Sandhyavandanam

The steps, with their mantras

1. Achamanam

   Sip a little water from the right palm three times, once with each name. Then touch the face with the twelve names of the Lord: the cheeks (Kesava, Narayana), the eyes (Madhava, Govinda), the nose (Vishnu, Madhusudana), the ears (Trivikrama, Vamana), the shoulders (Sridhara, Hrishikesa), the navel (Padmanabha) and the head (Damodara).

   oṃ acyutāya namaḥ | oṃ anantāya namaḥ | oṃ govindāya namaḥ ||

   Salutation to Achyuta, who never lets go of those who come to Him; to Ananta, who is without end; to Govinda.

   keśava | nārāyaṇa | mādhava | govinda | viṣṇo | madhusūdana | trivikrama | vāmana | śrīdhara | hṛṣīkeśa | padmanābha | dāmodara ||

   The twelve names of the Lord, placing Him on every part of the body.

2. Pranayamam

   Close the nostrils with the right hand and, holding the breath, recite the vyahritis, the Gayatri and its closing words once. Three rounds are done.

   oṃ bhūḥ | oṃ bhuvaḥ | oguṃ suvaḥ | oṃ mahaḥ | oṃ janaḥ | oṃ tapaḥ | oguṃ satyam || oṃ tat savitur vareṇyaṃ bhargo devasya dhīmahi | dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt || oṃ āpo jyotī raso'mṛtaṃ brahma bhūr bhuvas suvar om ||

   The seven worlds, the Gayatri, and the praise of the One who is water, light, essence and nectar: Sriman Narayana, who is all these.

3. Sankalpam

   With folded hands, state the resolve. Say prātaḥ in the morning, mādhyāhnika at noon and sāyaṃ in the evening.

   hariḥ oṃ tat sat | govinda govinda govinda | bhagavad ājñayā bhagavat kaiṅkarya rūpaṃ prātaḥ sandhyām upāsiṣye ||

   Hari, Om, That is Truth. Govinda, Govinda, Govinda. By the Lord's command, as service to Him, I shall offer the morning (noon, evening) sandhya.

   bhagavān eva svakīyenaiva kalyāṇatamena prātaḥ sandhyopāsanena akhila paricchadānvitaṃ svātmānaṃ svayam eva prītaṃ kārayitum upakramate ||

   The sattvika tyagam: it is the Lord Himself who begins this, through His own most auspicious worship, to bring joy to Himself and all that is His. The doer is He; the worship is His.

4. Marjanam

   Sprinkle water on the head with each of the first seven lines; on the feet with the eighth; on the head again with the ninth; then circle the head with water saying bhūr bhuvas suvaḥ.

   āpo hi ṣṭhā mayobhuvaḥ | tā na ūrje dadhātana | mahe raṇāya cakṣase | yo vaḥ śivatamo rasaḥ | tasya bhājayateha naḥ | uśatīr iva mātaraḥ | tasmā araṅga māma vaḥ | yasya kṣayāya jinvatha | āpo janayathā ca naḥ || oṃ bhūr bhuvas suvaḥ ||

   O Waters, you are the source of joy: give us strength, and the great and lovely power to see. Share with us your most blessed essence, as loving mothers do. To Him whose abode you lead us to, we come; make us pure and bring us to new life.

5. Prasanam

   Take water in the right palm, recite the mantra for the time of day, and sip it.

   Morning

   sūryaś ca mā manyuś ca manyupatayaś ca manyukṛtebhyaḥ | pāpebhyo rakṣantām | yad rātriyā pāpam akārṣam | manasā vācā hastābhyām | padbhyām udareṇa śiśnā | rātris tad avalumpatu | yat kiñca duritaṃ mayi | idam ahaṃ mām amṛtayonau | sūrye jyotiṣi juhomi svāhā ||

   May the Lord in the sun protect me from wrongs done in anger. Whatever wrong I did in the night, in thought, word or deed, may the night wipe it away. Whatever fault is in me, I offer myself, now pure, into the light of the sun, the source of immortality.

