Simple
Om Kesavaya namah
Om Narayana namah
Om madhavaya namah
More
Always perform acamana before entering the deity room to worship the Lord.
Sit on a proper sitting place (asana). (If there is no asana, kneel with your right knee touching the floor and your left foot flat on the floor.)
With an acamana-patra filled with water clean both hands by sprinkling them with water; holding the acamana spoon in your left hand, pour a few drops into the right palm. While looking at the water chant the appropriate mantra and then silently sip the water from the base of the right thumb (the brahma-tirtha).
The procedure for basic acamana consists of the first three steps below. If time and circumstances permit, you may perform the complete acamana:
Chant om kesavaya namah and sip water from the brahma-tirtha of your right hand.
Chant om narayanaya namah and sip water from the brahma-tirtha of your right hand.
Chant om madhavaya namah and sip water from the brahma-tirtha of your right hand.
Chant om govindaya namah and sprinkle water on your right hand.
Chant om visnave namah and sprinkle water on your left hand.
Chant om madhusudanaya namah and touch your right cheek with the fingers of your right hand.
Chant om trivikramaya namah and touch your left cheek with the fingers of your right hand.
Chant om vamanaya namah and wipe above your upper lip with the base of your right thumb.
Chant om sridharaya namah and wipe below your lower lip with the base of your right thumb.
Chant om hrsikesaya namah and sprinkle water on both hands.
Chant om padmanabhaya namah and sprinkle water on your feet.
Chant om damodaraya namah and sprinkle water on the top of your head.
While chanting the following mantras, perform the hand motions:
Chant om vasudevaya namah and touch your upper and lower lips with the tips of the fingers of your right hand.
Chant om sankarsanaya namah and touch your right nostril with your right thumb and forefinger.
Chant om pradyumnaya namah and touch your left nostril with your right thumb and forefinger.
Chant om aniruddhaya namah and touch your right eye with your right thumb and ring finger.
Chant om purusottamaya namah and touch your left eye with your right thumb and ring finger.
Chant om adhoksajaya namah and touch your right ear with your right thumb and forefinger.
Chant om nrsimhaya namah and touch your left ear with your right thumb and forefinger.
Chant om acyutaya namah and touch your navel with your right thumb and little finger.
Chant om janardanaya namah and touch your heart with the palm of your right hand.
Chant om upendraya namah and touch your head with all the finger tips of your right hand.
Chant om haraye namah and touch your right upper arm with the fingertips of your left hand.
Chant om krsnaya namah and touch your left upper arm with the fingertips of your right hand.
Now chant the following mantra from the Rg Veda while showing the pranama-mudra (palms together in front of your heart):
(om) tad visnoh paramam padam
sada pasyanti surayah
diviva caksur atatam
tad vipraso vipanyavo
jagrvamsah samindhate
visnor yat paramam padam
Just as those with ordinary vision see the sun’s rays in the sky, so the wise and learned devotees always see the supreme abode of Lord Visnu. Because those highly praiseworthy and spiritually awake brahmanas can see that abode, they can also reveal it to others. [Rg Veda Samhita 1.22.20-21]
Method and philosophy
Acamaniyam Philosophy:
When you offer acamana (water) to Sri Hari it becomes “prasad” (offered) and one’s hand becomes “prasadi” (touched to prasad); also, when one sips the water the hand becomes “juta” (touched to mouth), so in both cases one’s hand is unfit for a second acamana without washing each time.
Acamaniyam Method:
One should take the acamana spoon in their left hand, dip purified water, and pour the purified water into the right hand, which should be formed palm up with the tip of the thumb touching the first joint of the middle finger.
Then one should recite,
“Om Vishnu! Om Vishnu! Om Vishnu!”
and then,
“Om kesavaya namah!” followed by sipping the water from the wrist.
Then again one should take more water with the left hand and wash off the right before the next acamana (“Om Vishnu! Om Vishnu! Om Vishnu! “Om Narayanaya namah!,” etc.).
After each acamana the right hand should be washed off by throwing a spoon full of holy water on it and tossing the water aside; thus one’s hand is no longer “juta” nor “prasadi.”
Acamana – Sipping Water for Purification
Acamana, or sipping water, is a means of purification. As immersing the body in water brings about physical and subtle cleansing, so taking water infused with mantras into the body by sipping performs a similar function. Thus where purification is required but it is inconvenient to bathe, acamana is prescribed.
The general process of acamana is as follows: While looking into water cupped in your right hand, chant a mantra directed into that water and then sip the water. A devotee should perform acamana to achieve physical and mental purity before performing spiritual activities such as
applying tilaka,
chanting Gayatri and japa,
performing puja and homa,
observing a vrata,
taking prasada,
reading or reciting sastra or mantras, and
meditating.
The place where a devotee performs acamana should be pure – i.e., free from hair, bones, ash, or any other impure item. The water should be cool, fresh, without bubbles or foul odor or taste, and untouched by fingernails, hair, or any impure item. Rainwater, being in the mode of passion, should not be used. Out of respect for a spiritual activity, do not perform acamana with your head or throat covered; without having your kaupina or cloth tucked in at the back; without first cleaning your hands and feet; with shoes on; while standing; or while sitting on shoes or sitting with your knees or feet showing.
Italiano
Acamana e’ un atto di purificazione prima di una cerimonia religiosa.
This is how an acamana should be performed.
When you offer acamana (water) to Sri Hari it becomes “prasada” (offered) and one’s hand becomes “prasadi” (touched to prasad); also, when one sips the water the hand becomes “juta” (touched to mouth), so in both cases one’s hand is unfit for a second acamana without washing each time.
The Gaudiya Vaisnava acamana is as follows:
Take the acamana spoon in your left hand, dip purified water, and pour the purified water (few drops) into the right hand, which should be formed palm up with the tip of the thumb touching the first joint of the middle finger.
Then recite,
Om kesavaya namah!
followed by sipping the water from the wrist.
Then take more water with the left hand and wash off the right before the next acamana, throwing the water behind you.
Then repeat the operation reciting
Om narayanaya namah
And at the end
Om madhavaya namah
Remember to purify your hand before uttering the next mantra. If you do not do this, your hand will be impure.
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