History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c24.s1.169

v2.c24.s1.169

The principal constituents of saṁdhyopāsana are these: ācamanas (sipping of water), prāṇāyāma, mārjana thrice (sprinkling himself with water to the accompaniment of several mantras), aghamarṣaṇa, offering of water to the sun (arghya), japa of Gāyatrī, and upasthāna (reciting mantras by way of worship of the sun in the morning and generally of Varuṇa in the evening). Among the earliest references to Saṁdhyopāsana is the one in the Tai. Ār. II. 2,⁷⁴⁷ where it is said that when brahmavādins facing the east throw up water consecrated by the Gāyatrī, the evil spirits that fight with the sun are sent tumbling into the country (called) Mandeha Aruṇa (of the evil spirits). This shows that in ancient times saṁdhyā consisted principally of offering water (arghya) to the sun in worship and *japa* of Gāyatrī. Āśv. gṛ. III. 7. 3-6, Śāṅ. gṛ. II. 9. 1-3 and others refer only to the japa of the Gāyatrī mantra in Saṁdhyopāsana. Mānava gṛ. (I. 2. 1-5) refers only to the *arghya* offering to the sun and *japa* of Gāyatrī. It is in the Baud. Dh. S. II. 4 that we find an elaboration of saṁdhyopāsana into various components such as ācamana, mārjana, japa of Gāyatrī and upasthāna (worship) of Mitra and Varuṇa (respectively in the morning and evening with only two verses in each case).⁷⁴⁸ Modern writers went on adding details e. g. it is now the practice in the Deccan to repeat the 24 names of Viṣṇu at the very beginning of the saṁdhyopāsana, but this is hardly anywhere prescribed by any smṛti or early commentator. Similarly elaborate rules are laid down about mystic *nyāsas* with the sixteen verses of the Puruṣasūkta (vide Aparārka p. 140), of the nyāsa of the Nārāyaṇamantra of 25 letters on 25 parts of the body (Vṛddha-Hārīta VI. 16-19) and of the letters of the Gāyatrī Bṛhatparāśara chap. V. p. 83). In modern times ācamana is performed with the three names of Viṣṇu, viz. Keśava, Nārāyaṇa and Mādhava in the form 'oṁ Keśavāya namaḥ.' The 24 names are given below.748a