
and an implicit faith in the spiritual efficacy
of the G&,yatri that the worshipper should

NY ASA. li

prepare to approach the Lord with the
prayer of prayers. It is then that th6
heart is truly attuned to receive the divine
light and the thoughts aroused by the
Gfiyatrl permeate the heart through and
through and the worshipper exclaims in
sincere devoutness, *' Oh Liord ! Thy glory
is immense : Teach my heart to know Thee.'*
When the heart of man is thus purged of
all sinful thoughts and is taught to know
God and love Him, earthly bonds begin to
lose their power over the soul, and once it
gets free of all corporeal ties, no power on
earth is strong enough to attract it into
mortal shackles again, and all that is said
of Gay at ri comes to be fulfilled.

After the invocation of the Gayatri comes
the enumeration of the fcur principal
characteristics of the Gayatri Rik. Every
Rik has four marks (I) its liishi or the
seer* through whom the Rik was gi\'en

* The Rislii is not regarded by the orthodox as the

7§ SANDHYAVANOANAM.

oup ip p|)e world (2) its Ohhf^ndas or metre
(S) its Devata or the Deity * whose praise it
si^lg? (4) its Viniyoga or the purpose to
which th^ Elk i^ appliecl. When the name
of the Rishi i.^j ineiUiQiied, th^ wprshipper
tQUch^^ his head and makef^ an anjali
or obeisance in gratitude to the . s^ei^*
who has enriched the world with hitj
inspired song. When its metre is mentioned,
the worshipper touches his mouth with his
right fingers to imply that the inspirec|

uiuhor o£ the Kik ; tor that would imply that the
mantra is of human origin, whereas the mantras are
supposed to be eternal and to have (Existed in the I^ord
4|id to have been ^iuen out to the world at sQme partis
<sular t^me through some sacred personage or Bishi
who is supposed to have been simply the medium of
divine Communication. This is the orthodox view of
the.supernatural origin of the Vedas. Hence the saying

* Sometimes the Bik is not a song in praise of any
Deity, in which case the subject-matter of the Bik is
spoken of as ifs Deity.

NVASA. 79

revelation came out of the mouth of the
fleer in that particular form and to request
that he liia}' be blessed witli a flow of speech
in reciting the mantra. When uttering the
name of the Devata the vvorsliipper touches
his heart with his right fingers as muclias lo
say that the Deitv in whose honor the Rik is
sung resides in his heart and to request that
the Deity should be pleased to acce[)t his
prayer and the mention of the Viniyoga is
to put him in mind of the object for which
he prays.

These characteristics of Vedic Riks are
recorded in the iiVnukramani or the explar
ujltory Index of the Vedas and have sinde
been extended to all liija mantras, tn the
oase of the G&yatr! Rik, the Rishi is
Vis'v&mitra, the Ch/iandasis of course GAyar
tri, the Devoid is Sam7n-not the sun but the
Supreme Lord .is we have elsewhere shown
— and the Viniyoga or the purpbf^e of the
prayer is Sdyujya or absorption, through

80 SANDUYAVANDANAM.

knowledge, into the Universal Soul. This
last is borne out by the fi^ct that the
j^equest made in the prayer is not for riches
or ' our daily bread' but wisdom or know-
ledge of God.

Before the commencement of tiie Japam^
t wo rii uals called Anga Ny asa and Kara Ny ftsa
are now generally performed. These are
Tftutric ceremonies — not Vaidic. Their in^-
portance is inculcated in Tftntric works and
directions for their modus operandi Sive given
therein.

Kara Nydsa.— The fingers are to be used
in counting the repetitions of the Gftyatri ;
they have to be purified before they can be
uaed for this purpoi^e ; so the worshipper

says, ^<iei*^hfl> — homage tothe two thumbs;
cM^^t *R»- — ' homage to the two fore-jing^^Sy
t|wi|i|ji4^j •fif:— * homage to the ttoo middle
fingers^* ^^Tlft^ffl^rt ?fH: — -'homage to the.
^ivo narnel^^^ fingers' (i.e-^ the fing fingers).

NITASA. 81

ft

^f^f^*l^l ^:—' honta^fe to the tito little

jin^ers^ *h<d^+<!i8Ml ^: — ^homage to the

two palms and the two backs of the hands'.
As each of these pairs is named, it i.^
touched. In Tftiitric Literature, it is
supposed that the several partes of the body
are sacred to particular deities and when a
particular part of the body is named and
touched, it is supposed to be an act of
homage gratifying to the presidihg deity of
the part. Tlie part thus consecrated be-
comes worthy of bein<r used for sacred
purposes.

Anga Nyasa- — Each Bija mantra is, ili
T&ntric works, divided into six partd ahd
each part is dedicated to the particular
deity who i^ supposed to reside in a pArti-
culir Anga. Tlie first part of the G^yatri—

dwRcj:— is held to be sacred to Brahma
(of the Triad) who is supposed to reside in

the heart ; so the heart is touched and the

6

82 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

worshipper says w^^: mi^^ jgrrpT m\T
* homage to the heart vv'hos^ piesidiug deity
is Brahma, to whom I dedicate Tatsavituh
the first part of the Gftyatri.' Next the

head is touched with the prayer ^^ (^vje||.

tflrr %?:% ^l^ * homage to the head

vyi^ose presiding deity is Vishnu, to whom I
dedicate the second part Varenyan^.' Then
the top-knot i§ touchec] with the praj'ev

Wlf^^ ^^fcq^ %^%^— ' homage to the
top-knot whose presiding deity is Rudra,
to whom I dedicate the tliird part Bhavgo-
devasya.' Next the two hands are crossed
on the breast to represent a shield and

the worshipper says nftqfl ^T^fl^ ^^I'^IH^*!.
* homage to the shieUj vyhose presiding

d^ity is Satya to vyhom I dedicate the fourth

part DJiirnahi,' Then the ey^3 are touched

with the prayer f^qt^rT; ?Rfc*f%T|[^s:^(^ f%^

* ^l^PRTF? is another reading — the third ej^e
beifig supposed tp exist between (he eye-bro^is an4

NYASA. 8*^

^31^;——' licmage to the two eyes whose
presuling deity inJudmi to whom I dedicate
the fifth part Dhiyo — yo — noh' Lastly the
ricfht thumb &nd the ri<jht middle finger
are snapped round the head. This act is
supposed to represent a weapon and the

mantra recited is y^<^|rl^ M<HlcH^ ^T^fm-
it7— * homage to the weapon whose

presiding deity is Paramfttman, to whom I

. • • • ' . .

