TRIKAL SANDHYA GAYATRI SADHANA ***************************************

Gayatri Upasana is the best Upasana of Shakti and whoever performs Gayatri Sadhana Bidhi daily, that home would be blessed with Adi Shakti with its all Shaktis. The word ‘Sandha’ means bridge or something that connects two different things. The time between day and night and morning and evening, both of these times, are very beneficial to do Puja (worshiping), Sadhana and other self-developmental activities. This is the time when you get more even with little efforts. It has been strictly recommended in Grantha (scriptures) of Karmakanda to do all daily karma in Sandhyakaal (the morning time when still you can see stars in the sky until the sun turns up in the east horizon or before three ghadi of sunset). The Grantha says it is far more beneficial for the doers to do in the above prescribed time than any other parts of the day. Trikaal Sandhya has been mentioned in three forms of Tripada. The Prat: Kaal (morning) is for Brahma, Madhyanha (mid-day) is for Baishnavi and Sayankaal (evening) is for Shambhavi.

Shastra finds Sandhyakaal to be the best time. It has been elaborated in Shastra.

उत्तम तारेकापेता मध्यमा लुप्तारका l
कनिष्ठ सूर्य सहिता प्रात: संध्या त्रिधा स्मृता ll

The best time within the Sandhya is Prat: Kalin Sandhya, the morning time when still there are stars and also called Brahma Muhurt and all the daily activities you do for your demigods or goddesses or Guru are recommended to finish within this period. After those stars disappear, the time is called Madhyam and the time when sun rises is called Kanistha Sandhya.

Sayamkaal Sandhya

उत्तम सूर्यसहिता मध्यमा लुप्त सूर्यका l
कनिष्ठा तारकोपेता सायं संध्या त्रिधास्मृता ll

Three Ghadi before sun completely goes down is the best Sayankaal Sandhya and the period of time in Sayankaal Sandhya before stars appears in the sky Madhyam and afterwards, when stars appear is Kanistha.

Sadhana Tithi (the time, date and day of Sadhana)
•    it could be done any Sandhyakaal

Materials needed

•    Suddha (clean) clothes,
•    Yagyopavit (a scared thread, also known as such as Janeu, Lagun, Yonya
        and Zunnar)
•    Suddha (clean) water
•    Akshata (it is a mixed of rice grain in saffron (Abir = red colored powder)
        and sometimes it is also mixed with natural yogurt)
•    Flowers,
•    Incense Sticks
•    Dip (light)
•    Gayatri Yantra
•    Gayatri Chitra (Picture)
•    Chandan (a kind of paste prepared by grinding sandalwood and putting
        water slowly and the paste is mixed with saffron or other such pigments to
        make Chandan)
•    Copper Aachamani (copper ladle to ladle out holy water) and Panchapatra
        (a copper container, where water is ladle out from)
•    Gayatri mala (Rosary of Gayatri)
•    Kumkum (powder either made from turmeric or saffron)
•    Idol of Gayatri


Sadhana Vidhi (Method of doing Sadhana)

1.    Wake up early in the Brahmi Muhurta and finish your nitya karma.
2.    Clad on a Suddha (clean) clothes.
3.    Get into your altar where you worship.
4.    Sit facing towards east (If it is midday, face towards Ishan disha
        (northeastern direction) and if it is evening, face towards west)
5.    Wear the Yajnopawit.
6.    Pabitrikaran (the process through which you get pure) before starting your
        Puja (worshipping). You take Suddha (Clean) water on your left palm and
        cover it with your right hand and recite the Pabitrikaran mantra-

       ॐ अपवित्र: पवित्रो वा सर्वावस्थांगतोऽपि वा l
       य: स्मे रत्पुण्डरिकाक्षं स बाह्यभ्यन्तर: शुचि: ll

       Om apabitra: pabitro wa sarwawasthaagato pi wa l
       http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002401787300http://www.facebook.com/siddhashram.melbourneYa: smeratpundarikaanksham sa baahyabhyantara: shuchi ll

