Re: Namaskaram

[Mahamaho. Subrahmanyam Korada]

नमो विद्वद्भ्यः

Many thanks for your humongous efforts in preserving Vedic dharma. I am inspired by your writings and have been trying to organize my life as per shastric injunctions.

I had a small doubt and I was hoping you would be able to answer the same - is it permitted to chant the sahasranaama of a deity during Brahma muhurta prior to Sandhyavandanam or does Sandhyavandanam need to be done prior to anything else, even if done 2 hours before sunrise? I ask this because in the phalasruti of the Ganesha Sahasranaama it is mentioned to chant the stotram during brahmamuhurta for best results.

                                                                                                                                                            -- Vid Nikhil Sharma

भृगुमहर्षि in मनुस्मृति  prescribes --

ब्राह्मे मुहूर्ते बुद्ध्येत धर्मार्थौ चानुचिन्तयेर्त् ।

कायक्लेशांश्च तन्मूलान्  वेदतत्त्वार्थमेव च ॥ 4-92

उत्थायावश्यकं  कृत्वा कृतशौचः समाहितः।

पूर्वां सन्ध्यां जपंस्तिष्ठेत् स्वकाले चापरां चिरम् ॥ 4-93

One should wake up in ब्रह्ममुहूर्त and should think about matters related to धर्म and अर्थ - the connected physical difficulties and the philosophy of वेद । Having attended to वेगs ( चरकसंहिता - सूत्रस्थानम् - नवेगान्धारणीयः अध्यायः 7 - 14 Non-SuppessibleUrges) - toilets etc - having had bath - keep doing सन्ध्यावन्दनम् with समाधि - on time even in the evening (starting while the stars are there till Sunrise in the morning and starting just before Sunset and continuing till stars appear in the evening .

सन्धौ भवा सन्ध्या - time is very important in सन्ध्यावन्दनम् । Before and after you may do anything you wish (धर्म) .

So keep  शौचम्  and do  anything like ललितामाहात्म्यम् (ब्रह्माण्डपुराणम् - उत्तरखण्डः)- विष्णुसहस्रनामम् (महाभारतम् - अनुशासनिकपर्व - अध्यायः 135) - आदित्यहृदयम् ( रामायणम् - युद्धकाण्डः अध्यायः 107 ) .

अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा सर्वावस्थां गतो’पि वा ।

यः स्मरेत् पुण्डरीकाक्षं स बाह्याभ्यन्तरः शुचिः ॥

फलश्रुति  is an अर्थवाद ( not विधि , i e eulogistic in nature - वाच्यार्थ is not to be taken)   ---

व्याकरणम् --

कृत्यैरधिकार्थवचने  पा 2-1-32 -- अधिकार्थ means स्तुत्यर्थवाद or निन्दार्थवाद -- there may be plenty of water or much less - in both the cases it is काकपेया नदी ।

पूर्वमीमांसा --

द्रव्यसंस्कारकर्मसु फलार्थत्वात् फलश्रुतिः अर्थवादः स्यात्  पू मी 3-4-3-11 -- since it culminates in the result with regard to द्रव्यम् - संस्कार - कर्म , फलश्रुति is an अर्थवादः(see महावाक्यविचार - online) >

न्यायदर्शनम् --

विधिर्विधायकः न्या द 2-1-63

स्तुतिर्निन्दा परकृतिः पुराकल्प इत्यर्थवादः न्या द 2-1-64

Try to learn some वेद also .

धन्यो’स्मि

Dr.Korada Subrahmanyam
Adju.Professor , Dept of Heritage Science and Technology, IIT, Hyderabad

299 Doyen , Serilingampally, Hyderabad 500 019
Ph:09866110741

https://sites.google.com/view/koradeeyam/home

On Mon, Mar 24, 2025 at 12:35 AM Nikhil Sharma <ai.n...@gmail.com> wrote:

Namaskaram Korada Gaaru,

Many thanks for your humongous efforts in preserving Vedic dharma. I am inspired by your writings and have been trying to organize my life as per shastric injunctions.

