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.
सर्ववर्णे महादेवि सन्ध्याविद्ये सरस्वति । अजरे अमरे देवि सर्वदेवि नमोऽस्तु ते
O great Goddess of all colors, O Sandhya, O Sarasvati, O ageless and immortal Goddess, O Goddess of all, I bow to you.
तेजोऽसीत्यादिमन्त्रेण देवीमावाहयेत्ततः । यत्कृतं त्वदनुष्ठानं तत्सर्वं पूर्णमस्तु मे
Then, with the mantra beginning 'You are light,' one should invoke the Goddess. May all that I have performed in your worship be complete for me.
ततः शापविमोक्षाय विधानं सम्यगाचरेत् । ब्रह्मशापस्ततो विश्वामित्रस्य च तथैव च
Then, for the removal of curses, one should properly perform the prescribed rite; thus, the curse of Brahma and also that of Vishvamitra are removed.
वसिष्ठशाप इत्येतत्त्रिविधं शापलक्षणम् । ब्रह्मणः स्मरणेनैव ब्रह्मशापो निवर्तते
The curse of Vasishtha is also thus described as threefold. By remembering Brahma, the curse of Brahma is dispelled.
विश्वामित्रस्मरणतो विश्वामित्रस्य शापतः । वसिष्ठस्मरणादेव तस्य शापो विनश्यति
By remembering Vishvamitra, the curse of Vishvamitra is removed; by remembering Vasishtha, his curse is destroyed.
हृत्पद्ममध्ये पुरुषं प्रमाणं सत्यात्मकं सर्वजगत्स्वरूपम् । ध्यायामि नित्यं परमात्मसंज्ञं चिद्रूपमेकं वचसामगम्यम्
In the lotus of the heart, I meditate always on the Person who is the measure, whose nature is truth, who is the form of the entire universe, who is called the Supreme Self, who is consciousness alone, and who cannot be reached by words or by the Vedas.
अथ न्यासविधिं वक्ष्ये सन्ध्याया अङ्गसम्भवम् । ॐकारं पूर्ववद्योज्यं ततो मन्त्रानुदीरयेत्
Now I will describe the procedure of nyasa, arising from the limbs of Sandhya. The syllable Om should be joined as before, then the mantras should be recited.
भूरित्युक्त्वा च पादाभ्यां नम इत्येव चोच्चरेत् । भुवः पूर्वं तु जानुभ्यां स्व: कटिभ्यां नमो वदेत्
Having uttered 'Bhūḥ,' one should touch the feet, and also say 'namah.' 'Bhuvaḥ' should be said touching the knees, 'Svaḥ' touching the hips, and 'namah' should be spoken.
महर्नाभ्यै जनश्चैव हदयाय ततस्तपः । कण्ठाय च ततः सत्यं ललाटे परिकीर्तयेत्
'Mahar' should be uttered touching the navel, 'Jana' touching the heart, then 'Tapaḥ' touching the throat, and finally 'Satya' should be pronounced touching the forehead.
अङ्गुष्ठाभ्यां तत्सवितुस्तर्जनीभ्यां वरेण्यकम् । भर्गो देवस्य मध्याभ्यां धीमहीत्येव कीर्तयेत्
With the thumbs, one should say 'Tat Savitur'; with the index fingers, 'Vareṇyam'; with the middle fingers, 'Bhargo Devasya'; and with the ring fingers, 'Dhīmahi' should be uttered.