sandhyopAsana

[Ravisankar S. Mayavaram]

Many details of sandhyopAsana, gAyatrI mantra, etc. can be found in
shrImad devI bhAgavatam. smArta-s rely on this source for most of their
sandhya rules.  The 11th skandha of this text deals with this subject,
and touches on many aspects like various versions of gAyatrI ( like
turiya gAyatrI, hamsa gAyatrI, the 4th pAdA of gAyatrI and so on). But
these special mantra-s require initiation and need to be taught by a
guru.

Besides this, one thing I learnt recently was about gAyatrI shApa
vimochanam. shrImad devI bhAgavatam also mentions about it. There are
three curses on the gAyatrI japam, by brahma, vasishTa, and vishvAmitra.
Once has to pray for redemption from these curses, otherwise he will not
get pUrNa phala for the japa.  The version of devI bhAgavatam, just
mentions the curse, but not the details, if some one knows  about the
incidents behind it, please post.

Ravi