Vledicate the last part Prnchodaydt-^

Brahma, Vishnu, iimlrn,, Satya^ Jjidjia ami

FaramAtmah are not however distinct

<1eities but are simply the various aspects

of the one True God — JBrahma representing

the capacity ot Creator, Vishnu that of

Preserver, lludra tliat of Destroyer,

Satya Trutli, the one immutable Being,

Jnana everlasting knowledge *aiidPara-

repreMentiiiff intellectual vision, 'fhis third eye or
Rpiritnal vision if* allegorised by the third eye of Sivi
in later Pauranic Litemture.

* Satya and JnAna are supposed^ to he the forma
of that formless Being.

84 SANDHYAVANDAKAM.

Idifttmau the all-pervadijig Lord. TIju.s
the dedication of the several parts to these
several capacities of the same Supreme
Being simpl)^ means that the whole Gayatrf
pjayer is sacred to the Supreme Being and
is directed to Him alone. The heart and
the head, the first two aiujas^ represent the
seats of feeling and intellect respectively and
imply that the mantra should be both felt
and understood. The top-knot represejits the
|ialo of spirtual glory with wliich all deities
are represented, as saints are in the
Christian church, and symbolises the fact
that the ultimate gopd resulting from the
fiiantra is spiritual glory. The eyes of
course imply that the mantra opens up
the spiritual vision of the worshipper; the
shield and the weapon imply that the
piantra is able not only to protect him
against evil thoughts when they come to
tempt him but also to effectually destroj-
all evil thoughts and prevent them from

NYASA. 85

ever arisiiif? in his mind.

All this may appear fantastic; hut a
<?Iose student of Indian Literature knows
well enough that at one stage of Indian
Histoiy when the springs of national life
were sapped, the life-giving and soul-sus^
taining ideas of the national, Inind were
petrified into forms and symbols, aiid sym-
bology took the place of philosophy. The
tantras represent this morbid phase of Ilidian
thouglit and hence often appear to tlie
superficial reader (*,rude and absurd, mys-
terious and fantastic. Yet, on a careful
examination the)' will be found to represent,
in a manner suited to the intellectual condi-
tions of a deteriorated age, the older truths
of Vedic theosopIl3^ It is not to be
understood tliat we have here taken itp a
brief for the Tantric Literature ; but it is
our conviction that the tantras can be rightly
read only in the light of the fot*egoing
remarks.

86 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

Then tlie Gayatri pra)^er is inentally
repeated — generally 108 times. The
A^'orshipper concentrates his raind on the
meaning of the prayer he uttersi keeps "hi^
mind running on the thoughts evoked by
the G&yatri and thinks of the supreme glory
of the Divine Yivilier. The greater the
number of repetitions of the Gftyatri, the
longer he thinks of the Lord and prays for
divine wisdom, the more efficacious the
prayer is considered to be. The object of
the repetitions seems to be to only fix the
minimum time during which the worsliipper
})as to devote himself to the contemplation
of the glory of tlie Lord.

During the repetition, the mind is easily
kept from straying on other thoughts and
the concentration thus induced leads ulti-
mately to Samddhi — an attitude in which
all the organs, which, left to themselves run
wild among lavishing sensualities, are
controlled, and the mind, weaned away

GAVATIM REPETITION. 87

from all attachments to eaitlily tliifigs,
becomes spiritualised. As the ManuSmrill
puts it (II — 96), * the organs being strongly
attached to sensual delights cannot so
effectively be restrained by avoiding incen-
tives to pleasure, as by a constant pursuit of
divine knowledge.' Hence also * the act of
repeating His holy name is ten times better
tlian the appointed sacrifice, a hundred
times better when it is heard by no man,
and a thousand times better when it is
purely mental.' (Manu Smriti II 85).

This rational view of the matter will
conflict with the preconceived notions of
the orthodox section of our community.
It is now generally believed that there is
a mysterious efficacy in the |)articular
collocation of the syllables which make up
the mantra^ that the mere utterance of the
mantra., with or without a knowledge of its
meaning, has the power to free one from
all sins and confer all spiritual blessings.

$8 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

Fire burns you if you touch it, whether you
Jciipvy it will burn you or not. Similarly
the viantra has certain powers independent
of your knowledge of its properties or
meaning. This is the orthodox view of the
< question*

But it is easy to explain how such a
belief has arisen. Throughout the Scrip-
tures emphasis is laid on the importance of
hioioledjje. Knowledge ahme is said to

confer supreme bliss. J|5«itl^ ^5ji^*i(|[ ^^«4^<.

Tait. Aran. 2. Prap 2. AnuvAka. S&yana
interprets it thus, qifffc^ ^^^UkI ^^HN^I^

^^ iE^RWnf^ ' m ' «rmifh i. e. The wor-
shipper secures beatific bliss through his
spiritual experience when through hnow-
ledge his ignorance has been removed.
Scores of references may be given but we
think it needless. The Taittiriya Upanishad
which forms the 7th, the 8th and the 9th
Pr^jmthakas of the Taittiriya Aranyaka

GAYATIU. 89

from vvhi<!h maiiv of the Saiulhva text.4 are
taken insists on " tlie meditation of (:ertaiii
words whir.li symbolically express the truth
of the doctrine and prepare tlie mind for its
com|)rehension, the meditation on the term
' 0)n\ the most sacred of all syllableSj
embracing as it does the real sense of the
Vedas, — meditation on Brahman in His
relation to the individual soul, to the

material creation, and to the different deities,
a]ul the necessity of ceremonial work, of tlie
daily reading of the Vedas, and of a virtu-
ous life in accordance with the precepts of
the S'astras." It inculcates these duties a^
preparing the mind for the reception of tlie
liighest knowledge.

But it was feared that a practice, however
good, might come to be neglected by the
people at large if special inducements
were not offered to keep it up, at»d so
supernatural rewards came to be attached
to tlie performance of religious acts, and

90 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

punishments, to their neglect. This
bolstering up of a thing good in itself with
adventitious aids is seen in many passsages
of the Brfthmanas known as Arthav&da and
forms, under the name Phalas ruti, a leading
feature of Puranic Literature. ' Graduall}'
mysticism came to gain an ascendancy over
the Indo-Aryan mind ; the old speculations,
rationalism, and freedom of thought in
ipatters transcendental yielded to forms,
set phrases, and mummer)^ and the religion
of the ancient Aryan world disintegrated
into the TS,ntric form of worship which now
enthrals the religious instinct of the Hindu.'*
After the meditation on the meaning of
the Qayatri, the worshipper sends back the
GAyatri Devatft to her place with the follow-
ing mantra which forms the 30th Anuvlika
of the 10th Prap&thaka of the Taittifiya
Aranyaka.