I had a small doubt and I was hoping you would be able to answer the same - is it permitted to chant the sahasranaama of a deity during Brahma muhurta prior to Sandhyavandanam or does Sandhyavandanam need to be done prior to anything else, even if done 2 hours before sunrise? I ask this because in the phalasruti of the Ganesha Sahasranaama it is mentioned to chant the stotram during brahmamuhurta for best results.

Thank you for your time, Dhanyawaadaha

Nikhil

[Sivasenani Nori]

Sir

While you raise many issues, one caught my attention; this is often misunderstood: What is the core part of sandhyavandanam? It is offering arghya, not doing the gayatri japa. For instance even when one is in saucha, full sandhyavandanam is not done but arghya pradana is done.

Regards 

N. Siva Senani

On Wed, 26 Mar, 2025, 7:44 am Govind Kashyap, <kashya...@gmail.com> wrote:

Namaskaram Subrahmanyam garu,

Many thanks for patiently explaining sandhya-related details. We are all highly grateful and thankful for your kind guidance on the shastras. It is not possible to get such detailed, authentic guidance nowadays, which makes it all-the-more special and valuable.

If it is not inconvenient to you, may I request you to kindly consider looking into the following also, if time permits, and guiding us?

1. In Sandhyavandanam, as you clearly pointed out in your guidance earlier, the timing element is paramount. But why is the time aspect so important? Has it got to do with the flow of prana in the nadis (ida, pingala, sushumna) during the morning and evening sandhya kala? Or does it stem from some ancient (soma) yajna-related convention (thrice-a-day savana, perhaps)? Or is it another ancient practice handed down to us whose real reasons are no longer decipherable, and we just follow sandhyavandanam procedure as traditional shishtachara? In my limited studies, I have been unable to get clarity. Kindly let us know the position of the dharmashastras on this matter.

2. Is sandhyavandanam meant to be done at the two sandhyas only (as most dwijas do), or at three sandhyas (including mid-day, as some dwijas also do)? Now, in matters such as these, senior vidwans direct that one should just follow whatever procedure has been given to us at upanayana samskara or whatever is followed in one's family/lineage. This is good practical advice, but I think there could only be additional clarity if one humbly asked a senior vidwan such as you if there is any dharmashastra position on the two vs three sandhyas issue. On this point, if I recall correctly, Manu says that the smritis provide for doing sandhya thrice while the sruti provides for doing twice, and that in a clash between sruti and smriti, one should satisfy both, meaning that regardless of whether or not sandhya means two or three times, one must do it both twice as well as thrice, effectively meaning that one must do sandhya thrice.

3. Manu mentions "DEERGHA SANDHYA" (doing sandhya for a longer time) as a practice done by ancient seniors which resulted in them getting superior results - ayus, yasas, medha etc. To my mind, doing sandhya for a longer time seems quite logical and praiseworthy. If doing sandhya is beneficial, doing it more would be more beneficial. But I have not found reference to the concept of deergha sandhya in any other dharmashastra in my limited studies. I have also not been able to find any other tradition or source, or anecdotal illustrations or examples of practices of senior gurus or upasakas, which show if anyone actually did deergha sandhya as a regular practice. There is no question here, but may I request you to kindly enlighten us on the matter of doing deergha sandhya with your observations, comments and guidance.

4. Corresponding to the idea behind deergha sandhya, there is the issue of doing something more than necessary or more than what is prescribed, which the shastras do not automatically recommend. For example, doing more japa than what is prescribed is considered inappropriate in some puranas (though that comes in the context of irregularly done japa). The Mahabharata says something similar (tapo na kalko'dhyayanaM na kalkaH, svAbhAviko vedavidhir na kalkaH, prasahya vittAharaNaM na kalka-stAnyeva bhAvopahatAni kalkaH) though it is more about abuse of practices rather than quantum of practice. Now, some traditions provide for doing sandyavandanam, four times a day (including mid-night, as some upasakas do) and even five times a day (five sandhyavandanam actions, spread over a day - I am not aware if anyone is doing it, but it is prescribed in some agama/tantra texts as a special procedure). Is this kind of higher sandhya activity condemnable or worth encouraging? Again, the natural answer that suggests itself would be that one should follow only that tradition which one is initiated into, and not do anything else, whether more or less. Referring to the concept of deergha sandhya here, it seems to me that more is better. However, given all this, I don't have a question here as such, but would much appreciate your kind observations and comments on this issue for guidance.

