I humbly express my acknowledgements and gratefulness to these sources. There is a video of the Achamana procedure recommended by ISCKON:
and another video again from Vaishnavite source with very detailed procedure of Achamanam
Right from the day I started doing Achamanam , there was a great doubt in my mind . While doing Achamanam, we use names of Lord Krishna , who is not even mentioned in the Vedas . So I felt that Achamana is not a Vedic rite. My doubt was cleared yesterday when I came to know that there are more than one Achamana sampradhaya –one which is Vedic and another called Pauranic. We have all been doing the Pauranic Achamana and not the Vedic one. It is interesting to note that Lord Rama before chanting Adhithya Hrudaya did Achamana thrice and after the Japa he killed Ravana. (This Achamana would not be the one we are doing as Lord Krishna was not known during those times) Not being a Vedic Scholar nor one who is an expert on Brahmin rituals , I had to depend on what others have said about it.
The Samkshepa Dharma Sastra , a summary of rituals of Brahmins has one chapter on Achamanas.I am reproducing here that chapter as translated by me (Remember-Brhmins are not caste system, it is a duty of God) :-
Achamana Vidhi:- (Rules for inner cleaning)
Wash your hands and legs and face , keep the sacred thread in normal position, and keeping both hands in between the knees , we have to do Achamana. Then we have to clean the teeth.
Make your right hand in the shape of the ear of the cow , and take water three times, Then wipe your lips twice.
Keeping the thumb and little finger open and folding the other three fingers , you have to drink the water, This is called the Achamana method.,
Every time you have to take water sufficient to drown a single grain of black gram.
2.Manu:-
Achamana should be done using Brahma theertha which is not hot , facing east or north . For getting clean we should bathe in water reaching up to the chest in case of Brahmins, reaching up to the neck in case of Kshatriyas, reaching up to the mouth in case of Vysyas and reaching up to the bottom of the mouth in case of Shudhras and ladies .
3.Mareechi:-
Achamana should not be done standing or firmly sitting or with hands held outside the knees. Immediately after meals Achamana can be done sitting firmly on the earth. You should not Achamaneeyam with upper cloth worn on one side of the body or with cloth hiding the shoulders. It should also not be done without sacred thread, wearing dirty cloths and not tying the hair. All activities following such wrong Achamana need to be repeated again. If Achamanas are done facing south or west , then we need to take bath again and do Achamanam again.
4.Yama:-
While doing Achamana we have to touch water (pot or river) with the left hand. This is because in the left hand live the twelve Adithyas as well as Varuna the lord of water,
Water in the Bronze vessel, copper vessel and silver vessel is always pure. So you have to hold the Udharani ( ceremonial spoon) and take the water from the vessel and pour it in the right hand and do Achamana. Taking it directly by the left hand is considered equivalent to drinking of Alcohol.
5.Manu:-
Brahman should always do Achamana using Brahma Theertha , He can also do it using Rishi theertha and Deva theertha but he should never do it using Pithru theertha.
This classification is based on where we hold the water in the right hand. If we hold it just below the thumb it is Brahma Theertha. If it is held just below the little finger it is Rishi Theertha and at the edge of four fingers , then it is Deva theertha. If it is held between the thumb and the first finger , it is called Pithru Theertha.
6.Sounaka:-
- The water has to be taken after washing the hand and legs. The water that we see clearly should be used. The water which can just drown a black gram should be taken and it is sufficient if it reaches up to the chest.
- After the Achamana, we have to close our lips and wipe the mouth by the base of the thumb twice. Then we have to touch the mouth by all fingers held together.
- It is said after this all organs should be touched by the fingers. We drink the water saying Achyuthaya Nama, Anathaya Nama and Kesavaya Nama and touch the organs using fingers chanting the 12 names of Vishnu. This method has been taught by our elders. We should touch our eyes using thumb and first finger, touch the nose using the thumb and the third finger, touch the ears with thumb and the little finger, touch the shoulders using the thumb and the second finger, touch the belly button using the thumb , touch the chest using three fingers and touch the head with all fingers. There can be differences in this rules. The family tradition has to be followed.
- Achamana can be performed standing in water but should not be done in water if the depth of water is below our knees.
Achamana must be performed after bath , after taking food , after drinking fluids, after sneezing and after sleep.
If during chanting of mantra, we happen to see anything dirty, Achamana should be performed and chanting recommenced.
8.Parasara:-
Manu and Parasara are of the opinion that the sacred waters of Prabhasa, the ganges , Sun, Varuna , Chandra, Fire and wind are always in the right ear of a Brahmin.
If we are not able to do Achamana, or if we are not able to get water for Achamana when we have to do Achamana , we need only to touch our right ear. This is equivalent to Achamana. During meals, Homa, taking of alms , eating , or giving of alms, we need to perform Achamana twice.
