RIGVEDA PRATHAH SANDHYAAVANDANA

RIGVEDA PRATHAH SANDHYAAVANDANA NOTE: A NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING ABROAD AND NOT EXPOSED TO THE SAMSKRIT LANGUAGE-WHETHER IT BE READING, WRITING OR PRONUNCIATION OR NOT EVEN TRAINED IN THEIR OWN NATIVE VERNACULAR LANGUAGE WANT STILL TO ADOPT OUR HINDU DHARMIC PRINCIPLES AS MUCH AS THEY CAN WITHIN THEIR LIMITS. BUT THEY SOMETIMES FIND SAMSKRIT SCRIPT ACT AS A BARRIER DUE PROBABLY TO LIVING IN AN TOTALLY DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE AND CULTURE FOR A LONG TIME. BUT STILL WHERE THEY WANT SUPPORT AND NECESSARY FORMATTING WHILE PRONOUNCING /CHANTING MANTRAS AS IN SANDHYA VANDANA MANTRAS HERE IS AN EFFORT TO HELP SUCH YOUNG VATUS RECENTLY INTRODUCED TO BRAHMOPADESHA BY CHANGING THE SCRIPT INTO ENGLISH WITHOUT AFFECTING THE CONTENT,MEANING OR INTONATION TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE.AS A START, WE HAVE DONE THIS FOR RIGVEDA PRATHAH SANDHYAAVANDANA AS AN EXPERIMENT.THE KNOWLEDGEABLE STILL CAN GUIDE US WITH THEIR INPUT. RIGVEDA PRATHAH YAAVANDANA

Always sit on a mat or clean cloth facing east in morning times, and so in the afternoon. Evening times, face west as sun is now going down there. IN Sandhyavandanas, we pray to sun as god as he is the one planet who is directly and indirectly responsible to us living beings. Without him, we cannot exist even for a minute . As sun due to its’ high temperature and brilliance(surface temperature itself is 5600 deg.C,imagine what it could be inside the planet!), we cannot see him directly and so represent him by Gayatri-a goddess-akin to our mother who takes care of us all the time offer him our prayer through goddess gayatri. The earth on which we lie and from which we grow food, draw water, light that come to us and the air we breath are all due to this sun. It is called savithuhu, aaditya, bhaaskara, hiraNya, ravi etc. So in showing our gratitude to sun by whom we live, we pray to him by a system or procedure just like inviting a guest (here savitri or gayatri) and welcoming him/her with giving water to wash his/her legs (paadyam), wash his/her hands (arghyam), wash his/her face (aachamya) and then offer him/her a seat and so on. This procedure is sandhya vandana. Sandhya is sun, vandana is thanksgiving/praying. Morning early, sun rises in the east, afternoon, he is right above our head and evening, he moves over to the west (technically speaking, earth goes round him to the other end.) So, accordingly while praying, we also turn toward east in the morning, midsky, afternoon and in the evening towards west where he is setting and therafter night settles slowly obscuring him and totally. Now read on… Take water in uddharani from left hand, While reciting Apavitrah pavitrovaa sarvaavastaangathopi vaa / yasmareth pundarikaaksham, sabaabhyaantaram shuchih.//”, sprinkle water from uddharani on all your sides and on your self too. Shuklaambaradaram vishnum, shashi varnam chaturbhujam / prasanna vadanam dhyaayeth sarva vighnnopa shaantaye // Aachamya Add ‘OM’ before each name of god:-(take uddharani water for each name typed in bold letters below and swallow for first three names while reciting them.:- Keshavaaya svaahaa, naaraayana svaaha, maadhavaaya svaaha, gOvindaaya namaha(with uddharani water wash left hand pouring from right hand), vishnave namaha( now with water from uddharani water pouring from right hand wash left hand), madhusudanaya