Purpose of ACHAMANYAM & ARGHYAM in Sandhyavandanam?

First achamanyam is a self purification process.

Most people don’t know but ACHAMANYAM MANTRAS are not random. They have their origins in the BRAHMANDA PURANA. They were created by LALITHA TRIPURA SUNDARI while fighting BHANDASURA who was using all sorts of weapons including the MAHA (GREAT) ROGA (DISEASE) ASTRA (weapon) (yeah BIO-WARS are not a new concept, they have existed since eternity). So it’s said TB was created then and the soldiers in the GODDESSES ARMY started dying and Hence she created the NAMA TRAYA ASTRA to cure her soldiers of this deadly disease- TB. That’s the mantra that’s used for achamanyam – it’s a mantra for curing all diseases.

Second it’s not the achamanyam but the arghyam that requires specific directions.

First you need to understand how arghyam works. I used to wonder what’s so great about arghyam, it’s just about pouring water. But over the years I have realised it’s much more than that

1. WATER is used in arghyam because it’s impossible to imagine LUFE without WATER. Here are my reasons
1. it is the Very reason for life.
2. We are 70% water ourselves.
3. All big civilisations of the world blossomed and thrived near river banks
4. even when scientists look for life on other planets, they look for traces of water. It’s that important to life.
5. Even now can you imagine a day without water / or water shortage of water in you house / apartment. It will cause conplete chaos.
2. How does pouring water here transfer it to the entities that you wish to.
1. its the thought that counts
2. ita very much like how your employer transfers your salary to your account. There’s no physical exchange of currency. It’s just the thought and actions and use of an existing paradigm (net banking / digital banking). How do you care about the internal nuts and bolts (software/ servers) that your bank is using to provide you and your employer the interface. All you would care about is whether your salary has come to you or not. As long as it does you don’t bother.
3. similarly this is a well defined age old paradigm. It works
3. The direction of the ARGHYAM
1. Again it’s the established paradigm
2. if you face EAST (MORNING & AFTERNOON) and offer water – it goes to the SUN
3. If you face NORTH (EVENING)- you will be offering to LORD VISHNU (cause that’s the direction of VAIKUNTAM) / LORD SHIVA (that’s the direction of KAILASHA)
4. You don’t face SOUTH and offer arghya – cause south is the direction of PATALA LOKAS. It’s the abode of YAMARAJA and the souls of MURDERERS AND RAPISTS etc.Cause that’s where such souls go after death.
5. You don’t pour arghyam facing WEST (there are exceptions to it). But here’s my thought on it
1. you will need to think about it topographically
2. if sun is in the EAST whats the planet That’s huge and diametrically opposite to the sun in our solar system
3. ITS SATURN, he’s LORD SURYA’s son who doesn’t like his own father.
4. Saturn in the WEST is in accordance with VASTU SHASTRA also.
5. so there’s no point giving arghyam to SATURN and strengthening it.

Hence you pour arghyam either in EAST or NORTH.

I hope it answers your question.

Jai Ganesha