♦ Dr. Bajendra Lai Miti*a. Vide his edition of the
Tnitt. Aranyaka.

UPASTHANA 01

3tW %^ ^* vpn <Hcm^ I

Meaning:-/>m=The Goddess of GSyatri,
Bhvmydm (having its base deeply fixed) in
the earth, Varvata-murdhani^ou the summit
of the mountain (Mem), Utlame Sikhare =
on the loft}' peak, understand 7V.s/?f/m/i=i
resides. Therefore, Deri = 0h Goddess-
Brdhmanehliyah = hom the Brnhmans who
Avot'shipThee, Ahhyamifjydtd = t^k\\\g leave.
Vaihd Sukham=^8 it pleases Thee^Gachchha
= go (to Thy abode in mount Meru).

The Goddess Gftvatri resides on a k)ftv
peak on the summit of mount Meru (whose
base is deeply fixed) in the earth. Oh Thou
Goddess, take leave from the Brahmans
(who have worsliipped Thee and who have
been blessed with Thy grace) and go back

♦ Another reading ^fln which means, Oh, Thou
that art born.

t Do ^RT^RJH^

93 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

to Tliy abode as comfortably as possible.
Mount Meru is the Olympus of Hiudu
traditions. According to the Pauranic
cpsfiftogony, it is said to rise from the centre
of tlie Jarabu Dvipa, hence of the earth.
Al^ the planets are said to revolve round it.
Its height is said to l)e 84,000 yojanas,
16,000 of which are below the surface
of thf». earth. The river Ganges falls
from heaven on its summit and flows
thence to the surrounding worlds. The
whole of it consists of gems and gold.
It is considered to be the residence of all
thegods; Satyaloka which is the residence of
Rrahma and his hosts, Vaikuntha the abode
of Vishnu, and Kailasa of S'iva are all said
to be situated on the various peaks of this
mount. GAyatri .Devatft, representing as
she does divine wisdom, is fitly regarded
^.s residing with the gods on this mount
and condescendinof to visit tlie heart of
inan if invoked with due humility.

UPASTHANA. 93

Now comes the tliircl division of the
service, called tlie Upasthdha. The
worshipper stands up and facing the s\xi\
prays to the LorcJ. who is thought to reside
in that luminary. But before he com-
mences the Upasthdna^ he contemplates the
glory of the Divine Being with the following
mantra which forms the 31st Anuv&ka of
the 10th Prap. ol* the Taitt. Aranyaka.

The Supreme Lord s)'inbolise(l by <?w
dwells within the mind of all the created
beings of the tFnivelse. Oh Lord! Thou art
sacrifice. Thou art Vishnu the preserver.
Thou art Vashatkftra^ the mantra for
offering oblations, Thou art Rudra the
destroyer, Thou ait l3rahma the breatoi*.
Thou art Piajlipati, the ruler of men. This
mantra is repeated liere to prevent him from
forgetting that all this adoration is directed

94 SANDHyAVANOANAM.

to the nameless One symbolised by - the
Pranava, who takes various names as He
i.S regarded in various aspects.

The hymn3 invoking the rising sun in the
niprnhig form the clpsing mantras of:the
tburth Vrds'na of the third Kanda of the
Tftittiriya Samhita. Ti^ey are also found
witji {iome slight v^ri^tions in the fpurtU
4.dhyaya of the i;|iird Ashtak^ of the Rig

Veda. They run t(ms ;—

• • • I . , . . . . . •

^leaiiinp : — Charshanidhritqh = protect-
ing meii (by causing rain), Afitrasya l)e\Kisya
==pf the sun god, SVra'aA = glory, *5a/?a.?im

* The Jiig Yeda reo-ding Sdnatsi (}n thp N. Non). case)

UPASTHANA. 95

r= Siimb/idjaniyam = adorable, Satyam = real
and everlast ing, Chitra-sravastamafn = and
most worthy of being adored with wonder*,
understand ' we sing.'

(2) Mitrah^TUe sun, iVa;aw(xn = well-
knowing (the inclinations and pUlsuitii of
several inen)/antt;i = men, latoya^i = directs
(to their several pursuits); J/iYraA =The suii^
Vrithivim = the e Arth, C7^^ = and, Dydni = tlife
heaven, Dddhdra = upholds ; Mitrah = the
sun, /lm'mi5Aa = without winking (i. fe. inces-
santly) /rn.sA<ife = men, Abhicha^hte = Sarvd-
tail ras'yati==is observing everywhere)
Satydya = to ihiH Eternal Being; Ghriiavat-
havyam = the oblations mixed with ghee,
Vidhema:=we offer.

(3) Aditya •= Oh sun, Ynh = vfho^Vraiena
= through (such) sacrifice, Te=^to tliee^

makes better sense. AVe need not as in the Taittiriya
text take the rik elliptically. According to the llig
Veda reading, it means — *The glory of the stip fe'id
w ho sustains all men is adorable ; that glory is eternal
and most worthy of being kdored with \<ronder.

96 SANDHVAVANDANA^r.

iS'ii-^/m/i = ofrers oblations, Sah Atarla/i =t\\^t
roan, Mitra = 0h swn, Pra?/a5r4?2 = endowed
with food (and p\eDt\)^rrdstii==Pralfharatti
= let him become;

Tva Utah^^He who is protected by you,
;AWmnya^<'=is not cut off by (untimely death),
Najiyatez=:is not vanquished (by anybody),
4w/ia^=sin, yi^na?w=this n^an, Na As'not'i=s
does not take hold of, 4wftVa/<:==near, Na
lMrdt=D6t far.

1. (We sing) tlie adorable g^ory of the
sun god, who sustains all m^n (by causing
vain), which glory is eternal ^iu| uv»st
worthy of being adored with wpnder.

2. The sun well knowing the inclin-
ations of several men directs them to their
several pursuits; the sun upholds both
heaven and earth ; the sun observes all
creatures (and their actions) without ever
wipki'^g ; t<* tliis eternal Being we offer the
oblation mixed with clarified butter.

3. Oh sun ! ma}' that nian who tlirough

Ll'ASTllANA y?

such sacrifice offers oblationsto thee become
endowed with wealth and plent}^ ; (for) he
who is under thy protection is not cut off
by untimely death ; he is not vanquished
by any body and sin has no hold on this
mai» either from near or from afar.

