Sandhyavandanam (Rigveda) - Noon

1. Achamanam · ஆசமனம்

Take water in your right hand and swallow it while reciting each mantra — 3 times in total.

Then wash your hands, and touch your face, eyes, nose, ears, chest, and head while reciting names like Govindaya Namah, Vishnave Namah.

Om, to Keshava - svaha. (First sip.)

Om, to Narayana - svaha. (Second sip.)

Om, to Madhava - svaha. (Third sip.)

Homage to Govinda. Homage to Vishnu. (Continue touching the face, eyes, nose, ears, chest and head with the names your family uses.)

2. Ganesha prayer · விக்னேஸ்வர ப்ரார்த்தனை

Recite this before starting, to remove obstacles.

One who wears white garments, all-pervading, moon-coloured, four-armed,

with a cheerful face - one should meditate on him for the calming of all obstacles.

3. Pranayamam · பிராணாயாமம்

Close your nose with the right hand's ring finger and thumb — recite line 1 while inhaling (Puraka), line 2 while holding (Kumbhaka), line 3 while exhaling (Rechaka).

Om - the earth, the space between, the heavens.

Om - the higher worlds: Mahah, Janah, Tapah and Satyam.

We meditate on the adorable light of that divine Creator;

may he inspire and guide our minds.

Water, light, flavour, nectar - all is Brahman, the Universal Soul; the three worlds, Om.

4. Sankalpam · சங்கல்பம்

Take water in your right hand (left hand placed above), recite, and finally pour the water down.

Through the removal of all the sins that have clung to me,

to please the Supreme Lord, I perform the noon observance (Madhyahnikam).

5. Marjanam · மார்ஜனம்

Take water, recite each line, and sprinkle it on your head and shoulders.

Oh waters, you are indeed the source of happiness;

grant us food and strength,

so that our senses grow strong and we may have great joy.

That most blissful essence of yours,

make us share in it here,

as loving mothers share their milk with their children.

May we have enough of that essence of yours,

by whose presence within you, you give delight.

Oh waters, grant us offspring and new life.

6. Sipping water · நீர் அருந்தும் மந்திரம்

Recite and sip a little water at the end.

May the waters purify the earth; may the purified earth purify me;

may the Lord of the Veda purify me; may the Veda, made pure, purify me.

Whatever leavings of food, or unfit food, or wrong conduct is mine,

may the waters cleanse all that, and also gifts taken from the unworthy. Svaha.

7. Second Marjanam · இரண்டாவது மார்ஜனம்

Sprinkle water on your head again while reciting the whole Apohishtha sukta — the first three verses once more, then the six that follow.

Oh waters, you are indeed the source of happiness;

grant us food and strength,

so that our senses grow strong and we may have great joy.

That most blissful essence of yours,

make us share in it here,

as loving mothers share their milk with their children.

May we have enough of that essence of yours,

by whose presence within you, you give delight.

Oh waters, grant us offspring and new life.

May the divine waters bring us good fortune, so that we may drink them gladly;

may they flow over us, bringing health and well-being.

You waters, who rule over precious things and sustain all people,

from you I ask for healing medicine.

Soma told me that all healing herbs lie within the waters,

and so does Agni, who brings good to all the world.

Oh waters, give my body a full supply of medicine that cures all diseases,

so that I may see the sun for a long time.

Oh waters, carry away whatever sin there is in me —

whatever wrong I have done in treachery, whatever curse or untruth I have spoken.

Today I have entered the waters and united with their essence;

Agni, who lives in the waters, come, and fill me with radiance.

8. Aghamarshana · அகமர்ஷணம்

Recite while holding water on your head, and on the last line, shake your head and fling the water away.

From tapas arose truth and cosmic law; from that arose night, the ocean, time, and the whole universe — the same power is believed to dissolve our sins.

From the blazing tapas of the Creator were born Rita (cosmic order) and Satya (truth);

from that was born Night; from that, the ocean of waters.

From the ocean of waters was born the Year (time);

the Lord of all that blinks arranged days and nights.

The Creator fashioned the sun and the moon as before;

and the sky, the earth, the atmosphere and the heavens.

9. Arghyam · அர்க்யம்

Face the sky overhead. Cup both hands, take water, raise it to shoulder height and let it fall with each of these: the first verse, then the second verse, then the Gayatri - 3 offerings. Then offer one more, the expiatory Arghya, with the last verse. (Some Rigvedins use the second verse for the first offering and the Gayatri for the other two.)

Moving through the dusky sky, Savitri brings the immortal and the mortal to their rest;

the god comes in a golden chariot, looking upon all the worlds.

