Aditya Hrudayam Series Week 34
Shloka Taatparyam Shloka 29
आदित्यं प्रेक्ष्य जप्त्वा तु परं हर्षमवाप्तवान्।
त्रिराचम्य शुचिर्भूत्वा धनुरादाय वीर्यवान्॥ 29 ॥
Adityaṃ prekṣya japtvā tu paraṃ harṣamavāptavān ।
trirācamya śucirbhūtvā dhanurādāya vīryavān ॥ 29 ॥
Meaning:
Gazing towards the sun, Rama recited the shloka (thrice) and became very happy and thrilled. After purifying himself by sipping the water three times (performed ācamanam) the brave Rama lifted his bow. (got ready for the battle).
Acamanam is the act of sipping water from the base of the thumb while reciting 21 different names of Vishnu. Per Hindu traditions it is an important ritual of spiritual and scientific significance. Spiritually this act is believed to purify the individual of the three types of flaws namely physical (kaya), verbal (vacha) and mental (manasa). Scientifically, it is an act performed to invigorate a person mentally. It improves cognitive performance immediately. Compared to drinking large amounts of water sipping 2-3 times re-invigorates the mind by helping to bring the full focus of the mind on the specific thoughts related to the job on hand. It is an act of mental rather than physiological significance. This is the reason why we see people sipping (not gulping) water while doing judicial/congressional testimonies, scientific presentations, job interviews etc.
आदित्यं Adityaṃ – lord Surya
प्रेक्ष्य prekṣya – looking towards
जप्त्वा japtvā – repeating the prayer (doing japam)
तु tu – indeed
परं paraṃ – highly
हर्षम harṣam – happy, joy
अवाप्तवान् avāptavān – became
त्रि tri– thrice
आचम्य ācamya – sipping water (performing Acamanam)
शुचिर् śucir-purifying
भूत्वा bhūtvā – after
धनु dhanu – bow
आदाय ādāya – lifted
वीर्यवान् vīryavān – the brave, valiant