Comment. 1. Three things are implied
in the foregoing prayer : i. The mind of the
worshipper should contemplate with wonder
and reverence, the supreme glory of the
Lord. ii. He should extol His glory in songs,
iii. And he should offer oblations to Him ;
thus worshipping Him through mind, word,
and deed — {Manusd Vdchd Karmand.)

2. Prominence is given to the idea
that nothing escapes the eye of the Lord,
"Who sees with equal eye, as God of all,
A hero perish or a sparrow fall.
Atoms or systems into ruin hurl'd.
And now a bubble burst and now a
world,"

that man by himself is powerless ; that he

7

98 SANDHVAVANDANAM.

even does as he is directed by the supreme
Lord, that through His divine grace alone
man can hope to crush all evil thoughts,
and triumph over 6in and Death.

3. Sin either from near or from far has
no hold on him. The expression sin either
from near or from far ^ if it is to have any
meaning, must be interpreted to mean *sins
of . present birth or sins of former births.*
Sfl-yana, it must be admitted, does not offer
tjiis interpretation ; but both Haradatta
and Narayana do. Sayana has passed
over this passage, simply remarking
that Antitah means Samipdt. Western scho-
lars have remarked that the songs of
the Rig Veda do not seem to know
the theory of several births, which occupies
such a prominent place in the philosophy of
the Upanishads, which we find there
So elaborated and perfected and whose
developments we see in later works like
Manu Smriti. But Dr. Weber himself is of

I PAsriiANA. yy

opinion that the doc.trine of the transmi-
gration of Houls as enunciated in the Chhait-
(logya and other Upanishads is found there
in such a complete form as to make it cer-
tain that it existed long before the date of
t'hese treatises. Ifi it then unreasonable to
surmise that in passages like these we dis-
cern glimpses of the doctrine of re-birth ?
The first Rik of the 89th Sftkta of the Vll
Mandala of the Rig Veda has in our opinion
<3lear reference to this theory. It ruils
thus : —

According to Sayana's interpretation
"Oh Lord Varuna, let me not obtain tlie
liouse of clay (which t now liavej; Oh
tliou of shining wealth, make me happy ;
Jiave mercv on me. "

This passage clearly shows that the
worshipper is afraid of again entering
the house of clay (i. e. the mortal body),
that happiness consists in freedom fmiu

1 00 SANDH YAVANDANABf.

rebirth and that such happiness can be
secured only through the grace of the Lord.

4. Mitra is invoked in the morning and
Varuna in the evening. Mitra represents the
rising sun and Varuna the evening sky and
are apt symbols of the Supreme Being in the
morning and the evening twilight.

The Tei^ts recited during the mid-day
Upctshthdna are taken from the Tattiriya
Samhita, and the Taittiriya Aranyaka.
They are also found with some slight varia-
tions in the first Mandala of the Rig Veda.

H^^^ ^lc fe-dM^ II T. S. 4. I. 7.
^«r II T. S. 1.4. 4. 3.

UPASTHANA. 101

Tait. Aran. 4tli Prap .24 xia.

1. Satyenarajdsd* —Thvoa^li the SfJityatoka
i.e.througli tlie heavens^ Avarta7minah = ve-
peatedly appearing, Amritimf = godj Mar-

♦ The Rig Veda reading is ^Tr^OTT^r^^aRTr (^1 . 35)

Rajas = world (Yilska).

t SAyana proposes another interpretation thus: —
yi»i>*ito«i=deathle8s life, J/ar^^ajic^arsand mor-
tal body, iVi r«s'a yaw ^besto wing (on men, according to
the nature of their deeds on earth), i.e., granting to
men eternal life or a mortal body according to their
deeds on earth. If this be the correct interpretation

1 02 SANDIIVAVANDANAM.

tyamcha=:2im\ m2i}\yNives'qyan==msVdhnug \i\
their several stations, Savitd Devah=th^ sun
god, Bhuvand Vipa^y an* =heho\(\\\\g i.e.

illuminating all the worl(:is, lUranijayena
^iathena=^ ii) a golden chariot ; }^a^j=comes
(near us.)

The Lord Savita daily appears in* the
heaven^ ; he sustains gods and men; (or he
confers on men eternal bliss or a mortal
body once more according as they acquit
themselves on earth); he comes in a golden
chariot, illuminating all the worlds: —

2. Vaymit=Vi'(i (the worshippers), Tama-

saspari=:?ihove the darkness (of night) or

(resting) above sin, Uttaram Jyotis^ztht

loftier light, Devatra DeimQn'=Go(\ among the

gods, Snryam'=the sun, Utpas'yantali=\o6k-

ing upon (i.e. adoring with offerings), IJtta-

(and Sayana evidently prefers tbis meaning) we havt>
liere another passage which contains a reference to
the doctrine of transmigration.

* The liig A''eda reading is Jihuvandni pas*yan.

UrASTHANA. 103

viam Jyoti8=the most excellent Light,
A ganma=?Ltt?Lin.

Adoring the sun, God among the gods,
the loftier light that rests above darkness or
sin, we attain (beatific union with that) most
excellent Light.

The earliest comment on this rile, that
Avhich is separated from it by the shortest
possible interval, is to be found in the
Taittiriya Samhita and it is a very interest-
injZ comment in more wavs than one. It
rnns thus; —

9?^ ^1^4 JFg% II

This passage maybe freely rendered thus;

Tamos is sin and Sftrya is said to be
Tamasas Pari (above sin), because he
absolves us (the worshippers) of all sins.
The worshipper is said to attain the most
excellent Light because he attains Sdyujya
with the sun.

1 04 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

This passage thus implies (1) that the
sincere worshipper is absolved of all his
sins through the grace of the God among
the gods ; (2) and that he, being thus freed
from all taint of sin, becomes one witli the
supreme Light i.e., is emancipated from all
earthly trammels (after he has shuffled off
his mortal coil) and is absorbed into the
divine Essence. Sdyujya is a technical
term applied in tlie later schools of philo-
sophy to the doctrine of 'Final absorp-
tion into divine essence', and it is instruc-
tive to note that the earliest and the most
reliable interpretation of the Rik bears
(.'lear reference to one of the most advanced
theories developed by S'amkara. Let us
not forget that this interpretation is to be
found in a Samhita and that, the Taittirlya
Samhita, the compilation of which is, by
the general consensus of orthodox opinion,
attributed to Krishna Dvaip&yana Vy&sa
and assigned to a period of time immedi-

UPASTHANA. 105

ately preceding the coininencement of the
Kaliyuga which, in the absence of any
conchxsice evidence to tlie contary, we have
to place at about 3101 B. C.