5. As a counterpart to the idea behind deergha sandhya, there is the issue of doing something less than necessary or less than what is prescribed, which the shastras condemn. (We have learnt that the shastras essentially provide for two core things - doing what needs to be performed (nitya and naimittika karma), and not doing what should be avoided (papa karma) - nothing more, nothing less, with the exception of kamya karmas, which one could do if one were so inclined, per the process recommended by the shastras). Now, it cannot be denied that the world has changed drastically since the time of the dharmashastras. Due to generational disconnect with veda adhyayana, focus on English-language education, the demands of profession and work in modern-day western-oriented life, daily (twice a day or thrice a day) sandhyavadanam has been almost abandoned by some dwijas (even upanayana samskara is being done as a formality just before one's vivaha in some families). In my limited studies, I have found that some shastras provide for a shortened or condensed sahdyavandanam as an exception (for example, when one is engaged in a task set by one's guru or king, or when one is traveling, or such similar acts). One text which I cannot immediately recall recommended doing at least surya mandala dhyana mentally for some time if one is unable to do proper sandhya. In modern times, the acharyas of sarada peetham, kanchi peetham, and other gurus as well, have recommended alternative weekly practices if daily sandhya cannot be done. For example, weekly sandhya rounds (minimum 1000 japa on Sundays) as an alternative. 

(a) But if daily sandhya time is important, then to reconcile desa-kala-paristhiti and prescriptions of shastra both, is there a condensed form of sandhyavandanam one could do daily? Can the process of pre-gayatri-japa achamanam, marjanam, and post-japa arghya etc etc be dispensed with, and one just focused on the core activity of doing gayatri japa for a certain minimum number, say 108 or 32 or 24 or even 10, or doing surya mandala dhyana for some time?  May I request you to kindly enlighten us on this matter.

(b) As another alternative for current times, can one do sandhyavandanam whenever one can do it in a day, without reference to the actual sandhya times? I am aware that suggesting this goes directly against the sandhya time element requirement. But is there a way this can be considered, or is this simply not permissible per shashtras?

6. SELF-LEARNING OF THE VEDA (WITH BOOKS & VIDEOS) AND SVADHYAYA: In your previous answer, you have recommended learning some veda as well. Today, there are several videos, audios, and books with veda mantras available. Can one take up these books and videos, and learn from them on one's own, and thereafter do svadhyaya (of whatever small  portion one has thus learnt)? Is this permissible?

Now, I am aware this is a distasteful question that goes against the traditional ways. I am also aware that there is a prohibition against picking things up from books, particularly mantras. Learning from Guru-mukha only is what is traditionally mandated.  But could there be ways that do justice to the shastras as well as take into consideration the current desa-kala-paristhiti? Are not these books and videos coming from the gurus only? Are they to be shunned summarily? 

As an example of a permissible alternative, I recall Sayanacharya saying somewhere in his works that one may seek initial guidance from a guru to get the proper pronunciation (including meaning) and principles of the vedas in place, and thereafter proceed with learning the rest of the vedas on one's own. (Unfortunately, I am currently unable to recollect or trace exactly where I read it.)

May I request you to kindly enlighten us on the matter of self-learning of the vedas and thereafter doing svadhyaya with your observations, comments and guidance.

In asking these questions, I am motivated by the challenge of trying to reconcile the undeniable tension between the current desa-kala-paristhiti , the current configuration of the world and its ways, manifested in the way most of us work and live, and the shastras, which assume and refer to a world with a different configuration and arrangement.

I apologize if I have intruded upon your time with these questions, some of which are undoubtedly distasteful. I seek your forgiveness if I have thus offended you. Some of these questions have been in my mind for a long time, and I thought it'd be good if I could put them together and ask for your guidance on these matters, for I believe there are many who grapple with the same doubts, but have not had an occasion or avenue to ask them and get clarity or guidance.

sincerely,

G Kashyap

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[Mahamaho. Subrahmanyam Korada]

नमो विद्वद्भ्यः

विद् गोविन्द कश्यपः --

1. In Sandhyavandanam, as you clearly pointed out in your guidance earlier, the timing element is paramount. But why is the time aspect so important?

