AACHAMANA VIDHI

AACHAMANA VIDHI - ITS SIGNIFICANCE
Om! Gam! Ganapathaye! Namaha!
Om! Sri Raghavendraya Namaha!
Om! Namo! Bhagavathe! Vasudevaya!
Om! Ham! Hanumathe Sri Rama Doothaya Namaha!

AACHAMANA VIDHI - ITS SIGNIFICANCE

In our Hindu sampradaya, commencing any Nitya Nymittika Karma with a ritual called Aachamanam followed by a Sankalpa has gained lot of significance and sanctity. An Aachamanam is the simplest of Vaidika karmas, yet none the less in importance than an Aswamedha Yagyam. Its importance can be well realised when we note that it forms the prelude to all the rituals. No Vaidika karma can be begun without an Aachamanam.

What is Aachamanam?
The process of reciting the names of supreme God (Maha Vishnu) while performing jalapanam (sipping drops of water) as per the Vedic scripts is called Aachamanam (aachamana). It is a purification ritual wherein one sips water three times from the Brahma-Grantha (base of the right thumb) while reciting different mantras. This is done three times to make ourselves free from three shortcomings, Kaayik (physical), Manasik (mental), and Vaachik (spiritual).

We would have observed that the priest in a temple offers theertha (sacred water) three times. Number three denotes the trinal lords (Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara) who also represent the Rajasa, Satwa, and Tamasa Gunas. These gunas are present in human beings. It is an act of purifying our inner body (soul) by sipping water while praying the supreme Lord, the Primordial Person Sri Maha Vishnu, the karaka for existence.

Aachamana means literally to sip. As a ritual of purification it means to sip water three times from the right hand while saying mantra, and then to touch various sense organs and parts of the body while reciting mantras. This form of purification has been practiced since time immemorial. The physical benefit of this exercise is that by sipping water thrice the throat is cleared from Vata, Pitta and Kapha doshas and one is then able to chant the manthra or recite divine names clearly.

How is it performed?
The simplest version of performing an aachamanam is, a spoonful of water is poured into the cupped palm of the right hand and then,

One recites, "Kesavaya Swaaha" and sips it noiselessly, Palm tipped back slightly, from the base of the thumb in the name of Kesava. The same act is performed for a second time, with the reciting of "Narayanaya Swaaha" in the name of Narayana. The act is performed a third time with the reciting of "Madhavaya Swaaha" in the name of Madhava.

Above act is followed by reciting the other 21 names of Lord Sri Maha Vishnu by touching various sensory organs and other parts of the body.
Govindaya Namaha
Vishnave Namaha
(Both the hands are washed)
Madhusudhanaya Namaha
Thrivikramaya Namaha
(Both the upper and lower lips are touched with the right hand fingers)
Vamanaya Namaha
Sridharaya Namaha
(Left and right cheeks are touched)
Hrusheekesaya Namaha (Hands are touched)
Padmanabhaya Namaha (Sprinkle water on the feet)
Damodaraya Namaha (Centre of the head is touched with middle finger)
Sankarshanaya Namaha (Edge of the nose is touched with the fist)
Vasudevaya Namaha
Pradhyumnaya Namaha
(Left and right nostrils are touched)
Aniruddhaya Namaha
Purushothamaya Namaha
(Right and left eyes are touched)
Adhokshajaya Namaha
Narasimhaya Namaha
(Right and left ears are touched)
Achyutaya Namaha (Navel portion is touched)
Janardhanaya Namaha (Chest is touched)
Upendraya Namaha (Head is touched)
Hariye Namaha
Sri Krishnaya Namaha (Right and left shoulders are touched)
Types of Aachamanam:

Aachamana may be of different types, arising from different scriptures (e.g. Vaidika, Srauta, Smarta, Pauranic, Tantric) according to the ceremony and the line of teaching one is following. There can be differences in the rules followed. The difference in these achamana lies mainly in the mantras recited. Reciting of manthras during Aachamana differs from place to place.

In some places they recite Achyutaya Namaha, Ananthaya Namaha, and Govindaya Namaha in the beginning while sipping water three times and thereafter 24 Kesava Nama are recited by touching the body parts with fingers. Generally family tradition is followed. Whatever may be the type of aachamanam followed, its very objective is one and the same that is purification of body and the mind. It is said that Aachamanam should be performed twice at the beginning of Sandhyavandana Kriya and once/twice at the end.