3. Ketavah=i\\e horses (or the rays),
Udv'ihanti=:hQ?LY aloft, Tyain=:Prasidd1iain=s
glorioix^^ Sury am Devarn==si\\\ god, Jdtaveda"
samc=Jatdndm Veditdram=y^\io knows all
that lives, (or the source of knowledge or
wealth) Visvdya Bris' e^==\\\^,l all may look on
ITim.

His steeds or rays bear him aloft, tlie God
who knows the ways of all living beings,
Sftrya, that all may look on him (and
adore him and become wise).

4. Devdndm^of the rays, Chitram=^
wonderful, ^ni/^am-collection, Udagdt=\\^^
risen, Miti^asya^Varunasyay Agneh-of Mitra^
Varuna and Agni (i.e., of earth, air and the
heavens presided over by these deities),
Chakslms^the eye, Di/dvdprithivi^ihe earth
and the heavens, J.n^an'fe.sAam=(and) the sky,

1 06 SANDHYAVANDANA»[.

Aprdh=hQ,s filled with his light; Suryah=
This Sftrya, Atmd^{\^) the soul, Jagatah=of
all that moves, Tasthushascha=aLU(\ of all
that moves not.

The wonderful collection of rays (the orb
of light) has risen ; this orb is the eye of
the earth, air and heaven ; tliis orb has
filled tlie earth, air and heaven with light,
everywhere, Silrya (the Lord that resides
in this orb) is the soul of all things that
move and all that move not.

(1) Mr. Griffiths translates Devdndm
Aniham into ' the presence of the Gods' ;
but Sayana evidently prefers the meaning
we have given; he says ^ts^FcftJ^^T: V^\.
He also says Devdndm maybe laken to mean
Hevajandndm ; bnt in the seciual lie sticks to
his first interpretation. Also in the 13th
Anuvaka of the 2nd Prap&thaka of the
T^ittiriya Aranyaka where the same verse
is mentioned, Devdndm is taken in the
sepse of cOmHH|?rt i^^flriiH^alone and Chitram

UPASTHANA. 107

is taken to mean *of various colours.' The
expression * presence of the ^ods' hardly
makes sense as applied to Siirya.

(2j Siirya is the soul of all that moves
nu(\ nioves not. Sftyanu interprets this
passage in two ways: — (i) Sfirya is the
universal ParamAtman who resides as
Anfari/dmin in all living Ijeings and directs
them. In his commentary on this rile.
in the Taittiriya Aranyaka, SAyana inter-
prets it to mean 'The Paramatman who
resides as Siirya in the orb of light also
lives as Jivfttman in all living beings.'

(ii) The sun is the source of all life and
activity or as the Taitt. Aranyaka puts it so
beautifully: "The sun rises bringing back
with him the lives of all living beings that
are buried during night in sleep — 'twiu
brother to Death'."

We have seen in more places than one
that some of the more advanced doctrines
of philosophy are to be met with in the

1 08 SANDHY AVANDANAM.

hymns of the Rig Veda and it will be diffi-
cult for western savants to convince the
orthodox pandits that the doctrines of
Vedautic philosophy were unknown to the
sages of the earliest period.

5. ra^=rthat (well-known), Cha1cshus=seye,
(i.e. orb of the sun), Devahitam=st\\a.l does
good to theDevas,.S'fJi;ram==brilliant,Para-
^^a^=in the east, Uchcharat=:Vises ; Saradah
5'a^am==forahundred autumns, (this phrase
isto be repeated before every one of the verbs
that follow), Ptis'yema=msiy we see (this
orb), Nanddma=:m2Ly we live in plenty
(through his grace), Moddma^msiy we be
happy, Bhavdma=}x\siy we live secure in our
places, Srinavdmci=^mBiy we learn the secrets
of Vedic truths from our teachers, Prabra-
t*4??ia=may we impart these truths to our
disciples, Ajitdsy d77ii,=ma,y we be never
defeated, OAa=and, Jyok-for along time,
Sdryam DnVe=(may we be able) to see the
sun.

UrASTHANA. 109

This brilliant eye, the orb of the sun, on
whom as Lord of the sacrifices, the Devas
depend for their oblations, rises in the east;
May we live a hundred years to see him,
may we live in plenty through his grace,
may we be happy in his presence for a hun-
dred years, may we, through his grace,
live secure in our homes, may we learn the
secrets of Vedic theosophy from our Achar-
j'a*=<, and may we gladly impart the same to
our disciples, may we never meet with
reverses, and may we long live to see and
adore the sun !

6 . Yah = who, Mahatali — ar«araf =f rom
the great (Eastern ocean), Udagdi^^vhes^
Sarirasya — niadhydt^irom the midst of
waters, Vibhrdjamd7iah=with resplendent
glory; Sah=he^ Vrishahhafi=l\e who showers
wealth and all other blessing, LohiidJcshah=:^
he who is red-eyed, Fipa5cfet^=all-wis^, il7^.=
me, Jfanisd -hy mind, PaT7dtfi=may he
make pure.

1 10 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

May he who rises with resplendent glory
from the midst of waters, out of the Eastern
ocean — the bright-eyed and all-wise Silrya
who showers all blessings (on his worship-
pers) — may he make me pure in mind !

The mantras for the evening Upasthftna
are taken from the second and the third
Kan das of the Tait. Samhita. They are
also found in the second Adhyftya of the first
Ashtaka of the Rig Veda. They run
tluis; —

2. c!c^^ s^^rr^^5??R:r5Ti^ qv^*ii«it£f^P?: i

T. S. 2...I~last Anuvakft.

UPASTHAN.A 111

T. S. 3. 4. last Anu.

1. Varuna=0]\ Varuna ! iiy^=iny, Imani
=this, //n?;a7)i=in vocation, /S'n«rfAi==heaf, Chd
—and, ^rfya^to-day, Mridaya^XM^Ve (nie)
happy, Avas]iuh^\o\\\ii\\^ for thy protection,
7ra,7n=:thee, AchaJce=I cry (i.e. praise).

Hear, Oh Vdrutia, tliis prayer of mine ; be
gracious unto mfe this clay ; longing for tliy
protecjtioii I cry to thee.

These rils are said to liave been tailght
by Vis'vAmitra to Sunassephah wlien he was
tied to the sacrificial post and about to be
innnolated by Harischandra to appease the
wrath of Varuna. The prayer saved him.
(Vide Ait. Brah).