9.Markandeya:-
After eating mango , sugar cane piece , betel leaf and Soma Pana, there is no need to do Achamana. After taking the Vishnu Pada Theertha also Achamana should not be performed. You should not wash your hand in this case.
1.Achamana the ritual
Achamana is a ritual prescribed for inner purification of persons . It consists of taking very minute quantity of water in the Brahma Granthi of the right hand , and swallowing it three times chanting a prayer .Once this taking of water is over , then different specified parts of the body above the waist are touched by prescribed fingers.
2.Place and posture
Achamana should always be performed sitting on the clean ground . The posture unlike other rituals is not on the lotus pose but Kukkuta (cock pose) , i.e sitting down on the soles of the feet .It is done always facing the north or east., The hands of the person doing it should be in between his knees. The water taken in the hand should be pure, should not be hot nor scented and should not have been touched by hands. The right hand should be kept in such a way that forefinger , middle finger and ring finger are together and slightly bent upwards. The little finger and thumb should be separated from these three fingers. Using the sacrificial spoon (Udharani) water should be taken by the left hand and poured in the right hand. The water thus poured should be held just below the thumb.
3.Quantity of water
It is prescribed that we should take a very small quantity of water , just sufficient to drown a black gram. Water should never be sipped but always swallowed.
4,Procedure
There are two main types of Achamanam- Sroutha(based on Sruthi) and Pouranika (Based on Puranas).Pauranika Achamanam is also called smartha achamana.
a.Pauranika Aachamanam
Take water as described above, swallow it three times after saying the following:-
1.Achyutaya Namaha (In the Name of the Innumerable Lord)
2,Anantaya Namaha (In the Name of the Infinite Lord)
3.Govindaya Namaha (In the name of Lord Govinda)
After that say the following 12 names of the Lord and touch places mentioned by using the fingers mentioned
1.Keshavaya Namaha - Thumb to touch the right cheek
2.Narayanaya Namaha - Thumb, left cheek
3.Madhavaya Namaha - Ring finger, right eye
4.Govindaya Namaha - Ring finger, left eye
5.Vishnave Namaha - Index finger, left side of the nose
6.Madhusudhanaya Namaha - Index finger, right side of the nose
7.Trivikramaya Namaha - little finger, right ear
8.Vamanaya Namaha - little finger, left ear
9.Shridharaya Namaha - third (middle) finger, right shoulder
10.Hrishikeshaya Namaha - third finger, left shoulder
11.Padmanabhaya Namaha - four fingers (hand with thumb folded inwards), navel
12.Damodaraya Namaha - four fingers, head.
Note:- While doing Achamana we have to touch water (pot or river) with the left hand. This is because in the left hand live the twelve Adithyas as well as Varuna the lord of water,
(Note all the God’s names are those of Lord Vishnu or Lord Krishna . There are no names of any other Avathara of Vishnu including Sri Rama . As the thumb and the mouth are the seats of fire,, the name ( Kesava) and(Narayana) are uttered with the thumb touching the right and left cheeksrespectively. The second finger and the eyes are regarded as the seats of the sun and so with the second finger the right and left eyes are touched, repeating the names (Madhava) and (Govinda). The forefinger and the nose, being considered as seats of Vayu (Wind) the right and left parts of the nose are touched by the forefinger with the names (Vishnu) and(Madhusoodana) being repeated respectively. The little finger and the ears are seats of Indra and hence by the little finger the right and left ears are touched uttering the names (Trivikrama) and(Vamana) respectively. )
Some people follow 12 more names of the God
1.Sankarshanaya namaha
2.Vasudevaya namaha
3.Pradyumnaya namaha
4.Anirudhaya namaha
5.Purushothamaya namaha
6.Adhokshajaya namaha
7.Narasimhaya namaha
8.Achyutaya namaha
9.Janardanaya namaha
10.Upendraya namaha
11.Hariye namaha
12.Sri krishnaya namaha
(It is believed that these 24 names are the most important names of Vishnu SAhasranama)
b. Pauranika Achamanam-Type II –I found it in a Telugu web site)
Swallow water as mentioned before chanting :-
- Om Kesavaaya Swaaha
- Om Naarayanaaya Swaaha
- Om Madavaaya Swaaha
This is followed by repeating the following names , doing the acts indicated.