धर्म is the base of अर्थ, काम and मोक्ष । Such a धर्म can be achieved by different means --

वेदो धर्ममूलम् , तद्विदां च स्मृतिशीले (1-1,2 गौतमस्मृतिः) ।

वेदो’खिलो धर्ममूलं स्मृतिशीले च तद्विदाम् ।

आचारश्चैव साधूनाम् आत्मनस्तुष्टिरेव च ॥ (2-6 मनुस्मृतिः) ।

वेदः स्मृतिः सदाचारः स्वस्य च प्रियमात्मनः ।

एतच्चतुर्विधं  प्राहुः साक्षाद्धर्मस्य लक्षणम् ॥ (2-12 , मनुस्मृतिः) ।

वेद , स्मृति , the style / behaviour of ऋषिs , शिष्टाचार / सदाचार , finally when  no reference is available (upon the horns of dilemma) the one that satisfies one's mind -- these are the basis of धर्म ।

ऋषिs could perceive धर्म  (ऋष अपरोक्षदर्शने) --

यर्वाणस्तर्वाणो  नाम ऋषयो बभूवुः प्रत्यक्षधर्माणः परापरज्ञाः विदितवेदितव्याः अधिगतयाथातथ्याः ... (पस्पशाह्निकम् , महाभाष्यम्) ।

साक्षात्कृतधर्माणः ऋषयो बभूवुः । ते अवरेभ्यः असाक्षात्कृतधर्मेभ्यः उपदेशेन मन्त्रान् स्ंप्राहुः । (निरुक्तम् , 1-20) |

सन्ध्यां मनसा ध्यायेत् (3-8-1 , ऐतरेयब्राह्मणम्) ।

एते ब्रह्मवादिनः पूर्वाभिमुखाः सन्ध्यायां गायत्रियाभिमन्त्रिता आप ऊर्ध्वं विक्षिपन्ति (2, स्वाध्ययब्राह्मणम् , तैत्तिरीयारण्यकम् ) ।

अहरहः सन्ध्यामुपासीत - गृह्यसूत्रम्।

सन्ध्याहीनो’शुचिर्नित्यम् अनर्हः सर्वकर्मसु (दक्षस्मृतिः) -- The one who does not perform सन्ध्यावन्दनम् is always अशुचि and ineligible in all कर्मs .

सन्ध्यां नोपासते विप्राः कथं ते ब्राह्मणा स्मृताः (याज्ञवल्क्यस्मृतिः) -How can the विप्राः , who do not perform सन्ध्यावन्दनम् , be called ब्राह्मणाs.

So , since it is ordained by श्रुति and स्मृति ,  सन्ध्यावन्दनम् has to be performed on time , without going into any conjectures . 

In fact , if one goes on  asking such questions there is no end - there are so many rites ordained in वेद and even if the answers are offered

it would become volumes - since वेद (अपौरुषेय ) and the ऋषिs offer things that are useful for धर्म अर्थ काम मोक्ष without स्वार्थ we can trust them.

And it is proved during the course of time .

योगानुशासनम्  is meant for मोक्ष through  चित्तशुद्धि - during the process one would get the benefit of physical health also and it is an additional benefit .

But today everyone says - do योग for (physical) health . The importance of मनस् is put on back burner - almost forgotten.

ऊर्ध्वबाहुर्विरौम्येष न हि कश्चिच्छृणोति माम् ।

धर्मादर्थश्च कामश्च स धर्मः किं न सेव्यते ? 5-62 , स्वर्गारोहणपर्व , महाभारतम् ।

Why people do not care for even व्यास ? 

बुद्धिः कर्मानुसारिणी !

2.Is sandhyavandanam meant to be done at the two sandhyas only (as most dwijas do), or at three sandhyas (including mid-day, as some dwijas also do)? .......regardless of whether or not sandhya means two or three times, one must do it both twice as well as thrice, effectively meaning that one must do sandhya thrice.