   Noon

   āpaḥ punantu pṛthivīṃ pṛthivī pūtā punātu mām | punantu brahmaṇaspatir brahmapūtā punātu mām | yad ucchiṣṭam abhojyaṃ yad vā duścaritaṃ mama | sarvaṃ punantu mām āpo'satāṃ ca pratigrahaguṃ svāhā ||

   May the waters purify the earth, and the purified earth purify me; may the Lord of the Veda, and the Veda that is pure, purify me. Whatever I have eaten that was unfit, whatever wrong I have done, whatever I took from the unworthy: may the waters purify me of it all.

   Evening

   agniś ca mā manyuś ca manyupatayaś ca manyukṛtebhyaḥ | pāpebhyo rakṣantām | yad ahnā pāpam akārṣam | manasā vācā hastābhyām | padbhyām udareṇa śiśnā | ahas tad avalumpatu | yat kiñca duritaṃ mayi | idam ahaṃ mām amṛtayonau | satye jyotiṣi juhomi svāhā ||

   May the Lord in the fire protect me from wrongs done in anger. Whatever wrong I did in the day, in thought, word or deed, may the day wipe it away. Whatever fault is in me, I offer myself, now pure, into the light of Truth, the source of immortality.

6. Punar marjanam

   Recite this verse, then sprinkle water again as in the marjanam, with āpo hi ṣṭhā.

   dadhikrāvṇṇo akāriṣam | jiṣṇor aśvasya vājinaḥ | surabhi no mukhā karat | pra ṇa āyūguṃṣi tāriṣat ||

   We have praised the swift, victorious Lord. May He make our mouths fragrant with His praise, and lengthen our lives.

7. Arghya pradanam

   After pranayamam and the sankalpam for arghya, meditate on Sriman Narayana seated in the midst of the sun, golden, with conch and discus, wearing the Srivatsa, the Kaustubha and the vanamala. Standing, offer water from cupped palms raised to the level of the brows, with the Gayatri: three times at dawn and dusk, once at noon. If the right time has passed, one more arghya is offered in atonement.

   oṃ bhūr bhuvas suvaḥ | tat savitur vareṇyaṃ bhargo devasya dhīmahi | dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt ||

   The Gayatri: we meditate on the adorable radiance of the divine Savitar, Sriman Narayana who dwells within the sun. May He direct our minds.

8. Bhagavat tarpanam

   Offer water from the fingertips to the twelve forms of the Lord, beginning with Kesava, the Lord of Margazhi. Then do achamanam.

   keśavaṃ tarpayāmi | nārāyaṇaṃ tarpayāmi | mādhavaṃ tarpayāmi | govindaṃ tarpayāmi | viṣṇuṃ tarpayāmi | madhusūdanaṃ tarpayāmi | trivikramaṃ tarpayāmi | vāmanaṃ tarpayāmi | śrīdharaṃ tarpayāmi | hṛṣīkeśaṃ tarpayāmi | padmanābhaṃ tarpayāmi | dāmodaraṃ tarpayāmi ||

   I offer water to Kesava, Narayana, Madhava, Govinda, Vishnu, Madhusudana, Trivikrama, Vamana, Sridhara, Hrishikesa, Padmanabha and Damodara.

9. Gayatri japam

   Sit on a clean seat in a quiet place, ideally before Perumal. After pranayamam and the sankalpam for japa, invite the Gayatri, meditate on the Lord in the sun's orb, and repeat the Gayatri 108, 28 or 10 times, standing in the morning and at noon and seated in the evening. Finish with pranayamam. The form of japa (with how many praṇavas) is as your acharya teaches.

   āyātu varadā devī akṣaraṃ brahmasammitam | gāyatrīṃ chandasāṃ mātedaṃ brahma juṣasva naḥ || ojo'si saho'si balam asi bhrājo'si devānāṃ dhāmanāmāsi viśvam asi viśvāyuḥ sarvam asi sarvāyur abhibhūr om | gāyatrīm āvāhayāmi ||

   The invitation: may the boon-giving Gayatri, mother of the metres, imperishable and equal to the Veda, come, and lead us to Brahman. You are strength, might and splendour, the abode of the gods, the life of all: I invite the Gayatri.

   sāvitryā ṛṣiḥ viśvāmitraḥ | devī gāyatrī chandaḥ | savitā devatā ||

   Of the Gayatri, the seer is Visvamitra, the metre is Gayatri, and the deity is Savitar. (Touch the head, the face and the heart.)