7.    After finishing the mantra, sprinkle the water on your body with right
        hands.
8.    Do Achamanam (The simplest versions of achamanam consist of sipping
        water 3 times from the Brahma-Grantha (base of the right thumb) while
        reciting different mantras in praise of the lord. Water is first poured into
        the cupped palm of the right hand. One then recites the specific mantra
        and silently sips the water from the base of the thumb) and remembering
        the divine strong Shakti (Power) of Chid Rupini Mahamaya put your right
        palm on your head.
9.    Do Pranayam reciting the mantra given below silently. While doing
        Pranayam, rest your right elbow on the palm of left palm and close the
        right hole of your nose using just a thumb folding rest fingers and inhale
        the air with left hole concentrating your mind on Tejasvi Pran (divine soul).
10.    After that, stop the breath (Kumbhak) for a while and use your little and
        middle finger to close the left pore of the nose at the same time opening
        the right one and exhale the air slowly. You have to chant the mantra
        while doing this whole process. The mantra is –

        ॐ भू: ॐ भुव: ॐ स्व: ॐ मह: ॐ जन: ॐ तप ॐ सत्यम् तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् भर्गो    
        देवस्यधीमहि धियो यो न: प्रचोदयात् l ॐ आपोज्योतिरसोऽमृतं ब्रम्ह भूर्भुव: स्वरोम् l 

        Om bhu: Om bhuva: Om sva: Om maha: Om jana: Om tapa: Om satyam
        tatsaviturvarenyam bhargo devasyadhimahi dhiyo yo na prachodayat
        Om aapojyotiraso mritam brahma bhurbhuva svarom


Nyasa

1.    Put some water on your cupped left palm and put all your right fingers
        together and reciting the below give mantras, touch to the different parts
        of your body with the feeling that they are getting stronger.
2.    Mantras—

       ॐ वाङ् मे आस्येऽस्तु l     Om vanme aasyestu (sprinkle water on mouth)
       ॐ नसोऽर्मे प्राणोऽस्तु l    Om nasorme pranostu (sprinkle water on both holes 
       of nose)
       ॐ अक्ष्णोर्मे चक्षु रस्तु l    Om akshnorme chakshu rastu (sprinkle water on
       both eyes)
       ॐ कर्णयोर्मे श्रोत्रस्तु l    Om karnayorme shrotrastu (sprinkle water on both
       ears)
       ॐ बाह्वोर्मे बलमस्तु l    Om bahvorme balamastu (sprinkle water on 
       shoulders)
       ॐ ऊर्वोर्मे ओजोऽस्तु l    Om urvorme ojostu (sprinkle water on both places
       where the legs get fixed with body)
       ॐ अरिष्टानि मेऽगांनि तनूस्तन्वा मे सह सन्तु l
       Om aristani me ganni tanustnva me saha santu
       (sprinkle water on whole body)

•    Then after, do meditation on mother earth for a while and offer her some
        water, akshata, and flowers.
•    Light the candles, better dip (oil candle) and burnt incense sticks.
•    Offer akshata to the mother of Vedas, Gayatri, on her idol or yantra with
        both palms stuck together and bow down in front of her as those Hindus
        do while offering something to gods. After completing the Puja
        (worshipping) of Asana (mat to sit on) of Ma (mother), offer Chandan (fine
        powder made out of Sandalwood mixed with saffron), akshata, flowers,
        incense sticks  and Dip (oil candle) to the picture of Gayatri yantra or to
        the idol.
•    Put the Achamani and Panchapatra in front of Ma (Mother) Gayatri and fill
        it with water.
•    And then, start Guru Dhyana (meditate on Guru) reciting following
        mantras –

        गुरुर्ब्रम्हा गुरुर्विष्णु गुरुर्देवो महेश्वर:       l
        गुरु: साक्षात् परब्रह्म तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नम:  ll
        अखण्डमण्डलाकारं व्याप्तं येन  चराचरम्  l
        तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरुवे नम:      ll
        ध्यान मुलं गुरोमुर्ती: पूजा मूलं गुरो: पदम् l
        मंत्र मूलं गुरोर्वाक्यं मोक्ष मूलं गुरो: कृपा    ll

        Gururbrahmaa Gururvishnu gururdevo maheshvara
        Guru sakshat parabrahma tasmai shriguruve nama
        Akhandamandalaakaaram byaaptam yena charaacharam
        Tatpadam darshitam yena tasmai shriguruve nama
        Dhyana mulam guromurtir puja mulam guro padam
        Mantra mulam gurorvaakyam moksha mulam guro kripaa

•    And start doing Guru mantra chanting 4 malas or as much as possible like 
        16, 21, 51 or 108.

        ll ॐ परम तत्वाय नारायणाय गुरुभ्यो नम: ll
        (Om param tatvaaya naaraayanaaya gurubhyo nama)

•    After finishing with Guru mantra, start chanting one mala of Chetana
        mantra.

        ll ॐ ह्रीं मम प्राण देह रोम प्रतिरोम चैतन्य जाग्रय ह्रीं ॐ नम: ll
        (Om hrim mama praana deha roma pratiroma chatanya jaagraya hrim om
          nama)

•    And at the end, do 2 mala of Gayatri mantra. One for own welfare and the
        next one is for world’s welfare.
•    At Brahmni Muhurt, meditate on Brahma Rup (Brahma form-one of the
        Hindu trinity) of Gayatri.