Basically in practice there are two types of Aachamana which are in vogue. They are Srouthachamanam and Pouranikachamanam (also called as Smarthachamanam). The one which is performed with Gayathri is called Srouthachamanam and the one which is performed with Kesavadi Namas is called as Pouranikachamanam. But majority follow the Pouranikachamanam system. However, it is said that while performing Sandhyavandana Kriya it should be performed with Pouranikachamanam and while performing Brahma Yagyam it should be performed with Srouthachamanam.

Place & Posture: The place should be clean, free from any impure items. One should sit on an asana facing East or North, in padma or swastika asana. Knees and feet should not be protruding. One should not be standing but always in the Kukkutasanam or a hen-like posture, sitting down with the soles of the feet firmly planted on the ground, the hands between the knees.

Hand configuration: The right hand should be held so that the forefinger, middle finger and ring finger are together and slightly bent upwards, while the little finger and the thumb are separated from the other three fingers.

Water: The water used for sipping should be pure, cool (should not be hot), without foam or stagnation bubbles, without foul odor or bad taste, untouched by fingernails or hair, or any impure items. Water, of quantity to cover a grain of urad dhal (Black gram), should be poured from the left hand by spoon (Uddharani) into the right palm. One should say the appropriate mantra and sip the water from the Brahma Tirtha of the right hand without making any noise.

It is said that a Brahmana should always do Aachamana using Brahma Theertha. He can also do it using Rishi theertha and Deva theertha but he should never do it using Pithru theertha. This classification is based on where we hold the water in the right hand. If we hold it just below the thumb it is Brahma Theertha. If it is held just below the little finger it is Rishi Theertha and at the edge of four fingers, then it is Deva theertha. If it is held between the thumb and the first finger, it is called Pithru Theertha.

When to perform Aachamanam?
Though an Aachamanam generally precedes all karmas, there are specific occasions when it is called for. They are as follows:

As a preliminary to all nitya and naimittika karmas (daily and occasional rituals) like Sandhyavandanam, Brahmayagyam, Vedadhyayanam, Pitrutarpanam Mantra japam etc.
Immediately after waking up in the morning
After urination and other forms of excretion
After brushing one’s teeth
Before and after a bath
After wearing clothes
Before and after a meal
Speaking with or touching unsuitable persons, after telling a lie
Before and after giving or accepting alms or donation
After sneezing, shedding tears or blood
Upon physical contact with women
Before and after crossing a river
When not to perform Aachamanam?

Aachamanam is not to be done in a standing position (exception: one may perform aachamana while standing if one is in water which is above the knees but below the navel)
Aachamanam is not to be done facing the west or the south, but always facing the east or the north.
Aachamanam should not be done with impure or falling water, as from a tap or rain, but usually with water from a river or tank, or from a vessel held in the left hand. When doing this in a river or tank, the left hand should be touching the water.
It should not be performed casually, while speaking to others, wearing a shirt or footwear, with a covered head, with laughter etc., but with devotion, and with the consciousness that one is uttering the holy names of the Almighty, which purify and protect.
Aachamanam should not be done while wearing a Pavithram. While performing an aachamanam, the pavithram should be kept in the gap between the right ear lobe and the head. This is perhaps meant to avoid the sharp ends of the pavithram hurting the eyes.
When Aachamanam is forbidden?

Aachamanam is not to be done immediately after taking prasadam or sipping theertha as these are holy and pure and the symbolic act of purifying oneself through aachamanam insults their holiness.

Exemption: There is one more type of Aachamanam in vogue. It often happens that though we need to purify ourselves through Aachamanam, no water is available at the time and place. In such situations, the scripts prescribes an easy method of purification, that of touching the tip of the nose and then the right ear, uttering the Pranava mantra. It is based on the Scriptural texts, which says that Agni resides in the Brahmana’s nose tip and holy rivers like the Ganga in his right ear. Hence touching these two purifies a person immediately. We would have observed our elders reciting names of God (Krishna, Govinda etc.) whenever they sneeze or yawn. Perhaps this is with respect to the above principle. It is to be noted that this short cut is to be adopted only when performing the regular Aachamanam is not possible.