   ādityamaṇḍale dhyāyet paramātmānam avyayam | viṣṇuṃ caturbhujaṃ ratnapaṅkajāsanamadhyagam || kirīṭahārakeyūrakaṭakādivibhūṣitam | śrīvatsavanamālāśrītulasīkaustubhojjvalam || hariṃ pītāmbaradharaṃ śaṅkhacakragadādharam | prasannavadanaṃ ratnakuṇḍalair maṇḍitānanam | sarvaratnasamāyuktaṃ sarvābharaṇabhūṣitam ||

   The meditation: in the orb of the sun, meditate on the imperishable Supreme Self, Vishnu, four-armed, seated on a jewelled lotus; adorned with crown, necklace, armlets and bracelets; radiant with the Srivatsa, the forest garland, holy tulasi and the Kaustubha; Hari in yellow silk, bearing conch, discus and mace, gracious of face, His face lit by jewelled earrings, adorned with every ornament.

   oṃ bhūr bhuvas suvaḥ | tat savitur vareṇyaṃ bhargo devasya dhīmahi | dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt ||

   The Gayatri, repeated in japa.

10. Upasthanam

    With folded hands, bid the Gayatri farewell, then stand and praise the Lord in the sun with the mantras for the time of day.

    uttame śikhare devī bhūmyāṃ parvatamūrdhani | brāhmaṇebhyo hy anujñānaṃ gaccha devi yathāsukham ||

    O Devi, with our leave, go as you please to your home on the high summit of the mountain.

    Morning

    mitrasya carṣaṇīdhṛtaḥ śravo devasya sānasim | satyaṃ citraśravastamam || mitro janān yātayati prajānan mitro dādhāra pṛthivīm uta dyām | mitraḥ kṛṣṭīr animiṣābhicaṣṭe satyāya havyaṃ ghṛtavad vidhema || pra sa mitra marto astu prayasvān yas ta āditya śikṣati vratena | na hanyate na jīyate tvoto nainam aguṃho aśnoty antito na dūrāt ||

    We praise the glory of Mitra, the Lord who upholds all: true, and most wonderful to hear. Knowing all, He sets people to their work; He upholds earth and heaven, and watches over all beings without closing His eyes. Whoever serves Him with devotion is never struck down or overcome, and no sin reaches him, from near or far.

    Noon

    ā satyena rajasā vartamāno niveśayann amṛtaṃ martyaṃ ca | hiraṇyayena savitā rathenā devo yāti bhuvanā vipaśyan || ud vayaṃ tamasas pari paśyanto jyotir uttaram | devaṃ devatrā sūryam aganma jyotir uttamam || ud u tyaṃ jātavedasaṃ devaṃ vahanti ketavaḥ | dṛśe viśvāya sūryam || citraṃ devānām udagād anīkaṃ cakṣur mitrasya varuṇasyāgneḥ | ā prā dyāvāpṛthivī antarikṣaguṃ sūrya ātmā jagatas tasthuṣaś ca || tac cakṣur devahitaṃ purastāc chukram uccarat || paśyema śaradaś śataṃ jīvema śaradaś śataṃ nandāma śaradaś śataṃ modāma śaradaś śataṃ bhavāma śaradaś śataṃ śṛṇavāma śaradaś śataṃ prabravāma śaradaś śatam ajītāsyāma śaradaś śataṃ jyok ca sūryaṃ dṛśe || ya udagān mahato'rṇavād vibhrājamānaḥ sarirasya madhyāt sa mā vṛṣabho lohitākṣaḥ sūryo vipaścin manasā punātu ||

    The Lord in the sun comes in His golden chariot, beholding all worlds, setting the immortal and the mortal each in their place. Rising above the darkness, we have reached Him, the highest light. He is the eye of all, the self of all that moves and all that stands. May we see Him for a hundred autumns, live, rejoice, flourish, hear and speak well for a hundred autumns, undefeated, and see the sun for long. May He who rose shining from the great ocean purify my mind.

