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):

(om) tad visnoh paramam padam
sada pasyanti surayah
diviva caksur atatam
tad vipraso vipanyavo
jagrvamsah samindhate
visnor yat paramam padam

Just as those with ordinary vision see the sun’s rays in the sky, so the wise and learned devotees always see the supreme abode of Lord Visnu. Because those highly praiseworthy and spiritually awake brahmanas can see that abode, they can also reveal it to others. [Rg Veda Samhita 1.22.20-21]