Acamana - Sipping Water for Purification

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):