Achamana
Encyclopedia
Achamanam is one of the most important rituals in the Hindu
tradition. It is a male purification ritual that is believed to cure all physical and mental illnesses. As such, it is performed prior to almost all other Brahmin
rituals.
rituals, as it is necessary to be purified for the performance of all other major rituals. However, various daily acts are also believed to invalidate one's purity
in the Hindu tradition, and achamanam is to be performed in order to rectify this. These occasions include:
and sruti
achamana, and they are the most generally practiced. The next most common is the purana form, which is primarily practiced by Vaishnavites
but is often appropriated by Shaivites
and others as well.
. 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.
In the sruti
achamanam, the three mantras are:
In the smriti
form, one recites parts of the Gayatri mantra
while sipping water:
These forms of achamanam are performed constantly throughout most major Hindu rituals. Important examples include marriages and upanayana
.
, some of the achamana are replaced by the longer purana achamana, which extends the sruti achamanam. First, the sruti is performed, and then it is extended to the purification of the chakras through the touching of certain fingers of the right hand to certain points on the face and body, along with mantra
s. These are:
These may be performed whether or not a ritual is to follow; its significance in ritual purification is as valid as "basic" achamanam, and vice versa.
, or sipping tirtha - as these are holy and pure in itself and the symbolic act of purifying oneself through achamanam insults these articles' holiness.
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
tradition. It is a male purification ritual that is believed to cure all physical and mental illnesses. As such, it is performed prior to almost all other Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
rituals.
Times when necessary
Achamanam generally precedes all BrahminBrahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
rituals, as it is necessary to be purified for the performance of all other major rituals. However, various daily acts are also believed to invalidate one's purity
Virtue
Virtue is moral excellence. A virtue is a positive trait or quality subjectively deemed to be morally excellent and thus is valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being....
in the Hindu tradition, and achamanam is to be performed in order to rectify this. These occasions include:
- 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
- Before and after giving or accepting alms or donation
- After sneezing, shedding tears or blood
- Upon association or contact with ritually "impure" substances such as blood, semen, human hair, fire, cows, cats, mice, refuse, etc.
- After sexual contact with women.
Performance of Achamanam
There are various forms of Achamanam depending on which set of Hindu beliefs one ascribes to and the context within which one is performing the ritual. The most common forms of Achamanam are the smritiSmriti
Smriti literally "that which is remembered," refers to a specific body of Hindu religious scripture, and is a codified component of Hindu customary law. Smṛti also denotes non-Śruti texts and is generally seen as secondary in authority to Śruti. The literature which comprises the Smrti was...
and sruti
Sruti
' , often spelled shruti or shruthi, is a term that describes the sacred texts comprising the central canon of Hinduism and is one of the three main sources of dharma and therefore is also influential within Hindu Law...
achamana, and they are the most generally practiced. The next most common is the purana form, which is primarily practiced by Vaishnavites
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu, or his associated Avatars such as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God....
but is often appropriated by Shaivites
Shaivism
Shaivism is one of the four major sects of Hinduism, the others being Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism. Followers of Shaivism, called "Shaivas," and also "Saivas" or "Saivites," revere Shiva as the Supreme Being. Shaivas believe that Shiva is All and in all, the creator, preserver, destroyer,...
and others as well.
Smriti and Smarta achamana
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 lordGod
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. 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.
In the sruti
Sruti
' , often spelled shruti or shruthi, is a term that describes the sacred texts comprising the central canon of Hinduism and is one of the three main sources of dharma and therefore is also influential within Hindu Law...
achamanam, the three mantras are:
- Achyutaya Namaha (In the Name of the Innumerable Lord)
- Anantaya Namaha (In the Name of the Infinite Lord)
- Govindaya Namaha (In the name of Lord GovindaKrishnaKrishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
)
In the smriti
Smriti
Smriti literally "that which is remembered," refers to a specific body of Hindu religious scripture, and is a codified component of Hindu customary law. Smṛti also denotes non-Śruti texts and is generally seen as secondary in authority to Śruti. The literature which comprises the Smrti was...
form, one recites parts of the Gayatri mantra
Gayatri Mantra
The Gāyatrī Mantra is a highly revered mantra, based on a Vedic Sanskrit verse from a hymn of the Rigveda , attributed to the rishi . The mantra is named for its vedic gāyatrī metre. As the verse can be interpreted to invoke the deva Savitr, it is often called Sāvitrī...
while sipping water:
- Tát savitúr váreṇyaṃ
- Bhárgo devásya dhīmahi
- Dhíyo yó naḥ pracodáyāt
These forms of achamanam are performed constantly throughout most major Hindu rituals. Important examples include marriages and upanayana
Upanayana
Upanayana is the initiation ritual by which initiates are invested with a sacred thread, to symbolize the transference of spiritual knowledge .- Significance of the sacred thread :...
.
Purana achamana
As part of sandhyavandanamSandhyavandanam
Sandhyavandanam 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 . Sandhyavandanam consists of excerpts from the Great Vedas that are to be recited thrice daily...
, some of the achamana are replaced by the longer purana achamana, which extends the sruti achamanam. First, the sruti is performed, and then it is extended to the purification of the chakras through the touching of certain fingers of the right hand to certain points on the face and body, along with mantra
Mantra
A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"...
s. These are:
- Keshavaya Namaha - Thumb to touch the right cheek
- Narayanaya Namaha - Thumb, left cheek
- Madhavaya Namaha - Ring finger, right eye
- Govindaya Namaha - Ring finger, left eye
- Vishnave Namaha - Index finger, left side of the nose
- Madhusudhanaya Namaha - Index finger, right side of the nose
- Trivikramaya Namaha - little finger, right ear
- Vamanaya Namaha - little finger, left ear
- Shridharaya Namaha - third (middle) finger, right shoulder
- Hrishikeshaya Namaha - third finger, left shoulder
- Padmanabhaya Namaha - four fingers (hand with thumb folded inwards), navel
- Damodaraya Namaha - four fingers, head.
- Sankarshanaya namaha
- Vasudevaya namaha
- Pradyumnaya namaha
- Anirudhaya namaha
- Purushothamaya namaha
- Adhokshajaya namaha
- Narasimhaya namaha
- Achyutaya namaha
- Janardanaya namaha
- Upendraya namaha
- Hariye namaha
- Sri krishnaya namaha
These may be performed whether or not a ritual is to follow; its significance in ritual purification is as valid as "basic" achamanam, and vice versa.
When Achamanam is Forbidden
Achamanam is not to be done immediately after taking prasadPrasad
Prasād is a mental condition of generosity, as well as a material substance that is first offered to a deity and then consumed...
, or sipping tirtha - as these are holy and pure in itself and the symbolic act of purifying oneself through achamanam insults these articles' holiness.