    Evening

    imaṃ me varuṇa śrudhī havam adyā ca mṛḍaya | tvām avasyur ācake || tat tvā yāmi brahmaṇā vandamānas tad āśāste yajamāno havirbhiḥ | aheḍamāno varuṇeha bodhy uruśaguṃsa mā na āyuḥ pramoṣīḥ || yac cid dhi te viśo yathā pra deva varuṇa vratam | minīmasi dyavidyavi || yat kiñcedaṃ varuṇa daivye jane'bhidrohaṃ manuṣyāś carāmasi | acittī yat tava dharmā yuyopima mā nas tasmād enaso deva rīriṣaḥ || kitavāso yad riripur na dīvi yad vā ghā satyam uta yan na vidma | sarvā tā viṣya śithireva devātha te syāma varuṇa priyāsaḥ ||

    O Varuna, hear my call and be gracious today; seeking Your protection I call on You. Praising You, I come to You for refuge; do not be angry, do not cut short our life. Whatever we have broken of Your law day after day, whatever wrong we have done against the divine, knowingly or not: O Lord, do not hold it against us. Loosen it all, and let us be dear to You.

11. Samashti vandanam and dig vandanam

    Salute the deities of the sandhya, the quarters and the Lord, turning to the east, south, west and north, and then look up, down, around and to the earth. Then do the abhivadanam (introducing oneself by rishis, gotra, sutra, Veda and name) as your family says it.

    sandhyāyai namaḥ | gāyatryai namaḥ | sāvitryai namaḥ | sarasvatyai namaḥ | sarvābhyo devatābhyo namo namaḥ || kāmo'kārṣīn manyur akārṣīn namo namaḥ ||

    Salutation to Sandhya, Gayatri, Savitri and Sarasvati, and to all the deities. Desire made me do it, anger made me do it: I bow again and again.

    prācyai diśe namaḥ | dakṣiṇāyai diśe namaḥ | pratīcyai diśe namaḥ | udīcyai diśe namaḥ | ūrdhvāya namaḥ | adharāya namaḥ | antarikṣāya namaḥ | bhūmyai namaḥ | viṣṇave namaḥ ||

    Salutation to the east, the south, the west and the north; to what is above and below, to the sky and to the earth; and to Vishnu.

12. Dhyanam and samarpanam

    Meditate on the Lord in the sun, seek His refuge, and offer the whole of the sandhyavandanam back to Him with the sattvika tyagam.

    dhyeyaḥ sadā savitṛmaṇḍalamadhyavartī nārāyaṇaḥ sarasijāsanasanniviṣṭaḥ | keyūravān makarakuṇḍalavān kirīṭī hārī hiraṇmayavapur dhṛtaśaṅkhacakraḥ ||

    Narayana, ever to be meditated upon in the midst of the sun's orb, seated on the lotus, with armlets, fish-shaped earrings, crown and necklace, golden of form, holding the conch and discus.

    śaṅkhacakragadāpāṇe dvārakānilayācyuta | govinda puṇḍarīkākṣa rakṣa māṃ śaraṇāgatam ||

    O Achyuta of Dwaraka, bearing conch, discus and mace; O Govinda, lotus-eyed One: protect me, who have come to You for refuge.

    namo brahmaṇyadevāya gobrāhmaṇahitāya ca | jagaddhitāya kṛṣṇāya govindāya namo namaḥ ||

    Salutation to the Lord who cherishes the Veda and its keepers, who is good to the cows and the brahmanas and to the whole world: to Krishna, to Govinda, salutation again and again.

    kāyena vācā manasendriyair vā buddhyātmanā vā prakṛteḥ svabhāvāt | karomi yad yat sakalaṃ parasmai nārāyaṇāyeti samarpayāmi ||

    Whatever I do, by body, speech, mind or senses, by intellect or self, or by my very nature, all of it I offer to the Supreme, to Narayana.

In some families the order of a few steps, and which of the closing verses are recited, differ. Where they do, keep your family's and your acharya's practice.

Sources: Yajurveda Sandhyavandana Bhashyam (sadagopan.org) · Sandhya Vandana, Pandit Sri Rama (srimatham.com) · sandhyA vandanam, Apastamba (sanskritdocuments.org)