Western scholars ale of opinion that in
Varuna the ancient Indo-Aryans gave
expression to the most sublime conception
of the Supreme Being. Professor Max MllUel'
says in his ' Chips from aGerman Workshop'
Vol.11: "Uranus is the Sanskrit Vartiiia;

1 ] 2 SANDHYA VANDANAM.

^nd delved fron) a I'pot Var to coyer ;
Varuaa being in the Veda also a name of
t^hefifmament, but especiall)'coniiected witli
the njght and opposed to Mitra the day."

The spacious firmament o^) high, the
spangled heavens, the starry blue * thick
iplaid witli bright patins of gokV proclaim
^s wit]^ ^ voice of trun^pet, their Great
Original, whose wisl^ has c^-ljed thepv i"^^
existence, and by whose immutable laws
(vritfis) the moon moves on in splendour,
^\h] \\\e twinkling stars have thejr risivig
^i](] setting. It }^ thisi sublime aspect of na-
ture(andwho that lias seen it,has not feltit ?)
t^iat has given birth to the most exalted
conception of God in the Vedas as later in
tlie Zendavesta,* e^uA accordingly we find

: ^ The late lamented Prof. J. Darmestater says
tha^ the Sovereign God of Persia can be recognised f^s
God of the heavens. *The 'ancienit formuloe o£ the
iJ!or(istrian litanies say that the sun is His eye and^
the sky is the garment embroidered with stars, with
which He arrays Himself . Like Yaruna, like Zeus,
lightning is in I^is hands/

UPASTHANA. 113

Varuna described in the Vedas as havllig
the sun for his eye, the heaven for his gar-
ment and the resounding wind for his
breath. He has lifted on high the bright
and glorious heaven ; he has stretched out
the starry sky and the earth. The twin-
klinjy stars, the lovely moon with whose flood
of light all heaven overflows, the peace and
calmness that everywhere pervade nature
at night induce a corresponding harmony
in the soul of man and the contrite sinner
thinks of his littleness and the Creator's
greatness and he prays for forgiveness and
mercy. It is thus to Varuna that some of
the most touching appeals for mercy are
preferred.

To suppose then, as some western scho-
lars do, that Varuna represents the material
sky would be confounding cause with effect
and would be doing injustice to one of the
most poetic Vedic conceptions of the Kuler
of the Universe. The foregoing leuiarks

8

IXi SANDHYAVANDANAM.

will explain why the Supreme Being is
invokecl as Varunain t\\ee\e]u\ig Upasthdna,
8. BrQhniand=with prayer, Vandamdnati==
^cloriug (thee), 7'a<=that (i.e. long life), Tvd^
{of) thee, Ydini=heg; Yajamdnah^the sacri-
ficer, fjavirhhih^with oblations, 7a^=that
{i.e. long life), ^4«as/6J=prays for ; (therer.
fore) VQriim=Oh Varuna ! Aliedamdnah^
without indifference, i7ia=here, 5orfAf=know
(i.e. take uiy pra,yer into your consider-
ation), Unts'amsa^Oli thou that art
adored by many, Nah Aytis-owv life. Aid
Prmiioshth^ilo not tike away.

Adoring thee vvitli prayer, I beg long life
of tliee ; the sacrificer does the same with
the oblations he offers thee ; therefore. Oh
Varuna ! without indifference in thi^ matter,
take my prayer into your kind consideration
and do not cut off our life. .

3. Deva VarunaF=^0\\ I^ord Varuna!
Yachchid /7i=whatever, Te Fratom=law of
thine, Dyavi Dyam =day after day, Pramini-

IJPASTHANA. 115

vifisi*— we violate, Vis'ah Yathd =as men,
(aiulerstand * forgive ns tlie trespasses'.)

Oh Lord Vanina ! Whatever law of thine
we, as men, violate day after day, forgive
us tliose trespasses.

The etliical consciousness of liuman frailty
and the appeal for met'C}^ and forgiveness
based on such consciousness find a beauti-
fully simple and earnest expression in this
Itik and the following.

4. Varuva ■= Oh Lord Varuna! Daivye
Jane = Deva Samuliantpe Jane = against alt
flivine beings, Yad Kimcha Idarn ^whatever
this, Abhidroham = offence, MantXsliyas = ^H^
men, Chardmdsi* = we commit,yf c/«tti=tAch-
ityft. = through ignorance, Yat Tava Dharmct
= whatever work of thine, Yuyopimd = we
have neglected, Deva^OXi Lord, Tasmdt
Enasxh = for that sin, Nah = us, jVa Biri-
s/ias^ do not destroy.

* The modern forms are minimas ; and charamas^
the vowel being affixed in Yedic forms according to

the Sutra of Fanini — %^Ji^ ^\ fll%'.

1)6 SANDH YAVANDANAM.

Oh Lord Variuia, whatever offence we,
as i>ieu, have committed against divine
beings, whatever work of thine we have
neglected througii ignorance, do not destroy
ns. Oh Lord, for such sin,

5. F«t=what offence, Nadivi* = RS in
gambling, Kitaudsah^^gSimhlers^ so our
enemies, Hinptth=hhye attributed (to us),
Va = oi\ Ghd is an expletive, Yat &ityam=^
what (sin we have) really (committed), Uta
= and, Yat Na F«V/ma = what (sin we have
committed) without knowing, Sarvd Td=^
Sarvdni Tdni ^hWthtit J Sithireva = as scat-
tered, Fi5%a = destroy, Deva = 0h Lord,
^Ma = then, 7(^==of thee, Friydsah:^ =
beloved, *Sjyawa=we shall become.

Whatever offence is attributed to us b}''
our enemies as by gamblers at dice, what-
ever sins we may have really committed and

♦iyia is here used ir. Upamdrlha and weans * just as/
t Kii^vdsah and FritfdsaJi are the Vedic forms of
KitavdJi and Finydh,

UPASTHANA. 117

Avbat we may have done without knowing,
do thou scatter and destroy all those sins ;
then, Oh Lord, we shall become beloved of
tliee.

We may compare this with the 6th Eik
of the 86th Sukta of the VII Mandala
which says: 'Oh Varuna, all this sin is not
wilfully committed by us ; error or wine,
dice or i</norance has given birth to our sin.'

The Eigvedins recite the mantra^ Uttame
<5c*., at the close of the service. After the
(rdyatri Japani, they recite the Upasthdna
mantra; the mantra for the morning and the
evening is the same with them. It is as
follows.

^h ^^0 ^A ^^ 5f^ Rp| fRdWfi^: II

R. V. 1—99—1.

We offer tlie soma libation to Agni
who knows all things that have been born:
]nay he destroy the wealth of him who acts

1 18 SANDH YAVANDANAAl.

as our enemy ! May he enable us to cross
over all ills as we cross over the sea with a
ship ! May Agiii enable us to get over (all
sins which are the sources of sorrow ! )

^ ^ f|^ I ^ "^t^ '•

We pray for the assuagement of ills that
exist and for blessings ; so that we ma}'*
chant in praise of sacrifice, chant in praise
of the Lord of sacrifices. May divine bles-
sings come to us ! May blessings come to all
men ! Ma}^ healing medicaments be over
(us) ! May health attend on our two footed
(sons, relatives and servants) ! May health
attend on our four-footed (cows &c) !

3. igt 5Rt^ T^ 3T^ ^: 5J|^ ^ ^-

^: I ^ 31% ^ 2r^ ^ M^
^ 4^ II

UPASTHANA. 119

Salutation to Bralniian, salutation be to
Agni, salutation to the earth, salutatioii
to the plants, salutation to speech, saluta-
tion to the Lord of speech. I offer saluta-
tion to the great Vishnu.

At noon the Rigvedins perform the Upas-
thdna befoie Japam. This UpaMhdna mantrq
is the 50tli SUhta of tlie first Mandala.

His steeds bear him aloft, — the God who
knows the ways of all living beings—
Sfirya, that all may look on him.

2. ^qi^rgratf w.^f ^^c^gijd^: I qjk f|^

^H II

(Afraid) of the (rising) sun, who is the

eye of all the Universe, the stars fly away
with the night as notorious robbers (fly away
at the sight of pursuers).

^fl^ ^mr II

120 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

His bright rays look on all men {i.e.
illumine the whole universe) like shining
fires.

Oh Sftrya, thou traversest the heavens,
thou art to be seen by all, thou art the
source, of all li</ht, thou illuminest the
expansive sky.

SAyana offers a Vedantic interpretation
also.

Thou risest so that the Mantis may behold
thee before them, that men may see thee,
that thou may illumine the abode of the
Gods.

Oh purifier, oh Varuna {i.e. Siirya), with

UrASTHANA. J 21

what eye thou beholdest this world which
isustains all men, (I praise that eye or light).

^tt^tg^ II

Oh Siirya, thou traversest the spacious
expanse of the firmament, causing day with
night and beholding all things born.

8. gHfsrf ?f^ % ^f^ ^^ I ^rf^^ fir-

=^^R II

Oh Ix)rd Siirya that illuminest all, seveii
steeds bear thee in a car— thee whose hair
is thy rays.

9. ^T^ ?B ^Pg^: ^|lWwj[^: I dlW^lQ W-

4%!^: II
Siirya has yoked the seven msLres whd
draw the car without upsetting it. With
these self-yoked mares does he come (to
receive our worship).
10. ^ ^4^^ ^Jql^isq^ g^ j |cf ^5ri,

^ qrf^ s^f^^TlHH, II

1 22 SANDHYAVAKDANAM.

Adoring the sun, God anK)Dg the gods^
the loftier light that rests above darkness
or sin, we attain (beatific union \vith) that
most excellent Light.

Oh thou Siirya of friendly rays, gloriously
rising and ascending the heavens, do thpu
destroy all my ills, bodily and mental.

12. 5^5 ^ 5^pf ^N"II^I^<^1% I

^T5/te%i H gtoPT ^^j% II
We transfer our pale yellow colour (due
to Jaundice and other diseases) to parrots,
and Sdvihas, and to the Ilaritdla trees.

13. ^sk^ ^flif|c% f^^ ^^J 25 I

fl^g ^ j=v?q=^ ^ fi^hsi II

The sun hath risen with all his strength^
destroying the (disease) that oppresses me;
I need not (therefore) harm my enemy
(the disease).

UPASTHANA. 12^^

Some Itlgvediiis recite in addition tb this
hymn the 116th Siikta of tlie first Manclala
and the last rik of the 3Gth Siikta, X Mah-
dala. But these are not mentioned in the
lligvedic Ahnika.

They then perform the Gayatri Japam
and afterwards send back tlie Gayatri Deva-
td with the Piantra^ Uttame &c.

The Samavedins, after sending back the
Gdyttri Vevatd directl}- offer salutation to
the several directions witliout Upasthdna*
Some, however, recite the following Upas^
thdna mantra in the morning.

^rtet w^ii ^mM ^(^ I ^ ^\^\^ I

In the evening the closing portion of thi.s
mantra ^??pcT &c is changed into

R%fcTg^ c^^^5 JjfctfcTBW.
Oh sun, thou (ascendest the ship) which
is not leaky, which is able to take thee ovti'
to the (other) shore (of the ocean of the

J 24 SANDHYAVANDANAM.

.sky) and which has a hundred oars, for the
^ell-being (of us hU). I have followed thee
who hast risen (or turned back with thee
that bast turned back — this in the evening.)

Salutation to the sun.

At noon the S&mavedins have this Upas-
thana mantra — the third mid-day Upasth ana
mantra of the Yajurvedins. (Tait. Sam. I, 4,
4, 3, explained above) ; then they recite the
following.

May I be like tlie sun in sight, like Agni
in lustre, like Vftyu in life, like Soma in
fragrance, like Brihaspati in. intellect, like
the As'vins in form, like Indra and Agni in
strength ! May I share in Brahinan algne !
May my enemies share my sii^s! ,

UPASTIIANA. 125-

After the [Jpasthdiiaf the worshipper pays
his obeisance to the gods residing in all the^

directions and says l\V^ f^^W. ^^^^T ^-
cTFn nfcR^I^ '^^TP^^^^^: Salutation to the
East and the gods residing in that directioti
and so on to the south, the west, the north,,
the upper and the lower regions.

Then he says *IHI*l^-H'5^^r%Wt *n?: —
'What sin I have committed, that passion
has done, that anger has done\

The Sandhyd prayer now closes witli the
Abhivddana or salutation ; but many
Brahmahs are in the habit of reciting at
this stage a few slokas in praise of Vishnu
and other deities of the Puranic Pantheon.,
These slokas do not form an integral part
of the Vedic Sandhyd. ceremony and they
differ according to the predilections of thfe
worshipper.

liXie Abhivddana runs in this form: ^tf^F^-
^ «^<lPMd .nT5r: 5TP3rsm^.....

126 SANDRYAVANDANAM.

...,..,....,m: ...^nrTf sn^ n

I, boni in the family ot such and such a
liishU: which possesses such and such a line
of profienitors, a student of such and sucii a
Veda* and a follower of such and such a
Sfltrfi, by name so and so, salute thee.