The fact is this -- it is called सन्ध्या in वेद (तैत्तिरीयारण्यकम् , स्वाध्यायब्राह्मणम् 2) - सम्यक् ध्यायन्ति अस्याम् इति सन्ध्या (twilight) -  so it will be there in the morning and evening and therefore we can take it -  twice the सन्ध्यावन्दनम्  is prescribed by श्रुति ।

On the other hand , मध्याह्नम् is called  त्रिसन्ध्यम् (प्राह्णापराह्णमध्याह्नास्त्रिसन्ध्यम् -  कालवर्गः , अमरः) - may be due to this reason , some स्मृतिकारs added माध्याह्निकसन्ध्या ।

शिष्टाः (whom I know) say it is for अभ्युच्चय - अधिकस्य अधिकं फलम् । You may do it for more धर्म / पुण्यम् । Here the न्याय - श्रुतिस्मृत्योर्विरोधे तु  श्रुतिरेव गरीयसी is not followed, because it is an addition and as such there is no clash . So it is upto the people to decide .

For those who will be in the office / workplace during मध्याह्न -- 

After finishing the प्रातस्सन्ध्या , one may say - देशकालशरीरवैपरीत्याशङ्कया माध्याह्निकसन्ध्यामुपासिष्ये and do the same . 

If the माध्याह्निक is to be done in the evening then - .....माध्याह्निक्सन्ध्यामुपासिष्ये । तत्रादौ माध्याह्निकसन्ध्याकालातिक्रमणदोषनिर्हरणार्थं अर्घ्यप्रदानरूपप्रायश्चित्तं करिष्ये ।

It means the माध्याह्निकसन्ध्या should be preceded by a प्रायश्चित्तार्घ्यप्रदानम् and this is applicable to प्रातस्सन्ध्या and सायंसन्ध्या also when theree is delay --  

प्रातस्सन्ध्याकालाति......। सायंसन्ध्याकालाति.....।

प्रायश्चित्तार्घ्यप्रदानम् -- ओम् (गायत्रीमन्त्रः) + ओमापोज्योतीरसोमृतं ब्रह्मभूर्भुवस्सुवरोम् । Then आचमनम् - सन्ध्यावन्दनम् ।

3. Manu mentions "DEERGHA SANDHYA" (doing sandhya for a longer time) as a practice done by ancient seniors which resulted in them getting superior results - ayus, yasas, medha etc. 

ऋषयो दीर्घसंध्यत्वात् दीर्घमायुरवाप्नुयुः ।

प्रज्ञां  यशश्च कीर्तिं च ब्रह्मवर्चसमेव च ॥ 4 - 94, मनुस्मृतिः ।

This is just a स्तुत्यर्थवाद ।  May be in line with दीर्घसत्राणि , prescribed and  described in वेद , running into years by a family (पस्पशा , महाभाष्यम्) ।

One may do गायत्रीजप for a longer time if time permits .

प्राणायाम and consumption of  जीवनीयम् (tonic) like क्षीरम् (क्षीरं च जीवनीयानाम् - चरकसूत्रम् , निर्धारणे षष्ठी) are  useful in increasing  the आयुः ( generally 120 - विंशोत्तरी - ज्योतिषम्) - see रामायणम् ।

4.the issue of doing something more than necessary or more than what is prescribed ...... it is prescribed in some agama/tantra texts as a special procedure). Is this kind of higher sandhya activity condemnable or worth encouraging? Again, the natural answer that suggests itself would be that one should follow only that tradition which one is initiated into, and not do anything else, whether more or less

The norm - अधिकस्य अधिकं फलम् - is not applicable everywhere -- ’अति सर्वत्र वर्जयेत् ’।

In सन्ध्यावन्दनम् , one may do गायत्रीजप (minimum 10)  even in thousands . In a दानम् one may do as much as possible - यथाशक्ति in both the cases .