namaha(touch upper lip with right hand fingers), trivikramaaya namaha(touch lower lip with right hand fingers), vaamanaaya namaha(touch right cheek wih right hand), sridharaaya namaha(touch left cheek wih right hand), hrishikeshaaya namaha(with uddharani water in your right hand sprinkle right knees/legs) padma naabhaaya namaha(with uddharani water in your right hand sprinkle left knees/legs) daamodaraaya namaha( touch front of head with right hand) Sankarshanaaya namaha(touch your chin with right hand thumb, ring finger) Vaasudevaaya namaha(touch right side of nose with right hand thumb, ring finger) Pradyumnaaya namaha(touch left side of nose with right hand thumb, ring finger), Aniruddhaaya namaha(touch right eye with right hand thumb ,ring finger) Purushottamaaya namaha(touch left eye with right hand thumb ,ring finger) Adhokshajaaya namaha( touch right ear lobe with right hand thumb, ring finger), Naarasimhaaya namaha(touch left ear lobe with right hand thumb, ring finger), Achyutaaya namaha(touch navel with right hand thumb, ring finger), Janaardhanaaya namaha(touch your heart region with right hand thumb, ring finger), Upendraaya namaha( touch your head with right hand thumb, forefinger) Haraye namaha (touch your right shoulder region with right hand thumb, forefinger) shrI krishnaaya namaha(touch your left shoulder region with right hand thumb, forefinger). Here afterwards, when you asked to do ‘Achaamaya’ repeat same way as above. Sitting and holding nose with right hand forefinger and thumb, recite following mantra :– Om pranavasya parabrahma rushihi, paramaatmaa devata, daivi gaayatri chandaha, praanaayaame viniyogaha, Om, bhuhu, om bhuvaha, ogam suvaha, om mahaha,om janaha, om tapaha, ogam satyam/ Om tatsavituhu varenyam, bhargo devasya dhimahi / dhiyoyonaha, prachodayath,/ omaapo jyoti raso amrutham brahma bhurbhuvasvarom// Now in same squatting position, keep your left palm facing upwards on right knee and covering it with right hand palm facing downwards on left palm. Recite as follows:– SANKALPA VIDHIHI Meaning the purpose of doing this sandhyavandana and at what time of day, week, and place. One should know details of panchaanga before before starting sandhya vandana Shubhe, shobhana muhurte adyabrahmanaha, dvitiya prahaaraardhe , sveta varaaha kalpe, vaivasvata manu anthare kaliyuge, prathama paade, pushkara dveepe, aindra khande, shaanta saagara teere, shaali vaahana shake, bauddhaavataare, asmin vartamaane, vyaavahaarike, chaandramaane, prabhavaadi shasti samvatasraanaam madhye, shri durmukhi naama samvatsare, ……aayane, ………ruthau, ……….maase, …….pakshe, …………vaasaraha, …….. shubha Tithou, ……….. shubha nakshatra, shubha yOga, shubha karana, evam guna visheshana visistaayaam, shubha tithau, mamopaatta, samasta durita akshyadvaara, sri parameswara prithyaartham prathaha sandhyaam upaasye. Recite as follows while at same time sprinkle water from uddharane from your right hand middle finger to all parts of your body:-

