(सलक्षणं तु प्राणानामायामं कीर्त्यतेऽधुना । नानापापैकशमनं महापुण्यफलप्रदम् ॥) पञ्चाङ्गुलीभिर्नासाग्रं पीडयेत्प्रणवेन तु । सर्वपापहरा मुद्रा वानप्रस्थगृहस्थयोः
(Now the characteristics of breath control are described, which destroy all kinds of sins and bestow great merit.) With five fingers, one should press the tip of the nose while uttering the praṇava; this mudrā removes all sins for householders and forest-dwellers.
कनिष्ठानामिकाङ्गुष्ठैर्यतेश्च ब्रह्मचारिणः । आपो हि ष्ठेति तिसृभिः प्रोक्षणं स्यात्कुशोदकैः
For brahmacārins, the pressing is done with the little finger, ring finger, and thumb; sprinkling with kuśa water is performed with the three words 'āpo hi ṣṭha'.
ऋगन्ते मार्जनं कुर्यात्पादान्ते वा समाहितः । नवप्रणवयुक्तेन आपो हि ष्ठेत्यनेन तु
At the end of the Ṛgveda or at the feet, one should perform mārjana with concentration, using the phrase 'āpo hi ṣṭha' joined with nine praṇavas.
नश्येदघं मार्जनेन संवत्सरसमुद्भवम् । तत आचमनं कृत्वा सूर्यश्चेति पिबेदपः
By mārjana, the sin accumulated over a year is destroyed; then, having performed ācamana, one should drink water reciting 'sūryaś ca'.
अन्तःकरणसम्भिन्नं पापं तस्य विनश्यति । प्रणवेन व्याहृतिभिर्गायत्र्या प्रणवाद्यया
Sin that has entered the mind is destroyed by the recitation of the Pranava, the Vyahritis, and the Gayatri, beginning with the Pranava.
आपो हि ष्ठेति सूक्तेन मार्जनं चैव कारयेत् । उद्धृत्य दक्षिणे हस्ते जलं गोकर्णवत्कृते
With the hymn 'Āpo hi ṣṭha', one should perform the rite of purification, taking water in the right hand shaped like a cow's ear.
नीत्वा तं नासिकाग्रं तु वामकुक्षौ स्मरेदघम् । पुरुषं कृष्णवर्णं च ऋतं चेति पठेत्ततः
Bringing that water to the tip of the nose, one should mentally direct the sin into the left side of the abdomen, and then recite 'puruṣaṃ kṛṣṇavarṇaṃ ca ṛtaṃ ca'.
द्रुपदां वा ऋचं पश्चाद्दक्षनासापुटेन च । श्वासमार्गेण तं पापमानयेत्करवारिणि
Afterwards, reciting the Drupadā verse, and using the right nostril, one should expel that sin through the breath into the water held in the hand.
नावलोक्यैव तद्वारि वामभागेऽश्मनि क्षिपेत् । निष्पापं तु शरीरं मे सञ्जातमिति भावयेत्
Without looking at that water, one should cast it onto a stone on the left side, contemplating, 'My body has now become free from sin.'
उत्थाय तु ततः पादौ द्वौ समौ सन्नियोजयेत् । जलाञ्जलिं गृहीत्वा तु तर्जन्यङ्गुष्ठवर्जितम्
Then, rising up, one should place both feet together, and taking water in the hands—excluding the index finger and thumb—
वीक्ष्य भानुं क्षिपेद्वारि गायत्र्या चाभिमन्त्रितम् । त्रिवारं मुनिशार्दूल विधिरेषोऽर्घ्यमोचने
Gazing at the sun, one should offer the water, sanctified by the Gayatri, three times; this is the prescribed method for offering arghya, O best of sages.
ततः प्रदक्षिणां कुर्यादसावादित्यमन्त्रतः । मध्याह्ने सकृदेव स्यात्सन्ध्ययोस्तु त्रिवारतः
Then, one should circumambulate while reciting the Sun-mantra; at midday this is done once, but at the two twilights, it is done three times.
ईषन्नग्रः प्रभाते तु मध्याह्ने दण्डवत्स्थितः । आसने चोपविष्टस्तु द्विजः सायं क्षिपेदपः
In the morning, standing slightly forward; at midday, standing upright like a staff; and in the evening, seated on a seat, the twice-born should offer water.
उदकं प्रक्षिपेद्यस्मात्तत्कारणमतः शृणु । त्रिंशत्कोट्यो महावीरा मन्देहा नाम राक्षसाः
Now hear the reason for offering water: there are thirty crore mighty demons called Mandehas—
कृतघ्ना दारुणा घोराः सूर्यमिच्छन्ति खादितुम् । ततो देवगणाः सर्वे ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः
Ungrateful, cruel, and terrible, they desire to devour the sun; therefore, all the hosts of gods and ascetic sages—
उपासते महासन्ध्यां प्रक्षिपन्त्युदकाञ्जलिम् । दह्यन्ते तेन दैत्यास्ते वज्रीभूतेन वारिणा
Worship the great Sandhya and offer handfuls of water; by that water, which becomes like a thunderbolt, those demons are burned.
