20mins Sandhyavandanam | Rigvediya Sandhyavandanam in Kannada

Описание: In a normal looking day there are 3 Sandhi kaalas (transition periods). 
1. Night to morning 
2. Noon
3. Evening to night.

           Sandhyavandanam is a process of worshipping a deity who resides in centre of the Suryamandala(Universe). For every metabolic activity the main source of energy comes out from our solar system. That part of energy is within us as well. We call it chaitanya. The ritual involves cleaning yourself, thanking the universe, remembering the various incarnations of lord Vishnu and performing mudras and finally chanting(japa) as well. It helps one in enlightenment and awakening that spirit inside you.
Why is it performed: We take shower everyday to clean the physical body. By doing so we feel refreshed. But unfortunately it only cleans the physical dirt, where as mental dirt still remains. It is important to be clean inside and outside. Our mind is like a beehive. There are innumerable thoughts entering and departing the mind. On an average day it is estimated that our mind thinks of atleast 70,000 thoughts. Not all are useful. Those are nothing but dirt on our mind.
            Intention of Japa is to clear out all the thoughts for a while and achieve Ajapa. Ajapa is merely a lost term in today’s culture. But Japa is a path leading to Ajapa. To understand Ajapa it’s important to understand japa. Our traditional japa involves various rituals and core part of it is chanting. It includes Gayathri, Astakshari, and Panchakshari mantras which has got its own profound meaning and capable of energising you in whole new dimension. I am not going to “meaning” part of those mantras . My interest is only to make the reader understand why is it chanted. While chanting those mantras one would focus only on that mantra or the deity representing it. By doing this all the thoughts will diminish and you are left with only one thought in your mind. That’s the power of chanting. It can flush out all thoughts for a while and help you in mastering your thought process. 

The process doesn’t stop there. Once you have retained just one thought and trashed the rest, it’s time for you to flush the retained thought as well. Yes!! You got to empty your mind and feel the emptiness. And that is Ajapa!!. This emptiness or nothingness itself is considered Devine, God, Spirit, Krishna consciousness or whatever you call it. This takes you to meditative state and it is nothing but bliss. The Sanskrit term for this state of mind is called aananda which translates to happiness in English. But it isn’t that happiness we know in terms of English. Infact aananda is one such word which doesn’t have an opposite. Happiness here I am talking about is of highest purity, its immaculate, a bliss.
           The process is also called as yajna in Geeta. Although it doesn’t involve any rituals conducted in front of fire. But there’s one quality of fire that implies to Japa as well. Fascinating aspect about fire is, once it burns its fuel it impartially burns itself. Same attribute can be seen in Japa as well. Initially you start burning all the thoughts using one master thought. And then burn the last thought as well. It’s like using a thorn to remove other pricked thorns and then throwing the thorn which assisted you as well. What left is clean empty space. With this freshness you are ready to face the world for the day.

Book Reference: "Shri madashwalayana Sandhyopasane" by Kota Vasudeva Karanta.