सन्ध्यावन्दनम् , more than twice / thrice is अवैदिकम् ।

In some , so called, आगम / तन्त्र books many आचारs , which are  अवैदिक and related to वामाचार (नैवेद्यम् - मकारपञ्चकम् ,पूजा of शाकिनी , डाकिनी etc) .

are preached .  वामकेश्वरतन्त्रम् , कामकलाविलासः , परशुरामकल्पसूत्रम् etc , commented by scholars like भास्करराय teach with vehement arguments some concepts and rituals that are quite contradictory to वैदिकधर्म । It is better to keep aloof from such texts . I have seen twenty such books with commenaries. Bhaskararaya's commentaries contain a number of mistakes . 

They are not useful in attaining मोक्ष - rather detrimental and certainly lead to पापम् ।

Better strictly follow the tradition -- न गायत्र्या समं जप्यं न मातुः परदैवतम् (मनुः) ।

5.shortened or condensed sahdyavandanam as an exception (for example, when one is engaged in a task set by one's guru or king, or when one is traveling, or such similar acts)

सन्ध्यावन्दनम् contains three major parts -- अर्घ्यप्रदानम् - गायत्रीजपः - उपस्थानम् ।

Among them अर्घ्यप्रदानम् is most important . Why ?  Because this is what is said in वेद ।

Other things are added as अङ्गानि ् . With उपस्थानम् , सन्ध्यावन्दनम् ends . 

शिवाय विष्णुरूपाय etc. are , strictly speaking , not part of the कर्म ।

 Before अर्घ्यम् the  प्रोक्षणम् is for killing पापम्  -- purification .

So , when one is not able to do सन्ध्यावन्दनम् - busy - travelling - serious health problems -- he may do अर्घ्यप्रदानम् - even with hot water (तप्ताभिश्च कारणात् -  आपस्तंबः ; कारणात् = ज्वरकारणात् , पराशरमाधवीयम् also ) । Or one may offer अर्घ्यम् as it is the minimum .

If bedridden he may do everything मानसिक ।

 One may ask the father , brother or another person to do as it is a नित्यकर्म (पितरं भ्रातरम् अन्यं वा समाहूय कारयितव्यम् , नित्यकर्मत्वात्) ।

पुलस्त्यः --

सूतके मृतके चैव सन्ध्याकर्म न विवर्जयेत् ।

मनसोच्चारयेन्मन्त्रान् प्राणायाममृते द्विजः ॥

Even during जाताशौच and मृताशौच one should not miss सन्ध्याकर्म । One should pronounce the मन्त्रs in the मनस् without प्राणायाम ।

मुख्यकालः / गौणकालः --

षड्घटिकाः (two and half hours) from सूर्योदय  is प्रातःकाल  and it is called मुख्यकाल -- beyond that it is गौणकल ।

षड्घटिकाः from सूर्यास्तमय is प्रदोष and it is called मुख्यकाल -- beyond that it is  गौणकाल ।

प्रातस्सन्ध्या   can be performed in गौणकाल - till evening with प्रायश्चित्तार्घ्यप्रदानम् (mentioned above) | 

सायंसन्ध्या can be performed with प्रायश्चित्तार्घ्यप्रदानम् the next day morning also .

आपद्धर्मः --

पूर्वमीमांसा (6-3-1-1,2 सू. -- नित्ये यथाशक्त्यङ्गानुष्ठानाधिकरणम्) --

सर्वशक्तौ  प्रवृत्तिः स्यात् तथाभूतोपदेशात् ,अपि वाप्येकदेशे स्यात् प्रधाने हि अर्थनिर्वृत्तिः गुणमात्रम् इतरत् तदर्थत्वात् ।

Since the नित्यनैमित्तिककर्मs have to be performed यथाशक्ति (as per the capacity / convenience) one can do .

alternative weekly practices

This is simply rediculous - no प्रमाणम् । If one does not perform सन्ध्यावन्दनम् for one week he should go for पुनस्संस्कार (उपनयनम् again) .

Check the veracity of the statements .

6. SELF-LEARNING OF THE VEDA (WITH BOOKS & VIDEOS) AND SVADHYAYA: ......and thereafter proceed with learning the rest of the vedas on one's own. 

