ÃÂchamanam (Sanskrit: , ') is a purification ritual performed at the beginning of more complex religious ceremonies in the Hinduism, which is believed to cure all physical and mental impurities.
There are three types of ÃÂchamanam, namely, à ÂrautÃÂcamanam (Sanskrit: ), Smá¹ÂtyÃÂcamanam (Sanskrit: ) and PurÃÂá¹ÂÃÂcamanam (Sanskrit: ).
However, in the Sandhyavandana ritual, there exists fourth version of ÃÂchamana, known as mantrÃÂcamana.
In à ÂrautÃÂcamanam, water is sipped three times and is accompanied by the recitation of the three padas of the Gayatri in succession. Alternatively, water is sipped three times with the chanting of á¹ÂgvedÃÂya SvÃÂhÃÂ, YajurvedÃÂya SvÃÂhÃÂ, SÃÂmavedÃÂya SvÃÂhÃÂ. Then, 21 parts of the body are touched while the 21 mantras are recited: the nine Abliá¹ gas, the seven Vyahritis (the names of the seven worlds, preceded by the sacred pranava Om), and the 3 padas of Gayatri siras. It is defined in á¹£atkarma candrikàas
The Smá¹ÂtyÃÂcamanam is an abridged version of the à ÂrautÃÂcamanam. Water is sipped three times, accompanied by the ritual utterance svÃÂhÃÂ. Then, 9 parts of the body are touched, accompanied by recitation of the specific sutras that instruct the version of the achamana in question.
PurÃÂá¹ÂÃÂcamanam is done with the 24 names of Vishnu starting with keà Âava, etc. The water is poured on the right hand palm, which made as gokurna sipped thrice with the first three names. Both hands are washed with the next two names. For the remaining 19 names different parts of body are ritually cleansed.