MAARJANA MANTRA: Om Apohistaa, mayobhavasthaana urje dadhaatana, maharaneya chakshshe, yovashivatha morasaha, tasya bhaajayate hanaha, ushatiriva maatarahah, tasmaa aranga maamavo, yasyakshayaaya jivataha. Aapo janayatchanaha. Repeat three times as above With uddharaNe water into you right palm and holding it recite as follows:– Ambarisha sindhu dveepa rushihi,aapo devathaa, gaayatri chandaha, maarjane viyogaha’, Apohistaa, mayobhavasthaana urje dadhaatana, maheranaya chakshsushe, yovashivatha morasaha, tasya bhaajayate hanaha, ushatiriva maatarahah, tasmaa aranga maamavo, yasyakshayaaya jivataha. Aapo janayatchanaha– sprinkle water from uddharane onto your head and limbs. Take water from your uddharaNe and pouring it into your right palm recite as follows:-SUryaschEtyasya mantrasya yaajnavalkopanishada rushihi, sUryamaamanyu, manyupatayo, raatri dEvataa, prakrutichandaha apaam praashanE viniyogaha. Om sUryascha maamanyascha manyupatayascha manyukrutayEbhyaha. PaapebhyO rakShantaam yadryaat paapamakaarsham, manasaa vaachaa hastaabhyaam, padbhyaam udarENa shishnyaam raatrihi tadavalampatu. Yatkincha duritam mayi, idam aham maamarutayonau sUryE jyOtishi juhomo svaaha. –drink the water in you right palm. Aachamya: 1. ‘Apohistaa, mayobhavasthaana urje dadhaatana, maharaneya chakshshe , yovashivatha morasaha, tasya bhaajayate hanaha, ushatiriva maatharahah, tasmaa aranga maamavo, yasyakshayaaya jinvataha. Aapo janayathaachanaha. Ambarisha sindhu dveepa rushihi,aapo devathaa, gaayatri chandaha, maarjane viniyogaha’, — sprinkle water from uddharane onto your head . 2. Apohistaa, mayobhavasthaana urje dadhaatana, maheranaya chakshsushe , yovashivatha morasaha, tasya bhaajayate hanaha, ushatiriva maatarahah, tasmaa aranga maamavo, yasyakshayaaya jinvatha. Aapo janayathaachanaha– sprinkle water from uddharane onto your head . 3.Shanno devirabhishtaya aapobhavantu peetaye shamyoha abhisravantunaha,IshaanaavaaryaaNaam kshayantihi, charshaninaam aapoyaachaami bheshajam– sprinkle water from uddharane onto your head . 4.Apsume somo abravi, dantarvishvaani,bheshajaa, agnim cha vishva shambhuvam, aapascha vishva bheshajihi,aapaha pruNita, bheshajam, varUtham tanve, ye, ye, ye, mama. Jokcha suryam drushe- sprinkle water from uddharane onto your head. 5.Idamaapaha, pravahathaha, yatkimcha duritham Mayi, yadvaamahabhidudroham yadvaa shepa utaanrutam. — sprinkle water from uddharane onto your head. 6.Aapo adyaanva chaarisham, rasena samagasmahi payasvaan agna aagahi tam maa samsruja varchanaa– sprinkle water from uddharane onto your head . 7.Sasrushi stadapasaha, divaanaktam cha sasrushi, varenya kratu rahamaadevi, ravase huve– sprinkle water from uddharane onto your head . Take uddharaNe water into your right palm, holding it recite as below:- Rutham chEti tryachyasya sUktasya aghamarashaNa rushihi, bhaav vrutto dEvatha, anuShuTup chandaha, papa purusha visarjanE viyogaha. Rutham cha satyam cha abhiddaatapasodhya jaayata, tatO raathree tataha samudrO aarNavaha. Samudraadro arNavaha. Samudraath arNavaadadhi samvatsaro ajaayata, aho raatraaNi vidadhaha dvishyasya mishitovashee. Suryaa chandramasau dhaathaayathaa pUrvamakalpayath. Divam cha pruthaveem cha anthariksham atho suvaha.—drupadaadiva munchatu,drupadaa divEnmumuchaanaha, svinnasnaatvee malaadiva pUtam pavitrEnaivaajyam aapashunhanthi mayinasaha.—take the water in your palm smell it and through it to your left. AACHAMYA: RECITE Om pranavasya parabrahma rushihi, paramaatmaa devata, daivi gaayatri chandaha, praanaayaame viniyogaha, Om, bhuhu, om bhuvaha, ogam suvaha, om mahaha,om janaha, om tapaha, ogam satyam/ Om tatsavituhu varenyam, bhargo devasya dhimahi / dhiyoyonaha, prachodayath,/ omaapo jyoti raso amrutham brahma bhurbhuvasvarom// , , mamopaatta, samasta durita akshyadvaara, sri parameswara preethyaartham prathaha sandhyaam arghya pradaanam karishye;