वेद is called श्रुति -- to be learnt through hearing . There is no shortcut to this . You know the reason -- स्वर is very important as well as उच्चारणा ।

One has to learn from गुरु / आचार्य thoroughly , any piece , get permission (spontaneously गुरु / आचार्य would instuct) and then he may take the help 

of the book / video . This has been the practice since time immemorial . Check with the veracity of सायण’s satement .

You have done yeoman service . Feel free for any clarification . 

धन्यो’स्मि

Dr.Korada Subrahmanyam
Adju.Professor , Dept of Heritage Science and Technology, IIT, Hyderabad

299 Doyen , Serilingampally, Hyderabad 500 019
Ph:09866110741

https://sites.google.com/view/koradeeyam/home

On Wed, Mar 26, 2025 at 7:44 AM Govind Kashyap <kashya...@gmail.com> wrote:

Namaskaram Subrahmanyam garu,

Many thanks for patiently explaining sandhya-related details. We are all highly grateful and thankful for your kind guidance on the shastras. It is not possible to get such detailed, authentic guidance nowadays, which makes it all-the-more special and valuable.

If it is not inconvenient to you, may I request you to kindly consider looking into the following also, if time permits, and guiding us?

1. In Sandhyavandanam, as you clearly pointed out in your guidance earlier, the timing element is paramount. But why is the time aspect so important? Has it got to do with the flow of prana in the nadis (ida, pingala, sushumna) during the morning and evening sandhya kala? Or does it stem from some ancient (soma) yajna-related convention (thrice-a-day savana, perhaps)? Or is it another ancient practice handed down to us whose real reasons are no longer decipherable, and we just follow sandhyavandanam procedure as traditional shishtachara? In my limited studies, I have been unable to get clarity. Kindly let us know the position of the dharmashastras on this matter.

2. Is sandhyavandanam meant to be done at the two sandhyas only (as most dwijas do), or at three sandhyas (including mid-day, as some dwijas also do)? Now, in matters such as these, senior vidwans direct that one should just follow whatever procedure has been given to us at upanayana samskara or whatever is followed in one's family/lineage. This is good practical advice, but I think there could only be additional clarity if one humbly asked a senior vidwan such as you if there is any dharmashastra position on the two vs three sandhyas issue. On this point, if I recall correctly, Manu says that the smritis provide for doing sandhya thrice while the sruti provides for doing twice, and that in a clash between sruti and smriti, one should satisfy both, meaning that regardless of whether or not sandhya means two or three times, one must do it both twice as well as thrice, effectively meaning that one must do sandhya thrice.

3. Manu mentions "DEERGHA SANDHYA" (doing sandhya for a longer time) as a practice done by ancient seniors which resulted in them getting superior results - ayus, yasas, medha etc. To my mind, doing sandhya for a longer time seems quite logical and praiseworthy. If doing sandhya is beneficial, doing it more would be more beneficial. But I have not found reference to the concept of deergha sandhya in any other dharmashastra in my limited studies. I have also not been able to find any other tradition or source, or anecdotal illustrations or examples of practices of senior gurus or upasakas, which show if anyone actually did deergha sandhya as a regular practice. There is no question here, but may I request you to kindly enlighten us on the matter of doing deergha sandhya with your observations, comments and guidance.

4. Corresponding to the idea behind deergha sandhya, there is the issue of doing something more than necessary or more than what is prescribed, which the shastras do not automatically recommend. For example, doing more japa than what is prescribed is considered inappropriate in some puranas (though that comes in the context of irregularly done japa). The Mahabharata says something similar (tapo na kalko'dhyayanaM na kalkaH, svAbhAviko vedavidhir na kalkaH, prasahya vittAharaNaM na kalka-stAnyeva bhAvopahatAni kalkaH) though it is more about abuse of practices rather than quantum of practice. Now, some traditions provide for doing sandyavandanam, four times a day (including mid-night, as some upasakas do) and even five times a day (five sandhyavandanam actions, spread over a day - I am not aware if anyone is doing it, but it is prescribed in some agama/tantra texts as a special procedure). Is this kind of higher sandhya activity condemnable or worth encouraging? Again, the natural answer that suggests itself would be that one should follow only that tradition which one is initiated into, and not do anything else, whether more or less. Referring to the concept of deergha sandhya here, it seems to me that more is better. However, given all this, I don't have a question here as such, but would much appreciate your kind observations and comments on this issue for guidance.

