Acamanam

AcamanA, the the process of sipping the water three times is a great purification process of the
body, mind and soul. The three names used in this step can be found in vishnu sahasranAmam,
infact some names appear more than once. It is said water sipped with devoted utterances of the
three names with clarity, becomes a great medicine. These three names are said to be great
healers.
These three names are held so high, that before commencement of any ritual act, one commences
with the AcamanA. The second part of the AcamanA consists of touching different parts of the
body with specified fingers and movements of the right hand, uttering the 12 different names.
Again, these 12 names are specifically selected from among thousands of names of the Lord.
They have special significance.

acyutAnanta gOvinda nAmOccAraNabhEShajAt

nashyantu sakalA rOgAh satyam satyam vadAmyaham
Chanting the names, achyutA, anantA and gOvindA, all diseases will be destroyed, this I
proclaim as the Truth, the Truth indeed.
The spirit is that this body is a temple in which the Lord/Self rests. Hence it is important that this
body is not ignored.

dEhO dEvAlaya prOktOh jIvO dEvah sanAtanah

The body is declared as a temple and the indweller is the eternal master.

sharIrE jarjarI bhUtE vyAdhi grastE kalebarE

auShadham jaanhavItOyam vaidyO nArAyaNO harih
When all vital life forces leave the body, when the whole being is seized by incurable diseases,
what medicine is there, than river gangA, who else but Lord nArAyaNA, Hari, would come as
physician!
Let us look at the meanings of the names in brief:
chyutAh mean Fallen; achyutAh means one who has never fallen. Ever Pure Reality which is

never fallen into the misconceptions of samsarA. the Pure Knowledge in which ignorance has
never come to pollute Its purity. Lord Himself says in bhAgavatA, I have never ever before
fallen from my Real Nature; therefore, I am achyutAh.
anantA mean infinite, undefeated or immeasurable by time, space, and so on
gOvindA, is one who is to be known (Vid) through the declarations of the vEdAntA (go also
means vEdAs, cow and so on). In Vishnu Tilaka we read: Here, Gobhih means the
statements and declarations of the Upanishads. this name is multifaceted. One can go on writing
about this as there are various connotation. For our purposes, we shall limit the essence of
gOvindA as that which is to be known. Thet ultimate Self, God.
We meditate the Supreme Reality in these three names and sip the water.
kEshavA One who destroyed the the demon kEsin (further study on kEsin represents, ego, mind, the 6
types of vices). The other primary meaning of kEshavA is One who has beautiful locks of hair
nArAyaNa This simple very sacred name has endless number of direct and indirect meanings, Sages of the
yore, have exhaustively studied on this name itself. This name is the mahA mantrA of srI
vaishnavAs.
1. The Shelter (ayanam) for man (narA) is Naaraayana.
2. The term narA implies the egocentric individuality and a large collection of them is
called nArA and the One who is the sole refuge for the entire living creatures is called
nArAyaNah.
3. narA also means IshvarA and the elements (tattvAs) born out of Him are called nArA;
and One who is the controller, the regulator, the very source of all Existence. in these
very tattvAs is called nArAyaNah.
4. nArAh also mean waters. According to the picture painted in the Puranas of the
Deluge, wherein the names, and forms devolve themselves into their elemental waters,
the Lord is objectively described as lying alone upon the waters, the Eternal baby,
floating upon a banyan leaf. Holding in His Lotus-hand His own Lotus-feet, and
sucking His own toe with His Lotus-lips, the Lotus child resting playfully upon a banyan
leaf, floating up on the waters of the Deluge It is in this sense, we find manu (the first
being created) interpreting the word nArAyanA. In bhAgavatam, we find very
many suggestions digged out of this sacred name; such as the Self of all bodies,
the Dynamic Force behind matter, the Witness of all good and bad, etc...
All these indicate that srI nArAyanA is nothing other than the Glory (ayanam) of the Self.
mAdhavA
The Lord of Maayaa, the Lord of mahAlakshmI. The term Maadhavah can also mean One who is