Standing up, holding the arghya paatra in left hand and slightly bending,Recite “Pranava mantra” as follows:- Om, bhuhu, om bhuvaha, ogam suvaha, om mahaha,om janaha, om tapaha, ogam satyam/ Om tatsavituhu varenyam, bhargo devasya dhimahi / dhiyoyonaha, prachodayath,/ omaapo jyoti raso amrutham brahma bhurbhuvasvarom//—-iti prathamaarghyam samarpayaami,saying pour one or two spoons of water from arghya paatra in left hand onto your right palm and into pancha paatra . Repeat “Pranava mantra” again twice as above with arghya pradaana.. If there is delay in doing sandhyaa vandana beyond the time of sunrise(pradosha kaala,) , then reciting :- kaalaathItha dosha praayaschittaartham punaha arghya pradaanam karishye;-repeat again same praNava mantra and pour water into arghya paatra. Standing erect, and holding both palms facing easttward, say uttiSTa devi ganthavyam punaraagamanayacha. Praseeda devi tushtyartham, pravishya hrudayam mama, Aasavaadiyo brahma, thEjoosi,thEjoo mayi dEhi, Aasavaadiyo brahma, Sit down and putting water into your right palm, sprinkle water all around your head. Aachamya ….. Sprinkling water from uddharane, on the ground and all around you recite:- Aapasarpantu ye bhutaaha, ye bhutaa bhumi samsthitaaha, ye bhutaa vighna kartaaraha, thenashyantu shivaajnayaa, apakraamantu bhuthaadyaaha sarve te bhumi bhaarakaaha. Sarveshaam avirodhena brahma karma samaarabhe. Pruthivyaaha mero prustarushihi, kurmo devatha suthalam chandaha. Aasane viniyogaha. Pruthvi tvayaa dhrutaa lokaaha devi tvam vishnunaa dhrutaa tvamcha dhaaraya maamm devi, pavitram kuruchaasanam. Aatmaasanaaya namaha, yogaasanaaya namaha, kamalaasanaaya namaha, kurmaasanaaya namah, kushaasanaaya namaha, gurubhyO namaha, gam ganapataye namaha,ksham kshetra paalakaaya namaha,pam paramaatmane namaha, OM, PHAT,- hereClap both your hands once.

PRANAAYAAMA MANTRA : :Pranavasya paraprahma rushihi,devi gayatri chandaha, paramaatma devata, davi gayatri chandaha, paramaatmaa savitaa devataa, bhuraadi, sapta vyaahrutinaam, atri, bhrugu,kutsa, vasista, kaashyapa aamgirasa rushayaha, gaayatrushnik, anushtap bruhati pankti, sthreestup jagati chandaagamsi, agni, vatu, savitru, bruhaspati, varuNendra, vishve deva devataa, OM PHAT, — Clap both your hands once. Repeat above praanaayaama mantra ten times.( if donot have time, as many ties as you can recite). Aayaatvityasya mantrasya, vaama deva rushihi,gayatri devataa anushtap chandaha, gaayatre aavaahane viniyogaha. Om, ithi ekaaksharam brahmaagni devataa, brahma ityaarsham,gaayatri chandaha, paramaatmam svarupam, saayujyam, viniyogaha. Aayaatu varadaa devi, Aksharam brahma sammitam, gayatrim chandasaam, maatedam brhma jushasva me, yadahnaath kurute paapam, tadanhaat pratimuchyate, yadraatyaat kurute paapam, tadryaath pratimuchyate, sarva varne mahaadevi, sandhyaa vidye sarasvati, Om Ojosi, sahosi, balamasi bhraajosi,devaanaam dhaama naamaasi, vishvamasi vishvaayuhu, Sarvamasi sarvaayuhu, abhibhurom, Gaayatrim aavaahayaami, (bring both palms joined together towards you), Saavitrim aavaahayaami (bring both palms joined together towards you), Sarasvatim aavaahayaami (bring both palms joined together towards you), Chanda rushim aavaahayaami (bring both palms joined together towards you) Shriyam aavaahayaami, (bring both palms joined together towards you), Balam aavaahayaami, (bring both palms joined together towards you), Gayatraya gayatri chandaha, vishvamitra rushihi, savita devata, gayatri chandaha, Agnihi mukham ( touch your face with your right palm ) Brahma shiraha ( touch your head with your right palm ) Vishnur hrudayam ( touch your heart region with your right palm ) Rudrah shikha ( touch back of your head with your right palm ), pruthvi yonhi, praaNopaana vyaanodaana, samaanaa, sapraaNa, shveta varnaa, saamkhyaanasa gotraa, gaayatri chaturvigam shat tryakshara tripadaa shat kukshihi, pancha shirshopanayane viniyogaha(clap both hands together.) Yatha shakti gayatri mantra japam karishye