5. As a counterpart to the idea behind deergha sandhya, there is the issue of doing something less than necessary or less than what is prescribed, which the shastras condemn. (We have learnt that the shastras essentially provide for two core things - doing what needs to be performed (nitya and naimittika karma), and not doing what should be avoided (papa karma) - nothing more, nothing less, with the exception of kamya karmas, which one could do if one were so inclined, per the process recommended by the shastras). Now, it cannot be denied that the world has changed drastically since the time of the dharmashastras. Due to generational disconnect with veda adhyayana, focus on English-language education, the demands of profession and work in modern-day western-oriented life, daily (twice a day or thrice a day) sandhyavadanam has been almost abandoned by some dwijas (even upanayana samskara is being done as a formality just before one's vivaha in some families). In my limited studies, I have found that some shastras provide for a shortened or condensed sahdyavandanam as an exception (for example, when one is engaged in a task set by one's guru or king, or when one is traveling, or such similar acts). One text which I cannot immediately recall recommended doing at least surya mandala dhyana mentally for some time if one is unable to do proper sandhya. In modern times, the acharyas of sarada peetham, kanchi peetham, and other gurus as well, have recommended alternative weekly practices if daily sandhya cannot be done. For example, weekly sandhya rounds (minimum 1000 japa on Sundays) as an alternative. 

(a) But if daily sandhya time is important, then to reconcile desa-kala-paristhiti and prescriptions of shastra both, is there a condensed form of sandhyavandanam one could do daily? Can the process of pre-gayatri-japa achamanam, marjanam, and post-japa arghya etc etc be dispensed with, and one just focused on the core activity of doing gayatri japa for a certain minimum number, say 108 or 32 or 24 or even 10, or doing surya mandala dhyana for some time?  May I request you to kindly enlighten us on this matter.

(b) As another alternative for current times, can one do sandhyavandanam whenever one can do it in a day, without reference to the actual sandhya times? I am aware that suggesting this goes directly against the sandhya time element requirement. But is there a way this can be considered, or is this simply not permissible per shashtras?

6. SELF-LEARNING OF THE VEDA (WITH BOOKS & VIDEOS) AND SVADHYAYA: In your previous answer, you have recommended learning some veda as well. Today, there are several videos, audios, and books with veda mantras available. Can one take up these books and videos, and learn from them on one's own, and thereafter do svadhyaya (of whatever small  portion one has thus learnt)? Is this permissible?

Now, I am aware this is a distasteful question that goes against the traditional ways. I am also aware that there is a prohibition against picking things up from books, particularly mantras. Learning from Guru-mukha only is what is traditionally mandated.  But could there be ways that do justice to the shastras as well as take into consideration the current desa-kala-paristhiti? Are not these books and videos coming from the gurus only? Are they to be shunned summarily? 

As an example of a permissible alternative, I recall Sayanacharya saying somewhere in his works that one may seek initial guidance from a guru to get the proper pronunciation (including meaning) and principles of the vedas in place, and thereafter proceed with learning the rest of the vedas on one's own. (Unfortunately, I am currently unable to recollect or trace exactly where I read it.)

May I request you to kindly enlighten us on the matter of self-learning of the vedas and thereafter doing svadhyaya with your observations, comments and guidance.

In asking these questions, I am motivated by the challenge of trying to reconcile the undeniable tension between the current desa-kala-paristhiti , the current configuration of the world and its ways, manifested in the way most of us work and live, and the shastras, which assume and refer to a world with a different configuration and arrangement.

I apologize if I have intruded upon your time with these questions, some of which are undoubtedly distasteful. I seek your forgiveness if I have thus offended you. Some of these questions have been in my mind for a long time, and I thought it'd be good if I could put them together and ask for your guidance on these matters, for I believe there are many who grapple with the same doubts, but have not had an occasion or avenue to ask them and get clarity or guidance.

sincerely,

G Kashyap

On Wednesday, 26 March 2025 at 02:13:57 UTC+5:30 Mahamaho. Subrahmanyam Korada wrote:

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