Can women do Sandyavanadanam puja ?

Traditionally, this is advocated for men. But in some households women also do it, I guess it depends on the belief of each family lineage.

 

Nope Sandyavandana has gayathri japam as part of it, gayathri japam has to be done only post upanayaam (thread ceremony) and gayathri initiaction ... which is not done to women hence women don't do sandyavandanam,

 

Hi
It is the celebrated Gayatri-Vidya of the Upanishads͵ for attaining Brahman. It is a nitya karma͵ ie once started͵ needs to be done without break͵ else a dosha (sin) called Pratyavaya will accrue. Even during the Mahabharata war͵ soldiers used to take time off to do Sandhya worship.

Ritual purity is a must. To illustrate this point͵ scriptures often mention the tale of King Nala who once did Sandhya Vandanam without washing his feet and consequently lost his kingdom and had to wander in forests half crazy.

The nitya karmas need to be done till death or till one makes Vyuththanam. Vyuththanam (or its later name Sannyasa) is the ideal state of life in the Vedas͵ wherein a person gives up all selfish eshanas (desires/attachment) for children͵ wealth and worldly pleasures and while being fully Atmaarama͵ devotes his/her life for the welfare of the world͵ and maintains this body only through Bhikshaacharyam (begging). This is the goal that a person performing nitya karmas is striving for.

Traditionally͵ this is considered much more difficult for women to perform͵ as nature has designed women to have more role than men in childbirth and child rearing (at least in the initial stages of childhood). This is the antithesis of the giving up of the attachment to children͵ or Putra-eshana.

 

Dear Sister

What you have said is very true. In fact - in our religion the performance of rituals is considered a relatively lower form of spirituality. Since it implies that something needs to be gained through the effort expended by rituals. In reality Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma (All are Brahman) Neha nanaasti kinchana (There is not an iota of manifoldness in this universe0È3 and never will be too)
Mrtyoh sa mrityum aapnoti ya iha naanaiva pashyati (One who differentiates here0È3 goes from death to death) say our scriptures.
The only differentiation we accept is not man-woman but between the Jnani and the Ajnaani. The Jnaani is ever happy in the allpervasive Self and desiring nothing else0È3 ever happy with the universe too. The Ajnaani is ever bent on thinking ¡°me¡° ¡°my children¡° ¡°my house ¡° ¡°my wealth¡° etc and is ever trapped between fleeting moments of joy and sorrow.
In terms of Nitya karmas like Sandhyavandana - both Jnanis and Ajnaanis might perform them however
* Ajnaanis perform them for self purification which is essential to be eligible for the ultimate step of Sannyasa
* Jnanis like lord Krishna performed Nityakarmas to show an example for common humanity.

We consider Atmajnanam as the highest form of wealth0È3 above all rituals. Yajnavalkya had two wives - of whom Maitreyi desired for the Atmajnanam which is greater than even the whole world filled with jewels. It is with much affection and delight that Yajnavalkya then sits down to share Atmajnanam with his wife - this episode is mentioned twice in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. Many later commentators like Sri Shankaracharya have expressed their appreciation of the singular expressions of affection used by Yajnavalkya in the discussion.