Significance of Aachamanam:
Water is profusely glorified in the Vedas and is used in Vedic rituals for sipping, touching to parts of the body, sprinkling over the body, and for bathing the body. Taking pure, cool water internally is purifying and invigorating, both physically and mentally; and, when this is accompanied by utterance of the names of Vishnu, one becomes filled with spiritual qualities. Aachamana is a standard form of purification, prerequisite for meditation, puja, homa and other sacred activities.

A Brahmana becomes purified in performing Aachamana if the water penetrates to the heart (i.e. by swallowing the water completely). A Kshatriya becomes purified in performing aachamana if the water reaches his throat. A Vaishya becomes purified if the water reaches his palate (inside his mouth). A Shudra or Woman becomes purified if the water touches his or her lips.

During Aachamanam one touches various parts of the body because in different organs of the body are located various energies and their deities. It is said that as per sage Veda Vyasa, all the deities are propitiated by the intake of water with the Achyuta, Ananta and Govinda Nama. Wiping the lips pleases Ganga and Yamuna, while touching the eyes pleases Surya and Chandra. Similarly, the Aswini Devathas are propitiated by touching of the nose, Agni and Vayu by the ears. With the Padmanabha mantra all the thirty-three crore Deities are pleased and the Paramatma by touching the head.

When the mantra is chanted lot of heat is produced in the body due to which the throat and the mouth can become dry. Aachamanam done three times aims at remedying this dryness. One need not drink mouthful of water in Aachamanam. One only needs to sip as much as is required to make the mouth and throat wet and reach the heart.

It is said that any ritual performed without aachamanam and Sankalpa do not yield any results and is useless. All karmas done without Aachamanam are doomed to fail and would be futile. Anachamyakritham yachha yachha sankalpa varjitham, rakshasam thatbhaveth. It is said as per Bhagavatha that Lord Sri Krishna had observed these rituals very strictly in his daily routine and shown to the world the significance of Aachamanam and Sankalpa.

Significance of Aachamana & 24 Kesava Namas
Among the Vishnu Sahasra Namas these 24 names are very important. We recite 24 names of Lord Maha Vishnu during Aachamanam the first three while sipping water and remaining 21 while touching the body parts. They are Kesava, Narayana, Madhava, Govinda, Vishnu, Madhusudhana, Trivikrama, Vamana, Sridhara, Hrusheekesa, Padmanabha, Damodara, Sankarushana, Vasudeva, Pradhyumna, Anirudhha, Purushothama, Adhokshaja, Naarasimha, Achyuta, Janardhana, Upendra, Hari, and Sri Krishna

It is said that Manu Smruthi compares these 24 names of supreme God with 24 tatvas (elements) of creation with which the universe is formed. For example KesavaNama represents Avyaktha tatva, NarayanaNama represents Mahatatva, MadhavaNama represents Ahankara tatva, and Govindanama represents Manotatvam. Remaining twenty names represents Pancha Gnanendriyas (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin), Pancha karmendriyas, (hands, legs, speech, and two excretory organs), Pancha Pranas (prana, apana, vyana, udana, and samana) and Pancha Bhoothas (sky, water, fire, air, and earth). It is said that the first three names Kesava, Narayana, Madhava are tapatraya nivarakas. It is also said that these 24 names also represents 24 letters of Gayathri Manthra called Beejaksharas that have influence on the human body.

For performing any Kriya one should have Anthhakarana Suddhi (Inner purity) that is possible only by praying the God by reciting the divine names (manthras) and the process of Aachamanam is only meant for that purpose. By reciting 21 names a person is getting purified bodily and by reciting three names he is getting purified internally.

Reciting these names of Supreme God is the link for devotion as it cleanses the inner body of the human being that helps in attaining quick results. The name of God is so powerful that it has the capacity to vanquish any sins and desires. Whether it is done knowingly or unknowingly (without understanding its meaning and significance) reciting the divine name will never go a waste. The best example of this is the story of Ajaamila as given in Ajaamilopakhyanam in Sri Mad Bhagavatham where Ajaamila chants unknowingly the name of Lord Narayana at the time of his death and gets rid of his sins. The one that is done by knowing its meaning and significance will not only eliminate the sins but also helps in gaining divine knowledge that leads to ultimate salvation.


Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu