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Re: Sandhyavandanam

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Ram Anbil • December 23, 2000 


Dear friend:
Sorry for a belated reply. I was in and out of station frequently and hence 
the delay. I will try to answer your questions as per what I have heard from 
AchAryas back home.
Dear Bhagavathas,
1) I have few questions regarding sandhyavandanam.
How to perform sandhyavandanam during inconvenient times like long distance 
travelling, bed-ridden illness and hospitalization
Reply:
Performance of Sandhyavandanam can never be skipped. In the circumstances 
stated by you, there are ways of observing this Nityakarma.
i). During long distance travel, You may do jala bhAga also with tender 
coconut water (if available and no other water is available) and if you are 
unable get any water at all, you may do the jala bhAga by "mAnasikam". You 
may recite the mantras in your mind itself like in a whisper to be heard by 
you only. And, when you reach a place where you can get water, you may do 
the regular Jala and Japa bhAgams with a Prayschitta sankalpam " PoorvEdhyu: 
ananushTitham PrAthah / mAdhyAnika /sAyam sandhyAm (as the case may be) 
upAsishyE".
ii). During prolonged illness etc. You can ask someone else to do it for 
you. Similarly, you may help someone bedridden by doing it on his behalf.
========================================================
( I beleive grahasthas have to do sandhyavandanam only after taking bath ) 
etc. Is there any alternate method of performing this.
Reply:
Whether you are a grihastha or BrahmachAri, it is always preferable to do 
all Nityakarmas AFTER taking bath. Where bath is not possible, you can do 
mantrasnAnam (AapOhishTA mayObhuvah) by way of mAnasikam as mentioned above. 
Under all circumstances, this mantra is in-built in the process whether with 
or without taking bath.
==================================================
Can we do only japam without performing other rituals prescribed in the 
books like (arkyam, avAhanam).
Reply:
Yes. ONLY in the circumstances mentioned above and in the manner stated 
above.
==================================================
Rather than skipping sandhyavandanam during inconvenient times will reciting 
Gayathri alone be sufficient and acceptable.
Reply:
No. You can never skip as stated already. In fact, even in a house where 
death has occured, one is required NOT TO SKIP this Nityakarma in spite of 
the pollution (theeTTu)
But, any mantra including Gayathri japa can be done ONLY AFTER reciting the 
DhyAna slOka. Merely reciting the japa without this is not recommended, so 
far as my knowledge goes.
==================================================
Other than sandhya kalam, can we recite Gayathri within our mind in between 
our daily works ( when we have free time )
You can recite Dwayam in lieu of GAyathri, if you have had initiation 
already in this, of course, with the DhyAna slOkam.
=================================================
Is it prescribed that we should do japam in standing posture only during 
PrAdhas sandhya kalam?
Reply:
The Jala bhAgam like Arghyam have to be done in standing posture both in 
PrAtha: sandhya and mAdhyAhnikam, but the japa bhaAgam that follows may be 
done sitting because you recite the "Aasana mantram" for doing this. I have 
heard that the jalabhAgam also  can be done sitting in sAyam sandhyA.
Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy

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