The sun that travels the sky, the air in mid-space, the fire at the altar, the guest in the household hearth, the one who dwells among people, in the best, in truth, in the heavens;

born of the waters, of the rays, of truth, of the mountain - all this is the eternal Truth.

Om. We meditate on the adorable light of the divine Creator;

may he inspire and guide our minds.

I call on the goddess Aditi in the morning, and at noon when the sun has risen;

Mitra and Varuna, I praise you at the sacrifice, for wealth, for children and their children, and for well-being.

10. Asau Adityo Brahma · அஸோ ஆதித்யோ ப்ரஹ்ம

Throw water around yourself in a circle to keep off evil influences, look at the sun and touch your heart, and recite.

This Sun is Brahman, the Supreme Lord.

11. Gayatri Avahanam · காயத்ரீ ஆவாஹனம்

Sprinkle a little water on the head and invite the Gayatri with these mantras.

May the Goddess come, giver of boons, the imperishable one, made known through the scriptures;

may Gayatri, the mother of the Vedas, reveal to us this eternal Truth.

You are spiritual strength, the power that defeats foes, bodily strength, and radiance;

you are the light of the gods, the whole universe, and everlasting;

you are all, ever-living, the conqueror of all sins - Om.

I invoke the Gayatri.

12. Nyasam · ந்யாஸம்

Touch each part as it is named. (A later Tantric addition - many families do it, some do not.)

Homage to the two thumbs.

Homage to the two forefingers.

Homage to the two middle fingers.

Homage to the two ring fingers.

Homage to the two little fingers.

Homage to the two palms and the backs of the hands.

Homage to the heart, whose deity is Brahma - to it I dedicate "Tat savituh".

Homage to the head, whose deity is Vishnu - to it I dedicate "Varenyam".

Homage to the top-knot, whose deity is Rudra - to it I dedicate "Bhargo devasya".

Homage to the shield (hands crossed on the chest), whose deity is Satya (Truth) - to it I dedicate "Dhimahi".

Homage to the two eyes, whose deity is Jnana (knowledge) - to them I dedicate "Dhiyo yo nah".

Homage to the weapon (snap the fingers around the head), whose deity is Paramatman - to it I dedicate "Prachodayat".

13. Upasthanam · உபஸ்தானம்

Fold your hands, face the sun and recite the whole hymn Rigveda 1.50 (13 verses). Rigvedins do this at noon before the Japam. Some also add Rigveda 1.115, which is not included here.

His rays carry aloft Surya, the god who knows all that is born, so that everyone may see him.

As thieves slip away with the night, the stars withdraw before the sun who sees all.

His bright rays are seen spreading over the people, shining like fires.

Surya, you cross the heavens; you are seen by all; you make the light and fill the wide sky with brightness.

You rise facing the gods, facing humankind, facing the whole heaven, so that all may see you.

Purifying Surya (Varuna), with the eye by which you watch over the busy people - I praise that eye, that light.

You cross the wide sky, measuring the days by the nights, seeing all that is born, Surya.

Seven bay mares carry you in your chariot, shining Surya, whose hair is rays of light, all-seeing one.

Surya has yoked the seven mares that draw his chariot; with these self-yoked mares he comes.

Seeing the higher light beyond the darkness, we have reached Surya, god among the gods, the highest light.

Rising today, friendly and radiant Surya, climbing the higher heaven - drive away the sickness of my heart and my paleness.

We pass my yellow paleness on to parrots, to sarika birds and to the haritala trees.

The sun has risen with all his strength; may he bring my enemy under my control, and may I never fall under the power of one who hates me.

14. Gayatri Japam · காயத்ரீ ஜபம்

Recite the Gayatri mantra at least 10 times (can go up to 108). You can use a rudraksha mala to count, or count on your fingers.

Om. We meditate on the adorable light of the divine Creator;

may he inspire and guide our minds.

15. Gayatri Udvasanam · காயத்ரீ உத்வாஸனம்

Send the Gayatri back with these words after the japam.

Goddess, you dwell on the loftiest peak, on the summit of the mountain (Meru) rooted in the earth.

Having taken leave of the Brahmins who worshipped you, go back, Goddess, as it pleases you.

16. Abhivadanam · அபிவாதனம்

Say your own pravara, gotra and name where shown, then pay respects to your elders. Rigvedins usually say Ashvalayana sutra and Shakala shakha; please confirm these words once with your elders.

Om - (say your own pravara rishis here), endowed with that pravara,

(say your gotra) gotra, of the Ashvalayana sutra, student of the Rigveda, Shakala shakha,

(say your name) Sharma am I - sir, I bow to you.