Govindaya Namaha
Vishnave Namaha
(Both the hands are washed)
Madhusudhanaya Namaha
Thrivikramaya Namaha
(Both the upper and lower lips are touched with the right hand fingers)
Vamanaya Namaha
Sridharaya Namaha
(Left and right cheeks are touched)
Hrusheekesaya Namaha
(Hands are touched)
Padmanabhaya Namaha
(Sprinkle water on the feet)
Damodaraya Namaha
(Centre of the head is touched with middle finger)
Sankarshanaya Namaha
(Edge of the nose is touched with the fist)
Vasudevaya Namaha
Pradhyumnaya Namaha
(Left and right nostrils are touched)
Aniruddhaya Namaha
Purushothamaya Namaha
(Right and left eyes are touched)
Adhokshajaya Namaha
Narasimhaya Namaha
(Right and left ears are touched)
Achyutaya Namaha
(Navel portion is touched)
Janardhanaya Namaha
(Chest is touched)
Upendraya Namaha
(Head is touched)
Hariye Namaha
Sri Krishnaya Namaha (Right and left shoulders are touched)
Sroutha(smrithi ) Achamana
Here the water is swallowed by chanting:
1.Tát savitúr váreṇyaṃ
2.Bhárgo devásya dhīmahi
3.Dhíyo yó naḥ pracodáyāt
There are three parts of the Gayathri manthra. I could not get any more information about this form of Achamana except that when doing Brahma Yagna , this form of Achamanam is preferable.
Shortcut in circumstances where water is not available?
There is one more type of Aachamanam in vogue. It often happens that though we need to purify ourselves through Aachamanam, no water is available at the time and place. In such situations, the scripts prescribes an easy method of purification, that of touching the tip of the nose and then the right ear, uttering the Pranava mantra. It is based on the Scriptural texts, which says that Agni resides in the Brahmana’s nose tip and holy rivers like the Ganga in his right ear. Hence touching these two purifies a person immediately. We would have observed our elders reciting names of God (Krishna, Govinda etc.) whenever they sneeze or yawn. Perhaps this is with respect to the above principle. It is to be noted that this short cut is to be adopted only when performing the regular Aachamanam is not possible.
5.When to perform Aachamana
No ritual not preceded by aachamanam gives useful results.. It is said “Anachamyakritham yachha yachha sankalpa varjitham, rakshasam thatbhaveth.” Meaning “Any ritual not preceded by Aachamanam or SAnkalpa becomes only an act of Rakshasa”
- As a preliminary to all nitya and naimittika karmas (daily and occasional rituals) like Sandhyavandanam, Brahmayagyam, Vedadhyayanam, Pitrutarpanam Mantra japam etc.
- 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
- Speaking with or touching unsuitable persons, after telling a lie
- Before and after giving or accepting alms or donation
- After sneezing, shedding tears or blood
- Upon physical contact with women
- Before and after crossing a river
- If during chanting of mantra, we happen to see anything dirty, Achamana should be performed and chanting recommenced.
- During meals, Homa, taking of alms , eating , or giving of alms, we need to perform Achamana twice.
Aachamanam is not to be done immediately after taking prasadam or sipping theertha as these are holy and pure and the symbolic act of purifying oneself through aachamanam insults their holiness. After eating mango , sugar cane piece , betel leaf and Soma Pana, there is no need to do Achamana. After taking the Vishnu Pada Theertha also Achamana should not be performed. You should not wash your hand in this case.
7.How not to do Aachamana?
- Achamana should not be done standing or firmly sitting or with hands held outside the knees. Immediately after meals Achamana can be done sitting firmly on the earth. You should not Achamaneeyam with upper cloth worn on one side of the body or with cloth hiding the shoulders. It should also not be done without sacred thread, wearing dirty cloths and not tying the hair. All activities following such wrong Achamana need to be repeated again. If Achamanas are done facing south or west , then we need to take bath again and do Achamanam again
- Aachamanam is not to be done in a standing position (exception: one may perform aachamana while standing if one is in water which is above the knees but below the navel)
- c.Aachamanam is not to be done facing the west or the south, but always facing the east or the north.
- Aachamanam should not be done with impure or falling water, as from a tap or rain, but usually with water from a river or tank, or from a vessel held in the left hand. When doing this in a river or tank, the left hand should be touching the water.
- It should not be performed casually, while speaking to others, wearing a shirt or footwear, with a covered head, with laughter etc., but with devotion, and with the consciousness that one is uttering the holy names of the Almighty, which purify and protect.
- Aachamanam should not be done while wearing a Pavithram. While performing an aachamanam, the pavithram should be kept in the gap between the right ear lobe and the head. This is perhaps meant to avoid the sharp ends of the pavithram hurting the eyes
A Brahmin becomes purified by Aachamana when the water swallowed reaches the heart, A kshatriya when it reaches the throat , a Vaishya when it reaches the palate and a Shudhra or a lady when it touches their lips.
By: Koti Madhav Balu Chowdary