Svādhyāyam — Sacred Self-Study
Svādhyāyam (Sanskrit: sva = own + adhyāya = study; 'self-study') is the fourth of the pañca kāla — the daily practice of studying, reciting, and teaching sacred scriptures. The Vedas declare svādhyāyo'dhyetavyaḥ — 'one must always be studying.''
What Svādhyāyam Includes: Recitation of one's Vedic portion (svādhikāra), daily Divya Prabandham recitation (prabandha anusandhanam), study of the Āchāryas' sacred works (grantha kālakṣēpam), and teaching these to qualified students.
The Interconnection of Teaching and Learning: Svādhyāyam encompasses both receiving (adhyayana) and imparting (adhyāpana). 'I study; I teach; through both, I grow.' A Śrī Vaiṣṇava who hoards sacred knowledge — keeping it from sincere seekers — violates the spirit of svādhyāyam.
Svādhyāyam in the Home: For the Śrī Vaiṣṇava householder, svādhyāyam happens in the quiet time after ijjā — when the home is sanctified by worship and the mind is still. Daily Tiruppallāṇḍu, Tiruppāvai, Rāmānuja Nūṟṟandādhi, and relevant works are recited.