the Silent (Mauni); who is ever the Non-interfering Observer, the Silent Witness of the physical,
mental and intellectual activities in the realm of change.He is the One whom the seeker
experiences when he has stilled his mind which has been purified by Yoga practices.
gOvindA
(already discussed above)
viShNO
vEvEshti vyApnOti iti vishnuh - That which pervades everywhere is vishnu. we can remember
IsA vAsyam idam sarvam - All this is indwelt, pervaded by the Lord.
The entire vEdAs, strives to describe this name, but with little avail. the vishnu sahasranAmam is
yet another scripture that begins with this name, and tries to elaborate with 1000 different names
in order to attempt to explain the significance of this name.
madhusUdanA
One who destroyed the great demon Madhu. Madu was also a demon killed by kRushnA. Madhu
also means honey, in vEdA as the fruits of actions (karma-phalA - honey) therefore
madhusUdanAh also means the Destroyer of Vaasanaas.
trivikramA
One who has taken the three steps. Signifies the essence of the great vAmana (Dwarf) avatAra.
tri which means number "three" indicates the 3 different worlds, one may also interpret as jAgrat
swapna sushuptI, bhU, bhuvah, swah (the earth, the atmosphere, and the heaven) the Sages have
declared the three fields of experiences by the simple term trI, It also signifies that a
spiritual seeker has only to take three steps to reach the Center of the Self in him self.
vAmanA
the 5th avatArA of vishnu - the great vAmana (Dwarf) avatAra. Literally means a dwarf, one
who has a small body. may also signify the humility. vAmana also means to worship. Again, this
name like nArAyanA has many connotations.
shrIdharA
One who always carries srI in His bosom. In short, Atman, the Self, is never divorced from Its
omnipotence and All-Fullness. the word srI again, has various connotations, of all goodness,
auspiciousness.
hrshIkEshA
One who has coiled up his locks of hair. hrshIk also means sense organs and one who has coiled

up his senses is the Isha, Lord. The Lord of senses, who is the Lord and controller of all senses.
padmanAbhA
Literally means One, from whose nAbhi (navel) springs the padmA (Lotus), which is the seat of
the four-faced Creator Brahma. The Mind is also said to be the creator. that which springs as "I"
which Sri BhagavAn says.
Lotus represents the Truth or any of Its manifested powers. We may infer as the waves in the
ocean, the outward going mind engaged in the work of Lord.
The creative faculties in man flow from the navel area. When one utters the pravavA () if
practiced well, it originates from the nAbhi, (navel), where from all the creative manifestations
originates. nAbhi need be infered as the center of the who cosmos, the hridyam as explained by
BhagavAn.
The inner equipment (antahkarana) constitutes the mind, intellect, Chit and ego. In the Yoga
shAstrAs, we find a lot of details regarding According to them every idea springs from
Him parA (parA, we have also seen the two kinds of vidyA, para vidyA, aparea vidyA), and then
at the navel (center) they come to be perceived (Pasyantee). Thereafter they play in the
bosom as thoughts (please also read about (madhayamA), and at last they are expressed
(Vaikharee) in the outer fields of activity. Every idea becomes an action we
gather a clearer insight into the meaning of the symbolism of the Creator seated on the
lotus, which springs forth from the navel of the Lord, the Supreme Vishnu. This requires
extensive study in itself.
dAmOdarA
The One who is known through a mind which is purified (udarA) by means of self control
(dAmA) and such other qualities. He is called as dAmodarA as He is known by means of Dama
(restraint of senses).
I leave it to each one of us, to infer for ourselves, when we meditate these great names by
touching the various parts mentioned in the Acamana kriyA, cheeks, eyes, nose, ears, shoulders,
navel and head.
Gratitude to the Lord, for giving me this opportunity. Thank you.