        ॐ भूर्भुव: स्व: तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गोदेवस्य धीमहि
        धियो यो न: प्रचोदयात् l शिवो रजसे शिवातुम् ll
        Om bhurbhuva swa tatsaviturvarenyam bhargodevawasya dhimahi dhiyo
        yo na prachudayat . shivo rajase shivaatum ..

        The one who lives in Brahma (one of Trinity) Lok (The place where
        Brahma lives), and the lady-like appearance, who is full of all good
        characters and has four hands, four heads and red complexion, holding
        Kamanda (an oblong water pot made of a dry gourd (pumpkin) or coconut
        shell or metal or wood of Kamandalataru tree or from clay, usually with a
        handle and sometimes with a spout), book, Danda (club), Rudraksha and
        rosary on her hands and rides swan. I meditate on you.
•    On a day time, meditate on the mother Gayatri in form of Lord Vishnu.

        ॐ मध्याहें विष्णुरूपां च    ताक्ष् र्यस्थां पीतवाससम् l
        युवतीं च यजुर्वेदं  सूर्य मण्डल संस्थिताम्               ll

        Om madhyaanhem vishnurupaam cha taakshryasthaam pitavaasasam .
         Yuwatim cha yajurvedaam surya mandala sansthitaam ..

        I meditate on her, who sits on in the middle of the sun-like sphere and has
        taken the appearance of Lord Vishnu; holding Chakra (wheel), Sankha (a
        conch shell of ritual and religious importance in Hinduism and Buddhism),
        Padma (Sacred Lotus), and Gada (a type of club) on her hands and riding
        on Garuda, and who is dazzled with Yajurveda.
•    In the Saayamkaala (Evening), meditate on the mother in the form of
        Shiva.

        ॐ सायाहने विश्वरुपांच बृद्धां वृषभवाहिनिम्  l
        सूर्यमण्डलमध्यस्थां सामवेदसमायुताम्        ll

        Om saayaahane vishvarupaancha vridhdaam vrishabhawaanihinim .
        Suryamandalamadhyasthaam saamavedasamaayutaam ..

        I meditate on her, who is in the middle of the sphere like of sun and has
        taken the appearance of Lord Shiva with Trishul (a type of Indian trident),
        Damaru (a small two-headed drum shaped like an hourglass), Paasha and
        Paatra and she is riding on bull, ride of Lord Shiva. She is dazzling with
        Saamaveda.

        Bisarjan (the act where we offer the left water, Akshata, Kumkum, and
        flowers to the Sun. Bisarjan means the finishing touch.

•    Take the left water, and put Akshata, Kumkum, and flowers in it and facing
        the sun, we flow the water holding the pot, where you put water, with
        both hands and the position should be in parallel between face and heart.
        While doing this, we are supposed to recite the following mantra.

        ॐ उत्तमे शिखरे जाता भूम्यां पर्वतमूर्धनि       l
        ब्राम्हणेभ्योऽभ्यानुज्ञाता गच्छ देवि यथासुखम् ll
        Om uttame shikhare jaataa bhumyaam parvatamurdhani l
        Bramhanebhyo bhyaanugyaataa gachchha devi yathaasukham ll

        Normal Sadhaks have to do at least once in the Praata: kaal or in the
        Saayam Sandhyakaala daily. That will be very beneficial to the Sadhaks or
        any people doing this.

        गायत्र् येव तपोयोग: साधनं ध्यानमुच्यते  l
        ब्रम्हवर्चस रूपा च नात: किंचित् ब्रम्हरतम ll
       Gaayatrayeva tapoyoga: saadhanam dhyaanamuchyate l
       Brahmavarchasa rupaa naata: kinchit brahmaratam ll

Meaning Gayatri is the tapa (austerity), meditation, and sadhana and she is the brahma (ultimate truth). So, there is nothing more important sadhana than this one.
Note: It is always good to do Sadhanas under supervision from your Guru.

Param Bandaniya Gurudev Mahamaya Ma Yogshyama ki Jaya!