What is Sandhyavandana?

The word ‘Saṃdhyāvandanaṃ’ is a combination of two words - ‘Sandhya’ and ‘Vandanaṃ’.

‘Samyak dhyāyanti asyām iti sandhyā ’ (सम्यक् ध्यायन्ति अस्यां इति संध्या) - means a suitable time to do ‘dhyānaṃ /meditation properly.

‘vaṃdanaṃ - वन्दनम् - means salutation. ‘नमस्कारः - NamaskāraH’ is defined as the act of taking refuge in a great divine personality with folded hands.

Also, Saṃdhyāvaṃdanaṃ can be broadly described as worshiping our favorite deity in an appropriate time of the day with the feeling of unflinching devotion (Ananya Bhakti).

Right from morning when we wake up and open our eyes until we sleep at the end of the day, it is the living god ‘Sun’ who tirelessly bestows us with liveliness, agility, good health. Hence, our erudite scholars and ṛiṣis (ऋषि) advised and instructed all to worship Sun daily during ‘Saṃdhya’ times to attain salvation. They further added that doing so is our duty as a token of respect for getting the human life.