Recite here PRANAVA MANTRA KARANYAASA: Om, tatsavituhu, brahmaatmane amgustaabhyaam namaha(touch thumb with fore finger tip of both hands) Varenyam vishnuhu aatmane tarjanibhyaam namaha(touch thumb and forefinger tips together of both hands) Bhargo devasya rudraatmane madhyabhyam namaha (touch thumb and middle finger tips together of both hands ) Dhimahi satyaatmane anaamikaabhyaa namaha(touch thumb and ring finger together of both hands) Dhiyoyanaha jnaanaatmane kanistakaabhyaam namaha (touch thumb and little finger together of both hands) Prachodayaat sarvaatmane kara thala, kara prushtaabhyaam namaha (here slide palms of both hands together , once above and once below each other). ANGANYAASA: Om, tatsavituhu brahmaatmane hrudayaaya namaha –touch heart region with right hand palm Vishnuraatmane shirase swaaha ( touch forehead with right palm) Bhargo devasya rudraatmane shikhayai oushat,(touch back of head with right palm and clap with both hands) Dhimahi satyaatmane kavachaayuham , dhiyo yonaha jnaatmane netra trayaaya oshat ( touch left shoulder with your right palm and left shoulder with right palm, and with your right hand fingers touch both eyes and the middle of forehead and then clap both hands together), Prachodayaat sarvaatmane astraaya phat( clap both hands together), Bhurbhuvasuvaha Om iti dik bandhaha. Here adopt mudra from your fingers through book or who know it properly. DHYAANAM : MUKTAA VIDRUMA HEMA NILA DHAVALA CHAAYAIHI, MUKHAIHI, thri akshinyaihi, yuktaam indu kala nibaddha ratna makutaam, tatvaartha varNaatmikaam,gaayatrim varadaabhayaam ankusha kashaam, shulam, kapalam gadaam, shankham chakramathaaravinda yugaLam, hastai vahantim bhaje’. PROCEED WITH GAYATRI MANTRA JAPA -MINIMUM OF108 REPEATS.(multiples of 12). IF TIME DOES NOT PERMIT A MINIMUM OF 36 Is suggested UNDER EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. After completing JAPA repeat KARANYAASA AND ANGNYAASA, and MUDRAA DARSHANA AS TOLD EARLIER, AND AT THE END SAY DIGVIMOKA:, brahmaatmane hrudayaaya namaha Now stand up FACING EAST and recite as follows with folded hands: Uttame shikhare jate bhumyaama parvatamurdhani , braahmanebhyo abhyanujnaata gachcha devi yathaa sukham,`sri gachcha devi yathaa sukham, iti, Sthutomayaa varadaa vedamaata, prachodayantheem pavane aayuhu, pruthivyaam, draviNam, brahma varchasam, mahyam datvaa prajaatum, brahma lokam. JaathavEdasE sunavaama soma maraateeyatho nidahaati vEdaha. Sanaha parshadati durgaaNi vishvaanaavEva Sindhu duritaagnihi, taschayyoriti mantradvayasya, shamyu rushihi, vishvEdEvaa dEvataa shatvaree chandaha, shantrurthE japE viniyogaha. Om, taschayyo raavruNeemahE gaatum yajnaaya gaatum yajnapateyE daiveehi svastirastunaha, svastirmaanushEbhyaha urdhvam jigaatu bhEshajam shanno asthu dvipadE, sham chatushpadE, om namo brahmaNE namo astvagnayE namaha pruthivyai oshadheebhyaha, namo vaachE namo vaachaspathayE, namo vishNavE mahatE karomi.