A Brahman ia<^s to his name, tlie title
s'arman^ ^Kshatriya varma/iy and a Vaisya
cjupta.The whole ceremony is brought to a
close by an internal purification of the body
by Ackamana and dedicating the entire
service gone through to Parabrahman.

We will now close this surveyof /StiwrfAi/a-
vanddii'tm with a few concluding observa-
tions. Our readers will have seen that the
Sandhyd service is simply a thanksgiving
and a prayer to the Universal Father. It
begins with the external purification of the
body by sprinkling water over the head
and reciting a few hymns in praise of water
and an interrtal purification by sipping a
few drQp$ of water. 4Md praying th^t ^lUh^

CONCLUSION. 127

^ins coiniiiitted during the preceding twelvfe
hours be washed away. After havhig thus
purified himself externally and internally
the worshipper feels that he is worthy of
approaching the Supreme Lord and pays
his adorations t(> Him hy the olFering of
water according to the immemorial usage
■of the Brahmans. He looks at the sun and
makes his offering. It is not, however, to
the sun but to the nanieless One that he
offers his simple tribute. But the sun is the
visible symbol of God's power and glory,
and when he rises in the heavens and
brightens hill and dale with his golden rays
•or goes down the horizon leaving behind
him a rich, though short-lived, legac}' of
crimson brilliance, he seems to speak
<lirectly to our heart and bid us praise the
Ijord whose wijl has breathed into him all
the glory and effulgence; and the wor-
shipper, in heartfelt obedj^ence to this
eloquent call offers his humble greetings to

128 SANDHYAVANPANAM.

the glorious Father. Then he shuts his
eye? an^ contemplates Hi? glory and prays
for laisdon^ that he might know Him and
love Hiin.^ijd have Him. Then he stands
up and sings His praises with Vedic hymns
ap(^ UTiplore? Him to forgive him his sins
and vouchsafe to hiui His grace and
blp3sing?.

Thi§r then is the aim of the Sandhyd
service. M^e have, in the preceding pages,
tried to show that it is not to this or that
aspect of nature that the worship is directed
but t>o, Him £f,lone, whose phenomenal
manifestation all nature is. The Vedic hymns
and Mantras used in the service may have
perhaps, as western scholars think, heen
directed to nature worship, though, for our
part, we fail to see how the same Vedic Rishis
who h^v^ given us, in some pf their sublime
out-bursts, the most exalted conceptions of
the Infinite could have been so foolish as to
misfi^ke life-less nature for the living life

CONCLUSION. 129

behinfl. But the RrAhmanas and AranvakaR
furnish incontestable evidence to thl^ fact
that in the Sandhyd service at any t*ate,
these hymns and mantrds were referred to
the Supreme Lord alone.

The service is entirely Vedic ; but later
ages liave made many additions to it in the
shape of thanks-giving sfolcm from the
Puranas. These later and superfluous
additions we have purposely dmitted as
tending to adulterate the Vedic essence *,
and as likely to scare Kway^ by itfe very
bulk, those who may otiierwise be dl^|)05lfed
to look on it with favour. We hate j[)oihtc^d
oiit what constitutes thte essence bf thif^
ceremony and its spirit. We leave it to
our t'eaders to judge of iis ntilitj^ alid
spiritual efficacy.

We have insisted on the necessity of a

knowledge of the meatiing of the mantrds

used. In this respect we mAy have perhapii

departed from the orthodox view which

9

130 SANDHYAVi^NDAKAM.

holds that the rite hasits own value \vher4ier
performed knowingly or. otherwise. It is
indeed ^ wise provision to insist on the
performance of the ceremony with or with-
out a knowledge of its significance. Other-
wise people who have hardly time, mnch
less the inclination, for a study that does
not hold out any immediate tangjble
inducements, may be led to neglect the rite
altogether in favour of more useful (!), that
is, money-making avocati(m«, and thein»ti-
tntion of §andhya service would have be

com^ defunct. But ^ pr^^^yer that ^ppeala

tp the meircy of God is toothing if it doe«
nqt cpme from the heart and it has very
little chance of coming from the heart
if it is recited in a mechanical, parrot-like
sort of way. The Aranyakas have
recognized this fact and n^any te^^ts may
be, quoted therefrom to show that mech|i7
nical recitation is nei^t tp useless. We
might even go further and s^y that jt is ft

CONCUTSION. 131

pfofaiit* travesty of a sacred function. The
mantras are praise and prayer^ and when
we are at this solenin duty, let us kno^
what we are about, let us know what We
are prayiufj: for^ let us know Whoiil We
praise and how, and let us approach Him
with noble words nobly uttered. Ijet* us
not mouth the sublime language as your
town-criers do, reckleiis of accent and
intonation, but let us recognize the sole^ii-
nity of the! or.cftsion and speak to Him! in
the noble language of our ancient fathers,
in those solemn tonfes which, as they fall so
melodiouslv on bur ears, attune our sciuls
to the sublime cadence and inducfe k\\
j^ttitude of ntind that harmonises with the
s'entiments oii iiVur lips. '

And is thif^ asking too much ? l^he
SnndhydvandaitaM is Ode of the few remdih-
ing liiiM that unite us to a glorious past.
Tt is a link that may not be tudely snapped
asunder. It is a duty rendered im|)et'kUve

132 8AND11VAVANDANAM.

by the solemn voice of Vedic injunction.
It is the indefeasible birth^right of every
Brahman. It is his distinctive badge. It
is his special privilege that he can address
his Father in the words that his fathers
used thousf^ncls of years ago and in the
same tones. And what noble words they
are, how re(|oleiit of love and reverence,
humility and faith !

Is it then asl^ing too much of him, if we
call on him tp remember his noble lineage,
if we implora him, by all he holds scared,
to discharge in ftn adequate manner a duty
which he ov^ftn ^.lil^e to himself and to hi9
fathers ? W^ »sk not for a blind and un-
discriminatipg adrriiration for everything
that has conie fjown to us from of old. J^\\
that we ^sk of him is to exercise his
franchise fis a thinking being and hold fast
to that which is good. Is this then asking
too much ? We hope not, we fervently
pray not. X^2^

Q. A. NATE8AN A CO., PRINTERS. ESPUNAOE MADRAS.

book is a preservatioa (dioCoooiiy.

It was produced on Hanunennill Laser Print natural white,

a 60 # book weight acid-firee archival pqwr

\^ch meets the requirements of

ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (pennanence of pqwr)

Preservation photocopying and binding

by

Acme Bookbinding
Oiariestown, Massachusetts

a

1996

3 2044 036 442 84l