एतस्मात्कारणाद्विप्राः सन्ध्यां नित्यमुपासते । महापुण्यस्य जननं सन्ध्योपासनमीरितम्
For this reason, O Brahmins, Sandhya is always worshipped; the worship of Sandhya is declared to be the source of great merit.
अर्घ्याङ्गभूतमन्त्रोऽयं प्रोच्यते शृणु नारद । यदुच्चारणमात्रेण साङ्गं सन्ध्याफलं भवेत्
This mantra, which is an essential part of the arghya, is now spoken—listen, O Narada; by its mere recitation with its limbs, the full fruit of Sandhya is obtained.
सोऽहमर्कोऽस्म्यहं ज्योतिरात्मा ज्योतिरहं शिवः । आत्मज्योतिरहं शुक्लः सर्वज्योती रसोऽस्म्यहम्
I am he, I am the sun, I am the self-luminous light, I am the auspicious one; I am the light of the self, I am pure, I am the essence of all light.
आगच्छ वरदे देवि गायत्रि ब्रह्मरूपिणि । जपानुष्ठानसिद्ध्यर्थं प्रविश्य हृदयं मम
Come, O giver of boons, O Goddess Gayatri, embodiment of Brahman; for the accomplishment of the recitation, enter into my heart.
उत्तिष्ठ देवि गन्तव्यं पुनरागमनाय च । अर्घ्येषु देवि गन्तव्यं प्रविश्य हृदयं मम
Arise, O Goddess, you must go, and return again; O Goddess, you must go at the arghya offerings, having entered my heart.
ततः शुद्धस्थले नैजमासनं स्थापयेद्बुधः । तत्रारुह्य जपेत्पश्चाद्गायत्रीं वेदमातरम्
Then, on a pure spot, the wise one should place his own seat; ascending there, he should then recite the Gayatri, the mother of the Vedas.
अत्रैव खेचरी मुद्रा प्राणायामोत्तरं मुने । प्रातःसन्ध्याविधाने च कीर्तिता मुनिपुङ्गव
Here, O sage, the Khechari Mudra, which is superior to pranayama, and the procedure for the morning Sandhya have been described, O best of sages.
तन्नामार्थं प्रवक्ष्यामि सादरं शृणु नारद । चित्तं चरति खे यस्माज्जिह्वा चरति खे गता
I will now explain the meaning of its name; listen attentively, O Narada. Because the mind moves in the sky, and the tongue moves in the sky, it is so called.
भ्रुवोरन्तर्गता दृष्टिर्मुद्रा भवति खेचरी । न चासनं सिद्धसमं न कुम्भसदृशोऽनिलः
When the gaze is fixed between the eyebrows, that is called the Khechari Mudra. No posture equals Siddhasana, and no breath retention equals Kumbhaka.
न खेचरीसमा मुद्रा सत्यं सत्यं च नारद । घण्टावत्पणवोच्चाराद्वायुं निर्जित्य यत्नतः
There is truly no mudra equal to Khechari, O Narada, this is the truth. By mastering the breath with effort, as with the sound of a bell or drum—
स्थिरासने स्थिरो भूत्वा निरहङ्कारनिर्ममः । लक्षणं नारद मुने शृणु सिद्धासनस्य च
Sitting firmly in a steady posture, free from ego and possessiveness—hear, O sage Narada, the characteristics of Siddhasana.
योनिस्थानकमङ्घ्रिमूलघटितं कृत्वा दृढं विन्यसे- न्मेढ्रे पादमथैकमेव हृदयं कृत्वा समं विग्रहम् । स्थाणुः संयमितेन्द्रियोऽचलदृशा पश्यन्भ्रुवोरन्तरं तिष्ठत्येतदतीव योगिसुखदं सिद्धासनं प्रोच्यते
Placing the heel firmly at the perineum, and then placing the other foot on the genitals, keeping the body upright and the heart steady, the yogi, with controlled senses and unmoving gaze fixed between the eyebrows, remains motionless—this posture, which gives great happiness to yogis, is called Siddhasana.
आयातु वरदा देवी अक्षरं ब्रह्मसम्मितम् । गायत्री छन्दसां मातरिदं ब्रह्म जुषस्व मे
May the boon-giving Goddess, the imperishable one equal to Brahman, arrive here. O Mother Gayatri, mother of the meters, may this Brahman accept me.
यदह्ना कुरुते पापं तदह्ना प्रतिमुच्यते । यद्रात्र्या कुरुते पापं तद्रात्र्या प्रतिमुच्यते
Whatever sin is committed during the day, by that day it is released; whatever sin is committed during the night, by that night it is released.