(facing east)Om, namah prachyai dishe yaascha devataaha etasyaam prativasanti etaabhyascha namo namaha, (facing south)Om, namah dakshinaayai dishe yaascha devataaha etasyaam prativasanti etaabhyascha namo namaha, (facing west)Om, namah pradichyai dishe yaascha devataaha etasyaam prativasanti etaabhyascha namo namaha, (facing north), namah udichyai dishe yaascha devataaha etasyaam prativasanti etaabhyascha namo namaha, (turning east again, looking up and saluting)Om, namah urdhvayai dishe yaascha devataaha etasyaam prativasanti etaabhyascha namo namaha, (looking down and saluting)Om, namah adharaayai dishe yaascha devataaha etasyaam prativasanti etaabhyascha namo namaha, (slowly rounding yourself continue to recite :– Om, namah avaantarai dishe yaascha devataaha etasyaam prativasanti etaabhyascha namo namaha, Om sandhyayai namah, saavitrayi namaha, gaaaytrai namaha, sarasvatyai namaha, Sarvaabhyo devataabhyo namaha, munibhyo namaha, rushibhyo namaha, gurubhyo namaha, maatrubhyo namaha, pitrubhyo namah, aachaaryobhyo namaha, kaamokarshin manyurakaarshin namo namaha. Stand facing east and continue reciting.. pruthivyaapastejo vaayuraakaashath, om, namo bhagavate vaasudevaaya. Yaagam sadaa sarva bhutaani, charaaNi sthaavaraaNi cha,saayam praathar namsyanthi saamaa sandhyabhi rakshatu, sandhyabhi rakshatu. Shivaaya vishnu rupaaya, shivarupaaya vishnave, shivascha hrudayagam vishnuhu, Vishnuscha hrudayagam shivaha, yathaantharam na pashyaami, tathaame svasti raayushi, sristhathaa me svastiraayushi om namah iti. Namo brahmanya devaaya, go braahmaNa hitaayacha, jagadhitaaya krishnaaya govindaaya namo namaha.namostu ananthaaya sahasra murtaye, sahasra paadaakshi shiroru baahuve, sahasra naamne purushaaya shaaswate sahasra koti yuga dhaariNe namaha. Abrahma lokaadaashEshaat aalOkaalOka parvataaat, yE vasanti dvijaa dEvaaha thEbhyo nityam naM namaha. Yamaaya dharma raajaaya mrutyvE cha anthakaaya cha, vaivasvataaya kaalaaya sarvabUta kshayaayacha, Oudumbaraaya dadhnaaya neeaaya paramaatmEstinE, vrukodaraaya chitraaya chitraguptaayavai namaha. Narmadaayai namaha praathaha narmadaayai namo nishi, Namstu narmadE tubhyam paahimaam visha sarpathaha. Aapasarpa sarvabhadrantE dUram gachcha mahaa yashaha, janamejayasya yajnaanthE aasthika vachanam smaran. Jaratkaarorjaratkaarvaam samutpano mahaa yashahaaha, Aasteeka ssatyasamdho maam pannagEbhyo abhi rakshatu. Vudevasya vaasitante jagatrayam, sarva bhuta nivaasosi vaasudeva namsthuthe. Aakaashaat patitaMthoyam yathaa gachchathi saagaram, sarvadeva namaskaaraha keshavam pratigachchati. idam, dyaavaa pruthavi satyamastu, pitarmaataa yadi hopa bruvevaam,bhutaM devaanaamave aavobhihi vidyaamesham vyajanam jeeradaanum. here crossing your palms and resting them on two EAR LOBES, recite your family PRAVARA “CHATUSAAGARA PARYANTAM, go braahmaNebhyoha shubham bhavatu, bhaargava,vaithavya saavedasha thrayaa rushaya pravaraanvita mauna bhaargava gothroth bhavasya, aashvalaayana sutraha rug shaakhaa adhyaayi, atharva bhaTTa sharmanaha ahambho abhivaadaye. Sitting down cross legged,recite following mantra and pour uddharane water from pancha patre on to your right palm and into ur arghya patre. Yasyaysmrutyaacha naamoktyaa tapasandhyaa kriyaadishu, nyunam sampurNatham yaati sadhyo vande tamachyutham, mantri henam, kriyaahinam, bhaktihinam janaardhana, yataa krutanthu mayaa devaa paripurNam tadasthuthe. Anena maadhyanhika sandhyaa vandanena bhagavaan sarvaatmakaha tatsarvam sri vaasudevaarpaNa mastu. Madhye mantra tantra svara varna dhyaana niyama nyunaatirikta lopa dosha praayaschittaarthaam naama traya mantra japam karishye. Achytaayanamah ananthaayanamah, govindaaya namah. (repeat thrice), achyutaanantha govindebhyo namaha. Kaayenu vaachaa, manasendrirairiva budhyaatma naavaa, prakrute svabhaavat karomi yadyath sakalam parasmai naaraayanEti samarpayaami. The water in the arghya bowl is put into any tree/ plant root and swipe away traces of water around where you sat without being trodden. (FINAL PRINT COPY). ————————————————————————————————- MAATRU DeVOO BHAVA, PITRU DeVOO BHAVA, AACHAARYA DeVOO BHAVA, GURU DeVOO BHAVA, ATHITHI DeVOO BHAVA