Sandhyavandanam- A detailed analysis

Sandhyavandanam (saṃdhyāvandana) is a religious practice performed by Hindu men initiated into the rite by the ceremony of Upanayanam, and instructed in its execution by a Guru (a qualified spiritual teacher). Sandhyavandanam is performed thrice daily and is accordingly known by a different name at each hour - in the morning (prātaḥsaṃdhyā), at noon (mādhyānika), and in the evening (sāyaṃsaṃdhyā). Sivaprasad Bhattacharyya defines it as the "Hindu code of liturgical prayers."

The term is a Sanskrit compound consisting of saṃdhyā, meaning "union", or more specifically the union or junctions of day and night which takes place in the morning or evening twilight, and vandanam meaning worship. In addition to dawn and dusk, noon is considered the third juncture of the day, and hence meditations and prayers are performed daily at those times.

The term saṃdhyā is also used by itself in the sense of "daily practice" to refer to the performance of these devotions at the opening and closing of the day.

Repetition of the Gayatri mantra, 28, 32, 52 or 108 times, depending upon the prescriptions of the practitioner's Veda and Sutra, is an integral part of each Sandhyavandanam. addition to that mantra, the ritual of saṃdhyā also includes certain other rites that are purificatory and preparatory (Sanskrit: śuddhi mantras), serving to prevent distracting thoughts and bring focus to the mind. Some of these are: propitiatory libations of water to the gods of the planets and of the months of the Hindu calendar, atoning for Sandhyavandanams not performed and atoning for sins committed since the last hour of Sandhya. In addition, one of the most important rituals of Sandhyavandanam involves worshipping the Sun as Mitra in the morning and as Savitar and Surya at noon, and worshipping Varuna, in the evening.

Furthermore, Brahmacharis (brahmacārin) are required to perform a fire-sacrifice, the Samithadhanam, on the conclusion of the main portion of the Sandhyavandanam.

Other aspects of the ritual, though, speaking strictly, not to be included in Sandhyavandanam, may include meditation, repetition of other mantras (Sanskrit: japa), and devotional practices specifically for divinities that are preferred by the practitioner.^[9] Regarding the connection with meditation practices, Monier-Williams notes that if regarded as an act of meditation, the sandhyā may be connected with the etymology san-dhyai.

There are four vedas , and each veda has it's own seperate procedure of doing the whole sandhyavandanam. They are:

1.Rig veda(common)

2.Yajur veda(most common)

3.Sama veda(uncommon)

4.Atharva veda(very rare, you may not even get books related to the procedure!)

This site has give methods of doing sandhyavandanam for the first two vedas, Please make sure you do not follow other vedas instruction, if you are not sure then do not even touch it.

Recite only gayatri mantra, Which is itself more than enough.!