Always perform Achamana before entering the Deity room to worship the Lord. Sit on a proper sitting place (äsana).* (If there is no äsana, kneel with your right knee touching the floor and your left foot flat on the floor.) With an ächamana-pätra filled with water clean both hands by sprinkling them with water; holding the ächamana 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 brähma-tirtha). The procedure for basic ächamana consists of the first three steps below. If time and circumstances permit, you may perform the complete ächamana:

• Chant om keshaväya namah and sip water from the brähma-tértha of your right hand

• Chant om näräyanäya namah and sip water from the brähma-tértha of your right hand.

• Chant om mädhaväya namah and sip water from the brähma-tértha of your right hand.

• Chant om govindäya namah and sprinkle water on your right hand.

• Chant om vishñave namah and sprinkle water on your left hand.

• Chant om madhusüdanäya namah and touch your right cheek with fingers of your right hand.

• Chant om trivikramäya namah and touch your left cheek with the fingers of your right hand.

• Chant om vämanäya namah and wipe above your upper lip with the base of your right thumb.

• Chant om sridharäya namah and wipe below your lower lip with base of your right thumb.

• Chant om hrshikesäya namah and sprinkle water on both hands.

• Chant om padmanäbhäya namah and sprinkle water on your feet.

• Chant om dämodaräya namah and sprinkle water on the top of your head.

While chanting the following mantras, perform the hand motions:

• Chant om väsudeväya 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 middle finger.

• Chant om pradyumnäya namah and touch left nostril with right thumb and middle finger.

• Chant om aniruddhäya namah and touch right eye with your right thumb and ring finger.

• Chant om purushottamäya namah and touch left eye with your right thumb and ring finger.

• Chant om adhokshajäya 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 achyutäya namah and touch your navel with your right thumb and little finger.

• Chant om janärdanäya namah and touch your heart with the palm of your right hand.

• Chant om upendräya 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 krshnaya namah and touch left upper arm with the fingertips of your right hand.

Now chant the following mantra from the Åg Veda while showing the pranaama-mudrä (palms together in front of your heart):